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Babalola JA, Stracke A, Loeffler T, Schilcher I, Sideromenos S, Flunkert S, Neddens J, Lignell A, Prokesch M, Pazenboeck U, Strobl H, Tadic J, Leitinger G, Lass A, Hutter-Paier B, Hoefler G. Effect of astaxanthin in type-2 diabetes -induced APPxhQC transgenic and NTG mice. Mol Metab 2024; 85:101959. [PMID: 38763496 PMCID: PMC11153249 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2024.101959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Aggregation and misfolding of amyloid beta (Aβ) and tau proteins, suggested to arise from post-translational modification processes, are thought to be the main cause of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Additionally, a plethora of evidence exists that links metabolic dysfunctions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes (T2D), and dyslipidemia to the pathogenesis of AD. We thus investigated the combinatory effect of T2D and human glutaminyl cyclase activity (pyroglutamylation), on the pathology of AD and whether astaxanthin (ASX) treatment ameliorates accompanying pathophysiological manifestations. METHODS Male transgenic AD mice, APPxhQC, expressing human APP751 with the Swedish and the London mutation and human glutaminyl cyclase (hQC) enzyme and their non-transgenic (NTG) littermates were used. Both APPxhQC and NTG mice were allocated to 3 groups, control, T2D-control, and T2D-ASX. Mice were fed control or high fat diet ± ASX for 13 weeks starting at an age of 11-12 months. High fat diet fed mice were further treated with streptozocin for T2D induction. Effects of genotype, T2D induction, and ASX treatment were evaluated by analysing glycemic readouts, lipid concentration, Aβ deposition, hippocampus-dependent cognitive function and nutrient sensing using immunosorbent assay, ELISA-based assays, western blotting, immunofluorescence staining, and behavioral testing via Morris water maze (MWM), respectively. RESULTS APPxhQC mice presented a higher glucose sensitivity compared to NTG mice. T2D-induced brain dysfunction was more severe in NTG compared to the APPxhQC mice. T2D induction impaired memory functions while increasing hepatic LC3B, ABCA1, and p65 levels in NTG mice. T2D induction resulted in a progressive shift of Aβ from the soluble to insoluble form in APPxhQC mice. ASX treatment reversed T2D-induced memory dysfunction in NTG mice and in parallel increased hepatic pAKT while decreasing p65 and increasing cerebral p-S6rp and p65 levels. ASX treatment reduced soluble Aβ38 and Aβ40 and insoluble Aβ40 levels in T2D-induced APPxhQC mice. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrate that T2D induction in APPxhQC mice poses additional risk for AD pathology as seen by increased Aβ deposition. Although ASX treatment reduced Aβ expression in T2D-induced APPxhQC mice and rescued T2D-induced memory impairment in NTG mice, ASX treatment alone may not be effective in cases of T2D comorbidity and AD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anika Stracke
- Division of Immunology and Pathophysiology, Otto Loewi Research Center, Medical University of Graz, Austria
| | | | | | - Spyridon Sideromenos
- QPS Austria GmbH, Grambach, Austria; Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | | | | | | | - Ute Pazenboeck
- Division of Immunology and Pathophysiology, Otto Loewi Research Center, Medical University of Graz, Austria
| | - Herbert Strobl
- Division of Immunology and Pathophysiology, Otto Loewi Research Center, Medical University of Graz, Austria
| | - Jelena Tadic
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, University of Graz, Austria
| | - Gerd Leitinger
- Division of Cell Biology, Histology and Embryology, Gottfried Schatz Research Center, Medical University of Graz, Austria
| | - Achim Lass
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, University of Graz, Austria
| | | | - Gerald Hoefler
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Pathology Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
