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Kostic M, Zivkovic N, Cvetanovic A, Basic J, Stojanovic I. Dissecting the immune response of CD4 + T cells in Alzheimer's disease. Rev Neurosci 2024:revneuro-2024-0090. [PMID: 39238424 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2024-0090] [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: 07/04/2024] [Accepted: 08/18/2024] [Indexed: 09/07/2024]
Abstract
The formation of amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques is a neuropathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD), however, these pathological aggregates can also be found in the brains of cognitively unimpaired elderly population. In that context, individual variations in the Aβ-specific immune response could be key factors that determine the level of Aβ-induced neuroinflammation and thus the propensity to develop AD. CD4+ T cells are the cornerstone of the immune response that coordinate the effector functions of both adaptive and innate immunity. However, despite intensive research efforts, the precise role of these cells during AD pathogenesis is still not fully elucidated. Both pathogenic and beneficial effects have been observed in various animal models of AD, as well as in humans with AD. Although this functional duality of CD4+ T cells in AD can be simply attributed to the vast phenotype heterogeneity of this cell lineage, disease stage-specific effect have also been proposed. Therefore, in this review, we summarized the current understanding of the role of CD4+ T cells in the pathophysiology of AD, from the aspect of their antigen specificity, activation, and phenotype characteristics. Such knowledge is of practical importance as it paves the way for immunomodulation as a therapeutic option for AD treatment, given that currently available therapies have not yielded satisfactory results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milos Kostic
- Department of Immunology, Medical Faculty of Nis, University of Nis, Blvd. dr Zorana Djindjica 81, Nis, 18000, Serbia
| | - Nikola Zivkovic
- Department of Pathology, Medical Faculty of Nis, University of Nis, Blvd. dr Zorana Djindjica 81, Nis, 18000, Serbia
| | - Ana Cvetanovic
- Department of Oncology, Medical Faculty of Nis, University of Nis, Blvd. dr Zorana Djindjica 81, Nis, 18000, Serbia
| | - Jelena Basic
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty of Nis, University of Nis, Blvd. dr Zorana Djindjica 81, Nis, 18000, Serbia
| | - Ivana Stojanovic
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty of Nis, University of Nis, Blvd. dr Zorana Djindjica 81, Nis, 18000, Serbia
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2
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Feng X, Hou Y, Liu J, Yan F, Dai M, Chen M, Wang J, Li J, Liu Z, Sun D, Zhang Y, Yu X, Kong W, Wu H. A multi-targeting immunotherapy ameliorates multiple facets of Alzheimer's disease in 3xTg mice. NPJ Vaccines 2024; 9:153. [PMID: 39164276 PMCID: PMC11336073 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-024-00942-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an intricate disorder involving amyloid deposits, neurofibrillary tangles, and chronic neuroinflammation. Though current Aβ-directed immunotherapies effectively eliminate amyloid plaques, their limited clinical benefits and notable safety concerns arise from overlooking two other neglected neurodegenerative features. Compelling evidence highlights synergistic cooperation between Aβ and tau, underscoring the imperative need to develop combinational therapies to target the diverse pathologies of AD. In this study, we present a dual AD vaccine combining Aβ and pTau vaccines, eliciting robust and enduring antibody responses against pathological Aβ and pTau in 3xTg transgenic mice. It significantly eradicated Aβ plaques and pTau tangles, suppressed neuroinflammatory factors, and markedly enhancing cognitive abilities in 3xTg mice. Mechanistically, peripheral antibodies penetrated the brain, recognizing and inhibiting Aβ and pTau aggregation, thereby reducing their cytotoxicity. In summary, this innovative multi-targeting immunotherapy remarkably ameliorates diverse AD pathologies, demonstrating maximum benefits in slowing the clinical progression of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuejian Feng
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, China
| | - Yunyu Hou
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, China
| | - Jiaxin Liu
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, China
| | - Fei Yan
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, China
| | - Mingrui Dai
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, China
| | - Mo Chen
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, China
| | - Jianan Wang
- Changchun BCHT Biotechnology, 1260 Huoju Road, Changchun High-tech Zone, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Jie Li
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, Jilin, P.R. China
| | - Zhenjiang Liu
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, China
- Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, The Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, People's Republic of China
| | - Dong Sun
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, China
- Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, The Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, People's Republic of China
| | - Yong Zhang
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, China
- Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, The Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, People's Republic of China
| | - Xianghui Yu
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, China
- Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, The Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Kong
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, China.
- Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, The Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, People's Republic of China.
| | - Hui Wu
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, China.
- Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, The Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, People's Republic of China.
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3
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Kaul D, Ehret F, Roohani S, Jendrach M, Buthut M, Acker G, Anwar M, Zips D, Heppner F, Prüss H. Radiation Therapy in Alzheimer's Disease: A Systematic Review. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2024; 119:23-41. [PMID: 38042449 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2023.11.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Pathophysiological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD) include extracellular amyloid plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles. Recent studies also demonstrated a role of neuroinflammation in the progression of the disease. Clinical trials and animal studies using low-dose radiation therapy (LDRT) have shown therapeutic potential for AD. This systematic review summarizes the current evidence on the use of LDRT for the treatment of AD, outlines potential mechanisms of action, and discusses current challenges in the planning of future trials. METHODS AND MATERIALS A systematic review of human and animal studies as well as registered clinical trials describing outcomes for RT in the treatment of AD was conducted. We followed the 2020 Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Articles published until July 1, 2023, were included. RESULTS The initial search yielded 993 articles. After the removal of duplicates and ineligible publications, a total of 16 (12 animal, 4 human) studies were included. Various dose regimens were utilized in both animal and human trials. The results revealed that LDRT reduced the number of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, and it has a role in the regulation of genes and protein expression involved in the pathological progression of AD. LDRT has demonstrated reduced astro- and microgliosis, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects, and an alleviation of symptoms of cognitive deficits in animal models. Most studies in humans suggested improvements in cognition and behavior. None of the trials or studies described significant (>grade 2) toxicity. CONCLUSIONS Preclinical studies, animal studies, and early clinical trials in humans have shown a promising role for LDRT in the treatment of AD pathologies, although the underlying mechanisms are yet to be fully explored. Phase I/II/III trials are needed to assess the long-term safety, efficacy, and optimal treatment parameters of LDRT in AD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Kaul
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Berlin, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Felix Ehret
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Berlin, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany; Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, BIH Biomedical Innovation Academy, BIH Charité Junior Clinician Scientist Program, Berlin, Germany
| | - Siyer Roohani
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Berlin, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany; Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, BIH Biomedical Innovation Academy, BIH Charité Junior Clinician Scientist Program, Berlin, Germany
| | - Marina Jendrach
- Department of Neuropathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Maria Buthut
- Department of Neurology and Experimental Neurology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Güliz Acker
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Department of Neurosurgery, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Muneeba Anwar
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Daniel Zips
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Berlin, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Frank Heppner
- Department of Neuropathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Harald Prüss
- Department of Neurology and Experimental Neurology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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4
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Liu N, Liang X, Chen Y, Xie L. Recent trends in treatment strategies for Alzheimer 's disease and the challenges: A topical advancement. Ageing Res Rev 2024; 94:102199. [PMID: 38232903 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2024.102199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is an irreversible and progressive neurological disease that has affected at least 50 million people around the globe. Considering the severity of the disease and the continuous increase in the number of patients, the development of new effective drugs or intervention strategies for AD has become urgent. AD is caused by a combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors, but its exact cause has not yet been clarified. Given the current challenges being faced in the clinical treatment of AD, such as complex AD pathological network and insufficient early diagnosis, herein, we have focused on the three core pathological features of AD, including amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregation, tau phosphorylation and tangles, and activation of inflammatory factors. In this review, we have briefly underscored the primary evidence supporting each pathology and discuss AD pathological network among Aβ, tau, and inflammation. We have also comprehensively summarized the most instructive drugs and their treatment strategies against Aβ, tau, or neuroinflammation used in basic research and clinical trials. Finally, we have discussed and outlined the pros and cons of each pathological approach and looked forward to potential personalized diagnosis and treatment strategies that are beneficial to AD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ni Liu
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450000, China.
| | - Xiaohan Liang
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China.
| | - Yu Chen
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450000, China.
