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Locatelli M, Farina C. Role of copper in central nervous system physiology and pathology. Neural Regen Res 2025; 20:1058-1068. [PMID: 38989937 DOI: 10.4103/nrr.nrr-d-24-00110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Copper is a transition metal and an essential element for the organism, as alterations in its homeostasis leading to metal accumulation or deficiency have pathological effects in several organs, including the central nervous system. Central copper dysregulations have been evidenced in two genetic disorders characterized by mutations in the copper-ATPases ATP7A and ATP7B, Menkes disease and Wilson's disease, respectively, and also in multifactorial neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and multiple sclerosis. This review summarizes current knowledge about the role of copper in central nervous system physiology and pathology, reports about unbalances in copper levels and/or distribution under disease, describes relevant animal models for human disorders where copper metabolism genes are dysregulated, and discusses relevant therapeutic approaches modulating copper availability. Overall, alterations in copper metabolism may contribute to the etiology of central nervous system disorders and represent relevant therapeutic targets to restore tissue homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Locatelli
- Institute of Experimental Neurology, Division of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Cinthia Farina
- Institute of Experimental Neurology, Division of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
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2
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Raffaele S, Nguyen N, Milanese M, Mannella FC, Boccazzi M, Frumento G, Bonanno G, Abbracchio MP, Bonifacino T, Fumagalli M. Montelukast improves disease outcome in SOD1 G93A female mice by counteracting oligodendrocyte dysfunction and aberrant glial reactivity. Br J Pharmacol 2024; 181:3303-3326. [PMID: 38751168 DOI: 10.1111/bph.16408] [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: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive motor neuron (MN) loss and consequent muscle atrophy, for which no effective therapies are available. Recent findings reveal that disease progression is fuelled by early aberrant neuroinflammation and the loss of oligodendrocytes with neuroprotective and remyelinating properties. On this basis, pharmacological interventions capable of restoring a pro-regenerative local milieu and re-establish proper oligodendrocyte functions may be beneficial. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Here, we evaluated the in vivo therapeutic effects of montelukast (MTK), an antagonist of the oligodendroglial G protein-coupled receptor 17 (GPR17) and of cysteinyl-leukotriene receptor 1 (CysLT1R) receptors on microglia and astrocytes, in the SOD1G93A ALS mouse model. We chronically treated SOD1G93A mice with MTK, starting from the early symptomatic disease stage. Disease progression was assessed by behavioural and immunohistochemical approaches. KEY RESULTS Oral MTK treatment significantly extended survival probability, delayed body weight loss and ameliorated motor functionalityonly in female SOD1G93A mice. Noteworthy, MTK significantly restored oligodendrocyte maturation and induced significant changes in the reactive phenotype and morphological features of microglia/macrophages and astrocytes in the spinal cord of female SOD1G93A mice, suggesting enhanced pro-regenerative functions. Importantly, concomitant MN preservation has been detected after MTK administration. No beneficial effects were observed in male mice, highlighting a sex-based difference in the protective activity of MTK. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Our results provide the first preclinical evidence indicating that repurposing of MTK, a safe and marketed anti-asthmatic drug, may be a promising sex-specific strategy for personalized ALS treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Raffaele
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology of Purinergic Transmission, Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences "Rodolfo Paoletti", Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Nhung Nguyen
- Department of Pharmacy, Unit of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Università degli Studi di Genova, Genoa, Italy
| | - Marco Milanese
- Department of Pharmacy, Unit of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Università degli Studi di Genova, Genoa, Italy
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Francesca C Mannella
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology of Purinergic Transmission, Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences "Rodolfo Paoletti", Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Marta Boccazzi
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology of Purinergic Transmission, Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences "Rodolfo Paoletti", Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Giulia Frumento
- Department of Pharmacy, Unit of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Università degli Studi di Genova, Genoa, Italy
| | - Giambattista Bonanno
- Department of Pharmacy, Unit of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Università degli Studi di Genova, Genoa, Italy
| | - Maria P Abbracchio
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology of Purinergic Transmission, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Tiziana Bonifacino
- Department of Pharmacy, Unit of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Università degli Studi di Genova, Genoa, Italy
- Inter-University Center for the Promotion of the 3R Principles in Teaching and Research (Centro 3R), Pisa, Italy
| | - Marta Fumagalli
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology of Purinergic Transmission, Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences "Rodolfo Paoletti", Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
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Schito P, Manera U, Russo T, Cremona G, Riboldi E, Tettamanti A, Agosta F, Quattrini A, Chiò A, Filippi M, Calvo A, Riva N. Use of the combination of spirometry, arterial blood gas analysis and overnight oximetry to predict the outcomes of patients affected by motor neuron disease: The Milan-Torin respiratory score (Mi-To-RS). Eur J Neurol 2024; 31:e16316. [PMID: 38716751 PMCID: PMC11235821 DOI: 10.1111/ene.16316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The use of multiple tests, including spirometry, arterial blood gas (ABG) analysis and overnight oximetry (OvOx), is highly recommended to monitor the respiratory function of patients with motor neuron disease (MND). In this study, we propose a composite score to simplify the respiratory management of MND patients and better stratify their prognosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS We screened the clinical charts of 471 non-ventilated MND patients referred to the Neuro-rehabilitation Unit of the San Raffaele Scientific Institute of Milan (January 2001-December 2019), collecting spirometric, ABG and OvOx parameters. To evaluate the prognostic role of each measurement, univariate Cox regression for death/tracheostomy was performed, and the variables associated with survival were selected to design a scoring system. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were then carried out to evaluate the prognostic role of the score. Finally, results were replicated in an independent cohort from the Turin ALS Center. RESULTS The study population included 450 patients. Six measurements were found to be significantly associated with survival and were selected to design a scoring system (maximum score = 8 points). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed significant stratification of survival and time to non-invasive mechanical ventilation adaptation according to score values, and multivariate analysis confirmed the independent effect of the respiratory score on survival of each cohort. CONCLUSION Forced vital capacity, ABG and OvOx parameters provide complementary information for the respiratory management and prognosis of MND patients and the combination of these parameters into a single score might help neurologists predict prognosis and guide decisions on the timing of the implementation of different diagnostic or therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paride Schito
- Neurorehabilitation, Neurology Unit and Neurophysiology UnitSan Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
- Experimental Neuropathology Unit, Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology (INSPE)San Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
| | - Umberto Manera
- “Rita Levi Montalcini” Department of Neuroscience, ALS CentreUniversity of TurinTorinoItaly
| | - Tommaso Russo
- Neurorehabilitation, Neurology Unit and Neurophysiology UnitSan Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
- Experimental Neuropathology Unit, Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology (INSPE)San Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
| | - George Cremona
- Unit of Respiratory MedicineIRCCS San Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
| | - Elisa Riboldi
- Department of Rehabilitation and Functional RecoveryIRCCS San Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
| | - Andrea Tettamanti
- Department of Rehabilitation and Functional RecoveryIRCCS San Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
| | - Federica Agosta
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental NeurologySan Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
- San Raffaele Scientific InstituteVita‐Salute San Raffaele UniversityMilanItaly
| | - Angelo Quattrini
- Experimental Neuropathology Unit, Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology (INSPE)San Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
| | - Adriano Chiò
- “Rita Levi Montalcini” Department of Neuroscience, ALS CentreUniversity of TurinTorinoItaly
| | - Massimo Filippi
- Neurorehabilitation, Neurology Unit and Neurophysiology UnitSan Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental NeurologySan Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
- San Raffaele Scientific InstituteVita‐Salute San Raffaele UniversityMilanItaly
| | - Andrea Calvo
- “Rita Levi Montalcini” Department of Neuroscience, ALS CentreUniversity of TurinTorinoItaly
| | - Nilo Riva
- Neurorehabilitation, Neurology Unit and Neurophysiology UnitSan Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
- Experimental Neuropathology Unit, Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology (INSPE)San Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
- Present address:
3rd Neurology Unit and Motor Neuron Disease CentreFondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo BestaMilanItaly
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Roychowdhury S, Joshi D, Singh VK, Faruq M, Das P. Genetic and in silico analysis of Indian sporadic young onset patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2024; 25:589-599. [PMID: 38450645 DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2024.2324896] [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: 12/16/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an old onset devastating neurodegenerative disorder. Young-onset ALS cases especially sporadic ones who are between 25 and 45 years are rarely affected by the disease. Despite the identification of numerous candidate genes associated with ALS, the etiology of the disease remains elusive due to extreme genetic and phenotypic variability. The advent of affordable whole exome sequencing (WES) has opened new avenues for unraveling the disease's pathophysiology better. METHODS AND RESULTS We aimed to determine the genetic basis of an Indian-origin, young onset sporadic ALS patient with very rapid deterioration of the disease course without any cognitive decline who was screened for mutations in major ALS candidate genes by WES. Variants detected were reconfirmed by Sanger sequencing. The clinicopathological features were investigated and two heterozygous missense variants were identified: R452W, not previously associated with ALS, present in one of the four conserved C terminal domains in ANXA11 and R208W in SIGMAR1, respectively. Both of these variants were predicted to be damaging by pathogenicity prediction tools and various in silico methods. CONCLUSION Our study revealed two potentially pathogenic variants in two ALS candidate genes. The genetic makeup of ALS patients from India has been the subject of a few prior studies, but none of them examined ANXA11 and SIGMAR1 genes so far. These results establish the framework for additional research into the pathogenic processes behind these variations that result in sporadic ALS disease and further our understanding of the genetic makeup of Indian ALS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saileyee Roychowdhury
- Centre for Genetic Disorders, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Deepika Joshi
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Vinay Kumar Singh
- School of Biotechnology, Centre for Bioinformatics, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India, and
| | - Mohammed Faruq
- CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, New Delhi, India
| | - Parimal Das
- Centre for Genetic Disorders, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
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Nona RJ, Henderson RD, McCombe PA. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio at diagnosis as a biomarker for survival of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2024; 25:452-464. [PMID: 38745425 DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2024.2351187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has previously been reported to be associated with survival in ALS. To provide further information about the role of NLR as a biomarker in ALS, we performed a systematic review, analyzed data from our local cohort of ALS subjects and performed a meta-analysis. METHODS (1) The systematic review used established methods. (2) Using data from our cohort of subjects, we analyzed the association of NLR with survival. (3) Meta-analysis was performed using previous studies and our local data. RESULTS (1) In the systematic review, higher NLR was associated with shorter survival in all studies. (2) In our subjects, survival was significantly shorter in patients in the highest NLR groups. (3) Meta-analysis showed subjects with highest NLR tertile or with NLR >3 had significantly shorter survival than other subjects. DISCUSSION This study supports NLR as a biomarker in ALS; high NLR is associated with poor survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J Nona
- University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia and
| | - Robert D Henderson
- University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia and
- Department of Neurology, The Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Pamela A McCombe
- University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia and
- Department of Neurology, The Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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Jiang Q, Wei Q, Zhang L, Yang T, Lin J, Xiao Y, Li C, Hou Y, Ou R, Liu K, Zhao B, Wu Y, Lai X, Shang H. Peripheral immunity relate to disease progression and prognosis in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2024; 25:465-474. [PMID: 38270154 DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2024.2306969] [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: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease. Abnormalities in the peripheral immune system in ALS have been paid attention; however, the results of changes in peripheral immune parameters were inconsistent. METHODS A total of 1109 ALS patients were enrolled in the study. All patients received clinical evaluation and peripheral immune parameters measurement. The outcomes were analyzed by correlation analysis, multiple linear regression and cox survival analysis. RESULTS We found that ALS patients had significantly higher percentage of CD4+ T cells (39.3 vs. 37.1%, p < 0.001) and CD4+/CD8+ ratio (1.88 vs. 1.72, p = 0.011), significantly lower IgG (11.73 vs.12.82, p < 0.001) and IgA (2130.70 vs. 2284.8, p = 0.013) compared with the health controls. In the multivariate linear model, we found that each increase of 1.262, 0.278, and 4.44E-4 in ALSFRS-R scores were significantly associated with each increment of lymphocyte count, IgG, and IgA, respectively. However, each decrease of 0.341, 0.068, and 0.682 in ALSFRS-R score was associated with each increment in neutrophils, CD4+ T cells, and CD4+/CD8+ ratio, respectively. Cox survival regression analysis showed that the death risk of ALS patients was related to the levels of C3 (HR 0.592, 95% CI 0.361-0.973). CONCLUSION We found that there were differences in peripheral immune parameters of ALS patients with the severity of the disease, especially neutrophil, lymphocyte, CD4+ T, and IgG; C3 is an independent predictor of survival in ALS patients. More studies are needed to elucidate the mechanisms associated with altered immune parameters in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qirui Jiang
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders and Immunology, Rare Disease Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Qianqian Wei
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders and Immunology, Rare Disease Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Lingyu Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders and Immunology, Rare Disease Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Tianmi Yang
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders and Immunology, Rare Disease Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Junyu Lin
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders and Immunology, Rare Disease Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yi Xiao
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders and Immunology, Rare Disease Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Chunyu Li
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders and Immunology, Rare Disease Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yanbing Hou
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders and Immunology, Rare Disease Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Ruwei Ou
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders and Immunology, Rare Disease Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Kuncheng Liu
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders and Immunology, Rare Disease Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Bi Zhao
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders and Immunology, Rare Disease Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Ying Wu
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders and Immunology, Rare Disease Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiaohui Lai
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders and Immunology, Rare Disease Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Huifang Shang
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders and Immunology, Rare Disease Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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Zhang X, Sun Y, Zhang X, Shen D, Shu S, Yang X, Liu M, Cui L, Liu Q, Zhang X. Genotype-phenotype association and functional analysis of hnRNPA1 mutations in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2024; 25:600-607. [PMID: 38717009 DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2024.2346502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pathogenic variants in hnRNPA1 have been reported in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients. However, studies on hnRNPA1 mutant spectrum and pathogenicity of variants were rare. METHODS We performed whole exome sequencing of ALS-associated genes and subsequent verification of rare variants in hnRNPA1 in our ALS patients. The hnRNPA1 mutations reported in literature were reviewed and combined with our results to determine the genotype-phenotype relationship. Functional analysis of the novel variant p.G195A was performed in vitro by transfection of mutant hnRNPA1 into 293T cell. RESULTS Among 207 ALS patients recruited, 3 rare hnRNPA1 variants were identified (mutant frequency 1.45%), including two recurrent mutations (p.P340S and p.G283R), and a novel rare variant p.G195A. In combination with previous reports, there are 27 ALS patients with 15 hnRNPA1 mutations identified. Disease onset age was 47.90 ± 1.52 years with predominant limb onset. The p.P340S mutation caused flail arm syndrome (FAS) in two independent families with extended life expectancy. The newly identified p.G195A mutation, lying at the start of the PrLD ("prion-like" domain)/LCD (low-complexity domain), causes local structural changes in 3D protein prediction. Upon sodium arsenite exposure, mutant hnRNPA1 retained in the nucleus but deficit of cytoplasmic G3BP1-positive stress granule clearance was observed. This is different from the p.P340S mutation which caused both cytoplasmic translocation and stress granule formation. No cytoplasmic TDP-43 translocation was observed. CONCLUSION Mutations in hnRNPA1 are overall minor in ALS patients. The p.P340S mutation is associated with manifestation of FAS. Mutations in LCD of hnRNPA1 cause stress granule misprocessing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyi Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College (PUMC) & Chinese Academy of Medical Science (CAMS), Beijing, China and
