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Merwin SJ, Obis T, Nunez Y, Re DB. Organophosphate neurotoxicity to the voluntary motor system on the trail of environment-caused amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: the known, the misknown, and the unknown. Arch Toxicol 2017; 91:2939-2952. [PMID: 28070599 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-016-1926-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2016] [Accepted: 12/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common adult-onset paralytic disorder. It is characterized by progressive degeneration of the motor neurons controlling voluntary movement. The underlying mechanisms remain elusive, a fact that has precluded development of effective treatments. ALS presents as a sporadic condition 90-95% of the time, i.e., without familial history or obvious genetic mutation. This suggests that ALS has a strong environmental component. Organophosphates (OPs) are prime candidate neurotoxicants in the etiology of ALS, as exposure to OPs was linked to higher ALS incidence among farmers, soccer players, and Gulf War veterans. In addition, polymorphisms in paraoxonase 1, an enzyme that detoxifies OPs, may increase individual vulnerability both to OP poisoning and to the risk of developing ALS. Furthermore, exposure to high doses of OPs can give rise to OP-induced delayed neuropathy (OPIDN), a debilitating condition akin to ALS characterized by similar motor impairment and paralysis. The question we pose in this review is: "what can we learn from acute exposure to high doses of neurotoxicants (OPIDN) that could help our understanding of chronic diseases resulting from potentially decades of silent exposure (ALS)?" The resemblances between OPIDN and ALS are striking at the clinical, etiological, neuropathological, cellular, and potentially molecular levels. Here, we critically present available evidence, discuss current limitations, and posit future research. In the search for the environmental origin of ALS, OPIDN offers an exciting trail to follow, which can hopefully lead to the development of novel strategies to prevent and cure these dreadful disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha J Merwin
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA.,NIEHS Center for Environmental Health Sciences in Northern Manhattan, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA.,Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Teresa Obis
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA.,NIEHS Center for Environmental Health Sciences in Northern Manhattan, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA.,Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Yanelli Nunez
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA.,NIEHS Center for Environmental Health Sciences in Northern Manhattan, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA.,Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA.,Toxicology Ph.D. Program, Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Diane B Re
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA. .,NIEHS Center for Environmental Health Sciences in Northern Manhattan, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA. .,Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA. .,, 722 W 168th street Suite 1107B, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
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Calvo A, Canosa A, Bertuzzo D, Cugnasco P, Solero L, Clerico M, De Mercanti S, Bersano E, Cammarosano S, Ilardi A, Manera U, Moglia C, Marinou K, Bottacchi E, Pisano F, Mora G, Mazzini L, Chiò A. Influence of cigarette smoking on ALS outcome: a population-based study. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2016; 87:1229-1233. [PMID: 27656044 DOI: 10.1136/jnnp-2016-313793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2016] [Accepted: 08/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess the prognostic influence of premorbid smoking habits and vascular risk profile on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) phenotype and outcome in a population-based cohort of Italian patients. METHODS A total of 650 patients with ALS from the Piemonte/Valle d'Aosta Register for ALS, incident in the 2007-2011 period, were recruited. Information about premorbid cigarette smoking habits and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were collected at the time of diagnosis. RESULTS Current smokers had a significantly shorter median survival (1.9 years, IQR 1.2-3.4) compared with former (2.3 years, IQR 1.5-4.2) and never smokers (2.7 years, IQR 1.8-4.6) (p=0.001). Also COPD adversely influenced patients' prognosis. Both smoking habits and CODP were retained in Cox multivariable model. CONCLUSIONS This study has demonstrated in a large population-based cohort of patients with ALS that cigarette smoking is an independent negative prognostic factor for survival, with a dose-response gradient. Its effect is not related to the presence of COPD or to respiratory status at time of diagnosis. The understanding of the mechanisms, either genetic or epigenetic, through which exogenous factors influence disease phenotype is of major importance towards a more focused approach to cure ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Calvo
- 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, ALS Center, University of Turin, Turin, Italy Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza, Turin, Italy
| | - Antonio Canosa
- 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, ALS Center, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Davide Bertuzzo
- 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, ALS Center, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Paolo Cugnasco
- 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, ALS Center, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Luca Solero
- 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, ALS Center, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Marinella Clerico
- Department of Biological and Clinical Science, University of Turin, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria San Luigi Gonzaga, Orbassano, Italy
| | - Stefania De Mercanti
- Department of Biological and Clinical Science, University of Turin, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria San Luigi Gonzaga, Orbassano, Italy
| | - Enrica Bersano
- Department of Neurology, ALS Center, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Maggiore della Carità, Novara, Italy Eastern Piedmont University, Novara, Italy
| | - Stefania Cammarosano
- 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, ALS Center, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Antonio Ilardi
- 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, ALS Center, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Umberto Manera
- 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, ALS Center, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Cristina Moglia
- 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, ALS Center, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Kalliopi Marinou
- Salvatore Maugeri Foundation, IRCSS, Scientific Institute of Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Edo Bottacchi
- Department of Neurology, Azienda Ospedaliera Regionale di Aosta, Azienda USL Valle d'Aosta, Aosta, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Pisano
- Salvatore Maugeri Foundation, IRCSS, Scientific Institute of Veruno (NO), Veruno, Italy
| | - Gabriele Mora
- Salvatore Maugeri Foundation, IRCSS, Scientific Institute of Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Letizia Mazzini
- Department of Neurology, ALS Center, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Maggiore della Carità, Novara, Italy
| | - Adriano Chiò
- 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, ALS Center, University of Turin, Turin, Italy Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza, Turin, Italy Neuroscience Institute of Torino (NIT), Turin, Italy
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Schäfer MK, Bellouze S, Jacquier A, Schaller S, Richard L, Mathis S, Vallat JM, Haase G. Sensory neuropathy in progressive motor neuronopathy (pmn) mice is associated with defects in microtubule polymerization and axonal transport. Brain Pathol 2016; 27:459-471. [PMID: 27488538 DOI: 10.1111/bpa.12422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2016] [Accepted: 07/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Motor neuron diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are now recognized as multi-system disorders also involving various non-motor neuronal cell types. The precise extent and mechanistic basis of non-motor neuron damage in human ALS and ALS animal models remain however unclear. To address this, we here studied progressive motor neuronopathy (pmn) mice carrying a missense loss-of-function mutation in tubulin binding cofactor E (TBCE). These mice manifest a particularly aggressive form of motor axon dying back and display a microtubule loss, similar to that induced by human ALS-linked TUBA4A mutations. Using whole nerve confocal imaging of pmn × thy1.2-YFP16 fluorescent reporter mice and electron microscopy, we demonstrate axonal discontinuities, bead-like spheroids and ovoids in pmn suralis nerves indicating prominent sensory neuropathy. The axonal alterations qualitatively resemble those in phrenic motor nerves but do not culminate in the loss of myelinated fibers. We further show that the pmn mutation decreases the level of TBCE, impedes microtubule polymerization in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons and causes progressive loss of microtubules in large and small caliber suralis axons. Live imaging of axonal transport using GFP-tagged tetanus toxin C-fragment (GFP-TTC) demonstrates defects in microtubule-based transport in pmn DRG neurons, providing a potential explanation for the axonal alterations in sensory nerves. This study unravels sensory neuropathy as a pathological feature of mouse pmn, and discusses the potential contribution of cytoskeletal defects to sensory neuropathy in human motor neuron disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael K Schäfer
- Department of Anesthesiology and Research Center Translational Neurosciences, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Germany
| | - Sarah Bellouze
- Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) and Aix-Marseille Université UMR 7289, Marseille, France
| | - Arnaud Jacquier
- Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) and Aix-Marseille Université UMR 7289, Marseille, France
| | - Sébastien Schaller
- Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) and Aix-Marseille Université UMR 7289, Marseille, France
| | - Laurence Richard
- Laboratoire de Neurologie, Centre de référence national "Neuropathies périphériques rares", Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire (CHU), Limoges, France
| | - Stéphane Mathis
- Department of Neurology, Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire (CHU) Poitiers, University of Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Jean-Michel Vallat
- Laboratoire de Neurologie, Centre de référence national "Neuropathies périphériques rares", Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire (CHU), Limoges, France
| | - Georg Haase
- Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) and Aix-Marseille Université UMR 7289, Marseille, France
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Abstract
The causes of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are largely unknown, and may always be multiple, including environmental factors. Monogenetic determinants of ALS are involved in roughly 20% of all cases (including 10% familial cases). Less well understood multigenetic causes may contribute to another 20% to 80%. Environmental factors likely play a role in the development of ALS in susceptible individuals, but proved causation remains elusive. This article discusses the possible factors of male gender (males are selectively exposed to different influences, or genetically predisposed to be susceptible), smoking, military service, exercise, electrical exposure, heavy metals, agricultural chemicals, and geographic clusters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Björn Oskarsson
- UC Davis Multidisciplinary ALS Clinic, An ALS Association Certified Center of Excellence, University of California Davis Medical Center, 4860 Y Street, Suite 3700, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA.