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Wang K, Chen X. Protective effect of flavonoids on oxidative stress injury in Alzheimer's disease. Nat Prod Res 2024:1-28. [PMID: 38910339 DOI: 10.1080/14786419.2024.2345760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease, which is mainly caused by the damage of the structure and function of the central nervous system. At present, there are many adverse reactions in market-available drugs, which can't significantly inhibit the occurrence of AD. Therefore, the current focus of research is to find safe and effective therapeutic drugs to improve the clinical treatment of AD. Oxidative stress bridges different mechanism hypotheses of AD and plays a key role in AD. Numerous studies have shown that natural flavonoids have good antioxidant effects. They can directly or indirectly resist -oxidative stress, inhibit Aβ aggregation and Tau protein hyperphosphorylation by activating Nrf2 and other oxidation-antioxidation-related signals, regulating synaptic function-related pathways, promoting mitochondrial autophagy, etc., and play a neuroprotective role in AD. In this review, we summarised the mechanism of flavonoids inhibiting oxidative stress injury in AD in recent years. Moreover, because of the shortcomings of poor biofilm permeability and low bioavailability of flavonoids, the advantages and recent research progress of nano-drug delivery systems such as liposomes and solid lipid nanoparticles were highlighted. We hope this review provides a useful way to explore safe and effective AD treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaixuan Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Xinmei Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China
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3
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Zhao Y, Sun B, Fu X, Zuo Z, Qin H, Yao K. YAP in development and disease: Navigating the regulatory landscape from retina to brain. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 175:116703. [PMID: 38713948 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The distinctive role of Yes-associated protein (YAP) in the nervous system has attracted widespread attention. This comprehensive review strategically uses the retina as a vantage point, embarking on an extensive exploration of YAP's multifaceted impact from the retina to the brain in development and pathology. Initially, we explore the crucial roles of YAP in embryonic and cerebral development. Our focus then shifts to retinal development, examining in detail YAP's regulatory influence on the development of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and retinal progenitor cells (RPCs), and its significant effects on the hierarchical structure and functionality of the retina. We also investigate the essential contributions of YAP in maintaining retinal homeostasis, highlighting its precise regulation of retinal cell proliferation and survival. In terms of retinal-related diseases, we explore the epigenetic connections and pathophysiological regulation of YAP in diabetic retinopathy (DR), glaucoma, and proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR). Lastly, we broaden our exploration from the retina to the brain, emphasizing the research paradigm of "retina: a window to the brain." Special focus is given to the emerging studies on YAP in brain disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD), underlining its potential therapeutic value in neurodegenerative disorders and neuroinflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaqin Zhao
- Institute of Visual Neuroscience and Stem Cell Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China; College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China
| | - Bin Sun
- Institute of Visual Neuroscience and Stem Cell Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China; College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China
| | - Xuefei Fu
- Institute of Visual Neuroscience and Stem Cell Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China; College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China
| | - Zhuan Zuo
- Institute of Visual Neuroscience and Stem Cell Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China; College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China
| | - Huan Qin
- Institute of Visual Neuroscience and Stem Cell Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China; College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China.
| | - Kai Yao
- Institute of Visual Neuroscience and Stem Cell Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China; College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China.
