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Shafqat A, Masters MC, Tripathi U, Tchkonia T, Kirkland JL, Hashmi SK. Long COVID as a disease of accelerated biological aging: An opportunity to translate geroscience interventions. Ageing Res Rev 2024; 99:102400. [PMID: 38945306 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2024.102400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
It has been four years since long COVID-the protracted consequences that survivors of COVID-19 face-was first described. Yet, this entity continues to devastate the quality of life of an increasing number of COVID-19 survivors without any approved therapy and a paucity of clinical trials addressing its biological root causes. Notably, many of the symptoms of long COVID are typically seen with advancing age. Leveraging this similarity, we posit that Geroscience-which aims to target the biological drivers of aging to prevent age-associated conditions as a group-could offer promising therapeutic avenues for long COVID. Bearing this in mind, this review presents a translational framework for studying long COVID as a state of effectively accelerated biological aging, identifying research gaps and offering recommendations for future preclinical and clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Areez Shafqat
- College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Mary Clare Masters
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Utkarsh Tripathi
- Robert and Arlene Kogod Center on Aging, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Tamara Tchkonia
- Robert and Arlene Kogod Center on Aging, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA; Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - James L Kirkland
- Robert and Arlene Kogod Center on Aging, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA; Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Shahrukh K Hashmi
- Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA; Research and Innovation Center, Department of Health, Abu Dhabi, UAE; College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
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Vavougios GD, Mavridis T, Doskas T, Papaggeli O, Foka P, Hadjigeorgiou G. SARS-CoV-2-Induced Type I Interferon Signaling Dysregulation in Olfactory Networks Implications for Alzheimer's Disease. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2024; 46:4565-4579. [PMID: 38785545 PMCID: PMC11119810 DOI: 10.3390/cimb46050277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Type I interferon signaling (IFN-I) perturbations are major drivers of COVID-19. Dysregulated IFN-I in the brain, however, has been linked to both reduced cognitive resilience and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's. Previous works from our group have proposed a model where peripheral induction of IFN-I may be relayed to the CNS, even in the absence of fulminant infection. The aim of our study was to identify significantly enriched IFN-I signatures and genes along the transolfactory route, utilizing published datasets of the nasal mucosa and olfactory bulb amygdala transcriptomes of COVID-19 patients. We furthermore sought to identify these IFN-I signature gene networks associated with Alzheimer's disease pathology and risk. Gene expression data involving the nasal epithelium, olfactory bulb, and amygdala of COVID-19 patients and transcriptomic data from Alzheimer's disease patients were scrutinized for enriched Type I interferon pathways. Gene set enrichment analyses and gene-Venn approaches were used to determine genes in IFN-I enriched signatures. The Agora web resource was used to identify genes in IFN-I signatures associated with Alzheimer's disease risk based on its aggregated multi-omic data. For all analyses, false discovery rates (FDR) <0.05 were considered statistically significant. Pathways associated with type I interferon signaling were found in all samples tested. Each type I interferon signature was enriched by IFITM and OAS family genes. A 14-gene signature was associated with COVID-19 CNS and the response to Alzheimer's disease pathology, whereas nine genes were associated with increased risk for Alzheimer's disease based on Agora. Our study provides further support to a type I interferon signaling dysregulation along the extended olfactory network as reconstructed herein, ranging from the nasal epithelium and extending to the amygdala. We furthermore identify the 14 genes implicated in this dysregulated pathway with Alzheimer's disease pathology, among which HLA-C, HLA-B, HLA-A, PSMB8, IFITM3, HLA-E, IFITM1, OAS2, and MX1 as genes with associated conferring increased risk for the latter. Further research into its druggability by IFNb therapeutics may be warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- George D. Vavougios
- Department of Neurology, Medical School, University of Cyprus, Nicosia 1678, Cyprus
| | - Theodoros Mavridis
- Department of Neurology, Tallaght University Hospital (TUH)/The Adelaide and Meath Hospital, Dublin, Incorporating the National Children’s Hospital (AMNCH), D24 NR0A Dublin, Ireland;
| | | | - Olga Papaggeli
- Molecular Virology Laboratory, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, 115 21 Athens, Greece; (O.P.); (P.F.)
| | - Pelagia Foka
- Molecular Virology Laboratory, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, 115 21 Athens, Greece; (O.P.); (P.F.)
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3
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Gelbard HA, Chiang W. SARS and synapses. Nat Microbiol 2024; 9:1163-1164. [PMID: 38653780 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-024-01685-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Harris A Gelbard
- Center for Neurotherapeutics Discovery, Department of Neurology, Pediatrics, Neuroscience, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA.
| | - Wesley Chiang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
- Center for Neurotherapeutics Discovery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
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Vints WAJ, Gökçe E, Šeikinaitė J, Kušleikienė S, Česnaitienė VJ, Verbunt J, Levin O, Masiulis N. Resistance training's impact on blood biomarkers and cognitive function in older adults with low and high risk of mild cognitive impairment: a randomized controlled trial. Eur Rev Aging Phys Act 2024; 21:9. [PMID: 38600451 PMCID: PMC11005144 DOI: 10.1186/s11556-024-00344-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The aging brain exhibits a neuroinflammatory state, driven partly by peripheral pro-inflammatory stimuli, that accelerates cognitive deterioration. A growing body of evidence clearly indicates that physical exercise partly alleviates neuroinflammation and positively affects the aging process and cognition. In this randomized controlled trial, we aimed to observe the effect of 12 weeks of resistance training (RT) on peripheral biomarker levels, cognitive function changes and their interrelationship, and explore differences in those exercise-induced changes in older adults with high risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) compared to older adults with low risk of MCI. METHODS Fifty-two participants (aged 60-85 years old, 28 female) were randomly allocated to a 12 week lower limb RT program consisting of two training sessions per week or waiting list control group. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) was used to stratify participants screened as high (< 26/30) or low risk (≥ 26/30) of MCI. We assessed serum Interleukin 6 (IL-6), Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1), and Kynurenine (KYN) levels. Cognitive measurement consisted of and four subtests of Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics (ANAM), the two-choice reaction time, go/no-go, mathematical processing, and memory search test. RESULTS Twelve weeks of RT improved Go/No-go test results in older adults with high MCI risk. RT did not significantly affect blood biomarkers. However, IGF-1 level increases were associated with improvements in response time on the mathematical processing test in the exercise group, and IL-6 level increases were associated with improvements in response time on the memory search test in the total group of participants. Finally, KYN levels significantly differed between older adults with low and high MCI risk but no significant associations with performance were found. CONCLUSION Our study results suggest a different effect of RT on inhibitory control between older adults with low compared to high MCI risk. IGF-1 may play a role in the mechanism behind the cognitive benefit of RT and KYN may be a surrogate biomarker for neurodegeneration and cognitive decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wouter A J Vints
- Department of Health Promotion and Rehabilitation, Lithuanian Sports University, Sporto Str. 6, 44221, Kaunas, Lithuania.
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine Research School CAPHRI, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
- Centre of Expertise in Rehabilitation and Audiology, Adelante Zorggroep, Hoensbroek, The Netherlands.
| | - Evrim Gökçe
- Sports Rehabilitation Laboratory, Ankara City Hospital, 06800, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Julija Šeikinaitė
- Department of Rehabilitation, Physical and Sports Medicine, Institute of Health Science, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Simona Kušleikienė
- Department of Health Promotion and Rehabilitation, Lithuanian Sports University, Sporto Str. 6, 44221, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Vida J Česnaitienė
- Department of Health Promotion and Rehabilitation, Lithuanian Sports University, Sporto Str. 6, 44221, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Jeanine Verbunt
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine Research School CAPHRI, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Centre of Expertise in Rehabilitation and Audiology, Adelante Zorggroep, Hoensbroek, The Netherlands
| | - Oron Levin
- Department of Health Promotion and Rehabilitation, Lithuanian Sports University, Sporto Str. 6, 44221, Kaunas, Lithuania
- Department of Imaging and Pathology, Group Biomedical Sciences, Biomedical MRI Unit, Catholic University Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nerijus Masiulis
- Department of Health Promotion and Rehabilitation, Lithuanian Sports University, Sporto Str. 6, 44221, Kaunas, Lithuania
- Department of Rehabilitation, Physical and Sports Medicine, Institute of Health Science, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
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Chachlaki K, Le Duc K, Storme L, Prevot V. Novel insights into minipuberty and GnRH: Implications on neurodevelopment, cognition, and COVID-19 therapeutics. J Neuroendocrinol 2024:e13387. [PMID: 38565500 DOI: 10.1111/jne.13387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
In humans, the first 1000 days of life are pivotal for brain and organism development. Shortly after birth, gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons in the hypothalamus are activated, a phenomenon known as minipuberty. This phenomenon, observed in all mammals studied, influences the postnatal development of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis and reproductive function. This review will put into perspective the results of recent studies showing that the impact of minipuberty extends beyond reproductive function, influencing sensory and cognitive maturation. Studies in mice have revealed the role of nitric oxide (NO) in regulating minipuberty amplitude, with NO deficiency linked to cognitive and olfactory deficits. Additionally, findings indicate that cognitive and sensory defects in adulthood in a mouse model of Down syndrome are associated with an age-dependent decline of GnRH production, whose origin can be traced back to minipuberty, and point to the potential therapeutic role of pulsatile GnRH administration in cognitive disorders. Furthermore, this review delves into the repercussions of COVID-19 on GnRH production, emphasizing potential consequences for neurodevelopment and cognitive function in infected individuals. Notably, GnRH neurons appear susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection, raising concerns about potential long-term effects on brain development and function. In conclusion, the intricate interplay between GnRH neurons, GnRH release, and the activity of various extrahypothalamic brain circuits reveals an unexpected role for these neuroendocrine neurons in the development and maintenance of sensory and cognitive functions, supplementing their established function in reproduction. Therapeutic interventions targeting the HPG axis, such as inhaled NO therapy in infancy and pulsatile GnRH administration in adults, emerge as promising approaches for addressing neurodevelopmental cognitive disorders and pathological aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantina Chachlaki
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Laboratory of Development and Plasticity of the Neuroendocrine Brain, Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, UMR_S1172, Lille, France
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Hospital-University Federation (FHU) 1000 First Days of Life, Lille, France
| | - Kevin Le Duc
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Hospital-University Federation (FHU) 1000 First Days of Life, Lille, France
- CHU Lille, Neonatology Department, Jeanne de Flandres Hospital, Lille, France
| | - Laurent Storme
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Hospital-University Federation (FHU) 1000 First Days of Life, Lille, France
- CHU Lille, Neonatology Department, Jeanne de Flandres Hospital, Lille, France
| | - Vincent Prevot
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Laboratory of Development and Plasticity of the Neuroendocrine Brain, Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, UMR_S1172, Lille, France
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Hospital-University Federation (FHU) 1000 First Days of Life, Lille, France
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Rasika S, Nogueiras R, Schwaninger M, Prevot V. Seeing through the fog: a neuroendocrine explanation for post-COVID cognitive deficits. Nat Rev Endocrinol 2024; 20:189-190. [PMID: 38287186 DOI: 10.1038/s41574-024-00955-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- S Rasika
- University of Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, FHU 1000 days for health Lille, Lille, France.
| | - Ruben Nogueiras
- CIMUS, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
| | - Markus Schwaninger
- Institute for Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.
| | - Vincent Prevot
- University of Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, FHU 1000 days for health Lille, Lille, France.
