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Alldred MJ, Pidikiti H, Ibrahim KW, Lee SH, Heguy A, Hoffman GE, Roussos P, Wisniewski T, Wegiel J, Stutzmann GE, Mufson EJ, Ginsberg SD. Analysis of microisolated frontal cortex excitatory layer III and V pyramidal neurons reveals a neurodegenerative phenotype in individuals with Down syndrome. Acta Neuropathol 2024; 148:16. [PMID: 39105932 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-024-02768-0] [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: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 07/12/2024] [Accepted: 07/13/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024]
Abstract
We elucidated the molecular fingerprint of vulnerable excitatory neurons within select cortical lamina of individuals with Down syndrome (DS) for mechanistic understanding and therapeutic potential that also informs Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathophysiology. Frontal cortex (BA9) layer III (L3) and layer V (L5) pyramidal neurons were microisolated from postmortem human DS and age- and sex-matched controls (CTR) to interrogate differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and key biological pathways relevant to neurodegenerative programs. We identified > 2300 DEGs exhibiting convergent dysregulation of gene expression in both L3 and L5 pyramidal neurons in individuals with DS versus CTR subjects. DEGs included over 100 triplicated human chromosome 21 genes in L3 and L5 neurons, demonstrating a trisomic neuronal karyotype in both laminae. In addition, thousands of other DEGs were identified, indicating gene dysregulation is not limited to trisomic genes in the aged DS brain, which we postulate is relevant to AD pathobiology. Convergent L3 and L5 DEGs highlighted pertinent biological pathways and identified key pathway-associated targets likely underlying corticocortical neurodegeneration and related cognitive decline in individuals with DS. Select key DEGs were interrogated as potential hub genes driving dysregulation, namely the triplicated DEGs amyloid precursor protein (APP) and superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), along with key signaling DEGs including mitogen activated protein kinase 1 and 3 (MAPK1, MAPK3) and calcium calmodulin dependent protein kinase II alpha (CAMK2A), among others. Hub DEGs determined from multiple pathway analyses identified potential therapeutic candidates for amelioration of cortical neuron dysfunction and cognitive decline in DS with translational relevance to AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa J Alldred
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, 140 Old Orangeburg Road, Orangeburg, NY, 10962, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Harshitha Pidikiti
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, 140 Old Orangeburg Road, Orangeburg, NY, 10962, USA
| | - Kyrillos W Ibrahim
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, 140 Old Orangeburg Road, Orangeburg, NY, 10962, USA
| | - Sang Han Lee
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, 140 Old Orangeburg Road, Orangeburg, NY, 10962, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Adriana Heguy
- Genome Technology Center, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Pathology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Gabriel E Hoffman
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and the Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Panos Roussos
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and the Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Thomas Wisniewski
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Pathology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Neurology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- NYU Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jerzy Wegiel
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, USA
| | - Grace E Stutzmann
- Center for Neurodegenerative Disease and Therapeutics, Rosalind Franklin University/The Chicago Medical School, North Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Elliott J Mufson
- Department of Translational Neuroscience and Neurology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Stephen D Ginsberg
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, 140 Old Orangeburg Road, Orangeburg, NY, 10962, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
- NYU Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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Granholm ACE, Englund E, Gilmore A, Head E, Yong WH, Perez SE, Guzman SJ, Hamlett ED, Mufson EJ. Neuropathological findings in Down syndrome, Alzheimer's disease and control patients with and without SARS-COV-2: preliminary findings. Acta Neuropathol 2024; 147:92. [PMID: 38801558 PMCID: PMC11130011 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-024-02743-9] [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: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 05/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 virus that led to COVID-19 is associated with significant and long-lasting neurologic symptoms in many patients, with an increased mortality risk for people with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and/or Down syndrome (DS). However, few studies have evaluated the neuropathological and inflammatory sequelae in postmortem brain tissue obtained from AD and people with DS with severe SARS-CoV-2 infections. We examined tau, beta-amyloid (Aβ), inflammatory markers and SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein in DS, AD, and healthy non-demented controls with COVID-19 and compared with non-infected brain tissue from each disease group (total n = 24). A nested ANOVA was used to determine regional effects of the COVID-19 infection on arborization of astrocytes (Sholl analysis) and percent-stained area of Iba-1 and TMEM 119. SARS-CoV-2 antibodies labeled neurons and glial cells in the frontal cortex of all subjects with COVID-19, and in the hippocampus of two of the three DS COVID-19 cases. SARS-CoV-2-related alterations were observed in peri-vascular astrocytes and microglial cells in the gray matter of the frontal cortex, hippocampus, and para-hippocampal gyrus. Bright field microscopy revealed scattered intracellular and diffuse extracellular Aβ deposits in the hippocampus of controls with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections. Overall, the present preliminary findings suggest that SARS-CoV-2 infections induce abnormal inflammatory responses in Down syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann-Charlotte E Granholm
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Research Complex II, Aurora, CO, USA.
| | - Elisabet Englund
- Division of Pathology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Anah Gilmore
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Research Complex II, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Elizabeth Head
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - William H Yong
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Sylvia E Perez
- Department of Translational Neuroscience and Neurology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Samuel J Guzman
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Eric D Hamlett
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Elliott J Mufson
- Department of Translational Neuroscience and Neurology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA
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Aldecoa I, Barroeta I, Carroll SL, Fortea J, Gilmore A, Ginsberg SD, Guzman SJ, Hamlett ED, Head E, Perez SE, Potter H, Molina‐Porcel L, Raha‐Chowdhury R, Wisniewski T, Yong WH, Zaman S, Ghosh S, Mufson EJ, Granholm A. Down Syndrome Biobank Consortium: A perspective. Alzheimers Dement 2024; 20:2262-2272. [PMID: 38270275 PMCID: PMC10984425 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13692] [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: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) have a partial or complete trisomy of chromosome 21, resulting in an increased risk for early-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD)-type dementia by early midlife. Despite ongoing clinical trials to treat late-onset AD, individuals with DS are often excluded. Furthermore, timely diagnosis or management is often not available. Of the genetic causes of AD, people with DS represent the largest cohort. Currently, there is a knowledge gap regarding the underlying neurobiological mechanisms of DS-related AD (DS-AD), partly due to limited access to well-characterized brain tissue and biomaterials for research. To address this challenge, we created an international consortium of brain banks focused on collecting and disseminating brain tissue from persons with DS throughout their lifespan, named the Down Syndrome Biobank Consortium (DSBC) consisting of 11 biobanking sites located in Europe, India, and the USA. This perspective describes the DSBC harmonized protocols and tissue dissemination goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iban Aldecoa
- Pathology DepartmentHospital Clinic de Barcelona‐University of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
- Neurological Tissue Bank of the BiobankHospital Clinic de Barcelona‐FCRB/IDIBAPSBarcelonaSpain
| | - Isabel Barroeta
- Neurology DepartmentHospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, NeurologyBarcelonaSpain
| | - Steven L. Carroll
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory MedicineMedical University of South CarolinaCharlestonSouth CarolinaUSA
| | - Juan Fortea
- Neurology DepartmentHospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, NeurologyBarcelonaSpain
| | - Anah Gilmore
- University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, NeurosurgeryAuroraColoradoUSA
| | - Stephen D. Ginsberg
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline InstituteOrangeburgNew YorkUSA
- Departments of PsychiatryNeuroscience & Physiology, and the NYU Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of MedicineNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Samuel J. Guzman
- Department of PathologyUniversity of Colorado Anschutz Medical CampusAuroraColoradoUSA
| | - Eric D. Hamlett
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory MedicineMedical University of South CarolinaCharlestonSouth CarolinaUSA
| | - Elizabeth Head
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicineUniversity of California Irvine, UCI School of Medicine D440 Medical Sciences IIrvineCaliforniaUSA
| | - Sylvia E. Perez
- Barrow Neurological InstituteTranslational Neurosciences and NeurologyPhoenixArizonaUSA
| | - Huntington Potter
- University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, NeurologyAuroraColoradoUSA
| | - Laura Molina‐Porcel
- Pathology DepartmentHospital Clinic de Barcelona‐University of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
- Alzheimer's Disease and Other Cognitive Disorders UnitNeurology Service, Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, University of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Ruma Raha‐Chowdhury
- Department of PsychiatryCambridge Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities Research GroupUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Thomas Wisniewski
- Center for Cognitive Neurology, Departments of Neurology, Pathology and PsychiatryNew York University Grossman School of MedicineNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - William H. Yong
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicineUniversity of California Irvine, UCI School of Medicine D440 Medical Sciences IIrvineCaliforniaUSA
| | - Shahid Zaman
- Department of PsychiatryCambridge Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities Research GroupUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Sujay Ghosh
- Department of ZoologyCytogenetics and Genomics Research UnitKolkataIndia
| | - Elliott J. Mufson
- Barrow Neurological InstituteTranslational Neurosciences and NeurologyPhoenixArizonaUSA
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Criscuolo C, Chartampila E, Ginsberg SD, Scharfman HE. Dentate Gyrus Granule Cells Show Stability of BDNF Protein Expression in Mossy Fiber Axons with Age, and Resistance to Alzheimer's Disease Neuropathology in a Mouse Model. eNeuro 2024; 11:ENEURO.0192-23.2023. [PMID: 38164567 PMCID: PMC10913042 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0192-23.2023] [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: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is important in the development and maintenance of neurons and their plasticity. Hippocampal BDNF has been implicated in Alzheimer's disease (AD) because hippocampal levels in AD patients and AD animal models are often downregulated, suggesting that reduced BDNF contributes to AD. However, the location where hippocampal BDNF protein is most highly expressed, the mossy fiber (MF) axons of dentate gyrus granule cells (GCs), has been understudied, and not in controlled conditions. Therefore, we evaluated MF BDNF protein in the Tg2576 mouse model of AD. Tg2576 and wild-type (WT) mice of both sexes were examined at 2-3 months of age, when amyloid-β (Aβ) is present in neurons but plaques are absent, and 11-20 months of age, after plaque accumulation. As shown previously, WT mice exhibited high levels of MF BDNF protein. Interestingly, there was no significant decline with age in either the genotype or sex. Notably, MF BDNF protein was correlated with GC ΔFosB, a transcription factor that increases after 1-2 weeks of elevated neuronal activity. We also report the novel finding that Aβ in GCs or the GC layer was minimal even at old ages. The results indicate that MF BDNF is stable in the Tg2576 mouse, and MF BDNF may remain unchanged due to increased GC neuronal activity, since BDNF expression is well known to be activity dependent. The resistance of GCs to long-term Aβ accumulation provides an opportunity to understand how to protect vulnerable neurons from increased Aβ levels and therefore has translational implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Criscuolo
- Center for Dementia Research, The Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962
- Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, NewYork University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016
| | - Elissavet Chartampila
- Center for Dementia Research, The Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Stephen D Ginsberg
- Center for Dementia Research, The Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962
- Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, NewYork University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016
- Psychiatry, NewYork University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016
- NYU Neuroscience Institute, NewYork University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016
| | - Helen E Scharfman
- Center for Dementia Research, The Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962
- Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, NewYork University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016
- Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, NewYork University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016
- NYU Neuroscience Institute, NewYork University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016
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Granholm AC, Hamlett ED. The Role of Tau Pathology in Alzheimer's Disease and Down Syndrome. J Clin Med 2024; 13:1338. [PMID: 38592182 PMCID: PMC10932364 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13051338] [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: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) exhibit an almost complete penetrance of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology but are underrepresented in clinical trials for AD. The Tau protein is associated with microtubule function in the neuron and is crucial for normal axonal transport. In several different neurodegenerative disorders, Tau misfolding leads to hyper-phosphorylation of Tau (p-Tau), which may seed pathology to bystander cells and spread. This review is focused on current findings regarding p-Tau and its potential to seed pathology as a "prion-like" spreader. It also considers the consequences of p-Tau pathology leading to AD, particularly in individuals with Down syndrome. Methods: Scopus (SC) and PubMed (PM) were searched in English using keywords "tau AND seeding AND brain AND down syndrome". A total of 558 SC or 529 PM potentially relevant articles were identified, of which only six SC or three PM articles mentioned Down syndrome. This review was built upon the literature and the recent findings of our group and others. Results: Misfolded p-Tau isoforms are seeding competent and may be responsible for spreading AD pathology. Conclusions: This review demonstrates recent work focused on understanding the role of neurofibrillary tangles and monomeric/oligomeric Tau in the prion-like spreading of Tau pathology in the human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann-Charlotte Granholm
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Center, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Eric D. Hamlett
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA;
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Alldred MJ, Pidikiti H, Ibrahim KW, Lee SH, Heguy A, Hoffman GE, Mufson EJ, Stutzmann GE, Ginsberg SD. Hippocampal CA1 Pyramidal Neurons Display Sublayer and Circuitry Dependent Degenerative Expression Profiles in Aged Female Down Syndrome Mice. J Alzheimers Dis 2024; 100:S341-S362. [PMID: 39031371 DOI: 10.3233/jad-240622] [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] [Indexed: 07/22/2024]
Abstract
Background Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) have intellectual disability and develop Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology during midlife, particularly in the hippocampal component of the medial temporal lobe memory circuit. However, molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying selective vulnerability of hippocampal CA1 neurons remains a major knowledge gap during DS/AD onset. This is compounded by evidence showing spatial (e.g., deep versus superficial) localization of pyramidal neurons (PNs) has profound effects on activity and innervation within the CA1 region. Objective We investigated whether there is a spatial profiling difference in CA1 PNs in an aged female DS/AD mouse model. We posit dysfunction may be dependent on spatial localization and innervation patterns within discrete CA1 subfields. Methods Laser capture microdissection was performed on trisomic CA1 PNs in an established mouse model of DS/AD compared to disomic controls, isolating the entire CA1 pyramidal neuron layer and sublayer microisolations of deep and superficial PNs from the distal CA1 (CA1a) region. Results RNA sequencing and bioinformatic inquiry revealed dysregulation of CA1 PNs based on spatial location and innervation patterns. The entire CA1 region displayed the most differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in trisomic mice reflecting innate DS vulnerability, while trisomic CA1a deep PNs exhibited fewer but more physiologically relevant DEGs, as evidenced by bioinformatic inquiry. Conclusions CA1a deep neurons displayed numerous DEGs linked to cognitive functions whereas CA1a superficial neurons, with approximately equal numbers of DEGs, were not linked to pathways of dysregulation, suggesting the spatial location of vulnerable CA1 PNs plays an important role in circuit dissolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa J Alldred
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, USA
- Departments of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Harshitha Pidikiti
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, USA
| | - Kryillos W Ibrahim
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, USA
| | - Sang Han Lee
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, USA
- Departments of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Adriana Heguy
- Genome Technology Center, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Gabriel E Hoffman
- Departments of Genetics and Genomic Sciences and Psychiatry and the Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Elliott J Mufson
- Department of Translational Neuroscience and Neurology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Grace E Stutzmann
- Center for Neurodegenerative Disease and Therapeutics, Rosalind Franklin University/The Chicago Medical School, North Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Stephen D Ginsberg
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, USA
- Departments of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Neuroscience & Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- NYU Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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Mahady L, Perez SE, Malek-Ahmadi M, Mufson EJ. Oligomeric, phosphorylated, and truncated tau and spliceosome pathology within the entorhinal-hippocampal connectome across stages of Alzheimer's disease. J Comp Neurol 2023; 531:2080-2108. [PMID: 36989381 PMCID: PMC10539478 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25466] [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: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
Neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) contain abnormally phosphorylated tau proteins, which spread within components of the medial temporal lobe (MTL) memory circuit in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here, we used quantitative immunohistochemistry to determine the density of posttranslational oligomeric (TOC1 and TNT1), phosphorylated (AT8), and late truncated (TauC3) tau epitopes within the MTL subfields including entorhinal cortex (EC) layer II, subiculum, Cornu Ammonis (CA) subfields, and dentate gyrus (DG) in subjects who died with a clinical diagnosis of no cognitive impairment (NCI), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and AD. We also examined whether alterations of the nuclear alternative splicing protein, SRSF2, are associated with tau pathology. Although a significant increase in TOC1, TNT1, and AT8 neuron density occurred in the EC in MCI and AD, subicular, DG granule cell, and CA1 and CA3 densities were only significantly higher in AD. TauC3 counts were not different between connectome regions and clinical groups. SRSF2 intensity in AT8-positive cells decreased significantly in all regions independent of the clinical groups examined. CA1 and subicular AT8, TauC3, and oligomeric densities correlated across clinical groups. EC AT8 counts correlated with CA subfields and subicular and DG values across clinical groups. Oligomeric and AT8 CA1, EC, and subicular density correlated with Braak stage. Decreased nuclear SRSF2 in the presence of cytoplasmic phosphorylated tau suggests a dual-hit process in NFT formation within the entorhinal hippocampal connectome during the onset of AD. Although oligomeric and phosphorylated tau follow a stereotypical pattern, clinical disease stage determined density of tau deposition and not anatomic location within the entorhinal-hippocampal connectome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Mahady
- Dept. of Translational Neuroscience, Phoenix, AZ
| | | | | | - Elliott J. Mufson
- Dept. of Translational Neuroscience, Phoenix, AZ
- Dept. of Neurology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ 85013
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Gautier MK, Kelley CM, Lee SH, Alldred MJ, McDaid J, Mufson EJ, Stutzmann GE, Ginsberg SD. Maternal choline supplementation protects against age-associated cholinergic and GABAergic basal forebrain neuron degeneration in the Ts65Dn mouse model of Down syndrome and Alzheimer's disease. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 188:106332. [PMID: 37890559 PMCID: PMC10752300 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106332] [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: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Down syndrome (DS) is a genetic disorder caused by triplication of human chromosome 21. In addition to intellectual disability, DS is defined by a premature aging phenotype and Alzheimer's disease (AD) neuropathology, including septohippocampal circuit vulnerability and degeneration of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons (BFCNs). The Ts65Dn mouse model recapitulates key aspects of DS/AD pathology, namely age-associated atrophy of BFCNs and cognitive decline in septohippocampal-dependent behavioral tasks. We investigated whether maternal choline supplementation (MCS), a well-tolerated treatment modality, protects vulnerable BFCNs from age- and genotype-associated degeneration in trisomic offspring. We also examined the effect of trisomy, and MCS, on GABAergic basal forebrain parvalbumin neurons (BFPNs), an unexplored neuronal population in this DS model. Unbiased stereological analyses of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT)-immunoreactive BFCNs and parvalbumin-immunoreactive BFPNs were conducted using confocal z-stacks of the medial septal nucleus and the vertical limb of the diagonal band (MSN/VDB) in Ts65Dn mice and disomic (2N) littermates at 3-4 and 10-12 months of age. MCS trisomic offspring displayed significant increases in ChAT-immunoreactive neuron number and density compared to unsupplemented counterparts, as well as increases in the area of the MSN/VDB occupied by ChAT-immunoreactive neuropil. MCS also rescued BFPN number and density in Ts65Dn offspring, a novel rescue of a non-cholinergic cell population. Furthermore, MCS prevented age-associated loss of BFCNs and MSN/VDB regional area in 2N offspring, indicating genotype-independent neuroprotective benefits. These findings demonstrate MCS provides neuroprotection of vulnerable BFCNs and non-cholinergic septohippocampal BFPNs, indicating this modality has translational value as an early life therapy for DS, as well as extending benefits to the aging population at large.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan K Gautier
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, USA; Pathobiology and Translational Medicine Program, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; NYU Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Christy M Kelley
- Complex Adaptive Systems Initiative, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA; Institute for Future Health, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
| | - Sang Han Lee
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, USA; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Melissa J Alldred
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, USA; Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - John McDaid
- Center for Neurodegenerative Disease and Therapeutics, Rosalind Franklin University/The Chicago Medical School, North Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Elliott J Mufson
- Departments of Translational Neuroscience and Neurology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Grace E Stutzmann
- Center for Neurodegenerative Disease and Therapeutics, Rosalind Franklin University/The Chicago Medical School, North Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Stephen D Ginsberg
