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Eltanameli B, Piñeiro-Llanes J, Cristofoletti R. Recent advances in cell-based in vitro models for predicting drug permeability across brain, intestinal, and pulmonary barriers. Expert Opin Drug Metab Toxicol 2024:1-20. [PMID: 38850058 DOI: 10.1080/17425255.2024.2366390] [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: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Recent years have witnessed remarkable progress in the development of cell-based in vitro models aimed at predicting drug permeability, particularly focusing on replicating the barrier properties of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), intestinal epithelium, and lung epithelium. AREA COVERED This review provides an overview of 2D in vitro platforms, including monocultures and co-culture systems, highlighting their respective advantages and limitations. Additionally, it discusses tools and techniques utilized to overcome these limitations, paving the way for more accurate predictions of drug permeability. Furthermore, this review delves into emerging technologies, particularly microphysiological systems (MPS), encompassing static platforms such as organoids and dynamic platforms like microfluidic devices. Literature searches were performed using PubMed and Google Scholar. We focus on key terms such as in vitro permeability models, MPS, organoids, intestine, BBB, and lungs. EXPERT OPINION The potential of these MPS to mimic physiological conditions more closely offers promising avenues for drug permeability assessment. However, transitioning these advanced models from bench to industry requires rigorous validation against regulatory standards. Thus, there is a pressing need to validate MPS to industry and regulatory agency standards to exploit their potential in drug permeability prediction fully. This review underscores the importance of such validation processes to facilitate the translation of these innovative technologies into routine pharmaceutical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bassma Eltanameli
- Center for Pharmacometrics & Systems Pharmacology, Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Janny Piñeiro-Llanes
- Center for Pharmacometrics & Systems Pharmacology, Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Rodrigo Cristofoletti
- Center for Pharmacometrics & Systems Pharmacology, Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
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Caldarelli M, Rio P, Marrone A, Ocarino F, Chiantore M, Candelli M, Gasbarrini A, Gambassi G, Cianci R. Gut-Brain Axis: Focus on Sex Differences in Neuroinflammation. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5377. [PMID: 38791415 PMCID: PMC11120930 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105377] [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: 03/30/2024] [Revised: 05/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the concept of the "gut-brain axis". In addition to well-studied diseases associated with an imbalance in gut microbiota, such as cancer, chronic inflammation, and cardiovascular diseases, research is now exploring the potential role of gut microbial dysbiosis in the onset and development of brain-related diseases. When the function of the intestinal barrier is altered by dysbiosis, the aberrant immune system response interacts with the nervous system, leading to a state of "neuroinflammation". The gut microbiota-brain axis is mediated by inflammatory and immunological mechanisms, neurotransmitters, and neuroendocrine pathways. This narrative review aims to illustrate the molecular basis of neuroinflammation and elaborate on the concept of the gut-brain axis by virtue of analyzing the various metabolites produced by the gut microbiome and how they might impact the nervous system. Additionally, the current review will highlight how sex influences these molecular mechanisms. In fact, sex hormones impact the brain-gut microbiota axis at different levels, such as the central nervous system, the enteric nervous one, and enteroendocrine cells. A deeper understanding of the gut-brain axis in human health and disease is crucial to guide diagnoses, treatments, and preventive interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Caldarelli
- Department of Translational Medicine and Surgery, Catholic University of Rome, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Pierluigi Rio
- Department of Translational Medicine and Surgery, Catholic University of Rome, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Marrone
- Department of Translational Medicine and Surgery, Catholic University of Rome, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Ocarino
- Department of Translational Medicine and Surgery, Catholic University of Rome, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Monica Chiantore
- Department of Translational Medicine and Surgery, Catholic University of Rome, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Marcello Candelli
- Department of Emergency, Anesthesiological and Reanimation Sciences, Catholic University of Rome, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Gasbarrini
- Department of Translational Medicine and Surgery, Catholic University of Rome, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanni Gambassi
- Department of Translational Medicine and Surgery, Catholic University of Rome, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Rossella Cianci
- Department of Translational Medicine and Surgery, Catholic University of Rome, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