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Vavougios GD, Tseriotis VS, Liampas A, Mavridis T, de Erausquin GA, Hadjigeorgiou G. Type I interferon signaling, cognition and neurodegeneration following COVID-19: update on a mechanistic pathogenetic model with implications for Alzheimer's disease. Front Hum Neurosci 2024; 18:1352118. [PMID: 38562226 PMCID: PMC10982434 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2024.1352118] [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: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
COVID-19's effects on the human brain reveal a multifactorial impact on cognition and the potential to inflict lasting neuronal damage. Type I interferon signaling, a pathway that represents our defense against pathogens, is primarily affected by COVID-19. Type I interferon signaling, however, is known to mediate cognitive dysfunction upon its dysregulation following synaptopathy, microgliosis and neuronal damage. In previous studies, we proposed a model of outside-in dysregulation of tonic IFN-I signaling in the brain following a COVID-19. This disruption would be mediated by the crosstalk between central and peripheral immunity, and could potentially establish feed-forward IFN-I dysregulation leading to neuroinflammation and potentially, neurodegeneration. We proposed that for the CNS, the second-order mediators would be intrinsic disease-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) such as proteopathic seeds, without the requirement of neuroinvasion to sustain inflammation. Selective vulnerability of neurogenesis sites to IFN-I dysregulation would then lead to clinical manifestations such as anosmia and cognitive impairment. Since the inception of our model at the beginning of the pandemic, a growing body of studies has provided further evidence for the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the human CNS and cognition. Several preclinical and clinical studies have displayed IFN-I dysregulation and tauopathy in gene expression and neuropathological data in new cases, correspondingly. Furthermore, neurodegeneration identified with a predilection for the extended olfactory network furthermore supports the neuroanatomical concept of our model, and its independence from fulminant neuroinvasion and encephalitis as a cause of CNS damage. In this perspective, we summarize the data on IFN-I as a plausible mechanism of cognitive impairment in this setting, and its potential contribution to Alzheimer's disease and its interplay with COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- George D. Vavougios
- Department of Neurology, Medical School, University of Cyprus, Lefkosia, Cyprus
| | | | - Andreas Liampas
- Department of Neurology, Medical School, University of Cyprus, Lefkosia, Cyprus
| | - Theodore Mavridis
- Tallaght University Hospital (TUH)/The Adelaide and Meath Hospital Dublin, Incorporating the National Children's Hospital (AMNCH), Dublin, Ireland
| | - Gabriel A. de Erausquin
- Laboratory of Brain Development, Modulation and Repair, The Glenn Biggs Institute of Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Disorders, Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
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8
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Ji R, Wu Y, Ye Y, Li Y, Li Y, Zhong G, Fan W, Feng C, Chen H, Teng X, Wu Y, Xu J. Stimulation of PSTPIP1 to trigger proinflammatory responses in asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections. Heliyon 2024; 10:e26886. [PMID: 38463809 PMCID: PMC10920375 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e26886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Background A hyperinflammatory response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection gravely worsens the clinical progression of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Although the undesirable effects of inflammasome activation have been correlated to the severity of COVID-19, the mechanisms of this process in the asymptomatic infection and disease progression have not yet been clearly elucidated. Methods We performed strand-specific RNA sequencing in 39 peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) samples from asymptomatic individuals(n = 10), symptomatic patients(n = 16) and healthy donors(n = 13). Results Dysregulation of pyrin inflammasomes along with the proline-serine-threonine phosphatase-interacting protein 1 (PSTPIP1) gene was identified in SARS-COV-2 infection. Notably, the PSTPIP1 expression level showed a significant negative correlation with an adjacent long-noncoding RNA (lncRNA) RP11-797A18.6 in the asymptomatic individuals compared with the healthy controls. In addition, a decline in the nuclear factor kappa B subunit 1 (NFKB1) gene expression was observed in asymptomatic infection, followed by a rise in the mild and moderate disease stages, suggesting that altered NFKB1 expression and associated proinflammatory signals may trigger a disease progression. Conclusions Overall, our results indicate that PSTPIP1-dependent pyrin inflammasomes-mediated pyroptosis and NF-κB activation might be potential preventive targets for COVID-19 disease development and progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruili Ji
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shunde Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Foshan, China
| | - Yue Wu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shunde Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Foshan, China
| | - Yuhua Ye
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, Guangdong, China
| | - Yanling Li
- Guangzhou Huayin Medical Laboratory Center Ltd., Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yizhe Li
- Department of Laboratory Science, West China TianFu Hospital, Sichuan University, Sichuan, China
| | - Guojiu Zhong
- Department of Respiratory, Maoming Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Maoming 525000, Guangdong, China
| | - Wentao Fan
- Guangzhou Huayin Medical Laboratory Center Ltd., Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Chengjuan Feng
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Maoming Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Maoming 525000, Guangdong, China
| | - Hui Chen
- Guangzhou Huayin Medical Laboratory Center Ltd., Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiangyun Teng
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Maoming Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Maoming 525000, Guangdong, China
| | - Yunli Wu
- Guangzhou Huayin Medical Laboratory Center Ltd., Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jianhua Xu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shunde Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Foshan, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Maoming Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Maoming 525000, Guangdong, China
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9
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Voruz P, de Alcântara IJ, Nuber-Champier A, Cionca A, Guérin D, Allali G, Benzakour L, Lalive PH, Lövblad KO, Braillard O, Nencha U, Nehme M, Coen M, Serratrice J, Reny JL, Pugin J, Guessous I, Landis BN, Assal F, Péron JA. Persistence and emergence of new neuropsychological deficits following SARS-CoV-2 infection: A follow-up assessment of the Geneva COVID-COG cohort. J Glob Health 2024; 14:05008. [PMID: 38452292 PMCID: PMC10919907 DOI: 10.7189/jogh.14.05008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Despite numerous observations of neuropsychological deficits immediately following severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, little is known about what happens to these deficits over time and whether they are affected by changes in fatigue and any psychiatric symptoms. We aimed to assess the prevalence of neuropsychological deficits at 6-9 months and again at 12-15 months after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and to explore whether it was associated with changes in fatigue and psychiatric symptoms. Methods We administered a series of neuropsychological tests and psychiatric questionnaires to 95 patients (mean age = 57.12 years, standard deviation (SD) = 10.68; 35.79% women) 222 (time point 1 (T1)) and 441 (time point 2 (T2)) days on average after infection. Patients were categorised according to the severity of their respiratory COVID-19 symptoms in the acute phase: mild (no hospitalisation), moderate (conventional hospitalisation), and severe (hospitalisation in intensive care unit (ICU) plus mechanical ventilation). We ran Monte-Carlo simulation methods at each time point to generate a simulated population and then compared the cumulative percentages of cognitive disorders displayed by the three patient subgroups with the estimated normative data. We calculated generalised estimating equations for the whole sample to assess the longitudinal associations between cumulative neuropsychological deficits, fatigue, and psychiatric data (anxiety, depressive symptoms, posttraumatic stress disorder, and apathy). Results Most participants (>50%) exhibited a decrease in their neuropsychological impairments, while approximately 25% showed an escalation in these cognitive deficits. At T2, patients in the mild subgroup remained free of accumulated neuropsychological impairments. Patients with moderate severity of symptoms displayed a decrease in the magnitude of cumulative deficits in perceptual and attentional functions, a persistence of executive, memory and logical reasoning deficits, and the emergence of language deficits. In patients with severe symptoms, perceptual deficits emerged and executive deficits increased, while attentional and memory deficits remained unchanged. Changes in executive functions were significantly associated with changes in depressive symptoms, but the generalised estimating equations failed to reveal any other significant effect. Conclusion While most cumulative neuropsychological deficits observed at T1 persisted and even worsened over time in the subgroups of patients with moderate and severe symptoms, a significant proportion of patients, mainly in the mild subgroup, exhibited improved performances. However, we identified heterogeneous neuropsychological profiles both cross-sectionally and over time, suggesting that there may be distinct patient phenotypes. Predictors of these detrimental dynamics have yet to be identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philippe Voruz
- Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology Laboratory, Faculty of Psychology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Neurology Department, Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Isabele Jacot de Alcântara
- Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology Laboratory, Faculty of Psychology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Neurology Department, Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland
| | - Anthony Nuber-Champier
- Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology Laboratory, Faculty of Psychology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Alexandre Cionca
- Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology Laboratory, Faculty of Psychology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Delphine Guérin
- Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology Laboratory, Faculty of Psychology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Gilles Allali
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Neurology Department, Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Switzerland
- Leenaards Memory Center, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Lamyae Benzakour
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Switzerland
- Psychiatry Department, Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland
| | - Patrice H Lalive
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Neurology Department, Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Karl-Olof Lövblad
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Switzerland
- Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology Department, Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland
| | - Olivia Braillard
- Division and Department of Primary Care, Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland
| | - Umberto Nencha
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Neurology Department, Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland
- Geneva Memory Center, Division of Geriatrics, Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland
| | - Mayssam Nehme
- Division and Department of Primary Care, Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland
| | - Matteo Coen
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals and Geneva University, Switzerland
| | - Jacques Serratrice
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals and Geneva University, Switzerland
| | - Jean-Luc Reny
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals and Geneva University, Switzerland
| | - Jérôme Pugin
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Switzerland
- Intensive Care Department, Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland
| | - Idris Guessous
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Switzerland
- Division and Department of Primary Care, Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland
| | - Basile N Landis
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Switzerland
- Rhinology-Olfactology Unit, Otorhinolaryngology Department, Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland
| | - Frédéric Assal
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Neurology Department, Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Julie A Péron
- Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology Laboratory, Faculty of Psychology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Neurology Department, Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland
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10
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Radke J, Meinhardt J, Aschman T, Chua RL, Farztdinov V, Lukassen S, Ten FW, Friebel E, Ishaque N, Franz J, Huhle VH, Mothes R, Peters K, Thomas C, Schneeberger S, Schumann E, Kawelke L, Jünger J, Horst V, Streit S, von Manitius R, Körtvélyessy P, Vielhaber S, Reinhold D, Hauser AE, Osterloh A, Enghard P, Ihlow J, Elezkurtaj S, Horst D, Kurth F, Müller MA, Gassen NC, Melchert J, Jechow K, Timmermann B, Fernandez-Zapata C, Böttcher C, Stenzel W, Krüger E, Landthaler M, Wyler E, Corman V, Stadelmann C, Ralser M, Eils R, Heppner FL, Mülleder M, Conrad C, Radbruch H. Proteomic and transcriptomic profiling of brainstem, cerebellum and olfactory tissues in early- and late-phase COVID-19. Nat Neurosci 2024; 27:409-420. [PMID: 38366144 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-024-01573-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Neurological symptoms, including cognitive impairment and fatigue, can occur in both the acute infection phase of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and at later stages, yet the mechanisms that contribute to this remain unclear. Here we profiled single-nucleus transcriptomes and proteomes of brainstem tissue from deceased individuals at various stages of COVID-19. We detected an inflammatory type I interferon response in acute COVID-19 cases, which resolves in the late disease phase. Integrating single-nucleus RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics, we could localize two patterns of reaction to severe systemic inflammation, one neuronal with a direct focus on cranial nerve nuclei and a separate diffuse pattern affecting the whole brainstem. The latter reflects a bystander effect of the respiratory infection that spreads throughout the vascular unit and alters the transcriptional state of mainly oligodendrocytes, microglia and astrocytes, while alterations of the brainstem nuclei could reflect the connection of the immune system and the central nervous system via, for example, the vagus nerve. Our results indicate that even without persistence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in the central nervous system, local immune reactions are prevailing, potentially causing functional disturbances that contribute to neurological complications of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josefine Radke
