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Dubnov S, Bennett ER, Yayon N, Yakov O, Bennett DA, Seshadri S, Mufson E, Tzur Y, Greenberg D, Kuro-O M, Paldor I, Abraham CR, Soreq H. Knockout of the longevity gene Klotho perturbs aging and Alzheimer's disease-linked brain microRNAs and tRNA fragments. Commun Biol 2024; 7:720. [PMID: 38862813 PMCID: PMC11166644 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06407-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Overexpression of the longevity gene Klotho prolongs lifespan, while its knockout shortens lifespan and impairs cognition via perturbation of myelination and synapse formation. However, comprehensive analysis of Klotho knockout effects on mammalian brain transcriptomics is lacking. Here, we report that Klotho knockout alters the levels of aging- and cognition related mRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, microRNAs and tRNA fragments. These include altered neuronal and glial regulators in murine models of aging and Alzheimer's disease and in human Alzheimer's disease post-mortem brains. We further demonstrate interaction of the knockout-elevated tRNA fragments with the spliceosome, possibly affecting RNA processing. Last, we present cell type-specific short RNA-seq datasets from FACS-sorted neurons and microglia of live human brain tissue demonstrating in-depth cell-type association of Klotho knockout-perturbed microRNAs. Together, our findings reveal multiple RNA transcripts in both neurons and glia from murine and human brain that are perturbed in Klotho deficiency and are aging- and neurodegeneration-related.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serafima Dubnov
- The Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 9190401, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Estelle R Bennett
- The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 9190401, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Nadav Yayon
- The Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 9190401, Jerusalem, Israel
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | - Or Yakov
- The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 9190401, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - David A Bennett
- Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Sudha Seshadri
- UT Health Medical Arts & Research Center, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Elliott Mufson
- Dept. Translational Neuroscience, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Yonat Tzur
- The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 9190401, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - David Greenberg
- The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 9190401, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Makoto Kuro-O
- Division of Anti-aging Medicine, Center for Molecular Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Iddo Paldor
- The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 9190401, Jerusalem, Israel
- Dept of Neurosurgery, the Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Carmela R Abraham
- Departments of Biochemistry and Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Klogenix LLC., Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hermona Soreq
- The Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 9190401, Jerusalem, Israel.
- The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 9190401, Jerusalem, Israel.
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Shulman D, Dubnov S, Zorbaz T, Madrer N, Paldor I, Bennett DA, Seshadri S, Mufson EJ, Greenberg DS, Loewenstein Y, Soreq H. Sex-specific declines in cholinergic-targeting tRNA fragments in the nucleus accumbens in Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Dement 2023; 19:5159-5172. [PMID: 37158312 PMCID: PMC10632545 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Females with Alzheimer's disease (AD) suffer accelerated dementia and loss of cholinergic neurons compared to males, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. Seeking causal contributors to both these phenomena, we pursued changes in transfer RNS (tRNA) fragments (tRFs) targeting cholinergic transcripts (CholinotRFs). METHODS We analyzed small RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) data from the nucleus accumbens (NAc) brain region which is enriched in cholinergic neurons, compared to hypothalamic or cortical tissues from AD brains; and explored small RNA expression in neuronal cell lines undergoing cholinergic differentiation. RESULTS NAc CholinotRFs of mitochondrial genome origin showed reduced levels that correlated with elevations in their predicted cholinergic-associated mRNA targets. Single-cell RNA seq from AD temporal cortices showed altered sex-specific levels of cholinergic transcripts in diverse cell types; inversely, human-originated neuroblastoma cells under cholinergic differentiation presented sex-specific CholinotRF elevations. DISCUSSION Our findings support CholinotRFs contributions to cholinergic regulation, predicting their involvement in AD sex-specific cholinergic loss and dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana Shulman
- The Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- The Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- The Rachel and Selim Benin School of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Serafima Dubnov
- The Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- The Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Tamara Zorbaz
