1
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Alves VC, Carro E, Figueiro-Silva J. Unveiling DNA methylation in Alzheimer's disease: a review of array-based human brain studies. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:2365-2376. [PMID: 38526273 PMCID: PMC11090417 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.393106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The intricacies of Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis are being increasingly illuminated by the exploration of epigenetic mechanisms, particularly DNA methylation. This review comprehensively surveys recent human-centered studies that investigate whole genome DNA methylation in Alzheimer's disease neuropathology. The examination of various brain regions reveals distinctive DNA methylation patterns that associate with the Braak stage and Alzheimer's disease progression. The entorhinal cortex emerges as a focal point due to its early histological alterations and subsequent impact on downstream regions like the hippocampus. Notably, ANK1 hypermethylation, a protein implicated in neurofibrillary tangle formation, was recurrently identified in the entorhinal cortex. Further, the middle temporal gyrus and prefrontal cortex were shown to exhibit significant hypermethylation of genes like HOXA3, RHBDF2, and MCF2L, potentially influencing neuroinflammatory processes. The complex role of BIN1 in late-onset Alzheimer's disease is underscored by its association with altered methylation patterns. Despite the disparities across studies, these findings highlight the intricate interplay between epigenetic modifications and Alzheimer's disease pathology. Future research efforts should address methodological variations, incorporate diverse cohorts, and consider environmental factors to unravel the nuanced epigenetic landscape underlying Alzheimer's disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Cunha Alves
- Neurodegenerative Diseases Group, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre Research Institute (imas12), Madrid, Spain
- Network Center for Biomedical Research, Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
- PhD Program in Neuroscience, Autonoma de Madrid University, Madrid, Spain
- Neurotraumatology and Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Group, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre Research Institute (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Eva Carro
- Network Center for Biomedical Research, Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
- Neurobiology of Alzheimer's Disease Unit, Functional Unit for Research Into Chronic Diseases, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Joana Figueiro-Silva
- Institute of Medical Genetics, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Molecular Life Science, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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2
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Islam MR, Rabbi MA, Hossain T, Sultana S, Uddin S. Mechanistic Approach to Immunity and Immunotherapy of Alzheimer's Disease: A Review. ACS Chem Neurosci 2024. [PMID: 39173186 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.4c00360] [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: 08/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a debilitating neurodegenerative condition characterized by progressive cognitive decline and memory loss, affecting millions of people worldwide. Traditional treatments, such as cholinesterase inhibitors and NMDA receptor antagonists, offer limited symptomatic relief without addressing the underlying disease mechanisms. These limitations have driven the development of more potent and effective therapies. Recent advances in immunotherapy present promising avenues for AD treatment. Immunotherapy strategies, including both active and passive approaches, harness the immune system to target and mitigate AD-related pathology. Active immunotherapy stimulates the patient's immune response to produce antibodies against AD-specific antigens, while passive immunotherapy involves administering preformed antibodies or immune cells that specifically target amyloid-β (Aβ) or tau proteins. Monoclonal antibodies, such as aducanumab and lecanemab, have shown potential in reducing Aβ plaques and slowing cognitive decline in clinical trials, despite challenges related to adverse immune responses and the need for precise targeting. This comprehensive review explores the role of the immune system in AD, evaluates the current successes and limitations of immunotherapeutic approaches, and discusses future directions for enhancing the treatment efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Rubiath Islam
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet 3114, Bangladesh
| | - Md Afser Rabbi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet 3114, Bangladesh
| | - Tanbir Hossain
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet 3114, Bangladesh
| | - Sadia Sultana
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet 3114, Bangladesh
| | - Shihab Uddin
- Department of Bioengineering, King Fahad University of Petroleum & Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
- Interdisciplinary Research Center for Bio Systems and Machines, King Fahad University of Petroleum & Minerals, Dhahran-31261, Saudi Arabia
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3
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Ye C, Ho R, Moberg KH, Zheng JQ. Sexual Dimorphism in Age-Dependent Neurodegeneration After Mild Head Trauma in Drosophila : Unveiling the Adverse Impact of Female Reproductive Signaling. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.06.583747. [PMID: 38496515 PMCID: PMC10942469 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.06.583747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Environmental insults, including mild head trauma, significantly increase the risk of neurodegeneration. However, it remains challenging to establish a causative connection between early-life exposure to mild head trauma and late-life emergence of neurodegenerative deficits, nor do we know how sex and age compound the outcome. Using a Drosophila model, we demonstrate that exposure to mild head trauma causes neurodegenerative conditions that emerge late in life and disproportionately affect females. Increasing age-at-injury further exacerbates this effect in a sexually dimorphic manner. We further identify Sex Peptide (SP) signaling as a key factor in female susceptibility to post-injury brain deficits. RNA sequencing highlights a reduction in innate immune defense transcripts specifically in mated females during late life. Our findings establish a causal relationship between early head trauma and late-life neurodegeneration, emphasizing sex differences in injury response and the impact of age-at-injury. Finally, our findings reveal that reproductive signaling adversely impacts female response to mild head insults and elevates vulnerability to late-life neurodegeneration.
