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Liharska L, Charney A. Transcriptomics : Approaches to Quantifying Gene Expression and Their Application to Studying the Human Brain. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2024. [PMID: 38972894 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2024_466] [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: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
To date, the field of transcriptomics has been characterized by rapid methods development and technological advancement, with new technologies continuously rendering older ones obsolete.This chapter traces the evolution of approaches to quantifying gene expression and provides an overall view of the current state of the field of transcriptomics, its applications to the study of the human brain, and its place in the broader emerging multiomics landscape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lora Liharska
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
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2
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Dias Pinto JR, Faustinoni Neto B, Sanches Fernandes JM, Kerkis I, Araldi RP. How does the age of control individuals hinder the identification of target genes for Huntington's disease? Front Genet 2024; 15:1377237. [PMID: 38978875 PMCID: PMC11228582 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2024.1377237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Several studies have compared the transcriptome across various brain regions in Huntington's disease (HD) gene-positive and neurologically normal individuals to identify potential differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that could be pharmaceutical or prognostic targets for HD. Despite adhering to technical recommendations for optimal RNA-Seq analysis, none of the genes identified as upregulated in these studies have yet demonstrated success as prognostic or therapeutic targets for HD. Earlier studies included samples from neurologically normal individuals older than the HD gene-positive group. Considering the gradual transcriptional changes induced by aging in the brain, we posited that utilizing samples from older controls could result in the misidentification of DEGs. To validate our hypothesis, we reanalyzed 146 samples from this study, accessible on the SRA database, and employed Propensity Score Matching (PSM) to create a "virtual" control group with a statistically comparable age distribution to the HD gene-positive group. Our study underscores the adverse impact of using neurologically normal individuals over 75 as controls in gene differential expression analysis, resulting in false positives and negatives. We conclusively demonstrate that using such old controls leads to the misidentification of DEGs, detrimentally affecting the discovery of potential pharmaceutical and prognostic markers. This underscores the pivotal role of considering the age of control samples in RNA-Seq analysis and emphasizes its inclusion in evaluating best practices for such investigations. Although our primary focus is HD, our findings suggest that judiciously selecting age-appropriate control samples can significantly improve best practices in differential expression analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Rafael Dias Pinto
- BioDecision Analytics Ltda., São Paulo, Brazil
- Post-Graduation Program in Structural and Functional Biology, Paulista School of Medicine (EPM), Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | - Irina Kerkis
- Genetics Laboratory, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Pinheiro Araldi
- BioDecision Analytics Ltda., São Paulo, Brazil
- Post-Graduation Program in Structural and Functional Biology, Paulista School of Medicine (EPM), Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil
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3
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Wahl D, Risen SJ, Osburn SC, Emge T, Sharma S, Gilberto VS, Chatterjee A, Nagpal P, Moreno JA, LaRocca TJ. Nanoligomers targeting NF-κB and NLRP3 reduce neuroinflammation and improve cognitive function with aging and tauopathy. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.03.578493. [PMID: 38370618 PMCID: PMC10871285 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.03.578493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Neuroinflammation contributes to impaired cognitive function in brain aging and neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's disease, which is characterized by the aggregation of pathological tau. One major driver of both age- and tau-associated neuroinflammation is the NF-κB and NLRP3 signaling axis. However, current treatments targeting NF-κB or NLRP3 may have adverse/systemic effects, and most have not been clinically translatable. In this study, we tested the efficacy of a novel, nucleic acid therapeutic (Nanoligomer) cocktail specifically targeting both NF-κB and NLRP3 in the brain for reducing neuroinflammation and improving cognitive function in old (aged 19 months) wildtype mice, and in rTg4510 tau pathology mice (aged 2 months). We found that 4 weeks of NF-κB/NLRP3-targeting Nanoligomer treatment strongly reduced neuro-inflammatory cytokine profiles in the brain and improved cognitive-behavioral function in both old and rTg4510 mice. These effects of NF-κB/NLRP3-targeting Nanoligomers were also associated with reduced glial cell activation and pathology, favorable changes in transcriptome signatures of glia-associated inflammation (reduced) and neuronal health (increased), and positive systemic effects. Collectively, our results provide a basis for future translational studies targeting both NF-κB and NLRP3 in the brain, perhaps using Nanoligomers, to inhibit neuroinflammation and improve cognitive function with aging and neurodegeneration.
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Gong Y, Haeri M, Zhang X, Li Y, Liu A, Wu D, Zhang Q, Jazwinski SM, Zhou X, Wang X, Jiang L, Chen YP, Yan X, Swerdlow RH, Shen H, Deng HW. Spatial Dissection of the Distinct Cellular Responses to Normal Aging and Alzheimer's Disease in Human Prefrontal Cortex at Single-Nucleus Resolution. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2024.05.21.24306783. [PMID: 38826275 PMCID: PMC11142279 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.21.24306783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Aging significantly elevates the risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD), contributing to the accumulation of AD pathologies, such as amyloid-β (Aβ), inflammation, and oxidative stress. The human prefrontal cortex (PFC) is highly vulnerable to the impacts of both aging and AD. Unveiling and understanding the molecular alterations in PFC associated with normal aging (NA) and AD is essential for elucidating the mechanisms of AD progression and developing novel therapeutics for this devastating disease. In this study, for the first time, we employed a cutting-edge spatial transcriptome platform, STOmics® SpaTial Enhanced Resolution Omics-sequencing (Stereo-seq), to generate the first comprehensive, subcellular resolution spatial transcriptome atlas of the human PFC from six AD cases at various neuropathological stages and six age, sex, and ethnicity matched controls. Our analyses revealed distinct transcriptional alterations across six neocortex layers, highlighted the AD-associated disruptions in laminar architecture, and identified changes in layer-to-layer interactions as AD progresses. Further, throughout the progression from NA to various stages of AD, we discovered specific genes that were significantly upregulated in neurons experiencing high stress and in nearby non-neuronal cells, compared to cells distant from the source of stress. Notably, the cell-cell interactions between the neurons under the high stress and adjacent glial cells that promote Aβ clearance and neuroprotection were diminished in AD in response to stressors compared to NA. Through cell-type specific gene co-expression analysis, we identified three modules in excitatory and inhibitory neurons associated with neuronal protection, protein dephosphorylation, and negative regulation of Aβ plaque formation. These modules negatively correlated with AD progression, indicating a reduced capacity for toxic substance clearance in AD subject samples. Moreover, we have discovered a novel transcription factor, ZNF460, that regulates all three modules, establishing it as a potential new therapeutic target for AD. Overall, utilizing the latest spatial transcriptome platform, our study developed the first transcriptome-wide atlas with subcellular resolution for assessing the molecular alterations in the human PFC due to AD. This atlas sheds light on the potential mechanisms underlying the progression from NA to AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Gong
- Tulane Center for Biomedical Informatics and Genomics, Deming Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
| | - Mohammad Haeri
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, MO, 66160, USA
| | - Xiao Zhang
- Tulane Center for Biomedical Informatics and Genomics, Deming Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
| | - Yisu Li
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Science of Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA
| | - Anqi Liu
- Tulane Center for Biomedical Informatics and Genomics, Deming Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
| | - Di Wu
- Tulane Center for Biomedical Informatics and Genomics, Deming Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
| | - Qilei Zhang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, China
| | - S. Michal Jazwinski
- Tulane Center for Aging, Deming Department of Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicne, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Xiang Zhou
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Xiaoying Wang
- Clinical Neuroscience Research Center, Departments of Neurosurgery and Neurology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Lindong Jiang
- Tulane Center for Biomedical Informatics and Genomics, Deming Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
| | - Yi-Ping Chen
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Science of Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA
| | - Xiaoxin Yan
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, China
| | - Russell H. Swerdlow
- Department of Neurology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, MO, 66160, USA
| | - Hui Shen
- Tulane Center for Biomedical Informatics and Genomics, Deming Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
| | - Hong-Wen Deng
- Tulane Center for Biomedical Informatics and Genomics, Deming Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
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Saenz-Antoñanzas A, Muñoz-Culla M, Rigo P, Ruiz-Barreiro L, Moreno-Valladares M, Alberro A, Cruces-Salguero S, Arroyo-Izaga M, Arranz AM, Otaegui D, Guillemot F, Matheu A. Centenarian hippocampus displays high levels of astrocytic metallothioneins. Aging Cell 2024:e14201. [PMID: 38769809 DOI: 10.1111/acel.14201] [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: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The hippocampus is a brain area linked to cognition. The mechanisms that maintain cognitive activity in humans are poorly understood. Centenarians display extreme longevity which is generally accompanied by better quality of life, lower cognitive impairment, and reduced incidence of pathologies including neurodegenerative diseases. We performed transcriptomic studies in hippocampus samples from individuals of different ages (centenarians [≥97 years], old, and young) and identified a differential gene expression pattern in centenarians compared to the other two groups. In particular, several isoforms of metallothioneins (MTs) were highly expressed in centenarians. Moreover, we identified that MTs were mainly expressed in astrocytes. Functional studies in human primary astrocytes revealed that MT1 and MT3 are necessary for their homeostasis maintenance. Overall, these results indicate that the expression of MTs specifically in astrocytes is a mechanism for protection during aging.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maider Muñoz-Culla
- Multiple Sclerosis Group, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, San Sebastian, Spain
- CIBERNED, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Basic Psychological Processes and their Development, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Piero Rigo
- Neural Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Leire Ruiz-Barreiro
- Laboratory of Humanized Models of Disease, Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain
| | | | - Ainhoa Alberro
- Multiple Sclerosis Group, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, San Sebastian, Spain
- CIBERNED, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sara Cruces-Salguero
- Cellular Oncology Group, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Marta Arroyo-Izaga
- BIOMICs Research Group, Microfluidics & BIOMICs, Department of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, Lascaray Research Center, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Bioaraba, Vitoria, Spain
| | - Amaia M Arranz