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, USA; NYU Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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Alldred MJ, Pidikiti H, Heguy A, Roussos P, Ginsberg SD. Basal forebrain cholinergic neurons are vulnerable in a mouse model of Down syndrome and their molecular fingerprint is rescued by maternal choline supplementation. FASEB J 2023; 37:e22944. [PMID: 37191946 PMCID: PMC10292934 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202202111rr] [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: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Basal forebrain cholinergic neuron (BFCN) degeneration is a hallmark of Down syndrome (DS) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Current therapeutics in these disorders have been unsuccessful in slowing disease progression, likely due to poorly understood complex pathological interactions and dysregulated pathways. The Ts65Dn trisomic mouse model recapitulates both cognitive and morphological deficits of DS and AD, including BFCN degeneration and has shown lifelong behavioral changes due to maternal choline supplementation (MCS). To test the impact of MCS on trisomic BFCNs, we performed laser capture microdissection to individually isolate choline acetyltransferase-immunopositive neurons in Ts65Dn and disomic littermates, in conjunction with MCS at the onset of BFCN degeneration. We utilized single population RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to interrogate transcriptomic changes within medial septal nucleus (MSN) BFCNs. Leveraging multiple bioinformatic analysis programs on differentially expressed genes (DEGs) by genotype and diet, we identified key canonical pathways and altered physiological functions within Ts65Dn MSN BFCNs, which were attenuated by MCS in trisomic offspring, including the cholinergic, glutamatergic and GABAergic pathways. We linked differential gene expression bioinformatically to multiple neurological functions, including motor dysfunction/movement disorder, early onset neurological disease, ataxia and cognitive impairment via Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. DEGs within these identified pathways may underlie aberrant behavior in the DS mice, with MCS attenuating the underlying gene expression changes. We propose MCS ameliorates aberrant BFCN gene expression within the septohippocampal circuit of trisomic mice through normalization of principally the cholinergic, glutamatergic, and GABAergic signaling pathways, resulting in attenuation of underlying neurological disease functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa J. Alldred
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Harshitha Pidikiti
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, USA
| | - Adriana Heguy
- Genome Technology Center, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Panos Roussos
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, USA
- Departments of Genetics and Genomic Sciences and Psychiatry and the Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Stephen D. Ginsberg
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Departments of Neuroscience & Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- NYU Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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10
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Criscuolo C, Chartampila E, Ginsberg SD, Scharfman HE. Stability of dentate gyrus granule cell mossy fiber BDNF protein expression with age and resistance of granule cells to Alzheimer's disease neuropathology in a mouse model. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.07.539742. [PMID: 37214931 PMCID: PMC10197599 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.07.539742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is important in development and maintenance of neurons and their plasticity. Hippocampal BDNF has been implicated Alzheimer's disease (AD) because hippocampal levels in AD patients and AD animal models are consistently downregulated, suggesting that reduced BDNF contributes to AD. However, the location where hippocampal BDNF protein is most highly expressed, the mossy fiber (MF) axons of dentate gyrus (DG) granule cells (GCs), has been understudied, and never in controlled in vivo conditions. We examined MF BDNF protein in the Tg2576 mouse model of AD. Tg2576 and wild type (WT) mice of both sexes were examined at 2-3 months of age, when amyloid-β (Aβ) is present in neurons but plaques are absent, and 11-20 months of age, after plaque accumulation. As shown previously, WT mice exhibited high levels of MF BDNF protein. Interestingly, there was no significant decline with age in either genotype or sex. Notably, we found a correlation between MF BDNF protein and GC ΔFosB, a transcription factor that increases after 1-2 weeks of elevated neuronal activity. Remarkably, there was relatively little evidence of Aβ in GCs or the GC layer even at old ages. Results indicate MF BDNF is stable in the Tg2576 mouse, and MF BDNF may remain unchanged due to increased GC neuronal activity, since BDNF expression is well known to be activity-dependent. The resistance of GCs to long-term Aβ accumulation provides an opportunity to understand how to protect other vulnerable neurons from increased Aβ levels and therefore has translational implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Criscuolo
- Center for Dementia Research, the Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, 10962, USA
- Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Elissavet Chartampila
- Center for Dementia Research, the Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, 10962, USA
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Stephen D. Ginsberg
- Center for Dementia Research, the Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, 10962, USA
- Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- NYU Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Helen E. Scharfman
- Center for Dementia Research, the Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, 10962, USA
- Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- NYU Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
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11
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Hamlett ED, Flores-Aguilar L, Handen B, Potier MC, Granholm AC, Sherman S, Puig V, Santoro JD, Carmona-Iragui M, Rebillat AS, Head E, Strydom A, Busciglio J. Innovating Therapies for Down Syndrome: An International Virtual Conference of the T21 Research Society. Mol Syndromol 2023; 14:89-100. [PMID: 37064334 PMCID: PMC10090974 DOI: 10.1159/000526021] [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: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Research focused on Down syndrome continued to gain momentum in the last several years and is advancing our understanding of how trisomy 21 (T21) modifies molecular and cellular processes. The Trisomy 21 Research Society (T21RS) is the premier scientific organization for researchers and clinicians studying Down syndrome. During the COVID pandemic, T21RS held its first virtual conference program, sponsored by the University of California at Irvine, on June 8-10, 2021 and brought together 342 scientists, families, and industry representatives from over 25 countries to share the latest discoveries on underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms of T21, cognitive and behavioral changes, and comorbidities associated with Down syndrome, including Alzheimer's disease and Regression Disorder. Presentations of 91 cutting-edge abstracts reflecting neuroscience, neurology, model systems, psychology, biomarkers, and molecular and pharmacological therapeutic approaches demonstrate the compelling interest and continuing advancement toward innovating biomarkers and therapies aimed at ameliorating health conditions associated with T21.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric D. Hamlett
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Lisi Flores-Aguilar
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Benjamin Handen
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Ann-Charlotte Granholm
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Denver, Colorado, USA
| | - Stephanie Sherman
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Victoria Puig
- Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jonathan D. Santoro
- Neurological Institute, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - María Carmona-Iragui
- Hospital de la Santa Crue I Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Elizabeth Head
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
| | - André Strydom
- Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Jorge Busciglio
- Neurobiology and Behavior School of Biological Sciences, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
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12
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Mi Z, Abrahamson EE, Ryu AY, Malek-Ahmadi M, Kofler JK, Fish KN, Sweet RA, Villemagne VL, Schneider JA, Mufson EJ, Ikonomovic MD. Vesicular Glutamate Transporter Changes in the Cortical Default Mode Network During the Clinical and Pathological Progression of Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis 2023; 94:227-246. [PMID: 37212097 PMCID: PMC10994206 DOI: 10.3233/jad-221063] [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] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Altered glutamatergic neurotransmission may contribute to impaired default mode network (DMN) function in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Among the DMN hub regions, frontal cortex (FC) was suggested to undergo a glutamatergic plasticity response in prodromal AD, while the status of glutamatergic synapses in the precuneus (PreC) during clinical-neuropathological AD progression is not known. OBJECTIVE To quantify vesicular glutamate transporter VGluT1- and VGluT2-containing synaptic terminals in PreC and FC across clinical stages of AD. METHODS Unbiased sampling and quantitative confocal immunofluorescence of cortical VGluT1- and VGluT2-immunoreactive profiles and spinophilin-labeled dendritic spines were performed in cases with no cognitive impairment (NCI), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), mild-moderate AD (mAD), or moderate-severe AD (sAD). RESULTS In both regions, loss of VGluT1-positive profile density was seen in sAD compared to NCI, MCI, and mAD. VGluT1-positive profile intensity in PreC did not differ across groups, while in FC it was greater in MCI, mAD, and sAD compared to NCI. VGluT2 measures were stable in PreC while FC had greater VGluT2-positive profile density in MCI compared to sAD, but not NCI or mAD. Spinophilin measures in PreC were lower in mAD and sAD compared to NCI, while in FC they were stable across groups. Lower VGluT1 and spinophilin measures in PreC, but not FC, correlated with greater neuropathology. CONCLUSION Frank loss of VGluT1 in advanced AD relative to NCI occurs in both DMN regions. In FC, an upregulation of VGluT1 protein content in remaining glutamatergic terminals may contribute to this region's plasticity response in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiping Mi
- Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of
Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, VA
Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Eric E. Abrahamson
- Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of
Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, VA
Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Angela Y. Ryu
- Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of
Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Michael Malek-Ahmadi
- Banner Alzheimer’s Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Arizona
College of Medicine, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Julia K. Kofler
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of
Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Kenneth N. Fish
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School
of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Robert A. Sweet
- Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of
Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School
of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Victor L. Villemagne
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School
of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Julie A. Schneider
- Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Rush University
Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Elliott J. Mufson
- Banner Alzheimer’s Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA
- Departments of Translational Neurosciences and Neurology,
Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Milos D. Ikonomovic
- Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of
Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, VA
Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School
of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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13
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Altered spontaneous brain activity in Down syndrome and its relation with cognitive outcome. Sci Rep 2022; 12:15410. [PMID: 36104362 PMCID: PMC9474876 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-19627-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractAlthough Down syndrome (DS) is the most common genetic cause of neurodevelopmental delay, few neuroimaging studies have explored this population. This investigation aimed to study whole-brain resting-state spontaneous brain activity using fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo) strategies to find differences in spontaneous brain activity among young people with DS and controls and to correlate these results with cognitive outcomes. The sample comprised 18 persons with DS (age mean = 28.67, standard deviation = 4.18) and 18 controls (age mean = 28.56, standard deviation = 4.26). fALFF and ReHo analyses were performed, and the results were correlated with other cognitive variables also collected (KBIT-2 and verbal fluency test). Increased activity was found in DS using fALFF in areas involving the frontal and temporal lobes and left cerebellum anterior lobe. Decreased activity in DS was found in the left parietal and occipital lobe, the left limbic lobe and the left cerebellum posterior lobe. ReHo analysis showed increased activity in certain DS areas of the left frontal lobe and left rectus, as well as the inferior temporal lobe. The areas with decreased activity in the DS participants were regions of the frontal lobe and the right limbic lobe. Altered fALFF and ReHo were found in the DS population, and this alteration could predict the cognitive abilities of the participants. To our knowledge, this is the first study to explore regional spontaneous brain activity in a population with DS. Moreover, this study suggests the possibility of using fALFF and ReHo as biomarkers of cognitive function, which is highly important given the difficulties in cognitively evaluating this population to assess dementia. More research is needed, however, to demonstrate its utility.