- Institute of Pathology, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
- Department of Neuropathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Jenny Meinhardt
- Department of Neuropathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Tom Aschman
- Department of Neuropathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Robert Lorenz Chua
- Center of Digital Health, Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Vadim Farztdinov
- Core Facility High Throughput Mass Spectrometry, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sören Lukassen
- Center of Digital Health, Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Foo Wei Ten
- Center of Digital Health, Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ekaterina Friebel
- Department of Neuropathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Naveed Ishaque
- Center of Digital Health, Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jonas Franz
- Department of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Valerie Helena Huhle
- Department of Neuropathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ronja Mothes
- Department of Neuropathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Kristin Peters
- Institute of Pathology, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Carolina Thomas
- Department of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Shirin Schneeberger
- Department of Neuropathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Elisa Schumann
- Department of Neuropathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Leona Kawelke
- Department of Neuropathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Julia Jünger
- Department of Neuropathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Viktor Horst
- Department of Neuropathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Simon Streit
- Department of Neuropathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Regina von Manitius
- Department of Neuropathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Péter Körtvélyessy
- Department of Neurology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan Vielhaber
- Department of Neurology, Otto von Guerike University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Dirk Reinhold
- Institute of Molecular and Clinical Immunology, Otto von Guerike University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Anja E Hauser
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Immune Dynamics, Deutsches Rheuma-Forschungszentrum, a Leibniz Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Anja Osterloh
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Philipp Enghard
- Department of Nephrology and Medical Intensive Care, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jana Ihlow
- Department of Pathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sefer Elezkurtaj
- Department of Pathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - David Horst
- Department of Pathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Florian Kurth
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Respiratory Medicine, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Marcel A Müller
- Institute of Virology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Nils C Gassen
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Julia Melchert
- Institute of Virology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Katharina Jechow
- Center of Digital Health, Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Camila Fernandez-Zapata
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center, a cooperation between the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association and Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Chotima Böttcher
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center, a cooperation between the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association and Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Werner Stenzel
- Department of Neuropathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Elke Krüger
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Markus Landthaler
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
- Institut für Biologie, Humboldt Universität, Berlin, Germany
| | - Emanuel Wyler
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
| | - Victor Corman
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Respiratory Medicine, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), associated partner, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christine Stadelmann
- Department of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Markus Ralser
- Core Facility High Throughput Mass Spectrometry, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Roland Eils
- Center of Digital Health, Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Frank L Heppner
- Department of Neuropathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence NeuroCure, Berlin, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Mülleder
- Core Facility High Throughput Mass Spectrometry, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian Conrad
- Center of Digital Health, Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Helena Radbruch
- Department of Neuropathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
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11
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Lee JD, Solomon IH, Slack FJ, Mavrikaki M. Cognition-associated long noncoding RNAs are dysregulated upon severe COVID-19. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1290523. [PMID: 38410515 PMCID: PMC10894962 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1290523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Severe COVID-19 leads to widespread transcriptomic changes in the human brain, mimicking diminished cognitive performance. As long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play crucial roles in the regulation of gene expression, identification of the lncRNAs differentially expressed upon COVID-19 may nominate key regulatory nodes underpinning cognitive changes. Here we identify hundreds of lncRNAs differentially expressed in the brains of COVID-19 patients relative to uninfected age/sex-matched controls, many of which are associated with decreased cognitive performance and inflammatory cytokine response. Our analyses reveal pervasive transcriptomic changes in lncRNA expression upon severe COVID-19, which may serve as key regulators of neurocognitive changes in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan D. Lee
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Isaac H. Solomon
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Frank J. Slack
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School Initiative for RNA Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Maria Mavrikaki
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School Initiative for RNA Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
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12
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Fan Y, Liu X, Guan F, Hang X, He X, Jin J. Investigating the Potential Shared Molecular Mechanisms between COVID-19 and Alzheimer's Disease via Transcriptomic Analysis. Viruses 2024; 16:100. [PMID: 38257800 PMCID: PMC10821526 DOI: 10.3390/v16010100] [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: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 caused the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 may elevate the risk of cognitive impairment and even cause dementia in infected individuals; it may accelerate cognitive decline in elderly patients with dementia, possibly in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. However, the mechanisms underlying the interplay between AD and COVID-19 are still unclear. To investigate the underlying mechanisms and associations between AD progression and SARS-CoV-2 infection, we conducted a series of bioinformatics research into SARS-CoV-2-infected cells, COVID-19 patients, AD patients, and SARS-CoV-2-infected AD patients. We identified the common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in COVID-19 patients, AD patients, and SARS-CoV-2-infected cells, and these DEGs are enriched in certain pathways, such as immune responses and cytokine storms. We constructed the gene interaction network with the signaling transduction module in the center and identified IRF7, STAT1, STAT2, and OAS1 as the hub genes. We also checked the correlations between several key transcription factors and the SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 pathway-related genes. We observed that ACE2 expression is positively correlated with IRF7 expression in AD and coronavirus infections, and interestingly, IRF7 is significantly upregulated in response to different RNA virus infections. Further snRNA-seq analysis indicates that NRGN neurons or endothelial cells may be responsible for the increase in ACE2 and IRF7 expression after SARS-CoV-2 infection. The positive correlation between ACE2 and IRF7 expressions is confirmed in the hippocampal formation (HF) of SARS-CoV-2-infected AD patients. Our findings could contribute to the investigation of the molecular mechanisms underlying the interplay between AD and COVID-19 and to the development of effective therapeutic strategies for AD patients with COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yixian Fan
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
- Center for Genomics and Proteomics Research, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
- Key Laboratory of Vascular Aging of the Ministry of Education, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Drug Target Research and Pharmacodynamic Evaluation, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Xiaozhao Liu
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
- Center for Genomics and Proteomics Research, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
- Key Laboratory of Vascular Aging of the Ministry of Education, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Drug Target Research and Pharmacodynamic Evaluation, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Fei Guan
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
- Center for Genomics and Proteomics Research, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
- Key Laboratory of Vascular Aging of the Ministry of Education, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Drug Target Research and Pharmacodynamic Evaluation, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Xiaoyi Hang
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
- Center for Genomics and Proteomics Research, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
- Key Laboratory of Vascular Aging of the Ministry of Education, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Drug Target Research and Pharmacodynamic Evaluation, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Ximiao He
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
- Center for Genomics and Proteomics Research, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
- Key Laboratory of Vascular Aging of the Ministry of Education, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Drug Target Research and Pharmacodynamic Evaluation, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Jing Jin
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
- Center for Genomics and Proteomics Research, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
- Key Laboratory of Vascular Aging of the Ministry of Education, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Drug Target Research and Pharmacodynamic Evaluation, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
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13
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Meinhardt J, Streit S, Dittmayer C, Manitius RV, Radbruch H, Heppner FL. The neurobiology of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Nat Rev Neurosci 2024; 25:30-42. [PMID: 38049610 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-023-00769-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023]
Abstract
Worldwide, over 694 million people have been infected with SARS-CoV-2, with an estimated 55-60% of those infected developing COVID-19. Since the beginning of the pandemic in December 2019, different variants of concern have appeared and continue to occur. With the emergence of different variants, an increasing rate of vaccination and previous infections, the acute neurological symptomatology of COVID-19 changed. Moreover, 10-45% of individuals with a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection experience symptoms even 3 months after disease onset, a condition that has been defined as 'post-COVID-19' by the World Health Organization and that occurs independently of the virus variant. The pathomechanisms of COVID-19-related neurological complaints have become clearer during the past 3 years. To date, there is no overt - that is, truly convincing - evidence for SARS-CoV-2 particles in the brain. In this Review, we put special emphasis on discussing the methodological difficulties of viral detection in CNS tissue and discuss immune-based (systemic and central) effects contributing to COVID-19-related CNS affection. We sequentially review the reported changes to CNS cells in COVID-19, starting with the blood-brain barrier and blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier - as systemic factors from the periphery appear to primarily influence barriers and conduits - before we describe changes in brain parenchymal cells, including microglia, astrocytes, neurons and oligodendrocytes as well as cerebral lymphocytes. These findings are critical to understanding CNS affection in acute COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 in order to translate these findings into treatment options, which are still very limited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny Meinhardt
- Department of Neuropathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Simon Streit
- Department of Neuropathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Carsten Dittmayer
- Department of Neuropathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Regina V Manitius
- Department of Neuropathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Helena Radbruch
- Department of Neuropathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Frank L Heppner
- Department of Neuropathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany.
- Cluster of Excellence, NeuroCure, Berlin, Germany.
