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Staurenghi E, Testa G, Leoni V, Cecci R, Floro L, Giannelli S, Barone E, Perluigi M, Leonarduzzi G, Sottero B, Gamba P. Altered Brain Cholesterol Machinery in a Down Syndrome Mouse Model: A Possible Common Feature with Alzheimer's Disease. Antioxidants (Basel) 2024; 13:435. [PMID: 38671883 PMCID: PMC11047305 DOI: 10.3390/antiox13040435] [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: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Down syndrome (DS) is a complex chromosomal disorder considered as a genetically determined form of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Maintenance of brain cholesterol homeostasis is essential for brain functioning and development, and its dysregulation is associated with AD neuroinflammation and oxidative damage. Brain cholesterol imbalances also likely occur in DS, concurring with the precocious AD-like neurodegeneration. In this pilot study, we analyzed, in the brain of the Ts2Cje (Ts2) mouse model of DS, the expression of genes encoding key enzymes involved in cholesterol metabolism and of the levels of cholesterol and its main precursors and products of its metabolism (i.e., oxysterols). The results showed, in Ts2 mice compared to euploid mice, the downregulation of the transcription of the genes encoding the enzymes 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase and 24-dehydrocholesterol reductase, the latter originally recognized as an indicator of AD, and the consequent reduction in total cholesterol levels. Moreover, the expression of genes encoding enzymes responsible for brain cholesterol oxidation and the amounts of the resulting oxysterols were modified in Ts2 mouse brains, and the levels of cholesterol autoxidation products were increased, suggesting an exacerbation of cerebral oxidative stress. We also observed an enhanced inflammatory response in Ts2 mice, underlined by the upregulation of the transcription of the genes encoding for α-interferon and interleukin-6, two cytokines whose synthesis is increased in the brains of AD patients. Overall, these results suggest that DS and AD brains share cholesterol cycle derangements and altered oxysterol levels, which may contribute to the oxidative and inflammatory events involved in both diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica Staurenghi
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, San Luigi Hospital, 10043 Orbassano, Italy; (E.S.); (R.C.); (L.F.); (S.G.); (G.L.); (B.S.); (P.G.)
| | - Gabriella Testa
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, San Luigi Hospital, 10043 Orbassano, Italy; (E.S.); (R.C.); (L.F.); (S.G.); (G.L.); (B.S.); (P.G.)
| | - Valerio Leoni
- Laboratory of Clinical Pathology, Hospital Pio XI of Desio, ASST-Brianza and Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20832 Desio, Italy;
| | - Rebecca Cecci
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, San Luigi Hospital, 10043 Orbassano, Italy; (E.S.); (R.C.); (L.F.); (S.G.); (G.L.); (B.S.); (P.G.)
| | - Lucrezia Floro
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, San Luigi Hospital, 10043 Orbassano, Italy; (E.S.); (R.C.); (L.F.); (S.G.); (G.L.); (B.S.); (P.G.)
| | - Serena Giannelli
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, San Luigi Hospital, 10043 Orbassano, Italy; (E.S.); (R.C.); (L.F.); (S.G.); (G.L.); (B.S.); (P.G.)
| | - Eugenio Barone
- Department of Biochemical Sciences “A. Rossi-Fanelli”, Sapienza University, 00185 Roma, Italy; (E.B.); (M.P.)
| | - Marzia Perluigi
- Department of Biochemical Sciences “A. Rossi-Fanelli”, Sapienza University, 00185 Roma, Italy; (E.B.); (M.P.)
| | - Gabriella Leonarduzzi
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, San Luigi Hospital, 10043 Orbassano, Italy; (E.S.); (R.C.); (L.F.); (S.G.); (G.L.); (B.S.); (P.G.)
| | - Barbara Sottero
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, San Luigi Hospital, 10043 Orbassano, Italy; (E.S.); (R.C.); (L.F.); (S.G.); (G.L.); (B.S.); (P.G.)
| | - Paola Gamba
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, San Luigi Hospital, 10043 Orbassano, Italy; (E.S.); (R.C.); (L.F.); (S.G.); (G.L.); (B.S.); (P.G.)