| | - Lihang Xie
- Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
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5
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Congdon EE, Ji C, Tetlow AM, Jiang Y, Sigurdsson EM. Tau-targeting therapies for Alzheimer disease: current status and future directions. Nat Rev Neurol 2023; 19:715-736. [PMID: 37875627 PMCID: PMC10965012 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-023-00883-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia in older individuals. AD is characterized pathologically by amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques and tau neurofibrillary tangles in the brain, with associated loss of synapses and neurons, which eventually results in dementia. Many of the early attempts to develop treatments for AD focused on Aβ, but a lack of efficacy of these treatments in terms of slowing disease progression led to a change of strategy towards targeting of tau pathology. Given that tau shows a stronger correlation with symptom severity than does Aβ, targeting of tau is more likely to be efficacious once cognitive decline begins. Anti-tau therapies initially focused on post-translational modifications, inhibition of tau aggregation and stabilization of microtubules. However, trials of many potential drugs were discontinued because of toxicity and/or lack of efficacy. Currently, the majority of tau-targeting agents in clinical trials are immunotherapies. In this Review, we provide an update on the results from the initial immunotherapy trials and an overview of new therapeutic candidates that are in clinical development, as well as considering future directions for tau-targeting therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin E Congdon
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Changyi Ji
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Amber M Tetlow
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yixiang Jiang
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Einar M Sigurdsson
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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6
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Thomas S, Prendergast GC. Gut-brain connections in neurodegenerative disease: immunotherapeutic targeting of Bin1 in inflammatory bowel disease and Alzheimer's disease. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1183932. [PMID: 37521457 PMCID: PMC10372349 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1183932] [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: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Longer lifespan produces risks of age-associated neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), which is characterized by declines in memory and cognitive function. The pathogenic causes of AD are thought to reflect a progressive aggregation in the brain of amyloid plaques composed of beta-amyloid (Aß) peptides and neurofibrillary tangles composed of phosphorylated tau protein. Recently, long-standing investigations of the Aß disease hypothesis gained support via a passive immunotherapy targeting soluble Aß protein. Tau-targeting approaches using antibodies are also being pursued as a therapeutic approach to AD. In genome-wide association studies, the disease modifier gene Bin1 has been identified as a top risk factor for late-onset AD in human populations, with recent studies suggesting that Bin1 binds tau and influences its extracellular deposition. Interestingly, before AD emerges in the brain, tau levels rise in the colon, where Bin1-a modifier of tissue barrier function and inflammation-acts to promote inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This connection is provocative given clinical evidence of gut-brain communication in age-associated neurodegenerative disorders, including AD. In this review, we discuss a Bin1-targeting passive immunotherapy developed in our laboratory to treat IBD that may offer a strategy to indirectly reduce tau deposition and limit AD onset or progression.
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7
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Sonsalla MM, Lamming DW. Geroprotective interventions in the 3xTg mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. GeroScience 2023; 45:1343-1381. [PMID: 37022634 PMCID: PMC10400530 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-023-00782-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-associated neurodegenerative disease. As the population ages, the increasing prevalence of AD threatens massive healthcare costs in the coming decades. Unfortunately, traditional drug development efforts for AD have proven largely unsuccessful. A geroscience approach to AD suggests that since aging is the main driver of AD, targeting aging itself may be an effective way to prevent or treat AD. Here, we discuss the effectiveness of geroprotective interventions on AD pathology and cognition in the widely utilized triple-transgenic mouse model of AD (3xTg-AD) which develops both β-amyloid and tau pathologies characteristic of human AD, as well as cognitive deficits. We discuss the beneficial impacts of calorie restriction (CR), the gold standard for geroprotective interventions, and the effects of other dietary interventions including protein restriction. We also discuss the promising preclinical results of geroprotective pharmaceuticals, including rapamycin and medications for type 2 diabetes. Though these interventions and treatments have beneficial effects in the 3xTg-AD model, there is no guarantee that they will be as effective in humans, and we discuss the need to examine these interventions in additional animal models as well as the urgent need to test if some of these approaches can be translated from the lab to the bedside for the treatment of humans with AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle M Sonsalla
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2500 Overlook Terrace, VAH C3127 Research 151, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
- William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
- Comparative Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Dudley W Lamming
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2500 Overlook Terrace, VAH C3127 Research 151, Madison, WI, 53705, USA.
- William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, 53705, USA.
- Comparative Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA.
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Choi BJ, Park MH, Park KH, Han WH, Yoon HJ, Jung HY, Hong JY, Chowdhury MR, Kim KY, Lee J, Song IS, Pang M, Choi MK, Gulbins E, Reichel M, Kornhuber J, Hong CW, Kim C, Kim SH, Schuchman EH, Jin HK, Bae JS. Immunotherapy targeting plasma ASM is protective in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1631. [PMID: 36959217 PMCID: PMC10036484 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37316-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Acid sphingomyelinase (ASM) has been implicated in neurodegenerative disease pathology, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the specific role of plasma ASM in promoting these pathologies is poorly understood. Herein, we explore plasma ASM as a circulating factor that accelerates neuropathological features in AD by exposing young APP/PS1 mice to the blood of mice overexpressing ASM, through parabiotic surgery. Elevated plasma ASM was found to enhance several neuropathological features in the young APP/PS1 mice by mediating the differentiation of blood-derived, pathogenic Th17 cells. Antibody-based immunotherapy targeting plasma ASM showed efficient inhibition of ASM activity in the blood of APP/PS1 mice and, interestingly, led to prophylactic effects on neuropathological features by suppressing pathogenic Th17 cells. Our data reveals insights into the potential pathogenic mechanisms underlying AD and highlights ASM-targeting immunotherapy as a potential strategy for further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Byung Jo Choi
- KNU Alzheimer's disease Research Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
- Department of Laboratory Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Min Hee Park
- KNU Alzheimer's disease Research Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
- Department of Physiology, Cell and Matrix Research Institute, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Kang Ho Park
- KNU Alzheimer's disease Research Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
- Department of Physiology, Cell and Matrix Research Institute, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Wan Hui Han
- KNU Alzheimer's disease Research Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
- Department of Physiology, Cell and Matrix Research Institute, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Hee Ji Yoon
- KNU Alzheimer's disease Research Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
- Department of Physiology, Cell and Matrix Research Institute, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Hye Yoon Jung
- KNU Alzheimer's disease Research Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
- Department of Physiology, Cell and Matrix Research Institute, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Ju Yeon Hong
- KNU Alzheimer's disease Research Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
- Department of Physiology, Cell and Matrix Research Institute, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Md Riad Chowdhury
- KNU Alzheimer's disease Research Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
- Department of Physiology, Cell and Matrix Research Institute, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Kyung Yeol Kim
- KNU Alzheimer's disease Research Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
- Department of Physiology, Cell and Matrix Research Institute, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Jihoon Lee
- BK21 FOUR Community-Based Intelligent Novel Drug Discovery Education Unit, Vessel-Organ Interaction Research Center (VOICE), College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Im-Sook Song
- BK21 FOUR Community-Based Intelligent Novel Drug Discovery Education Unit, Vessel-Organ Interaction Research Center (VOICE), College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Minyeong Pang
- College of Pharmacy, Dankook University, Cheon-an, South Korea
| | - Min-Koo Choi
- College of Pharmacy, Dankook University, Cheon-an, South Korea
| | - Erich Gulbins
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Martin Reichel
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Johannes Kornhuber
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Chang-Won Hong
- Department of Physiology, Cell and Matrix Research Institute, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Changho Kim
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Kyungpook National University Chilgok Hospital, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Seung Hyun Kim
- Department of Neurology, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Edward H Schuchman
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hee Kyung Jin
- KNU Alzheimer's disease Research Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea.
- Department of Laboratory Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea.
| | - Jae-Sung Bae
- KNU Alzheimer's disease Research Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea.
- Department of Physiology, Cell and Matrix Research Institute, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea.