- Mckusick-Zhang Center for Genetic Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, PUMC & CAMS, Beijing, China
| | - Ye Sun
- Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College (PUMC) & Chinese Academy of Medical Science (CAMS), Beijing, China and
| | - Xinzhe Zhang
- Mckusick-Zhang Center for Genetic Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, PUMC & CAMS, Beijing, China
| | - Dongchao Shen
- Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College (PUMC) & Chinese Academy of Medical Science (CAMS), Beijing, China and
| | - Shi Shu
- Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College (PUMC) & Chinese Academy of Medical Science (CAMS), Beijing, China and
| | - Xunzhe Yang
- Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College (PUMC) & Chinese Academy of Medical Science (CAMS), Beijing, China and
| | - Mingsheng Liu
- Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College (PUMC) & Chinese Academy of Medical Science (CAMS), Beijing, China and
| | - Liying Cui
- Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College (PUMC) & Chinese Academy of Medical Science (CAMS), Beijing, China and
| | - Qing Liu
- Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College (PUMC) & Chinese Academy of Medical Science (CAMS), Beijing, China and
| | - Xue Zhang
- Mckusick-Zhang Center for Genetic Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, PUMC & CAMS, Beijing, China
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Guo J, You L, Zhou Y, Hu J, Li J, Yang W, Tang X, Sun Y, Gu Y, Dong Y, Chen X, Sato C, Zinman L, Rogaeva E, Wang J, Chen Y, Zhang M. Spatial enrichment and genomic analyses reveal the link of NOMO1 with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Brain 2024; 147:2826-2841. [PMID: 38643019 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awae123] [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: 10/21/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a severe motor neuron disease with uncertain genetic predisposition in most sporadic cases. The spatial architecture of cell types and gene expression are the basis of cell-cell interactions, biological function and disease pathology, but are not well investigated in the human motor cortex, a key ALS-relevant brain region. Recent studies indicated single nucleus transcriptomic features of motor neuron vulnerability in ALS motor cortex. However, the brain regional vulnerability of ALS-associated genes and the genetic link between region-specific genes and ALS risk remain largely unclear. Here, we developed an entropy-weighted differential gene expression matrix-based tool (SpatialE) to identify the spatial enrichment of gene sets in spatial transcriptomics. We benchmarked SpatialE against another enrichment tool (multimodal intersection analysis) using spatial transcriptomics data from both human and mouse brain tissues. To investigate regional vulnerability, we analysed three human motor cortex and two dorsolateral prefrontal cortex tissues for spatial enrichment of ALS-associated genes. We also used Cell2location to estimate the abundance of cell types in ALS-related cortex layers. To dissect the link of regionally expressed genes and ALS risk, we performed burden analyses of rare loss-of-function variants detected by whole-genome sequencing in ALS patients and controls, then analysed differential gene expression in the TargetALS RNA-sequencing dataset. SpatialE showed more accurate and specific spatial enrichment of regional cell type markers than multimodal intersection analysis in both mouse brain and human dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Spatial transcriptomic analyses of human motor cortex showed heterogeneous cell types and spatial gene expression profiles. We found that 260 manually curated ALS-associated genes are significantly enriched in layer 5 of the motor cortex, with abundant expression of upper motor neurons and layer 5 excitatory neurons. Burden analyses of rare loss-of-function variants in Layer 5-associated genes nominated NOMO1 as a novel ALS-associated gene in a combined sample set of 6814 ALS patients and 3324 controls (P = 0.029). Gene expression analyses in CNS tissues revealed downregulation of NOMO1 in ALS, which is consistent with a loss-of-function disease mechanism. In conclusion, our integrated spatial transcriptomics and genomic analyses identified regional brain vulnerability in ALS and the association of a layer 5 gene (NOMO1) with ALS risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyan Guo
- The First Rehabilitation Hospital of Shanghai, Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tongji University, 200090, Shanghai, China
- State Key Laboratory of Cardiology and Medical Innovation Center, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, 200120, Shanghai, China
| | - Linya You
- Department of Human Anatomy and Histoembryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, 200032, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Medical Computing and Computer Assisted Intervention of Shanghai, 200032, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu Zhou
- The First Rehabilitation Hospital of Shanghai, Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tongji University, 200090, Shanghai, China
- State Key Laboratory of Cardiology and Medical Innovation Center, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, 200120, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiali Hu
- The First Rehabilitation Hospital of Shanghai, Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tongji University, 200090, Shanghai, China
- State Key Laboratory of Cardiology and Medical Innovation Center, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, 200120, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiahao Li
- The First Rehabilitation Hospital of Shanghai, Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tongji University, 200090, Shanghai, China
| | - Wanli Yang
- The First Rehabilitation Hospital of Shanghai, Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tongji University, 200090, Shanghai, China
| | - Xuelin Tang
- The First Rehabilitation Hospital of Shanghai, Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tongji University, 200090, Shanghai, China
- State Key Laboratory of Cardiology and Medical Innovation Center, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, 200120, Shanghai, China
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 0S8, Canada
| | - Yimin Sun
- Department of Neurology and National Center for Neurological Disorders, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 200040, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuqi Gu
- The First Rehabilitation Hospital of Shanghai, Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tongji University, 200090, Shanghai, China
- State Key Laboratory of Cardiology and Medical Innovation Center, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, 200120, Shanghai, China
| | - Yi Dong
- Department of Neurology and National Center for Neurological Disorders, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 200040, Shanghai, China
| | - Xi Chen
- Department of Neurology and National Center for Neurological Disorders, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 200040, Shanghai, China
| | - Christine Sato
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 0S8, Canada
| | - Lorne Zinman
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada
- Division of Neurology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3H2, Canada
| | - Ekaterina Rogaeva
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 0S8, Canada
- Division of Neurology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3H2, Canada
| | - Jian Wang
- Department of Neurology and National Center for Neurological Disorders, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 200040, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Chen
- Department of Neurology and National Center for Neurological Disorders, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 200040, Shanghai, China
| | - Ming Zhang
- The First Rehabilitation Hospital of Shanghai, Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tongji University, 200090, Shanghai, China
- State Key Laboratory of Cardiology and Medical Innovation Center, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, 200120, Shanghai, China
- Clinical Center for Brain and Spinal Cord Research, School of Medicine, Tongji University, 200331, Shanghai, China
- Institute for Advanced Study, Tongji University, 200092, Shanghai, China
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9
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Annetta MG, Barbato G, Pisciaroli E, Marche B, Sabatelli M, Pittiruti M. Central venous catheter-related thrombosis in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. J Vasc Access 2024:11297298241262821. [PMID: 39091098 DOI: 10.1177/11297298241262821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Central venous catheterization may be required in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) for parenteral nutrition, antibiotic treatment, or blood sampling. Different venous access devices can be taken into consideration-centrally inserted central catheters (CICC), peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC), and femorally inserted central catheters (FICCs)-depending on the clinical conditions of the patients. Regardless of the type of access, the presence of paraplegia or tetraplegia is commonly considered a risk factor for catheter-related thrombosis (CRT). METHOD This retrospective study analyzes the rate of CRT and other non-infectious complications associated with central venous access in a cohort of 115 patients with paraplegia or tetraplegia, most of them affected by ALS (n = 109). RESULTS In a period of 34 months, from January 2021 to October 2023, we inserted 75 FICCs, 29 CICCs, and 11 PICCs. PICCs were inserted only in patients with preserved motility of the upper limbs. All devices were inserted by trained operators adopting appropriate insertion bundles. We had no immediate or early complication. Though antithrombotic prophylaxis was adopted only in 61.7% of patients, we had no symptomatic CRT. Other non-infectious complications were infrequent (4 out of 115 patients). CONCLUSION These results suggest (a) that the presence of paraplegia or tetraplegia is not necessarily associated with an increased risk of CRT, (b) that the adoption of well-designed insertion bundles plays a key role in minimizing non-infectious complications, and (c) that the insertion of FICCs by direct cannulation of the superficial femoral vein at mid-thigh in paraplegic/tetraplegic patients may have the same advantages which have been described in the general population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Giuseppina Annetta
- Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Catholic University Hospital "A.Gemelli," Rome, Italy
| | - Giulia Barbato
- NeMO Clinical Center, Catholic University Hospital "A.Gemelli," Rome, Italy
| | - Erika Pisciaroli
- NeMO Clinical Center, Catholic University Hospital "A.Gemelli," Rome, Italy
| | - Bruno Marche
- Department of Hematology, Catholic University Hospital "A.Gemelli," Rome, Italy
| | - Mario Sabatelli
- NeMO Clinical Center, Catholic University Hospital "A.Gemelli," Rome, Italy
| | - Mauro Pittiruti
- Department of Surgery, Catholic University Hospital "A.Gemelli," Rome, Italy
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10
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He L, Zhou Q, Xiu C, Shao Y, Shen D, Meng H, Le W, Chen S. Circulating proteomic biomarkers for diagnosing sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a cross-sectional study. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:1842-1848. [PMID: 38103252 PMCID: PMC10960292 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.389357] [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: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
JOURNAL/nrgr/04.03/01300535-202408000-00039/figure1/v/2023-12-16T180322Z/r/image-tiff Biomarkers are required for the early detection, prognosis prediction, and monitoring of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a progressive disease. Proteomics is an unbiased and quantitative method that can be used to detect neurochemical signatures to aid in the identification of candidate biomarkers. In this study, we used a label-free quantitative proteomics approach to screen for substantially differentially regulated proteins in ten patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis compared with five healthy controls. Substantial upregulation of serum proteins related to multiple functional clusters was observed in patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Potential biomarkers were selected based on functionality and expression specificity. To validate the proteomics profiles, blood samples from an additional cohort comprising 100 patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and 100 healthy controls were subjected to enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Eight substantially upregulated serum proteins in patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis were selected, of which the cathelicidin-related antimicrobial peptide demonstrated the best discriminative ability between patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and healthy controls (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.713, P < 0.0001). To further enhance diagnostic accuracy, a multi-protein combined discriminant algorithm was developed incorporating five proteins (hemoglobin beta, cathelicidin-related antimicrobial peptide, talin-1, zyxin, and translationally-controlled tumor protein). The algorithm achieved an AUC of 0.811 and a P-value of < 0.0001, resulting in 79% sensitivity and 71% specificity for the diagnosis of sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Subsequently, the ability of candidate biomarkers to discriminate between early-stage amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients and controls, as well as patients with different disease severities, was examined. A two-protein panel comprising talin-1 and translationally-controlled tumor protein effectively distinguished early-stage amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients from controls (AUC = 0.766, P < 0.0001). Moreover, the expression of three proteins (FK506 binding protein 1A, cathelicidin-related antimicrobial peptide, and hemoglobin beta-1) was found to increase with disease progression. The proteomic signatures developed in this study may help facilitate early diagnosis and monitor the progression of sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis when used in combination with current clinical-based parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu He
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Qinming Zhou
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Chaoyang Xiu
- Department of Neurology, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Yaping Shao
- Center for Translational Research on Neurological Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Dingding Shen
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Huanyu Meng
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Weidong Le
- Institute of Neurology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences-Sichuan Provincial Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Sheng Chen
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
- Department of Neurology, Xinrui Hospital, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China
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11
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Rajabi D, Khanmohammadi S, Rezaei N. The role of long noncoding RNAs in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Rev Neurosci 2024; 35:533-547. [PMID: 38452377 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2023-0155] [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: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease with a poor prognosis leading to death. The diagnosis and treatment of ALS are inherently challenging due to its complex pathomechanism. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are transcripts longer than 200 nucleotides involved in different cellular processes, incisively gene expression. In recent years, more studies have been conducted on lncRNA classes and interference in different disease pathologies, showing their promising contribution to diagnosing and treating neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we discussed the role of lncRNAs like NEAT1 and C9orf72-as in ALS pathogenesis mechanisms caused by mutations in different genes, including TAR DNA-binding protein-43 (TDP-43), fused in sarcoma (FUS), superoxide dismutase type 1 (SOD1). NEAT1 is a well-established lncRNA in ALS pathogenesis; hence, we elaborate on its involvement in forming paraspeckles, stress response, inflammatory response, and apoptosis. Furthermore, antisense lncRNAs (as-lncRNAs), a key group of transcripts from the opposite strand of genes, including ZEB1-AS1 and ATXN2-AS, are discussed as newly identified components in the pathology of ALS. Ultimately, we review the current standing of using lncRNAs as biomarkers and therapeutic agents and the future vision of further studies on lncRNA applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darya Rajabi
- School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Felestin St., Keshavarz Blvd., Tehran, 1416634793, Iran
| | - Shaghayegh Khanmohammadi
- School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Felestin St., Keshavarz Blvd., Tehran, 1416634793, Iran
- Research Center for Immunodeficiencies, Children's Medical Center, No 63, Gharib Ave, Keshavarz Blv, Tehran, 1419733151, Iran
- Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy and Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Children's Medical Center, No 63, Gharib Ave, Keshavarz Blv, Tehran, 1419733151, Iran
| | - Nima Rezaei
- Research Center for Immunodeficiencies, Children's Medical Center, No 63, Gharib Ave, Keshavarz Blv, Tehran, 1419733151, Iran
- Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy and Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Children's Medical Center, No 63, Gharib Ave, Keshavarz Blv, Tehran, 1419733151, Iran
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Felestin St., Keshavarz Blvd., Tehran, 1416634793, Iran
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12
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Goutman SA, Goyal NA, Payne K, Paisán-Ruiz C, Kupelian V, Kang ML, Mitchell AA, Fecteau TE. ALS Identified: two-year findings from a sponsored ALS genetic testing program. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2024. [PMID: 39044379 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.52140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To report initial results from the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Identified genetic testing (GT) program on characteristics of individuals tested and frequency of reported disease-causing variants. METHODS ALS Identified used the Invitae Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis panel (Invitae, San Francisco, CA, USA) to assay 22 ALS-associated genes. Sponsored by Biogen (Cambridge, MA, USA), the program was launched in June 2021 and was available at no charge to individuals ≥18 years in the United States and Puerto Rico with an ALS diagnosis or a known family history of ALS. Deidentified data were available to Biogen. RESULTS As of 26 October 2023, 998 healthcare professionals ordered the panel at 681 unique care sites. Of 8054 individuals examined, 7483 (92.9%) were reported to have a clinical diagnosis of ALS, while 571 (7.1%) were asymptomatic relatives. Of the individuals with a clinical ALS diagnosis, 57.7% were male (n = 4319) and 42.3% female (n = 3164). Mean (SD) age at diagnosis is 62 (13) years. Out of the 7483 clinically diagnosed individuals, 1810 (24.2%) showed genetic variations in ALS-associated genes. Among these, 865 individuals (47.8%) carried pathogenic variants, and 44 (2.4%) had likely pathogenic variants, totaling 12.1% of the clinically diagnosed population. INTERPRETATION Since 2021 there has been robust uptake and sustained use of the ALS Identified program, one of the largest samples of people with ALS to date across the United States, demonstrating the interest and need for genetic ALS testing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Namita A Goyal