- The Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Nimrod Madrer
- The Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- The Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Iddo Paldor
- The Neurosurgery Department, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem 9103102, Israel
| | - David A. Bennett
- Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, 600 South Paulina, Suite 1028, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Sudha Seshadri
- UT Health Medical Arts & Research Center, San Antonio , TX 78229, USA
| | - Elliott J. Mufson
- Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ, 85013, USA
| | - David S. Greenberg
- The Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- The Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Yonatan Loewenstein
- The Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- The Department of Neurobiology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- The Department of Cognitive Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- The Federmann Center for the Study of Rationality, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Hermona Soreq
- The Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- The Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
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Dubnov S, Yayon N, Yakov O, Bennett DA, Seshadri S, Mufson E, Tzur Y, Bennet ER, Greenberg D, Kuro-O M, Paldor I, Abraham CR, Soreq H. Knockout of the longevity gene Klotho perturbs aging- and Alzheimer's disease-linked brain microRNAs and tRNA fragments. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.10.557032. [PMID: 37745362 PMCID: PMC10515819 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.10.557032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Overexpression of the longevity gene Klotho prolongs, while its knockout shortens lifespan and impairs cognition via altered fibroblast growth factor signaling that perturbs myelination and synapse formation; however, comprehensive analysis of Klotho's knockout consequences on mammalian brain transcriptomics is lacking. Here, we report the altered levels under Klotho knockout of 1059 long RNAs, 27 microRNAs (miRs) and 6 tRNA fragments (tRFs), reflecting effects upon aging and cognition. Perturbed transcripts included key neuronal and glial pathway regulators that are notably changed in murine models of aging and Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and in corresponding human post-mortem brain tissue. To seek cell type distributions of the affected short RNAs, we isolated and FACS-sorted neurons and microglia from live human brain tissue, yielding detailed cell type-specific short RNA-seq datasets. Together, our findings revealed multiple Klotho deficiency-perturbed aging- and neurodegeneration-related long and short RNA transcripts in both neurons and glia from murine and human brain.
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Yehuda H, Madrer N, Goldberg D, Soreq H, Meerson A. Inversely Regulated Inflammation-Related Processes Mediate Anxiety-Obesity Links in Zebrafish Larvae and Adults. Cells 2023; 12:1794. [PMID: 37443828 PMCID: PMC10341043 DOI: 10.3390/cells12131794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Anxiety and metabolic impairments are often inter-related, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. To seek RNAs involved in the anxiety disorder-metabolic disorder link, we subjected zebrafish larvae to caffeine-induced anxiety or high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity followed by RNA sequencing and analyses. Notably, differentially expressed (DE) transcripts in these larval models and an adult zebrafish caffeine-induced anxiety model, as well as the transcript profiles of inherently anxious versus less anxious zebrafish strains and high-fat diet-fed versus standard diet-fed adult zebrafish, revealed inversely regulated DE transcripts. In both larval anxiety and obesity models, these included long noncoding RNAs and transfer RNA fragments, with the overrepresented immune system and inflammation pathways, e.g., the "interleukin signaling pathway" and "inflammation mediated by chemokine and cytokine signaling pathway". In adulthood, overrepresented immune system processes included "T cell activation", "leukocyte cell-cell adhesion", and "antigen processing and presentation". Furthermore, unlike adult zebrafish, obesity in larvae was not accompanied by anxiety-like behavior. Together, these results may reflect an antagonistic pleiotropic phenomenon involving a re-adjusted modulation of the anxiety-metabolic links with an occurrence of the acquired immune system. Furthermore, the HFD potential to normalize anxiety-upregulated immune-related genes may reflect the high-fat diet protection of anxiety and neurodegeneration reported by others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hila Yehuda
- MIGAL—Galilee Research Institute, Kiryat Shmona 11016, Israel
- The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel; (H.Y.); (N.M.)
| | - Nimrod Madrer
- The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel; (H.Y.); (N.M.)
- The Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Doron Goldberg
- MIGAL—Galilee Research Institute, Kiryat Shmona 11016, Israel
- Tel-Hai College, Upper Galilee 1220800, Israel;
| | - Hermona Soreq
- The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel; (H.Y.); (N.M.)