- Laboratory of Humanized Models of Disease, Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain
- IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain
| | - David Otaegui
- Multiple Sclerosis Group, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, San Sebastian, Spain
- CIBERNED, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | - François Guillemot
- Neural Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Ander Matheu
- Cellular Oncology Group, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, San Sebastian, Spain
- IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain
- CIBERFES, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
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6
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Evans TA, Feltrin AS, Benjamin KJ, Katipalli T, Hyde T, Kleinman JE, Weinberger DR, Paquola AC, Erwin JA. Lifespan analysis of repeat expression reveals age-dependent upregulation of HERV-K in the neurotypical human brain. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2024.05.17.24307184. [PMID: 38798538 PMCID: PMC11118647 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.17.24307184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
DNA repetitive sequences (or repeats) comprise over 50% of the human genome and have a crucial regulatory role, specifically regulating transcription machinery. The human brain is the tissue with the highest detectable repeat expression and dysregulations on the repeat activity are related to several neurological and neurodegenerative disorders, as repeat-derived products can stimulate a pro-inflammatory response. Even so, it is unclear how repeat expression acts on the aging neurotypical brain. Here, we leverage a large postmortem transcriptome cohort spanning the human lifespan to assess global repeat expression in the neurotypical brain. We identified 21,696 differentially expressed repeats (DERs) that varied across seven age bins (Prenatal; 0-15; 16-29; 30-39; 40-49; 50-59; 60+) across the caudate nucleus (n=271), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (n=304), and hippocampus (n=310). Interestingly, we found that long interspersed nuclear elements and long terminal repeats (LTRs) DERs were the most abundant repeat families when comparing infants to early adolescence (0-15) with older adults (60+). Of these differentially regulated LTRs, we identified 17 shared across all brain regions, including increased expression of HERV-K-int in older adult brains (60+). Co-expression analysis from each of the three brain regions also showed repeats from the HERV subfamily were intramodular hubs in its subnetworks. While we do not observe a strong global relationship between repeat expression and age, we identified HERV-K as a repeat signature associated with the aging neurotypical brain. Our study is the first global assessment of repeat expression in the neurotypical brain.
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Kumar NH, Kluever V, Barth E, Krautwurst S, Furlan M, Pelizzola M, Marz M, Fornasiero EF. Comprehensive transcriptome analysis reveals altered mRNA splicing and post-transcriptional changes in the aged mouse brain. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:2865-2885. [PMID: 38471806 PMCID: PMC11014377 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae172] [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: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
A comprehensive understanding of molecular changes during brain aging is essential to mitigate cognitive decline and delay neurodegenerative diseases. The interpretation of mRNA alterations during brain aging is influenced by the health and age of the animal cohorts studied. Here, we carefully consider these factors and provide an in-depth investigation of mRNA splicing and dynamics in the aging mouse brain, combining short- and long-read sequencing technologies with extensive bioinformatic analyses. Our findings encompass a spectrum of age-related changes, including differences in isoform usage, decreased mRNA dynamics and a module showing increased expression of neuronal genes. Notably, our results indicate a reduced abundance of mRNA isoforms leading to nonsense-mediated RNA decay and suggest a regulatory role for RNA-binding proteins, indicating that their regulation may be altered leading to the reshaping of the aged brain transcriptome. Collectively, our study highlights the importance of studying mRNA splicing events during brain aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nisha Hemandhar Kumar
- Department of Neuro- and Sensory Physiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Verena Kluever
- Department of Neuro- and Sensory Physiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Emanuel Barth
- Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Bioinformatics Core Facility, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Sebastian Krautwurst
- Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Mattia Furlan
- Center for Genomic Science of IIT@SEMM, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 20139 Milan, Italy
| | - Mattia Pelizzola
- Center for Genomic Science of IIT@SEMM, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 20139 Milan, Italy
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Manja Marz
- Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Leibniz Institute for Age Research, FLI, Beutenbergstraße 11, Jena 07743, Germany
- European Virus Bioinformatics Center, Friedrich Schiller University, Leutragraben 1, Jena 07743, Germany
- German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Puschstraße 4, Leipzig 04103, Germany
- Michael Stifel Center Jena, Friedrich Schiller University, Ernst-Abbe-Platz 2, Jena 07743, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence Balance of the Microverse, Friedrich Schiller University, Fuerstengraben 1, Jena 07743, Germany
| | - Eugenio F Fornasiero
- Department of Neuro- and Sensory Physiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
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Lee GY, Ham S, Sohn J, Kwon HC, Lee SJV. Meta-analysis of the transcriptome identifies aberrant RNA processing as common feature of aging in multiple species. Mol Cells 2024; 47:100047. [PMID: 38508494 PMCID: PMC11026732 DOI: 10.1016/j.mocell.2024.100047] [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: 02/07/2024] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Aging is accompanied by the gradual deregulation of the transcriptome. However, whether age-dependent changes in the transcriptome are evolutionarily conserved or diverged remains largely unexplored. Here, we performed a meta-analysis examining the age-dependent changes in the transcriptome using publicly available datasets of 11 representative metazoans, ranging from Caenorhabditis elegans to humans. To identify the transcriptomic changes associated with aging, we analyzed various aspects of the transcriptome, including genome composition, RNA processing, and functional consequences. The use of introns and novel splice sites tended to increase with age, particularly in the brain. In addition, our analysis suggests that the age-dependent accumulation of premature termination codon-containing transcripts is a common feature of aging across multiple animal species. Using C. elegans as a test model, we showed that several splicing factors that are evolutionarily conserved and age-dependently downregulated were required to maintain a normal lifespan. Thus, aberrant RNA processing appears to be associated with aging and a short lifespan in various species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gee-Yoon Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, South Korea
| | - Seokjin Ham
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, South Korea
| | - Jooyeon Sohn
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, South Korea
| | - Hyunwoo C Kwon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, South Korea
| | - Seung-Jae V Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, South Korea.
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Perlegos AE, Byrns CN, Bonini NM. Cell type-specific regulation of m 6 A modified RNAs in the aging Drosophila brain. Aging Cell 2024; 23:e14076. [PMID: 38205931 PMCID: PMC10928574 DOI: 10.1111/acel.14076] [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: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The aging brain is highly vulnerable to cellular stress, and neurons employ numerous mechanisms to combat neurotoxic proteins and promote healthy brain aging. The RNA modification m6 A is highly enriched in the Drosophila brain and is critical for the acute heat stress response of the brain. Here we examine m6 A in the fly brain with the chronic stresses of aging and degenerative disease. m6 A levels dynamically increased with both age and disease in the brain, marking integral neuronal identity and signaling pathway transcripts that decline in level with age and disease. Unexpectedly, there is opposing impact of m6 A transcripts in neurons versus glia, which conferred different outcomes on animal health span upon Mettl3 knockdown to reduce m6 A: whereas Mettl3 function is normally beneficial to neurons, it is deleterious to glia. Moreover, knockdown of Mettl3 in glial tauopathy reduced tau pathology and increased animal survival. These findings provide mechanistic insight into regulation of m6 A modified transcripts with age and disease, highlighting an overall beneficial function of Mettl3 in neurons in response to chronic stresses, versus a deleterious impact in glia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra E. Perlegos
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, Perelman School of MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
- Department of BiologyUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - China N. Byrns
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, Perelman School of MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Perelman School of MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Nancy M. Bonini
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, Perelman School of MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
- Department of BiologyUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
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10
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Cavalier AN, Clayton ZS, Wahl D, Hutton DA, McEntee CM, Seals DR, LaRocca TJ. Protective effects of apigenin on the brain transcriptome with aging. Mech Ageing Dev 2024; 217:111889. [PMID: 38007051 PMCID: PMC10843586 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2023.111889] [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: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/27/2023]
Abstract
Brain aging is associated with reduced cognitive function that increases the risk for dementia. Apigenin is a bioactive plant compound that inhibits cellular aging processes and could protect against age-related cognitive dysfunction, but its mechanisms of action in the brain have not been comprehensively studied. We characterized brain transcriptome changes in young and old mice treated with apigenin in drinking water. We observed improved learning/memory in old treated mice, and our transcriptome analyses indicated that differentially expressed genes with aging and apigenin were primarily related to immune responses, inflammation, and cytokine regulation. Moreover, we found that genes/transcripts that were increased in old vs. young mice but downregulated with apigenin treatment in old animals were associated with immune activation/inflammation, whereas transcripts that were reduced with aging but increased with apigenin were related neuronal function and signaling. We also found that these transcriptome differences with aging and apigenin treatment were driven in part by glial cells. To follow up on these in vivo transcriptome findings, we studied aged astrocytes in vitro, and we found that apigenin reduced markers of inflammation and cellular senescence in these cells. Collectively, our data suggest that apigenin may protect against age-related cognitive dysfunction by suppressing neuro-inflammatory processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa N Cavalier
- Department of Health and Exercise Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States; Columbine Health Systems Center for Healthy Aging, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Zachary S Clayton
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Devin Wahl
- Department of Health and Exercise Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States; Columbine Health Systems Center for Healthy Aging, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - David A Hutton
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Cali M McEntee
- Department of Health and Exercise Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States; Columbine Health Systems Center for Healthy Aging, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Douglas R Seals
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Thomas J LaRocca
- Department of Health and Exercise Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States; Columbine Health Systems Center for Healthy Aging, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States.
