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Kuznetsov AV. The growth rate of senile plaques is determined by the competition between the rate of deposition of free Aβ aggregates into plaques and the autocatalytic production of free Aβ aggregates. J Theor Biol 2024; 593:111900. [PMID: 38992461 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2024.111900] [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: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 07/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
The formation of amyloid beta (Aβ) deposits (senile plaques) is one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study investigates what processes are primarily responsible for their formation. A model is developed to simulate the diffusion of amyloid beta (Aβ) monomers, the production of free Aβ aggregates through nucleation and autocatalytic processes, and the deposition of these aggregates into senile plaques. The model suggests that efficient degradation of Aβ monomers alone may suffice to prevent the growth of senile plaques, even without degrading Aβ aggregates and existing plaques. This is because the degradation of Aβ monomers interrupts the supply of reactants needed for plaque formation. The impact of Aβ monomer diffusivity is demonstrated to be small, enabling the application of the lumped capacitance approximation and the derivation of approximate analytical solutions for limiting cases with both small and large rates of Aβ aggregate deposition into plaques. It is found that the rate of plaque growth is governed by two competing processes. One is the deposition rate of free Aβ aggregates into senile plaques. If this rate is small, the plaque grows slowly. However, if the rate of deposition of Aβ aggregates into senile plaques is very large, the free Aβ aggregates are removed from the intracellular fluid by deposition into the plaques, leaving insufficient free Aβ aggregates to catalyze the production of new aggregates. This suggests that under certain conditions, Aβ plaques may offer neuroprotection and impede their own growth. Additionally, it indicates that there exists an optimal rate of deposition of free Aβ aggregates into the plaques, at which the plaques attain their maximum size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrey V Kuznetsov
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7910, USA.
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2
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Lykhmus O, Tzeng WY, Koval L, Uspenska K, Zirdum E, Kalashnyk O, Garaschuk O, Skok M. Impairment of brain function in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease during the pre-depositing phase: The role of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 178:117255. [PMID: 39116785 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.117255] [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: 06/07/2024] [Revised: 07/24/2024] [Accepted: 08/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-dependent incurable neurodegenerative disorder accompanied by neuroinflammation, amyloid accumulation, and memory impairment. It begins decades before the first clinical symptoms appear, and identifying early biomarkers is key for developing disease-modifying therapies. We show now in a mouse model of AD that before any amyloid deposition the brains of 1.5-month-old mice contain increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-6, decreased levels of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in the brain and brain mitochondria and increased amounts of α7 nAChR-bound Aβ1-42, along with impaired episodic memory and increased risk of apoptosis. Both acute (1-week-long) and chronic (4-month-long) treatments with α7-selective agonist PNU282987, starting at 1.5 months of age, were well tolerated. The acute treatment did not affect the levels of soluble Aβ1-42 but consistently upregulated the α7 nAChR expression, decreased the level of α7-Aβ1-42 complexes, and improved episodic memory of 1.5-month-old mice. The chronic treatment, covering the disease development phase, strongly upregulated the expression of all abundant brain nAChRs, reduced both free and α7-coupled Aβ1-42 within the brain, had anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic effects, and potently upregulated cognition, thus identifying α7 nAChRs as both early biomarker and potent therapeutic target for fighting this devastating disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olena Lykhmus
- Palladin Institute of Biochemistry NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Wen-Yu Tzeng
- Department of Neurophysiology, Institute of Physiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Lyudmyla Koval
- Palladin Institute of Biochemistry NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | | | - Elizabeta Zirdum
- Department of Neurophysiology, Institute of Physiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Olena Kalashnyk
- Palladin Institute of Biochemistry NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Olga Garaschuk
- Department of Neurophysiology, Institute of Physiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Maryna Skok
- Palladin Institute of Biochemistry NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
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3
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Kemeh MM, Lazo ND. Highly toxic Aβ begets more Aβ. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:1871-1872. [PMID: 38227503 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.390983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Merc M Kemeh
- Gustaf H. Carlson School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Clark University, Worcester, MA, USA
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4
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Meng F, Kim JY, Louis JM, Chung HS. Single-Molecule Characterization of Heterogeneous Oligomer Formation during Co-Aggregation of 40- and 42-Residue Amyloid-β. J Am Chem Soc 2024. [PMID: 39177153 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c06372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/24/2024]
Abstract
The two most abundant isoforms of amyloid-β (Aβ) are the 40- (Aβ40) and 42-residue (Aβ42) peptides. Since they coexist and there is a correlation between toxicity and the ratio of the two isoforms, quantitative characterization of their interactions is crucial for understanding the Aβ aggregation mechanism. In this work, we follow the aggregation of individual isoforms in a mixture using single-molecule FRET spectroscopy by labeling Aβ42 and Aβ40 with the donor and acceptor fluorophores, respectively. We found that there are two phases of aggregation. The first phase consists of coaggregation of Aβ42 with a small amount of Aβ40, while the second phase results mostly from aggregation of Aβ40. We also found that the aggregation of Aβ42 is slowed by Aβ40 while the aggregation of Aβ40 is accelerated by Aβ42 in a concentration-dependent manner. The formation of oligomers was monitored by incubating mixtures in a plate reader and performing a single-molecule free-diffusion experiment at several different stages of aggregation. The detailed properties of the oligomers were obtained by maximum likelihood analysis of fluorescence bursts. The FRET efficiency distribution is much broader than that of the Aβ42 oligomers, indicating the diversity in isoform composition of the oligomers. Pulsed interleaved excitation experiments estimate that the fraction of Aβ40 in the co-oligomers in a 1:1 mixture of Aβ42 and Aβ40 varies between 0 and 20%. The detected oligomers were mostly co-oligomers especially at the physiological ratio of Aβ42 and Aβ40 (1:10), suggesting the critical role of Aβ40 in oligomer formation and aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanjie Meng