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
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14
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Shahbaz MA, Kuivanen S, Lampinen R, Mussalo L, Hron T, Závodná T, Ojha R, Krejčík Z, Saveleva L, Tahir NA, Kalapudas J, Koivisto AM, Penttilä E, Löppönen H, Singh P, Topinka J, Vapalahti O, Chew S, Balistreri G, Kanninen KM. Human-derived air-liquid interface cultures decipher Alzheimer's disease-SARS-CoV-2 crosstalk in the olfactory mucosa. J Neuroinflammation 2023; 20:299. [PMID: 38098019 PMCID: PMC10722731 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-023-02979-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The neurological effects of the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) raise concerns about potential long-term consequences, such as an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Neuroinflammation and other AD-associated pathologies are also suggested to increase the risk of serious SARS-CoV-2 infection. Anosmia is a common neurological symptom reported in COVID-19 and in early AD. The olfactory mucosa (OM) is important for the perception of smell and a proposed site of viral entry to the brain. However, little is known about SARS-CoV-2 infection at the OM of individuals with AD. METHODS To address this gap, we established a 3D in vitro model of the OM from primary cells derived from cognitively healthy and AD individuals. We cultured the cells at the air-liquid interface (ALI) to study SARS-CoV-2 infection under controlled experimental conditions. Primary OM cells in ALI expressed angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2), neuropilin-1 (NRP-1), and several other known SARS-CoV-2 receptor and were highly vulnerable to infection. Infection was determined by secreted viral RNA content and confirmed with SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein (NP) in the infected cells by immunocytochemistry. Differential responses of healthy and AD individuals-derived OM cells to SARS-CoV-2 were determined by RNA sequencing. RESULTS Results indicate that cells derived from cognitively healthy donors and individuals with AD do not differ in susceptibility to infection with the wild-type SARS-CoV-2 virus. However, transcriptomic signatures in cells from individuals with AD are highly distinct. Specifically, the cells from AD patients that were infected with the virus showed increased levels of oxidative stress, desensitized inflammation and immune responses, and alterations to genes associated with olfaction. These results imply that individuals with AD may be at a greater risk of experiencing severe outcomes from the infection, potentially driven by pre-existing neuroinflammation. CONCLUSIONS The study sheds light on the interplay between AD pathology and SARS-CoV-2 infection. Altered transcriptomic signatures in AD cells may contribute to unique symptoms and a more severe disease course, with a notable involvement of neuroinflammation. Furthermore, the research emphasizes the need for targeted interventions to enhance outcomes for AD patients with viral infection. The study is crucial to better comprehend the relationship between AD, COVID-19, and anosmia. It highlights the importance of ongoing research to develop more effective treatments for those at high risk of severe SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Ali Shahbaz
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, 70210, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Suvi Kuivanen
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00290, Helsinki, Finland
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Institute of Virology, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Riikka Lampinen
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, 70210, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Laura Mussalo
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, 70210, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Tomáš Hron
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, 142 20, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Táňa Závodná
- Department of Genetic Toxicology and Epigenetics, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Czech Academy of Sciences, 142 20, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Ravi Ojha
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00290, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Zdeněk Krejčík
- Department of Genetic Toxicology and Epigenetics, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Czech Academy of Sciences, 142 20, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Liudmila Saveleva
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, 70210, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Numan Ahmad Tahir
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, 70210, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Juho Kalapudas
- Department of Neurology, Neuro Centre, Kuopio University Hospital, 70210, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Anne M Koivisto
- Department of Neurology, Neuro Centre, Kuopio University Hospital, 70210, Kuopio, Finland
- Brain Research Unit, Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, 70210, Kuopio, Finland
- Department of Neurology and Geriatrics, Helsinki University Hospital and Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Elina Penttilä
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital, 70210, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Heikki Löppönen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital, 70210, Kuopio, Finland
| | | | - Jan Topinka
- Department of Genetic Toxicology and Epigenetics, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Czech Academy of Sciences, 142 20, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Olli Vapalahti
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00290, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sweelin Chew
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, 70210, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Giuseppe Balistreri
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00290, Helsinki, Finland
- The Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Katja M Kanninen
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, 70210, Kuopio, Finland.
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15
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Voruz P, Cionca A, Assal F, Péron JA. Response to: Limbic system damage following SARS-CoV2 infection. Brain Commun 2023; 5:fcad342. [PMID: 38116139 PMCID: PMC10729845 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcad342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Philippe Voruz
- Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology Laboratory, Faculty of
Psychology, University of Geneva, Geneva 1205,
Switzerland
- Neurosurgery Department, Geneva University Hospitals,
Geneva 1205, Switzerland
| | - Alexandre Cionca
- Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology Laboratory, Faculty of
Psychology, University of Geneva, Geneva 1205,
Switzerland
- Axon la, Radiology Department, Vaud University Hospital
Center, Lausanne 1011, Switzerland
| | - Frédéric Assal
- Neurology Department, Geneva University Hospitals,
Geneva 1205, Switzerland
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva
1205, Switzerland
| | - Julie A Péron
- Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology Laboratory, Faculty of
Psychology, University of Geneva, Geneva 1205,
Switzerland
- Neurology Department, Geneva University Hospitals,
Geneva 1205, Switzerland
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16
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Aguado J, Amarilla AA, Taherian Fard A, Albornoz EA, Tyshkovskiy A, Schwabenland M, Chaggar HK, Modhiran N, Gómez-Inclán C, Javed I, Baradar AA, Liang B, Peng L, Dharmaratne M, Pietrogrande G, Padmanabhan P, Freney ME, Parry R, Sng JDJ, Isaacs A, Khromykh AA, Valenzuela Nieto G, Rojas-Fernandez A, Davis TP, Prinz M, Bengsch B, Gladyshev VN, Woodruff TM, Mar JC, Watterson D, Wolvetang EJ. Senolytic therapy alleviates physiological human brain aging and COVID-19 neuropathology. NATURE AGING 2023; 3:1561-1575. [PMID: 37957361 PMCID: PMC10724067 DOI: 10.1038/s43587-023-00519-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Aging is a major risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases, and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is linked to severe neurological manifestations. Senescent cells contribute to brain aging, but the impact of virus-induced senescence on neuropathologies is unknown. Here we show that senescent cells accumulate in aged human brain organoids and that senolytics reduce age-related inflammation and rejuvenate transcriptomic aging clocks. In postmortem brains of patients with severe COVID-19 we observed increased senescent cell accumulation compared with age-matched controls. Exposure of human brain organoids to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) induced cellular senescence, and transcriptomic analysis revealed a unique SARS-CoV-2 inflammatory signature. Senolytic treatment of infected brain organoids blocked viral replication and prevented senescence in distinct neuronal populations. In human-ACE2-overexpressing mice, senolytics improved COVID-19 clinical outcomes, promoted dopaminergic neuron survival and alleviated viral and proinflammatory gene expression. Collectively our results demonstrate an important role for cellular senescence in driving brain aging and SARS-CoV-2-induced neuropathology, and a therapeutic benefit of senolytic treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio Aguado
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Alberto A Amarilla
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Atefeh Taherian Fard
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Eduardo A Albornoz
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Alexander Tyshkovskiy
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Marius Schwabenland
- Institute of Neuropathology and Center for Basics in NeuroModulation, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Harman K Chaggar
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Naphak Modhiran
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Cecilia Gómez-Inclán
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Ibrahim Javed
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- Centre for Pharmaceutical Innovation, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, UniSA Clinical and Health Sciences, The University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Alireza A Baradar
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Benjamin Liang
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Lianli Peng
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Malindrie Dharmaratne
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Giovanni Pietrogrande
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Pranesh Padmanabhan
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Morgan E Freney
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Rhys Parry
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Julian D J Sng
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Ariel Isaacs
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Alexander A Khromykh
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, Global Virus Network Centre of Excellence, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Guillermo Valenzuela Nieto
- Institute of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Center for Interdisciplinary Studies on the Nervous System, CISNE, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Alejandro Rojas-Fernandez
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Berking Biotechnology, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Thomas P Davis
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Marco Prinz
- Institute of Neuropathology and Center for Basics in NeuroModulation, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Signalling Research Centers BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Bertram Bengsch
- Signalling Research Centers BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, Clinic for Internal Medicine II, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Endocrinology, and Infectious Disease, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Vadim N Gladyshev
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Trent M Woodruff
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jessica C Mar
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Daniel Watterson
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Ernst J Wolvetang
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
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17
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Wang K, Khoramjoo M, Srinivasan K, Gordon PMK, Mandal R, Jackson D, Sligl W, Grant MB, Penninger JM, Borchers CH, Wishart DS, Prasad V, Oudit GY. Sequential multi-omics analysis identifies clinical phenotypes and predictive biomarkers for long COVID. Cell Rep Med 2023; 4:101254. [PMID: 37890487 PMCID: PMC10694626 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2023.101254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
The post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), also known as long COVID, is often associated with debilitating symptoms and adverse multisystem consequences. We obtain plasma samples from 117 individuals during and 6 months following their acute phase of infection to comprehensively profile and assess changes in cytokines, proteome, and metabolome. Network analysis reveals sustained inflammatory response, platelet degranulation, and cellular activation during convalescence accompanied by dysregulation in arginine biosynthesis, methionine metabolism, taurine metabolism, and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle processes. Furthermore, we develop a prognostic model composed of 20 molecules involved in regulating T cell exhaustion and energy metabolism that can reliably predict adverse clinical outcomes following discharge from acute infection with 83% accuracy and an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.96. Our study reveals pertinent biological processes during convalescence that differ from acute infection, and it supports the development of specific therapies and biomarkers for patients suffering from long COVID.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaiming Wang
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada; Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada; Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Mobin Khoramjoo
- Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada; Department of Physiology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Karthik Srinivasan
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Paul M K Gordon
- Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Rupasri Mandal
- The Metabolomics Innovation Center, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Dana Jackson
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada; Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Wendy Sligl
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Maria B Grant
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Josef M Penninger
- Department of Medical Genetics, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna, Austria
| | - Christoph H Borchers
- Segal Cancer Proteomics Centre, Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Gerald Bronfman Department of Oncology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - David S Wishart
- The Metabolomics Innovation Center, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Vinay Prasad
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Gavin Y Oudit
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada; Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada; Department of Physiology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
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18
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Ghag R, Kaushal M, Nwanne G, Knoten A, Kiryluk K, Rosenberg A, Menez S, Bagnasco SM, Sperati CJ, Atta MG, Gaut JP, Williams JC, El-Achkar TM, Arend LJ, Parikh CR, Jain S. Single Nucleus RNA Sequencing of Remnant Kidney Biopsies and Urine Cell RNA Sequencing Reveal Cell Specific Markers of Covid-19 Acute Kidney Injury. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.10.566497. [PMID: 37986991 PMCID: PMC10659401 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.10.566497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Acute kidney injury (AKI) in COVID-19 patients is associated with high mortality and morbidity. Critically ill COVID-19 patients are at twice the risk of in-hospital mortality compared to non-COVID AKI patients. We know little about the cell-specific mechanism in the kidney that contributes to worse clinical outcomes in these patients. New generation single cell technologies have the potential to provide insights into physiological states and molecular mechanisms in COVID-AKI. One of the key limitations is that these patients are severely ill posing significant risks in procuring additional biopsy tissue. We recently generated single nucleus RNA-sequencing data using COVID-AKI patient biopsy tissue as part of the human kidney atlas. Here we describe this approach in detail and report deeper comparative analysis of snRNAseq of 4 COVID-AKI, 4 reference, and 6 non-COVID-AKI biopsies. We also generated and analyzed urine transcriptomics data to find overlapping COVID-AKI-enriched genes and their corresponding cell types in the kidney from snRNA-seq data. We identified all major and minor cell types and states by using by using less than a few cubic millimeters of leftover tissue after pathological workup in our approach. Differential expression analysis of COVID-AKI biopsies showed pathways enriched in viral response, WNT signaling, kidney development, and cytokines in several nephron epithelial cells. COVID-AKI profiles showed a much higher proportion of altered TAL cells than non-COVID AKI and the reference samples. In addition to kidney injury and fibrosis markers indicating robust remodeling we found that, 17 genes overlap between urine cell COVID-AKI transcriptome and the snRNA-seq data from COVID-AKI biopsies. A key feature was that several of the distal nephron and collecting system cell types express these markers. Some of these markers have been previously observed in COVID-19 studies suggesting a common mechanism of injury and potentially the kidney as one of the sources of soluble factors with a potential role in disease progression. Translational Statement The manuscript describes innovation, application and discovery that impact clinical care in kidney disease. First, the approach to maximize use of remnant frozen clinical biopsies to inform on clinically relevant molecular features can augment existing pathological workflow for any frozen tissue without much change in the protocol. Second, this approach is transformational in medical crises such as pandemics where mechanistic insights are needed to evaluate organ injury, targets for drug therapy and diagnostic and prognostic markers. Third, the cell type specific and soluble markers identified and validated can be used for diagnoses or prognoses in AKI due to different etiologies and in multiorgan injury.