| | - D Kevin Horton
- Division of Toxicology and Human Health Sciences, ATSDR/CDC, 4770 Buford Highway Northeast, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA
| | - Hiroshi Mitsumoto
- The Eleanor and Lou Gehrig MDA/ALS Research Center, The Neurological Institute, Columbia University Medical Center, 710 West 168th Street, Floor 9, New York, NY 10032, USA
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Hagan KA, Munger KL, Ascherio A, Grodstein F. Epidemiology of Major Neurodegenerative Diseases in Women: Contribution of the Nurses' Health Study. Am J Public Health 2016; 106:1650-5. [PMID: 27459462 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2016.303324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To review the contribution of the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) to identifying the role of lifestyle, diet, and genetic or biological factors in several neurodegenerative diseases, including cognitive decline, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. METHODS We completed a narrative review of the publications of the NHS and NHS II between 1976 and 2016. RESULTS In primary findings for cognitive function, higher intake of nuts, moderate alcohol consumption, and higher physical activity levels were associated with better cognitive function. Flavonoids, physical activity, and postmenopausal hormone therapy were related to cognitive decline over 2 to 6 years. The NHS also has been integral in establishing Epstein-Barr virus infection, inadequate vitamin D nutrition, cigarette smoking, and obesity as risk factors for multiple sclerosis and inverse associations between cigarette smoking and caffeine and risk of Parkinson's disease. Increased risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis has been associated with cigarette smoking and decreased risk associated with obesity. CONCLUSIONS The NHS has provided invaluable resources on neurodegenerative diseases and contributed to their etiological understanding. We anticipate that the NHS cohorts will continue to make important contributions to the field of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlin A Hagan
- Kaitlin A. Hagan, Alberto Ascherio, and Francine Grodstein are with the Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham & Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School, and the Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA. Kassandra L. Munger and Alberto Ascherio are with the Department of Nutrition, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
| | - Kassandra L Munger
- Kaitlin A. Hagan, Alberto Ascherio, and Francine Grodstein are with the Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham & Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School, and the Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA. Kassandra L. Munger and Alberto Ascherio are with the Department of Nutrition, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
| | - Alberto Ascherio
- Kaitlin A. Hagan, Alberto Ascherio, and Francine Grodstein are with the Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham & Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School, and the Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA. Kassandra L. Munger and Alberto Ascherio are with the Department of Nutrition, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
| | - Francine Grodstein
- Kaitlin A. Hagan, Alberto Ascherio, and Francine Grodstein are with the Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham & Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School, and the Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA. Kassandra L. Munger and Alberto Ascherio are with the Department of Nutrition, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
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Harwood CA, Westgate K, Gunstone S, Brage S, Wareham NJ, McDermott CJ, Shaw PJ. Long-term physical activity: an exogenous risk factor for sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis? Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2016; 17:377-84. [PMID: 26998882 PMCID: PMC4950417 DOI: 10.3109/21678421.2016.1154575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2015] [Revised: 01/10/2016] [Accepted: 01/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To conduct a geographically defined, UK-based case-control study, to examine any association between physical activity (PA) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). METHODS A novel historical PA questionnaire was designed, validated, and subsequently administered in individual face-to-face interviews of 175 newly diagnosed sporadic ALS cases and 317 age- and sex-matched community controls. Historical PA energy expenditure and time spent in vigorous-intensity PA were derived from questionnaire data and compared between cases and controls. RESULTS Participation in an extra 10kJ/kg/day of PA (equivalent to approximately 45minutes brisk walking) was consistently associated with an increased risk of ALS, with the strongest association observed for adulthood exercise-related PA (OR 1.47, 95% CI 1.10-1.97). An extra 10mins/day of vigorous PA was also associated with the odds of ALS (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1·01-1·05). Results were slightly attenuated following adjustment for smoking and educational attainment. CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge this is the first study to demonstrate a positive association between ALS and PA participation using a specifically designed and validated historical PA questionnaire. Despite the well-established health benefits of PA, a high activity lifestyle may also be associated with elevated risk of ALS. Large-scale prospective studies in the future may help to confirm this association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ceryl A. Harwood
- Academic Neurology Unit, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health, University of Sheffield, 385A Glossop Road,
Sheffield,
S10 2HQ,
UK
| | - Kate Westgate
- Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Box 285 Institute of Metabolic Science, Cambridge Biomedical Campus,
Cambridge,
CB22 0QQ,
UK
| | - Sue Gunstone
- Academic Neurology Unit, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health, University of Sheffield, 385A Glossop Road,
Sheffield,
S10 2HQ,
UK
| | - Soren Brage
- Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Box 285 Institute of Metabolic Science, Cambridge Biomedical Campus,
Cambridge,
CB22 0QQ,
UK
| | - Nicholas J. Wareham
- Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Box 285 Institute of Metabolic Science, Cambridge Biomedical Campus,
Cambridge,
CB22 0QQ,
UK
| | - Christopher J. McDermott
- Academic Neurology Unit, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health, University of Sheffield, 385A Glossop Road,
Sheffield,
S10 2HQ,
UK
| | - Pamela J. Shaw
- Academic Neurology Unit, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health, University of Sheffield, 385A Glossop Road,
Sheffield,
S10 2HQ,
UK
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Armon C. Accrued somatic mutations (nucleic acid changes) trigger ALS: 2005-2015 update. Muscle Nerve 2016; 53:842-9. [PMID: 26799358 DOI: 10.1002/mus.25049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a multilevel disease of the motor neuron system. The mechanisms triggering disease onset should be considered separately from those facilitating its spread and motor neuron death. In 2005, I brought together clinical and epidemiological evidence to support the hypothesis that acquired nucleic acid changes may trigger sporadic ALS. Since 2005, the conceptual foundations for this hypothesis have been strengthened. The journal Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis was renamed Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis & Frontotemporal Degeneration. The focal onset, with simultaneous initial maximal upper and lower motor neuron involvement in the region of onset, and patterns of spread, were characterized further. Clues from the epidemiology of sporadic ALS were affirmed by quantitative analysis, including the increase in disease incidence with age, suggesting accrual of time-dependent changes, and the confirmation of smoking as an established risk factor. Additional observations support the conclusion that accrued somatic mutations trigger onset of ALS. Muscle Nerve 53: 842-849, 2016.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmel Armon
- Tel Aviv University Sackler Faculty of Medicine and Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Israel
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Browne EC, Abbott BM. Recent progress towards an effective treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis using the SOD1 mouse model in a preclinical setting. Eur J Med Chem 2016; 121:918-925. [PMID: 27012524 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2016.02.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2015] [Revised: 02/18/2016] [Accepted: 02/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive, fatal and incurable neurodegenerative disorder. Motor neurone degeneration can be caused by genetic mutation but the exact etiology of the disease, particularly for sporadic illness, still remains unclear. Therapeutics which target known pathogenic mechanisms involved in ALS, such as protein aggregation, oxidative stress, apoptosis, inflammation, endoplasmic reticulum stress and mitochondria dysfunction, are currently being pursued in order to provide neuroprotection which may be able to slow down, or perhaps even halt, disease progression. This present review focuses on the compounds which have been recently evaluated using the SOD1 mouse model, the most widely used preclinical model for ALS research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisse C Browne
- Department of Chemistry and Physics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, Australia
| | - Belinda M Abbott
- Department of Chemistry and Physics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, Australia.
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Zou ZY, Liu CY, Che CH, Huang HP. Toward precision medicine in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2016; 4:27. [PMID: 26889480 PMCID: PMC4731596 DOI: 10.3978/j.issn.2305-5839.2016.01.16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2015] [Accepted: 01/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Precision medicine is an innovative approach that uses emerging biomedical technologies to deliver optimally targeted and timed interventions, customized to the molecular drivers of an individual's disease. This approach is only just beginning to be considered for treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The clinical and biological complexities of ALS have hindered development of effective therapeutic strategies. In this review we consider applying the key elements of precision medicine to ALS: phenotypic classification, comprehensive risk assessment, presymptomatic period detection, potential molecular pathways, disease model development, biomarker discovery and molecularly tailored interventions. Together, these would embody a precision medicine approach, which may provide strategies for optimal targeting and timing of efforts to prevent, stop or slow progression of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhang-Yu Zou
- Department of Neurology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou 350001, China
| | - Chang-Yun Liu
- Department of Neurology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou 350001, China
| | - Chun-Hui Che
- Department of Neurology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou 350001, China
| | - Hua-Pin Huang
- Department of Neurology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou 350001, China
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Weisskopf MG, Cudkowicz ME, Johnson N. Military Service and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in a Population-based Cohort. Epidemiology 2015; 26:831-8. [PMID: 26414854 PMCID: PMC4604116 DOI: 10.1097/ede.0000000000000376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/10/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Military service has been suggested to be associated with an increased risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), but only one prospective study-of a volunteer cohort-has examined this question. METHODS We prospectively assessed the relation between service in the military and ALS mortality among participants in the National Longitudinal Mortality Study, a population-representative cohort of U.S. men and women surveyed from 1973 through 2002. Participant follow-up was conducted from 1979 through 2002 for ALS mortality. There were 696,743 men and 392,571 women who were 25 years old or more with military service data. In this group, there were 375 male ALS deaths and 96 female ALS deaths. Adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated using Cox proportional hazards. RESULTS Men who served in the military had an increased adjusted ALS death rate [HR: 1.23; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.98, 1.53] compared with those who did not serve. An increase in ALS mortality was found among those who served during World War II (HR: 1.47; 95% CI: 1.13, 1.91) but not during other time periods. This pattern of results was similar for women, but with larger confidence intervals (HR for military service: 1.26; 95% CI: 0.29, 5.59; HR for service during World War II: 2.03; 95% CI: 0.45, 9.05). CONCLUSIONS Military personnel have an increased risk of ALS, which may be specific to certain service periods although there was no data on actual deployment. Because of the longer follow-up time for World War II veterans, we cannot rule out that increased risk for those who served during other periods would be seen with further follow-up.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc G. Weisskopf
- From the Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA; Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA; Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA; and Center for Administrative Records and Applications, US Bureau of the Census, Washington, DC
| | - Merit E. Cudkowicz
- From the Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA; Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA; Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA; and Center for Administrative Records and Applications, US Bureau of the Census, Washington, DC
| | - Norman Johnson
- From the Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA; Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA; Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA; and Center for Administrative Records and Applications, US Bureau of the Census, Washington, DC
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Henry KA, Fagliano J, Jordan HM, Rechtman L, Kaye WE. Geographic Variation of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Incidence in New Jersey, 2009-2011. Am J Epidemiol 2015; 182:512-9. [PMID: 26041711 PMCID: PMC4564938 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwv095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2015] [Accepted: 04/03/2015] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Few analyses in the United States have examined geographic variation and socioeconomic disparities in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) incidence, because of lack of population-based incidence data. In this analysis, we used population-based ALS data to identify whether ALS incidence clusters geographically and to determine whether ALS risk varies by area-based socioeconomic status (SES). This study included 493 incident ALS cases diagnosed (via El Escorial criteria) in New Jersey between 2009 and 2011. Geographic variation and clustering of ALS incidence was assessed using a spatial scan statistic and Bayesian geoadditive models. Poisson regression was used to estimate the associations between ALS risk and SES based on census-tract median income while controlling for age, sex, and race. ALS incidence varied across and within counties, but there were no statistically significant geographic clusters. SES was associated with ALS incidence. After adjustment for age, sex, and race, the relative risk of ALS was significantly higher (relative risk (RR) = 1.37, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02, 1.82) in the highest income quartile than in the lowest. The relative risk of ALS was significantly lower among blacks (RR = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.39, 0.83) and Asians (RR = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.41, 0.97) than among whites. Our findings suggest that ALS incidence in New Jersey appears to be associated with SES and race.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin A. Henry
- Correspondence to Dr. Kevin A. Henry, Department of Geography and Urban Studies, College of Liberal Arts, Temple University, Gladfelter Hall, Room 313b, Philadelphia, PA 19122 (e-mail: )