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-0520, United States
| | - Jae-Yeol Kim
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-0520, United States
| | - John M Louis
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-0520, United States
| | - Hoi Sung Chung
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-0520, United States
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5
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Hendricks EL, Linskey N, Smith IR, Liebl FLW. Kismet/CHD7/CHD8 and Amyloid Precursor Protein-like Regulate Synaptic Levels of Rab11 at the Drosophila Neuromuscular Junction. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:8429. [PMID: 39125997 PMCID: PMC11313043 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25158429] [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: 07/07/2024] [Revised: 07/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/31/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The transmembrane protein β-amyloid precursor protein (APP) is central to the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The β-amyloid hypothesis posits that aberrant processing of APP forms neurotoxic β-amyloid aggregates, which lead to the cognitive impairments observed in AD. Although numerous additional factors contribute to AD, there is a need to better understand the synaptic function of APP. We have found that Drosophila APP-like (APPL) has both shared and non-shared roles at the synapse with Kismet (Kis), a chromatin helicase binding domain (CHD) protein. Kis is the homolog of CHD7 and CHD8, both of which are implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders including CHARGE Syndrome and autism spectrum disorders, respectively. Loss of function mutations in kis and animals expressing human APP and BACE in their central nervous system show reductions in the glutamate receptor subunit, GluRIIC, the GTPase Rab11, and the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP), pMad, at the Drosophila larval neuromuscular junction (NMJ). Similarly, processes like endocytosis, larval locomotion, and neurotransmission are deficient in these animals. Our pharmacological and epistasis experiments indicate that there is a functional relationship between Kis and APPL, but Kis does not regulate appl expression at the larval NMJ. Instead, Kis likely influences the synaptic localization of APPL, possibly by promoting rab11 transcription. These data identify a potential mechanistic connection between chromatin remodeling proteins and aberrant synaptic function in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Faith L. W. Liebl
- Department of Biological Sciences, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Edwardsville, IL 62026, USA
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6
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Cohen BM, Sonntag KC. Identifying the earliest-occurring clinically targetable precursors of late-onset Alzheimer's disease. EBioMedicine 2024; 106:105238. [PMID: 39002387 PMCID: PMC11284560 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2024.105238] [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: 03/07/2024] [Revised: 06/26/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Most cases of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are late-onset dementias (LOAD). However, research on AD is predominantly of early-onset disease (EOAD). The determinants of EOAD, gene variants of APP and presenilin proteins, are not the basic precursors of LOAD. Rather, multiple other genes and associated cellular processes underlie risk for LOAD. These determinants could be modified in individuals at risk for LOAD well before signs and symptoms appear. Studying brain cells produced from patient-derived induced-pluripotent-stem-cells (iPSC), in culture, will be instrumental in developing such interventions. This paper summarises evidence accrued from iPSC culture models identifying the earliest occurring clinically targetable determinants of LOAD. Results obtained and replicated, thus far, suggest that abnormalities of bioenergetics, lipid metabolism, digestive organelle function and inflammatory activity are primary processes underlying LOAD. The application of cell culture platforms will become increasingly important in research and also on LOAD detection, assessment, and treatment in the years ahead.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce M Cohen
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Program for Neuropsychiatric Research, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill St., Belmont, MA 02478, USA.
| | - Kai-Christian Sonntag
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Laboratory for Translational Research on Neurodegeneration, Program for Neuropsychiatric Research, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill St., Belmont, MA 02478, USA.
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7
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Meng W, Xu J, Huang Y, Wang C, Song Q, Ma A, Song L, Bian J, Ma Q, Yin R. Autoencoder to Identify Sex-Specific Sub-phenotypes in Alzheimer's Disease Progression Using Longitudinal Electronic Health Records. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2024.07.07.24310055. [PMID: 39040206 PMCID: PMC11261930 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.07.24310055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/24/2024]
Abstract
Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a complex neurodegenerative disorder significantly influenced by sex differences, with approximately two-thirds of AD patients being women. Characterizing the sex-specific AD progression and identifying its progression trajectory is a crucial step to developing effective risk stratification and prevention strategies. In this study, we developed an autoencoder to uncover sex-specific sub-phenotypes in AD progression leveraging longitudinal electronic health record (EHR) data from OneFlorida+ Clinical Research Consortium. Specifically, we first constructed temporal patient representation using longitudinal EHRs from a sex-stratified AD cohort. We used a long short-term memory (LSTM)-based autoencoder to extract and generate latent representation embeddings from sequential clinical records of patients. We then applied hierarchical agglomerative clustering to the learned representations, grouping patients based on their progression sub-phenotypes. The experimental results show we successfully identified five primary sex-based AD sub-phenotypes with corresponding progression pathways with high confidence. These sex-specific sub-phenotypes not only illustrated distinct AD progression patterns but also revealed differences in clinical characteristics and comorbidities between females and males in AD development. These findings could provide valuable insights for advancing personalized AD intervention and treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weimin Meng
- Department of Health Outcomes &Biomedical Informatics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Jie Xu