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Singh MK, Shin Y, Ju S, Han S, Kim SS, Kang I. Comprehensive Overview of Alzheimer's Disease: Etiological Insights and Degradation Strategies. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6901. [PMID: 39000011 PMCID: PMC11241648 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25136901] [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: 05/21/2024] [Revised: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder and affects millions of individuals globally. AD is associated with cognitive decline and memory loss that worsens with aging. A statistical report using U.S. data on AD estimates that approximately 6.9 million individuals suffer from AD, a number projected to surge to 13.8 million by 2060. Thus, there is a critical imperative to pinpoint and address AD and its hallmark tau protein aggregation early to prevent and manage its debilitating effects. Amyloid-β and tau proteins are primarily associated with the formation of plaques and neurofibril tangles in the brain. Current research efforts focus on degrading amyloid-β and tau or inhibiting their synthesis, particularly targeting APP processing and tau hyperphosphorylation, aiming to develop effective clinical interventions. However, navigating this intricate landscape requires ongoing studies and clinical trials to develop treatments that truly make a difference. Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) across various cohorts identified 40 loci and over 300 genes associated with AD. Despite this wealth of genetic data, much remains to be understood about the functions of these genes and their role in the disease process, prompting continued investigation. By delving deeper into these genetic associations, novel targets such as kinases, proteases, cytokines, and degradation pathways, offer new directions for drug discovery and therapeutic intervention in AD. This review delves into the intricate biological pathways disrupted in AD and identifies how genetic variations within these pathways could serve as potential targets for drug discovery and treatment strategies. Through a comprehensive understanding of the molecular underpinnings of AD, researchers aim to pave the way for more effective therapies that can alleviate the burden of this devastating disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manish Kumar Singh
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
- Biomedical Science Institute, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoonhwa Shin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
- Biomedical Science Institute, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Songhyun Ju
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
- Biomedical Science Institute, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Sunhee Han
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
- Biomedical Science Institute, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Soo Kim
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
- Biomedical Science Institute, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Insug Kang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
- Biomedical Science Institute, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
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5
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Hu Y, Zhao Z, Xu F, Ren X, Liu M, Zheng Z, Wang Q. Transcriptome and Animal Model Integration Reveals Inhibition of Calcium Homeostasis-Associated Gene ITPKB Alleviates Amyloid Plaque Deposition. J Mol Neurosci 2024; 74:42. [PMID: 38613644 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-024-02221-7] [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: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a severe neurological illness that causes memory loss and is a global problem. The calcium hypothesis recently steadily evolved in AD. The prospective targets for calcium homeostasis therapy, however, are limited, and gene expression-level research connected to calcium homeostasis in AD remains hazy. In this study, we analyzed the microarray dataset (GSE132903) taken from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database to investigate calcium homeostasis-related genes for AD. Using immunoblot analysis, we examined the association of ITPKB with inflammation in AD. Additionally, the immunofluorescence technique was employed to assess the impact of pharmacological inhibition of ITPKB on the amyloid-β (Aβ) plaque deposition in APP/PS1 mice. This article's further exploration of calcium homeostasis-related genes has propelled the validation of the calcium homeostasis theory in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufei Hu
- Department of Anesthesiology, the Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, 139 Ziqiang Road, Hebei, 050051, China
| | - Zijun Zhao
- Department of Anesthesiology, the Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, 139 Ziqiang Road, Hebei, 050051, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, Hebei Provincial Chest Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, 050047, China
| | - Fang Xu
- Department of Anesthesiology, the Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, 139 Ziqiang Road, Hebei, 050051, China
| | - Xiaoqin Ren
- Department of Anesthesiology, the Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, 139 Ziqiang Road, Hebei, 050051, China
| | - Menglin Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, the Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, 139 Ziqiang Road, Hebei, 050051, China
| | - Zilei Zheng
- Department of Anesthesiology, the Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, 139 Ziqiang Road, Hebei, 050051, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, Zhangjiakou Fourth Hospital, Zhangjiakou, Hebei, 075000, China
| | - Qiujun Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, the Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, 139 Ziqiang Road, Hebei, 050051, China.