- University of California Irvine, Orange, California, USA
| | - Katelyn Payne
- Indiana University Health, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
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13
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de Souza AA, da Silva ST, de Macedo LRD, Aires DN, Pondofe KDM, de Melo LP, Valentim RADM, Ribeiro TS. Physical therapy for muscle strengthening in individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0307470. [PMID: 39037980 PMCID: PMC11262630 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0307470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION People with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) can present initially muscle weakness, which is a debilitating symptom that may be improved by engaging in muscle strengthening activities. Currently, the effects of motor interventions for muscle strengthening in people with ALS are unclear. This review intends to analyze the effects of motor interventions for muscle strengthening in individuals with ALS. METHODS AND ANALYSIS Randomized, non-randomized, and quasi-experimental clinical trials assessing individuals with ALS of both sexes, aged 18 years or older, who have received motor interventions for muscle strengthening considering all practices that can lead to increased strength, endurance, power and muscular hypertrophy will be included. No restriction on language, location, or publication date will be applied. MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library (CENTRAL), SPORTDiscus, and Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) databases will be searched. The US National Institutes of Health Ongoing, ClinicalTrials.gov, and the reference lists of included studies will also be searched. Two reviewers will independently screen titles and abstracts and extract data from included studies. The methodological quality of the included studies will be assessed by the PEDro scale and the certainty of the evidence by the GRADE approach. Disagreements will be resolved by a third researcher. Findings will be presented in text and table formats. A meta-analysis will compare the effects of motor interventions for muscle strengthening versus placebo or other interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aline Alves de Souza
- Department of Physical Therapy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil
- Laboratory of Technological Innovation in Health, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil
| | - Stephano Tomaz da Silva
- Department of Physical Therapy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil
- Laboratory of Technological Innovation in Health, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil
| | | | - Diogo Neres Aires
- Department of Physical Therapy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil
- Laboratory of Technological Innovation in Health, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil
| | - Karen de Medeiros Pondofe
- Department of Physical Therapy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil
- Laboratory of Technological Innovation in Health, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil
| | - Luciana Protásio de Melo
- Laboratory of Technological Innovation in Health, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Alexsandro de Medeiros Valentim
- Laboratory of Technological Innovation in Health, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil
| | - Tatiana Souza Ribeiro
- Department of Physical Therapy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil
- Laboratory of Technological Innovation in Health, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil
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14
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Sîrbulescu RF, Nicholson K, Kawai K, Hilton OM, Sobell D, Jin G, Verrill DE, Dwyer LJ, Xiong Y, Bachanová P, Kim SE, Gallup S, Gelevski D, Daley H, Hernandez Rodriguez DE, Negre H, Sturtevant O, Nikiforow S, Ritz J, Chen YB, Reeves PM, Sluder AE, Berry JD, Sadri-Vakili G, Cudkowicz M, Poznansky MC. Allogeneic B cell immunomodulatory therapy in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. FASEB J 2024; 38:e23796. [PMID: 38967302 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202302659r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2023] [Revised: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an orphan neurodegenerative disease. Immune system dysregulation plays an essential role in ALS onset and progression. Our preclinical studies have shown that the administration of exogenous allogeneic B cells improves outcomes in murine models of skin and brain injury through a process termed pligodraxis, in which B cells adopt an immunoregulatory and neuroprotective phenotype in an injured environment. Here, we investigated the effects of B-cell therapy in the SOD1G93A mouse preclinical model of ALS and in a person living with ALS. Purified splenic mature naïve B cells from haploidentical donor mice were administered intravenously in SOD1G93A mice for a total of 10 weekly doses. For the clinical study in a person with advanced ALS, IgA gammopathy of unclear significance, and B lymphopenia, CD19+ B cells were positively selected from a healthy haploidentical donor and infused intravenously twice, at a 60-day interval. Repeated intravenous B-cell administration was safe and significantly delayed disease onset, extended survival, reduced cellular apoptosis, and decreased astrogliosis in SOD1G93A mice. Repeated B-cell infusion in a person with ALS was safe and did not appear to generate a clinically evident inflammatory response. An improvement of 5 points on the ALSFRS-R scale was observed after the first infusion. Levels of inflammatory markers showed persistent reduction post-infusion. This represents a first demonstration of the efficacy of haploidentical B-cell infusion in the SOD1G93A mouse and the safety and feasibility of using purified haploidentical B lymphocytes as a cell-based therapeutic strategy for a person with ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruxandra F Sîrbulescu
- Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Sean M. Healey and AMG Center for ALS, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Katharine Nicholson
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Sean M. Healey and AMG Center for ALS, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kento Kawai
- Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Orla M Hilton
- Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Don Sobell
- Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Gina Jin
- Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - David E Verrill
- Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Liam J Dwyer
- Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Yueyue Xiong
- Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Petra Bachanová
- Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Spencer E Kim
- Sean M. Healey and AMG Center for ALS, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Shannon Gallup
- Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Dario Gelevski
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Heather Daley
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Hélène Negre
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Olive Sturtevant
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sarah Nikiforow
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jerome Ritz
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Yi-Bin Chen
- The Connell and O'Reilly Families Cell Manipulation Core Facility, Dana-Farber Cancer Center, Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Patrick M Reeves
- Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ann E Sluder
- Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - James D Berry
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Sean M. Healey and AMG Center for ALS, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ghazaleh Sadri-Vakili
- Sean M. Healey and AMG Center for ALS, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Merit Cudkowicz
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Sean M. Healey and AMG Center for ALS, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mark C Poznansky
- Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- The Connell and O'Reilly Families Cell Manipulation Core Facility, Dana-Farber Cancer Center, Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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15
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Zheng W, He J, Chen L, Yu W, Zhang N, Liu X, Fan D. Genetic link between KIF1A mutations and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: evidence from whole-exome sequencing. Front Aging Neurosci 2024; 16:1421841. [PMID: 39076207 PMCID: PMC11284166 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2024.1421841] [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: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Objectives Genetics have been shown to have a substantial impact on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The ALS process involves defects in axonal transport and cytoskeletal dynamics. It has been identified that KIF1A, responsible for encoding a kinesin-3 motor protein that carries synaptic vesicles, is considered a genetic predisposing factor for ALS. Methods The analysis of whole-exome sequencing data from 1,068 patients was conducted to examine the genetic link between ALS and KIF1A. For patients with KIF1A gene mutations and a family history, we extended the analysis to their families and reanalyzed them using Sanger sequencing for cosegregation analysis. Results In our cohort, the KIF1A mutation frequency was 1.31% (14/1,068). Thirteen nonsynonymous variants were detected in 14 ALS patients. Consistent with the connection between KIF1A and ALS, the missense mutation p.A1083T (c.3247G>A) was shown to cosegregate with disease. The mutations related to ALS in our study were primarily located in the cargo-binding region at the C-terminal, as opposed to the mutations of motor domain at the N-terminal of KIF1A which were linked to hereditary peripheral neuropathy and spastic paraplegia. We observed high clinical heterogeneity in ALS patients with missense mutations in the KIF1A gene. KIF5A is a more frequent determinant of ALS in the European population, while KIF1A accounts for a similar proportion of ALS in both the European and Chinese populations. Conclusion Our investigation revealed that mutations in the C-terminus of KIF1A could increase the risk of ALS, support the pathogenic role of KIF1A in ALS and expand the phenotypic and genetic spectrum of KIF1A-related ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zheng
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Biomarker and Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, National Health Commission/Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Ji He
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Biomarker and Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, National Health Commission/Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center (BIOPIC), Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Lu Chen
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Biomarker and Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, National Health Commission/Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Weiyi Yu
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Biomarker and Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, National Health Commission/Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Nan Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Biomarker and Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, National Health Commission/Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoxuan Liu
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Biomarker and Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, National Health Commission/Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Dongsheng Fan
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Biomarker and Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, National Health Commission/Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, China
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16
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Nijs M, Van Damme P. The genetics of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Curr Opin Neurol 2024:00019052-990000000-00178. [PMID: 38967083 DOI: 10.1097/wco.0000000000001294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has a strong genetic basis, but the genetic landscape of ALS appears to be complex. The purpose of this article is to review recent developments in the genetics of ALS. RECENT FINDINGS Large-scale genetic studies have uncovered more than 40 genes contributing to ALS susceptibility. Both rare variants with variable effect size and more common variants with small effect size have been identified. The most common ALS genes are C9orf72, SOD1, TARDBP and FUS. Some of the causative genes of ALS are shared with frontotemporal dementia, confirming the molecular link between both diseases. Access to diagnostic gene testing for ALS has to improve, as effective gene silencing therapies for some genetic subtypes of ALS are emerging, but there is no consensus about which genes to test for. SUMMARY Our knowledge about the genetic basis of ALS has improved and the first effective gene silencing therapies for specific genetic subtypes of ALS are underway. These therapeutic advances underline the need for better access to gene testing for people with ALS. Further research is needed to further map the genetic heterogeneity of ALS and to establish the best strategy for gene testing in a clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Nijs
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Department of Neuroscience, Leuven Brain Institute, University of Leuven (KU Leuven)
| | - Philip Van Damme
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Department of Neuroscience, Leuven Brain Institute, University of Leuven (KU Leuven)
- Neurology Department, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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17
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Han M, Raymond J, Larson TC, Mehta P, Horton DK. Comparison of Demographics: National Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Registry and Clinical Trials Data. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 2024:10.1007/s40615-024-02047-4. [PMID: 38977656 DOI: 10.1007/s40615-024-02047-4] [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: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To characterize the participant demographics in the Pooled Resource Open-Access ALS Clinical Trials (PRO-ACT) database compared with the web-portal National Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Registry (the Registry). METHODS Demographics and ALS symptom information were compared between the self-reported registrant data in the Registry web portal (2010-2021) and the latest available PRO-ACT data (updated August 2022), which is a collection of clinical trials data. RESULTS Greater percentages of younger (≤ 59 years old) but smaller percentages of older (60 + years old) participants were represented in PRO-ACT compared to Registry. Enrollment for minority race groups was greater in the Registry portal data, but race information was largely missing/unknown in PRO-ACT database. Median age at the time of diagnosis and age at the time of symptom onset were significantly higher for Registry enrollees compared to the participants of PRO-ACT. Symptom onset sites were similarly reported, but duration between self-noted symptom onset and diagnosis was slight, but significantly longer for the Registry enrollees (11 vs. 9 months). Hispanic were as likely as non-Hispanic to participate in research studies, based on the Registry data. CONCLUSION There was a notable difference in the age distribution and minority representation of enrollees between the PRO-ACT and Registry study populations. Age distribution in the PRO-ACT database skewed to a younger and less diverse cohort. Despite the clinical heterogeneity and complex disease mechanism of ALS, identifying the underrepresented demographic niche in the PRO-ACT and Registry study populations can help improve patient participation and criteria for patient selection to enhance generalizability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moon Han
- Office of Innovation and Analytics, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy NE, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA.
| | - Jaime Raymond
- Office of Innovation and Analytics, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy NE, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA
| | - Theodore C Larson
- Office of Innovation and Analytics, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy NE, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA
| | - Paul Mehta
- Office of Innovation and Analytics, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy NE, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA
| | - D Kevin Horton
- Office of Innovation and Analytics, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy NE, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA
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18
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Sun S, Shen Y, Zhang X, Ding N, Xu Z, Zhang Q, Li L. The MuSK agonist antibody protects the neuromuscular junction and extends the lifespan in C9orf72-ALS mice. Mol Ther 2024; 32:2176-2189. [PMID: 38734896 PMCID: PMC11286808 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2024.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The disassembly of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is an early event in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), ultimately leading to motor dysfunction and lethal respiratory paralysis. The hexanucleotide GGGGCC repeat expansion in the C9orf72 gene is the most common genetic mutation, and the dipeptide repeat (DPR) proteins have been shown to cause neurodegeneration. While no drugs can treat ALS patients efficiently, new treatment strategies are urgently needed. Here, we report that a MuSK agonist antibody alleviates poly-PR-induced NMJ deficits in C9orf72-ALS mice. The HB9-PRF/F mice, which express poly-PR proteins in motor neurons, exhibited impaired motor behavior and NMJ deficits. Mechanistically, poly-PR proteins interacted with Agrin to disrupt the interaction between Agrin and Lrp4, leading to attenuated activation of MuSK. Treatment with a MuSK agonist antibody rescued NMJ deficits, and extended the lifespan of C9orf72-ALS mice. Moreover, impaired NMJ transmission was observed in C9orf72-ALS patients. These findings identify the mechanism by which poly-PR proteins attenuate MuSK activation and NMJ transmission, highlighting the potential of promoting MuSK activation with an agonist antibody as a therapeutic strategy to protect NMJ function and prolong the lifespan of ALS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuangshuang Sun
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Yihui Shen
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Xu Zhang
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Ning Ding
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Zhe Xu
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Qijie Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Fujian Institute of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350005, China.
| | - Lei Li
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China.