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Coelho R, De Benedictis CA, Sauer AK, Figueira AJ, Faustino H, Grabrucker AM, Gomes CM. Secondary Modification of S100B Influences Anti Amyloid-β Aggregation Activity and Alzheimer's Disease Pathology. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1787. [PMID: 38339064 PMCID: PMC10855146 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031787] [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: 01/06/2024] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Proteinaceous aggregates accumulate in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's Disease (AD), inducing cellular defense mechanisms and altering the redox status. S100 pro-inflammatory cytokines, particularly S100B, are activated during AD, but recent findings reveal an unconventional molecular chaperone role for S100B in hindering Aβ aggregation and toxicity. This suggests a potential protective role for S100B at the onset of Aβ proteotoxicity, occurring in a complex biochemical environment prone to oxidative damage. Herein, we report an investigation in which extracellular oxidative conditions are mimicked to test if the susceptibility of S100B to oxidation influences its protective activities. Resorting to mild oxidation of S100B, we observed methionine oxidation as inferred from mass spectrometry, but no cysteine-mediated crosslinking. Structural analysis showed that the folding, structure, and stability of oxidized S100B were not affected, and nor was its quaternary structure. However, studies on Aβ aggregation kinetics indicated that oxidized S100B was more effective in preventing aggregation, potentially linked to the oxidation of Met residues within the S100:Aβ binding cleft that favors interactions. Using a cell culture model to analyze the S100B functions in a highly oxidative milieu, as in AD, we observed that Aβ toxicity is rescued by the co-administration of oxidized S100B to a greater extent than by S100B. Additionally, results suggest a disrupted positive feedback loop involving S100B which is caused by its oxidation, leading to the downstream regulation of IL-17 and IFN-α2 expression as mediated by S100B.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romina Coelho
- BioISI—Instituto de Biosistemas e Ciências Integrativas, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal; (R.C.); (A.J.F.)
- Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Chiara A. De Benedictis
- Cellular Neurobiology and Neuro-Nanotechnology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Limerick, V94PH61 Limerick, Ireland; (C.A.D.B.); (A.K.S.)
- Bernal Institute, University of Limerick, V94PH61 Limerick, Ireland
| | - Ann Katrin Sauer
- Cellular Neurobiology and Neuro-Nanotechnology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Limerick, V94PH61 Limerick, Ireland; (C.A.D.B.); (A.K.S.)
- Bernal Institute, University of Limerick, V94PH61 Limerick, Ireland
- Health Research Institute (HRI), University of Limerick, V94PH61 Limerick, Ireland
| | - António J. Figueira
- BioISI—Instituto de Biosistemas e Ciências Integrativas, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal; (R.C.); (A.J.F.)
- Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Hélio Faustino
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal;
- Association BLC3—Technology and Innovation Campus, Centre Bio R&D Unit, Oliveira do Hospital, Rua Nossa Senhora da Conceição No. 2, 3405-155 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Andreas M. Grabrucker
- Cellular Neurobiology and Neuro-Nanotechnology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Limerick, V94PH61 Limerick, Ireland; (C.A.D.B.); (A.K.S.)
- Bernal Institute, University of Limerick, V94PH61 Limerick, Ireland
- Health Research Institute (HRI), University of Limerick, V94PH61 Limerick, Ireland
| | - Cláudio M. Gomes
- BioISI—Instituto de Biosistemas e Ciências Integrativas, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal; (R.C.); (A.J.F.)
- Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
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Fritsch LE, Kelly C, Pickrell AM. The role of STING signaling in central nervous system infection and neuroinflammatory disease. WIREs Mech Dis 2023; 15:e1597. [PMID: 36632700 PMCID: PMC10175194 DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.1597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 11/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate (GMP-AMP) synthase-Stimulator of Interferon Genes (cGAS-STING) pathway is a critical innate immune mechanism for detecting the presence of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) and prompting a robust immune response. Canonical cGAS-STING activation occurs when cGAS, a predominantly cytosolic pattern recognition receptor, binds microbial DNA to promote STING activation. Upon STING activation, transcription factors enter the nucleus to cause the production of Type I interferons, inflammatory cytokines whose primary function is to prime the host for viral infection by producing a number of antiviral interferon-stimulated genes. While the pathway was originally described in viral infection, more recent studies have implicated cGAS-STING signaling in a number of different contexts, including autoimmune disease, cancer, injury, and neuroinflammatory disease. This review focuses on how our understanding of the cGAS-STING pathway has evolved over time with an emphasis on the role of STING-mediated neuroinflammation and infection in the nervous system. We discuss recent findings on how STING signaling contributes to the pathology of pain, traumatic brain injury, and stroke, as well as how mitochondrial DNA may promote STING activation in common neurodegenerative diseases. We conclude by commenting on the current knowledge gaps that should be filled before STING can be an effective therapeutic target in neuroinflammatory disease. This article is categorized under: Neurological Diseases > Molecular and Cellular Physiology Infectious Diseases > Molecular and Cellular Physiology Immune System Diseases > Molecular and Cellular Physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren E. Fritsch
- Graduate Program in Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Roanoke, Virginia, USA
| | - Colin Kelly
- Graduate Program in Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Roanoke, Virginia, USA
| | - Alicia M. Pickrell
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
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Liu Y, Si ZZ, Zou CJ, Mei X, Li XF, Luo H, Shen Y, Hu J, Li XX, Wu L. Targeting neuroinflammation in Alzheimer’s disease: from mechanisms to clinical applications. Neural Regen Res 2023; 18:708-715. [DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.353484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
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Stahr N, Galkina EV. Immune Response at the Crossroads of Atherosclerosis and Alzheimer's Disease. Front Cardiovasc Med 2022; 9:870144. [PMID: 35872901 PMCID: PMC9298512 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.870144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) are pathologies that are characterized by common signatures of vascular dysfunction and chronic inflammation that are accelerated with aging. Importantly, epidemiological studies report an independent interaction between AD and CVD and data suggest that chronic inflammation in CVD may accelerate AD development. Atherosclerosis affects most large to medium sized arteries including those supplying the cerebral circulation. Vascular dysfunction caused by atherosclerosis results in blood brain barrier breakdown, inflammation, an impaired clearance of amyloid-beta (Aβ), and finally ends with neurovascular dysfunction. Numerous data indicate that innate and adaptive immune responses shape atherogenesis and increasing evidence suggests an implication of the immune response in AD progression. Currently, mechanisms by which these two diseases are interconnected with each other are not well-defined. In this review, we discuss the recent advances in our understanding of the intertwined role of the immune response in atherosclerosis and AD and the implications of these findings for human health.
