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Lindberg A, Murrell E, Tong J, Mason NS, Sohn D, Sandell J, Ström P, Stehouwer JS, Lopresti BJ, Viklund J, Svensson S, Mathis CA, Vasdev N. Ligand-based design of [ 18F]OXD-2314 for PET imaging in non-Alzheimer's disease tauopathies. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5109. [PMID: 38877019 PMCID: PMC11178805 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49258-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of tau aggregation in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is helping to map and quantify the in vivo progression of AD pathology. To date, no high-affinity tau-PET radiopharmaceutical has been optimized for imaging non-AD tauopathies. Here we show the properties of analogues of a first-in-class 4R-tau lead, [18F]OXD-2115, using ligand-based design. Over 150 analogues of OXD-2115 were synthesized and screened in post-mortem brain tissue for tau affinity against [3H]OXD-2115, and in silico models were used to predict brain uptake. [18F]OXD-2314 was identified as a selective, high-affinity non-AD tau PET radiotracer with favorable brain uptake, dosimetry, and radiometabolite profiles in rats and non-human primate and is being translated for first-in-human PET studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton Lindberg
- Azrieli Centre for Neuro-Radiochemistry, Brain Health Imaging Centre, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada
| | - Emily Murrell
- Azrieli Centre for Neuro-Radiochemistry, Brain Health Imaging Centre, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Junchao Tong
- Azrieli Centre for Neuro-Radiochemistry, Brain Health Imaging Centre, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada
| | - N Scott Mason
- Department of Radiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Daniel Sohn
- Oxiant Discovery, SE-15136, Södertälje, Sweden
| | | | - Peter Ström
- Novandi Chemistry AB, SE-15136, Södertälje, Sweden
| | | | - Brian J Lopresti
- Department of Radiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | | | | | - Chester A Mathis
- Department of Radiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - Neil Vasdev
- Azrieli Centre for Neuro-Radiochemistry, Brain Health Imaging Centre, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada.
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
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2
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Balczon R, Lin MT, Voth S, Nelson AR, Schupp JC, Wagener BM, Pittet JF, Stevens T. Lung endothelium, tau, and amyloids in health and disease. Physiol Rev 2024; 104:533-587. [PMID: 37561137 PMCID: PMC11281824 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00006.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Lung endothelia in the arteries, capillaries, and veins are heterogeneous in structure and function. Lung capillaries in particular represent a unique vascular niche, with a thin yet highly restrictive alveolar-capillary barrier that optimizes gas exchange. Capillary endothelium surveys the blood while simultaneously interpreting cues initiated within the alveolus and communicated via immediately adjacent type I and type II epithelial cells, fibroblasts, and pericytes. This cell-cell communication is necessary to coordinate the immune response to lower respiratory tract infection. Recent discoveries identify an important role for the microtubule-associated protein tau that is expressed in lung capillary endothelia in the host-pathogen interaction. This endothelial tau stabilizes microtubules necessary for barrier integrity, yet infection drives production of cytotoxic tau variants that are released into the airways and circulation, where they contribute to end-organ dysfunction. Similarly, beta-amyloid is produced during infection. Beta-amyloid has antimicrobial activity, but during infection it can acquire cytotoxic activity that is deleterious to the host. The production and function of these cytotoxic tau and amyloid variants are the subject of this review. Lung-derived cytotoxic tau and amyloid variants are a recently discovered mechanism of end-organ dysfunction, including neurocognitive dysfunction, during and in the aftermath of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ron Balczon
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, United States
- Center for Lung Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, United States
| | - Mike T Lin
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, United States
- Center for Lung Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, United States
| | - Sarah Voth
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Monroe, Louisiana, United States
| | - Amy R Nelson
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, United States
- Center for Lung Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, United States
| | - Jonas C Schupp
- Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Hannover, Germany
| | - Brant M Wagener
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Alabama-Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States
| | - Jean-Francois Pittet
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Alabama-Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States
| | - Troy Stevens
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, United States
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, United States
- Center for Lung Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, United States
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Frey B, Holzinger D, Taylor K, Ehrnhoefer DE, Striebinger A, Biesinger S, Gasparini L, O'Neill MJ, Wegner F, Barghorn S, Höglinger GU, Heym RG. Tau seed amplification assay reveals relationship between seeding and pathological forms of tau in Alzheimer's disease brain. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2023; 11:181. [PMID: 37964332 PMCID: PMC10644662 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-023-01676-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Tau seed amplification assays (SAAs) directly measure the seeding activity of tau and would therefore be ideal biomarkers for clinical trials targeting seeding-competent tau in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the precise relationship between tau seeding measured by SAA and the levels of pathological forms of tau in the AD brain remains unknown. We developed a new tau SAA based on full-length 0N3R tau with sensitivity in the low fg/ml range and used it to characterize 103 brain samples from three independent cohorts. Tau seeding clearly discriminated between AD and control brain samples. Interestingly, seeding was absent in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) putamen, suggesting that our tau SAA did not amplify 4R tau aggregates from PSP brain. The specificity of our tau SAA for AD brain was further supported by analysis of matched hippocampus and cerebellum samples. While seeding was detected in hippocampus from Braak stages I-II, no seeding was present in AD cerebellum that is devoid of tau inclusions. Analysis of 40 middle frontal gyrus samples encompassing all Braak stages showed that tau SAA seeding activity gradually increased with Braak stage. This relationship between seeding activity and the presence of tau inclusions in AD brain was further supported by robust correlations between tau SAA results and the levels of phosphorylated tau212/214, phosphorylated tau181, aggregated tau, and sarkosyl-insoluble tau. Strikingly, we detected tau seeding in the middle frontal gyrus already at Braak stage II-III, suggesting that tau SAA can detect tau pathology earlier than conventional immunohistochemical staining. In conclusion, our data suggest a quantitative relationship between tau seeding activity and pathological forms of tau in the human brain and provides an important basis for further development of tau SAA for accessible human samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan Frey
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Research, Knollstrasse, 67061, Ludwigshafen, Germany.