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19
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Fullam T, Hunt SL, Han M, Denesia J, Chandrashekhar S, Jawdat O, Piccione E, Fernandes JA, Statland J. Outcomes after intervention for enteral nutrition in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in multidisciplinary clinics. Muscle Nerve 2024; 70:94-100. [PMID: 38695638 DOI: 10.1002/mus.28103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION/AIMS Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are susceptible to malnutrition, with appropriate management of nutritional interventions an active area of investigation. We sought to determine the impact of gastrostomy tube placement in ALS patients, exploring the correlation between forced vital capacity (FVC), malnutrition, and perioperative complications. METHODS A retrospective review was performed of clinically diagnosed ALS patients treated at two multidisciplinary clinics (University of Kansas, University of Nebraska) from January 2009 to September 2020 who were referred for gastrostomy. Data collected included demographics, disease characteristics, and key gastrostomy related dates/outcomes. RESULTS Two hundred thirty-nine patients were included with a median age of 65 years and median of 589 days from symptom onset to gastrostomy (interquartile range, 404-943). The population was predominantly Non-Hispanic White with bulbar-onset ALS. 30-day mortality was 4% and 30-day morbidity was 13%. Weight loss, body mass index, and predicted FVC at placement showed no increased 30-day morbidity or mortality association. Bulbar-onset ALS patients exhibited higher overall mortality postplacement than limb onset (odds ratio: 1.85, 95% confidence interval: 1.03-3.33). There was a 5% incidence of symptoms suggestive of refeeding syndrome. DISCUSSION Rates of major/minor complications and 30-day mortality related to gastrostomy placement in our population were similar compared with prior studies in ALS. The lack of difference in outcomes based on FVC at procedure may suggest this is not predictive of outcome, or perhaps, high-quality perioperative respiratory management. Alternative reasons may account for the increased morbidity and mortality of gastrostomy placement in the ALS population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy Fullam
- Department of Neurology, Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Suzanne L Hunt
- Department of Neurology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | - Madison Han
- Department of Neurology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Jacob Denesia
- Department of Neurology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Swathy Chandrashekhar
- Department of Neurology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | - Omar Jawdat
- Department of Neurology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | - Ezequiel Piccione
- Department of Neurology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - J Americo Fernandes
- Department of Neurology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Jeffrey Statland
- Department of Neurology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
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20
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Didcote L, Vitoratou S, Al-Chalabi A, Goldstein LH. Comparison of in-person vs. remote administration of cognitive screening tools for people with ALS. Neurol Sci 2024:10.1007/s10072-024-07661-y. [PMID: 38951432 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-024-07661-y] [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: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study investigated whether cognitive screening tools used for people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (pwALS) are affected by the screen being administered face-to-face or remotely online. It also investigated whether demographic variables predicted total cognitive screen scores. METHODS The cognitive component of the Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioural ALS Screen (ECASc), the cognitive component of the ALS Cognitive Behavioural Screen (ALS-CBSc), and the Mini Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination (Mini-ACE) were administered to 41 pwALS and 41 controls face-to-face. Versions of the cognitive screens designed to be administered remotely were administered to 57 pwALS and 44 controls via videoconferencing methods. Backwards stepwise linear regressions were conducted to assess whether total scores on the ECASc, ALS-CBSc, and Mini-ACE scores were predicted by administration mode (face-to-face or remote) or demographic variables. RESULTS Mode of administration significantly affected scores on the ECASc and ALS-CBSc; remote administration was associated with better total scores. Administration mode did not significantly affect Mini-ACE scores. All cognitive screens were significantly affected by IQ scores; higher IQ scores predicted better screening tool scores. Only ECASc scores were significantly affected by age, with older age predicting poorer scores. Being female was associated with better Mini-ACE scores; sex did not predict ECASc and ALS-CBSc scores. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that videoconferencing versions of the ECASc and ALS-CBSc may function differently to the original, face-to-face versions. There are advantages to using remote versions of cognitive screening tools but clinicians and researchers who use them should consider that they may not yield equivalent scores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lyndsay Didcote
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Silia Vitoratou
- Department of Biostatistics and Health Informatics, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Ammar Al-Chalabi
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Neurology, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Laura H Goldstein
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
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21
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Limone F, Mordes DA, Couto A, Joseph BJ, Mitchell JM, Therrien M, Ghosh SD, Meyer D, Zhang Y, Goldman M, Bortolin L, Cobos I, Stevens B, McCarroll SA, Kadiu I, Burberry A, Pietiläinen O, Eggan K. Single-nucleus sequencing reveals enriched expression of genetic risk factors in extratelencephalic neurons sensitive to degeneration in ALS. NATURE AGING 2024; 4:984-997. [PMID: 38907103 PMCID: PMC11257952 DOI: 10.1038/s43587-024-00640-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a progressive loss of motor function linked to degenerating extratelencephalic neurons/Betz cells (ETNs). The reasons why these neurons are selectively affected remain unclear. Here, to understand the unique molecular properties that may sensitize ETNs to ALS, we performed RNA sequencing of 79,169 single nuclei from cortices of patients and controls. In both patients and unaffected individuals, we found significantly higher expression of ALS risk genes in THY1+ ETNs, regardless of diagnosis. In patients, this was accompanied by the induction of genes involved in protein homeostasis and stress responses that were significantly induced in a wide collection of ETNs. Examination of oligodendroglial and microglial nuclei revealed patient-specific downregulation of myelinating genes in oligodendrocytes and upregulation of an endolysosomal reactive state in microglia. Our findings suggest that selective vulnerability of extratelencephalic neurons is partly connected to their intrinsic molecular properties sensitizing them to genetics and mechanisms of degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Limone
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Neuroscience Institute, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Daniel A Mordes
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alexander Couto
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Brian J Joseph
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jana M Mitchell
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Martine Therrien
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- FM Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sulagna Dia Ghosh
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Daniel Meyer
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yingying Zhang
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Melissa Goldman
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Laura Bortolin
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Inma Cobos
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Beth Stevens
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- FM Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Steven A McCarroll
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Irena Kadiu
- Neuroinflammation Focus Area, UCB Pharma, Braine-l'Alleud, Belgium
| | - Aaron Burberry
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Olli Pietiläinen
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Neuroscience Center, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Kevin Eggan
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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Li Z, Wen J, Wu W, Dai Z, Liang X, Zhang N, Cheng Q, Zhang H. Causal relationship and shared genes between air pollutants and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A large-scale genetic analysis. CNS Neurosci Ther 2024; 30:e14812. [PMID: 38970158 PMCID: PMC11226412 DOI: 10.1111/cns.14812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/08/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Air pollutants have been reported to have a potential relationship with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The causality and underlying mechanism remained unknown despite several existing observational studies. We aimed to investigate the potential causality between air pollutants (PM2.5, NOX, and NO2) and the risk of ALS and elucidate the underlying mechanisms associated with this relationship. METHODS The data utilized in our study were obtained from publicly available genome-wide association study data sets, in which single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were employed as the instrumental variantswith three principles. Two-sample Mendelian randomization and transcriptome-wide association (TWAS) analyses were conducted to evaluate the effects of air pollutants on ALS and identify genes associated with both pollutants and ALS, followed by regulatory network prediction. RESULTS We observed that exposure to a high level of PM2.5 (OR: 2.40 [95% CI: 1.26-4.57], p = 7.46E-3) and NOx (OR: 2.35 [95% CI: 1.32-4.17], p = 3.65E-3) genetically increased the incidence of ALS in MR analysis, while the effects of NO2 showed a similar trend but without sufficient significance. In the TWAS analysis, TMEM175 and USP35 turned out to be the genes shared between PM2.5 and ALS in the same direction. CONCLUSION Higher exposure to PM2.5 and NOX might causally increase the risk of ALS. Avoiding exposure to air pollutants and air cleaning might be necessary for ALS prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhihao Li
- Department of NeurosurgeryThe Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Jie Wen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaChina
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaChina
| | - Wantao Wu
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaChina
| | - Ziyu Dai
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaChina
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaChina
| | - Xisong Liang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaChina
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaChina
| | - Nan Zhang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina
| | - Quan Cheng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaChina
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaChina
| | - Hao Zhang
- Department of NeurosurgeryThe Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical UniversityChongqingChina
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23
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Jacobsen AB, Bostock H, Howells J, Cengiz B, Samusyte G, Koltzenburg M, Pia H, Fuglsang-Frederiksen A, Blicher J, Obál I, Andersen H, Tankisi H. Threshold tracking transcranial magnetic stimulation and neurofilament light chain as diagnostic aids in ALS. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2024; 11:1887-1896. [PMID: 38894662 PMCID: PMC11251469 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.52095] [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: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 04/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE There is a need for sensitive biomarkers in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), to enable earlier diagnosis and to help assess potential treatments. The main objective of this study was to compare two potential biomarkers, threshold-tracking short-interval cortical inhibition (T-SICI), which has shown promise as a diagnostic aid, and neurofilament light chains (NfL). METHODS Ninety-seven patients with ALS (mean age 67.1 ± 11.5 years) and 53 ALS mimics (aged 62.4 ± 12.9) were included. Mean disease duration was 14 months ±14.1. Patients were evaluated with revised ALS functional rating score (ALSFRS-R), Penn upper motor neuron score (UMNS), muscle strength using the Medical Research Council (MRC) score and examined with T-SICI, quantitative electromyography (EMG), and NfL measured in spinal fluid. RESULTS NfL increased with increasing UMNS (rho = 0.45, p = 8.2 × 10-6) whereas T-SICI at 2.5 ms paradoxically increased toward normal values (rho = 0.53, p = 1.9 × 10-7). However, these two measures were uncorrelated. Discrimination between ALS patients and mimics was best for NfL (area under ROC curve 0.842, sensitivity 84.9%, specificity 83.5%), compared with T-SICI (0.675, 39.6%, 91.8%). For the patients with no UMN signs, NfL also discriminated best (0.884, 89.3%, 82.6%), compared with T-SICI (0.811, 71.4%, 82.6%). However, when combining NfL and T-SICI, higher AUCs of 0.854 and 0.922 and specificities of 93.8 and 100 were found when considering all patients and patients with no UMN signs, respectively. INTERPRETATION Both T-SICI and NfL correlated with UMN involvement and combined, they provided a strong discrimination between ALS patients and ALS mimics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna B Jacobsen
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus N, 8200, Denmark
| | - Hugh Bostock
- UCL Queen Square, Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - James Howells
- Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Bülent Cengiz
- Department of Neurology, Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Beşevler, 06570, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Gintaute Samusyte
- Department of Neurology, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, 44307, Lithuania
- Department of Neurology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Hospital Kauno Klinikos, Kaunas, 50161, Lithuania
| | - Martin Koltzenburg
- UCL Queen Square, Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Hossein Pia
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus N, 8200, Denmark
| | | | - Jakob Blicher
- Department of Neurology, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, 9000, Denmark
| | - Izabella Obál
- Department of Neurology, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, 9000, Denmark
| | - Henning Andersen
- Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus N, 8200, Denmark
| | - Hatice Tankisi
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus N, 8200, Denmark
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24
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Wohnrade C, Seeliger T, Gingele S, Bjelica B, Skripuletz T, Petri S. Diagnostic value of neurofilaments in differentiating motor neuron disease from multifocal motor neuropathy. J Neurol 2024; 271:4441-4452. [PMID: 38683209 PMCID: PMC11233354 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-024-12355-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 03/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the performance of serum neurofilament light chain (NfL) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) phosphorylated neurofilament heavy chain (pNfH) as diagnostic biomarkers for the differentiation between motor neuron disease (MND) and multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN). METHODS This retrospective, monocentric study included 16 patients with MMN and 34 incident patients with MND. A subgroup of lower motor neuron (MN) dominant MND patients (n = 24) was analyzed separately. Serum NfL was measured using Ella automated immunoassay, and CSF pNfH was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Area under the curve (AUC), optimal cutoff values (Youden's index), and correlations with demographic characteristics were calculated. RESULTS Neurofilament concentrations were significantly higher in MND compared to MMN (p < 0.001), and serum NfL and CSF pNfH correlated strongly with each other (Spearman's rho 0.68, p < 0.001). Serum NfL (AUC 0.946, sensitivity and specificity 94%) and CSF pNfH (AUC 0.937, sensitivity 90.0%, specificity 100%) performed excellent in differentiating MND from MMN. Optimal cutoff values were ≥ 44.15 pg/mL (serum NfL) and ≥ 715.5 pg/mL (CSF pNfH), respectively. Similar results were found when restricting the MND cohort to lower MN dominant patients. Only one MMN patient had serum NfL above the cutoff. Two MND patients presented with neurofilament concentrations below the cutoffs, both featuring a slowly progressive disease. CONCLUSION Neurofilaments are valuable supportive biomarkers for the differentiation between MND and MMN. Serum NfL and CSF pNfH perform similarly well and elevated neurofilaments in case of diagnostic uncertainty underpin MND diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Wohnrade
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, 30625, Hannover, Germany.