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Paez-Colasante X, Figueroa-Romero C, Sakowski SA, Goutman SA, Feldman EL. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: mechanisms and therapeutics in the epigenomic era. Nat Rev Neurol 2015; 11:266-79. [PMID: 25896087 DOI: 10.1038/nrneurol.2015.57] [Citation(s) in RCA: 157] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease of the motor neurons, which results in weakness and atrophy of voluntary skeletal muscles. Treatments do not modify the disease trajectory effectively, and only modestly improve survival. A complex interaction between genes, environmental exposure and impaired molecular pathways contributes to pathology in patients with ALS. Epigenetic mechanisms control the hereditary and reversible regulation of gene expression without altering the basic genetic code. Aberrant epigenetic patterns-including abnormal microRNA (miRNA) biogenesis and function, DNA modifications, histone remodeling, and RNA editing-are acquired throughout life and are influenced by environmental factors. Thus, understanding the molecular processes that lead to epigenetic dysregulation in patients with ALS might facilitate the discovery of novel therapeutic targets and biomarkers that could reduce diagnostic delay. These achievements could prove crucial for successful disease modification in patients with ALS. We review the latest findings regarding the role of miRNA modifications and other epigenetic mechanisms in ALS, and discuss their potential as therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ximena Paez-Colasante
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, 1500 East Medical Centre Drive, 1914 Taubman Centre SPC 5316, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Claudia Figueroa-Romero
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, 1500 East Medical Centre Drive, 1914 Taubman Centre SPC 5316, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Stacey A Sakowski
- The A. Alfred Taubman Medical Research Institute, University of Michigan, 109 Zina Pitcher Place, 5017 A. Alfred Taubman Biomedical Science Research Building, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Stephen A Goutman
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, 1500 East Medical Centre Drive, 1914 Taubman Centre SPC 5316, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Eva L Feldman
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, 1500 East Medical Centre Drive, 1914 Taubman Centre SPC 5316, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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Fondell E, O'Reilly ÉIJ, Fitzgerald KC, Falcone GJ, Kolonel LN, Park Y, Gapstur SM, Ascherio A. Intakes of caffeine, coffee and tea and risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Results from five cohort studies. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2015; 16:366-71. [PMID: 25822002 DOI: 10.3109/21678421.2015.1020813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Caffeine is thought to be neuroprotective by antagonizing the adenosine A2A receptors in the brain and thereby protecting motor neurons from excitotoxicity. We examined the association between consumption of caffeine, coffee and tea and risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Longitudinal analyses based on over 1,010,000 males and females in five large cohort studies (the Nurses' Health Study, the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort, the Multiethnic Cohort Study, and the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study). Cohort-specific multivariable-adjusted risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) estimates of ALS incidence or death were estimated by Cox proportional hazards regression and pooled using random-effects models. Results showed that a total of 1279 cases of ALS were documented during a mean of 18 years of follow-up. Caffeine intake was not associated with ALS risk; the pooled multivariable-adjusted RR comparing the highest to the lowest quintile of intake was 0.96 (95% CI 0.81-1.16). Similarly, neither coffee nor tea was associated with ALS risk. In conclusion, the results of this large study do not support associations of caffeine or caffeinated beverages with ALS risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elinor Fondell
- a Department of Nutrition , Harvard School of Public Health , Boston , Massachusetts , USA
| | - É Ilis J O'Reilly
- a Department of Nutrition , Harvard School of Public Health , Boston , Massachusetts , USA
| | - Kathryn C Fitzgerald
- a Department of Nutrition , Harvard School of Public Health , Boston , Massachusetts , USA
| | - Guido J Falcone
- b Department of Epidemiology , Harvard School of Public Health , Boston , Massachusetts , USA.,c Department of Neurology , Massachusetts General Hospital , Boston , Massachusetts , USA
| | - Laurence N Kolonel
- d Epidemiology Program, Cancer Center, University of Hawaii , Honolulu , Hawaii , USA
| | - Yikyung Park
- e Nutritional Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute , Bethesda , Maryland , USA.,f Division of Public Health Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine , St. Louis , Missouri , USA
| | - Susan M Gapstur
- g Epidemiology Research Program, American Cancer Society , Atlanta , Georgia , USA
| | - Alberto Ascherio
- a Department of Nutrition , Harvard School of Public Health , Boston , Massachusetts , USA.,b Department of Epidemiology , Harvard School of Public Health , Boston , Massachusetts , USA.,h Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School , Boston , Massachusetts , USA
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Ji J, Sundquist J, Sundquist K. Association of alcohol use disorders with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a Swedish national cohort study. Eur J Neurol 2015; 23:270-5. [PMID: 25641323 DOI: 10.1111/ene.12667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2014] [Accepted: 12/15/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Cigarette smoking is associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), but the association between alcohol consumption and ALS is not clear. Our aim was to clarify this using a national cohort study design in Sweden. METHODS Individuals with alcohol use disorders (AUDs) were identified from several nationwide registers, and they were linked to the Swedish Hospital Discharge and Outpatients Registers to identify the incidence of ALS. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) were used to examine the risk of ALS amongst individuals with AUDs compared to those without AUDs. RESULTS A total of 7965 patients were diagnosed with ALS during the study period 1973-2010. The incidence of ALS amongst individuals with AUD was lower compared to individuals without AUD with an overall SIR of 0.54 (95% confidence interval 0.45-0.63). The study population was further stratified by gender, educational attainment, birth country, follow-up period and a diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (as a proxy for smoking), and the observed inverse association between AUD and ALS was consistent for all the stratified analyses. CONCLUSIONS In this follow-up study, heavy alcohol consumption, as shown by registration for AUD, was inversely associated with the incidence of ALS. However, further studies are needed to disentangle the contribution of other potential confounding factors on the observed association.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Ji
- Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund University/Region Skåne, Malmö, Sweden
| | - J Sundquist
- Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund University/Region Skåne, Malmö, Sweden.,Stanford Prevention Research Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - K Sundquist
- Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund University/Region Skåne, Malmö, Sweden.,Stanford Prevention Research Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
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Valetdinova KR, Medvedev SP, Zakian SM. Model systems of motor neuron diseases as a platform for studying pathogenic mechanisms and searching for therapeutic agents. Acta Naturae 2015; 7:19-36. [PMID: 25926999 PMCID: PMC4410393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the past 30 years, many molecular genetic mechanisms underlying motor neuron diseases (MNDs) have been discovered and studied. Among these diseases, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which causes the progressive degeneration and death of central and peripheral motor neurons, and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), which is one of the inherited diseases that prevail among hereditary diseases in the pattern of child mortality, hold a special place. These diseases, like most nerve, neurodegenerative, and psychiatric diseases, cannot be treated appropriately at present. Artificial model systems, especially those that are based on the use of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), are of paramount importance in searching for adequate therapeutic agents, as well as for a deep understanding of the MND pathogenesis. This review is mainly focused on the recent advance in the development of and research into cell and animal models of ALS and SMA. The main issues concerning the use of cellular technologies in biomedical applications are also described.
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Affiliation(s)
- K. R. Valetdinova
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Prospekt Lavrentyeva, 10, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Prospekt Lavrentyeva, 8, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia
- Meshalkin Novosibirsk State Research Institute of Circulation Pathology, Rechkunovskaya Str., 15, Novosibirsk, 630055, Russia
- Novosibirsk State University, Pirogova Str., 2, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia
| | - S. P. Medvedev
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Prospekt Lavrentyeva, 10, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Prospekt Lavrentyeva, 8, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia
- Meshalkin Novosibirsk State Research Institute of Circulation Pathology, Rechkunovskaya Str., 15, Novosibirsk, 630055, Russia
- Novosibirsk State University, Pirogova Str., 2, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia
| | - S. M. Zakian
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Prospekt Lavrentyeva, 10, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Prospekt Lavrentyeva, 8, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia
- Meshalkin Novosibirsk State Research Institute of Circulation Pathology, Rechkunovskaya Str., 15, Novosibirsk, 630055, Russia
- Novosibirsk State University, Pirogova Str., 2, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia
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Shin JY, Lee KW. Diagnosis and management of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION 2015. [DOI: 10.5124/jkma.2015.58.2.131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Je-Young Shin
- Department of Neurology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Kwang-Woo Lee
- Department of Neurology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
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Levitsky GN, Levitsky AS, Gilod VM. Mental disorders in patients with lateral amyotrophic sclerosis and their family members. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 2015; 115:64-67. [DOI: 10.17116/jnevro20151152164-67] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Fitzgerald KC, O'Reilly ÉJ, Falcone GJ, McCullough ML, Park Y, Kolonel LN, Ascherio A. Dietary ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid intake and risk for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. JAMA Neurol 2014; 71:1102-10. [PMID: 25023276 DOI: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2014.1214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a severe progressive disease that cannot be prevented or cured. Diet-derived long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are incorporated in brain lipids and modulate oxidative and inflammatory processes and could thus affect ALS risk and progression. OBJECTIVE To examine the association between ω-6 and ω-3 PUFA consumption and ALS risk. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Longitudinal analyses based on 1,002,082 participants (479,114 women and 522,968 men) in 5 prospective cohorts: the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study, the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort, the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, the Multiethnic Cohort Study, and the Nurses' Health Study. Diet was assessed via food frequency questionnaire developed or modified for each cohort. Participants were categorized into cohort-specific quintiles of intake of energy-adjusted dietary variables. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Cohort-specific multivariable-adjusted risk ratios (RRs) of ALS incidence or death estimated by Cox proportional hazards regression and pooled using random-effects methods. RESULTS A total of 995 ALS cases were documented during the follow-up. A greater ω-3 PUFA intake was associated with a reduced risk for ALS. The pooled, multivariable-adjusted RR for the highest to the lowest quintile was 0.66 (95% CI, 0.53-0.81; P < .001 for trend). Consumption of both α-linolenic acid (RR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.59-0.89; P = .003 for trend) and marine ω-3 PUFAs (RR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.65-1.08; P = .03 for trend) contributed to this inverse association. Intakes of ω-6 PUFA were not associated with ALS risk. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Consumption of foods high in ω-3 PUFAs may help prevent or delay the onset of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Éilis J O'Reilly
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts7Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Guido J Falcone
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston6Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Yikyung Park
- Nutritional Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | | | - Alberto Ascherio
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts6Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts7Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical Scho
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Al-Chalabi A, Calvo A, Chio A, Colville S, Ellis CM, Hardiman O, Heverin M, Howard RS, Huisman MHB, Keren N, Leigh PN, Mazzini L, Mora G, Orrell RW, Rooney J, Scott KM, Scotton WJ, Seelen M, Shaw CE, Sidle KS, Swingler R, Tsuda M, Veldink JH, Visser AE, van den Berg LH, Pearce N. Analysis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis as a multistep process: a population-based modelling study. Lancet Neurol 2014; 13:1108-1113. [PMID: 25300936 PMCID: PMC4197338 DOI: 10.1016/s1474-4422(14)70219-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 273] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Background Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis shares characteristics with some cancers, such as onset being more common in later life, progression usually being rapid, the disease affecting a particular cell type, and showing complex inheritance. We used a model originally applied to cancer epidemiology to investigate the hypothesis that amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a multistep process. Methods We generated incidence data by age and sex from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis population registers in Ireland (registration dates 1995–2012), the Netherlands (2006–12), Italy (1995–2004), Scotland (1989–98), and England (2002–09), and calculated age and sex-adjusted incidences for each register. We regressed the log of age-specific incidence against the log of age with least squares regression. We did the analyses within each register, and also did a combined analysis, adjusting for register. Findings We identified 6274 cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis from a catchment population of about 34 million people. We noted a linear relationship between log incidence and log age in all five registers: England r2=0·95, Ireland r2=0·99, Italy r2=0·95, the Netherlands r2=0·99, and Scotland r2=0·97; overall r2=0·99. All five registers gave similar estimates of the linear slope ranging from 4·5 to 5·1, with overlapping confidence intervals. The combination of all five registers gave an overall slope of 4·8 (95% CI 4·5–5·0), with similar estimates for men (4·6, 4·3–4·9) and women (5·0, 4·5–5·5). Interpretation A linear relationship between the log incidence and log age of onset of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is consistent with a multistage model of disease. The slope estimate suggests that amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a six-step process. Identification of these steps could lead to preventive and therapeutic avenues. Funding UK Medical Research Council; UK Economic and Social Research Council; Ireland Health Research Board; The Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (ZonMw); the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education, University, and Research in Italy; the Motor Neurone Disease Association of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland; and the European Commission (Seventh Framework Programme).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ammar Al-Chalabi
- King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, London, UK.
