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Downey J, Lam JC, Li VO, Gozes I. Somatic Mutations and Alzheimer’s Disease. J Alzheimers Dis 2022; 90:475-493. [DOI: 10.3233/jad-220643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) represents a global health challenge, with an estimated 55 million people suffering from the non-curable disease across the world. While amyloid-β plaques and tau neurofibrillary tangles in the brain define AD proteinopathy, it has become evident that diverse coding and non-coding regions of the genome may significantly contribute to AD neurodegeneration. The diversity of factors associated with AD pathogenesis, coupled with age-associated damage, suggests that a series of triggering events may be required to initiate AD. Since somatic mutations accumulate with aging, and aging is a major risk factor for AD, there is a great potential for somatic mutational events to drive disease. Indeed, recent data from the Gozes team/laboratories as well as other leading laboratories correlated the accumulation of somatic brain mutations with the progression of tauopathy. In this review, we lay the current perspectives on the principal genetic factors associated with AD and the potential causes, highlighting the contribution of somatic mutations to the pathogenesis of late onset Alzheimer’s disease. The roles that artificial intelligence and big data can play in accelerating the progress of causal somatic mutation markers/biomarkers identification, and the associated drug discovery/repurposing, have been highlighted for future AD and other neurodegenerative studies, with the aim to bring hope for the vulnerable aging population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jocelyn Downey
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jacqueline C.K. Lam
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Department of Computer Science and Technology, University of Cambridge, UK
| | - Victor O.K. Li
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Illana Gozes
- The Elton Laboratory for Molecular Neuroendocrinology, Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Adams Super Center for Brain Studies and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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2
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Leuzy
- McGill Centre for Studies in Aging, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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Hassan A, Whitwell JL, Josephs KA. The corticobasal syndrome-Alzheimer's disease conundrum. Expert Rev Neurother 2012; 11:1569-78. [PMID: 22014136 DOI: 10.1586/ern.11.153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Corticobasal syndrome (CBS), once thought to be pathognomonic for corticobasal degeneration pathology, is increasingly reported with various underlying pathologies. Alzheimer's disease is one such pathology, also once believed to be unique for its clinical syndrome of dementia of the Alzheimer's type. CBS is believed to result from topography of asymmetric parietofrontal cortical lesion involvement, rather than lesion subtype. However, this topographical pattern is strikingly different to that typically associated with AD for unclear reasons. This article will focus on CBS with underlying AD pathology (CBS-AD), and will review associated clinical, imaging and demographic factors. Predicting AD pathology is of marked interest as disease-modifying therapies loom on the horizon, with biomarkers and imaging research underway. By reviewing the literature for CBS-AD case reports and series and contrasting them with CBS with underlying corticobasal degeneration pathology cases, the article aims to examine factors that may predict AD pathology. How AD pathology may produce this clinical phenotype, rather than the prototype dementia of the Alzheimer's type, will also be reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anhar Hassan
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
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Williams-Gray CH, Evans JR, Goris A, Foltynie T, Ban M, Robbins TW, Brayne C, Kolachana BS, Weinberger DR, Sawcer SJ, Barker RA. The distinct cognitive syndromes of Parkinson's disease: 5 year follow-up of the CamPaIGN cohort. Brain 2009; 132:2958-69. [DOI: 10.1093/brain/awp245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 703] [Impact Index Per Article: 46.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Sun W, Jia J. The +347 C promoter allele up-regulates MAPT expression and is associated with Alzheimer's disease among the Chinese Han. Neurosci Lett 2008; 450:340-3. [PMID: 19070646 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2008.11.067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2008] [Revised: 11/23/2008] [Accepted: 11/25/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The microtubule-associated protein tau has been known to be associated with the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We identified a novel single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the promoter region of the microtubule-associated protein tau gene (MAPT) in Chinese Han population: 347G/C. The samples we analyzed were all identified as H1/H1 genotype; the 347C allele was over-represented in 252 sporadic AD patients (84.3%, P=0.006) when compared with 197 controls (75.1%). The transcriptional activity of SNP in promoter was further investigated using a luciferase reporter assay in two human cell lines, SH-SY5Y and Hela. We demonstrated that the promoter transcriptional activity of the 347 C/C genotype was significantly higher than that of the 347 G/G genotype (SH-SY5Y, P=0.0321; Hela, P=0.0016). Our data suggest that the 347C polymorphism in the promoter of MAPT gene, which is associated with an up-regulation of the gene expression, is a susceptibility factor in sporadic AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjun Sun
- Department of Neurology, Xuan Wu Hospital of the Capital Medical University, Key Neurodegenerative Laboratory of Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Beijing 100053, China
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Pittman A, de Silva R, Lees AJ, Wood NW. Genetics of progressive supranuclear palsy. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2008; 89:475-485. [PMID: 18631770 DOI: 10.1016/s0072-9752(07)01244-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Alan Pittman
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London, UK