| | - Tabea Seeliger
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, 30625, Hannover, Germany
| | - Stefan Gingele
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, 30625, Hannover, Germany
| | - Bogdan Bjelica
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, 30625, Hannover, Germany
| | - Thomas Skripuletz
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, 30625, Hannover, Germany
| | - Susanne Petri
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, 30625, Hannover, Germany
- Center for Systems Neuroscience (ZSN) Hannover, 30559, Hannover, Germany
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25
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Zhang J, Cao W, Xie J, Pang C, Gao L, Zhu L, Li Y, Yu H, Du L, Fan D, Deng B. Metabolic Syndrome and Risk of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Insights from a Large-Scale Prospective Study. Ann Neurol 2024. [PMID: 38934512 DOI: 10.1002/ana.27019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 06/08/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Although metabolic abnormalities are implicated in the etiology of neurodegenerative diseases, their role in the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) remains a subject of controversy. We aimed to identify the association between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and the risk of ALS. METHODS This study included 395,987 participants from the UK Biobank to investigate the relationship between MetS and ALS. Cox regression model was used to estimate hazard ratios (HR). Stratified analyses were performed based on gender, body mass index (BMI), smoking status, and education level. Mediation analysis was conducted to explore potential mechanisms. RESULTS In this study, a total of 539 cases of ALS were recorded after a median follow-up of 13.7 years. Patients with MetS (defined harmonized) had a higher risk of developing ALS after adjusting for confounding factors (HR: 1.50, 95% CI: 1.19-1.89). Specifically, hypertension and high triglycerides were linked to a higher risk of ALS (HR: 1.53, 95% CI: 1.19-1.95; HR: 1.31, 95% CI: 1.06-1.61, respectively). Moreover, the quantity of metabolic abnormalities showed significant results. Stratified analysis revealed that these associations are particularly significant in individuals with a BMI <25. These findings remained stable after sensitivity analysis. Notably, mediation analysis identified potential metabolites and metabolomic mediators, including alkaline phosphatase, cystatin C, γ-glutamyl transferase, saturated fatty acids to total fatty acids percentage, and omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3 fatty acids ratio. INTERPRETATION MetS exhibits a robust association with an increased susceptibility to ALS, particularly in individuals with a lower BMI. Furthermore, metabolites and metabolomics, as potential mediators, provide invaluable insights into the intricate biological mechanisms. ANN NEUROL 2024.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junwei Zhang
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Intelligent Cancer Biomarker Discovery and Translation, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Wen Cao
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Biomarker and Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disorders, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, National Health Commission/Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Jiali Xie
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
- Department of Neurology, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Chunyang Pang
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Lingfei Gao
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Luyi Zhu
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yaojia Li
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Huan Yu
- Department of Pediatrics, Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Lihuai Du
- College of Mathematics and Physics, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Dongsheng Fan
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Biomarker and Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disorders, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, National Health Commission/Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Binbin Deng
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Intelligent Cancer Biomarker Discovery and Translation, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
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26
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Park BK, Oh SI, Kang M, Seok HY, Park JM, Kim S, Kim HI, Kim JA, Park JS. Reliability and Validity of the Korean version of the Center for Neurologic Study Bulbar Function Scale (K-CNS-BFS): An observational study. Medicine (Baltimore) 2024; 103:e38216. [PMID: 38905379 PMCID: PMC11191914 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000038216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Bulbar dysfunction in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) significantly affects daily life, leading to weight loss and reduced survival. Methods for evaluating bulbar dysfunction, including videofluoroscopic swallowing studies and the bulbar component of the ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised (ALSFRS-R), have been employed; however, Korean-specific tools are lacking. The Center for Neurologic Study Bulbar Function Scale (CNS-BFS) comprehensively evaluates bulbar symptoms. This study aimed to develop and validate the Korean version of the CNS-BFS (K-CNS-BFS) to assess bulbar dysfunction in Korean patients with ALS. Twenty-seven patients with ALS were recruited from a tertiary hospital in South Korea based on revised El Escorial criteria. Demographic, clinical, and measurement data were collected. The K-CNS-BFS was evaluated for reliability and validity. Reliability assessment revealed strong internal consistency (Cronbach alpha) for the K-CNS-BFS subscales and total score. Test-retest reliability showed significant correlation. Content validity index was excellent, and convergent validity demonstrated significant correlations between the K-CNS-BFS and relevant measures. Discriminant validity was observed between the K-CNS-BFS and motor/respiratory subscores of the ALSFRS-R. Construct validity demonstrated significant correlations between the K-CNS-BFS subscales and total score. This is the first study to investigate the reliability and validity of the Korean version of the CNS-BFS, which showed consistent and reliable scores that correlated with tests for bulbar or general dysfunction. The K-CNS-BFS effectively measured bulbar dysfunction similar to the original CNS-BFS. The K-CNS-BFS is a reliable and valid tool for assessing bulbar dysfunction in patients with ALS in South Korea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bu Kyung Park
- College of Nursing, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Seong-il Oh
- Department of Neurology, Kyung Hee University Hospital, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Minsung Kang
- Department of Neurology, Kyungpook National University Chilgok Hospital, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Hung Youl Seok
- Department of Neurology, Dongsan Hospital, Keimyung, University School of Medicine, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Jin-Mo Park
- Department of Neurology, Dongguk University College of Medicine, Dongguk University Gyeongju Hospital, Gyeongju, South Korea
| | - Sohyeon Kim
- Department of Neurology, Dongsan Hospital, Keimyung, University School of Medicine, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Hye-In Kim
- Department of Neurology, Kyungpook National University Chilgok Hospital, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Ji-Ah Kim
- Department of Neurology, Kyungpook National University Chilgok Hospital, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Jin-Sung Park
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Kyungpook National University Chilgok Hospital, Daegu, South Korea
- Brain Science & Engineering Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
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27
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Garg V, Geurten BRH. Diving deep: zebrafish models in motor neuron degeneration research. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1424025. [PMID: 38966756 PMCID: PMC11222423 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1424025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024] Open
Abstract
In the dynamic landscape of biomedical science, the pursuit of effective treatments for motor neuron disorders like hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) remains a key priority. Central to this endeavor is the development of robust animal models, with the zebrafish emerging as a prime candidate. Exhibiting embryonic transparency, a swift life cycle, and significant genetic and neuroanatomical congruencies with humans, zebrafish offer substantial potential for research. Despite the difference in locomotion-zebrafish undulate while humans use limbs, the zebrafish presents relevant phenotypic parallels to human motor control disorders, providing valuable insights into neurodegenerative diseases. This review explores the zebrafish's inherent traits and how they facilitate profound insights into the complex behavioral and cellular phenotypes associated with these disorders. Furthermore, we examine recent advancements in high-throughput drug screening using the zebrafish model, a promising avenue for identifying therapeutically potent compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vranda Garg
- Department of Cellular Neurobiology, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Neuroscience, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
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28
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Mielke JK, Klingeborn M, Schultz EP, Markham EL, Reese ED, Alam P, Mackenzie IR, Ly CV, Caughey B, Cashman NR, Leavens MJ. Seeding activity of human superoxide dismutase 1 aggregates in familial and sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis postmortem neural tissues by real-time quaking-induced conversion. Acta Neuropathol 2024; 147:100. [PMID: 38884646 PMCID: PMC11182821 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-024-02752-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 06/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rapidly progressive neurodegenerative disease with average lifespan of 2-5 years after diagnosis. The identification of novel prognostic and pharmacodynamic biomarkers are needed to facilitate therapeutic development. Metalloprotein human superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) is known to accumulate and form aggregates in patient neural tissue with familial ALS linked to mutations in their SOD1 gene. Aggregates of SOD1 have also been detected in other forms of ALS, including the sporadic form and the most common familial form linked to abnormal hexanucleotide repeat expansions in the Chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 (C9ORF72) gene. Here, we report the development of a real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) seed amplification assay using a recombinant human SOD1 substrate to measure SOD1 seeding activity in postmortem spinal cord and motor cortex tissue from persons with different ALS etiologies. Our SOD1 RT-QuIC assay detected SOD1 seeds in motor cortex and spinal cord dilutions down to 10-5. Importantly, we detected SOD1 seeding activity in specimens from both sporadic and familial ALS cases, with the latter having mutations in either their SOD1 or C9ORF72 genes. Analyses of RT-QuIC parameters indicated similar lag phases in spinal cords of sporadic and familial ALS patients, but higher ThT fluorescence maxima by SOD1 familial ALS specimens and sporadic ALS thoracic cord specimens. For a subset of sporadic ALS patients, motor cortex and spinal cords were examined, with seeding activity in both anatomical regions. Our results suggest SOD1 seeds are in ALS patient neural tissues not linked to SOD1 mutation, suggesting that SOD1 seeding activity may be a promising biomarker, particularly in sporadic ALS cases for whom genetic testing is uninformative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin K Mielke
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, McLaughlin Research Institute, 1520 23rd St. South, Great Falls, MT, 59405, USA
| | - Mikael Klingeborn
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, McLaughlin Research Institute, 1520 23rd St. South, Great Falls, MT, 59405, USA
| | - Eric P Schultz
- Center for Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics, University of Montana, 32 Campus Drive ISB #106, Missoula, MT, USA
| | - Erin L Markham
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, McLaughlin Research Institute, 1520 23rd St. South, Great Falls, MT, 59405, USA
| | - Emily D Reese
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, McLaughlin Research Institute, 1520 23rd St. South, Great Falls, MT, 59405, USA
| | - Parvez Alam
- Laboratory of Neurological Infections and Immunity, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 903 S. 4th St., Hamilton, MT, 59840, USA
| | - Ian R Mackenzie
- Departments of Pathology and Medicine, University of British Columbia, 2211 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 2B5, Canada
| | - Cindy V Ly
- Department of Neurology, Washington University, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Byron Caughey
- Laboratory of Neurological Infections and Immunity, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 903 S. 4th St., Hamilton, MT, 59840, USA
| | - Neil R Cashman
- Departments of Pathology and Medicine, University of British Columbia, 2211 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 2B5, Canada
| | - Moses J Leavens
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, McLaughlin Research Institute, 1520 23rd St. South, Great Falls, MT, 59405, USA.
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29
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Ko VI, Ong K, Cleveland DW, Yu H, Ravits JM. CK1δ/ε kinases regulate TDP-43 phosphorylation and are therapeutic targets for ALS-related TDP-43 hyperphosphorylation. Neurobiol Dis 2024; 196:106516. [PMID: 38677657 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2024.106516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 04/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Hyperphosphorylated TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) aggregates in the cytoplasm of neurons is the neuropathological hallmark of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and a group of neurodegenerative diseases collectively referred to as TDP-43 proteinopathies that includes frontotemporal dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and limbic onset age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy. The mechanism of TDP-43 phosphorylation is poorly understood. Previously we reported casein kinase 1 epsilon gene (CSNK1E gene encoding CK1ε protein) as being tightly correlated with phosphorylated TDP-43 (pTDP-43) pathology. Here we pursued studies to investigate in cellular models and in vitro how CK1ε and CK1δ (a closely related family sub-member) mediate TDP-43 phosphorylation in disease. We first validated the binding interaction between TDP-43 and either CK1δ and CK1ε using kinase activity assays and predictive bioinformatic database. We utilized novel inducible cellular models that generated translocated phosphorylated TDP-43 (pTDP-43) and cytoplasmic aggregation. Reducing CK1 kinase activity with siRNA or small molecule chemical inhibitors resulted in significant reduction of pTDP-43, in both soluble and insoluble protein fractions. We also established CK1δ and CK1ε are the primary kinases that phosphorylate TDP-43 compared to CK2α, CDC7, ERK1/2, p38α/MAPK14, and TTBK1, other identified kinases that have been implicated in TDP-43 phosphorylation. Throughout our studies, we were careful to examine both the soluble and insoluble TDP-43 protein fractions, the critical protein fractions related to protein aggregation diseases. These results identify CK1s as critical kinases involved in TDP-43 hyperphosphorylation and aggregation in cellular models and in vitro, and in turn are potential therapeutic targets by way of CK1δ/ε inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivian I Ko
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0624, USA; Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0624, USA
| | - Kailee Ong
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0624, USA
| | - Don W Cleveland
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0624, USA
| | - Haiyang Yu
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0624, USA
| | - John M Ravits
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0624, USA.
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30
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Di Timoteo G, Giuliani A, Setti A, Biagi MC, Lisi M, Santini T, Grandioso A, Mariani D, Castagnetti F, Perego E, Zappone S, Lattante S, Sabatelli M, Rotili D, Vicidomini G, Bozzoni I. M 6A reduction relieves FUS-associated ALS granules. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5033. [PMID: 38866783 PMCID: PMC11169559 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49416-5] [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: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease due to gradual motoneurons (MN) degeneration. Among the processes associated to ALS pathogenesis, there is the formation of cytoplasmic inclusions produced by aggregation of mutant proteins, among which the RNA binding protein FUS. Here we show that, in neuronal cells and in iPSC-derived MN expressing mutant FUS, such inclusions are significantly reduced in number and dissolve faster when the RNA m6A content is diminished. Interestingly, stress granules formed in ALS conditions showed a distinctive transcriptome with respect to control cells, which reverted to similar to control after m6A downregulation. Notably, cells expressing mutant FUS were characterized by higher m6A levels suggesting a possible link between m6A homeostasis and pathological aggregates. Finally, we show that FUS inclusions are reduced also in patient-derived fibroblasts treated with STM-2457, an inhibitor of METTL3 activity, paving the way for its possible use for counteracting aggregate formation in ALS.
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Grants
- ERC-2019-SyG 855923-ASTRA EC | EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation H2020 | H2020 Priority Excellent Science | H2020 European Research Council (H2020 Excellent Science - European Research Council)
- ERC-2018-CoG 818669-BrightEyes EC | EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation H2020 | H2020 Priority Excellent Science | H2020 European Research Council (H2020 Excellent Science - European Research Council)
- AIRC IG 2019 Id. 23053 Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro (Italian Association for Cancer Research)
- PRIN 2017 2017P352Z4 Ministero dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca (Ministry of Education, University and Research)
- NextGenerationEU PNRR MUR Ministero dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca (Ministry of Education, University and Research)
- "National Center for Gene Therapy and Drugbased on RNA Technology" (CN00000041) Ministero dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca (Ministry of Education, University and Research)
- "National Center for Gene Therapy and Drug based on RNA Technology" (CN00000041) Ministero dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca (Ministry of Education, University and Research)
- NextGenerationEU PNRR MUR Ministero dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca (Ministry of Education, University and Research)
- "Sapienza" Ateneo Project 2021 n. RM12117A61C811CE Sapienza Università di Roma (Sapienza University of Rome)
- Regione Lazio PROGETTI DI GRUPPI DI RICERCA 2020 - A0375-2020-36597 Regione Lazio (Region of Lazio)
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaia Di Timoteo
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, 00185, Italy
| | - Andrea Giuliani
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, 00185, Italy
| | - Adriano Setti
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, 00185, Italy
| | - Martina C Biagi
- Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science@Sapienza, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Rome, 00161, Italy
| | - Michela Lisi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, 00185, Italy
| | - Tiziana Santini
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, 00185, Italy
| | - Alessia Grandioso
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, 00185, Italy
| | - Davide Mariani
- Center for Human Technologies@Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Genoa, 16152, Italy
| | - Francesco Castagnetti
- Center for Human Technologies@Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Genoa, 16152, Italy
| | - Eleonora Perego
- Center for Human Technologies@Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Genoa, 16152, Italy
| | - Sabrina Zappone
- Center for Human Technologies@Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Genoa, 16152, Italy
| | - Serena Lattante
- Section of Genomic Medicine, Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Mario Sabatelli
- Section of Neurology, Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168, Rome, Italy
- Adult NEMO Clinical Center, Unit of Neurology, Department of Aging, Neurological, Orthopedic and Head-Neck Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Dante Rotili
- Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Vicidomini
- Center for Human Technologies@Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Genoa, 16152, Italy
| | - Irene Bozzoni
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, 00185, Italy.
- Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science@Sapienza, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Rome, 00161, Italy.
- Center for Human Technologies@Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Genoa, 16152, Italy.
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31
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Jia Q, Song Y, Zhang C, Li M, Feng L, Sugimoto K, Zhang X, Liu J, Gao Y. Reasons and experience for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis using traditional Chinese medicine: a CARE-TCM based mixed method study. BMC Complement Med Ther 2024; 24:231. [PMID: 38867220 PMCID: PMC11167840 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-024-04513-2] [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: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is widely used by patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, their reasons and experience in using TCM have received insufficient attention. Therefore, we conducted a mixed method study to gain insights into this issue. MATERIALS AND METHODS This study was conducted on the basis of the China Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Registry of Patients with Traditional Chinese Medicine (CARE-TCM). Data were collected from Dongzhimen Hospital through a mixed method approach, including a questionnaire and a semi-structured interview. Patients with ALS who were using TCM when they were initially registered with CARE-TCM and who had been followed-up for over six months were recruited. The questionnaires' outcomes were statistically outlined, and the interview transcripts were thematically analysed to identify themes and sub-themes. RESULTS Fifty-two and sixteen patients were included in the questionnaire and semi-structured interview groups, respectively. Patients used TCM with the hope of regulating their body holistically to improve nonmotor symptoms and quality of life (QOL). Those who recognised TCM as ineffective tended to discontinue it after a three-month trial period. Although quality was a major concern, herbal medicine (HM) was the most frequently used modality among all participants (n = 52), with the majority (n = 44, 84.6%) continuing to use it. Patients emphasised in-person consultations as a crucial part of TCM treatment. However, the disability caused by disease often made this interaction unattainable. CONCLUSION Nonmotor symptoms and QOL hold substantial importance for patients with ALS using TCM. HM is a more suitable modality than other TCM treatment modalities, but patients are facing challenges in seeking HM treatment. It is necessary to promote the implementation of hierarchical diagnosis and treatment, thus making TCM more accessible. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04885374 (registered on May 13, 2021).
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuyang Jia
- Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
- Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Yuebo Song
- Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
- Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Chi Zhang
- Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
- Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Mingxuan Li
- Gansu provincial Hospital of traditional Chinese medicine, Gansu, China
| | - Luda Feng
- Dongfang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Kazuo Sugimoto
- Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
- Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Chinese Internal Medicine of Ministry of Education and Beijing, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Xuebin Zhang
- Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
- Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Jia Liu
- Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
- Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Gao
- Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.
- Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.
- Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100700, China.