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19
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Sekendiz Z, Clouston SAP, Morozova O, Carr MA, Fontana A, Mehta N, Ali A, Jiang E, Luft B. ASSESSMENT AND CHARACTERIZATION OF COVID-19 RELATED COGNITIVE DECLINE: RESULTS FROM A NATURAL EXPERIMENT. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.11.06.23298101. [PMID: 37986906 PMCID: PMC10659478 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.06.23298101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Background Cognitive impairment is the most common and disabling manifestation of post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2. There is an urgent need for the application of more stringent methods for evaluating cognitive outcomes in research studies. Objective To determine whether cognitive decline emerges with the onset of COVID-19 and whether it is more pronounced in patients with Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 or severe COVID-19. Methods This longitudinal cohort study compared the cognitive performance of 276 patients with COVID-19 to that of 217 controls across four neuroinflammation or vascular disease-sensitive domains of cognition using data collected both before and after the pandemic starting in 2015. Results The mean age of the COVID-19 group was 56.04±6.6 years, while that of the control group was 58.1±7.3 years. Longitudinal models indicated a significant decline in cognitive throughput ((β=-0.168, P=.001) following COVID-19, after adjustment for pre-COVID-19 functioning, demographics, and medical factors. The effect sizes were large; the observed changes in throughput were equivalent to 10.6 years of normal aging and a 59.8% increase in the burden of mild cognitive impairment. Cognitive decline worsened with coronavirus disease 2019 severity and was concentrated in participants reporting post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2. Conclusion COVID-19 was most likely associated with the observed cognitive decline, which was worse among patients with PASC or severe COVID-19. Monitoring patients with post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 for declines in the domains of processing speed and visual working memory and determining the long-term prognosis of this decline are therefore warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zennur Sekendiz
- Stony Brook University, Department of Medicine-World Trade Center Health Program
| | - Sean A P Clouston
- Stony Brook University, Family, Population and Preventive Medicine, Program in Public Health
| | - Olga Morozova
- The University of Chicago, Department of Public Health Sciences
| | - Melissa A Carr
- Stony Brook University, Department of Medicine-World Trade Center Health Program
| | - Ashley Fontana
- Stony Brook University, Department of Medicine-World Trade Center Health Program
| | - Nikhil Mehta
- Stony Brook University, Department of Medicine-World Trade Center Health Program
| | - Alina Ali
- Stony Brook University, Department of Medicine-World Trade Center Health Program
| | - Eugene Jiang
- Stony Brook University, Department of Medicine-World Trade Center Health Program
| | - Benjamin Luft
- Stony Brook University, Department of Medicine-World Trade Center Health Program
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20
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Heinrich F, Mertz KD, Glatzel M, Beer M, Krasemann S. Using autopsies to dissect COVID-19 pathogenesis. Nat Microbiol 2023; 8:1986-1994. [PMID: 37798476 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-023-01488-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 has resulted in millions of deaths as a result of COVID-19. Suitable models were missing at the beginning of the pandemic, and studies investigating disease pathogenesis relied on patients who had succumbed to COVID-19. Since then, autopsies of patients have substantially contributed to our understanding of the pathogenesis of COVID-19 and associated major organ complications. Here we summarize how autopsies have complemented experimental studies, mainly in animal models, and how they have facilitated critical knowledge of COVID-19 to improve daily clinical practice and develop therapeutic interventions. Employing advanced histopathologic and molecular genetic methods in post-mortem tissues, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of autopsies for virology research and clinical practice in current and emerging infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Heinrich
- Institute of Legal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Kirsten D Mertz
- Institute of Pathology, Kantonsspital Baselland, Liestal, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Markus Glatzel
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Martin Beer
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Susanne Krasemann
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
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21
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Basak I, Harfoot R, Palmer JE, Kumar A, Quiñones-Mateu ME, Schweitzer L, Hughes SM. Neuroproteomic Analysis after SARS-CoV-2 Infection Reveals Overrepresented Neurodegeneration Pathways and Disrupted Metabolic Pathways. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1597. [PMID: 38002279 PMCID: PMC10669333 DOI: 10.3390/biom13111597] [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: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Besides respiratory illness, SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19, leads to neurological symptoms. The molecular mechanisms leading to neuropathology after SARS-CoV-2 infection are sparsely explored. SARS-CoV-2 enters human cells via different receptors, including ACE-2, TMPRSS2, and TMEM106B. In this study, we used a human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neuronal model, which expresses ACE-2, TMPRSS2, TMEM106B, and other possible SARS-CoV-2 receptors, to evaluate its susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection. The neurons were exposed to SARS-CoV-2, followed by RT-qPCR, immunocytochemistry, and proteomic analyses of the infected neurons. Our findings showed that SARS-CoV-2 infects neurons at a lower rate than other human cells; however, the virus could not replicate or produce infectious virions in this neuronal model. Despite the aborted SARS-CoV-2 replication, the infected neuronal nuclei showed irregular morphology compared to other human cells. Since cytokine storm is a significant effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection in COVID-19 patients, in addition to the direct neuronal infection, the neurons were treated with pre-conditioned media from SARS-CoV-2-infected lung cells, and the neuroproteomic changes were investigated. The limited SARS-CoV-2 infection in the neurons and the neurons treated with the pre-conditioned media showed changes in the neuroproteomic profile, particularly affecting mitochondrial proteins and apoptotic and metabolic pathways, which may lead to the development of neurological complications. The findings from our study uncover a possible mechanism behind SARS-CoV-2-mediated neuropathology that might contribute to the lingering effects of the virus on the human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Indranil Basak
- Brain Health Research Centre, Department of Biochemistry, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
| | - Rhodri Harfoot
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand (M.E.Q.-M.)
| | - Jennifer E. Palmer
- Brain Health Research Centre, Department of Biochemistry, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
| | - Abhishek Kumar
- Centre for Protein Research, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
| | - Miguel E. Quiñones-Mateu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand (M.E.Q.-M.)
| | - Lucia Schweitzer
- Brain Health Research Centre, Department of Biochemistry, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
| | - Stephanie M. Hughes
- Brain Health Research Centre, Department of Biochemistry, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
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22
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Matveeva N, Kiselev I, Baulina N, Semina E, Kakotkin V, Agapov M, Kulakova O, Favorova O. Shared genetic architecture of COVID-19 and Alzheimer's disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1287322. [PMID: 37927339 PMCID: PMC10625425 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1287322] [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: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the сoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have become a global health threat. At the height of the pandemic, major efforts were focused on reducing COVID-19-associated morbidity and mortality. Now is the time to study the long-term effects of the pandemic, particularly cognitive impairment associated with long COVID. In recent years much attention has been paid to the possible relationship between COVID-19 and Alzheimer's disease, which is considered a main cause of age-related cognitive impairment. Genetic predisposition was shown for both COVID-19 and Alzheimer's disease. However, the analysis of the similarity of the genetic architecture of these diseases is usually limited to indicating a positive genetic correlation between them. In this review, we have described intrinsic linkages between COVID-19 and Alzheimer's disease, pointed out shared susceptibility genes that were previously identified in genome-wide association studies of both COVID-19 and Alzheimer's disease, and highlighted a panel of SNPs that includes candidate genetic risk markers of the long COVID-associated cognitive impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Matveeva
- Institute of Medicine and Life Science, Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Kaliningrad, Russia
- Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Institute of Translational Medicine, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Ivan Kiselev
- Institute of Medicine and Life Science, Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Kaliningrad, Russia
- Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Institute of Translational Medicine, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Natalia Baulina
- Institute of Medicine and Life Science, Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Kaliningrad, Russia
- Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Institute of Translational Medicine, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Ekaterina Semina
- Institute of Medicine and Life Science, Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Kaliningrad, Russia
| | - Viktor Kakotkin
- Institute of Medicine and Life Science, Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Kaliningrad, Russia
| | - Mikhail Agapov
- Institute of Medicine and Life Science, Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Kaliningrad, Russia
| | - Olga Kulakova
- Institute of Medicine and Life Science, Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Kaliningrad, Russia
- Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Institute of Translational Medicine, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Olga Favorova
- Institute of Medicine and Life Science, Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Kaliningrad, Russia
- Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Institute of Translational Medicine, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russia
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23
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Sauve F, Nampoothiri S, Clarke SA, Fernandois D, Ferreira Coêlho CF, Dewisme J, Mills EG, Ternier G, Cotellessa L, Iglesias-Garcia C, Mueller-Fielitz H, Lebouvier T, Perbet R, Florent V, Baroncini M, Sharif A, Ereño-Orbea J, Mercado-Gómez M, Palazon A, Mattot V, Pasquier F, Catteau-Jonard S, Martinez-Chantar M, Hrabovszky E, Jourdain M, Deplanque D, Morelli A, Guarnieri G, Storme L, Robil C, Trottein F, Nogueiras R, Schwaninger M, Pigny P, Poissy J, Chachlaki K, Maurage CA, Giacobini P, Dhillo W, Rasika S, Prevot V. Long-COVID cognitive impairments and reproductive hormone deficits in men may stem from GnRH neuronal death. EBioMedicine 2023; 96:104784. [PMID: 37713808 PMCID: PMC10507138 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2023.104784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND We have recently demonstrated a causal link between loss of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), the master molecule regulating reproduction, and cognitive deficits during pathological aging, including Down syndrome and Alzheimer's disease. Olfactory and cognitive alterations, which persist in some COVID-19 patients, and long-term hypotestosteronaemia in SARS-CoV-2-infected men are also reminiscent of the consequences of deficient GnRH, suggesting that GnRH system neuroinvasion could underlie certain post-COVID symptoms and thus lead to accelerated or exacerbated cognitive decline. METHODS We explored the hormonal profile of COVID-19 patients and targets of SARS-CoV-2 infection in post-mortem patient brains and human fetal tissue. FINDINGS We found that persistent hypotestosteronaemia in some men could indeed be of hypothalamic origin, favouring post-COVID cognitive or neurological symptoms, and that changes in testosterone levels and body weight over time were inversely correlated. Infection of olfactory sensory neurons and multifunctional hypothalamic glia called tanycytes highlighted at least two viable neuroinvasion routes. Furthermore, GnRH neurons themselves were dying in all patient brains studied, dramatically reducing GnRH expression. Human fetal olfactory and vomeronasal epithelia, from which GnRH neurons arise, and fetal GnRH neurons also appeared susceptible to infection. INTERPRETATION Putative GnRH neuron and tanycyte dysfunction following SARS-CoV-2 neuroinvasion could be responsible for serious reproductive, metabolic, and mental health consequences in long-COVID and lead to an increased risk of neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative pathologies over time in all age groups. FUNDING European Research Council (ERC) grant agreements No 810331, No 725149, No 804236, the European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation program No 847941, the Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale (FRM) and the Agence Nationale de la Recherche en Santé (ANRS) No ECTZ200878 Long Covid 2021 ANRS0167 SIGNAL, Agence Nationale de la recherche (ANR) grant agreements No ANR-19-CE16-0021-02, No ANR-11-LABEX-0009, No. ANR-10-LABEX-0046, No. ANR-16-IDEX-0004, Inserm Cross-Cutting Scientific Program HuDeCA, the CHU Lille Bonus H, the UK Medical Research Council (MRC) and National Institute of Health and care Research (NIHR).