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Gohel D, Zhang P, Gupta AK, Li Y, Chiang CW, Li L, Hou Y, Pieper AA, Cummings J, Cheng F. Sildenafil as a Candidate Drug for Alzheimer's Disease: Real-World Patient Data Observation and Mechanistic Observations from Patient-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Neurons. J Alzheimers Dis 2024; 98:643-657. [PMID: 38427489 PMCID: PMC10977448 DOI: 10.3233/jad-231391] [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] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Background Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disease needing effective therapeutics urgently. Sildenafil, one of the approved phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors, has been implicated as having potential effect in AD. Objective To investigate the potential therapeutic benefit of sildenafil on AD. Methods We performed real-world patient data analysis using the MarketScan® Medicare Supplemental and the Clinformatics® databases. We conducted propensity score-stratified analyses after adjusting confounding factors (i.e., sex, age, race, and comorbidities). We used both familial and sporadic AD patient induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) derived neurons to evaluate the sildenafil's mechanism-of-action. Results We showed that sildenafil usage is associated with reduced likelihood of AD across four new drug compactor cohorts, including bumetanide, furosemide, spironolactone, and nifedipine. For instance, sildenafil usage is associated with a 54% reduced incidence of AD in MarketScan® (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.46, 95% CI 0.32- 0.66) and a 30% reduced prevalence of AD in Clinformatics® (HR = 0.70, 95% CI 0.49- 1.00) compared to spironolactone. We found that sildenafil treatment reduced tau hyperphosphorylation (pTau181 and pTau205) in a dose-dependent manner in both familial and sporadic AD patient iPSC-derived neurons. RNA-sequencing data analysis of sildenafil-treated AD patient iPSC-derived neurons reveals that sildenafil specifically target AD related genes and pathobiological pathways, mechanistically supporting the beneficial effect of sildenafil in AD. Conclusions These real-world patient data validation and mechanistic observations from patient iPSC-derived neurons further suggested that sildenafil is a potential repurposable drug for AD. Yet, randomized clinical trials are warranted to validate the causal treatment effects of sildenafil in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhruv Gohel
- Genomic Medicine Institute,Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Pengyue Zhang
- Department of Biostatistics and Health Data Science, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Amit Kumar Gupta
- Genomic Medicine Institute,Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Yichen Li
- Genomic Medicine Institute,Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Chien-Wei Chiang
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Lang Li
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Yuan Hou
- Genomic Medicine Institute,Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Andrew A. Pieper
- Brain Health Medicines Center, Harrington Discovery Institute, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Geriatric Psychiatry, GRECC, Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Institute for Transformative Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Department of Neurosciences, Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Jeffrey Cummings
- Department of Brain Health, School of Integrated Health Sciences, Chambers-Grundy Center for Transformative Neuroscience, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | - Feixiong Cheng
- Genomic Medicine Institute,Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Cleveland Clinic Genome Center, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
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7
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Essayan-Perez S, Südhof TC. Neuronal γ-secretase regulates lipid metabolism, linking cholesterol to synaptic dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease. Neuron 2023; 111:3176-3194.e7. [PMID: 37543038 PMCID: PMC10592349 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/07/2023]
Abstract
Presenilin mutations that alter γ-secretase activity cause familial Alzheimer's disease (AD), whereas ApoE4, an apolipoprotein for cholesterol transport, predisposes to sporadic AD. Both sporadic and familial AD feature synaptic dysfunction. Whether γ-secretase is involved in cholesterol metabolism and whether such involvement impacts synaptic function remains unknown. Here, we show that in human neurons, chronic pharmacological or genetic suppression of γ-secretase increases synapse numbers but decreases synaptic transmission by lowering the presynaptic release probability without altering dendritic or axonal arborizations. In search of a mechanism underlying these synaptic impairments, we discovered that chronic γ-secretase suppression robustly decreases cholesterol levels in neurons but not in glia, which in turn stimulates neuron-specific cholesterol-synthesis gene expression. Suppression of cholesterol levels by HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) impaired synaptic function similar to γ-secretase inhibition. Thus, γ-secretase enables synaptic function by maintaining cholesterol levels, whereas the chronic suppression of γ-secretase impairs synapses by lowering cholesterol levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Essayan-Perez
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | - Thomas C Südhof
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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8