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32
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Chen X, Cao Z, Wang Y. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis-Associated Mutants of SOD1 Perturb mRNA Splicing through Aberrant Interactions with SRSF2. Anal Chem 2024; 96:9713-9720. [PMID: 38795036 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.4c01770] [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] [Indexed: 05/27/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disorder that results in the degeneration of neurons in the brain and spinal cord. Although a substantial number of studies have been conducted, much remains to be learned about the cellular mechanisms underlying ALS. In this study, we employed an engineered ascorbate peroxidase (APEX)-based proximity biotinylation, together with affinity pull-down of the ensuing biotinylated peptides, to investigate the proximity proteomes of human SOD1 and its two ALS-linked mutants, G85R and G93A. We were able to identify 25 common biotinylated peptides with preferential enrichment in the proximity proteomes of SOD1G85R and SOD1G93A over wild-type SOD1. Our coimmunoprecipitation followed by Western blot analyses revealed that one of these proteins, SRSF2, binds more strongly with the two SOD1 mutants than its wild-type counterpart. We also observed aberrant splicing of mRNAs in cells with ectopic expression of the two SOD1 mutants relative to cells expressing the wild-type protein. In addition, the aberrations in splicing elicited by the SOD1 variants were markedly attenuated upon knockdown of SRSF2. Collectively, we uncovered that ALS-liked SOD1G85R and SOD1G93A mutants interact more strongly with SRSF2, where the aberrant interactions perturbed mRNA splicing. Thus, our work offered novel mechanistic insights into the contributions of the ALS-linked SOD1 mutants to disease etiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingyuan Chen
- Environmental Toxicology Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, California 92502, United States
| | - Zhongwen Cao
- Environmental Toxicology Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, California 92502, United States
| | - Yinsheng Wang
- Environmental Toxicology Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, California 92502, United States
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, California 92502, United States
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33
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Xu A, Luo Y, Tang Y, Yang F, Gao X, Qiao G, Zhu X, Zhou J. Chitinases as a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Neurol Sci 2024; 45:2489-2503. [PMID: 38194198 PMCID: PMC11081993 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-024-07301-5] [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: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/01/2024] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by the degeneration of motor neurons, and there is currently a lack of reliable diagnostic biomarkers. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate CHIT1, CHI3L1, and CHI3L2 levels in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or blood and their diagnostic potential in ALS patients. A systematic, comprehensive search was performed of peer-reviewed English-language articles published before April 1, 2023, in PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. After a thorough screening, 13 primary articles were included, and their chitinases-related data were extracted for systematic review and meta-analysis. In ALS patients, the CSF CHIT1 levels were significantly elevated compared to controls with healthy control (HC) (SMD, 1.92; 95% CI, 0.78 - 3.06; P < 0.001). CHIT1 levels were elevated in the CSF of ALS patients compared to other neurodegenerative diseases (ONDS) control (SMD, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.22 - 1.27; P < 0.001) and exhibited an even more substantial increase when compared to ALS-mimicking diseases (AMDS) (SMD, 1.15; 95% CI, 0.35 - 1.94, P < 0.001). Similarly, the CSF CHI3L1 levels were significantly higher in ALS patients compared to HC (SMD, 3.16; 95% CI, 1.26 - 5.06, P < 0.001). CHI3L1 levels were elevated in the CSF of ALS patients compared to ONDS (SMD, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.32 - 1.19; P = 0.017) and exhibited a more pronounced increase when compared to AMDS (SMD, 1.92; 95% CI, 0.41 - 3.42; P < 0.001). The levels of CSF chitinases in the ALS patients showed a significant increase, supporting the role of CSF chitinases as diagnostic biomarkers for ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aoling Xu
- School of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Orthopedics, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, 430065, China
| | - Yujun Luo
- Department of Tuina and Rehabilitation Medicine, Hubei Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, 430061, China
- Department of Tuina and Rehabilitation Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, 430061, China
- Department of Tuina and Rehabilitation Medicine, Hubei Provincial Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, 430061, China
- First Clinical Medical College, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, 430065, China
| | - Yudi Tang
- School of Nursing, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China
| | - Fen Yang
- School of Nursing, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaolian Gao
- School of Nursing, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China
| | - Guiyuan Qiao
- School of Nursing, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China
| | - Xinhong Zhu
- School of Nursing, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China.
| | - Jing Zhou
- Department of Tuina and Rehabilitation Medicine, Hubei Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, 430061, China.
- Department of Tuina and Rehabilitation Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, 430061, China.
- Department of Tuina and Rehabilitation Medicine, Hubei Provincial Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, 430061, China.
- First Clinical Medical College, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, 430065, China.
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34
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Castro-Rodriguez E, Azagra-Ledesma R, Gómez-Batiste X, Aguyé-Batista A, Clemente-Azagra C, Díaz-Herrera MA. Complexity of needs in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients using the ENP-E scale in the north-eastern region of Spain. Palliat Support Care 2024; 22:460-469. [PMID: 38294285 DOI: 10.1017/s1478951523001773] [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] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study aimed to explore the clinical characteristics of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients in Spain's north-eastern region, their inclusion in chronic care programmes, and their psychosocial and spiritual needs (PSNs). METHODS A longitudinal descriptive study in adult patients with ALS. We analyzed clinical variables and participation in chronicity and PSNs assessment using the tool Psychosocial and Spiritual Needs Evaluation scale in end-of-life patients (ENP-E scale). RESULTS 81 patients (average age 65.6 ± 11.7) were studied. At the study's outset, 29.7% employed non-invasive ventilation (NIV), increasing to 51.9% by its conclusion. Initial percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) utilization was 14.8%, rising to 35.85%. Chronic care programme participation was as follows: home care (24.7% initially, 50.6% end), palliative care (16% initially, 40.7% end), case management (13.6% initially, 50.6% end), and advance care planning registration (6.2% initially, 35.8% end). At study start, 47.8% of patients (n = 46) showed moderate-to-severe complexity in PSNs assessment using the ENP-E scale, without showing differences in age, sex, and time of evolution; whereas, on the evolutionary analysis, it was 75% (n = 24). A higher evolutionary complexity was observed in males <60 and >70 years, with no PEG and evolution of ALS of <2 and ≥5 years, and not included in chronicity programmes. When assessing concerns, physical pain and family aspects stand out in all measurements. Forty-eight percent of patients at study start and 71% at end of study showed external signs of emotional distress. SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS Most ALS patients showed a high degree of complexity and were not integrated in chronicity programmes. A "care path" is proposed to integrate ALS patients in these programmes and systematically assess their needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilia Castro-Rodriguez
- PADES Delta de Llobregat, Institut Català de la Salut, El Prat de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rafael Azagra-Ledesma
- Medicina de Familia, Centro de Atención Primaria Badía del Vallés, Intitut Català de la Salut, Badia del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
- Departamento de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
- GROIMAP/GROICAP, USR Girona IDIAP Jordi Gol, Girona, Spain
- Fundación Privada PRECIOSA para la Investigación en Salud, Barberá del Vallés, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xavier Gómez-Batiste
- Cátedra de Cuidados Paliativos, Centre d'Estudis Sanitaris i Socials (CESS), Universitat de Vic - Universitat Central de Catalunya (UVIC-UCC), Vic, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Amada Aguyé-Batista
- Departamento de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
- GROIMAP/GROICAP, USR Girona IDIAP Jordi Gol, Girona, Spain
- Medicina de Familia, Centro de Atención Primaria Granollers Vallés Oriental, ICS, Granollers, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carlos Clemente-Azagra
- Employers Mutual Limited-EML Corporate Office, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- School of Health Sciences, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Miguel Angel Díaz-Herrera
- Complex Wounds South Metropolitan Primary Care, Institut Català de la Salut, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Fundamental and Clinical Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Universitat de Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
- Teaching Committee, Quironsalud Hospital Universitari General de Catalunya, Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
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Lu L, Jifu C, Xia J, Wang J. E3 ligases and DUBs target ferroptosis: A potential therapeutic strategy for neurodegenerative diseases. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 175:116753. [PMID: 38761423 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Ferroptosis is a form of cell death mediated by iron and lipid peroxidation (LPO). Recent studies have provided compelling evidence to support the involvement of ferroptosis in the pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs), such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD). Therefore, understanding the mechanisms that regulate ferroptosis in NDDs may improve disease management. Ferroptosis is regulated by multiple mechanisms, and different degradation pathways, including autophagy and the ubiquitinproteasome system (UPS), orchestrate the complex ferroptosis response by directly or indirectly regulating iron accumulation or lipid peroxidation. Ubiquitination plays a crucial role as a protein posttranslational modification in driving ferroptosis. Notably, E3 ubiquitin ligases (E3s) and deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) are key enzymes in the ubiquitin system, and their dysregulation is closely linked to the progression of NDDs. A growing body of evidence highlights the role of ubiquitin system enzymes in regulating ferroptosis sensitivity. However, reports on the interaction between ferroptosis and ubiquitin signaling in NDDs are scarce. In this review, we first provide a brief overview of the biological processes and roles of the UPS, summarize the core molecular mechanisms and potential biological functions of ferroptosis, and explore the pathophysiological relevance and therapeutic implications of ferroptosis in NDDs. In addition, reviewing the roles of E3s and DUBs in regulating ferroptosis in NDDs aims to provide new insights and strategies for the treatment of NDDs. These include E3- and DUB-targeted drugs and ferroptosis inhibitors, which can be used to prevent and ameliorate the progression of NDDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linxia Lu
- College of Basic Medicine, Jiamusi University, Jiamusi 154007, People's Republic of China
| | - Cili Jifu
- College of Basic Medicine, Jiamusi University, Jiamusi 154007, People's Republic of China
| | - Jun Xia
- College of Basic Medicine, Jiamusi University, Jiamusi 154007, People's Republic of China
| | - Jingtao Wang
- College of Basic Medicine, Jiamusi University, Jiamusi 154007, People's Republic of China.
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Xiong B, Yang C, Yang X, Luo S, Li S, Chen C, He K, Nie L, Li P, Li S, Huang H, Liu J, Zhang Z, Xie Y, Zou L, Yang X. Arctigenin derivative A-1 ameliorates motor dysfunction and pathological manifestations in SOD1 G93A transgenic mice via the AMPK/SIRT1/PGC-1α and AMPK/SIRT1/IL-1β/NF-κB pathways. CNS Neurosci Ther 2024; 30:e14692. [PMID: 38872258 PMCID: PMC11176200 DOI: 10.1111/cns.14692] [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: 10/29/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
AIM Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a severe neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive death of upper and lower motor neurons, leading to generalized muscle atrophy, paralysis, and even death. Mitochondrial damage and neuroinflammation play key roles in the pathogenesis of ALS. In the present study, the efficacy of A-1, a derivative of arctigenin with AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1) activation for ALS, was investigated. METHODS A-1 at 33.3 mg/kg was administrated in SOD1G93A transgenic mice orally from the 13th week for a 6-week treatment period. Motor ability was assessed before terminal anesthesia. Muscle atrophy and fibrosis, motor neurons, astrocytes, and microglia in the spinal cord were evaluated by H&E, Masson, Sirius Red, Nissl, and immunohistochemistry staining. Protein expression was detected with proteomics analysis, Western blotting, and ELISA. Mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were measured using an assay kit. RESULTS A-1 administration in SOD1G93A mice enhanced mobility, decreased skeletal muscle atrophy and fibrosis, mitigated loss of spinal motor neurons, and reduced glial activation. Additionally, A-1 treatment improved mitochondrial function, evidenced by elevated ATP levels and increased expression of key mitochondrial-related proteins. The A-1 treatment group showed decreased levels of IL-1β, pIκBα/IκBα, and pNF-κB/NF-κB. CONCLUSIONS A-1 treatment reduced motor neuron loss, improved gastrocnemius atrophy, and delayed ALS progression through the AMPK/SIRT1/PGC-1α pathway, which promotes mitochondrial biogenesis. Furthermore, the AMPK/SIRT1/IL-1β/NF-κB pathway exerted neuroprotective effects by reducing neuroinflammation. These findings suggest A-1 as a promising therapeutic approach for ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bocheng Xiong
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology, Shenzhen Medical Key Discipline of Health Toxicology (2020‐2024)Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and PreventionShenzhenChina
| | - Chao Yang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology, Shenzhen Medical Key Discipline of Health Toxicology (2020‐2024)Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and PreventionShenzhenChina
| | - Xiao Yang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology, Shenzhen Medical Key Discipline of Health Toxicology (2020‐2024)Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and PreventionShenzhenChina
| | - Song Luo
- Department of NeurologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical UniversityBengbuChina
- Department of NeurologyShenzhen People’s Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University; The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), ShenzhenGuangdongChina
| | - Shangming Li
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology, Shenzhen Medical Key Discipline of Health Toxicology (2020‐2024)Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and PreventionShenzhenChina
| | - Chongyang Chen
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology, Shenzhen Medical Key Discipline of Health Toxicology (2020‐2024)Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and PreventionShenzhenChina
| | - Kaiwu He
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology, Shenzhen Medical Key Discipline of Health Toxicology (2020‐2024)Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and PreventionShenzhenChina
| | - Lulin Nie
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology, Shenzhen Medical Key Discipline of Health Toxicology (2020‐2024)Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and PreventionShenzhenChina
| | - Peimao Li
- Medical LaboratoryShenzhen Prevention and Treatment Center for Occupational DiseasesShenzhenChina
| | - Shupeng Li
- State Key Laboratory of OncogenomicsSchool of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate SchoolShenzhenChina
| | - Haiyan Huang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology, Shenzhen Medical Key Discipline of Health Toxicology (2020‐2024)Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and PreventionShenzhenChina
| | - Jianjun Liu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology, Shenzhen Medical Key Discipline of Health Toxicology (2020‐2024)Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and PreventionShenzhenChina
| | - Zaijun Zhang
- Institute of New Drug Research, College of Pharmacy/Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of TCM and New Drugs Research/International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Development of Ministry of Education (MOE) of ChinaJinan UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Yongmei Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for BiotherapySichuan UniversityChengduChina
| | - Liangyu Zou
- Department of NeurologyShenzhen People’s Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University; The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), ShenzhenGuangdongChina
| | - Xifei Yang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology, Shenzhen Medical Key Discipline of Health Toxicology (2020‐2024)Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and PreventionShenzhenChina