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14
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Utagawa EC, Moreno DG, Schafernak KT, Arva NC, Malek-Ahmadi MH, Mufson EJ, Perez SE. Neurogenesis and neuronal differentiation in the postnatal frontal cortex in Down syndrome. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2022; 10:86. [PMID: 35676735 PMCID: PMC9175369 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-022-01385-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Although Down syndrome (DS), the most common developmental genetic cause of intellectual disability, displays proliferation and migration deficits in the prenatal frontal cortex (FC), a knowledge gap exists on the effects of trisomy 21 upon postnatal cortical development. Here, we examined cortical neurogenesis and differentiation in the FC supragranular (SG, II/III) and infragranular (IG, V/VI) layers applying antibodies to doublecortin (DCX), non-phosphorylated heavy-molecular neurofilament protein (NHF, SMI-32), calbindin D-28K (Calb), calretinin (Calr), and parvalbumin (Parv), as well as β-amyloid (APP/Aβ and Aβ1-42) and phospho-tau (CP13 and PHF-1) in autopsy tissue from age-matched DS and neurotypical (NTD) subjects ranging from 28-weeks (wk)-gestation to 3 years of age. Thionin, which stains Nissl substance, revealed disorganized cortical cellular lamination including a delayed appearance of pyramidal cells until 44 wk of age in DS compared to 28 wk in NTD. SG and IG DCX-immunoreactive (-ir) cells were only visualized in the youngest cases until 83 wk in NTD and 57 wk DS. Strong SMI-32 immunoreactivity was observed in layers III and V pyramidal cells in the oldest NTD and DS cases with few appearing as early as 28 wk of age in layer V in NTD. Small Calb-ir interneurons were seen in younger NTD and DS cases compared to Calb-ir pyramidal cells in older subjects. Overall, a greater number of Calb-ir cells were detected in NTD, however, the number of Calr-ir cells were comparable between groups. Diffuse APP/Aβ immunoreactivity was found at all ages in both groups. Few young cases from both groups presented non-neuronal granular CP13 immunoreactivity in layer I. Stronger correlations between brain weight, age, thionin, DCX, and SMI-32 counts were found in NTD. These findings suggest that trisomy 21 affects postnatal FC lamination, neuronal migration/neurogenesis and differentiation of projection neurons and interneurons that likely contribute to cognitive impairment in DS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma C Utagawa
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Barrow Neurological Institute, 350 W Thomas Rd, Phoenix, AZ, 85013, USA
| | - David G Moreno
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Barrow Neurological Institute, 350 W Thomas Rd, Phoenix, AZ, 85013, USA
| | - Kristian T Schafernak
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Phoenix Children's Hospital, 1919 E Thomas Rd, Phoenix, AZ, 85016, USA
| | - Nicoleta C Arva
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, 225 E Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | | | - Elliott J Mufson
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Barrow Neurological Institute, 350 W Thomas Rd, Phoenix, AZ, 85013, USA
| | - Sylvia E Perez
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Barrow Neurological Institute, 350 W Thomas Rd, Phoenix, AZ, 85013, USA.
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15
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Ichimata S, Yoshida K, Visanji NP, Lang AE, Nishida N, Kovacs GG. Patterns of Mixed Pathologies in Down Syndrome. J Alzheimers Dis 2022; 87:595-607. [DOI: 10.3233/jad-215675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Background: Down syndrome (DS) is frequently associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD)-related neuropathological changes. There are few observations on the spectrum of mixed proteinopathies in DS patients. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate multiple disease-associated proteinopathies in a series of DS cases. Methods: We analyzed the distribution of neurodegenerative disease associated proteins in postmortem brain samples from 11 DS cases (6 females, median age 57, range 38–66 years). Sections were stained for phosphorylated tau, 3-repeat and 4-repeat tau, amyloid-β, alpha synuclein, phosphorylated TDP-43, and P62. A comprehensive anatomical mapping and staging were applied for all proteins. Results: Tau and amyloid-β pathology was prevalent in all cases and compatible with that typically seen in AD with some subtle deviations. Four of 11 cases presented with Lewy-related pathology (LRP). Two cases followed the Braak staging (stage 4 and 5) whereas 2 cases presented with an atypical distribution. Two cases showed limbic predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy (LATE) (stage 1 and stage 2) neuropathologic change. Two cases exhibited aging-related tau astrogliopathy (ARTAG). Conclusion: In addition to subtle deviations from AD regarding the morphology of Aβ deposition and distribution of neuronal tau pathology, we find that the spectrum of mixed-pathologies in DS show distinctive features such as deviations from the Braak staging of LRP and that LATE neuropathologic change and ARTAG pathology can be seen in individuals younger than in sporadic AD cases. Our observations support the notion that DS has distinctive pathogenic pathways from sporadic AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shojiro Ichimata
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology and Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Legal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Koji Yoshida
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology and Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Legal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Naomi P. Visanji
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology and Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Edmund J Safra Program in Parkinson’s Disease and Rossy Program in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Canada
| | - Anthony E. Lang
- Edmund J Safra Program in Parkinson’s Disease and Rossy Program in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Canada
| | - Naoki Nishida
- Department of Legal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Gabor G. Kovacs
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology and Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Edmund J Safra Program in Parkinson’s Disease and Rossy Program in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Canada
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Wegiel J, Flory M, Kuchna I, Nowicki K, Wegiel J, Ma SY, Zhong N, Bobrowicz TW, de Leon M, Lai F, Silverman WP, Wisniewski T. Developmental deficits and staging of dynamics of age associated Alzheimer's disease neurodegeneration and neuronal loss in subjects with Down syndrome. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2022; 10:2. [PMID: 34983655 PMCID: PMC8728914 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-021-01300-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The increased life expectancy of individuals with Down syndrome (DS) is associated with increased prevalence of trisomy 21-linked early-onset Alzheimer's disease (EOAD) and dementia. The aims of this study of 14 brain regions including the entorhinal cortex, hippocampus, basal ganglia, and cerebellum in 33 adults with DS 26-72 years of age were to identify the magnitude of brain region-specific developmental neuronal deficits contributing to intellectual deficits, to apply this baseline to identification of the topography and magnitude of neurodegeneration and neuronal and volume losses caused by EOAD, and to establish age-based staging of the pattern of genetically driven neuropathology in DS. Both DS subject age and stage of dementia, themselves very strongly correlated, were strong predictors of an AD-associated decrease of the number of neurons, considered a major contributor to dementia. The DS cohort was subclassified by age as pre-AD stage, with 26-41-year-old subjects with a full spectrum of developmental deficit but with very limited incipient AD pathology, and 43-49, 51-59, and 61-72-year-old groups with predominant prevalence of mild, moderately severe, and severe dementia respectively. This multiregional study revealed a 28.1% developmental neuronal deficit in DS subjects 26-41 years of age and 11.9% AD-associated neuronal loss in DS subjects 43-49 years of age; a 28.0% maximum neuronal loss at 51-59 years of age; and a 11.0% minimum neuronal loss at 61-72 years of age. A total developmental neuronal deficit of 40.8 million neurons and AD-associated neuronal loss of 41.6 million neurons reflect a comparable magnitude of developmental neuronal deficit contributing to intellectual deficits, and AD-associated neuronal loss contributing to dementia. This highly predictable pattern of pathology indicates that successful treatment of DS subjects in the fourth decade of life may prevent AD pathology and functional decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerzy Wegiel
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, NYS Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, 1050 Forest Hill Road, Staten Island, NY 10314 USA
| | - Michael Flory
- New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities (IBR), Staten Island, NY USA
| | - Izabela Kuchna
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, NYS Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, 1050 Forest Hill Road, Staten Island, NY 10314 USA
| | - Krzysztof Nowicki
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, NYS Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, 1050 Forest Hill Road, Staten Island, NY 10314 USA
| | - Jarek Wegiel
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, NYS Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, 1050 Forest Hill Road, Staten Island, NY 10314 USA
| | - Shuang Yong Ma
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, NYS Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, 1050 Forest Hill Road, Staten Island, NY 10314 USA
| | - Nanbert Zhong
- New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities (IBR), Staten Island, NY USA
| | | | - Mony de Leon
- Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY USA
| | - Florence Lai
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
| | - Wayne P. Silverman
- Department of Pediatrics, Irvine Medical Center, University of California, Irvine, CA USA
| | - Thomas Wisniewski
- Center for Cognitive Neurology, Departments of Neurology, Pathology and Psychiatry, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016 USA
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17
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Fortea J, Zaman SH, Hartley S, Rafii MS, Head E, Carmona-Iragui M. Alzheimer's disease associated with Down syndrome: a genetic form of dementia. Lancet Neurol 2021; 20:930-942. [PMID: 34687637 PMCID: PMC9387748 DOI: 10.1016/s1474-4422(21)00245-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 114] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Adults with Down syndrome develop the neuropathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease and are at very high risk of developing early-onset dementia, which is now the leading cause of death in this population. Diagnosis of dementia remains a clinical challenge because of the lack of validated diagnostic criteria in this population, and because symptoms are overshadowed by the intellectual disability associated with Down syndrome. In people with Down syndrome, fluid and imaging biomarkers have shown good diagnostic performances and a strikingly similar temporality of changes with respect to sporadic and autosomal dominant Alzheimer's disease. Most importantly, there are no treatments to prevent Alzheimer's disease, even though adults with Down syndrome could be an optimal population in whom to conduct Alzheimer's disease prevention trials. Unprecedented research activity in Down syndrome is rapidly changing this bleak scenario that will translate into disease-modifying therapies that could benefit other populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Fortea
- Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu y Sant Pau, Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Barcelona Down Medical Center, Fundació Catalana Síndrome de Down, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas. CIBERNED, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Shahid H Zaman
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Cambridgeshire & Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
| | - Sigan Hartley
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Michael S Rafii
- Alzheimer's Therapeutic Research Institute (ATRI), Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Elizabeth Head
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Maria Carmona-Iragui
- Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu y Sant Pau, Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Barcelona Down Medical Center, Fundació Catalana Síndrome de Down, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas. CIBERNED, Madrid, Spain
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18