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Kong F, Wu T, Dai J, Zhai Z, Cai J, Zhu Z, Xu Y, Sun T. Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists in experimental Alzheimer's disease models: a systematic review and meta-analysis of preclinical studies. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1205207. [PMID: 37771725 PMCID: PMC10525376 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1205207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a degenerative disease of the nervous system. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), a drug used to treat type 2 diabetes, have been shown to have neuroprotective effects. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the effects and potential mechanisms of GLP-1 RAs in AD animal models. 26 studies were included by searching relevant studies from seven databases according to a predefined search strategy and inclusion criteria. Methodological quality was assessed using SYRCLE's risk of bias tool, and statistical analysis was performed using ReviewManger 5.3. The results showed that, in terms of behavioral tests, GLP-1 RAs could improve the learning and memory abilities of AD rodents; in terms of pathology, GLP-1 RAs could reduce Aβ deposition and phosphorylated tau levels in the brains of AD rodents. The therapeutic potential of GLP-1 RAs in AD involves a range of mechanisms that work synergistically to enhance the alleviation of various pathological manifestations associated with the condition. A total of five clinical trials were retrieved from ClinicalTrials.gov. More large-scale and high-quality preclinical trials should be conducted to more accurately assess the therapeutic effects of GLP-1 RAs on AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanjing Kong
- School of Intelligent Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Tianyu Wu
- School of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Jingyi Dai
- School of Intelligent Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhenwei Zhai
- School of Intelligent Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Jie Cai
- School of Intelligent Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhishan Zhu
- School of Intelligent Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Ying Xu
- Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Tao Sun
- School of Intelligent Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
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9
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Giorelli M. Current and future perspectives of an early diagnosis of cognitive impairment. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1171681. [PMID: 37090988 PMCID: PMC10113481 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1171681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
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10
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Ye C, Behnke JA, Hardin KR, Zheng JQ. Drosophila melanogaster as a model to study age and sex differences in brain injury and neurodegeneration after mild head trauma. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1150694. [PMID: 37077318 PMCID: PMC10106652 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1150694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Repetitive physical insults to the head, including those that elicit mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), are a known risk factor for a variety of neurodegenerative conditions including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Although most individuals who sustain mTBI typically achieve a seemingly full recovery within a few weeks, a subset experience delayed-onset symptoms later in life. As most mTBI research has focused on the acute phase of injury, there is an incomplete understanding of mechanisms related to the late-life emergence of neurodegeneration after early exposure to mild head trauma. The recent adoption of Drosophila-based brain injury models provides several unique advantages over existing preclinical animal models, including a tractable framework amenable to high-throughput assays and short relative lifespan conducive to lifelong mechanistic investigation. The use of flies also provides an opportunity to investigate important risk factors associated with neurodegenerative conditions, specifically age and sex. In this review, we survey current literature that examines age and sex as contributing factors to head trauma-mediated neurodegeneration in humans and preclinical models, including mammalian and Drosophila models. We discuss similarities and disparities between human and fly in aging, sex differences, and pathophysiology. Finally, we highlight Drosophila as an effective tool for investigating mechanisms underlying head trauma-induced neurodegeneration and for identifying therapeutic targets for treatment and recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changtian Ye
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Joseph A. Behnke
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Katherine R. Hardin
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - James Q. Zheng
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
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11
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Ch'ng TH, Augustine GJ. Alzheimer's Disease: Effects on brain circuits and synapses. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2023; 139:1-2. [PMID: 35931594 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Toh Hean Ch'ng
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | - George J Augustine
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
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12