| | - Andrea Calvo
- ALS Center, Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT), Turin, Italy
| | - Adriano Chio
- ALS Center, Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT), Turin, Italy
| | - Shuna Colville
- Euan MacDonald Centre for MND Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Cathy M Ellis
- Motor Nerve Clinic, King's College Hospital, London, UK
| | - Orla Hardiman
- Academic Unit of Neurology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Mark Heverin
- Academic Unit of Neurology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Robin S Howard
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK
| | - Mark H B Huisman
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Noa Keren
- King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, London, UK
| | - P Nigel Leigh
- Department of Neurology, Brighton and Sussex Medical School Trafford Centre for Biomedical Research, University of Sussex, Falmer, East Sussex, UK
| | - Letizia Mazzini
- Department of Neurology, 'Amedeo Avogadro' University of Eastern Piedmont and Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Maggiore della Carità, Novara, Italy
| | - Gabriele Mora
- Salvatore Maugeri Foundation, IRCSS; Scientific Institute of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Richard W Orrell
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK
| | - James Rooney
- Academic Unit of Neurology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Kirsten M Scott
- Department of Neurology, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | - William J Scotton
- King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, London, UK
| | - Meinie Seelen
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Christopher E Shaw
- King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, London, UK
| | - Katie S Sidle
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK
| | - Robert Swingler
- Euan MacDonald Centre for MND Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Miho Tsuda
- King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, London, UK
| | - Jan H Veldink
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Anne E Visser
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Leonard H van den Berg
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Neil Pearce
- Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK; Centre for Public Health Research, Massey University Wellington Campus, Wellington, New Zealand
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Delzor A, Couratier P, Boumédiène F, Nicol M, Druet-Cabanac M, Paraf F, Méjean A, Ploux O, Leleu JP, Brient L, Lengronne M, Pichon V, Combès A, El Abdellaoui S, Bonneterre V, Lagrange E, Besson G, Bicout DJ, Boutonnat J, Camu W, Pageot N, Juntas-Morales R, Rigau V, Masseret E, Abadie E, Preux PM, Marin B. Searching for a link between the L-BMAA neurotoxin and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a study protocol of the French BMAALS programme. BMJ Open 2014; 4:e005528. [PMID: 25180055 PMCID: PMC4156816 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2014-005528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common motor neurone disease. It occurs in two forms: (1) familial cases, for which several genes have been identified and (2) sporadic cases, for which various hypotheses have been formulated. Notably, the β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (L-BMAA) toxin has been postulated to be involved in the occurrence of sporadic ALS. The objective of the French BMAALS programme is to study the putative link between L-BMAA and ALS. METHODS AND ANALYSIS The programme covers the period from 1 January 2003 to 31 December 2011. Using multiple sources of ascertainment, all the incident ALS cases diagnosed during this period in the area under study (10 counties spread over three French regions) were collected. First, the standardised incidence ratio will be calculated for each municipality under concern. Then, by applying spatial clustering techniques, overincidence and underincidence zones of ALS will be sought. A case-control study, in the subpopulation living in the identified areas, will gather information about patients' occupations, leisure activities and lifestyle habits in order to assess potential risk factors to which they are or have been exposed. Specimens of drinking water, food and biological material (brain tissue) will be examined to assess the presence of L-BMAA in the environment and tissues of ALS cases and controls. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION The study has been reviewed and approved by the French ethical committee of the CPP SOOM IV (Comité de Protection des Personnes Sud-Ouest & Outre-Mer IV). The results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at national and international conferences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélie Delzor
- Tropical Neuroepidemiology, INSERM UMR 1094, Limoges, France
- University of Limoges, School of Medicine, Institute of Neuroepidemiology and Tropical Neurology, Centre national de la recherche scientifique FR 3503 GEIST, Limoges, France
| | - Philippe Couratier
- Tropical Neuroepidemiology, INSERM UMR 1094, Limoges, France
- University of Limoges, School of Medicine, Institute of Neuroepidemiology and Tropical Neurology, Centre national de la recherche scientifique FR 3503 GEIST, Limoges, France
- Department of Neurology, ALS Center, University Hospital Dupuytren, Limoges, France
| | - Farid Boumédiène
- Tropical Neuroepidemiology, INSERM UMR 1094, Limoges, France
- University of Limoges, School of Medicine, Institute of Neuroepidemiology and Tropical Neurology, Centre national de la recherche scientifique FR 3503 GEIST, Limoges, France
| | - Marie Nicol
- Tropical Neuroepidemiology, INSERM UMR 1094, Limoges, France
- University of Limoges, School of Medicine, Institute of Neuroepidemiology and Tropical Neurology, Centre national de la recherche scientifique FR 3503 GEIST, Limoges, France
- Department of Neurology, ALS Center, University Hospital Dupuytren, Limoges, France
| | - Michel Druet-Cabanac
- Tropical Neuroepidemiology, INSERM UMR 1094, Limoges, France
- University of Limoges, School of Medicine, Institute of Neuroepidemiology and Tropical Neurology, Centre national de la recherche scientifique FR 3503 GEIST, Limoges, France
- Department of Neurology, ALS Center, University Hospital Dupuytren, Limoges, France
| | - François Paraf
- Department of Neurology, ALS Center, University Hospital Dupuytren, Limoges, France
| | - Annick Méjean
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory for Tomorrow's Energy Pack (LIED), CNRS UMR 8236, University Paris Diderot-Paris 7, Paris, France
| | - Olivier Ploux
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory for Tomorrow's Energy Pack (LIED), CNRS UMR 8236, University Paris Diderot-Paris 7, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Philippe Leleu
- Tropical Neuroepidemiology, INSERM UMR 1094, Limoges, France
- University of Limoges, School of Medicine, Institute of Neuroepidemiology and Tropical Neurology, Centre national de la recherche scientifique FR 3503 GEIST, Limoges, France
| | - Luc Brient
- UMR 6553 ECOBIO, Ecosystems—Biodiversity—Evolution, University Rennes I, Rennes, France
| | - Marion Lengronne
- UMR 6553 ECOBIO, Ecosystems—Biodiversity—Evolution, University Rennes I, Rennes, France
| | - Valérie Pichon
- Department of Analytical, Bioanalytical Sciences and Miniaturization (LSABM), UMR ESPCI-ParisTech-CNRS 8231 CBI, Paris, France
- University Sorbonne, University Pierre and Marie Curie (UPMC), Paris, France
| | - Audrey Combès
- Department of Analytical, Bioanalytical Sciences and Miniaturization (LSABM), UMR ESPCI-ParisTech-CNRS 8231 CBI, Paris, France
- University Sorbonne, University Pierre and Marie Curie (UPMC), Paris, France
| | - Saïda El Abdellaoui
- Department of Analytical, Bioanalytical Sciences and Miniaturization (LSABM), UMR ESPCI-ParisTech-CNRS 8231 CBI, Paris, France
- University Sorbonne, University Pierre and Marie Curie (UPMC), Paris, France
| | - Vincent Bonneterre
- Environment and Health Prediction in Populations (EPSP), CNRS-TIMC-IMAG UMR 5525 UJF-Grenoble 1, Grenoble, France
| | - Emmeline Lagrange
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Grenoble, Grenoble, France
| | - Gérard Besson
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Grenoble, Grenoble, France
| | - Dominique J Bicout
- Environment and Health Prediction in Populations (EPSP), CNRS-TIMC-IMAG UMR 5525 UJF-Grenoble 1, Grenoble, France
- Biomathematics and Epidemiology, Environment and Health Prediction in Populations (EPSP), VetAgro Sup, Marcy-l'Etoile, France
| | - Jean Boutonnat
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Grenoble, Grenoble, France
| | - William Camu
- Motoneuron Diseases: Neuroinflammation and Therapy, INSERM UMR 1051, Neurosciences Institute, Montpellier, France
- Department of Neurology, ALS Center, University Hospital Gui de Chauliac, Montpellier, France
| | - Nicolas Pageot
- Motoneuron Diseases: Neuroinflammation and Therapy, INSERM UMR 1051, Neurosciences Institute, Montpellier, France
- Department of Neurology, ALS Center, University Hospital Gui de Chauliac, Montpellier, France
| | - Raul Juntas-Morales
- Motoneuron Diseases: Neuroinflammation and Therapy, INSERM UMR 1051, Neurosciences Institute, Montpellier, France
- Department of Neurology, ALS Center, University Hospital Gui de Chauliac, Montpellier, France
| | - Valérie Rigau
- Motoneuron Diseases: Neuroinflammation and Therapy, INSERM UMR 1051, Neurosciences Institute, Montpellier, France
- Department of Neurology, ALS Center, University Hospital Gui de Chauliac, Montpellier, France
| | - Estelle Masseret
- UMR 5119 ECOSYM, Ecology of Coastal Marine Systems, UM2-CNRS-IRD-Ifremer-UM1, University Montpellier II, Montpellier, France
| | - Eric Abadie
- Environment Resources Laboratory/Languedoc-Roussillon, Ifremer, Sète, France
| | - Pierre-Marie Preux
- Tropical Neuroepidemiology, INSERM UMR 1094, Limoges, France
- University of Limoges, School of Medicine, Institute of Neuroepidemiology and Tropical Neurology, Centre national de la recherche scientifique FR 3503 GEIST, Limoges, France
- Department of Neurology, ALS Center, University Hospital Dupuytren, Limoges, France
| | - Benoît Marin
- Tropical Neuroepidemiology, INSERM UMR 1094, Limoges, France
- University of Limoges, School of Medicine, Institute of Neuroepidemiology and Tropical Neurology, Centre national de la recherche scientifique FR 3503 GEIST, Limoges, France
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Stoyanov A, Pamphlett R. Is the risk of motor neuron disease increased or decreased after cancer? An Australian case-control study. PLoS One 2014; 9:e103572. [PMID: 25058637 PMCID: PMC4110050 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0103572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2014] [Accepted: 07/04/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer appears to be inversely associated with both Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. The relationship between cancer and sporadic motor neuron disease (SMND), however, remains uncertain. Most previous cancer-SMND studies have been undertaken in northern hemisphere populations. We therefore undertook a case-control study to see if a link between cancer and SMND exists in an Australian population. A questionnaire was used to compare past cancer diagnoses in 739 SMND patients and 622 controls, recruited across Australia. Odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were calculated to look for associations between cancer and SMND. A history of cancer was not associated either positively or negatively with a risk of subsequent SMND. This result remained when age, gender, smoking status, and the four SMND diagnostic subgroups were taken into account. No association was observed between SMND and specific tumours, including melanoma, a common malignancy in Australia. In conclusion, this Australian case-control study does not support an association between a past history of cancer and the development of SMND. This suggests that some pathogenetic mechanisms, such as apoptosis, are less relevant in SMND than in other neurodegenerative diseases where negative associations with cancer have been found.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Stoyanov