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4
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Madrazo N, Khattar Z, Powers ET, Rosarda JD, Wiseman RL. Mapping stress-responsive signaling pathways induced by mitochondrial proteostasis perturbations. Mol Biol Cell 2024; 35:ar74. [PMID: 38536439 PMCID: PMC11151107 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e24-01-0041] [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: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Imbalances in mitochondrial proteostasis are associated with pathologic mitochondrial dysfunction implicated in etiologically diverse diseases. This has led to considerable interest in defining the mechanisms responsible for regulating mitochondria in response to mitochondrial stress. Numerous stress-responsive signaling pathways have been suggested to regulate mitochondria in response to proteotoxic stress. These include the integrated stress response (ISR), the heat shock response (HSR), and the oxidative stress response (OSR). Here, we define the stress signaling pathways activated in response to chronic mitochondrial proteostasis perturbations by monitoring the expression of sets of genes regulated downstream of each of these signaling pathways in published Perturb-seq datasets from K562 cells CRISPRi-depleted of mitochondrial proteostasis factors. Interestingly, we find that the ISR is preferentially activated in response to chronic, genetically-induced mitochondrial proteostasis stress, with no other pathway showing significant activation. Further, we demonstrate that CRISPRi depletion of other mitochondria-localized proteins similarly shows preferential activation of the ISR relative to other stress-responsive signaling pathways. These results both establish our gene set profiling approach as a viable strategy to probe stress responsive signaling pathways induced by perturbations to specific organelles and identify the ISR as the predominant stress-responsive signaling pathway activated in response to chronic disruption of mitochondrial proteostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Madrazo
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - Zinia Khattar
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037
- Del Norte High School, San Diego, CA 92127
| | - Evan T. Powers
- Department of Chemistry, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - Jessica D. Rosarda
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814
| | - R. Luke Wiseman
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037
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5
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Spitz S, Schobesberger S, Brandauer K, Ertl P. Sensor-integrated brain-on-a-chip platforms: Improving the predictive validity in neurodegenerative research. Bioeng Transl Med 2024; 9:e10604. [PMID: 38818126 PMCID: PMC11135156 DOI: 10.1002/btm2.10604] [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: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Affecting millions of individuals worldwide, neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) pose a significant and growing health concern in people over the age of 60 years. Contributing to this trend are the steady increase in the aging population coupled with a persistent lack of disease-altering treatment strategies targeting NDDs. The absence of efficient therapeutics can be attributed to high failure rates in clinical trials and the ineptness of animal models in preceding preclinical studies. To that end, in recent years, significant research effort has been dedicated to the development of human cell-based preclinical disease models characterized by a higher degree of predictive validity. However, a key requirement of any in vitro model constitutes the precise knowledge and replication of the target tissues' (patho-)physiological microenvironment. Herein, microphysiological systems have demonstrated superiority over conventional static 2D/3D in vitro cell culture systems, as they allow for the emulation and continuous monitoring of the onset, progression, and remission of disease-associated phenotypes. This review provides an overview of recent advances in the field of NDD research using organ-on-a-chip platforms. Specific focus is directed toward non-invasive sensing strategies encompassing electrical, electrochemical, and optical sensors. Additionally, promising on- and integrable off-chip sensing strategies targeting key analytes in NDDs will be presented and discussed in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Spitz
- Faculty of Technical ChemistryVienna University of TechnologyViennaAustria
- Present address:
Department of Mechanical Engineering and Biological EngineeringMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeMassachusettsUSA
| | | | | | - Peter Ertl
- Faculty of Technical ChemistryVienna University of TechnologyViennaAustria
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6