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Li X, Bedlack R. Evaluating emerging drugs in phase II & III for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Expert Opin Emerg Drugs 2024; 29:93-102. [PMID: 38516735 DOI: 10.1080/14728214.2024.2333420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is a rapidly progressive motor neuron disorder causing severe disability and premature death. Owing to the advances in uncovering ALS pathophysiology, efficient clinical trial design and research advocacy program, several disease-modifying drugs have been approved for treating ALS. Despite this progress, ALS remains a rapidly disabling and life shortening condition. There is a critical need for more effective therapies. AREAS COVERED Here, we reviewed the emerging ALS therapeutics undergoing phase II & III clinical trials. To identify the investigational drugs, we searched ALS and phase II/III trials that are active and recruiting or not yet recruiting on clinicaltrials.gov and Pharmaprojects database. EXPERT OPINION The current pipeline is larger and more diverse than ever, with drugs targeting potential genetic and retroviral causes of ALS and drugs targeting a wide array of downstream pathways, including RNA metabolism, protein aggregation, integrated stress response and neuroinflammation.We remain most excited about those that target direct causes of ALS, e.g. antisense oligonucleotides targeting causative genes. Drugs that eliminate abnormal protein aggregates are also up-and-coming. Eventually, because of the heterogeneity of ALS pathophysiology, biomarkers that determine which biological events are most important for an individual ALS patient are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyan Li
- Department of Neurology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
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Casado Gama H, Amorós MA, Andrade de Araújo M, Sha CM, Vieira MP, Torres RG, Souza GF, Junkes JA, Dokholyan NV, Leite Góes Gitaí D, Duzzioni M. Systematic review and meta-analysis of dysregulated microRNAs derived from liquid biopsies as biomarkers for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Noncoding RNA Res 2024; 9:523-535. [PMID: 38511059 PMCID: PMC10950706 DOI: 10.1016/j.ncrna.2024.02.006] [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: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The discovery of disease-specific biomarkers, such as microRNAs (miRNAs), holds the potential to transform the landscape of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) by facilitating timely diagnosis, monitoring treatment response, and accelerating drug discovery. Such advancement could ultimately improve the quality of life and survival rates for ALS patients. Despite more than a decade of research, no miRNA biomarker candidate has been translated into clinical practice. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to quantitatively synthesize data from original studies that analyzed miRNA expression from liquid biopsies via PCR and compared them to healthy controls. Our analysis encompasses 807 miRNA observations from 31 studies, stratified according to their source tissue. We identified consistently dysregulated miRNAs in serum (hsa-miR-3665, -4530, -4745-5p, -206); blood (hsa-miR-338-3p, -183-5p); cerebrospinal fluid (hsa-miR-34a-3p); plasma (hsa-miR-206); and neural-enriched extracellular vesicles from plasma (hsa-miR-146a-5p, -151a-5p, -10b-5p, -29b-3p, and -4454). The meta-analyses provided further support for the upregulation of hsa-miR-206, hsa-miR-338-3p, hsa-miR-146a-5p and hsa-miR-151a-5p, and downregulation of hsa-miR-183-5p, hsa-miR-10b-5p, hsa-miR-29b-3p, and hsa-miR-4454 as consistent indicators of ALS across independent studies. Our findings provide valuable insights into the current understanding of miRNAs' dysregulated expression in ALS patients and on the researchers' choices of methodology. This work contributes to the ongoing efforts towards discovering disease-specific biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hemerson Casado Gama
- Laboratory of Pharmacological Innovation, Institute of Biological Sciences and Health, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Alagoas -AL, 57072-900, Brazil
| | - Mariana A. Amorós
- Laboratory of Pharmacological Innovation, Institute of Biological Sciences and Health, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Alagoas -AL, 57072-900, Brazil
| | - Mykaella Andrade de Araújo
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences and Health, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Alagoas -AL, 57072-900, Brazil
| | - Congzhou M. Sha
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033, United States
| | - Mirella P.S. Vieira
- Laboratory of Pharmacological Innovation, Institute of Biological Sciences and Health, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Alagoas -AL, 57072-900, Brazil
| | - Rayssa G.D. Torres
- Laboratory of Pharmacological Innovation, Institute of Biological Sciences and Health, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Alagoas -AL, 57072-900, Brazil
| | - Gabriela F. Souza
- Laboratory of Pharmacological Innovation, Institute of Biological Sciences and Health, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Alagoas -AL, 57072-900, Brazil
| | - Janaína A. Junkes
- Postgraduate Program in Society, Technologies and Public Policies, Tiradentes University Centre, AL, 57038-000, Brazil
| | - Nikolay V. Dokholyan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033, United States
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033, United States
| | - Daniel Leite Góes Gitaí
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences and Health, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Alagoas -AL, 57072-900, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Duzzioni
- Laboratory of Pharmacological Innovation, Institute of Biological Sciences and Health, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Alagoas -AL, 57072-900, Brazil
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Azam HMH, Rößling RI, Geithe C, Khan MM, Dinter F, Hanack K, Prüß H, Husse B, Roggenbuck D, Schierack P, Rödiger S. MicroRNA biomarkers as next-generation diagnostic tools for neurodegenerative diseases: a comprehensive review. Front Mol Neurosci 2024; 17:1386735. [PMID: 38883980 PMCID: PMC11177777 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2024.1386735] [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: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) are characterized by abnormalities within neurons of the brain or spinal cord that gradually lose function, eventually leading to cell death. Upon examination of affected tissue, pathological changes reveal a loss of synapses, misfolded proteins, and activation of immune cells-all indicative of disease progression-before severe clinical symptoms become apparent. Early detection of NDs is crucial for potentially administering targeted medications that may delay disease advancement. Given their complex pathophysiological features and diverse clinical symptoms, there is a pressing need for sensitive and effective diagnostic methods for NDs. Biomarkers such as microRNAs (miRNAs) have been identified as potential tools for detecting these diseases. We explore the pivotal role of miRNAs in the context of NDs, focusing on Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Multiple sclerosis, Huntington's disease, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. The review delves into the intricate relationship between aging and NDs, highlighting structural and functional alterations in the aging brain and their implications for disease development. It elucidates how miRNAs and RNA-binding proteins are implicated in the pathogenesis of NDs and underscores the importance of investigating their expression and function in aging. Significantly, miRNAs exert substantial influence on post-translational modifications (PTMs), impacting not just the nervous system but a wide array of tissues and cell types as well. Specific miRNAs have been found to target proteins involved in ubiquitination or de-ubiquitination processes, which play a significant role in regulating protein function and stability. We discuss the link between miRNA, PTM, and NDs. Additionally, the review discusses the significance of miRNAs as biomarkers for early disease detection, offering insights into diagnostic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hafiz Muhammad Husnain Azam
- Institute of Biotechnology, Faculty of Environment and Natural Sciences, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, Senftenberg, Germany
| | - Rosa Ilse Rößling
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Berlin, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christiane Geithe
- Institute of Biotechnology, Faculty of Environment and Natural Sciences, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, Senftenberg, Germany
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Joint Faculty of the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus - Senftenberg, The Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane and the University of Potsdam, Berlin, Germany
| | - Muhammad Moman Khan
- Institute of Biotechnology, Faculty of Environment and Natural Sciences, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, Senftenberg, Germany
| | - Franziska Dinter
- Institute of Biotechnology, Faculty of Environment and Natural Sciences, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, Senftenberg, Germany
- PolyAn GmbH, Berlin, Germany
| | - Katja Hanack
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Harald Prüß
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Berlin, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Britta Husse
- Institute of Biotechnology, Faculty of Environment and Natural Sciences, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, Senftenberg, Germany
| | - Dirk Roggenbuck
- Institute of Biotechnology, Faculty of Environment and Natural Sciences, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, Senftenberg, Germany
| | - Peter Schierack
- Institute of Biotechnology, Faculty of Environment and Natural Sciences, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, Senftenberg, Germany
| | - Stefan Rödiger
- Institute of Biotechnology, Faculty of Environment and Natural Sciences, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, Senftenberg, Germany
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Joint Faculty of the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus - Senftenberg, The Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane and the University of Potsdam, Berlin, Germany
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Wang H, Guan L, Ma X, Wang Y, Wang J, Zhang P, Deng M. Whole-Genome Sequencing Identified a Novel Mutation in the N-Terminal Domain of KIF5A in Chinese Patients with Familial Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:680. [PMID: 38927616 PMCID: PMC11203265 DOI: 10.3390/genes15060680] [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: 04/13/2024] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive damage to both upper and lower motor neurons. Genetic factors are known to play a crucial role in ALS, as genetic studies not only advance our comprehension of disease mechanisms but also help unravel the complex phenotypes exhibited by patients. To gain further insights into the genetic landscape of ALS in the Chinese population and explore genotype-phenotype correlations among individuals, we conducted whole-genome sequencing to screen genes in 34 Chinese familial ALS (FALS) probands lacking the most common ALS-associated genes. Within this cohort, we identified a rare heterozygous missense mutation in the N-terminal domain of KIF5A (c.86A>G) in one of the probands. This finding is significant as mutations in the KIF5A gene have been implicated in ALS in European cohorts since 2018, predominantly characterized by C-terminal mutations. Analysis of the clinical phenotype within this familial lineage revealed a delayed onset of symptoms, an extended survival duration, and initial manifestations in both upper limbs. These observations underscore the clinical heterogeneity observed in ALS patients harboring KIF5A mutations. In conclusion, our study contributes to the growing body of evidence linking KIF5A to ALS and enhances our understanding of the intricate genetic landscape of this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Wang
- Institute of Medical Innovation and Research, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China (J.W.)
| | - Liping Guan
- Laboratory of Genomics and Molecular Biomedicine, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 1550 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Xiaojuan Ma
- Institute of Medical Innovation and Research, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China (J.W.)
| | - Yiying Wang
- Institute of Medical Innovation and Research, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China (J.W.)
| | - Jinhao Wang
- Institute of Medical Innovation and Research, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China (J.W.)
| | - Peipei Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Min Deng
- Institute of Medical Innovation and Research, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China (J.W.)
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Shukla H, John D, Banerjee S, Tiwari AK. Drug repurposing for neurodegenerative diseases. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2024; 207:249-319. [PMID: 38942541 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2024.03.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/30/2024]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) are neuronal problems that include the brain and spinal cord and result in loss of sensory and motor dysfunction. Common NDDs include Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), Multiple Sclerosis (MS), and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) etc. The occurrence of these diseases increases with age and is one of the challenging problems among elderly people. Though, several scientific research has demonstrated the key pathologies associated with NDDs still the underlying mechanisms and molecular details are not well understood and need to be explored and this poses a lack of effective treatments for NDDs. Several lines of evidence have shown that NDDs have a high prevalence and affect more than a billion individuals globally but still, researchers need to work forward in identifying the best therapeutic target for NDDs. Thus, several researchers are working in the directions to find potential therapeutic targets to alter the disease pathology and treat the diseases. Several steps have been taken to identify the early detection of the disease and drug repurposing for effective treatment of NDDs. Moreover, it is logical that current medications are being evaluated for their efficacy in treating such disorders; therefore, drug repurposing would be an efficient, safe, and cost-effective way in finding out better medication. In the current manuscript we discussed the utilization of drugs that have been repurposed for the treatment of AD, PD, HD, MS, and ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Halak Shukla
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Institute of Advanced Research (IAR), Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India
| | - Diana John
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Institute of Advanced Research (IAR), Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India
| | - Shuvomoy Banerjee
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Institute of Advanced Research (IAR), Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India
| | - Anand Krishna Tiwari
- Genetics and Developmental Biology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Institute of Advanced Research (IAR), Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India.
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Van Es MA. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; clinical features, differential diagnosis and pathology. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2024; 176:1-47. [PMID: 38802173 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2024.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a late-onset syndrome characterized by the progressive degeneration of both upper motor neurons (UMN) and lower motor neurons (LMN). ALS forms a clinical continuum with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), in which there are progressive language deficits or behavioral changes. The genetics and pathology underlying both ALS and FTD overlap as well, with cytoplasmatic misvocalization of TDP-43 as the hallmark. ALS is diagnosed by exclusion. Over the years several diagnostic criteria have been proposed, which in essence all require a history of slowly progressive motor symptoms, with UMN and LMN signs on neurological examination, clear spread of symptoms through the body, the exclusion of other disorder that cause similar symptoms and an EMG that it is compatible with LMN loss. ALS is heterogeneous disorder that may present in multitude ways, which makes the diagnosis challenging. Therefore, a systematic approach in the diagnostic process is required in line with the most common presentations. Subsequently, assessing whether there are cognitive and/or behavioral changes within the spectrum of FTD and lastly determining the cause is genetic. This chapter, an outline on how to navigate this 3 step process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A Van Es
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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Arnold FJ, Putka AF, Raychaudhuri U, Hsu S, Bedlack RS, Bennett CL, La Spada AR. Revisiting Glutamate Excitotoxicity in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Age-Related Neurodegeneration. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5587. [PMID: 38891774 PMCID: PMC11171854 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115587] [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: 04/30/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common motor neuron disorder. While there are five FDA-approved drugs for treating this disease, each has only modest benefits. To design new and more effective therapies for ALS, particularly for sporadic ALS of unknown and diverse etiologies, we must identify key, convergent mechanisms of disease pathogenesis. This review focuses on the origin and effects of glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity in ALS (the cortical hyperexcitability hypothesis), in which increased glutamatergic signaling causes motor neurons to become hyperexcitable and eventually die. We characterize both primary and secondary contributions to excitotoxicity, referring to processes taking place at the synapse and within the cell, respectively. 'Primary pathways' include upregulation of calcium-permeable AMPA receptors, dysfunction of the EAAT2 astrocytic glutamate transporter, increased release of glutamate from the presynaptic terminal, and reduced inhibition by cortical interneurons-all of which have been observed in ALS patients and model systems. 'Secondary pathways' include changes to mitochondrial morphology and function, increased production of reactive oxygen species, and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. By identifying key targets in the excitotoxicity cascade, we emphasize the importance of this pathway in the pathogenesis of ALS and suggest that intervening in this pathway could be effective for developing therapies for this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederick J. Arnold
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
- Department of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA; (A.F.P.)
| | - Alexandra F. Putka
- Department of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA; (A.F.P.)
| | - Urmimala Raychaudhuri
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
| | - Solomon Hsu
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
| | - Richard S. Bedlack
- Department of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA; (A.F.P.)
| | - Craig L. Bennett
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
| | - Albert R. La Spada
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
- Department of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA; (A.F.P.)