- The Stacey Motor Neuron Disease Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Roger Pamphlett
- The Stacey Motor Neuron Disease Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- * E-mail:
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73
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Fondell E, O'Reilly EJ, Fitzgerald KC, Falcone GJ, Kolonel LN, Park Y, McCullough ML, Ascherio A. Dietary fiber and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: results from 5 large cohort studies. Am J Epidemiol 2014; 179:1442-9. [PMID: 24816788 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwu089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fast-progressing neurodegenerative disease with a median survival time from diagnosis of 1.5-3 years. The cause of ALS is unknown, but inflammation may play a role. Fiber has been shown to lower inflammatory markers, and a high fiber intake was associated with a lower risk of ALS in a case-control study; however, prospective studies are lacking. We explored the relation between dietary intake of fiber and the risk of ALS in 5 large prospective cohort studies comprising over 1,050,000 US citizens who contributed 1,133 ALS cases during a mean of 15 years of follow-up (1980-2008). Cox proportional hazards models were used within each cohort, and cohort-specific estimates were subsequently pooled using a random-effects model. We found that intakes of total fiber, cereal fiber, vegetable fiber, and fruit fiber were not associated with ALS risk when comparing the highest quintile of intake with the lowest (for total fiber, pooled multivariable relative risk (RR) = 0.99, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.80, 1.24; for cereal fiber, RR = 1.13, 95% CI: 0.94, 1.37; for vegetable fiber, RR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.77, 1.23; and for fruit fiber, RR = 1.05, 95% CI: 0.86, 1.29). These findings do not support the hypothesis that fiber intake is a major determinant of ALS risk.
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74
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Mitsumoto H, Factor-Litvak P, Andrews H, Goetz RR, Andrews L, Rabkin JG, McElhiney M, Nieves J, Santella RM, Murphy J, Hupf J, Singleton J, Merle D, Kilty M, Heitzman D, Bedlack RS, Miller RG, Katz JS, Forshew D, Barohn RJ, Sorenson EJ, Oskarsson B, Filho JAMF, Kasarskis EJ, Lomen-Hoerth C, Mozaffar T, Rollins YD, Nations SP, Swenson AJ, Shefner JM, Andrews JA, Koczon-Jaremko BA. ALS Multicenter Cohort Study of Oxidative Stress (ALS COSMOS): study methodology, recruitment, and baseline demographic and disease characteristics. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2014; 15:192-203. [PMID: 24564738 PMCID: PMC4310702 DOI: 10.3109/21678421.2013.864312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Abstract In a multicenter study of newly diagnosed ALS patients without a reported family history of ALS, we are prospectively investigating whether markers of oxidative stress (OS) are associated with disease progression. Methods utilize an extensive structured telephone interview ascertaining environmental, lifestyle, dietary and psychological risk factors associated with OS. Detailed assessments were performed at baseline and at 3-6 month intervals during the ensuing 30 months. Our biorepository includes DNA, plasma, urine, and skin. Three hundred and fifty-five patients were recruited. Subjects were enrolled over a 36-month period at 16 sites. To meet the target number of subjects, the recruitment period was prolonged and additional sites were included. Results showed that demographic and disease characteristics were similar between 477 eligible/non-enrolled and enrolled patients, the only difference being type of health insurance among enrolled patients. Sites were divided into three groups by the number of enrolled subjects. Comparing these three groups, the Columbia site had fewer 'definite ALS' diagnoses. This is the first prospective, interdisciplinary, in-depth, multicenter epidemiological investigation of OS related to ALS progression and has been accomplished by an aggressive recruitment process. The baseline demographic and disease features of the study sample are now fully characterized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi Mitsumoto
- Eleanor and Lou Gehrig MDA/ALS Research Center Department of Neurology Columbia University Medical Center 710 West 168 St, New York, NY 10032
| | - Pam Factor-Litvak
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University
| | - Howard Andrews
- Data Coordinating Center (DCC), Mailman School of Public Health Biostatistics Department, Columbia University
| | - Raymond R. Goetz
- New York State Psychiatric Institute & Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University
| | - Leslie Andrews
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University
| | - Judith G. Rabkin
- New York State Psychiatric Institute & Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University
| | - Martin McElhiney
- New York State Psychiatric Institute & Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University
| | - Jeri Nieves
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University
- Clinical Research Center, Helen Hayes
| | - Regina M. Santella
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University
| | - Jennifer Murphy
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Jonathan Hupf
- Eleanor and Lou Gehrig MDA/ALS Research Center Department of Neurology Columbia University Medical Center 710 West 168 St, New York, NY 10032
| | - Jess Singleton
- Eleanor and Lou Gehrig MDA/ALS Research Center Department of Neurology Columbia University Medical Center 710 West 168 St, New York, NY 10032
| | - David Merle
- Data Coordinating Center (DCC), Mailman School of Public Health Biostatistics Department, Columbia University
| | - Mary Kilty
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University
| | | | | | | | | | - Dallas Forshew
- Forbes Norris ALS Center, California Pacific Medical Center
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Sharon P. Nations
- Department of Neurology and Neurotherapeutics, University of Texas Southwestern
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75
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The disease intersection of susceptibility and exposure: Chemical exposures and neurodegenerative disease risk. Alzheimers Dement 2014; 10:S213-25. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jalz.2014.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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76
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Pupillo E, Messina P, Giussani G, Logroscino G, Zoccolella S, Chiò A, Calvo A, Corbo M, Lunetta C, Marin B, Mitchell D, Hardiman O, Rooney J, Stevic Z, Bandettini di Poggio M, Filosto M, Cotelli MS, Perini M, Riva N, Tremolizzo L, Vitelli E, Damiani D, Beghi E. Physical activity and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A European population-based case-control study. Ann Neurol 2014; 75:708-16. [DOI: 10.1002/ana.24150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2013] [Revised: 04/01/2014] [Accepted: 04/01/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Elisabetta Pupillo
- Neurological Diseases Laboratory; Institute of Hospitalization and Scientific Care-Mario Negri Institute; Milan Italy
| | - Paolo Messina
- Neurological Diseases Laboratory; Institute of Hospitalization and Scientific Care-Mario Negri Institute; Milan Italy
| | - Giorgia Giussani
- Neurological Diseases Laboratory; Institute of Hospitalization and Scientific Care-Mario Negri Institute; Milan Italy
| | | | | | - Adriano Chiò
- ALS Center, Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin; Turin Italy
| | - Andrea Calvo
- ALS Center, Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin; Turin Italy
| | - Massimo Corbo
- NEMO Clinical Center, Serena Onlus Foundation, Niguarda Ca' Granda Hospital; Milan Italy
| | - Christian Lunetta
- NEMO Clinical Center, Serena Onlus Foundation, Niguarda Ca' Granda Hospital; Milan Italy
| | - Benoit Marin
- Tropical Neuroepidemiology; National Institute of Health and Medical Research, University of Limoges; Limoges France
| | - Douglas Mitchell
- Preston Motor Neurone Disease Centre, Royal Preston Hospital; Preston United Kingdom
| | - Orla Hardiman
- Trinity College Institute of Neurosciences, Beaumont Hospital; Dublin Ireland
| | - James Rooney
- Trinity College Institute of Neurosciences, Beaumont Hospital; Dublin Ireland
| | - Zorica Stevic
- Clinic of Neurology, Clinical Center of Serbia, School of Medicine; Belgrade Serbia
| | | | | | | | - Michele Perini
- Neurological Division; Gallarate Hospital; Legnano Italy
| | - Nilo Riva
- IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital; Milan Italy
| | | | | | - Danira Damiani
- Neurological Diseases Laboratory; Institute of Hospitalization and Scientific Care-Mario Negri Institute; Milan Italy
| | - Ettore Beghi
- Neurological Diseases Laboratory; Institute of Hospitalization and Scientific Care-Mario Negri Institute; Milan Italy
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Anand A, Gupta PK, Prabhakar S, Sharma S, Thakur K. Analysis of smoking and LPO in ALS. Neurochem Int 2014; 71:47-55. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2014.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2014] [Revised: 03/26/2014] [Accepted: 04/03/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Couratier P, Marin B, Lautrette G, Nicol M, Preux PM. [Epidemiology, clinical spectrum of ALS and differential diagnoses]. Presse Med 2014; 43:538-48. [PMID: 24703738 DOI: 10.1016/j.lpm.2014.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2014] [Revised: 02/19/2014] [Accepted: 02/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is the most common motor neuron disease in adults. Its incidence in France is estimated at 2.5 per 100,000 population and its prevalence between 5 and 8 per 100,000 inhabitants. Good prognostic factors are age of early onset, a longer time to diagnosis, initial damage to the spinal onset, early management of undernutrition and restrictive respiratory failure. The diagnosis of ALS is primarily clinical and is based on the evidence of involvement of the central motor neuron and peripheral neuron (NMP) in different territories or spinal or bulbar. The EMG confirms the achievement of NMP, shows the extension to clinically preserved areas and allows to exclude some differential diagnoses. The clinical spectrum of ALS is broad: conventional forms beginning brachial, lower limb or bulbar onsets, rarer forms to start breathing, pyramidal forms, forms with cognitive and behavioural impairment. In 5-10% of cases, ALS is familial. In 15% of cases, it is associated with frontotemporal degeneration rather than orbito-frontal type. The main differential diagnoses are guided by the clinic: combining pure motor neuropathy with or without conduction block, post-polio syndrome, cramp-fasciculation syndrome, myasthenia gravis, paraneoplastic syndromes, Sjögren syndrome, retroviral infections, some endocrine disorders, some metabolic diseases, genetic diseases (Kennedy and SMA) and inclusion body myositis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philippe Couratier
- CHU de Limoges, centre de compétence SLA, service de neurologie, 87000 Limoges, France; Université de Limoges, UMR 1094, faculté de médecine, 87000 Limoges, France.
