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Whitson HE, Banks WA, Diaz MM, Frost B, Kellis M, Lathe R, Schmader KE, Spudich SS, Tanzi R, Garden G. New approaches for understanding the potential role of microbes in Alzheimer's disease. Brain Behav Immun Health 2024; 36:100743. [PMID: 38435720 PMCID: PMC10906156 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2024.100743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) involves a complex pathological process that evolves over years, and its etiology is understood as a classic example of gene-environment interaction. The notion that exposure to microbial organisms may play some role in AD pathology has been proposed and debated for decades. New evidence from model organisms and -omic studies, as well as epidemiological data from the recent COVID-19 pandemic and widespread use of vaccines, offers new insights into the "germ hypothesis" of AD. To review new evidence and identify key research questions, the Duke/University of North Carolina (Duke/UNC) Alzheimer's Disease Research Center hosted a virtual symposium and workshop: "New Approaches for Understanding the Potential Role of Microbes in Alzheimer's disease." Discussion centered around the antimicrobial protection hypothesis of amyloid accumulation, and other mechanisms by which microbes could influence AD pathology including immune cell activation, changes in blood-brain barrier, or direct neurotoxicity. This summary of proceedings reviews the content presented in the symposium and provides a summary of major topics and key questions discussed in the workshop.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather E. Whitson
- Duke Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, Duke University School of Medicine, Busse Bldg Rm 3502, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
- Durham VA Medical Center, Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, 508 Fulton Street, Durham, NC, 27705, USA
| | - William A. Banks
- Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, 1660 S Columbian Way, Seattle, WA, 98108, USA
| | - Monica M. Diaz
- Department of Neurology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 170 Manning Dr, CB 7025, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Bess Frost
- Barshop Institute for Longevity & Aging Studies, 4939 Charles Katz Rm 1041, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Manolis Kellis
- Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 32 Vassar St., Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Richard Lathe
- Division of Infection Medicine, University of Edinburgh Medical School, Edinburgh BioQuarter, Little France, Edinburgh, EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Kenneth E. Schmader
- Duke Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, Duke University School of Medicine, Busse Bldg Rm 3502, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
- Durham VA Medical Center, Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, 508 Fulton Street, Durham, NC, 27705, USA
| | - Serena S. Spudich
- Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Room 8300, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Rudolph Tanzi
- Genetics and Aging Research Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, 114 16th Street, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Gwenn Garden
- University of North Carolina - Dept of Neurology, 170 Manning Drive, Campus Box 7025, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7025, USA
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Xu X, Zhang C, Tang G, Wang N, Feng Y. Single-cell transcriptome profiling highlights the role of APP in blood vessels in assessing the risk of patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy developing Alzheimer's disease. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 11:1328979. [PMID: 38328307 PMCID: PMC10847282 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1328979] [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: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The incidence of diabetic retinopathy (DR) has been found to be associated with the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD). In addition to the common properties of neurodegeneration, their progressions are involved with abnormal vascular functions. However, the interactions between them have not been fully understood. This study aimed to investigate the key factor for the underlying interactions and shared signaling pathways in the vasculature of DR and AD. Methods: We retrieved single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data regarding human fibrovascular membrane (FVM) of proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) and human hippocampus vessels of AD from the NCBI-GEO database. GSEA analysis was performed to analyze AD-related genes in endothelial cells and pericytes of PDR. CellChat was used for predicting cell-cell communication and the signaling pathway. Results: The data suggested that amyloid-beta precursor protein (APP) signaling was found crucial in the vasculature of PDR and AD. Endothelial cells and pericytes could pose influences on other cells mainly via APP signaling in PDR. The endothelial cells were mainly coordinated with macrophages in the hippocampus vasculature of AD via APP signaling. The bulk RNA-seq in mice with PDR validated that the expression of APP gene had a significant correlation with that of the AD genome-wide association studies (GWAS) gene. Discussion: Our study demonstrates that the vasculopathy of PDR and AD is likely to share a common signaling pathway, of which the APP-related pathway is a potential target.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Yibin Feng
- School of Chinese Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