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Weathered C, Bardehle S, Yoon C, Kumar N, Leyns CEG, Kennedy ME, Bloomingdale P, Pienaar E. Microglial roles in Alzheimer's disease: An agent-based model to elucidate microglial spatiotemporal response to beta-amyloid. CPT Pharmacometrics Syst Pharmacol 2024; 13:449-463. [PMID: 38078626 PMCID: PMC10941569 DOI: 10.1002/psp4.13095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by beta-amyloid (Aβ) plaques in the brain and widespread neuronal damage. Because of the high drug attrition rates in AD, there is increased interest in characterizing neuroimmune responses to Aβ plaques. In response to AD pathology, microglia are innate phagocytotic immune cells that transition into a neuroprotective state and form barriers around plaques. We seek to understand the role of microglia in modifying Aβ dynamics and barrier formation. To quantify the influence of individual microglia behaviors (activation, chemotaxis, phagocytosis, and proliferation) on plaque size and barrier coverage, we developed an agent-based model to characterize the spatiotemporal interactions between microglia and Aβ. Our model qualitatively reproduces mouse data trends where the fraction of microglia coverage decreases as plaques become larger. In our model, the time to microglial arrival at the plaque boundary is significantly negatively correlated (p < 0.0001) with plaque size, indicating the importance of the time to microglial activation for regulating plaque size. In addition, in silico behavioral knockout simulations show that phagocytosis knockouts have the strongest impact on plaque size, but modest impacts on microglial coverage and activation. In contrast, the chemotaxis knockouts had a strong impact on microglial coverage with a more modest impact on plaque volume and microglial activation. These simulations suggest that phagocytosis, chemotaxis, and replication of activated microglia have complex impacts on plaque volume and coverage, whereas microglial activation remains fairly robust to perturbations of these functions. Thus, our work provides insights into the potential and limitations of targeting microglial activation as a pharmacological strategy for the treatment of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Weathered
- Weldon School of Biomedical EngineeringPurdue UniversityWest LafayetteIndianaUSA
| | - Sophia Bardehle
- NeuroimmunologyMerck & Co., Inc.RahwayNew JerseyUSA
- Present address:
Cerevel TherapeuticsCambridgeMassachusettsUSA
| | - Choya Yoon
- NeuroimmunologyMerck & Co., Inc.RahwayNew JerseyUSA
| | - Niyanta Kumar
- Pharmacokinetics and PharmacodynamicsMerck & Co., Inc.RahwayNew JerseyUSA
- Present address:
Mersana TherapeuticsCambridgeMassachusettsUSA
| | | | | | - Peter Bloomingdale
- Quantitative Pharmacology and PharmacometricsMerck & Co., Inc.RahwayNew JerseyUSA
- Present address:
Boehringer IngelheimIngelheim am RheinGermany
| | - Elsje Pienaar
- Weldon School of Biomedical EngineeringPurdue UniversityWest LafayetteIndianaUSA
- Regenstrief Center for Healthcare EngineeringWest LafayetteIndianaUSA
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7
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Chen C, Qi J, Li Y, Li D, Wu L, Li R, Chen Q, Sun N. Applications of Raman spectroscopy in the diagnosis and monitoring of neurodegenerative diseases. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1301107. [PMID: 38370434 PMCID: PMC10869569 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1301107] [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: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Raman scattering is an inelastic light scattering that occurs in a manner reflective of the molecular vibrations of molecular structures and chemical conditions in a given sample of interest. Energy changes in the scattered light can be assessed to determine the vibration mode and associated molecular and chemical conditions within the sample, providing a molecular fingerprint suitable for sample identification and characterization. Raman spectroscopy represents a particularly promising approach to the molecular analysis of many diseases owing to clinical advantages including its instantaneous nature and associated high degree of stability, as well as its ability to yield signal outputs corresponding to a single molecule type without any interference from other molecules as a result of its narrow peak width. This technology is thus ideally suited to the simultaneous assessment of multiple analytes. Neurodegenerative diseases represent an increasingly significant threat to global public health owing to progressive population aging, imposing a severe physical and social burden on affected patients who tend to develop cognitive and/or motor deficits beginning between the ages of 50 and 70. Owing to a relatively limited understanding of the etiological basis for these diseases, treatments are lacking for the most common neurodegenerative diseases, which include Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The present review was formulated with the goal of briefly explaining the principle of Raman spectroscopy and discussing its potential applications in the diagnosis and evaluation of neurodegenerative diseases, with a particular emphasis on the research prospects of this novel technological platform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Chen
- Central Laboratory, Liaocheng People’s Hospital and Liaocheng School of Clinical Medicine, Shandong First Medical University, Liaocheng, China
| | - Jinfeng Qi
- Department of Geriatrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Geriatrics Institute, Tianjin, China
| | - Ying Li
- Department of Geriatrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Geriatrics Institute, Tianjin, China
| | - Ding Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Liaocheng People’s Hospital and Liaocheng School of Clinical Medicine, Shandong First Medical University, Liaocheng, China