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French S, Arias J, Bolakale-Rufai I, Zahra S, Rubab Khakwani KZ, Bedrick EJ, Serrano GE, Beach TG, Reiman E, Weinkauf C. Serum detection of blood brain barrier injury in subjects with a history of stroke and transient ischemic attack. JVS Vasc Sci 2024; 5:100206. [PMID: 38873494 PMCID: PMC11170223 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvssci.2024.100206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective Stroke and transient ischemic attack may have long-term negative effects on the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and promote endothelial inflammation, both of which could increase neurodegeneration and dementia risk beyond the cell death associated with the index event. Methods Serum from 88 postmortem subjects in the Arizona Study of Aging and Neurodegenerative Disorders were analyzed by sandwich ELISA for specific biomarkers to investigate the effects of cerebrovascular accidents (CVAs) on BBB integrity and endothelial activation. Statistical analyses were performed using the Mann-Whitney U Test, Spearman rank correlation, and linear/logistic regressions adjusted for potential confounders; a P-value < .05 was considered significant for all analyses. Results Serum PDGFRẞ, a putative biomarker of BBB injury, was significantly increased in subjects with vs without a history of CVA who had similar cardiovascular risk factors (P < .01). This difference was stable after adjusting for age, hypertension, and other potential confounders in regression analysis (odds ratio, 27.02; 95% confidence interval, 2.61-411.7; P < .01). In addition, PDGFRẞ was positively associated with VCAM-1, a biomarker of endothelial inflammation (ρ = 0.42; P < .01). Conclusions Our data suggest that patients with stroke or transient ischemic attack have lasting changes in the BBB. Still more, this demonstrates the utility of PDGFRẞ as a serum-based biomarker of BBB physiology, a potentially powerful tool in studying the role of the BBB in various neurodegenerative diseases and COVID infection sequelae. Clinical Relevance Our data demonstrate the utility of serum PDGFRẞ, a putative biomarker of BBB integrity in the setting of stroke and TIA (CVA). A serum biomarker of BBB integrity could be a useful tool to detect early BBB damage and allow prospective work to study how such damage affects long-term neurodegenerative risk. Since BBB disruption occurs early in ADRD development, it could be monitored to help better understand disease progression and involvement of vascular pathways in ADRD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott French
- The Division of Vascular Surgery, University of Arizona, and Sarver Heart Center, Tucson, AZ
| | - Juan Arias
- The Division of Vascular Surgery, University of Arizona, and Sarver Heart Center, Tucson, AZ
| | | | - Summan Zahra
- The Division of Vascular Surgery, University of Arizona, and Sarver Heart Center, Tucson, AZ
| | | | - Edward J. Bedrick
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Arizona College of Public Health, Tucson, AZ
| | | | | | - Eric Reiman
- Banner Alzheimer's Institute, University of Arizona, Arizona State University, Translational Genomics Research Institute, and Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium, Phoenix, AZ
| | - Craig Weinkauf
- The Division of Vascular Surgery, University of Arizona, and Sarver Heart Center, Tucson, AZ
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Zapata-Acevedo JF, Mantilla-Galindo A, Vargas-Sánchez K, González-Reyes RE. Blood-brain barrier biomarkers. Adv Clin Chem 2024; 121:1-88. [PMID: 38797540 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acc.2024.04.004] [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: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a dynamic interface that regulates the exchange of molecules and cells between the brain parenchyma and the peripheral blood. The BBB is mainly composed of endothelial cells, astrocytes and pericytes. The integrity of this structure is essential for maintaining brain and spinal cord homeostasis and protection from injury or disease. However, in various neurological disorders, such as traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer's disease, and multiple sclerosis, the BBB can become compromised thus allowing passage of molecules and cells in and out of the central nervous system parenchyma. These agents, however, can serve as biomarkers of BBB permeability and neuronal damage, and provide valuable information for diagnosis, prognosis and treatment. Herein, we provide an overview of the BBB and changes due to aging, and summarize current knowledge on biomarkers of BBB disruption and neurodegeneration, including permeability, cellular, molecular and imaging biomarkers. We also discuss the challenges and opportunities for developing a biomarker toolkit that can reliably assess the BBB in physiologic and pathophysiologic states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan F Zapata-Acevedo
- Grupo de Investigación en Neurociencias, Centro de Neurociencia Neurovitae-UR, Instituto de Medicina Traslacional, Escuela de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Alejandra Mantilla-Galindo
- Grupo de Investigación en Neurociencias, Centro de Neurociencia Neurovitae-UR, Instituto de Medicina Traslacional, Escuela de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Karina Vargas-Sánchez
- Laboratorio de Neurofisiología Celular, Grupo de Neurociencia Traslacional, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Rodrigo E González-Reyes
- Grupo de Investigación en Neurociencias, Centro de Neurociencia Neurovitae-UR, Instituto de Medicina Traslacional, Escuela de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia.