- The Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Ari Meerson
- MIGAL—Galilee Research Institute, Kiryat Shmona 11016, Israel
- Tel-Hai College, Upper Galilee 1220800, Israel;
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Ferber SG, Weller A, Soreq H. Control systems theory revisited: new insights on the brain clocks of time-to-action. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1171765. [PMID: 37378011 PMCID: PMC10292755 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1171765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
To outline the complex biological rhythms underlying the time-to-action of goal-oriented behavior in the adult brain, we employed a Boolean Algebra model based on Control Systems Theory. This suggested that "timers" of the brain reflect a metabolic excitation-inhibition balance and that healthy clocks underlying goal-oriented behavior (optimal range of signal variability) are maintained by XOR logic gates in parallel sequences between cerebral levels. Using truth tables, we found that XOR logic gates reflect healthy, regulated time-to-action events between levels. We argue that the brain clocks of time-to-action are active within multileveled, parallel-sequence complexes shaped by experience. We show the metabolic components of time-to-action in levels ranging from the atom level through molecular, cellular, network and inter-regional levels, operating as parallel sequences. We employ a thermodynamic perspective, suggest that clock genes calculate free energy versus entropy and derived time-to-action level-wise as a master controller, and show that they are receivers, as well as transmitters of information. We argue that regulated multileveled time-to-action processes correspond to Boltzmann's thermodynamic theorem of micro- and macro-states, and that the available metabolic free-energy-entropy matrix determines the brain's reversible states for its age-appropriate chrono-properties at given moments. Thus, healthy timescales are not a precise number of nano- or milliseconds of activity nor a simple phenotypic distinction between slow vs. quick time-to-action, but rather encompass a range of variability, which depends on the molecules' size and dynamics with the composition of receptors, protein and RNA isoforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sari Goldstein Ferber
- Department of Psychology, Gonda Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
- Department of Psychology and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, United States
| | - Aron Weller
- Department of Psychology, Gonda Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Hermona Soreq
- The Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
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Shulman D, Dubnov S, Zorbaz T, Madrer N, Paldor I, Bennett DA, Seshadri S, Mufson EJ, Greenberg DS, Loewenstein Y, Soreq H. Sex-specific declines in cholinergic-targeting tRNA fragments in the nucleus accumbens in Alzheimer's disease. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.08.527612. [PMID: 36798311 PMCID: PMC9934682 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.08.527612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
Introduction Females with Alzheimer's disease (AD) suffer accelerated dementia and loss of cholinergic neurons compared to males, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. Seeking causal contributors to both these phenomena, we pursued changes in tRNA fragments (tRFs) targeting cholinergic transcripts (CholinotRFs). Methods We analyzed small RNA-sequencing data from the nucleus accumbens (NAc) brain region which is enriched in cholinergic neurons, compared to hypothalamic or cortical tissues from AD brains; and explored small RNA expression in neuronal cell lines undergoing cholinergic differentiation. Results NAc CholinotRFs of mitochondrial genome origin showed reduced levels that correlated with elevations in their predicted cholinergic-associated mRNA targets. Single cell RNA seq from AD temporal cortices showed altered sex-specific levels of cholinergic transcripts in diverse cell types; inversely, human-originated neuroblastoma cells under cholinergic differentiation presented sex-specific CholinotRF elevations. Discussion Our findings support CholinotRFs contributions to cholinergic regulation, predicting their involvement in AD sex-specific cholinergic loss and dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana Shulman
- The Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- The Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- The Rachel and Selim Benin School of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Serafima Dubnov
- The Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- The Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Tamara Zorbaz
- The Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Nimrod Madrer
- The Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- The Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Iddo Paldor
- The Neurosurgery Department, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem 9103102, Israel
| | - David A. Bennett
- Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, 600 South Paulina, Suite 1028, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Sudha Seshadri
- UT Health Medical Arts & Research Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Elliott J. Mufson
- Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph’s Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ, 85013, USA
| | - David S. Greenberg