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11
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Shimada M, Omae Y, Kakita A, Gabdulkhaev R, Hitomi Y, Miyagawa T, Honda M, Fujimoto A, Tokunaga K. Identification of region-specific gene isoforms in the human brain using long-read transcriptome sequencing. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadj5279. [PMID: 38266094 PMCID: PMC10807796 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adj5279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
In neurological and neuropsychiatric diseases, different brain regions are affected, and differences in gene expression patterns could potentially explain this mechanism. However, limited studies have precisely explored gene expression in different regions of the human brain. In this study, we performed long-read RNA sequencing on three different brain regions of the same individuals: the cerebellum, hypothalamus, and temporal cortex. Despite stringent filtering criteria excluding isoforms predicted to be artifacts, over half of the isoforms expressed in multiple samples across multiple regions were found to be unregistered in the GENCODE reference. We then especially focused on genes with different major isoforms in each brain region, even with similar overall expression levels, and identified that many of such genes including GAS7 might have distinct roles in dendritic spine and neuronal formation in each region. We also found that DNA methylation might, in part, drive different isoform expressions in different regions. These findings highlight the significance of analyzing isoforms expressed in disease-relevant sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mihoko Shimada
- Genome Medical Science Project (Toyama), National Center for Global Health and Medicine (NCGM), Tokyo, Japan
- Center for Clinical Sciences, National Center for Global Health and Medicine (NCGM), Tokyo, Japan
- Sleep Disorders Project, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yosuke Omae
- Genome Medical Science Project (Toyama), National Center for Global Health and Medicine (NCGM), Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akiyoshi Kakita
- Department of Pathology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Ramil Gabdulkhaev
- Department of Pathology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Yuki Hitomi
- Department of Human Genetics, Research Institute, National Center for Global Health and Medicine (NCGM), Tokyo, Japan
| | - Taku Miyagawa
- Sleep Disorders Project, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Makoto Honda
- Sleep Disorders Project, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
- Japan Somnology Center and Seiwa Hospital, Institute of Neuropsychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akihiro Fujimoto
- Department of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Medicine, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Katsushi Tokunaga
- Genome Medical Science Project (Toyama), National Center for Global Health and Medicine (NCGM), Tokyo, Japan
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12
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Lee S, Nouraein S, Kwon JJ, Huang Z, Wojick JA, Xia B, Corder G, Szablowski JO. Engineered serum markers for non-invasive monitoring of gene expression in the brain. Nat Biotechnol 2024:10.1038/s41587-023-02087-x. [PMID: 38200117 PMCID: PMC11233427 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-023-02087-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Measurement of gene expression in the brain requires invasive analysis of brain tissue or non-invasive methods that are limited by low sensitivity. Here we introduce a method for non-invasive, multiplexed, site-specific monitoring of endogenous gene or transgene expression in the brain through engineered reporters called released markers of activity (RMAs). RMAs consist of an easily detectable reporter and a receptor-binding domain that enables transcytosis across the brain endothelium. RMAs are expressed in the brain but exit into the blood, where they can be easily measured. We show that expressing RMAs at a single mouse brain site representing approximately 1% of the brain volume provides up to a 100,000-fold signal increase over the baseline. Expression of RMAs in tens to hundreds of neurons is sufficient for their reliable detection. We demonstrate that chemogenetic activation of cells expressing Fos-responsive RMA increases serum RMA levels >6-fold compared to non-activated controls. RMAs provide a non-invasive method for repeatable, multiplexed monitoring of gene expression in the intact animal brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sangsin Lee
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
- Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Shirin Nouraein
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
- Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
- Systems, Synthetic, and Physical Biology Program, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - James J Kwon
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Zhimin Huang
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
- Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jessica A Wojick
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Boao Xia
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
- Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Gregory Corder
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jerzy O Szablowski
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA.
- Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA.
- Systems, Synthetic, and Physical Biology Program, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA.
- Applied Physics Program, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA.
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13
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Kwon HC, Bae Y, Lee SJV. The Role of mRNA Quality Control in the Aging of Caenorhabditis elegans. Mol Cells 2023; 46:664-671. [PMID: 37968980 PMCID: PMC10654458 DOI: 10.14348/molcells.2023.0103] [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: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The proper maintenance of mRNA quality that is regulated by diverse surveillance pathways is essential for cellular homeostasis and is highly conserved among eukaryotes. Here, we review findings regarding the role of mRNA quality control in the aging and longevity of Caenorhabditis elegans, an outstanding model for aging research. We discuss the recently discovered functions of the proper regulation of nonsense-mediated mRNA decay, ribosome-associated quality control, and mRNA splicing in the aging of C. elegans. We describe how mRNA quality control contributes to longevity conferred by various regimens, including inhibition of insulin/insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) signaling, dietary restriction, and reduced mechanistic target of rapamycin signaling. This review provides valuable information regarding the relationship between the mRNA quality control and aging in C. elegans, which may lead to insights into healthy longevity in complex organisms, including humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyunwoo C. Kwon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Yunkyu Bae
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Seung-Jae V. Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Korea
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14
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Matthews I, Birnbaum A, Gromova A, Huang AW, Liu K, Liu EA, Coutinho K, McGraw M, Patterson DC, Banks MT, Nobles AC, Nguyen N, Merrihew GE, Wang L, Baeuerle E, Fernandez E, Musi N, MacCoss MJ, Miranda HC, La Spada AR, Cortes CJ. Skeletal muscle TFEB signaling promotes central nervous system function and reduces neuroinflammation during aging and neurodegenerative disease. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113436. [PMID: 37952157 PMCID: PMC10841857 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113436] [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: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Skeletal muscle has recently arisen as a regulator of central nervous system (CNS) function and aging, secreting bioactive molecules known as myokines with metabolism-modifying functions in targeted tissues, including the CNS. Here, we report the generation of a transgenic mouse with enhanced skeletal muscle lysosomal and mitochondrial function via targeted overexpression of transcription factor E-B (TFEB). We discovered that the resulting geroprotective effects in skeletal muscle reduce neuroinflammation and the accumulation of tau-associated pathological hallmarks in a mouse model of tauopathy. Muscle-specific TFEB overexpression significantly ameliorates proteotoxicity, reduces neuroinflammation, and promotes transcriptional remodeling of the aged CNS, preserving cognition and memory in aged mice. Our results implicate the maintenance of skeletal muscle function throughout aging in direct regulation of CNS health and disease and suggest that skeletal muscle originating factors may act as therapeutic targets against age-associated neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Matthews
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90007, USA
| | - Allison Birnbaum
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90007, USA
| | - Anastasia Gromova
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UCI Institute for Neurotherapeutics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Amy W Huang
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90007, USA
| | - Kailin Liu
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90007, USA
| | - Eleanor A Liu
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90007, USA
| | - Kristen Coutinho
- Comprehensive Diabetes Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Megan McGraw
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Dalton C Patterson
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Macy T Banks
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Amber C Nobles
- Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Nhat Nguyen
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UCI Institute for Neurotherapeutics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Gennifer E Merrihew
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Lu Wang
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Eric Baeuerle
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, South Texas Veterans Health Care Network, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Elizabeth Fernandez
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, South Texas Veterans Health Care Network, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Nicolas Musi
- Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Michael J MacCoss
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Helen C Miranda
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA; Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA; RNA Center, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Albert R La Spada
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UCI Institute for Neurotherapeutics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Department of Neurology and Department of Biological Chemistry, UCI Institute for Neurotherapeutics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
| | - Constanza J Cortes
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90007, USA.