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Hammer M, Krzyzaniak C, Bahramnejad E, Smelser K, Hack J, Watkins J, Ronaldson P. Sex differences in physiological response to increased neuronal excitability in a knockin mouse model of pediatric epilepsy. Clin Sci (Lond) 2024; 138:205-223. [PMID: 38348743 PMCID: PMC10881277 DOI: 10.1042/cs20231572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epilepsy is a common neurological disease; however, few if any of the currently marketed antiseizure medications prevent or cure epilepsy. Discovery of pathological processes in the early stages of epileptogenesis has been challenging given the common use of preclinical models that induce seizures in physiologically normal animals. Moreover, despite known sex dimorphism in neurological diseases, females are rarely included in preclinical epilepsy models. METHODS We characterized sex differences in mice carrying a pathogenic knockin variant (p.N1768D) in the Scn8a gene that causes spontaneous tonic-clonic seizures (TCs) at ∼3 months of age and found that heterozygous females are more resilient than males in mortality and morbidity. To investigate the cellular mechanisms that underlie female resilience, we utilized blood-brain barrier (BBB) and hippocampal transcriptomic analyses in heterozygous mice before seizure onset (pre-TC) and in mice that experienced ∼20 TCs (post-TC). RESULTS In the pre-TC latent phase, both sexes exhibited leaky BBB; however, patterns of gene expression were sexually dimorphic. Females exhibited enhanced oxidative phosphorylation and protein biogenesis, while males activated gliosis and CREB signaling. After seizure onset (chronic phase), females exhibited a metabolic switch to lipid metabolism, while males exhibited increased gliosis and BBB dysfunction and a strong activation of neuroinflammatory pathways. CONCLUSION The results underscore the central role of oxidative stress and BBB permeability in the early stages of epileptogenesis, as well as sex dimorphism in response to increasing neuronal hyperexcitability. Our results also highlight the need to include both sexes in preclinical studies to effectively translate results of drug efficacy studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael F. Hammer
- BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, U.S.A
- Department of Neurology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, U.S.A
| | | | - Erfan Bahramnejad
- BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, U.S.A
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, U.S.A
| | | | - Joshua B. Hack
- BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, U.S.A
| | - Joseph C. Watkins
- Department of Mathematics, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, U.S.A
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Ricci F, Martorana A, Bonomi CG, Serafini C, Mercuri NB, Koch G, Motta C. Effect of Vascular Risk Factors on Blood-Brain Barrier and Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers Along the Alzheimer's Disease Continuum: A Retrospective Observational Study. J Alzheimers Dis 2024; 97:599-607. [PMID: 38160356 DOI: 10.3233/jad-230792] [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: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Blood-brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction could favor the pathogenesis and progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Vascular risk factors (VRF) could worsen BBB integrity, thus promoting neurode generation. OBJECTIVE To investigate BBB permeability and its relation with VRF along the AD continuum (ADc). Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Amyloid (A) and p-tau (T) levels were used to stratify patients. METHODS We compared CSF/plasma albumin ratio (QAlb) of 131 AD patients and 24 healthy controls (HC). APOE genotype and VRF were evaluated for each patient. Spearman's Rho correlation was used to investigate the associations between Qalb and CSF AD biomarkers. Multivariate regression analyses were conducted to explore the relationship between Qalb and AD biomarkers, sex, age, cognitive status, and VRF. RESULTS QAlb levels did not show significant difference between ADc patients and HC (p = 0.984). However, QAlb was significantly higher in A + T-compared to A + T+ (p = 0.021). In ADc, CSF p-tau demonstrated an inverse correlation with QAlb, a finding confirmed in APOE4 carriers (p = 0.002), but not in APOE3. Furthermore, in APOE4 carriers, sex, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia were associated with QAlb (p = 0.004, p = 0.038, p = 0.038, respectively), whereas only sex showed an association in APOE3 carriers (p = 0.026). CONCLUSIONS BBB integrity is preserved in ADc. Among AT categories, A + T-have a more permeable BBB than A + T+. In APOE4 carriers, CSF p-tau levels display an inverse association with BBB permeability, which in turn, seems to be affected by VRF. These data suggest a possible relationship between BBB efficiency, VRF and CSF p-tau levels depending on APOE genotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Ricci
- UOSD Centro Demenze, Policlinico Tor Vergata, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandro Martorana
- UOSD Centro Demenze, Policlinico Tor Vergata, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara G Bonomi