| | - Lihong Wu
- Department of Geriatrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Geriatrics Institute, Tianjin, China
| | - Ruihua Li
- Department of Geriatrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Geriatrics Institute, Tianjin, China
| | - Qingfa Chen
- Institute of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Liaocheng People’s Hospital and Liaocheng School of Clinical Medicine, Shandong First Medical University, Liaocheng, China
- Research Center of Basic Medicine, Jinan Central Hospital, Jinan, China
| | - Ning Sun
- Department of Geriatrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Geriatrics Institute, Tianjin, China
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8
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Madrazo N, Khattar Z, Powers ET, Rosarda JD, Wiseman RL. Mapping Stress-Responsive Signaling Pathways Induced by Mitochondrial Proteostasis Perturbations. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.30.577830. [PMID: 38352575 PMCID: PMC10862789 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.30.577830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Imbalances in mitochondrial proteostasis are associated with pathologic mitochondrial dysfunction implicated in etiologically-diverse diseases. This has led to considerable interest in defining the biological mechanisms responsible for regulating mitochondria in response to mitochondrial stress. Numerous stress responsive signaling pathways have been suggested to regulate mitochondria in response to proteotoxic stress, including the integrated stress response (ISR), the heat shock response (HSR), and the oxidative stress response (OSR). Here, we define the specific stress signaling pathways activated in response to mitochondrial proteostasis stress by monitoring the expression of sets of genes regulated downstream of each of these signaling pathways in published Perturb-seq datasets from K562 cells CRISPRi-depleted of individual mitochondrial proteostasis factors. Interestingly, we find that the ISR is preferentially activated in response to mitochondrial proteostasis stress, with no other pathway showing significant activation. Further expanding this study, we show that broad depletion of mitochondria-localized proteins similarly shows preferential activation of the ISR relative to other stress-responsive signaling pathways. These results both establish our gene set profiling approach as a viable strategy to probe stress responsive signaling pathways induced by perturbations to specific organelles and identify the ISR as the predominant stress-responsive signaling pathway activated in response to mitochondrial proteostasis disruption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Madrazo
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Zinia Khattar
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037
- Del Norte High School, San Diego, CA 92127
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Evan T. Powers
- Department of Chemistry, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - Jessica D. Rosarda
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814
| | - R. Luke Wiseman
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037
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Grosso C, Silva A, Delerue-Matos C, Barroso MF. Single and Multitarget Systems for Drug Delivery and Detection: Up-to-Date Strategies for Brain Disorders. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:1721. [PMID: 38139848 PMCID: PMC10747932 DOI: 10.3390/ph16121721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
This review summarizes the recent findings on the development of different types of single and multitarget nanoparticles for disease detection and drug delivery to the brain, focusing on promising active principles encapsulated and nanoparticle surface modification and functionalization. Functionalized nanoparticles have emerged as promising tools for the diagnosis and treatment of brain disorders, offering a novel approach to addressing complex neurological challenges. They can act as drug delivery vehicles, transporting one or multiple therapeutic agents across the blood-brain barrier and precisely releasing them at the site of action. In diagnostics, functionalized nanoparticles can serve as highly sensitive contrast agents for imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scans. By attaching targeting ligands to the nanoparticles, they can selectively accumulate in the affected areas of the brain, enhancing the accuracy of disease detection. This enables early diagnosis and monitoring of conditions like Alzheimer's or Parkinson's diseases. While the field is still evolving, functionalized nanoparticles represent a promising path for advancing our ability to diagnose and treat brain disorders with greater precision, reduced invasiveness, and improved therapeutic outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Grosso
- REQUIMTE/LAQV, Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Rua Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida 431, 4249-015 Porto, Portugal; (A.S.); (C.D.-M.); (M.F.B.)
| | - Aurora Silva
- REQUIMTE/LAQV, Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Rua Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida 431, 4249-015 Porto, Portugal; (A.S.); (C.D.-M.); (M.F.B.)