- The Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- The Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Yonatan Loewenstein
- The Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- The Department of Neurobiology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- The Department of Cognitive Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- The Federmann Center for the Study of Rationality, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Hermona Soreq
- The Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
- The Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
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Pallier PN, Ferrara M, Romagnolo F, Ferretti MT, Soreq H, Cerase A. Chromosomal and environmental contributions to sex differences in the vulnerability to neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders: Implications for therapeutic interventions. Prog Neurobiol 2022; 219:102353. [PMID: 36100191 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2022.102353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders affect men and women differently. Multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, anxiety disorders, depression, meningiomas and late-onset schizophrenia affect women more frequently than men. By contrast, Parkinson's disease, autism spectrum condition, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, Tourette's syndrome, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and early-onset schizophrenia are more prevalent in men. Women have been historically under-recruited or excluded from clinical trials, and most basic research uses male rodent cells or animals as disease models, rarely studying both sexes and factoring sex as a potential source of variation, resulting in a poor understanding of the underlying biological reasons for sex and gender differences in the development of such diseases. Putative pathophysiological contributors include hormones and epigenetics regulators but additional biological and non-biological influences may be at play. We review here the evidence for the underpinning role of the sex chromosome complement, X chromosome inactivation, and environmental and epigenetic regulators in sex differences in the vulnerability to brain disease. We conclude that there is a pressing need for a better understanding of the genetic, epigenetic and environmental mechanisms sustaining sex differences in such diseases, which is critical for developing a precision medicine approach based on sex-tailored prevention and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick N Pallier
- Blizard Institute, Centre for Neuroscience, Surgery and Trauma, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 2AT, UK.
| | - Maria Ferrara
- Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy; Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States; Women's Brain Project (WBP), Switzerland
| | - Francesca Romagnolo
- Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | | | - Hermona Soreq
- The Edmond and Lily Safra Center of Brain Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 9190401, Israel
| | - Andrea Cerase
- EMBL-Rome, Via Ramarini 32, 00015 Monterotondo, RM, Italy; Blizard Institute, Centre for Genomics and Child Health, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 2AT, UK; Department of Biology, University of Pisa, SS12 Abetone e Brennero 4, 56127 Pisa, Italy.
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Gok M, Madrer N, Zorbaz T, Bennett ER, Greenberg D, Bennett DA, Soreq H. Altered levels of variant cholinesterase transcripts contribute to the imbalanced cholinergic signaling in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:941467. [PMID: 36117917 PMCID: PMC9479005 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.941467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase (AChE and BChE) are involved in modulating cholinergic signaling, but their roles in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases (AD and PD) remain unclear. We identified a higher frequency of the functionally impaired BCHE-K variant (rs1803274) in AD and PD compared to controls and lower than in the GTEx dataset of healthy individuals (n = 651); in comparison, the prevalence of the 5'-UTR (rs1126680) and intron 2 (rs55781031) single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of BCHE and ACHE's 3'-UTR (rs17228616) which disrupt AChE mRNA targeting by miR-608 remained unchanged. qPCR validations confirmed lower levels of the dominant splice variant encoding the "synaptic" membrane-bound ACHE-S in human post-mortem superior temporal gyrus samples from AD and in substantia nigra (but not amygdala) samples from PD patients (n = 79, n = 67) compared to controls, potentially reflecting region-specific loss of cholinergic neurons. In contradistinction, the non-dominant "readthrough" AChE-R mRNA variant encoding for soluble AChE was elevated (p < 0.05) in the AD superior temporal gyrus and the PD amygdala, but not in the neuron-deprived substantia nigra. Elevated levels of BChE (p < 0.001) were seen in AD superior temporal gyrus. Finally, all three ACHE splice variants, AChE-S, AChE-R, and N-extended AChE, were elevated in cholinergic-differentiated human neuroblastoma cells, with exposure to the oxidative stress agent paraquat strongly downregulating AChE-S and BChE, inverse to their upregulation under exposure to the antioxidant simvastatin. The multi-leveled changes in cholinesterase balance highlight the role of post-transcriptional regulation in neurodegeneration. (235).