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9
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Parrocha CMT, Nowick JS. Current Peptide Vaccine and Immunotherapy Approaches Against Alzheimer's Disease. Pept Sci (Hoboken) 2023; 115:e24289. [PMID: 36778914 PMCID: PMC9916509 DOI: 10.1002/pep2.24289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 06/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Peptide vaccines and immunotherapies against aggregating proteins involved in the pathogenesis and progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) - the β-amyloid peptide (Aβ) and tau - are promising therapeutic avenues against AD. Two decades of effort has led to the controversial FDA approval of the monoclonal antibody Aducanumab (Aduhelm), which has subsequentially sparked the revival and expedited review of promising monoclonal antibody immunotherapies that target Aβ. In this review, we explore the development of Aβ and tau peptide vaccines and immunotherapies with monoclonal antibodies in clinical trials against AD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - James S. Nowick
- Department of Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversity of California IrvineIrvineCaliforniaUSA
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of California IrvineIrvineCaliforniaUSA
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10
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Dai CL, Liu F, Iqbal K, Gong CX. Gut Microbiota and Immunotherapy for Alzheimer's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:15230. [PMID: 36499564 PMCID: PMC9741026 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232315230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that eventually leads to dementia and death of the patient. Currently, no effective treatment is available that can slow or halt the progression of the disease. The gut microbiota can modulate the host immune system in the peripheral and central nervous system through the microbiota-gut-brain axis. Growing evidence indicates that gut microbiota dysbiosis plays an important role in the pathogenesis of AD, and modulation of the gut microbiota may represent a new avenue for treating AD. Immunotherapy targeting Aβ and tau has emerged as the most promising disease-modifying therapy for the treatment of AD. However, the underlying mechanism of AD immunotherapy is not known. Importantly, preclinical and clinical studies have highlighted that the gut microbiota exerts a major influence on the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy. However, the role of the gut microbiota in AD immunotherapy has not been explored. We found that immunotherapy targeting tau can modulate the gut microbiota in an AD mouse model. In this article, we focused on the crosstalk between the gut microbiota, immunity, and AD immunotherapy. We speculate that modulation of the gut microbiota induced by AD immunotherapy may partially underlie the efficacy of the treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Cheng-Xin Gong
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, New York, NY 10314, USA
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11
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Karimi N, Bayram Çatak F, Arslan E, Saghazadeh A, Rezaei N. Tau immunotherapy in Alzheimer’s disease and progressive supranuclear palsy. Int Immunopharmacol 2022; 113:109445. [DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2022.109445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 11/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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12
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Alipour M, Tebianian M, Tofigh N, Taheri RS, Mousavi SA, Naseri A, Ahmadi A, Munawar N, Shahpasand K. Active immunotherapy against pathogenic Cis pT231-tau suppresses neurodegeneration in traumatic brain injury mouse models. Neuropeptides 2022; 96:102285. [PMID: 36087426 DOI: 10.1016/j.npep.2022.102285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI), characterized by acute neurological impairment, is associated with a higher incidence of neurodegenerative diseases, particularly chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), Alzheimer's disease (AD), and Parkinson's disease (PD), whose hallmarks include hyperphosphorylated tau protein. Recently, phosphorylated tau at Thr231 has been shown to exist in two distinct cis and trans conformations. Moreover, targeted elimination of cis P-tau by passive immunotherapy with an appropriate mAb that efficiently suppresses tau-mediated neurodegeneration in severe TBI mouse models has proven to be a useful tool to characterize the neurotoxic role of cis P-tau as an early driver of the tauopathy process after TBI. Here, we investigated whether active immunotherapy can develop sufficient neutralizing antibodies to specifically target and eliminate cis P-tau in the brain of TBI mouse models. First, we explored the therapeutic efficacy of two different vaccines. C57BL/6 J mice were immunized with either cis or trans P-tau conformational peptides plus adjuvant. After rmTBI in mice, we found that cis peptide administration developed a specific Ab that precisely targeted and neutralized cis P-tau, inhibited the development of neuropathology and brain dysfunction, and restored various structural and functional sequelae associated with TBI in chronic phases. In contrast, trans P-tau peptide application not only lacked neuroprotective properties, but also contributed to a number of neuropathological features, including progressive TBI-induced neuroinflammation, widespread tau-mediated neurodegeneration, worsening functional deficits, and brain atrophy. Taken together, our results suggest that active immunotherapy strategies against pathogenic cis P-tau can halt the process of tauopathy and would have profound clinical implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masoume Alipour
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran; Faculty of Basic Science and Advanced Medical Technologies, Royan Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Majid Tebianian
- Biotechnology Department, Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, Agricultural Research Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Karaj, Iran
| | - Nahid Tofigh
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Reyhaneh Sadat Taheri
- Department of Motor Behavior, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sayed Alireza Mousavi
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Science, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Asal Naseri
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Science, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amin Ahmadi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Tabriz Medical University, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Nayla Munawar
- Department of Chemistry, United Arab Emirates University, United Arab Emirates
| | - Koorosh Shahpasand
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran.
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13
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Ramesh M, Govindaraju T. Multipronged diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for Alzheimer's disease. Chem Sci 2022; 13:13657-13689. [PMID: 36544728 PMCID: PMC9710308 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc03932j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder and a major contributor to dementia cases worldwide. AD is clinically characterized by learning, memory, and cognitive deficits. The accumulation of extracellular amyloid β (Aβ) plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) of tau are the pathological hallmarks of AD and are explored as targets for clinical diagnosis and therapy. AD pathology is poorly understood and there are no fully approved diagnosis and treatments. Notwithstanding the gap, decades of research in understanding disease mechanisms have revealed the multifactorial nature of AD. As a result, multipronged and holistic approaches are pertinent to targeting multiple biomarkers and targets for developing effective diagnosis and therapeutics. In this perspective, recent developments in Aβ and tau targeted diagnostic and therapeutic tools are discussed. Novel indirect, combination, and circulating biomarkers as potential diagnostic targets are highlighted. We underline the importance of multiplexing and multimodal detection of multiple biomarkers to generate biomarker fingerprints as a reliable diagnostic strategy. The classical therapeutics targeting Aβ and tau aggregation pathways are described with bottlenecks in the strategy. Drug discovery efforts targeting multifaceted toxicity involving protein aggregation, metal toxicity, oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage, and neuroinflammation are highlighted. Recent efforts focused on multipronged strategies to rationally design multifunctional modulators targeting multiple pathological factors are presented as future drug development strategies to discover potential therapeutics for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madhu Ramesh
- Bioorganic Chemistry Laboratory, New Chemistry Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research Jakkur P.O. Bengaluru Karnataka 560064 India
| | - Thimmaiah Govindaraju
- Bioorganic Chemistry Laboratory, New Chemistry Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research Jakkur P.O. Bengaluru Karnataka 560064 India
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14
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Proteinopathies: Deciphering Physiology and Mechanisms to Develop Effective Therapies for Neurodegenerative Diseases. Mol Neurobiol 2022; 59:7513-7540. [PMID: 36205914 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-022-03042-8] [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: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 10/10/2022]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) are a cluster of diseases marked by progressive neuronal loss, axonal transport blockage, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and aggregation of misfolded proteins. NDs are more prevalent beyond the age of 50, and their symptoms often include motor and cognitive impairment. Even though various proteins are involved in different NDs, the mechanisms of protein misfolding and aggregation are very similar. Recently, several studies have discovered that, like prions, these misfolded proteins have the inherent capability of translocation from one neuron to another, thus having far-reaching implications for understanding the processes involved in the onset and progression of NDs, as well as the development of innovative therapy and diagnostic options. These misfolded proteins can also influence the transcription of other proteins and form aggregates, tangles, plaques, and inclusion bodies, which then accumulate in the CNS, leading to neuronal dysfunction and neurodegeneration. This review demonstrates protein misfolding and aggregation in NDs, and similarities and differences between different protein aggregates have been discussed. Furthermore, we have also reviewed the disposal of protein aggregates, the various molecular machinery involved in the process, their regulation, and how these molecular mechanisms are targeted to build innovative therapeutic and diagnostic procedures. In addition, the landscape of various therapeutic interventions for targeting protein aggregation for the effective prevention or treatment of NDs has also been discussed.
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15
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Congdon EE, Jiang Y, Sigurdsson EM. Targeting tau only extracellularly is likely to be less efficacious than targeting it both intra- and extracellularly. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2022; 126:125-137. [PMID: 34896021 PMCID: PMC9680670 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2021.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Aggregation of the tau protein is thought to be responsible for the neurodegeneration and subsequent functional impairments in diseases that are collectively named tauopathies. Alzheimer's disease is the most common tauopathy, but the group consists of over 20 different diseases, many of which have tau pathology as their primary feature. The development of tau therapies has mainly focused on preventing the formation of and/or clearing these aggregates. Of these, immunotherapies that aim to either elicit endogenous tau antibodies or deliver exogenous ones are the most common approach in clinical trials. While their mechanism of action can involve several pathways, both extra- and intracellular, pharmaceutical companies have primarily focused on antibody-mediated clearance of extracellular tau. As we have pointed out over the years, this is rather surprising because it is well known that most of pathological tau protein is found intracellularly. It has been repeatedly shown by several groups over the past decades that antibodies can enter neurons and that their cellular uptake can be enhanced by various means, particularly by altering their charge. Here, we will briefly describe the potential extra- and intracellular mechanisms involved in antibody-mediated clearance of tau pathology, discuss these in the context of recent failures of some of the tau antibody trials, and finally provide a brief overview of how the intracellular efficacy of tau antibodies can potentially be further improved by certain modifications that aim to enhance tau clearance via specific intracellular degradation pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin E Congdon
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, United States.
| | - Yixiang Jiang
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, United States
| | - Einar M Sigurdsson
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, United States; Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, United States.