- Department of Health Outcomes &Biomedical Informatics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Yu Huang
- Department of Health Outcomes &Biomedical Informatics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Cankun Wang
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Qianqian Song
- Department of Health Outcomes &Biomedical Informatics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Anjun Ma
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Lixin Song
- School of Nursing, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Jiang Bian
- Department of Health Outcomes &Biomedical Informatics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Qin Ma
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Rui Yin
- Department of Health Outcomes &Biomedical Informatics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
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8
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Li WB, Xu LL, Wang SL, Wang YY, Pan YC, Shi LQ, Guo DS. Co-Assembled Nanoparticles toward Multi-Target Combinational Therapy of Alzheimer's Disease by Making Full Use of Molecular Recognition and Self-Assembly. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2401918. [PMID: 38662940 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202401918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
The complex pathologies in Alzheimer's disease (AD) severely limit the effectiveness of single-target pharmic interventions, thus necessitating multi-pronged therapeutic strategies. While flexibility is essentially demanded in constructing such multi-target systems, for achieving optimal synergies and also accommodating the inherent heterogeneity within AD. Utilizing the dynamic reversibility of supramolecular strategy for conferring sufficient tunability in component substitution and proportion adjustment, amphiphilic calixarenes are poised to be a privileged molecular tool for facilely achieving function integration. Herein, taking β-amyloid (Aβ) fibrillation and oxidative stress as model combination pattern, a supramolecular multifunctional integration is proposed by co-assembling guanidinium-modified calixarene with ascorbyl palmitate and loading dipotassium phytate within calixarene cavity. Serial pivotal events can be simultaneously addressed by this versatile system, including 1) inhibition of Aβ production and aggregation, 2) disintegration of Aβ fibrils, 3) acceleration of Aβ metabolic clearance, and 4) regulation of oxidative stress, which is verified to significantly ameliorate the cognitive impairment of 5×FAD mice, with reduced Aβ plaque content, neuroinflammation, and neuronal apoptosis. Confronted with the extremely intricate clinical realities of AD, the strategy presented here exhibits ample adaptability for necessary alterations on combinations, thereby may immensely expedite the advancement of AD combinational therapy through providing an exceptionally convenient platform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Bo Li
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials (Ministry of Education), Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
- State Key Laboratory of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Lin-Lin Xu
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials (Ministry of Education), Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Si-Lei Wang
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials (Ministry of Education), Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Ying-Yue Wang
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials (Ministry of Education), Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
- State Key Laboratory of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Yu-Chen Pan
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials (Ministry of Education), Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
- State Key Laboratory of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Lin-Qi Shi
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials (Ministry of Education), Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
- Haihe Laboratory of Sustainable Chemical Transformations, Tianjin, 300090, China
| | - Dong-Sheng Guo
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials (Ministry of Education), Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
- State Key Laboratory of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Novel Functional Materials Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Environmental Sciences, Kashi University, Kashi, 844000, China
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Diniz LP, Morgado J, Bergamo Araujo AP, da Silva Antônio LM, Mota-Araujo HP, de Sena Murteira Pinheiro P, Sagrillo FS, Cesar GV, Ferreira ST, Figueiredo CP, Manssour Fraga CA, Gomes FCA. Histone deacetylase inhibition mitigates cognitive deficits and astrocyte dysfunction induced by amyloid-β (Aβ) oligomers. Br J Pharmacol 2024. [PMID: 38936407 DOI: 10.1111/bph.16439] [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: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Inhibitors of histone deacetylases (iHDACs) are promising drugs for neurodegenerative diseases. We have evaluated the therapeutic potential of the new iHDAC LASSBio-1911 in Aβ oligomer (AβO) toxicity models and astrocytes, key players in neuroinflammation and Alzheimer's disease (AD). EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Astrocyte phenotype and synapse density were evaluated by flow cytometry, Western blotting, immunofluorescence and qPCR, in vitro and in mice. Cognitive function was evaluated by behavioural assays using a mouse model of intracerebroventricular infusion of AβO. KEY RESULTS LASSBio-1911 modulates reactivity and synaptogenic potential of cultured astrocytes and improves synaptic markers in cultured neurons and in mice. It prevents AβO-triggered astrocytic reactivity in mice and enhances the neuroprotective potential of astrocytes. LASSBio-1911 improves behavioural performance and rescues synaptic and memory function in AβO-infused mice. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS These results contribute to unveiling the mechanisms underlying astrocyte role in AD and provide the rationale for using astrocytes as targets to new drugs for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luan Pereira Diniz
- Laboratório de Neurobiologia Celular, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Juliana Morgado
- Laboratório de Neurobiologia Celular, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Bergamo Araujo
- Laboratório de Neurobiologia Celular, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | | | - Pedro de Sena Murteira Pinheiro
- Laboratório de Avaliação e Síntese de Substâncias Bioativas (LASSBio), Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Savacini Sagrillo
- Laboratório de Avaliação e Síntese de Substâncias Bioativas (LASSBio), Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Gabriele Vargas Cesar
- Laboratório de Neurobiologia Celular, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Sérgio T Ferreira
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Carlos Alberto Manssour Fraga
- Laboratório de Avaliação e Síntese de Substâncias Bioativas (LASSBio), Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Flávia Carvalho Alcantara Gomes