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany.
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hannover, Germany.
| | - David Holzinger
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Research, Knollstrasse, 67061, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Keenan Taylor
- AbbVie Bioresearch Center, Biotherapeutics and Genetic Medicine Technologies, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Dagmar E Ehrnhoefer
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Research, Knollstrasse, 67061, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Andreas Striebinger
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Research, Knollstrasse, 67061, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Sandra Biesinger
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Research, Knollstrasse, 67061, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Laura Gasparini
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Research, Knollstrasse, 67061, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Michael J O'Neill
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Research, Knollstrasse, 67061, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Florian Wegner
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hannover, Germany
| | - Stefan Barghorn
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Research, Knollstrasse, 67061, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Günter U Höglinger
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hannover, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases E.V. (DZNE), Munich, Germany
- Department of Neurology, LMU University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU), Munich, Germany
| | - Roland G Heym
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Research, Knollstrasse, 67061, Ludwigshafen, Germany.
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Taha HB, Chawla E, Bitan G. IM-MS and ECD-MS/MS Provide Insight into Modulation of Amyloid Proteins Self-Assembly by Peptides and Small Molecules. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MASS SPECTROMETRY 2023; 34:2066-2086. [PMID: 37607351 DOI: 10.1021/jasms.3c00065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative proteinopathies are characterized by formation and deposition of misfolded, aggregated proteins in the nervous system leading to neuronal dysfunction and death. It is widely believed that metastable oligomers of the offending proteins, preceding the fibrillar aggregates found in the tissue, are the proximal neurotoxins. There are currently almost no disease-modifying therapies for these diseases despite an active pipeline of preclinical development and clinical trials for over two decades, largely because studying the metastable oligomers and their interaction with potential therapeutics is notoriously difficult. Mass spectrometry (MS) is a powerful analytical tool for structural investigation of proteins, including protein-protein and protein-ligand interactions. Specific MS tools have been useful in determining the composition and conformation of abnormal protein oligomers involved in proteinopathies and the way they interact with drug candidates. Here, we analyze critically the utilization of ion-mobility spectroscopy-MS (IM-MS) and electron-capture dissociation (ECD) MS/MS for analyzing the oligomerization and conformation of multiple amyloidogenic proteins. We also discuss IM-MS investigation of their interaction with two classes of compounds developed by our group over the last two decades: C-terminal fragments derived from the 42-residue form of amyloid β-protein (Aβ42) and molecular tweezers. Finally, we review the utilization of ECD-MS/MS for elucidating the binding sites of the ligands on multiple proteins. These approaches are readily applicable to future studies addressing similar questions and hold promise for facilitating the development of successful disease-modifying drugs against neurodegenerative proteinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hash Brown Taha
- Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, University of California Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Esha Chawla
- Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Gal Bitan
- Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- Brain Research Institute, University of California Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
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5
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Ortigosa-Pascual L, Leiding T, Linse S, Pálmadóttir T. Photo-Induced Cross-Linking of Unmodified α-Synuclein Oligomers. ACS Chem Neurosci 2023; 14:3192-3205. [PMID: 37621159 PMCID: PMC10485903 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00326] [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: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Photo-induced cross-linking of unmodified proteins (PICUP) has been used in the past to study size distributions of protein assemblies. PICUP may, for example, overcome the significant experimental challenges related to the transient nature, heterogeneity, and low concentration of amyloid protein oligomers relative to monomeric and fibrillar species. In the current study, a reaction chamber was designed, produced, and used for PICUP reaction optimization in terms of reaction conditions and lighting time from ms to s. These efforts make the method more reproducible and accessible and enable the use of shorter reaction times compared to previous studies. We applied the optimized method to an α-synuclein aggregation time course to monitor the relative concentration and size distribution of oligomers over time. The data are compared to the time evolution of the fibril mass concentration, as monitored by thioflavin T fluorescence. At all time points, the smaller the oligomer, the higher its concentration observed after PICUP. Moreover, the total oligomer concentration is highest at short aggregation times, and the decline over time follows the disappearance of monomers. We can therefore conclude that these oligomers form from monomers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Ortigosa-Pascual
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural
Biology, Lund University, 221 00 Lund, Sweden
| | - Thom Leiding
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural
Biology, Lund University, 221 00 Lund, Sweden
| | - Sara Linse
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural
Biology, Lund University, 221 00 Lund, Sweden
| | - Tinna Pálmadóttir