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16
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Silvestro S, Valeri A, Mazzon E. Aducanumab and Its Effects on Tau Pathology: Is This the Turning Point of Amyloid Hypothesis? Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23042011. [PMID: 35216126 PMCID: PMC8880389 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23042011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder affecting millions of people around the world. The two main pathological mechanisms underlying the disease are beta-amyloid (Aβ) plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) of Tau proteins in the brain. Their reduction has been associated with slowing of cognitive decline and disease progression. Several antibodies aimed to target Aβ or Tau in order to represent hope for millions of patients, but only a small number managed to be selected to participate in clinical trials. Aducanumab is a monoclonal antibody recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which, targeting (Aβ) oligomers and fibrils, was able to reduce Aβ accumulation and slow the progression of cognitive impairment. It was also claimed to have an effect on the second hallmark of AD, decreasing the level of phospho-Tau evaluated in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and by positron emission tomography (PET). This evidence may represent a turning point in the development of AD-efficient drugs.
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17
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Peptide-Based Vaccines for Neurodegenerative Diseases: Recent Endeavors and Future Perspectives. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9111278. [PMID: 34835209 PMCID: PMC8622585 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9111278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of peptide-based vaccines for treating human neurodegenerative diseases has been the eventual aim of many research endeavors, although no active immunotherapies have been approved for clinical use till now. A typical example of such endeavors is the effort to develop vaccines for Alzheimer’s disease based on the beta-amyloid peptide, which continues to be intensively investigated despite previous setbacks. In this paper, recent developments in peptide-based vaccines which target beta-amyloid as well as tau protein and α-synuclein are presented. Particular focus has been directed toward peptide epitopes and formulation systems selected/developed and employed to enhance vaccine efficacy and safety. Results from both, human clinical trials and animal preclinical studies conducted mainly in transgenic mice have been included. Future perspectives on the topic are also briefly discussed.
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18
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Ji C, Sigurdsson EM. Current Status of Clinical Trials on Tau Immunotherapies. Drugs 2021; 81:1135-1152. [PMID: 34101156 DOI: 10.1007/s40265-021-01546-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Tau immunotherapies have advanced from proof-of-concept studies to over a dozen clinical trials for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other tauopathies. Mechanistic studies in animal and culture models have provided valuable insight into how these therapies may work but multiple pathways are likely involved. Different groups have emphasized the importance of intracellular vs extracellular antibody-mediated clearance of the tau protein and there is no consensus on which pool of tau should ideally be targeted. Likewise, various normal and disease-selective epitopes are being targeted, and the antibody isotypes either favor phagocytosis of the tau-antibody complex or are neutral in that aspect. Most of the clinical trials are in early stages, thus their efficacy is not yet known, but all have been without any major adverse effects and some have reported target engagement. A few have been discontinued. One in phase I, presumably because of a poor pharmacokinetic profile, and three in phase II for a lack of efficacy although this trial stage is not well powered for efficacy measures. In these phase II studies, trials with two antibodies in patients with progressive supranuclear palsy or other primary tauopathies were halted but are continuing in patients with AD, and one antibody trial was stopped in early-stage AD but is continuing in moderate AD. These three antibodies have been reported to only work extracellularly and tau is not increased in the cerebrospinal fluid of primary tauopathies, which may explain the failures of two of them. In the discontinued AD trial, there are some concerns about how much of extracellular tau contains the N-terminal epitope that is being targeted. In addition, extracellular tau is only a small part of total tau, compared to intracellular tau. Targeting only the former may not be sufficient for functional benefits. Given these outcomes, decision makers within the pharmaceutical companies who green light these trials should attempt to target tau not only extracellularly but also intracellularly to increase their chances of success. Hopefully, some of the ongoing trials will provide some functional benefits to the large number of patients with tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changyi Ji
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, Science Building, 11th floor, 435 East 30th Street, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Einar M Sigurdsson
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, Science Building, 11th floor, 435 East 30th Street, New York, NY, 10016, USA. .,Department of Psychiatry, Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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19
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Mortada I, Farah R, Nabha S, Ojcius DM, Fares Y, Almawi WY, Sadier NS. Immunotherapies for Neurodegenerative Diseases. Front Neurol 2021; 12:654739. [PMID: 34163421 PMCID: PMC8215715 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.654739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The current treatments for neurodegenerative diseases are mostly symptomatic without affecting the underlying cause of disease. Emerging evidence supports a potential role for immunotherapy in the management of disease progression. Numerous reports raise the exciting prospect that either the immune system or its derivative components could be harnessed to fight the misfolded and aggregated proteins that accumulate in several neurodegenerative diseases. Passive and active vaccinations using monoclonal antibodies and specific antigens that induce adaptive immune responses are currently under evaluation for their potential use in the development of immunotherapies. In this review, we aim to shed light on prominent immunotherapeutic strategies being developed to fight neuroinflammation-induced neurodegeneration, with a focus on innovative immunotherapies such as vaccination therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ibrahim Mortada
- Neuroscience Research Center, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Raymond Farah
- Neuroscience Research Center, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Sanaa Nabha
- Neuroscience Research Center, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - David M Ojcius
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of the Pacific, Arthur Dugoni School of Dentistry, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Youssef Fares
- Neuroscience Research Center, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Wassim Y Almawi
- College of Health Sciences, Abu Dhabi University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Najwane Said Sadier
- Neuroscience Research Center, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon.,College of Health Sciences, Abu Dhabi University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
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20
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Wilson GD, Wilson TG, Hanna A, Fontanesi G, Kulchycki J, Buelow K, Pruetz BL, Michael DB, Chinnaiyan P, Maddens ME, Martinez AA, Fontanesi J. Low Dose Brain Irradiation Reduces Amyloid-β and Tau in 3xTg-AD Mice. J Alzheimers Dis 2021; 75:15-21. [PMID: 32280098 DOI: 10.3233/jad-200030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
We have previously reported that low doses of external beam ionizing irradiation reduced amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques and improved cognition in APP/PS1 mice. In this study we investigated the effects of radiation in an age-matched series of 3xTg-AD mice. Mice were hemibrain-irradiated with 5 fractions of 2 Gy and sacrificed 8 weeks after the end of treatment. Aβ and tau were assessed using immunohistochemistry and quantified using image analysis with Definiens Tissue Studio. We observed a significant reduction in Aβ plaque burden and tau staining; these two parameters were significantly correlated. This preliminary data is further support that low doses of radiation may be beneficial in Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- George D Wilson
- Radiation Oncology Department, Beaumont Health, Royal Oak, MI, USA
| | - Thomas G Wilson
- Radiation Oncology Department, Beaumont Health, Royal Oak, MI, USA
| | - Alaa Hanna
- Radiation Oncology Department, Beaumont Health, Royal Oak, MI, USA
| | | | - Justin Kulchycki
- Radiation Oncology Department, Beaumont Health, Royal Oak, MI, USA
| | - Katie Buelow
- Radiation Oncology Department, Beaumont Health, Royal Oak, MI, USA
| | | | - Daniel B Michael
- Michigan Head and Spine Institute, Southfield, MI, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery, Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, Royal Oak, MI, USA
| | | | - Michael E Maddens
- Department of Internal Medicine, Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, Royal Oak, MI, USA
| | - Alvaro A Martinez
- Radiation Oncology Institute, Division of Michigan Healthcare Professionals, Farmington Hills, MI, USA
| | - James Fontanesi
- Radiation Oncology Department, Beaumont Health, Royal Oak, MI, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery, Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, Royal Oak, MI, USA
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21
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Kabir MT, Uddin MS, Mathew B, Das PK, Perveen A, Ashraf GM. Emerging Promise of Immunotherapy for Alzheimer's Disease: A New Hope for the Development of Alzheimer's Vaccine. Curr Top Med Chem 2021; 20:1214-1234. [PMID: 32321405 DOI: 10.2174/1568026620666200422105156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Revised: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder and the characteristics of this devastating disorder include the progressive and disabling deficits in the cognitive functions including reasoning, attention, judgment, comprehension, memory, and language. OBJECTIVE In this article, we have focused on the recent progress that has been achieved in the development of an effective AD vaccine. SUMMARY Currently, available treatment options of AD are limited to deliver short-term symptomatic relief only. A number of strategies targeting amyloid-beta (Aβ) have been developed in order to treat or prevent AD. In order to exert an effective immune response, an AD vaccine should contain adjuvants that can induce an effective anti-inflammatory T helper 2 (Th2) immune response. AD vaccines should also possess the immunogens which have the capacity to stimulate a protective immune response against various cytotoxic Aβ conformers. The induction of an effective vaccine's immune response would necessitate the parallel delivery of immunogen to dendritic cells (DCs) and their priming to stimulate a Th2-polarized response. The aforesaid immune response is likely to mediate the generation of neutralizing antibodies against the neurotoxic Aβ oligomers (AβOs) and also anti-inflammatory cytokines, thus preventing the AD-related inflammation. CONCLUSION Since there is an age-related decline in the immune functions, therefore vaccines are more likely to prevent AD instead of providing treatment. AD vaccines might be an effective and convenient approach to avoid the treatment-related huge expense.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Md Sahab Uddin
- Department of Pharmacy, Southeast University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.,Pharmakon Neuroscience Research Network, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Bijo Mathew
- Division of Drug Design and Medicinal Chemistry Research Lab, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Ahalia School of Pharmacy, Palakkad, India
| | | | - Asma Perveen
- Glocal School of Life Sciences, Glocal University, Saharanpur, India
| | - Ghulam Md Ashraf
- King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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22
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Differential effects of chronic immunosuppression on behavioral, epigenetic, and Alzheimer's disease-associated markers in 3xTg-AD mice. ALZHEIMERS RESEARCH & THERAPY 2021; 13:30. [PMID: 33472690 PMCID: PMC7818784 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-020-00745-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Circulating autoantibodies and sex-dependent discrepancy in prevalence are unexplained phenomena of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Using the 3xTg-AD mouse model, we reported that adult males show early manifestations of systemic autoimmunity, increased emotional reactivity, enhanced expression of the histone variant macroH2A1 in the cerebral cortex, and loss of plaque/tangle pathology. Conversely, adult females display less severe autoimmunity and retain their AD-like phenotype. This study examines the link between immunity and other traits of the current 3xTg-AD model. METHODS Young 3xTg-AD and wild-type mice drank a sucrose-laced 0.4 mg/ml solution of the immunosuppressant cyclophosphamide on weekends for 5 months. After behavioral phenotyping at 2 and 6 months of age, we assessed organ mass, serologic markers of autoimmunity, molecular markers of early AD pathology, and expression of genes associated with neurodegeneration. RESULTS Chronic immunosuppression prevented hematocrit drop and reduced soluble Aβ in 3xTg-AD males while normalizing the expression of histone variant macroH2A1 in 3xTg-AD females. This treatment also reduced hepatosplenomegaly, lowered autoantibody levels, and increased the effector T cell population while decreasing the proportion of regulatory T cells in both sexes. Exposure to cyclophosphamide, however, neither prevented reduced brain mass and BDNF expression nor normalized increased tau and anxiety-related behaviors. CONCLUSION The results suggest that systemic autoimmunity increases soluble Aβ production and affects transcriptional regulation of macroH2A1 in a sex-related manner. Despite the complexity of multisystem interactions, 3xTg-AD mice can be a useful in vivo model for exploring the regulatory role of autoimmunity in the etiology of AD-like neurodegenerative disorders.