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Affiliation(s)
- Florent Sauve
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, UMR-S 1172, DistAlz, Lille, France
| | - Sreekala Nampoothiri
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, UMR-S 1172, DistAlz, Lille, France
| | - Sophie A Clarke
- Section of Endocrinology and Investigative Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Daniela Fernandois
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, UMR-S 1172, DistAlz, Lille, France
| | | | - Julie Dewisme
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, UMR-S 1172, DistAlz, Lille, France; CHU Lille, Department of Pathology, Centre Biologie Pathologie, France
| | - Edouard G Mills
- Section of Endocrinology and Investigative Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gaetan Ternier
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, UMR-S 1172, DistAlz, Lille, France
| | - Ludovica Cotellessa
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, UMR-S 1172, DistAlz, Lille, France
| | | | - Helge Mueller-Fielitz
- Institute for Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Thibaud Lebouvier
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, UMR-S 1172, DistAlz, Lille, France; CHU Lille, Department of Neurology, Memory Centre, Reference Centre for Early-Onset Alzheimer Disease and Related Disorders, Lille, France
| | - Romain Perbet
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, UMR-S 1172, DistAlz, Lille, France; CHU Lille, Department of Pathology, Centre Biologie Pathologie, France
| | - Vincent Florent
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, UMR-S 1172, DistAlz, Lille, France
| | - Marc Baroncini
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, UMR-S 1172, DistAlz, Lille, France
| | - Ariane Sharif
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, UMR-S 1172, DistAlz, Lille, France
| | - June Ereño-Orbea
- CIC bioGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTACentro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Bizkaia Technology Park, Building 801A, 48160, Derio, Bizkaia, Spain
| | - Maria Mercado-Gómez
- CIC bioGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTACentro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Bizkaia Technology Park, Building 801A, 48160, Derio, Bizkaia, Spain
| | - Asis Palazon
- CIC bioGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTACentro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Bizkaia Technology Park, Building 801A, 48160, Derio, Bizkaia, Spain
| | - Virginie Mattot
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, UMR-S 1172, DistAlz, Lille, France
| | - Florence Pasquier
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, UMR-S 1172, DistAlz, Lille, France; CHU Lille, Department of Neurology, Memory Centre, Reference Centre for Early-Onset Alzheimer Disease and Related Disorders, Lille, France
| | - Sophie Catteau-Jonard
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, UMR-S 1172, DistAlz, Lille, France; CHU Lille, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Jeanne de Flandres Hospital, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Maria Martinez-Chantar
- CIC bioGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTACentro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Bizkaia Technology Park, Building 801A, 48160, Derio, Bizkaia, Spain
| | - Erik Hrabovszky
- Laboratory of Reproductive Neurobiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Mercé Jourdain
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Service de Médecine Intensive Réanimation, U1190, EGID, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Dominique Deplanque
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, UMR-S 1172, DistAlz, Lille, France; University Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Centre d'investigation Clinique (CIC) 1403, F-59000, Lille, France; LICORNE Study Group, CHU Lille, Lille, France
| | - Annamaria Morelli
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Italy
| | - Giulia Guarnieri
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Italy
| | - Laurent Storme
- CHU Lille, Department of Neonatology, Hôpital Jeanne de Flandre, FHU 1000 Days for Health, F-59000, France
| | - Cyril Robil
- University Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 - UMR 9017 - CIIL - Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - François Trottein
- University Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 - UMR 9017 - CIIL - Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Ruben Nogueiras
- CIMUS, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Spain
| | - Markus Schwaninger
- Institute for Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Pascal Pigny
- CHU Lille, Service de Biochimie et Hormonologie, Centre de Biologie Pathologie, Lille, France
| | - Julien Poissy
- LICORNE Study Group, CHU Lille, Lille, France; Univ. Lille, Inserm U1285, CHU Lille, Pôle de Réanimation, CNRS, UMR 8576 - UGSF - Unité de Glycobiologie Structurale et Fonctionnelle, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Konstantina Chachlaki
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, UMR-S 1172, DistAlz, Lille, France
| | - Claude-Alain Maurage
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, UMR-S 1172, DistAlz, Lille, France; CHU Lille, Department of Pathology, Centre Biologie Pathologie, France; LICORNE Study Group, CHU Lille, Lille, France
| | - Paolo Giacobini
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, UMR-S 1172, DistAlz, Lille, France
| | - Waljit Dhillo
- Section of Endocrinology and Investigative Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom; Department of Endocrinology, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - S Rasika
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, UMR-S 1172, DistAlz, Lille, France.
| | - Vincent Prevot
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, UMR-S 1172, DistAlz, Lille, France.
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24
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Plummer AM, Matos YL, Lin HC, Ryman SG, Birg A, Quinn DK, Parada AN, Vakhtin AA. Gut-brain pathogenesis of post-acute COVID-19 neurocognitive symptoms. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1232480. [PMID: 37841680 PMCID: PMC10568482 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1232480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Approximately one third of non-hospitalized coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) patients report chronic symptoms after recovering from the acute stage of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Some of the most persistent and common complaints of this post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (PACS) are cognitive in nature, described subjectively as "brain fog" and also objectively measured as deficits in executive function, working memory, attention, and processing speed. The mechanisms of these chronic cognitive sequelae are currently not understood. SARS-CoV-2 inflicts damage to cerebral blood vessels and the intestinal wall by binding to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors and also by evoking production of high levels of systemic cytokines, compromising the brain's neurovascular unit, degrading the intestinal barrier, and potentially increasing the permeability of both to harmful substances. Such substances are hypothesized to be produced in the gut by pathogenic microbiota that, given the profound effects COVID-19 has on the gastrointestinal system, may fourish as a result of intestinal post-COVID-19 dysbiosis. COVID-19 may therefore create a scenario in which neurotoxic and neuroinflammatory substances readily proliferate from the gut lumen and encounter a weakened neurovascular unit, gaining access to the brain and subsequently producing cognitive deficits. Here, we review this proposed PACS pathogenesis along the gut-brain axis, while also identifying specific methodologies that are currently available to experimentally measure each individual component of the model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison M. Plummer
- School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Yvette L. Matos
- The Mind Research Network/Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Henry C. Lin
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
- Section of Gastroenterology, New Mexico Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Sephira G. Ryman
- The Mind Research Network/Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM, United States
- Nene and Jamie Koch Comprehensive Movement Disorder Center, Department of Neurology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Aleksandr Birg
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
- Section of Gastroenterology, New Mexico Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Davin K. Quinn
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Alisha N. Parada
- Division of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Andrei A. Vakhtin
- The Mind Research Network/Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM, United States
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25
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Schweizer L, Schaller T, Zwiebel M, Karayel Ö, Müller‐Reif JB, Zeng W, Dintner S, Nordmann TM, Hirschbühl K, Märkl B, Claus R, Mann M. Quantitative multiorgan proteomics of fatal COVID-19 uncovers tissue-specific effects beyond inflammation. EMBO Mol Med 2023; 15:e17459. [PMID: 37519267 PMCID: PMC10493576 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.202317459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 may directly and indirectly damage lung tissue and other host organs, but there are few system-wide, untargeted studies of these effects on the human body. Here, we developed a parallelized mass spectrometry (MS) proteomics workflow enabling the rapid, quantitative analysis of hundreds of virus-infected FFPE tissues. The first layer of response to SARS-CoV-2 in all tissues was dominated by circulating inflammatory molecules. Beyond systemic inflammation, we differentiated between systemic and true tissue-specific effects to reflect distinct COVID-19-associated damage patterns. Proteomic changes in the lungs resembled those of diffuse alveolar damage (DAD) in non-COVID-19 patients. Extensive organ-specific changes were also evident in the kidneys, liver, and lymphatic and vascular systems. Secondary inflammatory effects in the brain were related to rearrangements in neurotransmitter receptors and myelin degradation. These MS-proteomics-derived results contribute substantially to our understanding of COVID-19 pathomechanisms and suggest strategies for organ-specific therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Schweizer
- Department of Proteomics and Signal TransductionMax Planck Institute of BiochemistryMartinsriedGermany
| | - Tina Schaller
- Pathology, Medical FacultyUniversity of AugsburgAugsburgGermany
| | - Maximilian Zwiebel
- Department of Proteomics and Signal TransductionMax Planck Institute of BiochemistryMartinsriedGermany
| | - Özge Karayel
- Department of Proteomics and Signal TransductionMax Planck Institute of BiochemistryMartinsriedGermany
- Present address:
Department of Physiological ChemistryGenentechSouth San FranciscoUSA
| | | | - Wen‐Feng Zeng
- Department of Proteomics and Signal TransductionMax Planck Institute of BiochemistryMartinsriedGermany
| | | | - Thierry M Nordmann
- Department of Proteomics and Signal TransductionMax Planck Institute of BiochemistryMartinsriedGermany
| | - Klaus Hirschbühl
- Hematology and Oncology, Medical FacultyUniversity of AugsburgAugsburgGermany
| | - Bruno Märkl
- Pathology, Medical FacultyUniversity of AugsburgAugsburgGermany
| | - Rainer Claus
- Pathology, Medical FacultyUniversity of AugsburgAugsburgGermany
- Hematology and Oncology, Medical FacultyUniversity of AugsburgAugsburgGermany
| | - Matthias Mann
- Department of Proteomics and Signal TransductionMax Planck Institute of BiochemistryMartinsriedGermany
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26
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Cao S, Song Z, Rong J, Andrikopoulos N, Liang X, Wang Y, Peng G, Ding F, Ke PC. Spike Protein Fragments Promote Alzheimer's Amyloidogenesis. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:40317-40329. [PMID: 37585091 PMCID: PMC10480042 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c09815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a major cause of dementia inducing memory loss, cognitive decline, and mortality among the aging population. While the amyloid aggregation of peptide Aβ has long been implicated in neurodegeneration in AD, primarily through the production of toxic polymorphic aggregates and reactive oxygen species, viral infection has a less explicit role in the etiology of the brain disease. On the other hand, while the COVID-19 pandemic is known to harm human organs and function, its adverse effects on AD pathobiology and other human conditions remain unclear. Here we first identified the amyloidogenic potential of 1058HGVVFLHVTYV1068, a short fragment of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. The peptide fragment was found to be toxic and displayed a high binding propensity for the amyloidogenic segments of Aβ, thereby promoting the aggregation and toxicity of the peptide in vitro and in silico, while retarding the hatching and survival of zebrafish embryos upon exposure. Our study implicated SARS-CoV-2 viral infection as a potential contributor to AD pathogenesis, a little explored area in our quest for understanding and overcoming Long Covid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujian Cao
- Nanomedicine Center, The Great Bay Area National Institute for Nanotechnology Innovation, 136 Kaiyuan Avenue, Guangzhou, 510700, China
| | - Zhiyuan Song
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
| | - Jinyu Rong
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Nicholas Andrikopoulos
- Nanomedicine Center, The Great Bay Area National Institute for Nanotechnology Innovation, 136 Kaiyuan Avenue, Guangzhou, 510700, China
- Drug Delivery, Disposition and Dynamics, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Xiufang Liang
- Nanomedicine Center, The Great Bay Area National Institute for Nanotechnology Innovation, 136 Kaiyuan Avenue, Guangzhou, 510700, China
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, Guangzhou International Campus, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Yue Wang
- Nanomedicine Center, The Great Bay Area National Institute for Nanotechnology Innovation, 136 Kaiyuan Avenue, Guangzhou, 510700, China
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, Guangzhou International Campus, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Guotao Peng
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Feng Ding
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
| | - Pu Chun Ke
- Nanomedicine Center, The Great Bay Area National Institute for Nanotechnology Innovation, 136 Kaiyuan Avenue, Guangzhou, 510700, China
- Drug Delivery, Disposition and Dynamics, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
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27