- Laboratório de Neurobiologia Celular, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Ulku I, Leung R, Herre F, Walther L, Shobo A, Saftig P, Hancock MA, Liebsch F, Multhaup G. Inhibition of BACE1 affected both its Aβ producing and degrading activities and increased Aβ42 and Aβ40 levels at high-level BACE1 expression. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107510. [PMID: 38944120 PMCID: PMC11324814 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107510] [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: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/01/2024] Open
Abstract
The beta-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) is the predominant β-secretase, cleaving the amyloid precursor protein (APP) via the amyloidogenic pathway. In addition, BACE1 as an amyloid degrading enzyme (ADE), cleaves Aβ to produce the C-terminally truncated non-toxic Aβ fragment Aβ34 which is an indicator of amyloid clearance. Here, we analyzed the effects of BACE1 inhibitors on its opposing enzymatic functions, i.e., amyloidogenic (Aβ producing) and amyloidolytic (Aβ degrading) activities, using cell culture models with varying BACE1/APP ratios. Under high-level BACE1 expression, low-dose inhibition unexpectedly yielded a two-fold increase in Aβ42 and Aβ40 levels. The concomitant decrease in Aβ34 and secreted APPβ levels suggested that the elevated Aβ42 and Aβ40 levels were due to the attenuated Aβ degrading activity of BACE1. Notably, the amyloidolytic activity of BACE1 was impeded at lower BACE1 inhibitor concentrations compared to its amyloidogenic activity, thereby suggesting that the Aβ degrading activity of BACE1 was more sensitive to inhibition than its Aβ producing activity. Under endogenous BACE1 and APP levels, "low-dose" BACE1 inhibition affected both the Aβ producing and degrading activities of BACE1, i.e., significantly increased Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio and decreased Aβ34 levels, respectively. Further, we incubated recombinant BACE1 with synthetic Aβ peptides and found that BACE1 has a higher affinity for Aβ substrates over APP. In summary, our results suggest that stimulating BACE1's ADE activity and halting Aβ production without decreasing Aβ clearance could still be a promising therapeutic approach with new, yet to be developed, BACE1 modulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irem Ulku
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Rocher Leung
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Fritz Herre
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Lina Walther
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Adeola Shobo
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Paul Saftig
- Biochemisches Institut, CAU Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Mark A Hancock
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Filip Liebsch
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Gerhard Multhaup
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
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11
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Dammer EB, Shantaraman A, Ping L, Duong DM, Gerasimov ES, Ravindran SP, Gudmundsdottir V, Frick EA, Gomez GT, Walker KA, Emilsson V, Jennings LL, Gudnason V, Western D, Cruchaga C, Lah JJ, Wingo TS, Wingo AP, Seyfried NT, Levey AI, Johnson ECB. Proteomic analysis of Alzheimer's disease cerebrospinal fluid reveals alterations associated with APOE ε4 and atomoxetine treatment. Sci Transl Med 2024; 16:eadn3504. [PMID: 38924431 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adn3504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is currently defined by the aggregation of amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau proteins in the brain. Although biofluid biomarkers are available to measure Aβ and tau pathology, few markers are available to measure the complex pathophysiology that is associated with these two cardinal neuropathologies. Here, we characterized the proteomic landscape of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) changes associated with Aβ and tau pathology in 300 individuals using two different proteomic technologies-tandem mass tag mass spectrometry and SomaScan. Integration of both data types allowed for generation of a robust protein coexpression network consisting of 34 modules derived from 5242 protein measurements, including disease-relevant modules associated with autophagy, ubiquitination, endocytosis, and glycolysis. Three modules strongly associated with the apolipoprotein E ε4 (APOE ε4) AD risk genotype mapped to oxidant detoxification, mitogen-associated protein kinase signaling, neddylation, and mitochondrial biology and overlapped with a previously described lipoprotein module in serum. Alterations of all three modules in blood were associated with dementia more than 20 years before diagnosis. Analysis of CSF samples from an AD phase 2 clinical trial of atomoxetine (ATX) demonstrated that abnormal elevations in the glycolysis CSF module-the network module most strongly correlated to cognitive function-were reduced by ATX treatment. Clustering of individuals based on their CSF proteomic profiles revealed heterogeneity of pathological changes not fully reflected by Aβ and tau.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric B Dammer
- Goizueta Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Anantharaman Shantaraman
- Goizueta Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Lingyan Ping
- Goizueta Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Duc M Duong
- Goizueta Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Ekaterina S Gerasimov
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | | | - Valborg Gudmundsdottir
- Icelandic Heart Association, 201 Kopavogur, Iceland
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland
| | | | - Gabriela T Gomez
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Keenan A Walker
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute on Aging, Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Valur Emilsson
- Icelandic Heart Association, 201 Kopavogur, Iceland
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland
| | | | - Vilmundur Gudnason
- Icelandic Heart Association, 201 Kopavogur, Iceland
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Daniel Western
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63108, USA
- NeuroGenomics and Informatics, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63108, USA
| | - Carlos Cruchaga
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63108, USA
- NeuroGenomics and Informatics, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63108, USA
| | - James J Lah
- Goizueta Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Thomas S Wingo
- Goizueta Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Department of Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Aliza P Wingo
- Goizueta Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Division of Mental Health, Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA 30033, USA
| | - Nicholas T Seyfried
- Goizueta Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Allan I Levey
- Goizueta Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Erik C B Johnson
- Goizueta Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
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12