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23
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Ng PY, Chang IS, Koh RY, Chye SM. Recent advances in tau-directed immunotherapy against Alzheimer's disease: an overview of pre-clinical and clinical development. Metab Brain Dis 2020; 35:1049-1066. [PMID: 32632666 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-020-00591-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been a worldwide concern for many years now. This is due to the fact that AD is an irreversible and progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects quality of life. Failure of some Phase II/III clinical trials in AD targeting accumulation of β-amyloid in the brain has led to an increase in interest in studying alternative treatments against tubulin-associated unit (Tau) pathology. These alternative treatments include active and passive immunisation. Based on numerous studies, Tau is reported as a potential immunotherapeutic target for tauopathy-related diseases including AD. Accumulation and aggregation of hyperphosphorylated Tau as neuropil threads and neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) are pathological hallmarks of AD. Both active and passive immunisation targeting Tau protein have shown the capabilities to decrease or prevent Tau pathology and improve either motor or cognitive impairment in various animal models. In this review, we summarise recent advances in active and passive immunisation targeting pathological Tau protein, and will discuss with data obtained from both animal and human trials. Together, we give a brief overview about problems being encountered in these immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei Ying Ng
- School of Postgraduate, International Medical University, 57000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - I Shuen Chang
- School of Health Science, Division of Biomedical Science and Biotechnology, International Medical University, No. 126, Jalan Jalil Perkasa 19, Bukit Jalil, 57000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Rhun Yian Koh
- School of Health Science, Division of Biomedical Science and Biotechnology, International Medical University, No. 126, Jalan Jalil Perkasa 19, Bukit Jalil, 57000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Soi Moi Chye
- School of Health Science, Division of Biomedical Science and Biotechnology, International Medical University, No. 126, Jalan Jalil Perkasa 19, Bukit Jalil, 57000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
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24
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Plotkin SS, Cashman NR. Passive immunotherapies targeting Aβ and tau in Alzheimer's disease. Neurobiol Dis 2020; 144:105010. [PMID: 32682954 PMCID: PMC7365083 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.105010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Revised: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau proteins currently represent the two most promising targets to treat Alzheimer's disease. The most extensively developed method to treat the pathologic forms of these proteins is through the administration of exogenous antibodies, or passive immunotherapy. In this review, we discuss the molecular-level strategies that researchers are using to design an effective therapeutic antibody, given the challenges in treating this disease. These challenges include selectively targeting a protein that has misfolded or is pathological rather than the more abundant, healthy protein, designing strategic constructs for immunizing an animal to raise an antibody that has the appropriate conformational selectivity to achieve this end, and clearing the pathological protein species before prion-like cell-to-cell spread of misfolded protein has irreparably damaged neurons, without invoking damaging inflammatory responses in the brain that naturally arise when the innate immune system is clearing foreign agents. The various solutions to these problems in current clinical trials will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven S Plotkin
- University of British Columbia, Department of Physics and Astronomy and Genome Sciences and Technology Program, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada.
| | - Neil R Cashman
- University of British Columbia, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, Vancouver, BC V6T 2B5, Canada.
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25
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Sandusky-Beltran LA, Sigurdsson EM. Tau immunotherapies: Lessons learned, current status and future considerations. Neuropharmacology 2020; 175:108104. [PMID: 32360477 PMCID: PMC7492435 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2019] [Revised: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The majority of clinical trials targeting the tau protein in Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies are tau immunotherapies. Because tau pathology correlates better with the degree of dementia than amyloid-β lesions, targeting tau is likely to be more effective in improving cognition than clearing amyloid-β in Alzheimer's disease. However, the development of tau therapies is in many ways more complex than for amyloid-β therapies as briefly outlined in this review. Most of the trials are on humanized antibodies, which may have very different properties than the original mouse antibodies. The impact of these differences are to a large extent unknown, can be difficult to decipher, and may not always be properly considered. Furthermore, the ideal antibody properties for efficacy are not well established and can depend on several factors. However, considering the varied approaches in clinical trials, there is a general optimism that at least some of these trials may provide functional benefits to patients suffering of various tauopathies. This article is part of the special issue entitled 'The Quest for Disease-Modifying Therapies for Neurodegenerative Disorders'.