| | - Benoît Marin
- Université de Limoges, UMR 1094, faculté de médecine, 87000 Limoges, France
| | - Géraldine Lautrette
- CHU de Limoges, centre de compétence SLA, service de neurologie, 87000 Limoges, France
| | - Marie Nicol
- CHU de Limoges, centre de compétence SLA, service de neurologie, 87000 Limoges, France; Université de Limoges, UMR 1094, faculté de médecine, 87000 Limoges, France
| | - Pierre-Marie Preux
- Université de Limoges, UMR 1094, faculté de médecine, 87000 Limoges, France
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79
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D’Amico E, Factor-Litvak P, Santella RM, Mitsumoto H. Clinical perspective on oxidative stress in sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Free Radic Biol Med 2013; 65:509-527. [PMID: 23797033 PMCID: PMC3859834 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2013.06.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 216] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2013] [Revised: 06/14/2013] [Accepted: 06/14/2013] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is one of the most devastating neurological diseases; most patients die within 3 to 4 years after symptom onset. Oxidative stress is a disturbance in the pro-oxidative/antioxidative balance favoring the pro-oxidative state. Autopsy and laboratory studies in ALS indicate that oxidative stress plays a major role in motor neuron degeneration and astrocyte dysfunction. Oxidative stress biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid, plasma, and urine are elevated, suggesting that abnormal oxidative stress is generated outside of the central nervous system. Our review indicates that agricultural chemicals, heavy metals, military service, professional sports, excessive physical exertion, chronic head trauma, and certain foods might be modestly associated with ALS risk, with a stronger association between risk and smoking. At the cellular level, these factors are all involved in generating oxidative stress. Experimental studies indicate that a combination of insults that induce modest oxidative stress can exert additive deleterious effects on motor neurons, suggesting that multiple exposures in real-world environments are important. As the disease progresses, nutritional deficiency, cachexia, psychological stress, and impending respiratory failure may further increase oxidative stress. Moreover, accumulating evidence suggests that ALS is possibly a systemic disease. Laboratory, pathologic, and epidemiologic evidence clearly supports the hypothesis that oxidative stress is central in the pathogenic process, particularly in genetically susceptive individuals. If we are to improve ALS treatment, well-designed biochemical and genetic epidemiological studies, combined with a multidisciplinary research approach, are needed and will provide knowledge crucial to our understanding of ALS etiology, pathophysiology, and prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuele D’Amico
- Eleanor and Lou Gehrig MDA/ALS Research Center, The Neurological Institute of New York, Columbia University Medical Center, 710 West 168th Street (NI-9), New York, NY 10032, ;
| | - Pam Factor-Litvak
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Medical Center, 722 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032,
| | - Regina M. Santella
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Medical Center, 722 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032,
| | - Hiroshi Mitsumoto
- Eleanor and Lou Gehrig MDA/ALS Research Center, The Neurological Institute of New York, Columbia University Medical Center, 710 West 168th Street (NI-9), New York, NY 10032
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80
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Advances in cellular models to explore the pathophysiology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Mol Neurobiol 2013; 49:966-83. [PMID: 24198229 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-013-8573-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2013] [Accepted: 10/15/2013] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the most common adult-onset motor neuron disorder, is fatal for most patients less than 3 years from when the first symptoms appear. The aetiologies for sporadic and most familial forms of ALS are unknown, but genetic factors are increasingly recognized as causal in a subset of patients. Studies of disease physiology suggest roles for oxidative stress, glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity or protein aggregation; how these pathways interact in the complex pathophysiology of ALS awaits elucidation. Cellular models are being used to examine disease mechanisms. Recent advances include the availability of expanded cell types, from neuronal or glial cell culture to motoneuron-astrocyte co-culture genetically or environmentally modified. Cell culture experiments confirmed the central role of glial cells in ALS. The recent adaptation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) for ALS modeling could allow a broader perspective and is expected to generate new hypotheses, related particularly to mechanisms underlying genetic factors. Cellular models have provided meaningful advances in the understanding of ALS, but, to date, complete characterization of in vitro models is only partially described. Consensus on methodological approaches, strategies for validation and techniques that allow rapid adaptation to new genetic or environmental influences is needed. In this article, we review the principal cellular models being employed in ALS and highlight their contribution to the understanding of disease mechanisms. We conclude with recommendations on means to enhance the robustness and generalizability of the different concepts for experimental ALS.
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81
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Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a relentlessly progressive neurodegenerative disease of motor neurons, resulting in worsening weakness of voluntary muscles until death from respiratory failure occurs after about 3 years. Although great advances have been made in our understanding of the genetic causes of ALS, the contribution of environmental factors has been more difficult to assess. Large-scale studies of the clinical patterns of ALS, individual histories preceding the onset of ALS, and the rates of ALS in different populations and groups have led to improved patient care, but have not yet revealed a replicable, definitive environmental risk factor. In this Review, we outline what is currently known of the environmental and genetic epidemiology of ALS, describe the current state of the art with respect to the different types of ALS, and explore whether ALS should be considered a single disease or a syndrome. We examine the relationship between genetic and environmental risk factors, and propose a disease model in which ALS is considered to be the result of environmental risks and time acting on a pre-existing genetic load, followed by an automatic, self-perpetuating decline to death.
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82
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Gordon PH. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: An update for 2013 Clinical Features, Pathophysiology, Management and Therapeutic Trials. Aging Dis 2013; 4:295-310. [PMID: 24124634 PMCID: PMC3794725 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2013.0400295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 174] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2013] [Revised: 08/26/2013] [Accepted: 08/27/2013] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), first described by Jean-Martin Charcot in the 1870s, is an age-related disorder that leads to degeneration of motor neurons. The disease begins focally in the central nervous system and then spreads relentlessly. The clinical diagnosis, defined by progressive signs and symptoms of upper and lower motor neuron dysfunction, is confirmed by electromyography. Additional testing excludes other conditions. The disease is heterogeneous, but most patients die of respiratory muscle weakness less than 3 years from symptom-onset. Like other age-related neurodegenerative diseases, ALS has genetic and environmental triggers. Of the five to 10% of cases that are inherited, mutations have been discovered for a high proportion. In addition to genetic factors, age, tobacco use, and athleticism may contribute to sporadic ALS, but important etiologies are unidentified for most patients. Complex pathophysiological processes, including mitochondrial dysfunction, aggregation of misfolded protein, oxidative stress, excitotoxicity, inflammation and apoptosis, involve both motor neurons and surrounding glial cells. There is clinical and pathological overlap with other neurodegenerative diseases, particularly frontotemporal dementia. The mechanisms leading to disease propagation in the brain are a current focus of research. To date, one medication, riluzole, licensed in 1996, has been proved to prolong survival in ALS. Numerous clinical trials have so far been unable to identify another neuroprotective agent. Researchers now aim to slow disease progression by targeting known pathophysiological pathways or genetic defects. Current approaches are directed at muscle proteins such as Nogo, energetic balance, cell replacement, and abnormal gene products resulting from mutations. Until better understanding of the causes and mechanisms underlying progression lead to more robust neuroprotective agents, symptomatic therapies can extend life and improve quality of life. Palliative care programs such as hospice give emotional and physical support to patients and families throughout much of the disease course.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul H. Gordon
- AP-HP, Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Département des Maladies du Système Nerveux, Paris, France
- Northern Navajo Medical Center, Shiprock, NM 87420, USA
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83
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Fondell E, Fitzgerald KC, Falcone GJ, O'Reilly EJ, Ascherio A. Early-onset alopecia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a cohort study. Am J Epidemiol 2013; 178:1146-9. [PMID: 23942216 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwt096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
A recent meta-analysis of 7 genome-wide association studies on early balding (alopecia) revealed single nucleotide polymorphism variants in the region of the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) gene TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TARDBP/TDP-43). We therefore explored the association of early-onset alopecia and ALS in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, a large cohort of 51,529 US men. In 1992, the participants (then aged 46-81 years) were asked to report their hair line pattern at age 45 years. During the follow-up period (1992-2008), 42 men were diagnosed with ALS. Of those, 13 had reported no alopecia, 18 had reported moderate alopecia, and 11 had reported extensive alopecia at age 45 years. Those who reported extensive alopecia had an almost 3-fold increased risk of ALS compared with those who reported no alopecia (relative risk = 2.74, 95% confidence interval: 1.23, 6.13). Furthermore, we observed a linear trend of increased risk of ALS with increasing level of balding at age 45 years (Ptrend = 0.02). In conclusion, men with early-onset alopecia seem to have a higher risk of ALS. The mechanisms underlying this association deserve further investigation.