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15
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Jeffries AM, Yu T, Ziegenfuss JS, Tolles AK, Kim Y, Weng Z, Lodato MA. Single-cell transcriptomic and genomic changes in the aging human brain. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.07.566050. [PMID: 37986960 PMCID: PMC10659272 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.07.566050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Aging brings dysregulation of various processes across organs and tissues, often stemming from stochastic damage to individual cells over time. Here, we used a combination of single-nucleus RNA-sequencing and single-cell whole-genome sequencing to identify transcriptomic and genomic changes in the prefrontal cortex of the human brain across life span, from infancy to centenarian. We identified infant-specific cell clusters enriched for the expression of neurodevelopmental genes, and a common down-regulation of cell-essential homeostatic genes that function in ribosomes, transport, and metabolism during aging across cell types. Conversely, expression of neuron-specific genes generally remains stable throughout life. We observed a decrease in specific DNA repair genes in aging, including genes implicated in generating brain somatic mutations as indicated by mutation signature analysis. Furthermore, we detected gene-length-specific somatic mutation rates that shape the transcriptomic landscape of the aged human brain. These findings elucidate critical aspects of human brain aging, shedding light on transcriptomic and genomics dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ailsa M. Jeffries
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Tianxiong Yu
- Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Jennifer S. Ziegenfuss
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Allie K. Tolles
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Yerin Kim
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Zhiping Weng
- Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Michael A. Lodato
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
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16
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Lee JY, Harney DJ, Teo JD, Kwok JB, Sutherland GT, Larance M, Don AS. The major TMEM106B dementia risk allele affects TMEM106B protein levels, fibril formation, and myelin lipid homeostasis in the ageing human hippocampus. Mol Neurodegener 2023; 18:63. [PMID: 37726834 PMCID: PMC10510131 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-023-00650-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The risk for dementia increases exponentially from the seventh decade of life. Identifying and understanding the biochemical changes that sensitize the ageing brain to neurodegeneration will provide new opportunities for dementia prevention and treatment. This study aimed to determine how ageing and major genetic risk factors for dementia affect the hippocampal proteome and lipidome of neurologically-normal humans over the age of 65. The hippocampus was chosen as it is highly susceptible to atrophy with ageing and in several neurodegenerative diseases. METHODS Mass spectrometry-based proteomic and lipidomic analysis of CA1 hippocampus samples from 74 neurologically normal human donors, aged 66-104, was used in combination with multiple regression models and gene set enrichment analysis to identify age-dependent changes in the proteome and lipidome. ANOVA was used to test the effect of major dementia risk alleles in the TMEM106B and APOE genes on the hippocampal proteome and lipidome, adjusting for age, gender, and post-mortem interval. Fibrillar C-terminal TMEM106B fragments were isolated using sarkosyl fractionation and quantified by immunoblotting. RESULTS Forty proteins were associated with age at false discovery rate-corrected P < 0.05, including proteins that regulate cell adhesion, the cytoskeleton, amino acid and lipid metabolism, and ribosomal subunits. TMEM106B, a regulator of lysosomal and oligodendrocyte function, was regulated with greatest effect size. The increase in TMEM106B levels with ageing was specific to carriers of the rs1990622-A allele in the TMEM106B gene that increases risk for frontotemporal dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and hippocampal sclerosis with ageing. Rs1990622-A was also associated with higher TMEM106B fibril content. Hippocampal lipids were not significantly affected by APOE genotype, however levels of myelin-enriched sulfatides and hexosylceramides were significantly lower, and polyunsaturated phospholipids were higher, in rs1990622-A carriers after controlling for APOE genotype. CONCLUSIONS Our study demonstrates that TMEM106B protein abundance is increased with brain ageing in humans, establishes that dementia risk allele rs1990622-A predisposes to TMEM106B fibril formation in the hippocampus, and provides the first evidence that rs1990622-A affects brain lipid homeostasis, particularly myelin lipids. Our data suggests that TMEM106B is one of a growing list of major dementia risk genes that affect glial lipid metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Yup Lee
- Charles Perkins Centre, Camperdown, NSW, 2006, Australia
- School of Medical Sciences, Camperdown, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Dylan J Harney
- Charles Perkins Centre, Camperdown, NSW, 2006, Australia
- School of Medical Sciences, Camperdown, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Jonathan D Teo
- Charles Perkins Centre, Camperdown, NSW, 2006, Australia
- School of Medical Sciences, Camperdown, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - John B Kwok
- School of Medical Sciences, Camperdown, NSW, 2006, Australia
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Greg T Sutherland
- Charles Perkins Centre, Camperdown, NSW, 2006, Australia
- School of Medical Sciences, Camperdown, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Mark Larance
- Charles Perkins Centre, Camperdown, NSW, 2006, Australia
- School of Medical Sciences, Camperdown, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Anthony S Don
- Charles Perkins Centre, Camperdown, NSW, 2006, Australia.
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17
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Tsapanou A, Gacheru M, Lee S, Mourtzi N, Gazes Y, Habeck C, Belsky DW, Stern Y. Association of Cognitive Polygenic Index and Cognitive Performance with Age in Cognitively Healthy Adults. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1814. [PMID: 37761954 PMCID: PMC10531331 DOI: 10.3390/genes14091814] [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: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies have discovered common genetic variants associated with cognitive performance. Polygenic scores that summarize these discoveries explain up to 10% of the variance in cognitive test performance in samples of adults. However, the role these genetics play in cognitive aging is not well understood. We analyzed data from 168 cognitively healthy participants aged 23-77 years old, with data on genetics, neuropsychological assessment, and brain-imaging measurements from two large ongoing studies, the Reference Abilities Neural Networks, and the Cognitive Reserve study. We tested whether a polygenic index previously related to cognition (Cog PGI) would moderate the relationship between age and measurements of the cognitive domains extracted from a neuropsychological evaluation: fluid reasoning, memory, vocabulary, and speed of processing. We further explored the relationship of Cog PGI and age on cognition using Johnson-Neyman intervals for two-way interactions. Sex, education, and brain measures of cortical thickness, total gray matter volume, and white matter hyperintensity were considered covariates. The analysis controlled for population structure-ancestry. There was a significant interaction effect of Cog PGI on the association between age and the domains of memory (Standardized coefficient = -0.158, p-value = 0.022), fluid reasoning (Standardized coefficient = -0.146, p-value = 0.020), and vocabulary (Standardized coefficient = -0.191, p-value = 0.001). Higher PGI strengthened the negative relationship between age and the domains of memory and fluid reasoning while PGI weakened the positive relationship between age and vocabulary. Based on the Johnson-Neyman intervals, Cog PGI was significantly associated with domains of memory, reasoning, and vocabulary for younger adults. There is a significant moderation effect of genetic predisposition for cognition for the association between age and cognitive performance. Genetics discovered in genome-wide association studies of cognitive performance show a stronger association in young and midlife older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angeliki Tsapanou
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; (A.T.); (C.H.)
| | - Margaret Gacheru
- Department of Biostatistics, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY 10032, USA;
| | - Seonjoo Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Niki Mourtzi
- Department of Neurology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 10679 Athens, Greece
| | - Yunglin Gazes
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; (A.T.); (C.H.)
| | - Christian Habeck
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; (A.T.); (C.H.)
| | - Daniel W. Belsky
- Department of Epidemiology and Butler Columbia Aging Center, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Yaakov Stern
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; (A.T.); (C.H.)
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18
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Hahn O, Foltz AG, Atkins M, Kedir B, Moran-Losada P, Guldner IH, Munson C, Kern F, Pálovics R, Lu N, Zhang H, Kaur A, Hull J, Huguenard JR, Grönke S, Lehallier B, Partridge L, Keller A, Wyss-Coray T. Atlas of the aging mouse brain reveals white matter as vulnerable foci. Cell 2023; 186:4117-4133.e22. [PMID: 37591239 PMCID: PMC10528304 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.07.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Aging is the key risk factor for cognitive decline, yet the molecular changes underlying brain aging remain poorly understood. Here, we conducted spatiotemporal RNA sequencing of the mouse brain, profiling 1,076 samples from 15 regions across 7 ages and 2 rejuvenation interventions. Our analysis identified a brain-wide gene signature of aging in glial cells, which exhibited spatially defined changes in magnitude. By integrating spatial and single-nucleus transcriptomics, we found that glial aging was particularly accelerated in white matter compared with cortical regions, whereas specialized neuronal populations showed region-specific expression changes. Rejuvenation interventions, including young plasma injection and dietary restriction, exhibited distinct effects on gene expression in specific brain regions. Furthermore, we discovered differential gene expression patterns associated with three human neurodegenerative diseases, highlighting the importance of regional aging as a potential modulator of disease. Our findings identify molecular foci of brain aging, providing a foundation to target age-related cognitive decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Hahn
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Aulden G Foltz
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Micaiah Atkins
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Blen Kedir
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Patricia Moran-Losada
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Ian H Guldner
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Christy Munson
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Vilcek Institute of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, NYU Langone Health, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Fabian Kern
- Clinical Bioinformatics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany; Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), Helmholtz-Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Róbert Pálovics
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Nannan Lu
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Hui Zhang
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Achint Kaur
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Jacob Hull
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - John R Huguenard
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Linda Partridge
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany; Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, Institute of Healthy Ageing, University College London, London, UK
| | - Andreas Keller
- Clinical Bioinformatics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany; Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), Helmholtz-Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Tony Wyss-Coray
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Paul F. Glenn Center for the Biology of Aging, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Stanford University, The Phil and Penny Knight Initiative for Brain Resilience, Stanford, CA, USA.