- Nutrition and Bromatology Group, Analytical and Food Chemistry Department, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, Ourense Campus, Universidad de Vigo, E-32004 Ourense, Spain
| | - Cristina Delerue-Matos
- REQUIMTE/LAQV, Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Rua Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida 431, 4249-015 Porto, Portugal; (A.S.); (C.D.-M.); (M.F.B.)
| | - Maria Fátima Barroso
- REQUIMTE/LAQV, Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Rua Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida 431, 4249-015 Porto, Portugal; (A.S.); (C.D.-M.); (M.F.B.)
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10
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Thapa M, Kumari A, Chin CY, Choby JE, Jin F, Bogati B, Chopyk DM, Koduri N, Pahnke A, Elrod EJ, Burd EM, Weiss DS, Grakoui A. Translocation of gut commensal bacteria to the brain. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.30.555630. [PMID: 37693595 PMCID: PMC10491268 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.30.555630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
The gut-brain axis, a bidirectional signaling network between the intestine and the central nervous system, is crucial to the regulation of host physiology and inflammation. Recent advances suggest a strong correlation between gut dysbiosis and neurological diseases, however, relatively little is known about how gut bacteria impact the brain. Here, we reveal that gut commensal bacteria can translocate directly to the brain when mice are fed an altered diet that causes dysbiosis and intestinal permeability, and that this also occurs without diet alteration in distinct murine models of neurological disease. The bacteria were not found in other systemic sites or the blood, but were detected in the vagus nerve. Unilateral cervical vagotomy significantly reduced the number of bacteria in the brain, implicating the vagus nerve as a conduit for translocation. The presence of bacteria in the brain correlated with microglial activation, a marker of neuroinflammation, and with neural protein aggregation, a hallmark of several neurodegenerative diseases. In at least one model, the presence of bacteria in the brain was reversible as a switch from high-fat to standard diet resulted in amelioration of intestinal permeability, led to a gradual loss of detectable bacteria in the brain, and reduced the number of neural protein aggregates. Further, in murine models of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and autism spectrum disorder, we observed gut dysbiosis, gut leakiness, bacterial translocation to the brain, and microglial activation. These data reveal a commensal bacterial translocation axis to the brain in models of diverse neurological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manoj Thapa
- Emory Vaccine Center, Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Anuradha Kumari
- Emory Vaccine Center, Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Chui-Yoke Chin
- Emory Vaccine Center, Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Jacob E. Choby
- Emory Vaccine Center, Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Fengzhi Jin
- Emory Vaccine Center, Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Bikash Bogati
- Emory Vaccine Center, Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Daniel M. Chopyk
- Emory Vaccine Center, Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Nitya Koduri
- Emory Vaccine Center, Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Andrew Pahnke
- Emory Vaccine Center, Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Elizabeth J. Elrod
- Emory Vaccine Center, Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Eileen M. Burd
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
- Emory Antibiotic Resistance Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - David S. Weiss
- Emory Vaccine Center, Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
- Emory Antibiotic Resistance Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Arash Grakoui
- Emory Vaccine Center, Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
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Ribeiro J, Lopes I, Gomes AC. A New Perspective for the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease: Exosome-like Liposomes to Deliver Natural Compounds and RNA Therapies. Molecules 2023; 28:6015. [PMID: 37630268 PMCID: PMC10458935 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28166015] [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: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
With the increment of the aging population in recent years, neurodegenerative diseases exert a major global disease burden, essentially as a result of the lack of treatments that stop the disease progression. Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is an example of a neurodegenerative disease that affects millions of people globally, with no effective treatment. Natural compounds have emerged as a viable therapy to fill a huge gap in AD management, and in recent years, mostly fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic, RNA-based therapeutics have become a hot topic in the treatment of several diseases. Treatments of AD face significant limitations due to the complex and interconnected pathways that lead to their hallmarks and also due to the necessity to cross the blood-brain barrier. Nanotechnology has contributed to surpassing this bottleneck in the treatment of AD by promoting safe and enhanced drug delivery to the brain. In particular, exosome-like nanoparticles, a hybrid delivery system combining exosomes and liposomes' advantageous features, are demonstrating great potential in the treatment of central nervous system diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Ribeiro
- Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology (CBMA)/Aquatic Research Network (ARNET) Associate Laboratory, Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (J.R.); (I.L.)
