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Alammari F, Al-Hujaily EM, Alshareeda A, Albarakati N, Al-Sowayan BS. Hidden regulators: the emerging roles of lncRNAs in brain development and disease. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1392688. [PMID: 38841098 PMCID: PMC11150811 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1392688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as critical players in brain development and disease. These non-coding transcripts, which once considered as "transcriptional junk," are now known for their regulatory roles in gene expression. In brain development, lncRNAs participate in many processes, including neurogenesis, neuronal differentiation, and synaptogenesis. They employ their effect through a wide variety of transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms through interactions with chromatin modifiers, transcription factors, and other regulatory molecules. Dysregulation of lncRNAs has been associated with certain brain diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, cancer, and neurodevelopmental disorders. Altered expression and function of specific lncRNAs have been implicated with disrupted neuronal connectivity, impaired synaptic plasticity, and aberrant gene expression pattern, highlighting the functional importance of this subclass of brain-enriched RNAs. Moreover, lncRNAs have been identified as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for neurological diseases. Here, we give a comprehensive review of the existing knowledge of lncRNAs. Our aim is to provide a better understanding of the diversity of lncRNA structure and functions in brain development and disease. This holds promise for unravelling the complexity of neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders, paving the way for the development of novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for improved diagnosis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farah Alammari
- Department of Blood and Cancer Research, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Clinical Laboratory Sciences Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ensaf M. Al-Hujaily
- Department of Blood and Cancer Research, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Alaa Alshareeda
- Department of Blood and Cancer Research, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Saudi Biobank Department, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nada Albarakati
- Department of Blood and Cancer Research, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Ministry of the National Guard-Health Affairs, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Batla S. Al-Sowayan
- Department of Blood and Cancer Research, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Moos WH, Faller DV, Glavas IP, Kanara I, Kodukula K, Pernokas J, Pernokas M, Pinkert CA, Powers WR, Sampani K, Steliou K, Vavvas DG. Epilepsy: Mitochondrial connections to the 'Sacred' disease. Mitochondrion 2023; 72:84-101. [PMID: 37582467 DOI: 10.1016/j.mito.2023.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
Over 65 million people suffer from recurrent, unprovoked seizures. The lack of validated biomarkers specific for myriad forms of epilepsy makes diagnosis challenging. Diagnosis and monitoring of childhood epilepsy add to the need for non-invasive biomarkers, especially when evaluating antiseizure medications. Although underlying mechanisms of epileptogenesis are not fully understood, evidence for mitochondrial involvement is substantial. Seizures affect 35%-60% of patients diagnosed with mitochondrial diseases. Mitochondrial dysfunction is pathophysiological in various epilepsies, including those of non-mitochondrial origin. Decreased ATP production caused by malfunctioning brain cell mitochondria leads to altered neuronal bioenergetics, metabolism and neurological complications, including seizures. Iron-dependent lipid peroxidation initiates ferroptosis, a cell death pathway that aligns with altered mitochondrial bioenergetics, metabolism and morphology found in neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs). Studies in mouse genetic models with seizure phenotypes where the function of an essential selenoprotein (GPX4) is targeted suggest roles for ferroptosis in epilepsy. GPX4 is pivotal in NDDs, where selenium protects interneurons from ferroptosis. Selenium is an essential central nervous system micronutrient and trace element. Low serum concentrations of selenium and other trace elements and minerals, including iron, are noted in diagnosing childhood epilepsy. Selenium supplements alleviate intractable seizures in children with reduced GPX activity. Copper and cuproptosis, like iron and ferroptosis, link to mitochondria and NDDs. Connecting these mechanistic pathways to selenoproteins provides new insights into treating seizures, pointing to using medicines including prodrugs of lipoic acid to treat epilepsy and to potential alternative therapeutic approaches including transcranial magnetic stimulation (transcranial), photobiomodulation and vagus nerve stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Walter H Moos
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Douglas V Faller
- Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA; Cancer Research Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ioannis P Glavas
- Department of Ophthalmology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | | | | | - Julie Pernokas
- Advanced Dental Associates of New England, Woburn, MA, USA
| | - Mark Pernokas
- Advanced Dental Associates of New England, Woburn, MA, USA
| | - Carl A Pinkert
- Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Whitney R Powers
- Department of Health Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Anatomy, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Konstantina Sampani
- Beetham Eye Institute, Joslin Diabetes Center, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kosta Steliou
- Cancer Research Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA; PhenoMatriX, Inc., Natick, MA, USA
| | - Demetrios G Vavvas
- Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Retina Service, Angiogenesis Laboratory, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, MA, USA