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Amoroso R, Maccallini C, Bellezza I. Activators of Nrf2 to Counteract Neurodegenerative Diseases. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:antiox12030778. [PMID: 36979026 PMCID: PMC10045503 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12030778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are incurable and debilitating conditions that result in progressive degeneration and loss of nerve cells. Oxidative stress has been proposed as one factor that plays a potential role in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders since neuron cells are particularly vulnerable to oxidative damage. Nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) is strictly related to anti-inflammatory and antioxidative cell response; therefore, its activation and the consequent enhancement of the related cellular pathways have been proposed as a potential therapeutic approach. Several Nrf2 activators with different mechanisms and diverse structures have been reported, but those applied for neurodisorders are still limited. However, in the very last few years, interesting progress has been made, particularly in enhancing the blood-brain barrier penetration, to make Nrf2 activators effective drugs, and in designing Nrf2-based multitarget-directed ligands to affect multiple pathways involved in the pathology of neurodegenerative diseases. The present review gives an overview of the most representative findings in this research area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Amoroso
- Department of Pharmacy, University "G.d'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini, 31, 66100 Chieti, Italy
| | - Cristina Maccallini
- Department of Pharmacy, University "G.d'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini, 31, 66100 Chieti, Italy
| | - Ilaria Bellezza
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Polo Unico Sant'Andrea delle Fratte, P.e Lucio Severi 1, 06132 Perugia, Italy
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13
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Yang L, Nao J. Ferroptosis: a potential therapeutic target for Alzheimer's disease. Rev Neurosci 2022:revneuro-2022-0121. [PMID: 36514247 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2022-0121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The most prevalent dementia-causing neurodegenerative condition is Alzheimer's disease (AD). The aberrant buildup of amyloid β and tau hyperphosphorylation are the two most well-known theories about the mechanisms underlying AD development. However, a significant number of pharmacological clinical studies conducted around the world based on the two aforementioned theories have not shown promising outcomes, and AD is still not effectively treated. Ferroptosis, a non-apoptotic programmed cell death defined by the buildup of deadly amounts of iron-dependent lipid peroxides, has received more attention in recent years. A wealth of data is emerging to support the role of iron in the pathophysiology of AD. Cell line and animal studies applying ferroptosis modulators to the treatment of AD have shown encouraging results. Based on these studies, we describe in this review the underlying mechanisms of ferroptosis; the role that ferroptosis plays in AD pathology; and summarise some of the research advances in the treatment of AD with ferroptosis modulators. We hope to contribute to the clinical management of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lan Yang
- Department of Neurology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, China
| | - Jianfei Nao
- Department of Neurology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, China
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14
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Fišar Z. Linking the Amyloid, Tau, and Mitochondrial Hypotheses of Alzheimer's Disease and Identifying Promising Drug Targets. Biomolecules 2022; 12:1676. [PMID: 36421690 PMCID: PMC9687482 DOI: 10.3390/biom12111676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Damage or loss of brain cells and impaired neurochemistry, neurogenesis, and synaptic and nonsynaptic plasticity of the brain lead to dementia in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Injury to synapses and neurons and accumulation of extracellular amyloid plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles are considered the main morphological and neuropathological features of AD. Age, genetic and epigenetic factors, environmental stressors, and lifestyle contribute to the risk of AD onset and progression. These risk factors are associated with structural and functional changes in the brain, leading to cognitive decline. Biomarkers of AD reflect or cause specific changes in brain function, especially changes in pathways associated with neurotransmission, neuroinflammation, bioenergetics, apoptosis, and oxidative and nitrosative stress. Even in the initial stages, AD is associated with Aβ neurotoxicity, mitochondrial dysfunction, and tau neurotoxicity. The integrative amyloid-tau-mitochondrial hypothesis assumes that the primary cause of AD is the neurotoxicity of Aβ oligomers and tau oligomers, mitochondrial dysfunction, and their mutual synergy. For the development of new efficient AD drugs, targeting the elimination of neurotoxicity, mutual potentiation of effects, and unwanted protein interactions of risk factors and biomarkers (mainly Aβ oligomers, tau oligomers, and mitochondrial dysfunction) in the early stage of the disease seems promising.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zdeněk Fišar
- Department of Psychiatry, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Ke Karlovu 11, 120 00 Prague, Czech Republic
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