Dexmedetomidine Promoted HSPB8 Expression via Inhibiting the lncRNA SNHG14/UPF1 Axis to Inhibit Apoptosis of Nerve Cells in AD : The Role of Dexmedetomidine in AD

Small heat shock protein B8: from cell functions to its involvement in diseases and potential therapeutic applications

Heat shock protein family B (small) member 8 (HSPB8) is a 22 kDa ubiquitously expressed protein belonging to the family of small heat shock proteins. HSPB8 is involved in various cellular mechanisms mainly related to proteotoxic stress response and in other processes such as inflammation, cell division, and migration. HSPB8 binds misfolded clients to prevent their aggregation by assisting protein refolding or degradation through chaperone-assisted selective autophagy. In line with this function, the pro-degradative activity of HSPB8 has been found protective in several neurodegenerative and neuromuscular diseases characterized by protein misfolding and aggregation. In cancer, HSPB8 has a dual role being capable of exerting either a pro- or an anti-tumoral activity depending on the pathways and factors expressed by the model of cancer under investigation. Moreover, HSPB8 exerts a protective function in different diseases by modulating the inflammatory response, which characterizes not only neurodegenerative diseases, but also other chronic or acute conditions affecting the nervous system, such as multiple sclerosis and intracerebellar hemorrhage. Of note, HSPB8 modulation may represent a therapeutic approach in other neurological conditions that develop as a secondary consequence of other diseases. This is the case of cognitive impairment related to diabetes mellitus, in which HSPB8 exerts a protective activity by assuring mitochondrial homeostasis. This review aims to summarize the diverse and multiple functions of HSPB8 in different pathological conditions, focusing on the beneficial effects of its modulation. Drug-based and alternative therapeutic approaches targeting HSPB8 and its regulated pathways will be discussed, emphasizing how new strategies for cell and tissue-specific delivery represent an avenue to advance in disease treatments.

Long Non-Coding RNAs: Crucial Regulators in Alzheimer's Disease Pathogenesis and Prospects for Precision Medicine

Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) have emerged as pivotal regulators in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cognitive decline and memory loss. With the capacity to modulate gene expression at various levels, LncRNAs are implicated in multiple pathological mechanisms of AD, including amyloid-beta (Aβ) accumulation, tau protein phosphorylation, neuroinflammation, and neuronal apoptosis. Recent studies have highlighted the potential of LncRNAs as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets due to their differential expression patterns in AD patients. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the role of LncRNAs in AD, focusing on their involvement in key molecular pathways and their promise as indicators for early diagnosis and prognosis. We discuss the regulatory networks of LncRNAs in the context of AD, their interaction with miRNAs, and the implications for developing novel therapeutic strategies. Despite the complexity and variability in LncRNA function, the prospect of harnessing these molecules for precision medicine in AD is gaining momentum. The translational potential of LncRNA-based interventions offers a new frontier in the quest for effective treatments and a deeper understanding of the molecular underpinnings of AD.

The genetic landscape of early-onset Alzheimer's disease in China

INTRODUCTION

Research on somatic and germline mutations in Chinese individuals with early-onset Alzheimer's disease (EOAD) has been limited.

METHODS

We conducted whole-genome sequencing of blood DNA from 108 patients with EOAD and 116 controls. The analysis included somatic and germline mutations across coding and non-coding regions, mutational signature determination, pathway enrichment identification, and predictive model.

RESULTS

The mutational burden was significantly higher in the EOAD group compared to the control group. The prevalence of single-base substitution signature 5, which is strongly associated with aging, was much higher in patients with EOAD than in controls. EOAD-specific somatic mutations were identified in genes such as MIR31HG, TUBB4B, and APP. Germline mutations in DOCK3, PCSK5, and PDE4D were significantly associated with age of dementia onset. Furthermore, a predictive model comprising 15 mutations demonstrated an area under the curve of 0.78.

DISCUSSION

The accumulation of senescence-related somatic mutations may increase the risk of developing EOAD.

HIGHLIGHTS

Whole genome sequencing was used to find somatic and germline mutations in Chinese individuals with early-onset Alzheimer's disease (EOAD). Total number and burden of blood somatic mutations were significantly higher. The prevalence of single-base substitution signature 5 was notably elevated in EOAD. EOAD-specific somatic mutations were identified in MIR31HG, TUBB4B, and APP. DOCK3, PCSK5, and PDE4D germline mutations were associated with the age of EOAD onset.