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Xue F, Tian J, Yu C, Du H, Guo L. Type I interferon response-related microglial Mef2c deregulation at the onset of Alzheimer's pathology in 5×FAD mice. Neurobiol Dis 2021; 152:105272. [PMID: 33540048 PMCID: PMC7956132 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2021.105272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder with multifactorial etiology. The role of microglia in the pathogenesis of AD has been increasingly recognized in recent years; however, the detailed mechanisms shaping microglial phenotypes in AD-relevant pathological settings remain largely unresolved. Myocyte-specific enhancer factor 2C (Mef2C) is a transcription factor with versatile functions. Recent studies have attributed aging-related microglial changes to type I interferon (IFN-I)-associated Mef2C deregulation. In view of the close relationship between brain aging and AD, it is of great interest to determine microglial Mef2C changes in AD-related conditions. In this study, we have found that suppressed Mef2C nuclear translocation was an early and prominent microglial phenotype in a mouse model of brain amyloidosis (5×FAD mice), which exacerbated with age. Echoing the early Mef2C deregulation and its association with microglial activation, transcriptional data showed elicited IFN-I response in microglia from young 5×FAD mice. Amyloid beta 42 (Aβ42) in its oligomeric forms promoted Mef2C deregulation in microglia on acute organotypic brain slices with augmented microglial activation and synapse elimination via microglial phagocytosis. Importantly, these oligomeric Aβ42-mediated microglial changes were substantially attenuated by blocking IFN-I signaling. The simplest interpretation of the results is that Mef2C, concurring with activated IFN-I signaling, constitutes early microglial changes in AD-related conditions. In addition to the potential contribution of Mef2C deregulation to the development of microglial phenotypes in AD, Mef2C suppression in microglia may serve as a potential mechanistic pathway linking brain aging and AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Xue
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, University of Kansas, KS 66045, United States; The Biological Science Department, University of Texas at Dallas, TX 75080, United States
| | - Jing Tian
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, University of Kansas, KS 66045, United States; The Biological Science Department, University of Texas at Dallas, TX 75080, United States
| | - Chunxiao Yu
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, University of Kansas, KS 66045, United States; The Biological Science Department, University of Texas at Dallas, TX 75080, United States
| | - Heng Du
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, University of Kansas, KS 66045, United States; Higuchi Biosciences Center, University of Kansas, KS 66045, United States; The Biological Science Department, University of Texas at Dallas, TX 75080, United States.
| | - Lan Guo
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, University of Kansas, KS 66045, United States; Higuchi Biosciences Center, University of Kansas, KS 66045, United States; The Biological Science Department, University of Texas at Dallas, TX 75080, United States.
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Ennerfelt HE, Lukens JR. The role of innate immunity in Alzheimer's disease. Immunol Rev 2020; 297:225-246. [PMID: 32588460 PMCID: PMC7783860 DOI: 10.1111/imr.12896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 05/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The amyloid hypothesis has dominated Alzheimer's disease (AD) research for almost 30 years. This hypothesis hinges on the predominant clinical role of the amyloid beta (Aβ) peptide in propagating neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) and eventual cognitive impairment in AD. Recent research in the AD field has identified the brain-resident macrophages, known as microglia, and their receptors as integral regulators of both the initiation and propagation of inflammation, Aβ accumulation, neuronal loss, and memory decline in AD. Emerging studies have also begun to reveal critical roles for distinct innate immune pathways in AD pathogenesis, which has led to great interest in harnessing the innate immune response as a therapeutic strategy to treat AD. In this review, we will highlight recent advancements in our understanding of innate immunity and inflammation in AD onset and progression. Additionally, there has been mounting evidence suggesting pivotal contributions of environmental factors and lifestyle choices in AD pathogenesis. Therefore, we will also discuss recent findings, suggesting that many of these AD risk factors influence AD progression via modulation of microglia and immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah E. Ennerfelt
- Center for Brain Immunology and Glia (BIG), Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
- Cell and Molecular Biology Training Program, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - John R. Lukens
- Center for Brain Immunology and Glia (BIG), Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
- Cell and Molecular Biology Training Program, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
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