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Pivtoraiko VN, Racic T, Abrahamson EE, Villemagne VL, Handen BL, Lott IT, Head E, Ikonomovic MD. Postmortem Neocortical 3H-PiB Binding and Levels of Unmodified and Pyroglutamate Aβ in Down Syndrome and Sporadic Alzheimer's Disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:728739. [PMID: 34489686 PMCID: PMC8416541 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.728739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) have a genetic predisposition for amyloid-β (Aβ) overproduction and earlier onset of Aβ deposits compared to patients with sporadic late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Positron emission tomography (PET) with Pittsburgh Compound-B (PiB) detects fibrillar Aβ pathology in living people with DS and AD, but its relationship with heterogeneous Aβ forms aggregated within amyloid deposits is not well understood. We performed quantitative in vitro3H-PiB binding assays and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays of fibrillar (insoluble) unmodified Aβ40 and Aβ42 forms and N-terminus truncated and pyroglutamate-modified AβNpE3-40 and AβNpE3-42 forms in postmortem frontal cortex and precuneus samples from 18 DS cases aged 43–63 years and 17 late-onset AD cases aged 62–99 years. Both diagnostic groups had frequent neocortical neuritic plaques, while the DS group had more severe vascular amyloid pathology (cerebral amyloid angiopathy, CAA). Compared to the AD group, the DS group had higher levels of Aβ40 and AβNpE3-40, while the two groups did not differ by Aβ42 and AβNpE3-42 levels. This resulted in lower ratios of Aβ42/Aβ40 and AβNpE3-42/AβNpE3-40 in the DS group compared to the AD group. Correlations of Aβ42/Aβ40 and AβNpE3-42/AβNpE3-40 ratios with CAA severity were strong in DS cases and weak in AD cases. Pyroglutamate-modified Aβ levels were lower than unmodified Aβ levels in both diagnostic groups, but within group proportions of both pyroglutamate-modified Aβ forms relative to both unmodified Aβ forms were lower in the DS group but not in the AD group. The two diagnostic groups did not differ by 3H-PiB binding levels. These results demonstrate that compared to late-onset AD cases, adult DS individuals with similar severity of neocortical neuritic plaques and greater CAA pathology have a preponderance of both pyroglutamate-modified AβNpE3-40 and unmodified Aβ40 forms. Despite the distinct molecular profile of Aβ forms and greater vascular amyloidosis in DS cases, cortical 3H-PiB binding does not distinguish between diagnostic groups that are at an advanced level of amyloid plaque pathology. This underscores the need for the development of CAA-selective PET radiopharmaceuticals to detect and track the progression of cerebral vascular amyloid deposits in relation to Aβ plaques in individuals with DS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Violetta N Pivtoraiko
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.,Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Tamara Racic
- Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Eric E Abrahamson
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.,Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Victor L Villemagne
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Benjamin L Handen
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Ira T Lott
- Department of Neurology, UC Irvine School of Medicine, Orange, CA, United States
| | - Elizabeth Head
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UC Irvine School of Medicine, Orange, CA, United States
| | - Milos D Ikonomovic
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.,Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
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19
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Moreno DG, Utagawa EC, Arva NC, Schafernak KT, Mufson EJ, Perez SE. Postnatal Cytoarchitecture and Neurochemical Hippocampal Dysfunction in Down Syndrome. J Clin Med 2021; 10:jcm10153414. [PMID: 34362198 PMCID: PMC8347520 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10153414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the prenatal hippocampus displays deficits in cellular proliferation/migration and volume, which are later associated with memory deficits, little is known about the effects of trisomy 21 on postnatal hippocampal cellular development in Down syndrome (DS). We examined postnatal hippocampal neuronal profiles from autopsies of DS and neurotypical (NTD) neonates born at 38-weeks’-gestation up to children 3 years of age using antibodies against non-phosphorylated (SMI-32) and phosphorylated (SMI-34) neurofilament, calbindin D-28k (Calb), calretinin (Calr), parvalbumin (Parv), doublecortin (DCX) and Ki-67, as well as amyloid precursor protein (APP), amyloid beta (Aβ) and phosphorylated tau (p-tau). Although the distribution of SMI-32-immunoreactive (-ir) hippocampal neurons was similar at all ages in both groups, pyramidal cell apical and basal dendrites were intensely stained in NTD cases. A greater reduction in the number of DCX-ir cells was observed in the hippocampal granule cell layer in DS. Although the distribution of Calb-ir neurons was similar between the youngest and oldest NTD and DS cases, Parv-ir was not detected. Conversely, Calr-ir cells and fibers were observed at all ages in DS, while NTD cases displayed mainly Calr-ir fibers. Hippocampal APP/Aβ-ir diffuse-like plaques were seen in DS and NTD. By contrast, no Aβ1–42 or p-tau profiles were observed. These findings suggest that deficits in hippocampal neurogenesis and pyramidal cell maturation and increased Calr immunoreactivity during early postnatal life contribute to cognitive impairment in DS.
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Affiliation(s)
- David G. Moreno
- Department of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ 85013, USA; (D.G.M.); (E.C.U.); (E.J.M.)
| | - Emma C. Utagawa
- Department of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ 85013, USA; (D.G.M.); (E.C.U.); (E.J.M.)
| | - Nicoleta C. Arva
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60611, USA;
| | - Kristian T. Schafernak
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Phoenix, AZ 85016, USA;
| | - Elliott J. Mufson
- Department of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ 85013, USA; (D.G.M.); (E.C.U.); (E.J.M.)
| | - Sylvia E. Perez
- Department of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ 85013, USA; (D.G.M.); (E.C.U.); (E.J.M.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +6-02-406-3342
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20
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Alldred MJ, Penikalapati SC, Lee SH, Heguy A, Roussos P, Ginsberg SD. Profiling Basal Forebrain Cholinergic Neurons Reveals a Molecular Basis for Vulnerability Within the Ts65Dn Model of Down Syndrome and Alzheimer's Disease. Mol Neurobiol 2021; 58:5141-5162. [PMID: 34263425 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-021-02453-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Basal forebrain cholinergic neuron (BFCN) degeneration is a hallmark of Down syndrome (DS) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Current therapeutics have been unsuccessful in slowing disease progression, likely due to complex pathological interactions and dysregulated pathways that are poorly understood. The Ts65Dn trisomic mouse model recapitulates both cognitive and morphological deficits of DS and AD, including BFCN degeneration. We utilized Ts65Dn mice to understand mechanisms underlying BFCN degeneration to identify novel targets for therapeutic intervention. We performed high-throughput, single population RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to interrogate transcriptomic changes within medial septal nucleus (MSN) BFCNs, using laser capture microdissection to individually isolate ~500 choline acetyltransferase-immunopositive neurons in Ts65Dn and normal disomic (2N) mice at 6 months of age (MO). Ts65Dn mice had unique MSN BFCN transcriptomic profiles at ~6 MO clearly differentiating them from 2N mice. Leveraging Ingenuity Pathway Analysis and KEGG analysis, we linked differentially expressed gene (DEG) changes within MSN BFCNs to several canonical pathways and aberrant physiological functions. The dysregulated transcriptomic profile of trisomic BFCNs provides key information underscoring selective vulnerability within the septohippocampal circuit. We propose both expected and novel therapeutic targets for DS and AD, including specific DEGs within cholinergic, glutamatergic, GABAergic, and neurotrophin pathways, as well as select targets for repairing oxidative phosphorylation status in neurons. We demonstrate and validate this interrogative quantitative bioinformatic analysis of a key dysregulated neuronal population linking single population transcript changes to an established pathological hallmark associated with cognitive decline for therapeutic development in human DS and AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa J Alldred
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, 140 Old Orangeburg Road, Orangeburg, NY, 10962, USA.,Departments of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sai C Penikalapati
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, 140 Old Orangeburg Road, Orangeburg, NY, 10962, USA
| | - Sang Han Lee
- Center for Biomedical Imaging and Neuromodulation, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, USA
| | - Adriana Heguy
- Genome Technology Center, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Panos Roussos
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, 140 Old Orangeburg Road, Orangeburg, NY, 10962, USA.,Departments of Genetics and Genomic Sciences and Psychiatry and the Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Stephen D Ginsberg
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, 140 Old Orangeburg Road, Orangeburg, NY, 10962, USA. .,Departments of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA. .,Neuroscience & Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA. .,NYU Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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21
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Martinez JL, Zammit MD, West NR, Christian BT, Bhattacharyya A. Basal Forebrain Cholinergic Neurons: Linking Down Syndrome and Alzheimer's Disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:703876. [PMID: 34322015 PMCID: PMC8311593 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.703876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Down syndrome (DS, trisomy 21) is characterized by intellectual impairment at birth and Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology in middle age. As individuals with DS age, their cognitive functions decline as they develop AD pathology. The susceptibility to degeneration of a subset of neurons, known as basal forebrain cholinergic neurons (BFCNs), in DS and AD is a critical link between cognitive impairment and neurodegeneration in both disorders. BFCNs are the primary source of cholinergic innervation to the cerebral cortex and hippocampus, as well as the amygdala. They play a critical role in the processing of information related to cognitive function and are directly engaged in regulating circuits of attention and memory throughout the lifespan. Given the importance of BFCNs in attention and memory, it is not surprising that these neurons contribute to dysfunctional neuronal circuitry in DS and are vulnerable in adults with DS and AD, where their degeneration leads to memory loss and disturbance in language. BFCNs are thus a relevant cell target for therapeutics for both DS and AD but, despite some success, efforts in this area have waned. There are gaps in our knowledge of BFCN vulnerability that preclude our ability to effectively design interventions. Here, we review the role of BFCN function and degeneration in AD and DS and identify under-studied aspects of BFCN biology. The current gaps in BFCN relevant imaging studies, therapeutics, and human models limit our insight into the mechanistic vulnerability of BFCNs in individuals with DS and AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose L. Martinez
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Matthew D. Zammit
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Medical Physics, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Nicole R. West
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Bradley T. Christian
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Medical Physics, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Anita Bhattacharyya
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Cellular and Regenerative Biology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States
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22
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Epileptic Mechanisms Shared by Alzheimer's Disease: Viewed via the Unique Lens of Genetic Epilepsy. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22137133. [PMID: 34281185 PMCID: PMC8268161 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22137133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Our recent work on genetic epilepsy (GE) has identified common mechanisms between GE and neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Although both disorders are seemingly unrelated and occur at opposite ends of the age spectrum, it is likely there are shared mechanisms and studies on GE could provide unique insights into AD pathogenesis. Neurodegenerative diseases are typically late-onset disorders, but the underlying pathology may have already occurred long before the clinical symptoms emerge. Pathophysiology in the early phase of these diseases is understudied but critical for developing mechanism-based treatment. In AD, increased seizure susceptibility and silent epileptiform activity due to disrupted excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) balance has been identified much earlier than cognition deficit. Increased epileptiform activity is likely a main pathology in the early phase that directly contributes to impaired cognition. It is an enormous challenge to model the early phase of pathology with conventional AD mouse models due to the chronic disease course, let alone the complex interplay between subclinical nonconvulsive epileptiform activity, AD pathology, and cognition deficit. We have extensively studied GE, especially with gene mutations that affect the GABA pathway such as mutations in GABAA receptors and GABA transporter 1. We believe that some mouse models developed for studying GE and insights gained from GE could provide unique opportunity to understand AD. These include the pathology in early phase of AD, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and E/I imbalance as well as the contribution to cognitive deficit. In this review, we will focus on the overlapping mechanisms between GE and AD, the insights from mutations affecting GABAA receptors, and GABA transporter 1. We will detail mechanisms of E/I imbalance and the toxic epileptiform generation in AD, and the complex interplay between ER stress, impaired membrane protein trafficking, and synaptic physiology in both GE and AD.