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Yedke NG, Kumar P. The Neuroprotective Role of BCG Vaccine in Movement Disorders: A Review. CNS & NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS DRUG TARGETS 2024; 23:30-38. [PMID: 36567299 DOI: 10.2174/1871527322666221223142813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is the first developed vaccine to prevent tuberculosis (TB) and is the world's most widely used vaccine. It has a reconcilable defense in opposition to tuberculosis, meningitis, and miliary disease in children but changeable protection against pulmonary TB. Immune activation is responsible for regulating neural development by activating it. The effect of the BCG vaccine on neuronal disorders due to subordinate immune provocation is useful. BCG vaccine can prevent neuronal degeneration in different neurological disorders by provoking auto-reactive T-cells. In the case of TB, CD4+ T-cells effectively protect the immune response by protecting the central defense. Because of the preceding fact, BCG induces protection by creating precise T-cells like CD4+ T-cells and CD8+ T-cells. Hence, vaccination-induced protection generates specific T-cells and CD4+ T-cells, and CD8+ T-cells. The BCG vaccine may have an essential effect on motor disorders and play a crucial role in neuroprotective management. The present review describes how the BCG vaccine might be interrelated with motor disorders and play a key role in such diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Narhari Gangaram Yedke
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Technical University, Bathinda, Punjab, India
| | - Puneet Kumar
- Department of Pharmacology Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab, India
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Li Q, Wang X, Wang ZH, Lin Z, Yang J, Chen J, Wang R, Ye W, Li Y, Wu Y, Xuan A. Changes in dendritic complexity and spine morphology following BCG immunization in APP/PS1 mice. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2022; 18:2121568. [PMID: 36113067 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2022.2121568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacillus Calmette - Guerin (BCG) is an immune regulator that can enhance hippocampal synaptic plasticity in rats; however, it is unclear whether it can improve synaptic function in a mouse model with Alzheimer's disease (AD). We hypothesized that BCG plays a protective role in AD mice and investigated its effect on dendritic morphology. The results obtained show that BCG immunization significantly increases dendritic complexity, as indicated by the increased number of dendritic intersections and branch points, as well as the increase in the fractal dimension. Furthermore, the number of primary neurites and dendritic length also increased following BCG immunization, which increased the number of spines and promoted maturation. IFN-γ and IL-4 levels increased, while TNF-α levels decreased following BCG immunization; expression levels of p-JAK2, P-STAT3, SYN, and PSD-95 also increased. Therefore, this study demonstrates that BCG immunization in APP/PS1 mice mitigated hippocampal dendritic spine pathology, especially after the third round of immunization. This effect could possibly be attributed to; changes in dendritic arborization and spine morphology or increases in SYN and PSD-95 expression levels. It could also be related to mechanisms of BCG-induced increases in IFN-γ or IL-4/JAK2/STAT3 levels.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Zhenzong Lin
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Jieyi Yang
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Jichun Chen
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Rui Wang
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Wenfeng Ye
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Ya Li
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Yingying Wu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Aiguo Xuan
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, PR China
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Cossu D, Ruberto S, Yokoyama K, Hattori N, Sechi LA. Efficacy of BCG vaccine in animal models of neurological disorders. Vaccine 2021; 40:432-436. [PMID: 34906393 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2021.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine can modulate the immune response via antigen-specific immune response, but also it can confer nonspecific protection and therapeutic benefits in several neurological conditions through different heterologous effects of vaccination. However, the precise mechanism of action of BCG remains unclear. In this review, different mechanisms underlying BCG-mediated immunity will be explained in animal models that reflects characteristic feature of neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative disorders such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Furthermore, evidence for a beneficial effect of the BCG on neuropsychiatric disorders, will be also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Cossu
- University of Sassari, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Microbiology and Virology, Sassari 09100, Italy; Juntendo University, Department of Neurology, Tokyo 113-8431, Japan.
| | - Stefano Ruberto
- University of Sassari, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Microbiology and Virology, Sassari 09100, Italy
| | | | - Nobutaka Hattori
- Juntendo University, Department of Neurology, Tokyo 113-8431, Japan
| | - Leonardo A Sechi
- University of Sassari, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Microbiology and Virology, Sassari 09100, Italy; SC Microbiologia AOU Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
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Immune cell compartmentalization for brain surveillance and protection. Nat Immunol 2021; 22:1083-1092. [PMID: 34429552 DOI: 10.1038/s41590-021-00994-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
For decades, it was commonly accepted that the brain is secluded from peripheral immune activity and is self-sufficient for its maintenance and repair. This simplistic perception was based on the presence of resident immune cells, the microglia, and barrier systems within the brain, and the assumption that the central nervous system (CNS) lacks lymphatic drainage. This view was revised with the discoveries that higher functions of the CNS, homeostasis and repair are supported by peripheral innate and adaptive immune cells. The findings of bone marrow-derived immune cells in specialized niches, and the renewed observation that a lymphatic drainage system exists within the brain, further contributed to this revised model. In this Review, we describe the immune niches within the brain, the contribution of professional immune cells to brain functions, the bidirectional relationships between the CNS and the immune system and the relevance of immune components to brain aging and neurodegenerative diseases.
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