LncRNA SNHG14 Served as a Biomarker of Depression Disorder Patients and Regulated Depression-Like Behaviors via MiR-200a-3p

Depression disorder has become a major mental disease and has attracted special attention globally. Identifying specific biomarkers for the diagnosis and severity of depression disorder would benefit its clinical management. This study focused on the significance of lncRNA SNHG14 in depression disorder and investigated its effect on depression-like behaviors, aiming to explore a potential biomarker for depression disorder occurrence and development. This study included 147 patients with depression disorder and 98 healthy individuals. The serum SNHG14 in all participants was analyzed by PCR, and its diagnostic value was evaluated by receiver operatorating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis. The depression-like behaviors were induced via chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) and evaluated by sucrose preference, forced swimming, and open field tests. SNHG14 was significantly upregulated in depression disorder patients relative to healthy individuals, which discriminated depression disorder patients with a relatively high efficiency. Depression disorder patients with severe conditions showed higher serum SNHG14 levels, and a significantly positive correlation of SNHG14 with PHQ9 score was demonstrated. In CSDS mice, increasing SNHG14 and decreasing miR-200a-3p were observed. Silencing SNHG14 and overexpressing miR-200a-3p could alleviate reduced sucrose preference, increased swimming immobility time, decreased standing times, and decreased traveling distance induced by CSDS. The knockdown of SNHG14 promoted the expression of miR-200a-3p, and silencing miR-200a-3p could reverse the protective effect of SNHG14 silencing on depression-like behaviors. SNHG14 served as a biomarker for the occurrence and severity of depression disorder. Silencing SNHG14could alleviate depression-like behaviors via modulating miR-200a-3p.

Identification of novel hub genes for Alzheimer's disease associated with the hippocampus using WGCNA and differential gene analysis

Background

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common, refractory, progressive neurodegenerative disorder in which cognitive and memory deficits are highly correlated with abnormalities in hippocampal brain regions. There is still a lack of hippocampus-related markers for AD diagnosis and prevention.

Methods

Differently expressed genes were identified in the gene expression profile GSE293789 in the hippocampal brain region. Enrichment analyses GO, KEGG, and GSEA were used to identify biological pathways involved in the DEGs and AD-related group. WGCNA was used to identify the gene modules that are highly associated with AD in the samples. The intersecting genes of the genes in DEGs and modules were extracted and the top ten ranked hub genes were identified. Finally GES48350 was used as a validation cohort to predict the diagnostic efficacy of hub genes.

Results

From GSE293789, 225 DEGs were identified, which were mainly associated with calcium response, glutamatergic synapses, and calcium-dependent phospholipid-binding response. WGCNA analysis yielded dark green and bright yellow modular genes as the most relevant to AD. From these two modules, 176 genes were extracted, which were taken to be intersected with DEGs, yielding 51 intersecting genes. Then 10 hub genes were identified in them: HSPA1B, HSPB1, HSPA1A, DNAJB1, HSPB8, ANXA2, ANXA1, SOX9, YAP1, and AHNAK. Validation of these genes was found to have excellent diagnostic performance.

Conclusion

Ten AD-related hub genes in the hippocampus were identified, contributing to further understanding of AD development in the hippocampus and development of targets for therapeutic prevention.

RNA structure: implications in viral infections and neurodegenerative diseases

RNA is an intermediary between DNA and protein, a catalyzer of biochemical reactions, and a regulator of genes and transcripts. RNA structures are essential for complicated functions. Recent years have witnessed rapid advancements in RNA secondary structure probing techniques. These technological strides provided comprehensive insights into RNA structures, which significantly contributed to our understanding of diverse cellular regulatory processes, including gene regulation, epigenetic regulation, and post-transactional regulation. Meanwhile, they have facilitated the creation of therapeutic tools for tackling human diseases. Despite their therapeutic applications, RNA structure probing methods also offer a promising avenue for exploring the mechanisms of human diseases, potentially providing the key to overcoming existing research constraints and obtaining the in-depth information necessary for a deeper understanding of disease mechanisms.