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural
Biology, Lund University, 221 00 Lund, Sweden
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Wu L, Madhavan SS, Tan C, Xu B. Hexameric Aggregation Nucleation Core Sequences and Diversity of Pathogenic Tau Strains. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11121559. [PMID: 36558893 PMCID: PMC9784471 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11121559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau aggregation associates with multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease and rare tauopathies such as Pick's disease, progressive supranuclear palsy, and corticobasal degeneration. The molecular and structural basis of tau aggregation and related diverse misfolded tau strains are not fully understood. To further understand tau-protein aggregation mechanisms, we performed systematic truncation mutagenesis and mapped key segments of tau proteins that contribute to tau aggregation, where it was determined that microtubule binding domains R2 and R3 play critical roles. We validated that R2- or R3-related hexameric PHF6 and PHF6* peptide sequences are necessary sequences that render tau amyloidogenicity. We also determined that the consensus VQI peptide sequence is not sufficient for amyloidogenicity. We further proposed single- and dual-nucleation core-based strain classifications based on recent cryo-EM structures. We analyzed the structural environment of the hexameric peptide sequences in diverse tau strains in tauopathies that, in part, explains why the VQI consensus core sequence is not sufficient to induce tau aggregation. Our experimental work and complementary structural analysis highlighted the indispensible roles of the hexameric core sequences, and shed light on how the interaction environment of these core sequences contributes to diverse pathogenic tau-strains formation in various tauopathy brains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Wu
- Biomanufacturing Research Institute and Technology Enterprise (BRITE), Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC 27707, USA
- Duke/UNC Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Sidharth S. Madhavan
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Christopher Tan
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Bin Xu
- Biomanufacturing Research Institute and Technology Enterprise (BRITE), Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC 27707, USA
- Duke/UNC Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Correspondence:
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7
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Wu L, Wang Z, Lad S, Gilyazova N, Dougharty DT, Marcus M, Henderson F, Ray WK, Siedlak S, Li J, Helm RF, Zhu X, Bloom GS, Wang SHJ, Zou WQ, Xu B. Selective Detection of Misfolded Tau From Postmortem Alzheimer's Disease Brains. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:945875. [PMID: 35936779 PMCID: PMC9352240 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.945875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Tau aggregates are present in multiple neurodegenerative diseases known as "tauopathies," including Alzheimer's disease, Pick's disease, progressive supranuclear palsy, and corticobasal degeneration. Such misfolded tau aggregates are therefore potential sources for selective detection and biomarker discovery. Six human tau isoforms present in brain tissues and both 3R and 4R isoforms have been observed in the neuronal inclusions. To develop selective markers for AD and related rare tauopathies, we first used an engineered tau protein fragment 4RCF as the substrate for ultrasensitive real-time quaking-induced conversion analyses (RT-QuIC). We showed that misfolded tau from diseased AD and other tauopathy brains were able to seed recombinant 4RCF substrate. We further expanded to use six individual recombinant tau isoforms as substrates to amplify misfolded tau seeds from AD brains. We demonstrated, for the first time to our knowledge, that misfolded tau from the postmortem AD brain tissues was able to specifically seed all six full-length human tau isoforms. Our results demonstrated that RT-QuIC analysis can discriminate AD and other tauopathies from non-AD normal controls. We further uncovered that 3R-tau isoforms displayed significantly faster aggregation kinetics than their 4R-tau counterparts under conditions of both no seeding and seeding with AD brain homogenates. In summary, our work offers potential new avenues of misfolded tau detection as potential biomarkers for diagnosis of AD and related tauopathies and provides new insights into isoform-specific human tau aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Wu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Biomanufacturing Research Institute and Technology Enterprise (BRITE), North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC, United States
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Zerui Wang
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Shradha Lad
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Nailya Gilyazova
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Biomanufacturing Research Institute and Technology Enterprise (BRITE), North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Darren T. Dougharty
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Madeleine Marcus
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Frances Henderson
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - W. Keith Ray
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Sandra Siedlak
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Jianyong Li
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Richard F. Helm
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Xiongwei Zhu
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - George S. Bloom
- Departments of Biology, Cell Biology, and Neuroscience, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Shih-Hsiu J. Wang
- Department of Pathology and Neurology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Wen-Quan Zou
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Bin Xu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Biomanufacturing Research Institute and Technology Enterprise (BRITE), North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC, United States
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, United States
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, United States
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