- Institute of Science and Innovation for Sustainability (IB-S), Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Ivo Lopes
- Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology (CBMA)/Aquatic Research Network (ARNET) Associate Laboratory, Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (J.R.); (I.L.)
| | - Andreia Castro Gomes
- Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology (CBMA)/Aquatic Research Network (ARNET) Associate Laboratory, Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (J.R.); (I.L.)
- Institute of Science and Innovation for Sustainability (IB-S), Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
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Barrett JS, Azer K. Opportunities for Systems Biology and Quantitative Systems Pharmacology to Address Knowledge Gaps for Drug Development in Pregnancy. J Clin Pharmacol 2023; 63 Suppl 1:S96-S105. [PMID: 37317502 DOI: 10.1002/jcph.2265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Pregnant women are still viewed as therapeutic orphans to the extent that they are avoided as participants in mainstream clinical trials and not considered a priority for targeted drug research despite the fact that many clinical conditions exist during pregnancy for which pharmacotherapy is warranted. Part of the challenge is the uncertain risk potential that pregnant women represent in the absence of timely and costly toxicology and developmental pharmacology studies, which only partly mitigate such risks. Even when clinical trials are conducted in pregnant women, they are often underpowered and absent biomarkers and exclude evaluation across multiple stages of pregnancy where relevant development risk could have been assessed. Quantitative systems pharmacology model development has been proposed as one solution to fill knowledge gaps, make earlier and perhaps more informed risk assessment, and design more informative trials with better recommendations for biomarker and end point selection including design and sample size optimality. Funding for translational research in pregnancy is limited but will fill some of these gaps, especially when joined with ongoing clinical trials in pregnancy that also fill certain knowledge gaps, especially biomarker and end point evaluation across pregnancy states linked to clinical outcomes. Opportunities exist for further advances in quantitative systems pharmacology model development with the inclusion of real-world data sources and complimentary artificial intelligence/machine learning approaches. The successful coordination of the approach reliant on these new data sources will require commitments to share data and a diverse multidisciplinary group that seeks to develop open science models that benefit the entire research community, ensuring that such models can be used with high fidelity. New data opportunities and computational resources are highlighted in an effort to project how these efforts can move forward.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Karim Azer
- Axcella Therapeutics, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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Wei X, Huang G, Liu J, Ge J, Zhang W, Mei Z. An update on the role of Hippo signaling pathway in ischemia-associated central nervous system diseases. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 162:114619. [PMID: 37004330 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The most frequent reason of morbidity and mortality in the world, cerebral ischemia sets off a chain of molecular and cellular pathologies that associated with some central nervous system (CNS) disorders mainly including ischemic stroke, Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), epilepsy and other CNS diseases. In recent times, despite significant advancements in the treatment of the pathological processes underlying various neurological illnesses, effective therapeutic approaches that are specifically targeted to minimizing the damage of such diseases remain absent. Hippo signaling pathway, characterized by enzyme linked reactions between MSTI/2, LAST1/2, and YAP or TAZ proteins, controls cell division, survival, and differentiation, as well as being engaged in a variety of biological activities, such as the development and transformation of the nervous system. Recently, accumulating studies demonstrated that Hippo pathway takes part in the processes of ischemic stroke, AD, PD, etc., including but not limited to oxidative stress, inflammatory response, blood-brain barrier damage, mitochondrial disorders, and neural cells death. Thus, it's crucial to understand the molecular basis of the Hippo signaling pathway for determining potential new therapeutic targets against ischemia-associated CNS diseases. Here, we discuss latest advances in the deciphering of the Hippo signaling pathway and highlight the therapeutic potential of targeting the pathway in treating ischemia-associated CNS diseases.
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