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Affiliation(s)
- Muslum Gok
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University, Muğla, Turkey
- Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Nimrod Madrer
- Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- Department of Biological Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Tamara Zorbaz
- Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- Biochemistry and Organic Analytical Chemistry Unit, Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Estelle R. Bennett
- Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- Department of Biological Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - David Greenberg
- Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- Department of Biological Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - David A. Bennett
- Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Hermona Soreq
- Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- Department of Biological Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
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Targeting the M1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor in Alzheimer’s disease. Neuronal Signal 2022; 6:NS20210004. [PMID: 35571495 PMCID: PMC9069568 DOI: 10.1042/ns20210004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and despite extensive research, only a few drugs are available for management of the disease. One strategy has been to up-regulate cholinergic neurotransmission to improve cognitive function, but this approach has dose-limiting adverse effects. To avoid these adverse effects, new drugs that target specific receptor subtypes of the cholinergic system are needed, and the M1 subtype of muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (M1-mAChR) has been shown to be a good target for this approach. By using several strategies, M1-mAChR ligands have been developed and trialled in preclinical animal models and in human studies, with varying degrees of success. This article reviews the different approaches to targeting the M1-mAChR in AD and discusses the advantages and limitations of these strategies. The factors to consider in targeting the M1-mAChR in AD are also discussed.
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Cholinergic blockade of neuroinflammation – from tissue to RNA regulators. Neuronal Signal 2022; 6:NS20210035. [PMID: 35211331 PMCID: PMC8837817 DOI: 10.1042/ns20210035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Inflammatory stimuli and consequent pro-inflammatory immune responses may facilitate neurodegeneration and threaten survival following pathogen infection or trauma, but potential controllers preventing these risks are incompletely understood. Here, we argue that small RNA regulators of acetylcholine (ACh) signaling, including microRNAs (miRs) and transfer RNA fragments (tRFs) may tilt the balance between innate and adaptive immunity, avoid chronic inflammation and prevent the neuroinflammation-mediated exacerbation of many neurological diseases. While the restrictive permeability of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) protects the brain from peripheral immune events, this barrier can be disrupted by inflammation and is weakened with age. The consequently dysregulated balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory processes may modify the immune activities of brain microglia, astrocytes, perivascular macrophages, oligodendrocytes and dendritic cells, leading to neuronal damage. Notably, the vagus nerve mediates the peripheral cholinergic anti-inflammatory reflex and underlines the consistent control of body–brain inflammation by pro-inflammatory cytokines, which affect cholinergic functions; therefore, the disruption of this reflex can exacerbate cognitive impairments such as attention deficits and delirium. RNA regulators can contribute to re-balancing the cholinergic network and avoiding its chronic deterioration, and their activities may differ between men and women and/or wear off with age. This can lead to hypersensitivity of aged patients to inflammation and higher risks of neuroinflammation-driven cholinergic impairments such as delirium and dementia following COVID-19 infection. The age- and sex-driven differences in post-transcriptional RNA regulators of cholinergic elements may hence indicate new personalized therapeutic options for neuroinflammatory diseases.