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23
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Chen XQ, Xing Z, Chen QD, Salvi RJ, Zhang X, Tycko B, Mobley WC, Yu YE. Mechanistic Analysis of Age-Related Clinical Manifestations in Down Syndrome. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:700280. [PMID: 34276349 PMCID: PMC8281234 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.700280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Down syndrome (DS) is the most common genetic cause of Alzheimer's disease (AD) due to trisomy for all or part of human chromosome 21 (Hsa21). It is also associated with other phenotypes including distinctive facial features, cardiac defects, growth delay, intellectual disability, immune system abnormalities, and hearing loss. All adults with DS demonstrate AD-like brain pathology, including amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, by age 40 and dementia typically by age 60. There is compelling evidence that increased APP gene dose is necessary for AD in DS, and the mechanism for this effect has begun to emerge, implicating the C-terminal APP fragment of 99 amino acid (β-CTF). The products of other triplicated genes on Hsa21 might act to modify the impact of APP triplication by altering the overall rate of biological aging. Another important age-related DS phenotype is hearing loss, and while its mechanism is unknown, we describe its characteristics here. Moreover, immune system abnormalities in DS, involving interferon pathway genes and aging, predispose to diverse infections and might modify the severity of COVID-19. All these considerations suggest human trisomy 21 impacts several diseases in an age-dependent manner. Thus, understanding the possible aging-related mechanisms associated with these clinical manifestations of DS will facilitate therapeutic interventions in mid-to-late adulthood, while at the same time shedding light on basic mechanisms of aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu-Qiao Chen
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Zhuo Xing
- The Children's Guild Foundation Down Syndrome Research Program, Genetics and Genomics Program and Department of Cancer Genetics and Genomics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Quang-Di Chen
- Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences and Center for Hearing and Deafness, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Richard J Salvi
- Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences and Center for Hearing and Deafness, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Xuming Zhang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Benjamin Tycko
- Hackensack-Meridian Health Center for Discovery and Innovation, Nutley, NJ, United States.,Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Washington, DC, United States
| | - William C Mobley
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Y Eugene Yu
- The Children's Guild Foundation Down Syndrome Research Program, Genetics and Genomics Program and Department of Cancer Genetics and Genomics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, United States.,Genetics, Genomics and Bioinformatics Program, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, United States
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24
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Ma WH, Chen AF, Xie XY, Huang YS. Sigma ligands as potent inhibitors of Aβ and AβOs in neurons and promising therapeutic agents of Alzheimer's disease. Neuropharmacology 2021; 190:108342. [PMID: 33045243 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disease and characterized by dementia, memory decline, loss of learning and cognitive disorder. The main pathological features of AD are the deposition of amyloid plaques and the formation of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) in the brain. The current anti-AD drugs have shown unsatisfactory therapeutic results. Due to the complications and unclear pathogenesis, AD is still irreversible and incurable. Among several hypotheses proposed by the academic community, the amyloid cascade is widely recognized by scholars and supported by a large amount of evidences. However, controversy over pathogenic factors has also been ongoing. Increasing evidence has shown that amyloid-β (Aβ) and especially amyloid-β oligomers (AβOs) are highly neurotoxic and pathogenic agents that damage neurons, mediate various receptors in the downstream pathways, and ultimately lead to learning and cognitive dysfunction. However, efforts in developing inhibitors of Aβ or amyloid-β precursor protein (APP) have all failed to yield good clinical results. More recently, it has been demonstrated that sigma receptors, including sigma-1 and sigma-2 subtypes, may play critical roles in the regulation of binding and metabolism of AβOs in neuron cells and the pathophysiology of AD. Thus, sigma receptor ligands are being recognized as promising therapeutic agents for treating or ameliorating AD. This article will review the pathophysiology of AD and highlight the sigma ligands that display the capability of preventing or even reversing Aβ- and AβOs-induced neurotoxicity and blocking the signal transduction caused by AβOs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Hui Ma
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Medical University, 1 Xincheng Ave, Songshan Lake Technology Park, Dongguan, Guangdong 523808, China; Dongguan Key Laboratory for Drug Design & Formulation, 1 Xincheng Ave, Songshan Lake Technology Park, Dongguan, Guangdong 523808, China
| | - Ai-Fang Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Medical University, 1 Xincheng Ave, Songshan Lake Technology Park, Dongguan, Guangdong 523808, China; Dongguan Key Laboratory for Drug Design & Formulation, 1 Xincheng Ave, Songshan Lake Technology Park, Dongguan, Guangdong 523808, China
| | - Xiao-Yang Xie
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Medical University, 1 Xincheng Ave, Songshan Lake Technology Park, Dongguan, Guangdong 523808, China; Dongguan Key Laboratory for Drug Design & Formulation, 1 Xincheng Ave, Songshan Lake Technology Park, Dongguan, Guangdong 523808, China
| | - Yun-Sheng Huang
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Medical University, 1 Xincheng Ave, Songshan Lake Technology Park, Dongguan, Guangdong 523808, China; Dongguan Key Laboratory for Drug Design & Formulation, 1 Xincheng Ave, Songshan Lake Technology Park, Dongguan, Guangdong 523808, China.