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Frank MG, Fleshner M, Maier SF. Exploring the immunogenic properties of SARS-CoV-2 structural proteins: PAMP:TLR signaling in the mediation of the neuroinflammatory and neurologic sequelae of COVID-19. Brain Behav Immun 2023; 111:259-269. [PMID: 37116592 PMCID: PMC10132835 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2023.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) produces an array of neurologic and neuropsychiatric symptoms in the acute and post-acute phase of infection (PASC; post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection). Neuroinflammatory processes are considered key factors in the etiology of these symptoms. Several mechanisms underpinning the development of inflammatory events in the brain have been proposed including SARS-CoV-2 neurotropism and peripheral inflammatory responses (i.e., cytokine storm) to infection, which might produce neuroinflammation via immune-to-brain signaling pathways. In this review, we explore evidence in support of an alternate mechanism whereby structural proteins (e.g., spike and spike S1 subunit) derived from SARS-CoV-2 virions function as pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) to elicit proinflammatory immune responses in the periphery and/or brain via classical Toll-Like Receptor (TLR) inflammatory pathways. We propose that SARS-CoV-2 structural proteins might directly produce inflammatory processes in brain independent of and/or in addition to peripheral proinflammatory effects, which might converge to play a causal role in the development of neurologic/neuropsychiatric symptoms in COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew G Frank
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder CO 80301, United States.
| | - Monika Fleshner
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder CO 80301, United States
| | - Steven F Maier
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder CO 80301, United States
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28
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Fulop T, Ramassamy C, Lévesque S, Frost EH, Laurent B, Lacombe G, Khalil A, Larbi A, Hirokawa K, Desroches M, Rodrigues S, Bourgade K, Cohen AA, Witkowski JM. Viruses - a major cause of amyloid deposition in the brain. Expert Rev Neurother 2023; 23:775-790. [PMID: 37551672 DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2023.2244162] [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: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Clinically, Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a syndrome with a spectrum of various cognitive disorders. There is a complete dissociation between the pathology and the clinical presentation. Therefore, we need a disruptive new approach to be able to prevent and treat AD. AREAS COVERED In this review, the authors extensively discuss the evidence why the amyloid beta is not the pathological cause of AD which makes therefore the amyloid hypothesis not sustainable anymore. They review the experimental evidence underlying the role of microbes, especially that of viruses, as a trigger/cause for the production of amyloid beta leading to the establishment of a chronic neuroinflammation as the mediator manifesting decades later by AD as a clinical spectrum. In this context, the emergence and consequences of the infection/antimicrobial protection hypothesis are described. The epidemiological and clinical data supporting this hypothesis are also analyzed. EXPERT OPINION For decades, we have known that viruses are involved in the pathogenesis of AD. This discovery was ignored and discarded for a long time. Now we should accept this fact, which is not a hypothesis anymore, and stimulate the research community to come up with new ideas, new treatments, and new concepts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamas Fulop
- Research Center on Aging, Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé Et Services Sociaux de l'Estrie-Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | | | - Simon Lévesque
- CIUSSS de l'Estrie - CHUS, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- Département de Microbiologie Et Infectiologie, Faculté de Médecine Et des Sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Eric H Frost
- Département de Microbiologie Et Infectiologie, Faculté de Médecine Et des Sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Benoit Laurent
- Research Center on Aging, Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé Et Services Sociaux de l'Estrie-Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Functional Genomics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Guy Lacombe
- Research Center on Aging, Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé Et Services Sociaux de l'Estrie-Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Abedelouahed Khalil
- Research Center on Aging, Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé Et Services Sociaux de l'Estrie-Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Anis Larbi
- Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Katsuiku Hirokawa
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Health and Life Science, Tokyo Medical Dental University, Tokyo and Nito-Memory Nakanosogo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mathieu Desroches
- MathNeuro Team, Inria Sophia Antipolis Méditerranée, Biot, France
- Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, France
| | - Serafim Rodrigues
- Ikerbasque, BCAM, the Basque Foundation for Science and BCAM - The Basque Center for Applied Mathematics, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Karine Bourgade
- Research Center on Aging, Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé Et Services Sociaux de l'Estrie-Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Alan A Cohen
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Butler Columbia Aging Center, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jacek M Witkowski
- Department of Pathophysiology, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
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29
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Cuypers L, Keyaerts E, Hong SL, Gorissen S, Menezes SM, Starick M, Van Elslande J, Weemaes M, Wawina-Bokalanga T, Marti-Carreras J, Vanmechelen B, Van Holm B, Bloemen M, Dogne JM, Dufrasne F, Durkin K, Ruelle J, De Mendonca R, Wollants E, Vermeersch P, Boulouffe C, Djiena A, Broucke C, Catry B, Lagrou K, Van Ranst M, Neyts J, Baele G, Maes P, André E, Dellicour S, Van Weyenbergh J. Immunovirological and environmental screening reveals actionable risk factors for fatal COVID-19 during post-vaccination nursing home outbreaks. NATURE AGING 2023:10.1038/s43587-023-00421-1. [PMID: 37217661 DOI: 10.1038/s43587-023-00421-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination has resulted in excellent protection against fatal disease, including in older adults. However, risk factors for post-vaccination fatal COVID-19 are largely unknown. We comprehensively studied three large nursing home outbreaks (20-35% fatal cases among residents) by combining severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) aerosol monitoring, whole-genome phylogenetic analysis and immunovirological profiling of nasal mucosa by digital nCounter transcriptomics. Phylogenetic investigations indicated that each outbreak stemmed from a single introduction event, although with different variants (Delta, Gamma and Mu). SARS-CoV-2 was detected in aerosol samples up to 52 d after the initial infection. Combining demographic, immune and viral parameters, the best predictive models for mortality comprised IFNB1 or age, viral ORF7a and ACE2 receptor transcripts. Comparison with published pre-vaccine fatal COVID-19 transcriptomic and genomic signatures uncovered a unique IRF3 low/IRF7 high immune signature in post-vaccine fatal COVID-19 outbreaks. A multi-layered strategy, including environmental sampling, immunomonitoring and early antiviral therapy, should be considered to prevent post-vaccination COVID-19 mortality in nursing homes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lize Cuypers
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Reference Centre for Respiratory Pathogens, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Els Keyaerts
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Reference Centre for Respiratory Pathogens, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Samuel Leandro Hong
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sarah Gorissen
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Soraya Maria Menezes
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Marick Starick
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jan Van Elslande
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Reference Centre for Respiratory Pathogens, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Matthias Weemaes
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Reference Centre for Respiratory Pathogens, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Tony Wawina-Bokalanga
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Joan Marti-Carreras
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bert Vanmechelen
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bram Van Holm
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mandy Bloemen
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jean-Michel Dogne
- Department of Pharmacy, Namur Research Institute for Life Sciences, University of Namur, Namur, Belgium
| | - François Dufrasne
- Laboratory of Proteomics and Microbiology, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute for Public Health (Sciensano), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Keith Durkin
- Laboratory of Human Genetics, GIGA Research Institute, Liège, Belgium
| | - Jean Ruelle
- Medical Microbiology Unit (MBLG), Institute of Experimental and Clinical Research (IREC), Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Elke Wollants
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Pieter Vermeersch
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Reference Centre for Respiratory Pathogens, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Caroline Boulouffe
- Infectious Disease Surveillance Unit, Agence pour une vie de qualité (AVIQ), Wallonia, Belgium
| | - Achille Djiena
- Infectious Disease Surveillance Unit, Agence pour une vie de qualité (AVIQ), Wallonia, Belgium
| | - Caroline Broucke
- Outbreak Investigation Team, Agentschap zorg en gezondheid, Flanders, Belgium
| | - Boudewijn Catry
- Unit Healthcare-Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance, Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Katrien Lagrou
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Reference Centre for Respiratory Pathogens, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Marc Van Ranst
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Reference Centre for Respiratory Pathogens, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Johan Neyts
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Laboratory Virology and Chemotherapy, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Guy Baele
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Piet Maes
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Emmanuel André
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Reference Centre for Respiratory Pathogens, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Simon Dellicour
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Spatial Epidemiology Lab (SpELL), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Johan Van Weyenbergh
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
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30
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Voruz P, Assal F, Péron JA. The economic burden of the post-COVID-19 condition: Underestimated long-term consequences of neuropsychological deficits. J Glob Health 2023; 13:03019. [PMID: 37141527 PMCID: PMC10159592 DOI: 10.7189/jogh.13.03019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Philippe Voruz
- Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology Laboratory, Faculty of Psychology, University of Geneva, Switzerland
- Neurology Department, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Frédéric Assal
- Neurology Department, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Julie A Péron
- Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology Laboratory, Faculty of Psychology, University of Geneva, Switzerland
- Neurology Department, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland
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31
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Poganik JR, Zhang B, Baht GS, Tyshkovskiy A, Deik A, Kerepesi C, Yim SH, Lu AT, Haghani A, Gong T, Hedman AM, Andolf E, Pershagen G, Almqvist C, Clish CB, Horvath S, White JP, Gladyshev VN. Biological age is increased by stress and restored upon recovery. Cell Metab 2023; 35:807-820.e5. [PMID: 37086720 PMCID: PMC11055493 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2023.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 67.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/24/2023]
Abstract
Aging is classically conceptualized as an ever-increasing trajectory of damage accumulation and loss of function, leading to increases in morbidity and mortality. However, recent in vitro studies have raised the possibility of age reversal. Here, we report that biological age is fluid and exhibits rapid changes in both directions. At epigenetic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic levels, we find that the biological age of young mice is increased by heterochronic parabiosis and restored following surgical detachment. We also identify transient changes in biological age during major surgery, pregnancy, and severe COVID-19 in humans and/or mice. Together, these data show that biological age undergoes a rapid increase in response to diverse forms of stress, which is reversed following recovery from stress. Our study uncovers a new layer of aging dynamics that should be considered in future studies. The elevation of biological age by stress may be a quantifiable and actionable target for future interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse R Poganik
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Bohan Zhang
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Gurpreet S Baht
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Duke University, Durham, NC 27701, USA; Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27701, USA
| | - Alexander Tyshkovskiy
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Amy Deik
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 01241, USA
| | - Csaba Kerepesi
- Institute for Computer Science and Control (SZTAKI), Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Budapest, 1111, Hungary
| | - Sun Hee Yim
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Ake T Lu
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Altos Labs, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Amin Haghani
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Altos Labs, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Tong Gong
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anna M Hedman
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ellika Andolf
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Danderyd Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Göran Pershagen
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Centre for Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Catarina Almqvist
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Clary B Clish
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 01241, USA
| | - Steve Horvath
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Altos Labs, San Diego, CA, USA; Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - James P White
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27701, USA; Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27701, USA.