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Palko SI, Benoit MR, Yao AY, Mohan R, Yan R. ER-stress response in retinal Müller glia occurs significantly earlier than amyloid pathology in the Alzheimer's mouse brain and retina. Glia 2024; 72:1067-1081. [PMID: 38497356 PMCID: PMC11006574 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24514] [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: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Alzheimer's Disease (AD) pathogenesis is thought to begin up to 20 years before cognitive symptoms appear, suggesting the need for more sensitive diagnostic biomarkers of AD. In this report, we demonstrated pathological changes in retinal Müller glia significantly earlier than amyloid pathology in AD mouse models. By utilizing the knock-in NLGF mouse model, we surprisingly discovered an increase in reticulon 3 (RTN3) protein levels in the NLGF retina as early as postnatal day 30 (P30). Despite RTN3 being a canonically neuronal protein, this increase was noted in the retinal Müller glia, confirmed by immunohistochemical characterization. Further unbiased transcriptomic assays of the P30 NLGF retina revealed that retinal Müller glia were the most sensitive responding cells in this mouse retina, compared with other cell types including photoreceptor cells and ganglion neurons. Pathway analyses of differentially expressed genes in glia cells showed activation of ER stress response via the upregulation of unfolded protein response (UPR) proteins such as ATF4 and CHOP. Early elevation of RTN3 in response to challenges by toxic Aβ likely facilitated UPR. Altogether, these findings suggest that Müller glia act as a sentinel for AD pathology in the retina and should aid for both intervention and diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Annie Y. Yao
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington CT 06030 USA
| | - Royce Mohan
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington CT 06030 USA
| | - Riqiang Yan
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington CT 06030 USA
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13
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Patil SP, Kuehn BR. Discovery of Small Molecule Glycolytic Stimulants for Enhanced ApoE Lipidation in Alzheimer's Disease Cell Model. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2024; 17:491. [PMID: 38675451 PMCID: PMC11054693 DOI: 10.3390/ph17040491] [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: 02/22/2024] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by pathophysiological deposits of extracellular amyloid beta (Aβ) peptides and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles of tau. The central role of Aβ in AD pathology is well-established, with its increased deposition attributed mainly to its decreased cerebral clearance. Here, it is noteworthy that apolipoprotein E (ApoE), the most significant risk factor for AD, has been shown to play an isoform-specific role in clearing Aβ deposits (ApoE2 > ApoE3 > ApoE4), owing mainly to its lipidation status. In addition to the pathophysiological Aβ deposits, AD is also characterized by abnormal glucose metabolism, which is a distinct event preceding Aβ deposition. The present study established, for the first time, a possible link between these two major AD etiologies, with glucose metabolism directly influencing ApoE lipidation and its secretion by astrocytes expressing human ApoE4. Specifically, glucose dose-dependently activated liver X receptor (LXR), leading to elevated ABCA1 and ABCG1 protein levels and enhanced ApoE lipidation. Moreover, co-treatment with a glycolytic inhibitor significantly inhibited this LXR activation and subsequent ApoE lipidation, further supporting a central role of glucose metabolism in LXR activation leading to enhanced ApoE lipidation, which may help against AD through potential Aβ clearance. Therefore, we hypothesized that pharmacological agents that can target cellular energy metabolism, specifically aerobic glycolysis, may hold significant therapeutic potential against AD. In this context, the present study also led to the discovery of novel, small-molecule stimulants of astrocytic glucose metabolism, leading to significantly enhanced lipidation status of ApoE4 in astrocytic cells. Three such newly discovered compounds (lonidamine, phenformin, and berberine), owing to their promising cellular effect on the glycolysis-ApoE nexus, warrant further investigation in suitable in vivo models of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sachin P. Patil
- NanoBio Lab, Widener University, Chester, PA 19013, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Widener University, Chester, PA 19013, USA;
| | - Bella R. Kuehn
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Widener University, Chester, PA 19013, USA;
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14
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Hsieh Y, Augur ZM, Arbery M, Ashour N, Barrett K, Pearse RV, Tio ES, Duong DM, Felsky D, De Jager PL, Bennett DA, Seyfried NT, Young‐Pearse TL. Person-specific differences in ubiquitin-proteasome mediated proteostasis in human neurons. Alzheimers Dement 2024; 20:2952-2967. [PMID: 38470006 PMCID: PMC11032531 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13680] [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: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Impairment of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) has been implicated in abnormal protein accumulation in Alzheimer's disease. It remains unclear if genetic variation affects the intrinsic properties of neurons that render some individuals more vulnerable to UPS impairment. METHODS Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived neurons were generated from over 50 genetically variant and highly characterized participants of cohorts of aging. Proteomic profiling, proteasome activity assays, and Western blotting were employed to examine neurons at baseline and in response to UPS perturbation. RESULTS Neurons with lower basal UPS activity were more vulnerable to tau accumulation following mild UPS inhibition. Chronic reduction in proteasome activity in human neurons induced compensatory elevation of regulatory proteins involved in proteostasis and several proteasome subunits. DISCUSSION These findings reveal that genetic variation influences basal UPS activity in human neurons and differentially sensitizes them to external factors perturbing the UPS, leading to the accumulation of aggregation-prone proteins such as tau. HIGHLIGHTS Polygenic risk score for AD is associated with the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) in neurons. Basal proteasome activity correlates with aggregation-prone protein levels in neurons. Genetic variation affects the response to proteasome inhibition in neurons. Neuronal proteasome perturbation induces an elevation in specific proteins involved in proteostasis. Low basal proteasome activity leads to enhanced tau accumulation with UPS challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi‐Chen Hsieh
- Ann Romney Centerfor Neurologic DiseasesDepartment of NeurologyBrigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Zachary M. Augur
- Ann Romney Centerfor Neurologic DiseasesDepartment of NeurologyBrigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Mason Arbery
- Ann Romney Centerfor Neurologic DiseasesDepartment of NeurologyBrigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Nancy Ashour
- Ann Romney Centerfor Neurologic DiseasesDepartment of NeurologyBrigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Katharine Barrett
- Ann Romney Centerfor Neurologic DiseasesDepartment of NeurologyBrigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Richard V. Pearse