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84
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Trojsi F, Monsurrò MR, Tedeschi G. Exposure to environmental toxicants and pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: state of the art and research perspectives. Int J Mol Sci 2013; 14:15286-311. [PMID: 23887652 PMCID: PMC3759860 DOI: 10.3390/ijms140815286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2013] [Revised: 07/05/2013] [Accepted: 07/08/2013] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
There is a broad scientific consensus that amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a fatal neuromuscular disease, is caused by gene--environment interactions. In fact, given that only about 10% of all ALS diagnosis has a genetic basis, gene-environmental interaction may give account for the remaining percentage of cases. However, relatively little attention has been paid to environmental and lifestyle factors that may trigger the cascade of motor neuron degeneration leading to ALS, although exposure to chemicals--including lead and pesticides-agricultural environments, smoking, intense physical activity, trauma and electromagnetic fields have been associated with an increased risk of ALS. This review provides an overview of our current knowledge of potential toxic etiologies of ALS with emphasis on the role of cyanobacteria, heavy metals and pesticides as potential risk factors for developing ALS. We will summarize the most recent evidence from epidemiological studies and experimental findings from animal and cellular models, revealing that potential causal links between environmental toxicants and ALS pathogenesis have not been fully ascertained, thus justifying the need for further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Trojsi
- Department of Medical, Surgical, Neurological, Metabolic and Aging Sciences, Second University of Naples, Piazza Miraglia 2, Naples 80138, Italy; E-Mails: (M.R.M.); (G.T.)
- Neurological Institute for Diagnosis and Care “Hermitage Capodimonte”, Via Cupa delle Tozzole 2, Naples 80131, Italy
| | - Maria Rosaria Monsurrò
- Department of Medical, Surgical, Neurological, Metabolic and Aging Sciences, Second University of Naples, Piazza Miraglia 2, Naples 80138, Italy; E-Mails: (M.R.M.); (G.T.)
- Neurological Institute for Diagnosis and Care “Hermitage Capodimonte”, Via Cupa delle Tozzole 2, Naples 80131, Italy
| | - Gioacchino Tedeschi
- Department of Medical, Surgical, Neurological, Metabolic and Aging Sciences, Second University of Naples, Piazza Miraglia 2, Naples 80138, Italy; E-Mails: (M.R.M.); (G.T.)
- Neurological Institute for Diagnosis and Care “Hermitage Capodimonte”, Via Cupa delle Tozzole 2, Naples 80131, Italy
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85
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Fondell E, O'Reilly EJ, Fitzgerald KC, Falcone GJ, McCullough ML, Park Y, Kolonel LN, Ascherio A. Magnesium intake and risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: results from five large cohort studies. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2013; 14:356-61. [PMID: 23777266 DOI: 10.3109/21678421.2013.803577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
A low magnesium intake has been suggested to be associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in pathological and case-control studies, but prospective studies in humans are lacking. The relation between dietary intake of magnesium and ALS risk was explored in five large prospective cohort studies (the Nurses' Health Study, the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort, the Multiethnic Cohort Study, and the National Institutes of Health - AARP Diet and Health Study), comprising over 1,050,000 males and females contributing 1093 cases of ALS during a mean of 15 years of follow-up. Cox proportional hazards models were used within each cohort, and cohort-specific estimates were subsequently pooled using a random-effects model. Results demonstrated that dietary magnesium intake was not associated with ALS risk, relative risk 1.07, 95% confidence interval 0.88 - 1.31 comparing the highest quintile of intake with the lowest. This finding does not support a protective effect of magnesium intake on ALS risk. Further analyses should explore magnesium intake in combination with heavy metal exposure and genetic variants affecting magnesium absorption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elinor Fondell
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, 655 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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86
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Factor-Litvak P, Al-Chalabi A, Ascherio A, Bradley W, Chío A, Garruto R, Hardiman O, Kamel F, Kasarskis E, McKee A, Nakano I, Nelson LM, Eisen A. Current pathways for epidemiological research in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2013; 14 Suppl 1:33-43. [PMID: 23678878 PMCID: PMC5434707 DOI: 10.3109/21678421.2013.778565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rapidly progressive neurodegenerative disease. The current status of the epidemiology, challenges to its study, and novel study design options are discussed in this paper. We focus on recent results from large-scale population based prospective studies, case-control studies and population based registries, risk factors, and neuropathologic findings in chronic traumatic encephalomyelopathy. We identify areas of interest for future research, including time-trends in the incidence and prevalence of ALS; the meaning of lifetime risk; the phenotypic description of ALS; the definition of familial versus sporadic ALS, syndromic aspects of ALS; specific risk factors such as military service, life style factors such as smoking, the use of statins, and the presence of β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA), an excitotoxic amino acid derivative possibly produced by cyanobacteria found in almost every terrestrial and aquatic habitat; the emergence and disappearance of an endemic ALS in areas of the Pacific; and gene-environment interactions in the etiology of ALS. To move the epidemiology forward, we suggest using well-characterized cohorts of newly diagnosed ALS patients to identify risk and prognostic factors; storing biological material for future studies; building on the National ALS Registry as a resource of future studies; working in multidisciplinary consortia; and addressing the possible early life etiology of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pam Factor-Litvak
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA.
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87
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Freedman DM, Kuncl RW, Weinstein SJ, Malila N, Virtamo J, Albanes D. Vitamin E serum levels and controlled supplementation and risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2013; 14:246-51. [PMID: 23286756 PMCID: PMC3673294 DOI: 10.3109/21678421.2012.745570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
There are no observational studies or controlled trials of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and circulating α-tocopherol (vitamin E) for prevention of ALS. This study addresses that gap. The study population comprised 29,127 Finnish male smokers, aged 50-69 years, who participated in the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention (ATBC) Study, which is both a prospective cohort and a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of α-tocopherol (50 mg/day) and β-carotene (20 mg/day). Serum α-tocopherol and β-carotene was assayed at baseline (1985 - 1988). Follow-up (median 16.7 years) continued through 2004. ALS cases were identified through the national Hospital Discharge Register with diagnostic verification by hospital records and death certificates. During 407,260 person-years of follow-up, 50 men were identified with ALS. For males with serum α-tocopherol concentration above the median (≥ 11.6 mg/l), the age-adjusted relative risk (RR) compared to α-tocopherol below the median, was 0.56 (95% confidence interval 0.32 - 0.99), p = 0.046. The RR among α-tocopherol supplement recipients was 0.75 (95% CI 0.32 - 1.79), p = 0.52. Neither serum β-carotene level nor β-carotene supplementation was associated with ALS. In conclusion, the results are consistent with a hypothesized protective effect of α-tocopherol on ALS risk. However, pooled analyses of cohorts with serum and controlled trials are needed to clarify the role of α-tocopherol in ALS risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. Michal Freedman
- National Cancer Institute, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, NIH, DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Stephanie J. Weinstein
- National Cancer Institute, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, NIH, DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Nea Malila
- Finnish Cancer Registry, Helsinki, Finland
- School of Health Sciences, University of Tampere, Finland
| | - Jarmo Virtamo
- Department of Chronic Disease Prevention, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Demetrius Albanes
- National Cancer Institute, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, NIH, DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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88
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Das K, Nag C, Ghosh M. Familial, environmental, and occupational risk factors in development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. NORTH AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SCIENCES 2012; 4:350-5. [PMID: 22912943 PMCID: PMC3421913 DOI: 10.4103/1947-2714.99517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Background: Definite etiology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is still a matter of debate. Aims: The study was designed to evaluate the role of environmental, occupational, and familial risk factors in development of ALS. Materials and Methods: This was a case control study of 110 cases of definite ALS with 240 age and sex matched controls. Investigations were done on the following aspects- family history, occupation, living place, source of drinking water, exposure to industrial, chemical, agricultural toxins and heavy metals, physical and electrical injury, working under magnetic field for more than 10 years in both the groups. Clinical examinations, electrophysiological, and neuroimaging studies were done in every patient. Chi square test, logistic regression analysis, and calculation of odds ratio were used to analyze the data. Results: Rural livings (odds ratio = 1.99), smoking (odds ratio = 1.88), insecticides, and pesticides exposures (odds ratio = 1.61), electrical injury (odds ratio = 6.2) were detected as the associated factors in development amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Conclusions: The study expressed the need of extensive research globally in molecular and genetic levels to detect the associated factors in etiopathogenesis of ALS for better understanding the etiology and for remedial aspects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamalesh Das
- Department of Neurology, Burdwan Medical College and Hospital,Burdwan, West Bengal, India
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89
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Blechingberg J, Luo Y, Bolund L, Damgaard CK, Nielsen AL. Gene expression responses to FUS, EWS, and TAF15 reduction and stress granule sequestration analyses identifies FET-protein non-redundant functions. PLoS One 2012; 7:e46251. [PMID: 23049996 PMCID: PMC3457980 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0046251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2011] [Accepted: 08/30/2012] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The FET family of proteins is composed of FUS/TLS, EWS/EWSR1, and TAF15 and possesses RNA- and DNA-binding capacities. The FET-proteins are involved in transcriptional regulation and RNA processing, and FET-gene deregulation is associated with development of cancer and protein granule formations in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, frontotemporal lobar degeneration, and trinucleotide repeat expansion diseases. We here describe a comparative characterization of FET-protein localization and gene regulatory functions. We show that FUS and TAF15 locate to cellular stress granules to a larger extend than EWS. FET-proteins have no major importance for stress granule formation and cellular stress responses, indicating that FET-protein stress granule association most likely is a downstream response to cellular stress. Gene expression analyses showed that the cellular response towards FUS and TAF15 reduction is relatively similar whereas EWS reduction resulted in a more unique response. The presented data support that FUS and TAF15 are more functionally related to each other, and that the FET-proteins have distinct functions in cellular signaling pathways which could have implications for the neurological disease pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yonglun Luo
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Lars Bolund
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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90
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Fondell E, O'Reilly ÉJ, Fitzgerald KC, Falcone GJ, McCullough ML, Thun MJ, Park Y, Kolonel LN, Ascherio A. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: results from five prospective cohort studies. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012; 13:573-9. [PMID: 22871075 DOI: 10.3109/17482968.2012.703209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Animal and pathological studies suggest that inflammation may contribute to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) pathology and that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) might be protective. However, there are no prospective data on the relation between NSAID use and ALS risk in humans. The relation between NSAID use and ALS risk was explored in five large prospective cohort studies (the Nurses' Health Study, the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort, the Multiethnic Cohort Study, and the National Institutes of Health - AARP Diet and Health Study). Detailed NSAID information was sought from 780,000 participants, 708 of whom developed ALS during follow-up. Cox proportional hazards models were used within each cohort and cohort-specific estimates were pooled with random effects models. Results showed that neither non-aspirin NSAID use, nor aspirin use was associated with ALS risk overall. The multivariable, pooled relative risk was 0.96 (95% CI 0.76-1.22) among non-aspirin NSAID users compared with non-users. Duration of NSAID use in years and frequency of NSAID use were not associated with ALS risk overall. In conclusion, the results do not support an overall effect of NSAIDs on ALS risk, but because NSAIDs have heterogeneous effects, a role of individual compounds cannot be excluded.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elinor Fondell
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02155, USA.