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Malhotra S, Miras MCM, Pappolla A, Montalban X, Comabella M. Liquid Biopsy in Neurological Diseases. Cells 2023; 12:1911. [PMID: 37508574 PMCID: PMC10378132 DOI: 10.3390/cells12141911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The most recent and non-invasive approach for studying early-stage biomarkers is liquid biopsy. This implies the extraction and analysis of non-solid biological tissues (serum, plasma, saliva, urine, and cerebrospinal fluid) without undergoing invasive procedures to determine disease prognosis. Liquid biopsy can be used for the screening of several components, such as extracellular vesicles, microRNAs, cell-free DNA, cell-free mitochondrial and nuclear DNA, circulating tumour cells, circulating tumour DNA, transfer RNA, and circular DNA or RNA derived from body fluids. Its application includes early disease diagnosis, the surveillance of disease activity, and treatment response monitoring, with growing evidence for validating this methodology in cancer, liver disease, and central nervous system (CNS) disorders. This review will provide an overview of mentioned liquid biopsy components, which could serve as valuable biomarkers for the evaluation of complex neurological conditions, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, stroke, traumatic brain injury, CNS tumours, and neuroinfectious diseases. Furthermore, this review highlights the future directions and potential limitations associated with liquid biopsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunny Malhotra
- Multiple Sclerosis Center of Catalonia, Department of Neurology-Neuroimmunology, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mari Carmen Martín Miras
- Multiple Sclerosis Center of Catalonia, Department of Neurology-Neuroimmunology, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Agustín Pappolla
- Multiple Sclerosis Center of Catalonia, Department of Neurology-Neuroimmunology, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xavier Montalban
- Multiple Sclerosis Center of Catalonia, Department of Neurology-Neuroimmunology, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Manuel Comabella
- Multiple Sclerosis Center of Catalonia, Department of Neurology-Neuroimmunology, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
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Srinivas T, Mathias C, Oliveira-Mateos C, Guil S. Roles of lncRNAs in brain development and pathogenesis: Emerging therapeutic opportunities. Mol Ther 2023; 31:1550-1561. [PMID: 36793211 PMCID: PMC10277896 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2023.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The human genome is pervasively transcribed, producing a majority of short and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) that can influence cellular programs through a variety of transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms. The brain houses the richest repertoire of long noncoding transcripts, which function at every stage during central nervous system development and homeostasis. An example of functionally relevant lncRNAs is species involved in spatiotemporal organization of gene expression in different brain regions, which play roles at the nuclear level and in transport, translation, and decay of other transcripts in specific neuronal sites. Research in the field has enabled identification of the contributions of specific lncRNAs to certain brain diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, cancer, and neurodevelopmental disorders, resulting in notions of potential therapeutic strategies that target these RNAs to recover the normal phenotype. Here, we summarize the latest mechanistic findings associated with lncRNAs in the brain, focusing on their dysregulation in neurodevelopmental or neurodegenerative disorders, their use as biomarkers for central nervous system (CNS) diseases in vitro and in vivo, and their potential utility for therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara Srinivas
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), Badalona, 08916 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Carolina Mathias
- Department of Genetics, Federal University of Parana, Post-graduation Program in Genetics, Curitiba, PR, Brazil; Laboratory of Applied Science and Technology in Health, Carlos Chagas Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | | | - Sonia Guil
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), Badalona, 08916 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Germans Trias i Pujol Health Science Research Institute, Badalona, 08916 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
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Gaitsch H, Franklin RJM, Reich DS. Cell-free DNA-based liquid biopsies in neurology. Brain 2023; 146:1758-1774. [PMID: 36408894 PMCID: PMC10151188 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awac438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
This article reviews recent developments in the application of cell-free DNA-based liquid biopsies to neurological diseases. Over the past few decades, an explosion of interest in the use of accessible biofluids to identify and track molecular disease has revolutionized the fields of oncology, prenatal medicine and others. More recently, technological advances in signal detection have allowed for informative analysis of biofluids that are typically sparse in cells and other circulating components, such as CSF. In parallel, advancements in epigenetic profiling have allowed for novel applications of liquid biopsies to diseases without characteristic mutational profiles, including many degenerative, autoimmune, inflammatory, ischaemic and infectious disorders. These events have paved the way for a wide array of neurological conditions to benefit from enhanced diagnostic, prognostic, and treatment abilities through the use of liquid biomarkers: a 'liquid biopsy' approach. This review includes an overview of types of liquid biopsy targets with a focus on circulating cell-free DNA, methods used to identify and probe potential liquid biomarkers, and recent applications of such biomarkers to a variety of complex neurological conditions including CNS tumours, stroke, traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and neuroinfectious disease. Finally, the challenges of translating liquid biopsies to use in clinical neurology settings-and the opportunities for improvement in disease management that such translation may provide-are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hallie Gaitsch
- NIH-Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program, Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute and Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1TN, UK
| | | | - Daniel S Reich
- Translational Neuroradiology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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Stredny C, Rotenberg A, Leviton A, Loddenkemper T. Systemic inflammation as a biomarker of seizure propensity and a target for treatment to reduce seizure propensity. Epilepsia Open 2023; 8:221-234. [PMID: 36524286 PMCID: PMC9978091 DOI: 10.1002/epi4.12684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