- Ann Romney Centerfor Neurologic DiseasesDepartment of NeurologyBrigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Earvin S. Tio
- Department of Psychiatry and Institute of Medical ScienceUniversity of TorontoTorontoOntarioCanada
| | - Duc M. Duong
- Department of BiochemistryEmory University School of MedicineAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
| | - Daniel Felsky
- Department of Psychiatry and Institute of Medical ScienceUniversity of TorontoTorontoOntarioCanada
- Krembil Centre for NeuroinformaticsCentre for Addiction and Mental HealthTorontoOntarioCanada
| | - Philip L. De Jager
- Center for Translational and Computational NeuroimmunologyDepartment of Neurology and the Taub Institute for the Study of Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging BrainColumbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - David A. Bennett
- Rush Alzheimer's Disease CenterRush University Medical CenterChicagoIllinoisUSA
| | - Nicholas T. Seyfried
- Department of BiochemistryEmory University School of MedicineAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
- Department of NeurologyEmory University School of MedicineAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
| | - Tracy L. Young‐Pearse
- Ann Romney Centerfor Neurologic DiseasesDepartment of NeurologyBrigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Harvard Stem Cell InstituteHarvard UniversityCambridgeMassachusettsUSA
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15
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Lista S, Mapstone M, Caraci F, Emanuele E, López-Ortiz S, Martín-Hernández J, Triaca V, Imbimbo C, Gabelle A, Mielke MM, Nisticò R, Santos-Lozano A, Imbimbo BP. A critical appraisal of blood-based biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease. Ageing Res Rev 2024; 96:102290. [PMID: 38580173 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2024.102290] [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: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
Biomarkers that predict the clinical onset of Alzheimer's disease (AD) enable the identification of individuals in the early, preclinical stages of the disease. Detecting AD at this point may allow for more effective therapeutic interventions and optimized enrollment for clinical trials of novel drugs. The current biological diagnosis of AD is based on the AT(N) classification system with the measurement of brain deposition of amyloid-β (Aβ) ("A"), tau pathology ("T"), and neurodegeneration ("N"). Diagnostic cut-offs for Aβ1-42, the Aβ1-42/Aβ1-40 ratio, tau and hyperphosphorylated-tau concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid have been defined and may support AD clinical diagnosis. Blood-based biomarkers of the AT(N) categories have been described in the AD continuum. Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies have shown that the combination of blood biomarkers tracking neuroaxonal injury (neurofilament light chain) and neuroinflammatory pathways (glial fibrillary acidic protein) enhance sensitivity and specificity of AD clinical diagnosis and improve the prediction of AD onset. However, no international accepted cut-offs have been identified for these blood biomarkers. A kit for blood Aβ1-42/Aβ1-40 is commercially available in the U.S.; however, it does not provide a diagnosis, but simply estimates the risk of developing AD. Although blood-based AD biomarkers have a great potential in the diagnostic work-up of AD, they are not ready for the routine clinical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Lista
- i+HeALTH Strategic Research Group, Department of Health Sciences, Miguel de Cervantes European University (UEMC), Valladolid 47012, Spain.
| | - Mark Mapstone
- Department of Neurology, Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
| | - Filippo Caraci
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, Catania 95125, Italy; Neuropharmacology and Translational Neurosciences Research Unit, Oasi Research Institute-IRCCS, Troina 94018, Italy.
| | | | - Susana López-Ortiz
- i+HeALTH Strategic Research Group, Department of Health Sciences, Miguel de Cervantes European University (UEMC), Valladolid 47012, Spain.
| | - Juan Martín-Hernández
- i+HeALTH Strategic Research Group, Department of Health Sciences, Miguel de Cervantes European University (UEMC), Valladolid 47012, Spain.
| | - Viviana Triaca
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC), National Research Council (CNR), Rome 00015, Italy.
| | - Camillo Imbimbo
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia 27100, Italy.
| | - Audrey Gabelle
- Memory Resources and Research Center, Montpellier University of Excellence i-site, Montpellier 34295, France.
| | - Michelle M Mielke
- Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA.
| | - Robert Nisticò
- School of Pharmacy, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome 00133, Italy; Laboratory of Pharmacology of Synaptic Plasticity, EBRI Rita Levi-Montalcini Foundation, Rome 00143, Italy.
| | - Alejandro Santos-Lozano
- i+HeALTH Strategic Research Group, Department of Health Sciences, Miguel de Cervantes European University (UEMC), Valladolid 47012, Spain; Physical Activity and Health Research Group (PaHerg), Research Institute of the Hospital 12 de Octubre ('imas12'), Madrid 28041, Spain.
| | - Bruno P Imbimbo
- Department of Research and Development, Chiesi Farmaceutici, Parma 43122, Italy.
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16
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Longobardi A, Catania M, Geviti A, Salvi E, Vecchi ER, Bellini S, Saraceno C, Nicsanu R, Squitti R, Binetti G, Di Fede G, Ghidoni R. Autophagy Markers Are Altered in Alzheimer's Disease, Dementia with Lewy Bodies and Frontotemporal Dementia. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1125. [PMID: 38256197 PMCID: PMC10816165 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25021125] [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: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The accumulation of protein aggregates defines distinct, yet overlapping pathologies such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). In this study, we investigated ATG5, UBQLN2, ULK1, and LC3 concentrations in 66 brain specimens and 120 plasma samples from AD, DLB, FTD, and control subjects (CTRL). Protein concentration was measured with ELISA kits in temporal, frontal, and occipital cortex specimens of 32 AD, 10 DLB, 10 FTD, and 14 CTRL, and in plasma samples of 30 AD, 30 DLB, 30 FTD, and 30 CTRL. We found alterations in ATG5, UBQLN2, ULK1, and LC3 levels in patients; ATG5 and UBQLN2 levels were decreased in both brain specimens and plasma samples of patients compared to those of the CTRL, while LC3 levels were increased in the frontal cortex of DLB and FTD patients. In this study, we demonstrate alterations in different steps related to ATG5, UBQLN2, and LC3 autophagy pathways in DLB and FTD patients. Molecular alterations in the autophagic processes could play a role in a shared pathway involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegeneration, supporting the hypothesis of a common molecular mechanism underlying major neurodegenerative dementias and suggesting different potential therapeutic targets in the autophagy pathway for these disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Longobardi
- Molecular Markers Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, 25125 Brescia, Italy; (S.B.); (C.S.); (R.N.); (R.S.); (R.G.)