| | - Vadim N Gladyshev
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 01241, USA.
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Gioia U, Tavella S, Martínez-Orellana P, Cicio G, Colliva A, Ceccon M, Cabrini M, Henriques AC, Fumagalli V, Paldino A, Presot E, Rajasekharan S, Iacomino N, Pisati F, Matti V, Sepe S, Conte MI, Barozzi S, Lavagnino Z, Carletti T, Volpe MC, Cavalcante P, Iannacone M, Rampazzo C, Bussani R, Tripodo C, Zacchigna S, Marcello A, d'Adda di Fagagna F. SARS-CoV-2 infection induces DNA damage, through CHK1 degradation and impaired 53BP1 recruitment, and cellular senescence. Nat Cell Biol 2023; 25:550-564. [PMID: 36894671 PMCID: PMC10104783 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-023-01096-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the RNA virus responsible for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Although SARS-CoV-2 was reported to alter several cellular pathways, its impact on DNA integrity and the mechanisms involved remain unknown. Here we show that SARS-CoV-2 causes DNA damage and elicits an altered DNA damage response. Mechanistically, SARS-CoV-2 proteins ORF6 and NSP13 cause degradation of the DNA damage response kinase CHK1 through proteasome and autophagy, respectively. CHK1 loss leads to deoxynucleoside triphosphate (dNTP) shortage, causing impaired S-phase progression, DNA damage, pro-inflammatory pathways activation and cellular senescence. Supplementation of deoxynucleosides reduces that. Furthermore, SARS-CoV-2 N-protein impairs 53BP1 focal recruitment by interfering with damage-induced long non-coding RNAs, thus reducing DNA repair. Key observations are recapitulated in SARS-CoV-2-infected mice and patients with COVID-19. We propose that SARS-CoV-2, by boosting ribonucleoside triphosphate levels to promote its replication at the expense of dNTPs and by hijacking damage-induced long non-coding RNAs' biology, threatens genome integrity and causes altered DNA damage response activation, induction of inflammation and cellular senescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ubaldo Gioia
- IFOM ETS - The AIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, Milan, Italy
| | - Sara Tavella
- IFOM ETS - The AIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Giada Cicio
- IFOM ETS - The AIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, Milan, Italy
- University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Andrea Colliva
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Trieste, Italy
| | - Marta Ceccon
- IFOM ETS - The AIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, Milan, Italy
| | - Matteo Cabrini
- IFOM ETS - The AIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, Milan, Italy
| | - Ana C Henriques
- IFOM ETS - The AIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Alessia Paldino
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Trieste, Italy
- University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | | | - Sreejith Rajasekharan
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Trieste, Italy
- Leibniz Institute for Experimental Virology (HPI), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Nicola Iacomino
- Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Valentina Matti
- IFOM ETS - The AIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, Milan, Italy
| | - Sara Sepe
- IFOM ETS - The AIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, Milan, Italy
| | - Matilde I Conte
- IFOM ETS - The AIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, Milan, Italy
| | - Sara Barozzi
- IFOM ETS - The AIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, Milan, Italy
| | - Zeno Lavagnino
- IFOM ETS - The AIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, Milan, Italy
| | - Tea Carletti
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Trieste, Italy
| | | | | | - Matteo Iannacone
- IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute & University, Milan, Italy
| | | | | | - Claudio Tripodo
- IFOM ETS - The AIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, Milan, Italy
- University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Serena Zacchigna
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Trieste, Italy
- University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Alessandro Marcello
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Trieste, Italy
| | - Fabrizio d'Adda di Fagagna
- IFOM ETS - The AIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, Milan, Italy.
- Institute of Molecular Genetics (IGM), National Research Institute (CNR), Pavia, Italy.
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Huang L, Qin W, Guo Z, Li X, Li F, Wang X. Application of weighted gene co-expression network and immune infiltration for explorations of key genes in the brain of elderly COVID-19 patients. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1157179. [PMID: 37063869 PMCID: PMC10102454 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1157179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
IntroductionAlthough many studies have demonstrated the existing neurological symptoms in COVID-19 patients, the mechanisms are not clear until now. This study aimed to figure out the critical molecular and immune infiltration situations in the brain of elderly COVID-19 patients.MethodsGSE188847 was used for the differential analysis, WGCNA, and immune infiltration analysis. We also performed GO, KEGG, GSEA, and GSVA for the enrich analysis.Results266 DEGs, obtained from the brain samples of COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients whose ages were over 70 years old, were identified. GO and KEGG analysis revealed the enrichment in synapse and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction in COVID-19 patients. Further analysis found that asthma and immune system signal pathways were significant changes based on GSEA and GSVA. Immune infiltration analysis demonstrated the imbalance of CD8+ T cells, neutrophils, and HLA. The MEpurple module genes were the most significantly different relative to COVID-19. Finally, RPS29, S100A10, and TIMP1 were the critical genes attributed to the progress of brain damage.ConclusionRPS29, S100A10, and TIMP1 were the critical genes in the brain pathology of COVID-19 in elderly patients. Our research has revealed a new mechanism and a potential therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lixia Huang
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Jianghan University, Wuhan, China
- Tianyuan Translational Medicine R&D Team, School of Medicine, Jianghan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Wei Qin
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Jianghan University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Jianghan University, Wuhan, China
- Institution of Pulmonary Vascular Disease, Jianghan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zirui Guo
- Department of Materials (D-MATL), ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Xiaoyu Li
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Jianghan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Fajiu Li
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Jianghan University, Wuhan, China
- Institution of Pulmonary Vascular Disease, Jianghan University, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Fajiu Li, ; Xiang Wang,
| | - Xiang Wang
- Tianyuan Translational Medicine R&D Team, School of Medicine, Jianghan University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Jianghan University, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Fajiu Li, ; Xiang Wang,
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SARS-CoV-2 causes DNA damage, cellular senescence and inflammation. Nat Cell Biol 2023; 25:526-527. [PMID: 36894672 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-023-01097-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
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Abyadeh M, Yadav VK, Kaya A. Common Molecular Signatures Between Coronavirus Infection and Alzheimer's Disease Reveal Targets for Drug Development. J Alzheimers Dis 2023; 95:995-1011. [PMID: 37638446 DOI: 10.3233/jad-230684] [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] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cognitive decline is a common consequence of COVID-19, and studies suggest a link between COVID-19 and Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this association remain unclear. OBJECTIVE To understand the potential molecular mechanisms underlying the association between COVID-19 and AD development, and identify the potential genetic targets for pharmaceutical approaches to reduce the risk or delay the development of COVID-19-related neurological pathologies. METHODS We analyzed transcriptome datasets of 638 brain samples using a novel Robust Rank Aggregation method, followed by functional enrichment, protein-protein, hub genes, gene-miRNA, and gene-transcription factor (TF) interaction analyses to identify molecular markers altered in AD and COVID-19 infected brains. RESULTS Our analyses of frontal cortex from COVID-19 and AD patients identified commonly altered genes, miRNAs and TFs. Functional enrichment and hub gene analysis of these molecular changes revealed commonly altered pathways, including downregulation of the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling and taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, alongside upregulation of neuroinflammatory pathways. Furthermore, gene-miRNA and gene-TF network analyses provided potential up- and downstream regulators of identified pathways. CONCLUSION We found that downregulation of cAMP signaling pathway, taurine metabolisms, and upregulation of neuroinflammatory related pathways are commonly altered in AD and COVID-19 pathogenesis, and may make COVID-19 patients more susceptible to cognitive decline and AD. We also identified genetic targets, regulating these pathways that can be targeted pharmaceutically to reduce the risk or delay the development of COVID-19-related neurological pathologies and AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morteza Abyadeh
- Department of Biology, Virginia Common wealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Vijay K Yadav
- Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alaattin Kaya
- Department of Biology, Virginia Common wealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
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36
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Ledford H. Severe COVID could cause markers of old age in the brain. Nature 2022; 612:389. [PMID: 36471141 DOI: 10.1038/d41586-022-04253-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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