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19
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Vasconcelos CFM, Ribas VT, Petrs-Silva H. Shared Molecular Pathways in Glaucoma and Other Neurodegenerative Diseases: Insights from RNA-Seq Analysis and miRNA Regulation for Promising Therapeutic Avenues. Cells 2023; 12:2155. [PMID: 37681887 PMCID: PMC10486375 DOI: 10.3390/cells12172155] [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: 07/29/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Advances in RNA-sequencing technologies have led to the identification of molecular biomarkers for several diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's diseases and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Despite the nature of glaucoma as a neurodegenerative disorder with several similarities with the other above-mentioned diseases, transcriptional data about this disease are still scarce. microRNAs are small molecules (~17-25 nucleotides) that have been found to be specifically expressed in the CNS as major components of the system regulating the development signatures of neurodegenerative diseases and the homeostasis of the brain. In this review, we sought to identify similarities between the functional mechanisms and the activated pathways of the most common neurodegenerative diseases, as well as to discuss how those mechanisms are regulated by miRNAs, using RNA-Seq as an approach to compare them. We also discuss therapeutically suitable applications for these disease hallmarks in clinical future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Franciney Moreira Vasconcelos
- University of Medicine of Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
- Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Vinicius Toledo Ribas
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (ICB/UFMG), Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil;
| | - Hilda Petrs-Silva
- Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, Brazil
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20
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Abdullatef S, Farina C. Publicly available ex vivo transcriptomics datasets to explore CNS physiology and neurodegeneration: state of the art and perspectives. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1211079. [PMID: 37680966 PMCID: PMC10481165 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1211079] [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: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The central nervous system (CNS) is characterized by an intricate composition of diverse cell types, including neurons and glia cells (astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and microglia), whose functions may differ along time, between sexes and upon pathology. The advancements in high-throughput transcriptomics are providing fundamental insights on cell phenotypes, so that molecular codes and instructions are ever more described for CNS physiology and neurodegeneration. To facilitate the search of relevant information, this review provides an overview of key CNS transcriptomics studies ranging from CNS development to ageing and from physiology to pathology as defined for five neurodegenerative disorders and their relative animal models, with a focus on molecular descriptions whose raw data were publicly available. Accurate phenotypic descriptions of cellular states correlate with functional changes and this knowledge may support research devoted to the development of therapeutic strategies supporting CNS repair and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Abdullatef
- Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology (INSpe), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Faculty of Medicine, Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Cinthia Farina
- Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology (INSpe), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
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21
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Duffy MF, Ding J, Langston RG, Shah SI, Nalls MA, Scholz SW, Whitaker DT, Auluck PK, Marenco S, Gibbs JR, Cookson MR. Divergent patterns of healthy aging across human brain regions at single-cell resolution reveal links to neurodegenerative disease. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.31.551097. [PMID: 37577533 PMCID: PMC10418086 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.31.551097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Age is a major common risk factor underlying neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Previous studies reported that chronological age correlates with differential gene expression across different brain regions. However, prior datasets have not disambiguated whether expression associations with age are due to changes in cell numbers and/or gene expression per cell. In this study, we leveraged single nucleus RNA-sequencing (snRNAseq) to examine changes in cell proportions and transcriptomes in four different brain regions, each from 12 donors aged 20-30 years (young) or 60-85 years (old). We sampled 155,192 nuclei from two cortical regions (entorhinal cortex and middle temporal gyrus) and two subcortical regions (putamen and subventricular zone) relevant to neurodegenerative diseases or the proliferative niche. We found no changes in cellular composition of different brain regions with healthy aging. Surprisingly, we did find that each brain region has a distinct aging signature, with only minor overlap in differentially associated genes across regions. Moreover, each cell type shows distinct age-associated expression changes, including loss of protein synthesis genes in cortical inhibitory neurons, axonogenesis genes in excitatory neurons and oligodendrocyte precursor cells, enhanced gliosis markers in astrocytes and disease-associated markers in microglia, and genes critical for neuron-glia communication. Importantly, we find cell type-specific enrichments of age associations with genes nominated by Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease genome-wide association studies (GWAS), such as apolipoprotein E (APOE), and leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) in microglia that are independent of overall expression levels across cell types. We present this data as a new resource which highlights, first, region- and cell type-specific transcriptomic changes in healthy aging that may contribute to selective vulnerability and, second, provide context for testing GWAS-nominated disease risk genes in relevant subtypes and developing more targeted therapeutic strategies. The data is readily accessible without requirement for extensive computational support in a public website, https://brainexp-hykyffa56a-uc.a.run.app/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan F. Duffy
- Cell Biology and Gene Expression Section, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA 20892
| | - Jinhui Ding
- Computational Biology Group, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA 20892
| | - Rebekah G. Langston
- Cell Biology and Gene Expression Section, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA 20892
| | - Syed I. Shah
- Data Tecnica International LLC, Washington, DC, USA
- Center for Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Mike A. Nalls
- Data Tecnica International LLC, Washington, DC, USA
- Center for Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Sonja W. Scholz
- Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - D. Thad Whitaker
- Cell Biology and Gene Expression Section, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA 20892
| | - Pavan K. Auluck
- Human Brain Collection Core, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Stefano Marenco
- Human Brain Collection Core, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - J. Raphael Gibbs
- Computational Biology Group, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA 20892
| | - Mark R. Cookson
- Cell Biology and Gene Expression Section, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA 20892
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22
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Liharska LE, Park YJ, Ziafat K, Wilkins L, Silk H, Linares LM, Vornholt E, Sullivan B, Cohen V, Kota P, Feng C, Cheng E, Moya E, Thompson RC, Johnson JS, Rieder MK, Huang J, Scarpa J, Hashemi A, Polanco J, Levin MA, Nadkarni GN, Sebra R, Crary J, Schadt EE, Beckmann ND, Kopell BH, Charney AW. A study of gene expression in the living human brain. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.04.21.23288916. [PMID: 37163086 PMCID: PMC10168405 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.21.23288916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
A goal of medical research is to determine the molecular basis of human brain health and illness. One way to achieve this goal is through observational studies of gene expression in human brain tissue. Due to the unavailability of brain tissue from living people, most such studies are performed using tissue from postmortem brain donors. An assumption underlying this practice is that gene expression in the postmortem human brain is an accurate representation of gene expression in the living human brain. Here, this assumption - which, until now, had not been adequately tested - is tested by comparing human prefrontal cortex gene expression between 275 living samples and 243 postmortem samples. Expression levels differed significantly for nearly 80% of genes, and a systematic examination of alternative explanations for this observation determined that these differences are not a consequence of cell type composition, RNA quality, postmortem interval, age, medication, morbidity, symptom severity, tissue pathology, sample handling, batch effects, or computational methods utilized. Analyses integrating the data generated for this study with data from earlier landmark studies that used tissue from postmortem brain donors showed that postmortem brain gene expression signatures of neurological and mental illnesses, as well as of normal traits such as aging, may not be accurate representations of these gene expression signatures in the living brain. By using tissue from large cohorts living people, future observational studies of human brain biology have the potential to (1) determine the medical research questions that can be addressed using postmortem tissue as a proxy for living tissue and (2) expand the scope of medical research to include questions about the molecular basis of human brain health and illness that can only be addressed in living people (e.g., "What happens at the molecular level in the brain as a person experiences an emotion?").