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Winek K, Soreq H, Meisel A. Regulators of cholinergic signaling in disorders of the central nervous system. J Neurochem 2021; 158:1425-1438. [PMID: 33638173 PMCID: PMC8518971 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2020] [Revised: 01/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Cholinergic signaling is crucial in cognitive processes, and degenerating cholinergic projections are a pathological hallmark in dementia. Use of cholinesterase inhibitors is currently the main treatment option to alleviate symptoms of Alzheimer's disease and has been postulated as a therapeutic strategy in acute brain damage (stroke and traumatic brain injury). However, the benefits of this treatment are still not clear. Importantly, cholinergic receptors are expressed both by neurons and by astrocytes and microglia, and binding of acetylcholine to the α7 nicotinic receptor in glial cells results in anti-inflammatory response. Similarly, the brain fine-tunes the peripheral immune response over the cholinergic anti-inflammatory axis. All of these processes are of importance for the outcome of acute and chronic neurological disease. Here, we summarize the main findings about the role of cholinergic signaling in brain disorders and provide insights into the complexity of molecular regulators of cholinergic responses, such as microRNAs and transfer RNA fragments, both of which may fine-tune the orchestra of cholinergic mRNAs. The available data suggest that these small noncoding RNA regulators may include promising biomarkers for predicting disease course and assessing treatment responses and might also serve as drug targets to attenuate signaling cascades during overwhelming inflammation and to ameliorate regenerative capacities of neuroinflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Winek
- The Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain SciencesThe Hebrew University of JerusalemJerusalemIsrael
- The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life SciencesThe Hebrew University of JerusalemJerusalemIsrael
| | - Hermona Soreq
- The Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain SciencesThe Hebrew University of JerusalemJerusalemIsrael
- The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life SciencesThe Hebrew University of JerusalemJerusalemIsrael
| | - Andreas Meisel
- Department of Neurology with Experimental NeurologyCenter for Stroke Research BerlinNeuroCure Clinical Research CenterCharité‐Universitätsmedizin BerlinBerlinGermany
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12
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Kern F, Aparicio-Puerta E, Li Y, Fehlmann T, Kehl T, Wagner V, Ray K, Ludwig N, Lenhof HP, Meese E, Keller A. miRTargetLink 2.0-interactive miRNA target gene and target pathway networks. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:W409-W416. [PMID: 34009375 PMCID: PMC8262750 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 04/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Which genes, gene sets or pathways are regulated by certain miRNAs? Which miRNAs regulate a particular target gene or target pathway in a certain physiological context? Answering such common research questions can be time consuming and labor intensive. Especially for researchers without computational experience, the integration of different data sources, selection of the right parameters and concise visualization can be demanding. A comprehensive analysis should be central to present adequate answers to complex biological questions. With miRTargetLink 2.0, we develop an all-in-one solution for human, mouse and rat miRNA networks. Users input in the unidirectional search mode either a single gene, gene set or gene pathway, alternatively a single miRNA, a set of miRNAs or an miRNA pathway. Moreover, genes and miRNAs can jointly be provided to the tool in the bidirectional search mode. For the selected entities, interaction graphs are generated from different data sources and dynamically presented. Connected application programming interfaces (APIs) to the tailored enrichment tools miEAA and GeneTrail facilitate downstream analysis of pathways and context-annotated categories of network nodes. MiRTargetLink 2.0 is freely accessible at https://www.ccb.uni-saarland.de/mirtargetlink2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Kern
- Chair for Clinical Bioinformatics, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | | | - Yongping Li
- Chair for Clinical Bioinformatics, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Tobias Fehlmann
- Chair for Clinical Bioinformatics, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Tim Kehl
- Center for Bioinformatics, Saarland Informatics Campus, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Viktoria Wagner
- Chair for Clinical Bioinformatics, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Kamalika Ray
- Chair for Clinical Bioinformatics, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Nicole Ludwig
- Center for Human and Molecular Biology, Institute of Human Genetics, Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany
| | - Hans-Peter Lenhof
- Center for Bioinformatics, Saarland Informatics Campus, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Eckart Meese
- Center for Human and Molecular Biology, Institute of Human Genetics, Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Keller
- Chair for Clinical Bioinformatics, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford 94304, CA, USA
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13
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Han J, Fan Y, Zhou K, Blomgren K, Harris RA. Uncovering sex differences of rodent microglia. J Neuroinflammation 2021; 18:74. [PMID: 33731174 PMCID: PMC7972194 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-021-02124-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
There are inherent structural and functional differences in the central nervous systems (CNS) of females and males. It has been gradually established that these sex-specific differences are due to a spectrum of genetic, epigenetic, and hormonal factors which actively contribute to the differential incidences, disease courses, and even outcomes of CNS diseases between sexes. Microglia, as principle resident macrophages in the CNS, play a crucial role in both CNS physiology and pathology. However, sex differences of microglia have been relatively unexplored until recently. Emerging data has convincingly demonstrated the existence of sex-dependent structural and functional differences of rodent microglia, consequently changing our current understanding of these versatile cells. In this review, we attempt to comprehensively outline the current advances revealing microglial sex differences in rodent and their potential implications for specific CNS diseases with a stark sex difference. A detailed understanding of molecular processes underlying microglial sex differences is of major importance in design of translational sex- and microglia-specific therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinming Han
- Applied Immunology and Immunotherapy, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, CMM L8:04, Karolinska Sjukhuset, S-171 76, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Yueshan Fan
- Applied Immunology and Immunotherapy, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, CMM L8:04, Karolinska Sjukhuset, S-171 76, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.,Key Laboratory of Injuries, Variations and Regeneration of Nervous System, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin, China.,Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Kai Zhou
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Zhengzhou, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Klas Blomgren
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Pediatric Oncology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Robert A Harris
- Applied Immunology and Immunotherapy, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, CMM L8:04, Karolinska Sjukhuset, S-171 76, Stockholm, Sweden.