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Affiliation(s)
- L A Sandusky-Beltran
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA; Department of Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - E M Sigurdsson
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA; Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA; Department of Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
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26
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Corsetti V, Borreca A, Latina V, Giacovazzo G, Pignataro A, Krashia P, Natale F, Cocco S, Rinaudo M, Malerba F, Florio R, Ciarapica R, Coccurello R, D’Amelio M, Ammassari-Teule M, Grassi C, Calissano P, Amadoro G. Passive immunotherapy for N-truncated tau ameliorates the cognitive deficits in two mouse Alzheimer's disease models. Brain Commun 2020; 2:fcaa039. [PMID: 32954296 PMCID: PMC7425324 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcaa039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2019] [Revised: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinical and neuropathological studies have shown that tau pathology better correlates with the severity of dementia than amyloid plaque burden, making tau an attractive target for the cure of Alzheimer's disease. We have explored whether passive immunization with the 12A12 monoclonal antibody (26-36aa of tau protein) could improve the Alzheimer's disease phenotype of two well-established mouse models, Tg2576 and 3xTg mice. 12A12 is a cleavage-specific monoclonal antibody which selectively binds the pathologically relevant neurotoxic NH226-230 fragment (i.e. NH2htau) of tau protein without cross-reacting with its full-length physiological form(s). We found out that intravenous administration of 12A12 monoclonal antibody into symptomatic (6 months old) animals: (i) reaches the hippocampus in its biologically active (antigen-binding competent) form and successfully neutralizes its target; (ii) reduces both pathological tau and amyloid precursor protein/amyloidβ metabolisms involved in early disease-associated synaptic deterioration; (iii) improves episodic-like type of learning/memory skills in hippocampal-based novel object recognition and object place recognition behavioural tasks; (iv) restores the specific up-regulation of the activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein involved in consolidation of experience-dependent synaptic plasticity; (v) relieves the loss of dendritic spine connectivity in pyramidal hippocampal CA1 neurons; (vi) rescues the Alzheimer's disease-related electrophysiological deficits in hippocampal long-term potentiation at the CA3-CA1 synapses; and (vii) mitigates the neuroinflammatory response (reactive gliosis). These findings indicate that the 20-22 kDa NH2-terminal tau fragment is crucial target for Alzheimer's disease therapy and prospect immunotherapy with 12A12 monoclonal antibody as safe (normal tau-preserving), beneficial approach in contrasting the early Amyloidβ-dependent and independent neuropathological and cognitive alterations in affected subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Antonella Borreca
- Humanitas University Laboratory of Pharmacology and Brain Pathology, Neuro Center, 20089 Milan, Italy
- Institute of Neuroscience, 20129 Milan, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Paraskevi Krashia
- IRCSS Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143 Rome, Italy
- Department of Medicine, University Campus Bio-Medico, 00128 Rome, Italy
- Department of Science and Technology for Humans and Environment, University Campus Bio-medico, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Natale
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Sara Cocco
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Rinaudo
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | | | - Rita Florio
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), 00161 Rome, Italy
| | | | - Roberto Coccurello
- IRCSS Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143 Rome, Italy
- Institute for Complex Systems (ISC), CNR, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Marcello D’Amelio
- IRCSS Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143 Rome, Italy
- Department of Medicine, University Campus Bio-Medico, 00128 Rome, Italy
- Department of Science and Technology for Humans and Environment, University Campus Bio-medico, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | | | - Claudio Grassi
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
- Institute of Human Physiology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | | | - Giuseppina Amadoro
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), 00161 Rome, Italy
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology (IFT)–National Research Council (CNR), 00133 Rome, Italy
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27
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Zhou Q, Mareljic N, Michaelsen M, Parhizkar S, Heindl S, Nuscher B, Farny D, Czuppa M, Schludi C, Graf A, Krebs S, Blum H, Feederle R, Roth S, Haass C, Arzberger T, Liesz A, Edbauer D. Active poly-GA vaccination prevents microglia activation and motor deficits in a C9orf72 mouse model. EMBO Mol Med 2020; 12:e10919. [PMID: 31858749 PMCID: PMC7005532 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.201910919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2019] [Revised: 11/29/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The C9orf72 repeat expansion is the most common genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and/or frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Non-canonical translation of the expanded repeat results in abundant poly-GA inclusion pathology throughout the CNS. (GA)149 -CFP expression in mice triggers motor deficits and neuroinflammation. Since poly-GA is transmitted between cells, we investigated the therapeutic potential of anti-GA antibodies by vaccinating (GA)149 -CFP mice. To overcome poor immunogenicity, we compared the antibody response of multivalent ovalbumin-(GA)10 conjugates and pre-aggregated carrier-free (GA)15 . Only ovalbumin-(GA)10 immunization induced a strong anti-GA response. The resulting antisera detected poly-GA aggregates in cell culture and patient tissue. Ovalbumin-(GA)10 immunization largely rescued the motor function in (GA)149 -CFP transgenic mice and reduced poly-GA inclusions. Transcriptome analysis showed less neuroinflammation in ovalbumin-(GA)10 -immunized poly-GA mice, which was corroborated by semiquantitative and morphological analysis of microglia/macrophages. Moreover, cytoplasmic TDP-43 mislocalization and levels of the neurofilament light chain in the CSF were reduced, suggesting neuroaxonal damage is reduced. Our data suggest that immunotherapy may be a viable primary prevention strategy for ALS/FTD in C9orf72 mutation carriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qihui Zhou
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), MunichMunichGermany
- Munich Cluster of Systems Neurology (SyNergy)MunichGermany
| | - Nikola Mareljic
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), MunichMunichGermany
| | - Meike Michaelsen
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), MunichMunichGermany
| | - Samira Parhizkar
- Chair of Metabolic BiochemistryBiomedical Center (BMC)Faculty of MedicineLudwig‐Maximilians‐Universität MunichMunichGermany
| | - Steffanie Heindl
- Institute for Stroke and Dementia ResearchLudwig‐Maximilians‐University MunichMunichGermany
| | - Brigitte Nuscher
- Chair of Metabolic BiochemistryBiomedical Center (BMC)Faculty of MedicineLudwig‐Maximilians‐Universität MunichMunichGermany
| | - Daniel Farny
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), MunichMunichGermany
| | - Mareike Czuppa
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), MunichMunichGermany
| | - Carina Schludi
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), MunichMunichGermany
| | - Alexander Graf
- Laboratory for Functional Genome AnalysisGene CenterLudwig Maximilian University of MunichMunichGermany
| | - Stefan Krebs
- Laboratory for Functional Genome AnalysisGene CenterLudwig Maximilian University of MunichMunichGermany
| | - Helmut Blum
- Laboratory for Functional Genome AnalysisGene CenterLudwig Maximilian University of MunichMunichGermany
| | - Regina Feederle
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), MunichMunichGermany
- Munich Cluster of Systems Neurology (SyNergy)MunichGermany
- Monoclonal Antibody Core Facility and Research GroupInstitute for Diabetes and ObesityHelmholtz Zentrum MünchenGerman Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH)MunichGermany
| | - Stefan Roth
- Munich Cluster of Systems Neurology (SyNergy)MunichGermany
- Institute for Stroke and Dementia ResearchLudwig‐Maximilians‐University MunichMunichGermany
| | - Christian Haass
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), MunichMunichGermany
- Munich Cluster of Systems Neurology (SyNergy)MunichGermany
- Chair of Metabolic BiochemistryBiomedical Center (BMC)Faculty of MedicineLudwig‐Maximilians‐Universität MunichMunichGermany
| | - Thomas Arzberger
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), MunichMunichGermany
- Munich Cluster of Systems Neurology (SyNergy)MunichGermany
- Center for Neuropathology and Prion ResearchLudwig‐Maximilians‐University MunichMunichGermany
- Department of Psychiatry and PsychotherapyUniversity HospitalLudwig‐Maximilians‐University MunichMunichGermany
| | - Arthur Liesz
- Munich Cluster of Systems Neurology (SyNergy)MunichGermany
- Institute for Stroke and Dementia ResearchLudwig‐Maximilians‐University MunichMunichGermany
| | - Dieter Edbauer
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), MunichMunichGermany
- Munich Cluster of Systems Neurology (SyNergy)MunichGermany
- Ludwig‐Maximilians‐University MunichMunichGermany
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28
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Joly-Amado A, Davtyan H, Serraneau K, Jules P, Zitnyar A, Pressman E, Zagorski K, Antonyan T, Hovakimyan A, Paek HJ, Gordon MN, Cribbs DH, Petrovsky N, Agadjanyan MG, Ghochikyan A, Morgan D. Active immunization with tau epitope in a mouse model of tauopathy induced strong antibody response together with improvement in short memory and pSer396-tau pathology. Neurobiol Dis 2019; 134:104636. [PMID: 31629891 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2019.104636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Revised: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Abnormal tau hyperphosphorylation and its aggregation into neurofibrillary tangles are a hallmark of tauopathies, neurodegenerative disorders that include Alzheimer's disease (AD). Active and passive Tau-immunotherapy has been proposed as a therapeutic approach to AD with mixed results. One of the limitations of active immunotherapy may be associated with the mediocre immunogenicity of vaccines that are not inducing therapeutically potent titers of antibodies. The aim of this study was to test the efficacy of an anti-tau vaccine, AV-1980R/A composed of N terminal peptide of this molecule fused with an immunogenic MultiTEP platform and formulated in a strong adjuvant, AdvaxCpG in a Tg4510 mouse model of tauopathy. Experimental mice were immunized with AV-1980R/A and a control group of mice were injected with adjuvant only. Nontransgenic and tetracycline transactivator (tTA) transgenic littermates were included as baseline controls to contrast with the tau phenotype. Active immunization with AV-1980R/A induced very strong anti-tau humoral immune responses in both nontransgenic and transgenic mice with evidence of IgG in brains of AV-1980R/A vaccinated mice. These experimental animals displayed an improvement in short-term memory during a novel object recognition test. However, impairments in other behavioral tasks were not prevented by AV-1980R/A vaccinations. At the same time, high titers of anti-tau antibodies reduced hyperphosphorylated pSer396 tau but did not lower the level of other phosphorylated tau species in the brains of AV-1980R/A vaccinated mice. These data indicate that active immunotherapy with an N-terminal Tau epitope was only partially effective in improving cognition and reducing pathology in the stringent Tg4510 mouse model of tauopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Joly-Amado
- USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's Institute, Tampa, FL 33613, USA.