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Laws SM, Friedrich P, Diehl-Schmid J, Müller J, Eisele T, Bäuml J, Förstl H, Kurz A, Riemenschneider M. Fine mapping of the MAPT locus using quantitative trait analysis identifies possible causal variants in Alzheimer's disease. Mol Psychiatry 2007; 12:510-7. [PMID: 17179995 DOI: 10.1038/sj.mp.4001935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
In addition to senile plaques, neurofibrillary tangles are characteristic of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology, suggesting a clear involvement of the microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT) in AD. Recent findings, suggesting that the H1c haplotype is associated with increased risk, now also implicate MAPT genetically. In this study, we aim to clarify this association by a fine mapping approach using both a traditional phenotypic association analysis and a quantitative trait (QT) analysis using cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tau protein levels in the German population. Here, we report that both methodologies identify that the H1c haplotype may play important role in AD (AD risk, P=0.007, uncorrected; CSF tau levels, P=0.027, uncorrected). Further, the use of a sliding window approach in the QT analysis allowed for the narrowing down of the region where a probable causal variant may be located. The data suggest that this may lie at or within close proximity to the rs242557 single nucleotide polymorphism as association with CSF tau levels seems to be primarily driven by rs242557 in a gene dosage-dependent manner (trend model: P=0.002, uncorrected). These findings provide functional evidence to support the genetic association of MAPT with AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- S M Laws
- Neurochemistry and Neurogenetics Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Technische Universität München, München, Germany
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Sundar PD, Yu CE, Sieh W, Steinbart E, Garruto RM, Oyanagi K, Craig UK, Bird TD, Wijsman EM, Galasko DR, Schellenberg GD. Two sites in the MAPT region confer genetic risk for Guam ALS/PDC and dementia. Hum Mol Genet 2006; 16:295-306. [PMID: 17185385 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddl463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Unusual forms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS-G), Parkinsonism dementia complex (PDC-G) and Guam dementia (GD) are found in Chamorros, the indigenous people of Guam. Neurofibrillary tangles composed of hyperphosphorylated tau are a neuropathologic feature of these closely related disorders. To determine if variation in the gene that encodes microtubule-associated protein tau gene (MAPT) contributes to risk for these disorders, we genotyped nine single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) sites and one insertion/deletion in the 5' end of MAPT in 54 ALS-G, 135 PDC-G, 153 GD and 258 control subjects, all of whom are Chamorros. Variation at three SNPs (sites 2, 6 and 9) influenced risk for ALS-G, PDC-G and GD. SNP2 acts through a dominant mechanism and is independent of the risk conferred by SNPs 6 and 9, the latter two acting by a recessive mechanism. Persons with the high-risk SNP6 and SNP9 AC/AC diplotype had an increased risk of 3-fold [95% confidence interval (CI)=1.10-8.25] for GD, 4-fold (95% CI=1.40-11.64) for PDC-G and 6-fold (95% CI=1.44-32.14) for ALS-G, compared to persons with other diplotypes after adjusting for SNP2. Carriers of the SNP2 G allele had an increased risk of 1.6-fold (95% CI=1.00-2.62) for GD, 2-fold (95% CI=1.28-3.66) for PDC-G, and 1.5-fold (95% CI=0.74-3.00) for ALS-G, compared to non-carriers after adjusting for SNPs 6 and 9. Others have shown that SNP6 is also associated with risk for progressive supranuclear palsy. These two independent cis-acting sites presumably influence risk for Guam neuro-degenerative disorders by regulating MAPT expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Purnima Desai Sundar
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
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Pittman AM, Fung HC, de Silva R. Untangling the tau gene association with neurodegenerative disorders. Hum Mol Genet 2006; 15 Spec No 2:R188-95. [PMID: 16987883 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddl190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathological tau protein inclusions have long been recognized to define the diverse range of neurodegenerative disorders called the tauopathies, which include Alzheimer's disease (AD), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration. Mutations in the tau gene, MAPT, cause familial frontotemporal dementia with parkinsonism linked to chromosome 17 (FTDP-17), and common variation in MAPT is strongly associated with the risk of PSP, corticobasal degeneration and, to a lesser extent, AD and Parkinson's disease (PD), implicating the involvement of tau in common neurodegenerative pathway(s). This review will discuss recent work towards the unravelling of the functional basis of this MAPT gene association. The region of chromosome 17q21 containing MAPT locus is characterized by the complex genomic architecture, including a large inversion that leads to a bipartite haplotype architecture, an inversion-mediated deletion and multiplications resulting from non-allelic homologous recombination between the MAPT family of low-copy repeats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan M Pittman
- Reta Lila Weston Institute of Neurological Studies, University College London, 1, Wakefield Street, London WC1N 1PJ, UK
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Hardy J, Pittman A, Myers A, Fung HC, de Silva R, Duckworth J. Tangle Diseases and the Tau Haplotypes. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord 2006; 20:60-2. [PMID: 16493238 DOI: 10.1097/01.wad.0000201853.54493.d8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Neurofibrillary tangles are found in many neurologic diseases. Here we review the unusual characteristics of the MAPT locus, which shows genetic association with many of these diseases and in Caucasian populations, is the largest stretch of linkage disequilibrium in the genome. We discuss the reason for this disequilibrium, its evolutionary history, and the role of genetic variability at MAPT in the etiology of tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Hardy
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institutes on Aging and of Neurological Diseases and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20852, USA.