- UOSD Centro Demenze, Policlinico Tor Vergata, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Serafini
- UOSD Centro Demenze, Policlinico Tor Vergata, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy
| | - Nicola B Mercuri
- Neurology Unit, Policlinico Tor Vergata, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy
| | - Giacomo Koch
- Non Invasive Brain Stimulation Unit, IRCCS SantaLucia, Rome, Italy
- Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, Human Physiology Unit, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Caterina Motta
- UOSD Centro Demenze, Policlinico Tor Vergata, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy
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Khor SLQ, Ng KY, Koh RY, Chye SM. Blood-brain Barrier and Neurovascular Unit Dysfunction in Parkinson's Disease: From Clinical Insights to Pathogenic Mechanisms and Novel Therapeutic Approaches. CNS & NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS DRUG TARGETS 2024; 23:315-330. [PMID: 36999187 DOI: 10.2174/1871527322666230330093829] [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: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2023]
Abstract
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) plays a crucial role in the central nervous system by tightly regulating the influx and efflux of biological substances between the brain parenchyma and peripheral circulation. Its restrictive nature acts as an obstacle to protect the brain from potentially noxious substances such as blood-borne toxins, immune cells, and pathogens. Thus, the maintenance of its structural and functional integrity is vital in the preservation of neuronal function and cellular homeostasis in the brain microenvironment. However, the barrier's foundation can become compromised during neurological or pathological conditions, which can result in dysregulated ionic homeostasis, impaired transport of nutrients, and accumulation of neurotoxins that eventually lead to irreversible neuronal loss. Initially, the BBB is thought to remain intact during neurodegenerative diseases, but accumulating evidence as of late has suggested the possible association of BBB dysfunction with Parkinson's disease (PD) pathology. The neurodegeneration occurring in PD is believed to stem from a myriad of pathogenic mechanisms, including tight junction alterations, abnormal angiogenesis, and dysfunctional BBB transporter mechanism, which ultimately causes altered BBB permeability. In this review, the major elements of the neurovascular unit (NVU) comprising the BBB are discussed, along with their role in the maintenance of barrier integrity and PD pathogenesis. We also elaborated on how the neuroendocrine system can influence the regulation of BBB function and PD pathogenesis. Several novel therapeutic approaches targeting the NVU components are explored to provide a fresh outlook on treatment options for PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Lei Qi Khor
- School of Health Science, International Medical University, 57000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Khuen Yen Ng
- School of Pharmacy, Monash University, 47500, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Rhun Yian Koh
- Division of Applied Biomedical Science and Biotechnology, School of Health Science, International Medical University, 57000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Soi Moi Chye
- Division of Applied Biomedical Science and Biotechnology, School of Health Science, International Medical University, 57000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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Nieste I, Franssen WMA, Duvivier BMFM, Spaas J, Savelberg HHCM, Eijnde BO. Replacing sitting with light-intensity physical activity throughout the day versus 1 bout of vigorous-intensity exercise: similar cardiometabolic health effects in multiple sclerosis. A randomised cross-over study. Disabil Rehabil 2023; 45:3293-3302. [PMID: 36190113 DOI: 10.1080/09638288.2022.2122601] [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: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Persons with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS) are physically inactive and spend more time in sedentary behaviours than healthy persons, which increases the risk of developing cardiometabolic diseases. In this randomised crossover study, the cardiometabolic health effects of replacing sitting with light-intensity physical activity (LIPA) and exercise (EX) were investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty-eight mildly disabled PwMS performed four 4-day activity regimens in free-living conditions; CONTROL (habitual activity), SIT, LIPA, and EX. Plasma glucose and insulin (oral glucose tolerance test), plasma lipids, inflammation, resting heart rate, blood pressure, body weight, and perceived exertion were measured (clinical-trials.gov: NCT03919058). RESULTS CONTROL: 9.7 h sitting/day, SIT: 13.3 h sitting/day, LIPA: 8.3 h sitting, 4.7 h standing, and 2.7 h light-intensity walking/day, and EX: 11.6 h sitting/day with 1.3 h vigorous-intensity cycling. Compared to SIT, improvements (p < 0.001) after LIPA and EX were found for insulin total area under the curve (-17 019 ± 5708 and -23 303 ± 7953 pmol/L*min), insulin sensitivity (Matsuda index +1.8 ± 0.3 and +1.9 ± 0.4) and blood lipids (triglycerides: -0.4 ± 0.1 and -0.5 ± 0.1 mmol/L; non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol: -0.3 ± 0.1 and -0.5 ± 0.1 mmol/L), with no difference between LIPA and EX. Perceived exertion was higher after EX compared to LIPA (Borg score [6-20]: +2.6 ± 3.3, p = 0.002). CONCLUSION Replacing sitting with LIPA throughout the day exerts similar cardiometabolic health effects as a vigorous-intensity exercise in PwMS.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONIncreasing light-intensity physical activity (LIPA) throughout the day improves cardiometabolic health to the same extent as one vigorous-intensity exercise sessionIncreasing LIPA induces less exertion than performing a vigorous-intensity exercise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ine Nieste
