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Wang Z, Yang X, Li H, Wang S, Liu Z, Wang Y, Zhang X, Chen Y, Xu Q, Xu J, Wang Z, Wang J. Bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization analyses support causal relationships between structural and diffusion imaging-derived phenotypes and the risk of major neurodegenerative diseases. Transl Psychiatry 2024; 14:215. [PMID: 38806463 PMCID: PMC11133432 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-02939-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Previous observational investigations suggest that structural and diffusion imaging-derived phenotypes (IDPs) are associated with major neurodegenerative diseases; however, whether these associations are causal remains largely uncertain. Herein we conducted bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization analyses to infer the causal relationships between structural and diffusion IDPs and major neurodegenerative diseases using common genetic variants-single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) as instrumental variables. Summary statistics of genome-wide association study (GWAS) for structural and diffusion IDPs were obtained from 33,224 individuals in the UK Biobank cohort. Summary statistics of GWAS for seven major neurodegenerative diseases were obtained from the largest GWAS for each disease to date. The forward MR analyses identified significant or suggestively statistical causal effects of genetically predicted three structural IDPs on Alzheimer's disease (AD), frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and multiple sclerosis. For example, the reduction in the surface area of the left superior temporal gyrus was associated with a higher risk of AD. The reverse MR analyses identified significantly or suggestively statistical causal effects of genetically predicted AD, Lewy body dementia (LBD), and FTD on nine structural and diffusion IDPs. For example, LBD was associated with increased mean diffusivity in the right superior longitudinal fasciculus and AD was associated with decreased gray matter volume in the right ventral striatum. Our findings might contribute to shedding light on the prediction and therapeutic intervention for the major neurodegenerative diseases at the neuroimaging level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zirui Wang
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Key Lab of Functional Imaging & Tianjin Institute of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China
| | - Xuan Yang
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Key Lab of Functional Imaging & Tianjin Institute of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China
- Department of Radiology, Jining No.1 People's Hospital, Jining, Shandong, 272000, China
| | - Haonan Li
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Key Lab of Functional Imaging & Tianjin Institute of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China
| | - Siqi Wang
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Key Lab of Functional Imaging & Tianjin Institute of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China
| | - Zhixuan Liu
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Key Lab of Functional Imaging & Tianjin Institute of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China
| | - Yaoyi Wang
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Key Lab of Functional Imaging & Tianjin Institute of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China
| | - Xingyu Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Key Lab of Functional Imaging & Tianjin Institute of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China
| | - Yayuan Chen
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Key Lab of Functional Imaging & Tianjin Institute of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China
| | - Qiang Xu
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Key Lab of Functional Imaging & Tianjin Institute of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China
| | - Jiayuan Xu
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Key Lab of Functional Imaging & Tianjin Institute of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China.
| | - Zengguang Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China.
| | - Junping Wang
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Key Lab of Functional Imaging & Tianjin Institute of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China.
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Van der Auwera S, Ameling S, Wittfeld K, Frenzel S, Bülow R, Nauck M, Völzke H, Völker U, Grabe HJ. Circulating microRNA miR-425-5p Associated with Brain White Matter Lesions and Inflammatory Processes. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:887. [PMID: 38255959 PMCID: PMC10815886 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25020887] [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: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
White matter lesions (WML) emerge as a consequence of vascular injuries in the brain. While they are commonly observed in aging, associations have been established with neurodegenerative and neurological disorders such as dementia or stroke. Despite substantial research efforts, biological mechanisms are incomplete and biomarkers indicating WMLs are lacking. Utilizing data from the population-based Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP), our objective was to identify plasma-circulating micro-RNAs (miRNAs) associated with WMLs, thus providing a foundation for a comprehensive biological model and further research. In linear regression models, direct association and moderating factors were analyzed. In 648 individuals, we identified hsa-miR-425-5p as directly associated with WMLs. In subsequent analyses, hsa-miR-425-5p was found to regulate various genes associated with WMLs with particular emphasis on the SH3PXD2A gene. Furthermore, miR-425-5p was found to be involved in immunological processes. In addition, noteworthy miRNAs associated with WMLs were identified, primarily moderated by the factors of sex or smoking status. All identified miRNAs exhibited a strong over-representation in neurodegenerative and neurological diseases. We introduced hsa-miR-425-5p as a promising candidate in WML research probably involved in immunological processes. Mir-425-5p holds the potential as a biomarker of WMLs, shedding light on potential mechanisms and pathways in vascular dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Van der Auwera
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
- German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Site Rostock/Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Sabine Ameling
- Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany; (M.N.)
| | - Katharina Wittfeld
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Stefan Frenzel
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Robin Bülow
- Institute for Diagnostic Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Matthias Nauck
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany; (M.N.)
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Henry Völzke
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany; (M.N.)
- Institute for Community Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Uwe Völker
- Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany; (M.N.)
| | - Hans J. Grabe
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
- German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Site Rostock/Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
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Lancaster T, Creese B, Escott-Price V, Driver I, Menzies G, Khan Z, Corbett A, Ballard C, Williams J, Murphy K, Chandler H. Proof-of-concept recall-by-genotype study of extremely low and high Alzheimer's polygenic risk reveals autobiographical deficits and cingulate cortex correlates. Alzheimers Res Ther 2023; 15:213. [PMID: 38087383 PMCID: PMC10714651 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-023-01362-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genome-wide association studies demonstrate that Alzheimer's disease (AD) has a highly polygenic architecture, where thousands of independent genetic variants explain risk with high classification accuracy. This AD polygenic risk score (AD-PRS) has been previously linked to preclinical cognitive and neuroimaging features observed in asymptomatic individuals. However, shared variance between AD-PRS and neurocognitive features are small, suggesting limited preclinical utility. METHODS Here, we recruited sixteen clinically asymptomatic individuals (mean age 67; range 58-76) with either extremely low / high AD-PRS (defined as at least 2 standard deviations from the wider sample mean (N = 4504; N EFFECTIVE = 90)) with comparable age sex and education level. We assessed group differences in autobiographical memory and T1-weighted structural neuroimaging features. RESULTS We observed marked reductions in autobiographical recollection (Cohen's d = - 1.66; P FDR = 0.014) and midline structure (cingulate) thickness (Cohen's d = - 1.55, P FDR = 0.05), with no difference in hippocampal volume (P > 0.3). We further confirm the negative association between AD-PRS and cingulate thickness in a larger study with a comparable age (N = 31,966, β = - 0.002, P = 0.011), supporting the validity of our approach. CONCLUSIONS These observations conform with multiple streams of prior evidence suggesting alterations in cingulate structures may occur in individuals with higher AD genetic risk. We were able to use a genetically informed research design strategy that significantly improved the efficiency and power of the study. Thus, we further demonstrate that the recall-by-genotype of AD-PRS from wider samples is a promising approach for the detection, assessment, and intervention in specific individuals with increased AD genetic risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Lancaster
- Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK.
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.
- Dementia Research Institute (UKDRI), Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.
| | - Byron Creese
- Department of Clinical and Biomedical Science, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
- Department of Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, west London, UK
| | - Valentina Escott-Price
- Division of Neuroscience and Mental Health, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Ian Driver
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Georgina Menzies
- Dementia Research Institute (UKDRI), Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Zunera Khan
- Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, Psychology & Neuroscience, London, UK
| | - Anne Corbett
- Deptartment of Health & Community Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Clive Ballard
- Department of Clinical and Biomedical Science, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Julie Williams
- Dementia Research Institute (UKDRI), Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Kevin Murphy
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Hannah Chandler
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
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