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Forero DA, Arboleda G, Yunis JJ, Pardo R, Arboleda H. Association study of polymorphisms in LRP1, tau and 5-HTT genes and Alzheimer’s disease in a sample of Colombian patients. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2005; 113:1253-62. [PMID: 16362633 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-005-0388-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2005] [Accepted: 09/10/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Analysis of genetic susceptibility factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD) in populations with different genetic and environmental background may be useful to understand AD etiology. There are few genetic association studies of AD in Latin America. In the present work, we analyzed polymorphisms in 3 candidate genes; the LDL receptor related protein-1, the microtubule-associated protein Tau and the serotonin transporter genes in a sample of 106 Colombian AD patients and 97 control subjects. We did not find a significant allelic or genotypic association with any of the three polymorphisms analyzed using different statistical analysis, including a neural network model or different sample stratifications. To date, APOE polymorphisms are the only genetic risk factors identified for AD in the Colombian population. It may be factible that future combination of high-throughput genotyping platforms and multivariate analysis models may lead to the identification of other genetic susceptibility factors for AD in the Colombian population.
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Affiliation(s)
- D A Forero
- Grupo de Neurociencias, Facultad de Medicina e Instituto de Genética, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
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Myers AJ, Kaleem M, Marlowe L, Pittman AM, Lees AJ, Fung HC, Duckworth J, Leung D, Gibson A, Morris CM, de Silva R, Hardy J. The H1c haplotype at the MAPT locus is associated with Alzheimer's disease. Hum Mol Genet 2005; 14:2399-404. [PMID: 16000317 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddi241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 162] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Although it is clear that microtubule associated protein tau (MAPT) is involved in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology, it has not been clear whether it is involved genetically. We have recently examined the MAPT locus in progressive supranuclear palsy and found that a haplotype (H1c) on the background of the well-described H1 clade is associated with PSP. Here we report that the same haplotype is associated with the risk of AD in two autopsy confirmed series of cases with ages at death >65 years.
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Affiliation(s)
- A J Myers
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-3707, USA
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Schraen-Maschke S, Dhaenens CM, Delacourte A, Sablonnière B. Microtubule-associated protein tau gene: a risk factor in human neurodegenerative diseases. Neurobiol Dis 2004; 15:449-60. [PMID: 15056452 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2003.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2003] [Revised: 12/10/2003] [Accepted: 12/10/2003] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau is a microtubule-associated protein mainly expressed in neurons of central nervous system, which is crucial in the maintenance of these cells. It has a central role in the polymerization and stabilization of microtubules and in the traffic of organelles along axons and dendrites. Aggregates of hyperphosphorylated forms of tau protein participate in the formation of neurofibrillary tangles, which characterize numerous neurodegenerative disorders named tauopathies. The analysis of tau gene and the study of familial cases of tauopathies have led to the discovery of tau gene mutations that cause inherited dementia designated as Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) with parkinsonism linked to chromosome 17 (FTDP-17). However, these familial cases remain rare compared to the sporadic tauopathies, the later involving both genetic and environmental etiologic factors. As tau pathology represents a primary pathogenic event in various neurodegenerative diseases, the hypothesis that tau genotype could influence the development of these diseases was tested by several groups. This review summarizes advances in the molecular genetics of the tau gene, as well as recent studies addressing the disease incidence of novel tau polymorphisms in different neurodegenerative diseases. Hopefully, the identification of several genetic defects of the tau gene will be helpful in improving our understanding of the role of tau protein in the pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanna Schraen-Maschke
- INSERM U422 and Département de Biochimie et de Biologie moléculaire, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Lille 2, Place de Verdun, 59045, Lille Cedex, France
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