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23
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Kim HS, Jang S, Kim J. Genome-Wide Integrative Transcriptional Profiling Identifies Age-Associated Signatures in Dogs. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1131. [PMID: 37372311 DOI: 10.3390/genes14061131] [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: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Mammals experience similar stages of embryonic development, birth, infancy, youth, adolescence, maturity, and senescence. While embryonic developmental processes have been extensively researched, many molecular mechanisms regulating the different life stages after birth, such as aging, remain unresolved. We investigated the conserved and global molecular transitions in transcriptional remodeling with age in dogs of 15 breeds, which revealed that genes underlying hormone level regulation and developmental programs were differentially regulated during aging. Subsequently, we show that the candidate genes associated with tumorigenesis also exhibit age-dependent DNA methylation patterns, which might have contributed to the tumor state through inhibiting the plasticity of cell differentiation processes during aging, and ultimately suggesting the molecular events that link the processes of aging and cancer. These results highlight that the rate of age-related transcriptional remodeling is influenced not only by the lifespan, but also by the timing of critical physiological milestones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun Seung Kim
- Division of Applied Life Science (BK21 Four), Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Republic of Korea
| | - Subin Jang
- Division of Applied Life Science (BK21 Four), Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaemin Kim
- Division of Applied Life Science (BK21 Four), Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Republic of Korea
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24
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Wahl D, Smith ME, McEntee CM, Cavalier AN, Osburn SC, Burke SD, Grant RA, Nerguizian D, Lark DS, Link CD, LaRocca TJ. The reverse transcriptase inhibitor 3TC protects against age-related cognitive dysfunction. Aging Cell 2023; 22:e13798. [PMID: 36949552 PMCID: PMC10186603 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13798] [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: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging is the primary risk factor for most neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease. Major hallmarks of brain aging include neuroinflammation/immune activation and reduced neuronal health/function. These processes contribute to cognitive dysfunction (a key risk factor for Alzheimer's disease), but their upstream causes are incompletely understood. Age-related increases in transposable element (TE) transcripts might contribute to reduced cognitive function with brain aging, as the reverse transcriptase inhibitor 3TC reduces inflammation in peripheral tissues and TE transcripts have been linked with tau pathology in Alzheimer's disease. However, the effects of 3TC on cognitive function with aging have not been investigated. Here, in support of a role for TE transcripts in brain aging/cognitive decline, we show that 3TC: (a) improves cognitive function and reduces neuroinflammation in old wild-type mice; (b) preserves neuronal health with aging in mice and Caenorhabditis elegans; and (c) enhances cognitive function in a mouse model of tauopathy. We also provide insight on potential underlying mechanisms, as well as evidence of translational relevance for these observations by showing that TE transcripts accumulate with brain aging in humans, and that these age-related increases intersect with those observed in Alzheimer's disease. Collectively, our results suggest that TE transcript accumulation during aging may contribute to cognitive decline and neurodegeneration, and that targeting these events with reverse transcriptase inhibitors like 3TC could be a viable therapeutic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devin Wahl
- Department of Health and Exercise ScienceColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColoradoUSA
- Center for Healthy AgingColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColoradoUSA
| | - Meghan E. Smith
- Department of Health and Exercise ScienceColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColoradoUSA
- Center for Healthy AgingColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColoradoUSA
| | - Cali M. McEntee
- Department of Health and Exercise ScienceColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColoradoUSA
- Center for Healthy AgingColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColoradoUSA
| | - Alyssa N. Cavalier
- Department of Health and Exercise ScienceColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColoradoUSA
- Center for Healthy AgingColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColoradoUSA
| | - Shelby C. Osburn
- Department of Health and Exercise ScienceColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColoradoUSA
- Center for Healthy AgingColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColoradoUSA
| | - Samuel D. Burke
- Department of Health and Exercise ScienceColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColoradoUSA
- Center for Healthy AgingColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColoradoUSA
| | - Randy A. Grant
- Department of Health and Exercise ScienceColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColoradoUSA
- Center for Healthy AgingColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColoradoUSA
| | - David Nerguizian
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular GeneticsUniversity of Colorado School of MedicineAuroraColoradoUSA
| | - Daniel S. Lark
- Department of Health and Exercise ScienceColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColoradoUSA
| | - Christopher D. Link
- Department of Integrative PhysiologyUniversity of Colorado BoulderBoulderColoradoUSA
| | - Thomas J. LaRocca
- Department of Health and Exercise ScienceColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColoradoUSA
- Center for Healthy AgingColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColoradoUSA
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25
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Gasperi RD, Gama Sosa MA, Perez Garcia GS, Perez GM, Abutarboush R, Kawoos U, Statz JK, Patterson J, Hof PR, Katsel P, Cook DG, Ahlers ST, Elder GA. Progressive Transcriptional Changes in the Amygdala Implicate Neuroinflammation in the Effects of Repetitive Low-Level Blast Exposure in Male Rats. J Neurotrauma 2023; 40:561-577. [PMID: 36262047 PMCID: PMC10040418 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2022.0282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic mental health problems are common among military veterans who sustained blast-related traumatic brain injuries. The reasons for this association remain unexplained. Male rats exposed to repetitive low-level blast overpressure (BOP) exposures exhibit chronic cognitive and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-related traits that develop in a delayed fashion. We examined blast-induced alterations on the transcriptome in four brain areas (anterior cortex, hippocampus, amygdala, and cerebellum) across the time frame over which the PTSD-related behavioral phenotype develops. When analyzed at 6 weeks or 12 months after blast exposure, relatively few differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were found. However, longitudinal analysis of amygdala, hippocampus, and anterior cortex between 6 weeks and 12 months revealed blast-specific DEG patterns. Six DEGs (hyaluronan and proteoglycan link protein 1 [Hapln1], glutamate metabotropic receptor 2 [Grm2], purinergic receptor P2y12 [P2ry12], C-C chemokine receptor type 5 [Ccr5], phenazine biosynthesis-like protein domain containing 1 [Pbld1], and cadherin related 23 [Cdh23]) were found altered in all three brain regions in blast-exposed animals. Pathway enrichment analysis using all DEGs or those uniquely changed revealed different transcription patterns in blast versus sham. In particular, the amygdala in blast-exposed animals had a unique set of enriched pathways related to stress responses, oxidative phosphorylation, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Upstream analysis implicated tumor necrosis factor (TNF)α signaling in blast-related effects in amygdala and anterior cortex. Eukaryotic initiating factor eIF4E (EIF4e), an upstream regulator of P2ry12 and Ccr5, was predicted to be activated in the amygdala. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) validated longitudinal changes in two TNFα regulated genes (cathepsin B [Ctsb], Hapln1), P2ry12, and Grm2. These studies have implications for understanding how blast injury damages the brain and implicates inflammation as a potential therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita De Gasperi
- Research and Development Service, James J. Peters Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Miguel A. Gama Sosa
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- General Medical Research Service, James J. Peters Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA
- Department of Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Georgina S. Perez Garcia
- Research and Development Service, James J. Peters Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Gissel M. Perez
- Research and Development Service, James J. Peters Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Rania Abutarboush
- Department of Neurotrauma, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
- The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Usmah Kawoos
- Department of Neurotrauma, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
- The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Jonathan K. Statz
- Department of Neurotrauma, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
- The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Jacob Patterson
- The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- Parsons Corporation, Centreville, Virginia, USA
| | - Patrick R. Hof
- Department of Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Care, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Mount Sinai Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Pavel Katsel
- Research and Development Service, James J. Peters Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - David G. Cook
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Stephen T. Ahlers
- Department of Neurotrauma, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Gregory A. Elder
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Mount Sinai Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Neurology Service, James J. Peters Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA
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26
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Ha SG, Lee SJV. The role of tRNA-derived small RNAs in aging. BMB Rep 2023; 56:49-55. [PMID: 36646437 PMCID: PMC9978369 DOI: 10.5483/bmbrep.2022-0199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging is characterized by a gradual decline in biological functions, leading to the increased probability of diseases and deaths in organisms. Previous studies have identified biological factors that modulate aging and lifespan, including non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). Here, we review the relationship between aging and tRNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs), ncRNAs that are generated from the cleavage of tRNAs. We describe age-dependent changes in tsRNA levels and their functions in age-related diseases, such as cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. We also discuss the association of tsRNAs with aging-regulating processes, including mitochondrial respiration and reduced mRNA translation. We cover recent findings regarding the potential roles of tsRNAs in cellular senescence, a major cause of organismal aging. Overall, our review will provide useful information for understanding the roles of tsRNAs in aging and age-associated diseases. [BMB Reports 2023; 56(2): 49-55].
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Affiliation(s)
- Seokjun G. Ha
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Seung-Jae V. Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Korea
- KAIST Stem Cell Center, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Korea
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27
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Ha SG, Lee SJV. The role of tRNA-derived small RNAs in aging. BMB Rep 2023; 56:49-55. [PMID: 36646437 PMCID: PMC9978369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging is characterized by a gradual decline in biological functions, leading to the increased probability of diseases and deaths in organisms. Previous studies have identified biological factors that modulate aging and lifespan, including non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). Here, we review the relationship between aging and tRNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs), ncRNAs that are generated from the cleavage of tRNAs. We describe age-dependent changes in tsRNA levels and their functions in age-related diseases, such as cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. We also discuss the association of tsRNAs with aging-regulating processes, including mitochondrial respiration and reduced mRNA translation. We cover recent findings regarding the potential roles of tsRNAs in cellular senescence, a major cause of organismal aging. Overall, our review will provide useful information for understanding the roles of tsRNAs in aging and age-associated diseases. [BMB Reports 2023; 56(2): 49-55].