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Sports Medicine Research Center, SMRC, BIOMED, Biomedical Research Institute, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium
- Department of Nutrition and Movement Sciences, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, NUTRIM, School for Nutrition and Translation Research Maastricht, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
- University MS Center (UMSC) Hasselt-Pelt, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Wouter M A Franssen
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Sports Medicine Research Center, SMRC, BIOMED, Biomedical Research Institute, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium
- Department of Nutrition and Movement Sciences, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, NUTRIM, School for Nutrition and Translation Research Maastricht, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, REVAL-Rehabilitation Research Center, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium
| | | | - Jan Spaas
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Sports Medicine Research Center, SMRC, BIOMED, Biomedical Research Institute, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium
- University MS Center (UMSC) Hasselt-Pelt, Hasselt, Belgium
- Department of Movement and Sports Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Hans H C M Savelberg
- Department of Nutrition and Movement Sciences, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, NUTRIM, School for Nutrition and Translation Research Maastricht, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Bert O Eijnde
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Sports Medicine Research Center, SMRC, BIOMED, Biomedical Research Institute, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium
- University MS Center (UMSC) Hasselt-Pelt, Hasselt, Belgium
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Manukjan N, Majcher D, Leenders P, Caiment F, van Herwijnen M, Smeets HJ, Suidgeest E, van der Weerd L, Vanmierlo T, Jansen JFA, Backes WH, van Oostenbrugge RJ, Staals J, Fulton D, Ahmed Z, Blankesteijn WM, Foulquier S. Hypoxic oligodendrocyte precursor cell-derived VEGFA is associated with blood-brain barrier impairment. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2023; 11:128. [PMID: 37550790 PMCID: PMC10405482 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-023-01627-5] [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: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Cerebral small vessel disease is characterised by decreased cerebral blood flow and blood-brain barrier impairments which play a key role in the development of white matter lesions. We hypothesised that cerebral hypoperfusion causes local hypoxia, affecting oligodendrocyte precursor cell-endothelial cell signalling leading to blood-brain barrier dysfunction as an early mechanism for the development of white matter lesions. Bilateral carotid artery stenosis was used as a mouse model for cerebral hypoperfusion. Pimonidazole, a hypoxic cell marker, was injected prior to humane sacrifice at day 7. Myelin content, vascular density, blood-brain barrier leakages, and hypoxic cell density were quantified. Primary mouse oligodendrocyte precursor cells were exposed to hypoxia and RNA sequencing was performed. Vegfa gene expression and protein secretion was examined in an oligodendrocyte precursor cell line exposed to hypoxia. Additionally, human blood plasma VEGFA levels were measured and correlated to blood-brain barrier permeability in normal-appearing white matter and white matter lesions of cerebral small vessel disease patients and controls. Cerebral blood flow was reduced in the stenosis mice, with an increase in hypoxic cell number and blood-brain barrier leakages in the cortical areas but no changes in myelin content or vascular density. Vegfa upregulation was identified in hypoxic oligodendrocyte precursor cells, which was mediated via Hif1α and Epas1. In humans, VEGFA plasma levels were increased in patients versus controls. VEGFA plasma levels were associated with increased blood-brain barrier permeability in normal appearing white matter of patients. Cerebral hypoperfusion mediates hypoxia induced VEGFA expression in oligodendrocyte precursor cells through Hif1α/Epas1 signalling. VEGFA could in turn increase BBB permeability. In humans, increased VEGFA plasma levels in cerebral small vessel disease patients were associated with increased blood-brain barrier permeability in the normal appearing white matter. Our results support a role of VEGFA expression in cerebral hypoperfusion as seen in cerebral small vessel disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Narek Manukjan
