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Giusti V, Kaur G, Giusto E, Civiero L. Brain clearance of protein aggregates: a close-up on astrocytes. Mol Neurodegener 2024; 19:5. [PMID: 38229094 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-024-00703-1] [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: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Protein misfolding and accumulation defines a prevailing feature of many neurodegenerative disorders, finally resulting in the formation of toxic intra- and extracellular aggregates. Intracellular aggregates can enter the extracellular space and be subsequently transferred among different cell types, thus spreading between connected brain districts.Although microglia perform a predominant role in the removal of extracellular aggregated proteins, mounting evidence suggests that astrocytes actively contribute to the clearing process. However, the molecular mechanisms used by astrocytes to remove misfolded proteins are still largely unknown.Here we first provide a brief overview of the progressive transition from soluble monomers to insoluble fibrils that characterizes amyloid proteins, referring to α-Synuclein and Tau as archetypical examples. We then highlight the mechanisms at the basis of astrocyte-mediated clearance with a focus on their potential ability to recognize, collect, internalize and digest extracellular protein aggregates. Finally, we explore the potential of targeting astrocyte-mediated clearance as a future therapeutic approach for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders characterized by protein misfolding and accumulation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gurkirat Kaur
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
| | | | - Laura Civiero
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy.
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padua, Italy.
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Akinyemi RO, Yaria J, Ojagbemi A, Guerchet M, Okubadejo N, Njamnshi AK, Sarfo FS, Akpalu A, Ogbole G, Ayantayo T, Adokonou T, Paddick SM, Ndetei D, Bosche J, Ayele B, Damas A, Coker M, Mbakile-Mahlanza L, Ranchod K, Bobrow K, Anazodo U, Damasceno A, Seshadri S, Pericak-Vance M, Lawlor B, Miller BL, Owolabi M, Baiyewu O, Walker R, Gureje O, Kalaria RN, Ogunniyi A. Dementia in Africa: Current evidence, knowledge gaps, and future directions. Alzheimers Dement 2022; 18:790-809. [PMID: 34569714 PMCID: PMC8957626 DOI: 10.1002/alz.12432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
In tandem with the ever-increasing aging population in low and middle-income countries, the burden of dementia is rising on the African continent. Dementia prevalence varies from 2.3% to 20.0% and incidence rates are 13.3 per 1000 person-years with increasing mortality in parts of rapidly transforming Africa. Differences in nutrition, cardiovascular factors, comorbidities, infections, mortality, and detection likely contribute to lower incidence. Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, and human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-associated neurocognitive disorders are the most common dementia subtypes. Comprehensive longitudinal studies with robust methodology and regional coverage would provide more reliable information. The apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 allele is most studied but has shown differential effects within African ancestry compared to Caucasian. More candidate gene and genome-wide association studies are needed to relate to dementia phenotypes. Validated culture-sensitive cognitive tools not influenced by education and language differences are critically needed for implementation across multidisciplinary groupings such as the proposed African Dementia Consortium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rufus O Akinyemi
- Neuroscience and Ageing Research Unit, Institute for Advanced Medical Research and Training, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
- Centre for Genomic and Precision Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
- Department of Neurology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Joseph Yaria
- Department of Neurology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Akin Ojagbemi
- Department of Psychiatry University College Hospital/College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Maëlenn Guerchet
- INSERM, Univ. Limoges, CHU Limoges, IRD, U1094 Tropical Neuroepidemiology, Institute of Epidemiology and Tropical Neurology, GEIST, Limoges, France
| | - Njideka Okubadejo
- Neurology Unit, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Idi Araba, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Alfred K Njamnshi
- Department of Neurology, Yaoundé Central Hospital/Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon
- Brain Research Africa Initiative (BRAIN), Geneva, Switzerland/Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Fred S Sarfo
- Department of Medicine, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Albert Akpalu
- Department of Medicine, University of Ghana Medical School/Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana
| | - Godwin Ogbole
- Department of Radiology, University College Hospital/College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Temitayo Ayantayo
- Neuroscience and Ageing Research Unit, Institute for Advanced Medical Research and Training, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Thierry Adokonou
- Department of Neurology, University Teaching Hospital, Parakou, Benin
| | - Stella-Maria Paddick
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, UK/Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust, Gateshead, UK
| | - David Ndetei
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Nairobi and African Meatal Health and Training Foundation, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Judith Bosche
- Kilimanjaro Christian Medical College, Moshi, Tanzania
| | - Biniyam Ayele
- College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Andrea Damas
- Mirembe Mental Health Hospital, Dodoma, Tanzania
| | - Motunrayo Coker
- Neuroscience and Ageing Research Unit, Institute for Advanced Medical Research and Training, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Lingani Mbakile-Mahlanza
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Kirti Ranchod
- Lufuno Neuropsychiatry Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Kirsten Bobrow
- Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Udunna Anazodo
- Lawson Health Research Institute / Department of Medical Biophysics, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Albertino Damasceno
- Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Eduardo Mondlane University, Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Sudha Seshadri
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's & Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health Sciences Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Margaret Pericak-Vance
- John T. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics and the Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Brian Lawlor
- Global Brain Health Institute, Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Bruce L Miller
- Global Brain Health Institute, Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Mayowa Owolabi
- Neuroscience and Ageing Research Unit, Institute for Advanced Medical Research and Training, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
- Centre for Genomic and Precision Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
- Department of Neurology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Olusegun Baiyewu
- Department of Psychiatry University College Hospital/College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Richard Walker
- Neuroscience and Ageing Research Unit, Institute for Advanced Medical Research and Training, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
- Department of Medicine, North Tyneside General Hospital, North Shields, UK
| | - Oye Gureje
- Department of Psychiatry University College Hospital/College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Rajesh N Kalaria
- Neuroscience and Ageing Research Unit, Institute for Advanced Medical Research and Training, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK
| | - Adesola Ogunniyi
- Neuroscience and Ageing Research Unit, Institute for Advanced Medical Research and Training, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
- Department of Neurology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria
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