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Meydan C, Madrer N, Soreq H. The Neat Dance of COVID-19: NEAT1, DANCR, and Co-Modulated Cholinergic RNAs Link to Inflammation. Front Immunol 2020; 11:590870. [PMID: 33163005 PMCID: PMC7581732 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.590870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic exerts inflammation-related parasympathetic complications and post-infection manifestations with major inter-individual variability. To seek the corresponding transcriptomic origins for the impact of COVID-19 infection and its aftermath consequences, we sought the relevance of long and short non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) for susceptibility to COVID-19 infection. We selected inflammation-prone men and women of diverse ages among the cohort of Genome Tissue expression (GTEx) by mining RNA-seq datasets from their lung, and blood tissues, followed by quantitative qRT-PCR, bioinformatics-based network analyses and thorough statistics compared to brain cell culture and infection tests with COVID-19 and H1N1 viruses. In lung tissues from 57 inflammation-prone, but not other GTEx donors, we discovered sharp declines of the lung pathology-associated ncRNA DANCR and the nuclear paraspeckles forming neuroprotective ncRNA NEAT1. Accompanying increases in the acetylcholine-regulating transcripts capable of controlling inflammation co-appeared in SARS-CoV-2 infected but not H1N1 influenza infected lung cells. The lung cells-characteristic DANCR and NEAT1 association with inflammation-controlling transcripts could not be observed in blood cells, weakened with age and presented sex-dependent links in GTEx lung RNA-seq dataset. Supporting active involvement in the inflammatory risks accompanying COVID-19, DANCR's decline associated with decrease of the COVID-19-related cellular transcript ACE2 and with sex-related increases in coding transcripts potentiating acetylcholine signaling. Furthermore, transcription factors (TFs) in lung, brain and cultured infected cells created networks with the candidate transcripts, indicating tissue-specific expression patterns. Supporting links of post-infection inflammatory and cognitive damages with cholinergic mal-functioning, man and woman-originated cultured cholinergic neurons presented differentiation-related increases of DANCR and NEAT1 targeting microRNAs. Briefly, changes in ncRNAs and TFs from inflammation-prone human lung tissues, SARS-CoV-2-infected lung cells and man and woman-derived differentiated cholinergic neurons reflected the inflammatory pathobiology related to COVID-19. By shifting ncRNA differences into comparative diagnostic and therapeutic profiles, our RNA-sequencing based Resource can identify ncRNA regulating candidates for COVID-19 and its associated immediate and predicted long-term inflammation and neurological complications, and sex-related therapeutics thereof. Our findings encourage diagnostics of involved tissue, and further investigation of NEAT1-inducing statins and anti-cholinergic medications in the COVID-19 context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chanan Meydan
- Department of Internal Medicine, Mayanei Hayeshua Medical Center, Bnei Brak, Israel
- Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Central District, Leumit Health Services, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Nimrod Madrer
- The Department of Biological Chemistry and The Edmond and Lilly Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Hermona Soreq
- The Department of Biological Chemistry and The Edmond and Lilly Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
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