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25
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Miguel JC, Perez SE, Malek-Ahmadi M, Mufson EJ. Cerebellar Calcium-Binding Protein and Neurotrophin Receptor Defects in Down Syndrome and Alzheimer's Disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:645334. [PMID: 33776745 PMCID: PMC7994928 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.645334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Cerebellar hypoplasia is a major characteristic of the Down syndrome (DS) brain. However, the consequences of trisomy upon cerebellar Purkinje cells (PC) and interneurons in DS are unclear. The present study performed a quantitative and qualitative analysis of cerebellar neurons immunostained with antibodies against calbindin D-28k (Calb), parvalbumin (Parv), and calretinin (Calr), phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated intermediate neurofilaments (SMI-34 and SMI-32), and high (TrkA) and low (p75NTR) affinity nerve growth factor (NGF) receptors as well as tau and amyloid in DS (n = 12), Alzheimer's disease (AD) (n = 10), and healthy non-dementia control (HC) (n = 8) cases. Our findings revealed higher Aβ42 plaque load in DS compared to AD and HC but no differences in APP/Aβ plaque load between HC, AD, and DS. The cerebellar cortex neither displayed Aβ40 containing plaques nor pathologic phosphorylated tau in any of the cases examined. The number and optical density (OD) measurements of Calb immunoreactive (-ir) PC soma and dendrites were similar between groups, while the number of PCs positive for Parv and SMI-32 were significantly reduced in AD and DS compared to HC. By contrast, the number of SMI-34-ir PC dystrophic axonal swellings, termed torpedoes, was significantly greater in AD compared to DS. No differences in SMI-32- and Parv-ir PC OD measurements were observed between groups. Conversely, total number of Parv- (stellate/basket) and Calr (Lugaro, brush, and Golgi)-positive interneurons were significantly reduced in DS compared to AD and HC. A strong negative correlation was found between counts for Parv-ir interneurons, Calr-ir Golgi and brush cells, and Aβ42 plaque load. Number of TrkA and p75NTR positive PCs were reduced in AD compared to HC. These findings suggest that disturbances in calcium binding proteins play a critical role in cerebellar neuronal dysfunction in adults with DS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer C. Miguel
- Department of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ, United States
| | - Sylvia E. Perez
- Department of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ, United States
| | - Michael Malek-Ahmadi
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Banner Alzheimer's Institute, Phoenix, AZ, United States
| | - Elliott J. Mufson
- Department of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ, United States
- Department of Neurology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ, United States
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26
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Flores-Aguilar L, Iulita MF, Kovecses O, Torres MD, Levi SM, Zhang Y, Askenazi M, Wisniewski T, Busciglio J, Cuello AC. Evolution of neuroinflammation across the lifespan of individuals with Down syndrome. Brain 2021; 143:3653-3671. [PMID: 33206953 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awaa326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Revised: 07/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Epidemiological and experimental studies suggest that a disease-aggravating neuroinflammatory process is present at preclinical stages of Alzheimer's disease. Given that individuals with Down syndrome are at increased genetic risk of Alzheimer's disease and therefore develop the spectrum of Alzheimer's neuropathology in a uniform manner, they constitute an important population to study the evolution of neuroinflammation across the Alzheimer's continuum. Therefore, in this cross-sectional study, we characterized the brain inflammatory profile across the lifespan of individuals with Down syndrome. Microglial morphology and inflammatory cytokine expression were analysed by immunohistochemistry and electrochemiluminescent-based immunoassays in the frontal cortex from foetuses to adults with Down syndrome and control subjects (16 gestational weeks to 64 years), totalling 127 cases. Cytokine expression in mixed foetal primary cultures and hippocampus of adults with Down syndrome, as well as the effects of sex on cytokine expression were also analysed. A higher microglial soma size-to-process length ratio was observed in the frontal cortex of children and young adults with Down syndrome before the development of full-blown Alzheimer's pathology. Moreover, young adults with Down syndrome also displayed increased numbers of rod-like microglia. Increased levels of interleukin-8 and interleukin-10 were observed in children with Down syndrome (1-10 years; Down syndrome n = 5, controls n = 10) and higher levels of interleukin-1β, interleukin-1α, interleukin-6, interleukin-8, interleukin-10, interleukin-15, eotaxin-3, interferon gamma-induced protein 10, macrophage-derived chemokine, and macrophage inflammatory protein-beta, were found in young adults with Down syndrome compared to euploid cases (13-25 years, Down syndrome n = 6, controls n = 24). Increased cytokine expression was also found in the conditioned media of mixed cortical primary cultures from second trimester foetuses with Down syndrome (Down syndrome n = 7, controls n = 7). Older adults with Down syndrome (39-68 years, Down syndrome n = 22, controls n = 16) displayed reduced levels of interleukin-10, interleukin-12p40, interferon-gamma and tumour necrosis factor-alpha. Microglia displayed larger somas and shorter processes. Moreover, an increase in dystrophic microglia and rod-like microglia aligning to neurons harbouring tau pathology were also observed. Sex stratification analyses revealed that females with Down syndrome had increased interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 levels compared to males with Down syndrome. Finally, multivariate projection methods identified specific cytokine patterns among individuals with Down syndrome. Our findings indicate the presence of an early and evolving neuroinflammatory phenotype across the lifespan in Down syndrome, a knowledge that is relevant for the discovery of stage-specific targets and for the design of possible anti-inflammatory trials against Alzheimer's disease in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - M Florencia Iulita
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.,Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Alzheimer-Down Unit, Fundación Catalana Síndrome de Down, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Olivia Kovecses
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Maria D Torres
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, UCI-MIND Institute, and Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, USA
| | - Sarah M Levi
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Yian Zhang
- Division of Biostatistics, New York University, Grossman School of Medicine, New York, USA
| | | | - Thomas Wisniewski
- Departments of Neurology, Pathology, and Psychiatry, Center for Cognitive Neurology, New York University, Grossman School of Medicine, New York, USA
| | - Jorge Busciglio
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, UCI-MIND Institute, and Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, USA
| | - A Claudio Cuello
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.,Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.,Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.,Visiting Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
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Martini AC, Helman AM, McCarty KL, Lott IT, Doran E, Schmitt FA, Head E. Distribution of microglial phenotypes as a function of age and Alzheimer's disease neuropathology in the brains of people with Down syndrome. ALZHEIMER'S & DEMENTIA (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2020; 12:e12113. [PMID: 33088896 PMCID: PMC7560512 DOI: 10.1002/dad2.12113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Microglial cells play an important role in the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). People with Down syndrome (DS) inevitably develop AD neuropathology (DSAD) by 40 years of age. We characterized the distribution of different microglial phenotypes in the brains of people with DS and DSAD. METHODS Autopsy tissue from the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) from people with DS, DSAD, and neurotypical controls was immunostained with the microglial marker Iba1 to assess five microglia morphological types. RESULTS Individuals with DS have more hypertrophic microglial cells in their white matter. In the gray matter, individuals with DSAD had significantly fewer ramified microglia and more dystrophic microglia than controls and the younger individuals with DS. The DSAD group also exhibited more rod-shaped and amoeboid cells than the AD group. DISCUSSION Individuals with DS and DSAD show a microglial phenotype that distinguishes them from non-DS controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra C. Martini
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicineUniversity of California, IrvineIrvineCaliforniaUSA
| | - Alex M. Helman
- Department of Molecular and Cellular BiochemistryUniversity of KentuckyLexingtonKentuckyUSA
- Sanders Brown Center on AgingUniversity of KentuckyLexingtonKentuckyUSA
| | - Katie L. McCarty
- Sanders Brown Center on AgingUniversity of KentuckyLexingtonKentuckyUSA
| | - Ira T. Lott
- Department of PediatricsUniversity of California, IrvineIrvineCaliforniaUSA
- Department of NeurologyUniversity of California, IrvineIrvineCaliforniaUSA
| | - Eric Doran
- Department of PediatricsUniversity of California, IrvineIrvineCaliforniaUSA
| | - Frederick A. Schmitt
- Sanders Brown Center on AgingUniversity of KentuckyLexingtonKentuckyUSA
- Department of NeurologyUniversity of KentuckyLexingtonKentuckyUSA
| | - Elizabeth Head
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicineUniversity of California, IrvineIrvineCaliforniaUSA
- Department of NeurologyUniversity of KentuckyLexingtonKentuckyUSA
- Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional SciencesUniversity of KentuckyLexingtonKentuckyUSA
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Gourmaud S, Shou H, Irwin DJ, Sansalone K, Jacobs LM, Lucas TH, Marsh ED, Davis KA, Jensen FE, Talos DM. Alzheimer-like amyloid and tau alterations associated with cognitive deficit in temporal lobe epilepsy. Brain 2020; 143:191-209. [PMID: 31834353 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awz381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Revised: 10/08/2019] [Accepted: 10/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Temporal lobe epilepsy represents a major cause of drug-resistant epilepsy. Cognitive impairment is a frequent comorbidity, but the mechanisms are not fully elucidated. We hypothesized that the cognitive impairment in drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy could be due to perturbations of amyloid and tau signalling pathways related to activation of stress kinases, similar to those observed in Alzheimer's disease. We examined these pathways, as well as amyloid-β and tau pathologies in the hippocampus and temporal lobe cortex of drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy patients who underwent temporal lobe resection (n = 19), in comparison with age- and region-matched samples from neurologically normal autopsy cases (n = 22). Post-mortem temporal cortex samples from Alzheimer's disease patients (n = 9) were used as positive controls to validate many of the neurodegeneration-related antibodies. Western blot and immunohistochemical analysis of tissue from temporal lobe epilepsy cases revealed increased phosphorylation of full-length amyloid precursor protein and its associated neurotoxic cleavage product amyloid-β*56. Pathological phosphorylation of two distinct tau species was also increased in both regions, but increases in amyloid-β1-42 peptide, the main component of amyloid plaques, were restricted to the hippocampus. Furthermore, several major stress kinases involved in the development of Alzheimer's disease pathology were significantly activated in temporal lobe epilepsy brain samples, including the c-Jun N-terminal kinase and the protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase. In temporal lobe epilepsy cases, hippocampal levels of phosphorylated amyloid precursor protein, its pro-amyloidogenic processing enzyme beta-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1, and both total and hyperphosphorylated tau expression, correlated with impaired preoperative executive function. Our study suggests that neurodegenerative and stress-related processes common to those observed in Alzheimer's disease may contribute to cognitive impairment in drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy. In particular, we identified several stress pathways that may represent potential novel therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Gourmaud
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Haochang Shou
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - David J Irwin
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Penn Frontotemporal Degeneration Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Kimberly Sansalone
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Leah M Jacobs
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Timothy H Lucas
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Eric D Marsh
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Division of Child Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Kathryn A Davis
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Frances E Jensen
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Delia M Talos
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Snyder HM, Bain LJ, Brickman AM, Carrillo MC, Esbensen AJ, Espinosa JM, Fernandez F, Fortea J, Hartley SL, Head E, Hendrix J, Kishnani PS, Lai F, Lao P, Lemere C, Mobley W, Mufson EJ, Potter H, Zaman SH, Granholm AC, Rosas HD, Strydom A, Whitten MS, Rafii MS. Further understanding the connection between Alzheimer's disease and Down syndrome. Alzheimers Dement 2020; 16:1065-1077. [PMID: 32544310 PMCID: PMC8865308 DOI: 10.1002/alz.12112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Improved medical care of individuals with Down syndrome (DS) has led to an increase in life expectancy to over the age of 60 years. In conjunction, there has been an increase in age-related co-occurring conditions including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Understanding the factors that underlie symptom and age of clinical presentation of dementia in people with DS may provide insights into the mechanisms of sporadic and DS-associated AD (DS-AD). In March 2019, the Alzheimer's Association, Global Down Syndrome Foundation and the LuMind IDSC Foundation partnered to convene a workshop to explore the state of the research on the intersection of AD and DS research; to identify research gaps and unmet needs; and to consider how best to advance the field. This article provides a summary of discussions, including noting areas of emerging science and discovery, considerations for future studies, and identifying open gaps in our understanding for future focus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather M. Snyder