| | - H Davtyan
- The Institute for Molecular Medicine, Huntington Beach, CA 92647, USA; Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - K Serraneau
- USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's Institute, Tampa, FL 33613, USA
| | - P Jules
- USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's Institute, Tampa, FL 33613, USA
| | - A Zitnyar
- USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's Institute, Tampa, FL 33613, USA
| | - E Pressman
- USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's Institute, Tampa, FL 33613, USA
| | - K Zagorski
- The Institute for Molecular Medicine, Huntington Beach, CA 92647, USA
| | - T Antonyan
- The Institute for Molecular Medicine, Huntington Beach, CA 92647, USA
| | - A Hovakimyan
- The Institute for Molecular Medicine, Huntington Beach, CA 92647, USA
| | - H J Paek
- Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - M N Gordon
- USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's Institute, Tampa, FL 33613, USA
| | - D H Cribbs
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - N Petrovsky
- Flinders Med. Ctr., Bedford Park, Adelaide 5042, Australia
| | - M G Agadjanyan
- The Institute for Molecular Medicine, Huntington Beach, CA 92647, USA
| | - A Ghochikyan
- The Institute for Molecular Medicine, Huntington Beach, CA 92647, USA
| | - D Morgan
- USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's Institute, Tampa, FL 33613, USA
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29
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Vogels T, Murgoci AN, Hromádka T. Intersection of pathological tau and microglia at the synapse. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2019; 7:109. [PMID: 31277708 PMCID: PMC6612163 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-019-0754-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2019] [Accepted: 06/19/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Tauopathies are a heterogenous class of diseases characterized by cellular accumulation of aggregated tau and include diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), progressive supranuclear palsy and chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Tau pathology is strongly linked to neurodegeneration and clinical symptoms in tauopathy patients. Furthermore, synapse loss is an early pathological event in tauopathies and is the strongest correlate of cognitive decline. Tau pathology is additionally associated with chronic neuroinflammatory processes, such as reactive microglia, astrocytes, and increased levels of pro-inflammatory molecules (e.g. complement proteins, cytokines). Recent studies show that as the principal immune cells of the brain, microglia play a particularly important role in the initiation and progression of tau pathology and associated neurodegeneration. Furthermore, AD risk genes such as Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) and Apolipoprotein E (APOE) are enriched in the innate immune system and modulate the neuroinflammatory response of microglia to tau pathology. Microglia can play an active role in synaptic dysfunction by abnormally phagocytosing synaptic compartments of neurons with tau pathology. Furthermore, microglia are involved in synaptic spreading of tau – a process which is thought to underlie the progressive nature of tau pathology propagation through the brain. Spreading of pathological tau is also the predominant target for tau-based immunotherapy. Active tau vaccines, therapeutic tau antibodies and other approaches targeting the immune system are actively explored as treatment options for AD and other tauopathies. This review describes the role of microglia in the pathobiology of tauopathies and the mechanism of action of potential therapeutics targeting the immune system in tauopathies.
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30
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de Castro AA, Soares FV, Pereira AF, Polisel DA, Caetano MS, Leal DHS, da Cunha EFF, Nepovimova E, Kuca K, Ramalho TC. Non-conventional compounds with potential therapeutic effects against Alzheimer’s disease. Expert Rev Neurother 2019; 19:375-395. [DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2019.1608823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre A. de Castro
- Laboratory of Molecular Modeling, Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Lavras, Lavras, Brazil
| | - Flávia V. Soares
- Laboratory of Molecular Modeling, Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Lavras, Lavras, Brazil
| | - Ander F. Pereira
- Laboratory of Molecular Modeling, Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Lavras, Lavras, Brazil
| | - Daniel A. Polisel
- Laboratory of Molecular Modeling, Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Lavras, Lavras, Brazil
| | - Melissa S. Caetano
- Institute of Exact and Biological Sciences, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Brazil
| | - Daniel H. S. Leal
- Laboratory of Molecular Modeling, Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Lavras, Lavras, Brazil
- Department of Health Sciences, Federal University of Espírito Santo, São Mateus, Brazil
| | - Elaine F. F. da Cunha
- Laboratory of Molecular Modeling, Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Lavras, Lavras, Brazil
| | - Eugenie Nepovimova
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Kamil Kuca
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Teodorico C. Ramalho
- Laboratory of Molecular Modeling, Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Lavras, Lavras, Brazil
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
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31
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Chukwu JE, Congdon EE, Sigurdsson EM, Kong XP. Structural characterization of monoclonal antibodies targeting C-terminal Ser 404 region of phosphorylated tau protein. MAbs 2019; 11:477-488. [PMID: 30794086 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2019.1574530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Targeting tau with immunotherapies is currently the most common approach taken in clinical trials of patients with Alzheimer's disease. The most prominent pathological feature of tau is its hyperphosphorylation, which may cause the protein to aggregate into toxic assemblies that collectively lead to neurodegeneration. Of the phospho-epitopes, the region around Ser396/Ser404 has received particular attention for therapeutic targeting because of its prominence and stability in diseased tissue. Herein, we present the antigen-binding fragment (Fab)/epitope complex structures of three different monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that target the pSer404 tau epitope region. Most notably, these structures reveal an antigen conformation similar to a previously described pathogenic tau epitope, pSer422, which was shown to have a β-strand structure that may be linked to the seeding core in tau oligomers. In addition, we have previously reported on the similarly ordered conformation observed in a pSer396 epitope, which is in tandem with pSer404. Our data are the first Fab structures of mAbs bound to this epitope region of the tau protein and support the existence of proteopathic tau conformations stabilized by specific phosphorylation events that are viable targets for immune modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica E Chukwu
- a Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology , New York University School of Medicine , New York , NY , USA
| | - Erin E Congdon
- b Departments of Neuroscience & Physiology, & Psychiatry , New York University School of Medicine , New York , NY , USA
| | - Einar M Sigurdsson
- b Departments of Neuroscience & Physiology, & Psychiatry , New York University School of Medicine , New York , NY , USA
| | - Xiang-Peng Kong
- a Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology , New York University School of Medicine , New York , NY , USA
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32
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Jadhav S, Avila J, Schöll M, Kovacs GG, Kövari E, Skrabana R, Evans LD, Kontsekova E, Malawska B, de Silva R, Buee L, Zilka N. A walk through tau therapeutic strategies. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2019; 7:22. [PMID: 30767766 PMCID: PMC6376692 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-019-0664-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 182] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 01/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau neuronal and glial pathologies drive the clinical presentation of Alzheimer's disease and related human tauopathies. There is a growing body of evidence indicating that pathological tau species can travel from cell to cell and spread the pathology through the brain. Throughout the last decade, physiological and pathological tau have become attractive targets for AD therapies. Several therapeutic approaches have been proposed, including the inhibition of protein kinases or protein-3-O-(N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyl)-L-serine/threonine Nacetylglucosaminyl hydrolase, the inhibition of tau aggregation, active and passive immunotherapies, and tau silencing by antisense oligonucleotides. New tau therapeutics, across the board, have demonstrated the ability to prevent or reduce tau lesions and improve either cognitive or motor impairment in a variety of animal models developing neurofibrillary pathology. The most advanced strategy for the treatment of human tauopathies remains immunotherapy, which has already reached the clinical stage of drug development. Tau vaccines or humanised antibodies target a variety of tau species either in the intracellular or extracellular spaces. Some of them recognise the amino-terminus or carboxy-terminus, while others display binding abilities to the proline-rich area or microtubule binding domains. The main therapeutic foci in existing clinical trials are on Alzheimer's disease, progressive supranuclear palsy and non-fluent primary progressive aphasia. Tau therapy offers a new hope for the treatment of many fatal brain disorders. First efficacy data from clinical trials will be available by the end of this decade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santosh Jadhav
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska 9, 845 10, Bratislava, Slovakia
- AXON Neuroscience R&D Services SE, Dvorakovo nabrezie 10, 811 02, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Jesus Avila
- Centro de Biologia Molecular "Severo Ochoa", Consejo Superior de Investigaciones, Cientificas, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, C/ Nicolas Cabrera, 1. Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049, Madrid, Spain
- Networking Research Center on Neurodegenerative, Diseases (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Michael Schöll
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of, Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
- Dementia Research Centre, University College London, London, UK
| | - Gabor G Kovacs
- Institute of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, AKH 4J, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1097, Vienna, Austria
| | - Enikö Kövari
- Department of Mental Health and Psychiatry, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Rostislav Skrabana
- AXON Neuroscience R&D Services SE, Dvorakovo nabrezie 10, 811 02, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Lewis D Evans
- Gurdon Institute and Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Eva Kontsekova
- AXON Neuroscience R&D Services SE, Dvorakovo nabrezie 10, 811 02, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Barbara Malawska
- Department of Physicochemical Drug Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Medyczna 9, 30-688, Cracow, Poland
| | - Rohan de Silva
- Reta Lila Weston Institute and Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, 1 Wakefield Street, London, WC1N 1PJ, UK
| | - Luc Buee
- Universite of Lille, Inserm, CHU-Lille, UMRS1172, Alzheimer & Tauopathies, Place de Verdun, 59045, Lille cedex, France.
| | - Norbert Zilka
- AXON Neuroscience R&D Services SE, Dvorakovo nabrezie 10, 811 02, Bratislava, Slovakia.