People with diabetes can wear a device that measures blood glucose and delivers just the amount of insulin needed to return the glucose level to within bounds. Currently, people with epilepsy do not have access to an equivalent wearable device that measures a systemic indicator of an impending seizure and delivers a rapidly acting medication or other intervention (e.g., an electrical stimulus) to terminate or prevent a seizure. Given that seizure susceptibility is reliably increased in systemic inflammatory states, we propose a novel closed-loop device where release of a fast-acting therapy is governed by sensors that quantify the magnitude of systemic inflammation. Here, we review the evidence that patients with epilepsy have raised levels of systemic indicators of inflammation than controls, and that some anti-inflammatory drugs have reduced seizure occurrence in animals and humans. We then consider the options of what might be incorporated into a responsive anti-seizure system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Coral Stredny
- Division of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of NeurologyBoston Children's HospitalBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Department of NeurologyHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Alexander Rotenberg
- Division of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of NeurologyBoston Children's HospitalBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Department of NeurologyHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Alan Leviton
- Division of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of NeurologyBoston Children's HospitalBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Department of NeurologyHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Tobias Loddenkemper
- Division of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of NeurologyBoston Children's HospitalBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Department of NeurologyHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
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Mao S, Wu J, Yan J, Zhang W, Zhu F. Dysregulation of miR-146a: a causative factor in epilepsy pathogenesis, diagnosis, and prognosis. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1094709. [PMID: 37213914 PMCID: PMC10196196 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1094709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023] Open
Abstract
miR-146a is an NF-κB-dependent miRNA that acts as an anti-inflammatory miRNA via the Toll-like receptor (TLR) pathway. miR-146a targets multiple genes and has been identified to directly or indirectly regulate processes other than inflammation, including intracellular Ca changes, apoptosis, oxidative stress, and neurodegeneration. miR-146a is an important regulator of gene expression in epilepsy development and progression. Furthermore, miR-146a-related single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and single nucleotide variants (SNVs) contribute to the genetic susceptibility to drug resistance and seizure severity in epilepsy patients. This study summarizes the abnormal expression patterns of miR-146a in different types and stages of epilepsy and its potential molecular regulation mechanism, indicating that miR-146a can be used as a novel biomarker for epilepsy diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiqi Mao
- Department of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jinhan Wu
- Department of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jingkai Yan
- Department of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Weijun Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Weijun Zhang
| | - Feng Zhu
- Department of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Novel Targets and Drug Study for Neural Repair of Zhejiang Province, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou, China
- Feng Zhu
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Zhong Y. Screening of Risk Factors for Poor Prognosis in Patients with Refractory Epilepsy Secondary to Encephalomalacia. COMPUTATIONAL AND MATHEMATICAL METHODS IN MEDICINE 2022; 2022:5720102. [PMID: 35832138 PMCID: PMC9273423 DOI: 10.1155/2022/5720102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Objective The study was aimed at screening the independent prognostic risk factors for refractory epilepsy associated with encephalomalacia (REAE). Methods Patients with REAE treated in the First People's Hospital of Linping District from January 2018 to December 2019 were selected. The prognosis was represented by Engel grading. Clinical data of the patients were collected, including age, sex, BMI, lesion sites, number of lesion sites, lesion size, seizure frequency, epilepsy type, and treatment methods. Independent risk factors for poor prognosis were screened by logistic regression analysis. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was used to evaluate the prognostic efficacy of independent risk factors. Results A total of 48 patients were included in this study, including 31 patients (64.58%) in the good prognosis group and 17 patients (35.42%) in the poor prognosis group. The mean age of the poor prognosis group was higher than that of the good prognosis group (P = 0.002). The proportion of patients with multisite lesions in the poor prognosis group was higher than that in the good prognosis group (P = 0.016). The proportion of patients with cerebral malacia lesion diameter ≥ 3 cm in the poor prognosis group was higher than that in the good prognosis group (P = 0.002). The proportion of patients with attack frequency ≥ 2 times/month in the poor prognosis group was higher than in the good prognosis group (P = 0.002). The proportion of patients receiving surgical treatment in the poor prognosis group was lower than that in the good prognosis group (P < 0.001). Age, number of lesion sites, size of encephalomalacia, and seizure frequency were independent risk factors for the prognosis of patients with REAE (OR > 1, P < 0.05). Surgical treatment was an independent protective factor associated with the prognosis of patients with REAE (OR < 1, P < 0.05). The area under the ROC curve of surgical treatment was 0.83 (P = 0.004). The area under the ROC curve of the size of encephalomalacia was 0.72 (P = 0.008). There was a positive correlation between age and size of encephalomalacia and Engel grade (r > 0, P < 0.05). Surgical treatment was negatively correlated with Engel grade (r < 0, P < 0.05). The number of lesion sites and seizure frequency had no significant correlation with Engel (P > 0.05). The proportion of Engel I patients treated with surgery was higher than that treated with drugs (P = 0.001). The ratio of Engel III and IV patients treated with surgery was lower than that treated with medications (P < 0.05). Conclusion Age, number of lesion sites, size of encephalomalacia, and seizure frequency are independent risk factors for the prognosis of patients with REAE. Surgical treatment is an independent prognostic factor for patients with REAE. Surgical treatment can significantly improve patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinjun Zhong
- First People's Hospital of Linping District, Hangzhou 311100, China
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