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Affiliation(s)
- Seokjun G. Ha
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Seung-Jae V. Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Korea
- KAIST Stem Cell Center, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Korea
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28
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Lee JY, Harney D, Kwok J, Larance M, Don AS. The major TMEM106B dementia risk allele affects TMEM106B protein levels and myelin lipid homeostasis in the ageing human hippocampus. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-2392941. [PMID: 36711721 PMCID: PMC9882607 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2392941/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Background The risk for dementia increases exponentially from the seventh decade of life. Identifying and understanding the biochemical changes that sensitize the ageing brain to neurodegeneration will provide new opportunities for dementia prevention and treatment. This study aimed to determine how ageing and major genetic risk factors for dementia affect the hippocampal proteome and lipidome of neurologically-normal humans over the age of 65. The hippocampus was chosen as it is highly susceptible to atrophy with ageing and in several neurodegenerative diseases. Methods Mass spectrometry-based proteomic and lipidomic analysis of CA1 hippocampus samples from 74 neurologically normal human donors, aged 66-104, was used in combination with multiple regression models and gene set enrichment analysis to identify age-dependent changes in the proteome and lipidome. ANOVA was used to test the effect of major dementia risk alleles in the TMEM106B and APOE genes on the hippocampal proteome and lipidome, adjusting for age, gender, and post-mortem interval. Results Forty proteins were associated with age at false discovery rate-corrected P < 0.05, including proteins that regulate cell adhesion, the cytoskeleton, amino acid and lipid metabolism, and ribosomal subunits. Transmembrane protein 106B (TMEM106B), a regulator of lysosomal and oligodendrocyte function, was regulated with greatest effect size. The increase in TMEM106B levels with age was specific to carriers of the rs1990622-A allele in the TMEM106B gene that is associated with increased risk for frontotemporal dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and hippocampal sclerosis with ageing. Hippocampal lipids were not significantly affected by APOE genotype, however levels of myelin-enriched sulfatides and hexosylceramides were significantly lower, and polyunsaturated phospholipids were higher, in rs1990622-A carriers after controlling for APOE genotype. Conclusions Our study provides the first evidence that TMEM106B protein abundance is increased with brain ageing in humans, and the first evidence that the major TMEM106B dementia risk allele affects brain lipid homeostasis, with a clear effect on myelin lipid content. Our data implies that TMEM106B is one of a growing list of major dementia risk genes that affect glial lipid metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Yup Lee
- The University of Sydney SMS: The University of Sydney School of Medical Sciences
| | | | - John Kwok
- The University of Sydney SMS: The University of Sydney School of Medical Sciences
| | - Mark Larance
- The University of Sydney SMS: The University of Sydney School of Medical Sciences
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29
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Zhao J, Huai J. Role of primary aging hallmarks in Alzheimer´s disease. Theranostics 2023; 13:197-230. [PMID: 36593969 PMCID: PMC9800733 DOI: 10.7150/thno.79535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease, which severely threatens the health of the elderly and causes significant economic and social burdens. The causes of AD are complex and include heritable but mostly aging-related factors. The primary aging hallmarks include genomic instability, telomere wear, epigenetic changes, and loss of protein stability, which play a dominant role in the aging process. Although AD is closely associated with the aging process, the underlying mechanisms involved in AD pathogenesis have not been well characterized. This review summarizes the available literature about primary aging hallmarks and their roles in AD pathogenesis. By analyzing published literature, we attempted to uncover the possible mechanisms of aberrant epigenetic markers with related enzymes, transcription factors, and loss of proteostasis in AD. In particular, the importance of oxidative stress-induced DNA methylation and DNA methylation-directed histone modifications and proteostasis are highlighted. A molecular network of gene regulatory elements that undergoes a dynamic change with age may underlie age-dependent AD pathogenesis, and can be used as a new drug target to treat AD.
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30
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Fu Y, Wu T, Yu H, Xu J, Zhang JZ, Fu DY, Ye H. The Transcription of Flight Energy Metabolism Enzymes Declined with Aging While Enzyme Activity Increased in the Long-Distance Migratory Moth, Spodoptera frugiperda. INSECTS 2022; 13:936. [PMID: 36292884 PMCID: PMC9604208 DOI: 10.3390/insects13100936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 10/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Of all the things that can fly, the flight mechanisms of insects are possibly the least understood. By using RNAseq, we studied the aging-associated gene expression changes in the thorax of Spodoptera frugiperda females. Three possible flight energy metabolism pathways were constructed based on 32 key metabolic enzymes found in S. frugiperda. Differential expression analysis revealed up to 2000 DEGs within old females versus young ones. Expression and GO and KEGG enrichment analyses indicated that most genes and pathways related to energy metabolism and other biological processes, such as transport, redox, longevity and signaling pathway, were downregulated with aging. However, activity assay showed that the activities of all the five tested key enzymes increased with age. The age-associated transcriptional decrease and activity increase in these enzymes suggest that these enzymes are stable. S. frugiperda is a long-distance migrator, and a high activity of enzymes may be important to guarantee a high flight capacity. The activity ratio of GAPDH/HOAD ranged from 0.594 to 0.412, suggesting that lipid is the main fuel of this species, particularly in old individuals. Moreover, the expression of enzymes in the proline oxidation pathway increased with age, suggesting that this energy metabolic pathway also is important for this species or linked to some aging-specific processes. In addition, the expression of immunity- and repair-related genes also increased with age. This study established the overall transcriptome framework of the flight muscle and aging-associated expression change trajectories in an insect for the first time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Fu
- Yunnan Academy of Biodiversity, School of Biodiversity Conservation, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China
| | - Ting Wu
- Yunnan Academy of Biodiversity, School of Biodiversity Conservation, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China
| | - Hong Yu
- Key Laboratory for Forest Resources Conservation and Utilization in the Southwest Mountains of China, Ministry of Education, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China
| | - Jin Xu
- Yunnan Academy of Biodiversity, School of Biodiversity Conservation, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China
- Key Laboratory for Forest Resources Conservation and Utilization in the Southwest Mountains of China, Ministry of Education, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China
| | - Jun-Zhong Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Forest Resources Conservation and Utilization in the Southwest Mountains of China, Ministry of Education, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China
| | - Da-Ying Fu
- Yunnan Academy of Biodiversity, School of Biodiversity Conservation, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China
| | - Hui Ye
- School of Ecology and Environment, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
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31
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A Causal Analysis of the Effect of Age and Sex Differences on Brain Atrophy in the Elderly Brain. LIFE (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 12:life12101586. [PMID: 36295023 PMCID: PMC9656120 DOI: 10.3390/life12101586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
We studied how brain volume loss in old age is affected by age, the APOE gene, sex, and the level of education completed. The quantitative characterization of brain volume loss at an old age relative to a young age requires-at least in principle-two MRI scans, one performed at a young age and one at an old age. There is, however, a way to address this problem when having only one MRI scan obtained at an old age. We computed the total brain losses of elderly subjects as a ratio between the estimated brain volume and the estimated total intracranial volume. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of 890 healthy subjects aged 70 to 85 years were assessed. A causal analysis of factors affecting brain atrophy was performed using probabilistic Bayesian modelling and the mathematics of causal inference. We found that both age and sex were causally related to brain atrophy, with women reaching an elderly age with a 1% larger brain volume relative to their intracranial volume than men. How the brain ages and the rationale for sex differences in brain volume losses during the adult lifespan are questions that need to be addressed with causal inference and empirical data. The graphical causal modelling presented here can be instrumental in understanding a puzzling scientific area of study-the biological aging of the brain.