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33
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Cao J, Hou J, Ping J, Cai D. Advances in developing novel therapeutic strategies for Alzheimer's disease. Mol Neurodegener 2018; 13:64. [PMID: 30541602 PMCID: PMC6291983 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-018-0299-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 156] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Accepted: 11/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's Disease (AD), the most prevalent neurodegenerative disease of aging, affects one in eight older Americans. Nearly all drug treatments tested for AD today have failed to show any efficacy. There is a great need for therapies to prevent and/or slow the progression of AD. The major challenge in AD drug development is lack of clarity about the mechanisms underlying AD pathogenesis and pathophysiology. Several studies support the notion that AD is a multifactorial disease. While there is abundant evidence that amyloid plays a role in AD pathogenesis, other mechanisms have been implicated in AD such as tangle formation and spread, dysregulated protein degradation pathways, neuroinflammation, and loss of support by neurotrophic factors. Therefore, current paradigms of AD drug design have been shifted from single target approach (primarily amyloid-centric) to developing drugs targeted at multiple disease aspects, and from treating AD at later stages of disease progression to focusing on preventive strategies at early stages of disease development. Here, we summarize current strategies and new trends of AD drug development, including pre-clinical and clinical trials that target different aspects of disease (mechanism-based versus non-mechanism based, e.g. symptomatic treatments, lifestyle modifications and risk factor management).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiqing Cao
- James J Peters VA Medical Center, Research & Development, Bronx, NY 10468 USA
- Department of Neurology, Alzheimer Disease Research Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029 USA
- The Central Hospital of The Hua Zhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jianwei Hou
- James J Peters VA Medical Center, Research & Development, Bronx, NY 10468 USA
- Department of Neurology, Alzheimer Disease Research Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029 USA
| | - Jing Ping
- The Central Hospital of The Hua Zhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Dongming Cai
- James J Peters VA Medical Center, Research & Development, Bronx, NY 10468 USA
- Department of Neurology, Alzheimer Disease Research Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029 USA
- The Central Hospital of The Hua Zhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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34
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Abstract
Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia. Pathologically, AD is characterized by amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain, with associated loss of synapses and neurons, resulting in cognitive deficits and eventually dementia. Amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide and tau protein are the primary components of the plaques and tangles, respectively. In the decades since Aβ and tau were identified, development of therapies for AD has primarily focused on Aβ, but tau has received more attention in recent years, in part because of the failure of various Aβ-targeting treatments in clinical trials. In this article, we review the current status of tau-targeting therapies for AD. Initially, potential anti-tau therapies were based mainly on inhibition of kinases or tau aggregation, or on stabilization of microtubules, but most of these approaches have been discontinued because of toxicity and/or lack of efficacy. Currently, the majority of tau-targeting therapies in clinical trials are immunotherapies, which have shown promise in numerous preclinical studies. Given that tau pathology correlates better with cognitive impairments than do Aβ lesions, targeting of tau is expected to be more effective than Aβ clearance once the clinical symptoms are evident. With future improvements in diagnostics, these two hallmarks of the disease might be targeted prophylactically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin E Congdon
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Einar M Sigurdsson
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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Chukwu JE, Pedersen JT, Pedersen LØ, Volbracht C, Sigurdsson EM, Kong XP. Tau Antibody Structure Reveals a Molecular Switch Defining a Pathological Conformation of the Tau Protein. Sci Rep 2018; 8:6209. [PMID: 29670132 PMCID: PMC5906480 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-24276-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2017] [Accepted: 03/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Tau antibodies have shown therapeutic potential for Alzheimer's disease and several are in clinical trials. As a microtubule-associated protein, tau relies on dynamic phosphorylation for its normal functions. In tauopathies, it becomes hyperphosphorylated and aggregates into toxic assemblies, which collectively lead to neurodegeneration. Of the phospho-epitopes, the region around Ser396 has received particular attention because of its prominence and stability in tauopathies. Here we report the first structure of a monoclonal tau antibody in complex with the pathologically important phospho-Ser396 residue. Its binding region reveals tau residues Tyr394 to phospho-Ser396 stabilized in a β-strand conformation that is coordinated by a phospho-specific antigen binding site. These details highlight a molecular switch that defines this prominent conformation of tau and ways to target it. Overall, the structure of the antibody-antigen complex clarifies why certain phosphorylation sites in tau are more closely linked to neurodegeneration than others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica E Chukwu
- Departments of Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jan T Pedersen
- Neurodegeneration, H. Lundbeck A/S, DK-2500, Valby, Denmark
| | | | | | - Einar M Sigurdsson
- Neuroscience & Physiology, & Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Xiang-Peng Kong
- Departments of Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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Dai CL, Hu W, Tung YC, Liu F, Gong CX, Iqbal K. Tau passive immunization blocks seeding and spread of Alzheimer hyperphosphorylated Tau-induced pathology in 3 × Tg-AD mice. ALZHEIMERS RESEARCH & THERAPY 2018; 10:13. [PMID: 29386065 PMCID: PMC5793372 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-018-0341-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2017] [Accepted: 01/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Background Accumulating evidence indicates that Tau pathology can spread from neuron to neuron by intake and coaggregation of the hyperphosphorylated Tau (p-Tau) seeds with the host neuron protein. Thus, clearance of Tau seeds by immunization with Tau antibodies could provide a potential therapeutic opportunity to block the spread of the pathology in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other tauopathies. We report prevention of the seeding and spread of tau pathology with mouse monoclonal antibody 43D against the N-terminal projection domain of Tau (Tau 6–18) in triple-transgenic AD (3 × Tg-AD) mice. Methods Female 11- to 12-month-old 3 × Tg-AD mice were intravenously immunized weekly for 6 weeks with 15 μg/injection of mouse monoclonal antibody 43D or with mouse immunoglobulin G as a control. AD p-Tau isolated from a frozen autopsied AD brain was unilaterally injected into the right hippocampus on the day of the second dose of immunization. Tau pathology and its effect on Aβ pathology were assessed by immunohistochemical staining. Results We found that the injection of AD p-Tau into the hippocampus of 11- to 12-month-old 3 × Tg-AD mice time-dependently induced Tau aggregation in the hippocampus and promoted the spread of Tau pathology to the contralateral hippocampus. Tau pathology was observed as early as 6 weeks after AD p-Tau injection. Tau pathology templated by AD p-Tau was thioflavin-S-positive and was about two-fold greater than that seen in naive 18-month-old 3 × Tg-AD mice; Tau pathology in the latter was thioflavin-S-negative. Immunization with Tau antibody 43D dramatically blocked AD p-Tau seeding in the ipsilateral hippocampus and inhibited its propagation to the contralateral side in 3 × Tg-AD mice. Furthermore, AD p-Tau injection enhanced the amyloid plaque load in the ipsilateral side, and immunization with 43D showed a tendency to attenuate it. Conclusions These findings indicate that AD p-Tau-injected 3 × Tg-AD mice represent a practical model to study the seeding and spread of Tau pathology, their effect on Aβ pathology, and the effect of Tau immunotherapy on both Tau and Aβ pathologies. Immunization with Tau antibody 43D to Tau 6–18 can prevent the seeding and spread of Tau pathology, making it a potential therapeutic treatment for AD and related tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Ling Dai
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, 1050 Forest Hill Road, Staten Island, NY, 10314, USA
| | - Wen Hu
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, 1050 Forest Hill Road, Staten Island, NY, 10314, USA
| | - Yunn Chyn Tung
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, 1050 Forest Hill Road, Staten Island, NY, 10314, USA
| | - Fei Liu
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, 1050 Forest Hill Road, Staten Island, NY, 10314, USA
| | - Cheng-Xin Gong
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, 1050 Forest Hill Road, Staten Island, NY, 10314, USA
| | - Khalid Iqbal
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, 1050 Forest Hill Road, Staten Island, NY, 10314, USA.
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Sigurdsson EM. Tau Immunotherapies for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Tauopathies: Progress and Potential Pitfalls. J Alzheimers Dis 2018; 64:S555-S565. [PMID: 29865056 PMCID: PMC6171771 DOI: 10.3233/jad-179937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Tau immunotherapies have now advanced from proof-of-concept studies to Phase II clinical trials. This review briefly outlines developments in the field and discusses how these therapies may work, which involves multiple variables that are connected in complex ways. These various factors are likely to define therapeutic success in humans and have not been thoroughly investigated, at least based on published reports.
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Affiliation(s)
- Einar M. Sigurdsson
- New York University School of Medicine, Departments of Neuroscience and Physiology, and Psychiatry, Neuroscience Institute, Science Building, 435 East 30 Street, Room SB1115, New York, NY 10016,
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