- Alzheimer’s Association, Medical & Scientific Relations, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Lisa J. Bain
- Independent Science Writer, Elverson, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Adam M. Brickman
- Department of Neurology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Maria C. Carrillo
- Alzheimer’s Association, Medical & Scientific Relations, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Anna J. Esbensen
- Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center & University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Joaquin M. Espinosa
- Department of Pharmacology, Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Fabian Fernandez
- Departments of Psychology and Neurology, BIO5 Institute, and The Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Juan Fortea
- Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, CIBERNED, Barcelona, Spain
- Down Medical Center, Catalan Down Syndrome Foundation, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sigan L. Hartley
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Elizabeth Head
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - James Hendrix
- LuMind IDSC Foundation, Burlington, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Priya S. Kishnani
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Florence Lai
- Department of Neurology, Harvard University/Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Patrick Lao
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Cynthia Lemere
- Department of Neurology, Brigham & Women’s Hospital and Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - William Mobley
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | | | - Huntington Potter
- Rocky Mountain Alzheimer’s Disease Center and Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, Colorado, USA
| | - Shahid H. Zaman
- Cambridge Intellectual & Developmental Disability Research Group, Department of Psychiatry University of Cambridge, Cambridgeshire & Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
| | - Ann-Charlotte Granholm
- Knoebel Institute for Healthy Aging, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society (NVS), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - H. Diana Rosas
- Departments of Neurology and Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Andre Strydom
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, South London and the Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, LonDowns Consortium, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK
| | | | - Michael S. Rafii
- Alzheimer’s Therapeutics Research Institute and Department of Neurology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
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Caselli RJ, Knopman DS, Bu G. An agnostic reevaluation of the amyloid cascade hypothesis of Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis: The role of APP homeostasis. Alzheimers Dement 2020; 16:1582-1590. [PMID: 32588983 DOI: 10.1002/alz.12124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Revised: 05/03/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To reassess the role of amyloid beta (Aβ) and the amyloid precursor protein (APP) system in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). BACKGROUND APP is a cell adhesion molecule that has been highly conserved over the course of phylogeny that has critical roles in brain development, synaptic plasticity, and the brain's intrinsic immune system. The amyloid cascade hypothesis describes a relatively linear, deterministic sequence of events triggered by a gain of Aβ peptide fragment toxicity that results in neurodegeneration and cognitive loss, yet well designed immunotherapy and beta secretase inhibitor trials that have successfully targeted Aβ have failed to have any consistent effects on the steady decline of cognition. NEW/UPDATED HYPOTHESIS Mutations of the APP and presenilin genes not only alter the ratio of longer to shorter Aβ fragments (resulting in a gain of Aβ toxicity), but also disrupt the normal homeostatic roles of their respective proteins. The evolutionary history, physiological importance, and complexity of the APP and presenilin systems, as well as other critical components including tau and apolipoprotein E (APOE) imply that altered function of such systems could have severe consequences that include but need not be limited to a gain of Aβ toxicity and would more generally result in altered homeostasis of APP-related functions. MAJOR CHALLENGES ADDRESSED BY OUR HYPOTHESIS Challenges that a loss of APP homeostasis addresses better than the more limited gain of Aβ toxicity model include the topographic mismatches between Aβ and tau pathology, the profile and chronology of cognitive and biomarker changes that precede the clinical expression of mild cognitive impairment and dementia, and the disappointments of Aβ targeted therapeutics among others. LINKAGE TO OTHER MAJOR THEORIES The importance of APP, α- and β-secretases, the presenilins and γ-secretase, as well as tau was recognized by the authors of the amyloid cascade hypothesis, and has since led multiple investigators to propose alternative, more balanced hypotheses including reduced homeostasis and frank loss-of-function of key components that include but go beyond the currently envisioned linear model of Aβ toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Caselli
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA
| | - David S Knopman
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic Rochester, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Guojun Bu
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville, Florida, USA
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Shi Z, Zhang K, Zhou H, Jiang L, Xie B, Wang R, Xia W, Yin Y, Gao Z, Cui D, Zhang R, Xu S. Increased miR-34c mediates synaptic deficits by targeting synaptotagmin 1 through ROS-JNK-p53 pathway in Alzheimer's Disease. Aging Cell 2020; 19:e13125. [PMID: 32092796 PMCID: PMC7059146 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Revised: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) and cancer have inverse relationship in many aspects. Some tumor suppressors, including miR‐34c, are decreased in cancer but increased in AD. The upstream regulatory pathways and the downstream mechanisms of miR‐34c in AD remain to be investigated. The expression of miR‐34c was detected by RT–qPCR in oxidative stressed neurons, hippocampus of SAMP8 mice, or serum of patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). Dual luciferase assay was performed to confirm the binding sites of miR‐34c in its target mRNA. The Morris water maze (MWM) was used to evaluate learning and memory in SAMP8 mice administrated with miR‐34c antagomir (AM34c). Golgi staining was used to evaluate the synaptic function and structure. The dramatically increased miR‐34c was mediated by ROS‐JNK‐p53 pathway and negatively regulated synaptotagmin 1 (SYT1) expression by targeting the 3′‐untranslated region (3′‐UTR) of syt1 in AD. The expression of SYT1 protein was reduced by over expression of miR‐34c in the HT‐22 cells and vice versa. Administration of AM34c by the third ventricle injection or intranasal delivery markedly increased the brain levels of SYT1 and ameliorated the cognitive function in SAMP8 mice. The serum miR‐34c was significantly increased in patients with aMCI and might be a predictive biomarker for diagnosis of aMCI. These results indicated that increased miR‐34c mediated synaptic and memory deficits by targeting SYT1 through ROS‐JNK‐p53 pathway and the miR‐34c/SYT1 pathway could be considered as a promising novel therapeutic target for patients with AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongli Shi
- Central Laboratory The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University Shijiazhuang China
- Hebei International Joint Research Center for Brain Science Shijiazhuang China
| | - Kaixia Zhang
- Central Laboratory The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University Shijiazhuang China
| | - Huimin Zhou
- Hebei International Joint Research Center for Brain Science Shijiazhuang China
| | - Lei Jiang
- Central Laboratory The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University Shijiazhuang China
- Hebei International Joint Research Center for Brain Science Shijiazhuang China
| | - Bing Xie
- Central Laboratory The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University Shijiazhuang China
| | - Ruiyuan Wang
- Central Laboratory The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University Shijiazhuang China
| | - Wenzhen Xia
- Central Laboratory The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University Shijiazhuang China
| | - Yajuan Yin
- Central Laboratory The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University Shijiazhuang China
| | - Zhaoyu Gao
- Central Laboratory The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University Shijiazhuang China
| | - Dongsheng Cui
- Central Laboratory The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University Shijiazhuang China
| | - Rui Zhang
- Central Laboratory The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University Shijiazhuang China
- Hebei International Joint Research Center for Brain Science Shijiazhuang China
| | - Shunjiang Xu
- Central Laboratory The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University Shijiazhuang China
- Hebei International Joint Research Center for Brain Science Shijiazhuang China
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Abrahamson EE, Head E, Lott IT, Handen BL, Mufson EJ, Christian BT, Klunk WE, Ikonomovic MD. Neuropathological correlates of amyloid PET imaging in Down syndrome. Dev Neurobiol 2019; 79:750-766. [PMID: 31379087 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Revised: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 07/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Down syndrome (DS) results in an overproduction of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide associated with early onset of Alzheimer's disease (AD). DS cases have Aβ deposits detectable histologically as young as 12-30 years of age, primarily in the form of diffuse plaques, the type of early amyloid pathology also seen at pre-clinical (i.e., pathological aging) and prodromal stages of sporadic late onset AD. In DS subjects aged >40 years, levels of cortical Aβ deposition are similar to those observed in late onset AD and in addition to diffuse plaques involve cored plaques associated with dystrophic neurites (neuritic plaques), which are of neuropathological diagnostic significance in AD. The purpose of this review is to summarize and discuss findings from amyloid PET imaging studies of DS in reference to postmortem amyloid-based neuropathology. PET neuroimaging applied to subjects with DS has the potential to (a) track the natural progression of brain pathology, including the earliest stages of amyloid accumulation, and (b) determine whether amyloid PET biomarkers predict the onset of dementia. In addition, the question that is still incompletely understood and relevant to both applications is the ability of amyloid PET to detect Aβ deposits in their earliest form.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric E Abrahamson
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.,Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Elizabeth Head
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UC Irvine School of Medicine, Orange, California
| | - Ira T Lott
- Department of Neurology, UC Irvine School of Medicine, Orange, California
| | - Benjamin L Handen
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Elliott J Mufson
- Department of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, Arizona
| | - Bradley T Christian
- Departments of Medical Physics and Psychiatry, Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - William E Klunk
- Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Milos D Ikonomovic
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.,Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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Kelley CM, Ginsberg SD, Alldred MJ, Strupp BJ, Mufson EJ. Maternal Choline Supplementation Alters Basal Forebrain Cholinergic Neuron Gene Expression in the Ts65Dn Mouse Model of Down Syndrome. Dev Neurobiol 2019; 79:664-683. [PMID: 31120189 PMCID: PMC6756931 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Revised: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 05/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Down syndrome (DS), trisomy 21, is marked by intellectual disability and a premature aging profile including degeneration of the basal forebrain cholinergic neuron (BFCN) projection system, similar to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Although data indicate that perinatal maternal choline supplementation (MCS) alters the structure and function of these neurons in the Ts65Dn mouse model of DS and AD (Ts), whether MCS affects the molecular profile of vulnerable BFCNs remains unknown. We investigated the genetic signature of BFCNs obtained from Ts and disomic (2N) offspring of Ts65Dn dams maintained on a MCS diet (Ts+, 2N+) or a choline normal diet (ND) from mating until weaning, then maintained on ND until 4.4-7.5 months of age. Brains were then collected and prepared for choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) immunohistochemistry and laser capture microdissection followed by RNA extraction and custom-designed microarray analysis. Findings revealed upregulation of select transcripts in classes of genes related to the cytoskeleton (Tubb4b), AD (Cav1), cell death (Bcl2), presynaptic (Syngr1), immediate early (Fosb, Arc), G protein signaling (Gabarap, Rgs10), and cholinergic neurotransmission (Chrnb3) in Ts compared to 2N mice, which were normalized with MCS. Moreover, significant downregulation was seen in select transcripts associated with the cytoskeleton (Dync1h1), intracellular signaling (Itpka, Gng3, and Mlst8), and cell death (Ccng1) in Ts compared to 2N mice that was normalized with MCS. This study provides insight into genotype-dependent differences and the effects of MCS at the molecular level within a key vulnerable cell type in DS and AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christy M. Kelley
- Department of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Stephen D. Ginsberg
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, NYU Langone School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, NYU Langone School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- NYU Neuroscience Institute, NYU Langone School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Melissa J. Alldred
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, NYU Langone School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Barbara J. Strupp
- Division of Nutritional Sciences and Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Elliott J. Mufson
- Department of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA
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