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Seo Y, Ahn JS, Shin YY, Oh SJ, Song MH, Kang MJ, Oh JM, Lee D, Kim YH, Lee BC, Shin TH, Kim HS. Mesenchymal stem cells target microglia via galectin-1 production to rescue aged mice from olfactory dysfunction. Biomed Pharmacother 2022; 153:113347. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.113347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
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Gómez-Ramírez J, Fernández-Blázquez MA, González-Rosa JJ. Prediction of Chronological Age in Healthy Elderly Subjects with Machine Learning from MRI Brain Segmentation and Cortical Parcellation. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12050579. [PMID: 35624966 PMCID: PMC9139275 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12050579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Normal aging is associated with changes in volumetric indices of brain atrophy. A quantitative understanding of age-related brain changes can shed light on successful aging. To investigate the effect of age on global and regional brain volumes and cortical thickness, 3514 magnetic resonance imaging scans were analyzed using automated brain segmentation and parcellation methods in elderly healthy individuals (69–88 years of age). The machine learning algorithm extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) achieved a mean absolute error of 2 years in predicting the age of new subjects. Feature importance analysis showed that the brain-to-intracranial-volume ratio is the most important feature in predicting age, followed by the hippocampi volumes. The cortical thickness in temporal and parietal lobes showed a superior predictive value than frontal and occipital lobes. Insights from this approach that integrate model prediction and interpretation may help to shorten the current explanatory gap between chronological age and biological brain age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaime Gómez-Ramírez
- Institute of Biomedical Research Cadiz (INiBICA), Universidad de Cádiz, 11003 Cádiz, Spain;
- Correspondence:
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Ziv M, Gruber G, Sharon M, Vinogradov E, Yeger-Lotem E. The TissueNet v.3 database: Protein-protein interactions in adult and embryonic human tissue contexts. J Mol Biol 2022; 434:167532. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2022.167532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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Sex differences in immune gene expression in the brain of a small shorebird. Immunogenetics 2022; 74:487-496. [PMID: 35084547 PMCID: PMC8792134 DOI: 10.1007/s00251-022-01253-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Males and females often exhibit differences in behaviour, life histories, and ecology, many of which are typically reflected in their brains. Neuronal protection and maintenance include complex processes led by the microglia, which also interacts with metabolites such as hormones or immune components. Despite increasing interest in sex-specific brain function in laboratory animals, the significance of sex-specific immune activation in the brain of wild animals along with the variables that could affect it is widely lacking. Here, we use the Kentish plover (Charadrius alexandrinus) to study sex differences in expression of immune genes in the brain of adult males and females, in two wild populations breeding in contrasting habitats: a coastal sea-level population and a high-altitude inland population in China. Our analysis yielded 379 genes associated with immune function. We show a significant male-biased immune gene upregulation. Immune gene expression in the brain did not differ in upregulation between the coastal and inland populations. We discuss the role of dosage compensation in our findings and their evolutionary significance mediated by sex-specific survival and neuronal deterioration. Similar expression profiles in the coastal and inland populations suggest comparable genetic control by the microglia and possible similarities in pathogen pressures between habitats. We call for further studies on gene expression of males and females in wild population to understand the implications of immune function for life-histories and demography in natural systems.
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Ham S, Kim SS, Park S, Kim EJE, Kwon S, Park HEH, Jung Y, Lee SJV. Systematic transcriptome analysis associated with physiological and chronological aging in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genome Res 2022; 32:2003-2014. [PMID: 36351769 PMCID: PMC9808617 DOI: 10.1101/gr.276515.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Aging is associated with changes in a variety of biological processes at the transcriptomic level, including gene expression. Two types of aging occur during a lifetime: chronological and physiological aging. However, dissecting the difference between chronological and physiological ages at the transcriptomic level has been a challenge because of its complexity. We analyzed the transcriptomic features associated with physiological and chronological aging using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model. Many structural and functional transcript elements, such as noncoding RNAs and intron-derived transcripts, were up-regulated with chronological aging. In contrast, mRNAs with many biological functions, including RNA processing, were down-regulated with physiological aging. We also identified an age-dependent increase in the usage of distal 3' splice sites in mRNA transcripts as a biomarker of physiological aging. Our study provides crucial information for dissecting chronological and physiological aging at the transcriptomic level.
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Tabibzadeh S. Resolving Geroplasticity to the Balance of Rejuvenins and Geriatrins. Aging Dis 2022; 13:1664-1714. [DOI: 10.14336/ad.2022.0414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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Wang DO. Epitranscriptomic regulation of cognitive development and decline. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2021; 129:3-13. [PMID: 34857470 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2021.11.019] [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: 05/02/2021] [Revised: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Functional genomics and systems biology have opened new doors to previously inaccessible genomic information and holistic approaches to study complex networks of genes and proteins in the central nervous system. The advances are revolutionizing our understanding of the genetic underpinning of cognitive development and decline by facilitating identifications of novel molecular regulators and physiological pathways underlying brain function, and by associating polymorphism and mutations to cognitive dysfunction and neurological diseases. However, our current understanding of these complex gene regulatory mechanisms has yet lacked sufficient mechanistic resolution for further translational breakthroughs. Here we review recent findings from the burgeoning field of epitranscriptomics in association of cognitive functions with a special focus on the epitranscritomic regulation in subcellular locations such as chromosome, synapse, and mitochondria. Although there are important gaps in knowledge, current evidence is suggesting that this layer of RNA regulation may be of particular interest for the spatiotemporally coordinated regulation of gene networks in developing and maintaining brain function that underlie cognitive changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Ohtan Wang
- Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, RIKEN, 2-2-3 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan; Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Yoshida Hon-machi, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.
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Mavrikaki M, Lee JD, Solomon IH, Slack FJ. Severe COVID-19 induces molecular signatures of aging in the human brain. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2021:2021.11.24.21266779. [PMID: 34845457 PMCID: PMC8629201 DOI: 10.1101/2021.11.24.21266779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/11/2023]
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is predominantly an acute respiratory disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and remains a significant threat to public health. COVID-19 is accompanied by neurological symptoms and cognitive decline, but the molecular mechanisms underlying this effect remain unclear. As aging induces distinct molecular signatures in the brain associated with cognitive decline in healthy populations, we hypothesized that COVID-19 may induce molecular signatures of aging. Here, we performed whole transcriptomic analysis of human frontal cortex, a critical area for cognitive function, in 12 COVID-19 cases and age- and sex-matched uninfected controls. COVID-19 induces profound changes in gene expression, despite the absence of detectable virus in brain tissue. Pathway analysis shows downregulation of genes involved in synaptic function and cognition and upregulation of genes involved in immune processes. Comparison with five independent transcriptomic datasets of aging human frontal cortex reveals striking similarities between aged individuals and severe COVID-19 patients. Critically, individuals below 65 years of age exhibit profound transcriptomic changes not observed among older individuals in our patient cohort. Our data indicate that severe COVID-19 induces molecular signatures of aging in the human brain and emphasize the value of neurological follow-up in recovered individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Mavrikaki
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- These authors contributed equally: Maria Mavrikaki and Jonathan D. Lee
- Correspondence to M.M. and F.J.S.: ;
| | - Jonathan D. Lee
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- These authors contributed equally: Maria Mavrikaki and Jonathan D. Lee
| | - Isaac H. Solomon
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Frank J. Slack
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Harvard Medical School Initiative for RNA Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Correspondence to M.M. and F.J.S.: ;
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Accelerated aging of the brain transcriptome by the common chemotherapeutic doxorubicin. Exp Gerontol 2021; 152:111451. [PMID: 34147619 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2021.111451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Cancer is one of the most common age-related diseases, and over one-third of cancer patients will receive chemotherapy. One frequently reported side effect of chemotherapeutic agents like doxorubicin (Doxo) is impaired cognitive function, commonly known as "chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment (CICI)", which may mimic accelerated brain aging. The biological mechanisms underlying the adverse effects of Doxo on the brain are unclear but could involve mitochondrial dysfunction. Here, we characterized brain (hippocampal) transcriptome and cognitive/behavioral changes in young mice treated with Doxo +/- the mitochondrial therapeutic MitoQ. We found that Doxo altered transcriptome/biological processes related to synaptic transmission and neurotransmitter function, neuronal health and behavior, and that these gene expression changes were: 1) similar to key differences observed in transcriptome data on brain aging; and 2) associated with related, aging-like behavioral differences, such as decreased exploration time and impaired novel object recognition test (NOR, an index of learning/memory) performance. Interestingly, MitoQ partially prevented Doxo-induced transcriptome changes in the brain, but it had no effect on behavior or cognitive function. Collectively, our findings are consistent with the idea that chemotherapeutic agents could induce neuronal/gene expression and behavioral changes similar to those that occur during brain aging. In this context, mitochondrial therapeutics may have potential as treatments for CICI at the biological level, but their effects on behavior/cognitive function require further investigation.
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Casali BT, Reed-Geaghan EG. Microglial Function and Regulation during Development, Homeostasis and Alzheimer's Disease. Cells 2021; 10:cells10040957. [PMID: 33924200 PMCID: PMC8074610 DOI: 10.3390/cells10040957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Microglia are the resident immune cells of the brain, deriving from yolk sac progenitors that populate the brain parenchyma during development. During development and homeostasis, microglia play critical roles in synaptogenesis and synaptic plasticity, in addition to their primary role as immune sentinels. In aging and neurodegenerative diseases generally, and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) specifically, microglial function is altered in ways that significantly diverge from their homeostatic state, inducing a more detrimental inflammatory environment. In this review, we discuss the receptors, signaling, regulation and gene expression patterns of microglia that mediate their phenotype and function contributing to the inflammatory milieu of the AD brain, as well as strategies that target microglia to ameliorate the onset, progression and symptoms of AD.
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