- Department of Neurology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
- UCI Center for Neurotherapeutics, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
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Tokuda E, Sakashita Y, Tokoro N, Date A, Kosuge Y, Miyasaka T. MS785-MS27 Reactive Misfolded/Non-Native Zn-Deficient SOD1 Species Exhibit Cytotoxicity and Adopt Heterozygous Conformations in Motor Neurons. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5603. [PMID: 38891791 PMCID: PMC11171496 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115603] [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: 04/04/2024] [Revised: 05/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Misfolding of superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1) is a pathological hallmark of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) with SOD1 mutations. The development of antibodies specific for misfolded SOD1 deepens our understanding of how the protein participates in ALS pathogenesis. Since the term "misfolding" refers to various disordered conformers other than the natively folded one, which misfolded species are recognized by specific antibodies should be determined. Here, we molecularly characterized the recognition by MS785-MS27, an antibody cocktail experimentally confirmed to recognize over 100 ALS-linked SOD1 mutants. Indirect ELISA revealed that the antibody cocktail recognized Zn-deficient wild-type and mutated SOD1 species. It also recognized conformation-disordered wild-type and mutated SOD1 species, such as unfolded and oligomeric forms, but had less affinity for the aggregated form. Antibody-reactive SOD1 exhibited cytotoxicity to a motor neuron cell model, which was blocked by Zn treatment with Zn-deficient SOD1. Immunohistochemistry revealed antibody-reactive SOD1 mainly in spinal motor neurons of SOD1G93A mice throughout the disease course, and the distribution after symptomatic stages differed from that of other misfolded SOD1 species. This suggests that misfolded/non-native SOD1 species exist as heterogeneous populations. In conclusion, MS785-MS27 recognizes various conformation-disordered SOD1 species lacking the Zn ion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eiichi Tokuda
- Laboratory of Clinical Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Nihon University, 7-7-1 Narashinodai, Funabashi 274-8555, Chiba, Japan
| | - Yume Sakashita
- Laboratory of Clinical Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Nihon University, 7-7-1 Narashinodai, Funabashi 274-8555, Chiba, Japan
| | - Naoya Tokoro
- Laboratory of Clinical Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Nihon University, 7-7-1 Narashinodai, Funabashi 274-8555, Chiba, Japan
| | - Ayano Date
- Laboratory of Clinical Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Nihon University, 7-7-1 Narashinodai, Funabashi 274-8555, Chiba, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Kosuge
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nihon University, 7-7-1 Narashinodai, Funabashi 274-8555, Chiba, Japan;
| | - Tomohiro Miyasaka
- Laboratory of Physiology and Anatomy, School of Pharmacy, Nihon University, 7-7-1 Narashinodai, Funabashi 274-8555, Chiba, Japan;
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45
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Pandya VA, Patani R. The role of glial cells in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2024; 176:381-450. [PMID: 38802179 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2024.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has traditionally been considered a neuron-centric disease. This view is now outdated, with increasing recognition of cell autonomous and non-cell autonomous contributions of central and peripheral nervous system glia to ALS pathomechanisms. With glial research rapidly accelerating, we comprehensively interrogate the roles of astrocytes, microglia, oligodendrocytes, ependymal cells, Schwann cells and satellite glia in nervous system physiology and ALS-associated pathology. Moreover, we highlight the inter-glial, glial-neuronal and inter-system polylogue which constitutes the healthy nervous system and destabilises in disease. We also propose classification based on function for complex glial reactive phenotypes and discuss the pre-requisite for integrative modelling to advance translation. Given the paucity of life-enhancing therapies currently available for ALS patients, we discuss the promising potential of harnessing glia in driving ALS therapeutic discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virenkumar A Pandya
- University College London Medical School, London, United Kingdom; The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Rickie Patani
- The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom; Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, University College London Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, United Kingdom.
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Alkhazaali-Ali Z, Sahab-Negah S, Boroumand AR, Farkhad NK, Khodadoust MA, Tavakol-Afshari J. Evaluation of the Safety and Efficacy of Repeated Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantations in ALS Patients by Investigating Patients' Specific Immunological and Biochemical Biomarkers. Diseases 2024; 12:99. [PMID: 38785754 PMCID: PMC11120501 DOI: 10.3390/diseases12050099] [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: 03/22/2024] [Revised: 05/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an incurable disease. There are vigorous attempts to develop treatments to reduce the effects of this disease, and among these treatments is the transplantation of stem cells. This study aimed to retrospectively evaluate a mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy cohort as a promising novel treatment modality by estimating some additional new parameters, such as immunological and biochemical factors. METHODS This study was designed as an open-label, one-arm cohort retrospective study to evaluate potential diagnostic biomarkers of repeated infusions of autologous-bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) in 15 confirmed patients with ALS, administered at a dose of 1 × 106 cells/kg BW with a one-month interval, in equal amounts in both an intravenous (IV) and intrathecal (IT) capacity simultaneously, via various biochemical (iron (Fe), ferritin, total-iron-binding capacity (TIBC), transferrin, and creatine kinase (CK)) and immunological parameters (tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), neurofilament light chain (NFL), and glial-cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) levels, evaluated during the three-month follow-up period in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). RESULTS Our study indicated that, in the case of immunological biomarkers, TNF-α levels in the CSF showed a significant decrease at month three after transplantation compared with levels at month zero, and the p-value was p < 0.01. No statistically significant changes were observed for other immunological as well as biochemical parameters and a p-value of p > 0.05. CONCLUSIONS These results can indicate the potential benefit of stem cell transfusion in patients with ALS and suggest some diagnostic biomarkers. Several studies are required to approve these results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahraa Alkhazaali-Ali
- Department of Immunology, Immunology Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 9177948959, Iran; (Z.A.-A.); (N.K.F.); (M.A.K.)
- Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 9177948959, Iran
| | - Sajad Sahab-Negah
- Neuroscience Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 9177948959, Iran; (S.S.-N.); (A.R.B.)
- Shefa Neuroscience Research Center, Khatam Alanbia Hospital, Tehran 1708310, Iran
| | - Amir Reza Boroumand
- Neuroscience Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 9177948959, Iran; (S.S.-N.); (A.R.B.)
| | - Najmeh Kaffash Farkhad
- Department of Immunology, Immunology Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 9177948959, Iran; (Z.A.-A.); (N.K.F.); (M.A.K.)
| | - Mohammad Ali Khodadoust
- Department of Immunology, Immunology Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 9177948959, Iran; (Z.A.-A.); (N.K.F.); (M.A.K.)
| | - Jalil Tavakol-Afshari
- Department of Immunology, Immunology Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 9177948959, Iran; (Z.A.-A.); (N.K.F.); (M.A.K.)
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Xin J, Huang S, Wen J, Li Y, Li A, Satyanarayanan SK, Yao X, Su H. Drug Screening and Validation Targeting TDP-43 Proteinopathy for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Aging Dis 2024:AD.2024.0440. [PMID: 38739934 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2024.0440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) stands as a rare, yet severely debilitating disorder marked by the deterioration of motor neurons (MNs) within the brain and spinal cord, which is accompanied by degenerated corticobulbar/corticospinal tracts and denervation in skeletal muscles. Despite ongoing research efforts, ALS remains incurable, attributed to its intricate pathogenic mechanisms. A notable feature in the pathology of ALS is the prevalence of TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) proteinopathy, detected in approximately 97% of ALS cases, underscoring its significance in the disease's progression. As a result, strategies targeting the aberrant TDP-43 protein have garnered attention as a potential avenue for ALS therapy. This review delves into the existing drug screening systems aimed at TDP-43 proteinopathy and the models employed for drug efficacy validation. It also explores the hurdles encountered in the quest to develop potent medications against TDP-43 proteinopathy, offering insights into the intricacies of drug discovery and development for ALS. Through this comprehensive analysis, the review sheds light on the critical aspects of identifying and advancing therapeutic solutions for ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaqi Xin
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China
| | - Sen Huang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Major Neurological Diseases; National Key Clinical Department and Key Discipline of Neurology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jing Wen
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China
| | - Yunhao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China
| | - Ang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China
| | - Senthil Kumaran Satyanarayanan
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Health, Hong Kong Institute of Science & Innovation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xiaoli Yao
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Major Neurological Diseases; National Key Clinical Department and Key Discipline of Neurology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huanxing Su
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China
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Pribac M, Motataianu A, Andone S, Mardale E, Nemeth S. Bridging the Gap: Harnessing Plant Bioactive Molecules to Target Gut Microbiome Dysfunctions in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2024; 46:4471-4488. [PMID: 38785539 PMCID: PMC11120375 DOI: 10.3390/cimb46050271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The correlation between neurodegenerative diseases and the gut microbiome is increasingly evident, with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) being particularly notable for its severity and lack of therapeutic options. The gut microbiota, implicated in the pathogenesis and development of ALS, plays a crucial role in the disease. Bioactive plant molecules, specifically volatile compounds in essential oils, offer a promising therapeutic avenue due to their anti-inflammatory properties and gut-modulating effects. Our narrative review aimed to identify microbiota-associated bacteria in ALS and analyze the benefits of administering bioactive plant molecules as much-needed therapeutic options in the management of this disease. A comprehensive search of PubMed database articles published before December 2023, encompassing research on cell, human, and animal ALS models, was conducted. After selecting, analyzing, and discussing key articles, bacteria linked to ALS pathogenesis and physiopathology were identified. Notably, positively highlighted bacteria included Akkermansia muciniphila (Verrucomicrobia phylum), Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, and Butyrivibrio spp. (Firmicutes phylum). Conversely, members of the Escherichia coli spp. (Proteobacteria phylum) and Ruminococcus spp. (Firmicutes phylum) stood out negatively in respect to ALS development. These bacteria were associated with molecular changes linked to ALS pathogenesis and evolution. Bioactive plant molecules can be directly associated with improvements in the microbiome, due to their role in reducing inflammation and oxidative stress, emerging as one of the most promising natural agents for enriching present-day ALS treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirela Pribac
- Doctoral School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Oradea, 410087 Oradea, Romania
| | - Anca Motataianu
- Ist Neurology Clinic, Mures County Clinical Emergency Hospital, 540136 Targu Mures, Romania
- Department of Neurology, University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology, 540142 Targu Mures, Romania
| | - Sebastian Andone
- Ist Neurology Clinic, Mures County Clinical Emergency Hospital, 540136 Targu Mures, Romania
- Department of Neurology, University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology, 540142 Targu Mures, Romania
| | | | - Sebastian Nemeth
- Doctoral School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Oradea, 410087 Oradea, Romania
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Moțățăianu A, Mănescu IB, Șerban G, Bărcuțean L, Ion V, Bălașa R, Andone S. Exploring the Role of Metabolic Hormones in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5059. [PMID: 38791099 PMCID: PMC11121721 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105059] [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: 03/26/2024] [Revised: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive loss of motor neurons. Emerging evidence suggests a potential link between metabolic dysregulation and ALS pathogenesis. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between metabolic hormones and disease progression in ALS patients. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 44 ALS patients recruited from a tertiary care center. Serum levels of insulin, total amylin, C-peptide, active ghrelin, GIP (gastric inhibitory peptide), GLP-1 active (glucagon-like peptide-1), glucagon, PYY (peptide YY), PP (pancreatic polypeptide), leptin, interleukin-6, MCP-1 (monocyte chemoattractant protein-1), and TNFα (tumor necrosis factor alpha) were measured, and correlations with ALSFRS-R, evolution scores, and biomarkers were analyzed using Spearman correlation coefficients. Subgroup analyses based on ALS subtypes, progression pattern of disease, and disease progression rate patterns were performed. Significant correlations were observed between metabolic hormones and ALS evolution scores. Insulin and amylin exhibited strong correlations with disease progression and clinical functional outcomes, with insulin showing particularly robust associations. Other hormones such as C-peptide, leptin, and GLP-1 also showed correlations with ALS progression and functional status. Subgroup analyses revealed differences in hormone levels based on sex and disease evolution patterns, with male patients showing higher amylin and glucagon levels. ALS patients with slower disease progression exhibited elevated levels of amylin and insulin. Our findings suggest a potential role for metabolic hormones in modulating ALS progression and functional outcomes. Further research is needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and explore the therapeutic implications of targeting metabolic pathways in ALS management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anca Moțățăianu
- Department of Neurology, University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Târgu Mureș ‘George Emil Palade’, 540142 Târgu Mureș, Romania
- 1st Neurology Clinic, Mures County Clinical Emergency Hospital, 540136 Târgu Mureș, Romania
| | - Ion Bogdan Mănescu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Târgu Mureș ‘George Emil Palade’, 540142 Târgu Mureș, Romania
| | - Georgiana Șerban
- Doctoral School, University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Târgu Mureș ‘George Emil Palade’, 540142 Târgu Mureș, Romania
| | - Laura Bărcuțean
- Department of Neurology, University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Târgu Mureș ‘George Emil Palade’, 540142 Târgu Mureș, Romania
- 1st Neurology Clinic, Mures County Clinical Emergency Hospital, 540136 Târgu Mureș, Romania
| | - Valentin Ion
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Analytical Chemistry and Drug Analysis, University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Târgu Mureș ‘George Emil Palade’, 540142 Târgu Mureș, Romania
- Drug Testing Laboratory, University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Târgu Mureș ‘George Emil Palade’, 540142 Târgu Mureș, Romania
| | - Rodica Bălașa
- Department of Neurology, University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Târgu Mureș ‘George Emil Palade’, 540142 Târgu Mureș, Romania
- 1st Neurology Clinic, Mures County Clinical Emergency Hospital, 540136 Târgu Mureș, Romania
| | - Sebastian Andone
- Department of Neurology, University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Târgu Mureș ‘George Emil Palade’, 540142 Târgu Mureș, Romania
- 1st Neurology Clinic, Mures County Clinical Emergency Hospital, 540136 Târgu Mureș, Romania
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Oliveira NAS, Pinho BR, Pinto J, Guedes de Pinho P, Oliveira JMA. Edaravone counteracts redox and metabolic disruptions in an emerging zebrafish model of sporadic ALS. Free Radic Biol Med 2024; 217:126-140. [PMID: 38531462 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2024.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease in which the death of motor neurons leads to loss of muscle function. Additionally, cognitive and circadian disruptions are common in ALS patients, contributing to disease progression and burden. Most ALS cases are sporadic, and environmental exposures contribute to their aetiology. However, animal models of these sporadic ALS cases are scarce. The small vertebrate zebrafish is a leading organism to model neurodegenerative diseases; previous studies have proposed bisphenol A (BPA) or β-methylamino-l-alanine (BMAA) exposure to model sporadic ALS in zebrafish, damaging motor neurons and altering motor responses. Here we characterise the face and predictive validity of sporadic ALS models, showing their potential for the mechanistic study of ALS drugs. We phenotypically characterise the BPA and BMAA-induced models, going beyond motor activity and motor axon morphology, to include circadian, redox, proteostasis, and metabolomic phenotypes, and assessing their predictive validity for ALS modelling. BPA or BMAA exposure induced concentration-dependent activity impairments. Also, exposure to BPA but not BMAA induced motor axonopathy and circadian alterations in zebrafish larvae. Our further study of the BPA model revealed loss of habituation to repetitive startles, increased oxidative damage, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and metabolome abnormalities. The BPA-induced model shows predictive validity, since the approved ALS drug edaravone counteracted BPA-induced motor phenotypes, ER stress, and metabolic disruptions. Overall, BPA exposure is a promising model of ALS-related redox and ER imbalances, contributing to fulfil an unmet need for validated sporadic ALS models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuno A S Oliveira
- Associate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, University of Porto, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal; UCIBIO - Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Mitochondria and Neurobiology Lab, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal
| | - Brígida R Pinho
- Associate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, University of Porto, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal; UCIBIO - Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Mitochondria and Neurobiology Lab, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal
| | - Joana Pinto
- Associate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, University of Porto, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal; UCIBIO - Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Faculty of Pharmacy, Laboratory of Toxicology, University of Porto, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal
| | - Paula Guedes de Pinho
- Associate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, University of Porto, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal; UCIBIO - Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Faculty of Pharmacy, Laboratory of Toxicology, University of Porto, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal
| | - Jorge M A Oliveira
- Associate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, University of Porto, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal; UCIBIO - Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Mitochondria and Neurobiology Lab, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal.
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