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91
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de Jong SW, Huisman MHB, Sutedja NA, van der Kooi AJ, de Visser M, Schelhaas HJ, Fischer K, Veldink JH, van den Berg LH. Smoking, alcohol consumption, and the risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a population-based study. Am J Epidemiol 2012; 176:233-9. [PMID: 22791740 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kws015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Smoking has been posited as a possible risk factor for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), but large population-based studies of patients with incident disease are still needed. The authors performed a population-based case-control study in the Netherlands between 2006 and 2009, including 494 patients with incident ALS and 1,599 controls. To prove the relevance of population-based incidence cohorts in case-control studies, the authors compared results with those from cohorts including patients with prevalent ALS and referral patients. Subjects were sent a questionnaire. Multivariate analyses showed an increased risk of ALS among current smokers (odds ratio = 1.38, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02, 1.88) in the incident patient group only. Cox regression models showed that current smoking was also independently associated with shorter survival (hazard ratio = 1.51, 95% CI: 1.07, 2.15), explaining the lack of association in the prevalent and referral patient groups. Current alcohol consumption was associated with a reduced risk of ALS (incident patient group: odds ratio = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.40, 0.75). These findings indicate that current smoking is associated with an increased risk of ALS, as well as a worse prognosis, and alcohol consumption is associated with a reduced risk of ALS, further corroborating the role of lifestyle factors in the pathogenesis of ALS. The importance of population-based incident patient cohorts in identifying risk factors is highlighted by this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonja W de Jong
- Department of Neurology, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands
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92
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Abstract
Given the vast health and socioeconomic effects of tobacco use, smoking cessation is no longer a topic reserved for the primary care physician. As a modifiable risk factor that can lead to stroke, dementia, multiple sclerosis, and other neurologic diseases, cigarette smoking should be addressed by all health care providers, including neurologists. Counseling, nicotine replacement therapies, and other medications are the mainstays of treatment. However, even brief advice from a health care professional at the end of a routine office visit can increase a patient's chances of quitting. Armed with a better understanding of smoking's effect on neurologic disease and available resources, such as toll-free quit lines and Web-based interventions, neurologists can help their patients who smoke take the first step to successful cessation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinny Tavee
- Neuromuscular Center, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH
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93
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A high-density genome-wide association screen of sporadic ALS in US veterans. PLoS One 2012; 7:e32768. [PMID: 22470424 PMCID: PMC3314660 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0032768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2011] [Accepted: 01/30/2012] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Following reports of an increased incidence of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in U.S. veterans, we have conducted a high-density genome-wide association study (GWAS) of ALS outcome and survival time in a sample of U.S. veterans. We tested ∼1.3 million single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for association with ALS outcome in 442 incident Caucasian veteran cases diagnosed with definite or probable ALS and 348 Caucasian veteran controls. To increase power, we also included genotypes from 5909 publicly-available non-veteran controls in the analysis. In the survival analysis, we tested for association between SNPs and post-diagnosis survival time in 639 Caucasian veteran cases with definite or probable ALS. After this discovery phase, we performed follow-up genotyping of 299 SNPs in an independent replication sample of Caucasian veterans and non-veterans (ALS outcome: 183 cases and 961 controls; survival: 118 cases). Although no SNPs reached genome-wide significance in the discovery phase for either phenotype, three SNPs were statistically significant in the replication analysis of ALS outcome: rs6080539 (177 kb from PCSK2), rs7000234 (4 kb from ZNF704), and rs3113494 (13 kb from LOC100506746). Two SNPs located in genes that were implicated by previous GWA studies of ALS were marginally significant in the pooled analysis of discovery and replication samples: rs17174381 in DPP6 (p = 4.4×10−4) and rs6985069 near ELP3 (p = 4.8×10−4). Our results underscore the difficulty of identifying and convincingly replicating genetic associations with a rare and genetically heterogeneous disorder such as ALS, and suggest that common SNPs are unlikely to account for a substantial proportion of patients affected by this devastating disorder.
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94
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Pamphlett R, Ward EC. Smoking is not a risk factor for sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in an Australian population. Neuroepidemiology 2012; 38:106-13. [PMID: 22377752 DOI: 10.1159/000336013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2011] [Accepted: 12/12/2011] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Controversy persists as to whether smoking is a risk factor for sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (SALS), the most common form of sporadic motor neuron disease (SMND). We therefore undertook a large case-control study of smoking and SALS in Australia. METHODS Cases and controls were recruited Australia-wide over a 10-year period. SALS and the other subgroups of SMND were categorised on the basis of neurologists' reports. Controls were partners or friends of SMND patients or community volunteers. Individuals filled in a questionnaire regarding smoking habits. A total of 809 patients with SMND (631 with SALS) and 779 controls were included in the study. SALS males and females were analysed separately. RESULTS No differences between SALS patients and control groups were found with regard to (1) the odds ratios of ever-smokers, ex-smokers or current smokers compared to never-smokers, (2) the means of numbers of cigarettes per day, years of smoking, pack years or age smoking began or (3) the proportions of their parents who had ever smoked. The proportion of ever-smokers and mean pack years did not differ between the clinical subgroups of SMND or between different sites of SALS onset. Partner smoking did not increase the risk of SMND. CONCLUSION This Australian case-control study does not support a link between cigarette smoking and any form of SMND.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger Pamphlett
- Department of Pathology, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
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95
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Pratt AJ, Getzoff ED, Perry JJP. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: update and new developments. Degener Neurol Neuromuscul Dis 2012; 2012:1-14. [PMID: 23019386 PMCID: PMC3457793 DOI: 10.2147/dnnd.s19803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common form of motor neuron disease. It is typically characterized by adult-onset degeneration of the upper and lower motor neurons, and is usually fatal within a few years of onset. A subset of ALS patients has an inherited form of the disease, and a few of the known mutant genes identified in familial cases have also been found in sporadic forms of ALS. Precisely how the diverse ALS-linked gene products dictate the course of the disease, resulting in compromised voluntary muscular ability, is not entirely known. This review addresses the major advances that are being made in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms giving rise to the disease, which may eventually translate into new treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley J Pratt
- Department of Molecular Biology and The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA,
| | - Elizabeth D Getzoff
- Department of Molecular Biology and The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA,
| | - J Jefferson P Perry
- Department of Molecular Biology and The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA,
- The School of Biotechnology, Amrita University, Kollam, Kerala 690525, India,
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96
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Kim KH, Jahan SA, Lee JT. Exposure to formaldehyde and its potential human health hazards. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND HEALTH. PART C, ENVIRONMENTAL CARCINOGENESIS & ECOTOXICOLOGY REVIEWS 2011; 29:277-299. [PMID: 22107164 DOI: 10.1080/10590501.2011.629972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
A widely used chemical, formaldehyde is normally present in both indoor and outdoor air. The rapid growth of formaldehyde-related industries in the past two decades reflects the result of its increased use in building materials and other commercial sectors. Consequently, formaldehyde is encountered almost every day from large segments of society due to its various sources. Many governments and agencies around the world have thus issued a series of standards to regulate its exposure in homes, office buildings, workshops, public places, and food. In light of the deleterious properties of formaldehyde, this article provides an overview of its market, regulation standards, and human health effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ki-Hyun Kim
- Department of Environment & Energy, Sejong University, Seoul, Korea.
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97
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A predictive model for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) diagnosis. J Neurol Sci 2011; 312:68-72. [PMID: 21907354 DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2011.08.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2011] [Revised: 08/09/2011] [Accepted: 08/11/2011] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The clinical diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) usually takes several months. The delay in diagnosis compromises the effective therapeutic interventions. Therefore, the present study was aimed to develop a statistical model for predicting the risk of ALS at earlier stages for better management of ALS patients. METHODS The study recruited 44 sporadic ALS patients and 29 normal controls. Thirteen different independent variables (predictors) which were believed to be associated with ALS were included in the study. Forward stepwise (likelihood ratio) binary logistic regression was used to find significant variables and probability of disease prediction. RESULTS The Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness of fit statistic (χ(2)=4.379, df=8, p=0.821) indicate the appropriateness of forward stepwise (likelihood ratio) binary logistic regression model. Serum chemokine ligand-2, chemokine ligand-2 mRNA, vascular endothelial growth factor-A mRNA, smoking and alcohol consumption are the independent variables found significant to predict risk of ALS (p<0.05). The current model yielded 93.2% sensitivity and 86.2% specificity with 90.4% overall validity of correct ALS prediction. CONCLUSION Forward stepwise (likelihood ratio) binary logistic regression model is an accurate method to predict ALS in the presence of serum CCL2, CCL2 mRNA, VEGFA mRNA, smoking and alcohol consumption with high sensitivity and specificity. However, bed side diagnostic utility of these variables needs to be validated further in larger ALS cohorts.
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