| | - Marcella Catania
- Neurology 5/Neuropathology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, 20133 Milan, Italy; (M.C.); (E.R.V.); (G.D.F.)
| | - Andrea Geviti
- Service of Statistics, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, 25125 Brescia, Italy;
| | - Erika Salvi
- Neuroalgology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, 20133 Milan, Italy;
- Data Science Center, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Elena Rita Vecchi
- Neurology 5/Neuropathology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, 20133 Milan, Italy; (M.C.); (E.R.V.); (G.D.F.)
| | - Sonia Bellini
- Molecular Markers Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, 25125 Brescia, Italy; (S.B.); (C.S.); (R.N.); (R.S.); (R.G.)
| | - Claudia Saraceno
- Molecular Markers Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, 25125 Brescia, Italy; (S.B.); (C.S.); (R.N.); (R.S.); (R.G.)
| | - Roland Nicsanu
- Molecular Markers Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, 25125 Brescia, Italy; (S.B.); (C.S.); (R.N.); (R.S.); (R.G.)
| | - Rosanna Squitti
- Molecular Markers Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, 25125 Brescia, Italy; (S.B.); (C.S.); (R.N.); (R.S.); (R.G.)
- Dipartimento di Scienze di Laboratorio, Ospedale Isola Tiberina-Gemelli Isola, 00186 Rome, Italy
| | - Giuliano Binetti
- MAC-Memory Clinic and Molecular Markers Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, 25125 Brescia, Italy;
| | - Giuseppe Di Fede
- Neurology 5/Neuropathology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, 20133 Milan, Italy; (M.C.); (E.R.V.); (G.D.F.)
| | - Roberta Ghidoni
- Molecular Markers Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, 25125 Brescia, Italy; (S.B.); (C.S.); (R.N.); (R.S.); (R.G.)
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17
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Burke SL, Grudzien A, Li T, Abril M, Yin W, Tyrell TA, Barnes CP, Hanson K, DeKosky ST. Examining the relationship between anxiety and regional brain volumes in the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center uniform, imaging, and biomarker datasets. CEREBRAL CIRCULATION - COGNITION AND BEHAVIOR 2024; 6:100201. [PMID: 38312309 PMCID: PMC10837066 DOI: 10.1016/j.cccb.2024.100201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
Anxiety has been associated with a greater risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Existing research has identified structural differences in regional brain tissue in participants with anxiety, but results have been inconsistent. We sought to determine the association between anxiety and regional brain volumes, and the moderation effect of APOE ε4. Using data from participants in the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center (NACC) Uniform Data Set, with complete imaging (MRI) and biomarker data (n = 1533), multiple linear regression estimated the adjusted effect of anxiety on 30 structural MRI regions. The moderation effect of APOE ε4 on the relation between structural MRI regions and anxiety was assessed as was the moderation effect of cognitive status. False discovery rate was used to adjust for multiple comparisons. After controlling for intracranial volume, age, sex, years of education, race, Hispanic ethnicity, and cognitive status, seven MRI regions demonstrated lower volumes among participants with anxiety: total cerebrum gray matter volume, right hippocampus volume, hippocampal volume (total), right and left frontal lobe cortical gray matter volume, and right and total temporal lobe cortical gray matter volume. Findings suggest that anxiety is associated with significant atrophy in multiple brain regions, with corresponding ventricular enlargement. Future research should investigate if anxiety-related changes to brain morphology contribute to greater AD risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanna L. Burke
- School of Social Work, Florida International University, Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, 11200 SW 8th St. AHC5 585, Miami 33199, FL, USA
- Community-Based Research Institute, Florida International University, Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, 11200 SW 8th St., Miami 33199, FL, USA
| | - Adrienne Grudzien
- Community-Based Research Institute, Florida International University, Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, 11200 SW 8th St., Miami 33199, FL, USA
| | - Tan Li
- Department of Biostatistics, Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, 11200 S.W. 8th Street, Miami 33199, FL, USA
| | - Marlou Abril
- Department of Biostatistics, Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, 11200 S.W. 8th Street, Miami 33199, FL, USA
| | - Wupeng Yin
- Department of Biostatistics, Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, 11200 S.W. 8th Street, Miami 33199, FL, USA
| | - Tahirah A. Tyrell
- Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA
| | - Christopher P. Barnes
- Clinical and Translational Science Institute, College of Medicine, University of Florida, PO Box 100212, 2405 SW Archer Road, Gainesville 32608, FL, USA
| | - Kevin Hanson
- Information Services, Division of Research Operations & Services, College of Medicine, University of Florida, PO Box 100212, 2405 SW Archer Road, Gainesville 32608, FL, USA
| | - Steven T. DeKosky
- McKnight Brain Institute, 1Florida Alzheimer's Disease Center, University of Florida, USA
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18
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Granzotto A, Sensi SL. Once upon a time, the Amyloid Cascade Hypothesis. Ageing Res Rev 2024; 93:102161. [PMID: 38065226 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.102161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
Recent trials with monoclonal antibodies targeting amyloid-β (Aβ) in Alzheimer's disease (AD) have sparked a renewed interest in disease-modifying therapies. Despite their promise, these trials leave the issue open and posit some doubts about the validity of the Amyloid Cascade Hypothesis (ACH). While some scores of neurocognitive tests improved upon treatment, real-world clinical benefits were minimal. This Viewpoint discusses additional, often overlooked findings from these trials. We also emphasize the multifactorial nature of AD and the need for a broader research perspective beyond the simplistic disease model provided by the ACH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Granzotto
- Center for Advanced Studies and Technology - CAST, University G. d'Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, Imaging, and Clinical Sciences, University G. d'Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.
| | - Stefano L Sensi
- Center for Advanced Studies and Technology - CAST, University G. d'Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, Imaging, and Clinical Sciences, University G. d'Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy; Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technologies - ITAB, University G. d'Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
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19
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Santhosh Kumar H, Moore J, Steiner AC, Sotirakis E, Schärli B, Isnard-Petit P, Thiam K, Wolfer DP, Böttger EC. Mistranslation-associated perturbations of proteostasis do not promote accumulation of amyloid beta and plaque deposition in aged mouse brain. Cell Mol Life Sci 2023; 80:378. [PMID: 38010524 PMCID: PMC10682081 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-05031-z] [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: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
A common perception in age-related neurodegenerative diseases posits that a decline in proteostasis is key to the accumulation of neuropathogenic proteins, such as amyloid beta (Aβ), and the development of sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD). To experimentally challenge the role of protein homeostasis in the accumulation of Alzheimer's associated protein Aβ and levels of associated Tau phosphorylation, we disturbed proteostasis in single APP knock-in mouse models of AD building upon Rps9 D95N, a recently identified mammalian ram mutation which confers heightened levels of error-prone translation together with an increased propensity for random protein aggregation and which is associated with accelerated aging. We crossed the Rps9 D95N mutation into knock-in mice expressing humanized Aβ with different combinations of pathogenic mutations (wild-type, NL, NL-F, NL-G-F) causing a stepwise and quantifiable allele-dependent increase in the development of Aβ accumulation, levels of phosphorylated Tau, and neuropathology. Surprisingly, the misfolding-prone environment of the Rps9 D95N ram mutation did not affect Aβ accumulation and plaque formation, nor the level of phosphorylated Tau in any of the humanized APP knock-in lines. Our findings indicate that a misfolding-prone environment induced by error-prone translation with its inherent perturbations in protein homeostasis has little impact on the accumulation of pathogenic Aβ, plaque formation and associated phosphorylated Tau.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - James Moore
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Benjamin Schärli
- Institute of Human Movement Sciences and Sport, D-HEST, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | | | - David P Wolfer
- Institute of Human Movement Sciences and Sport, D-HEST, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
- Institute of Anatomy, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Erik C Böttger
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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20
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Hickman RA, Scholz SW. Precision diagnosis and staging of TDP-43 proteinopathies: harnessing the power of artificial intelligence. Brain 2023; 146:2666-2668. [PMID: 37224516 PMCID: PMC10316762 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023] Open
Abstract
This scientific commentary refers to ‘Data-driven neuropathological staging and subtyping of TDP-43 proteinopathies’ by Young et al. (https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awad145).
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard A Hickman
- Department of Defense/Uniformed Services University Brain Tissue Repository, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD 20817, USA
- Murtha Cancer Center Research Program, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20817, USA
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD 20817, USA
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Sonja W Scholz
- Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
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Reiss AB, Muhieddine D, Jacob B, Mesbah M, Pinkhasov A, Gomolin IH, Stecker MM, Wisniewski T, De Leon J. Alzheimer's Disease Treatment: The Search for a Breakthrough. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2023; 59:1084. [PMID: 37374288 DOI: 10.3390/medicina59061084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
As the search for modalities to cure Alzheimer's disease (AD) has made slow progress, research has now turned to innovative pathways involving neural and peripheral inflammation and neuro-regeneration. Widely used AD treatments provide only symptomatic relief without changing the disease course. The recently FDA-approved anti-amyloid drugs, aducanumab and lecanemab, have demonstrated unclear real-world efficacy with a substantial side effect profile. Interest is growing in targeting the early stages of AD before irreversible pathologic changes so that cognitive function and neuronal viability can be preserved. Neuroinflammation is a fundamental feature of AD that involves complex relationships among cerebral immune cells and pro-inflammatory cytokines, which could be altered pharmacologically by AD therapy. Here, we provide an overview of the manipulations attempted in pre-clinical experiments. These include inhibition of microglial receptors, attenuation of inflammation and enhancement of toxin-clearing autophagy. In addition, modulation of the microbiome-brain-gut axis, dietary changes, and increased mental and physical exercise are under evaluation as ways to optimize brain health. As the scientific and medical communities work together, new solutions may be on the horizon to slow or halt AD progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison B Reiss
- Department of Medicine and Biomedical Research Institute, NYU Long Island School of Medicine, Mineola, NY 11501, USA
| | - Dalia Muhieddine
- Department of Medicine and Biomedical Research Institute, NYU Long Island School of Medicine, Mineola, NY 11501, USA
| | - Berlin Jacob
- Department of Medicine and Biomedical Research Institute, NYU Long Island School of Medicine, Mineola, NY 11501, USA
| | - Michael Mesbah
- Department of Medicine and Biomedical Research Institute, NYU Long Island School of Medicine, Mineola, NY 11501, USA
| | - Aaron Pinkhasov
- Department of Medicine and Biomedical Research Institute, NYU Long Island School of Medicine, Mineola, NY 11501, USA
| | - Irving H Gomolin
- Department of Medicine and Biomedical Research Institute, NYU Long Island School of Medicine, Mineola, NY 11501, USA
| | | | - Thomas Wisniewski
- Center for Cognitive Neurology, Departments of Neurology, Pathology and Psychiatry, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Joshua De Leon
- Department of Medicine and Biomedical Research Institute, NYU Long Island School of Medicine, Mineola, NY 11501, USA
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