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
- CARIM - School for Cardiovascular Diseases, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Neuroscience and Ophthalmology, Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT UK
| | - Daria Majcher
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Peter Leenders
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Florian Caiment
- Department of Toxicogenomics, GROW–School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Marcel van Herwijnen
- Department of Toxicogenomics, GROW–School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Hubert J. Smeets
- Department of Toxicogenomics, GROW–School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
- MHeNs—School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Ernst Suidgeest
- C.J. Gorter Center for High Field MRI, Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9500, 2300 RA Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Louise van der Weerd
- C.J. Gorter Center for High Field MRI, Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9500, 2300 RA Leiden, the Netherlands
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9500, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Tim Vanmierlo
- MHeNs—School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedical Research Institute, Hasselt University, 3500 Hasselt, Belgium
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, European Graduate School of Neuroscience, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Jacobus F. A. Jansen
- MHeNs—School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center+, P.O. Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Walter H. Backes
- CARIM - School for Cardiovascular Diseases, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
- MHeNs—School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center+, P.O. Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Robert J. van Oostenbrugge
- CARIM - School for Cardiovascular Diseases, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
- MHeNs—School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Department of Neurology, Maastricht University Medical Center+, P.O. Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Julie Staals
- CARIM - School for Cardiovascular Diseases, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Department of Neurology, Maastricht University Medical Center+, P.O. Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Daniel Fulton
- Neuroscience and Ophthalmology, Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT UK
| | - Zubair Ahmed
- Neuroscience and Ophthalmology, Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT UK
- Centre for Trauma Sciences Research, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT UK
| | - W. Matthijs Blankesteijn
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
- CARIM - School for Cardiovascular Diseases, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Sébastien Foulquier
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
- CARIM - School for Cardiovascular Diseases, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
- MHeNs—School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Department of Neurology, Maastricht University Medical Center+, P.O. Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands
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10
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Polcz VE, Barrios EL, Chapin B, Price C, Nagpal R, Chakrabarty P, Casadesus G, Foster T, Moldawer L, Efron PA. Sex, sepsis and the brain: defining the role of sexual dimorphism on neurocognitive outcomes after infection. Clin Sci (Lond) 2023; 137:963-978. [PMID: 37337946 PMCID: PMC10285043 DOI: 10.1042/cs20220555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
Sexual dimorphisms exist in multiple domains, from learning and memory to neurocognitive disease, and even in the immune system. Male sex has been associated with increased susceptibility to infection, as well as increased risk of adverse outcomes. Sepsis remains a major source of morbidity and mortality globally, and over half of septic patients admitted to intensive care are believed to suffer some degree of sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE). In the short term, SAE is associated with an increased risk of in-hospital mortality, and in the long term, has the potential for significant impairment of cognition, memory, and acceleration of neurocognitive disease. Despite increasing information regarding sexual dimorphism in neurologic and immunologic systems, research into these dimorphisms in sepsis-associated encephalopathy remains critically understudied. In this narrative review, we discuss how sex has been associated with brain morphology, chemistry, and disease, sexual dimorphism in immunity, and existing research into the effects of sex on SAE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie E. Polcz
- Department of Surgery and Sepsis and Critical Illness Research Center, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, U.S.A
| | - Evan L. Barrios
- Department of Surgery and Sepsis and Critical Illness Research Center, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, U.S.A
| | - Benjamin Chapin
- Department of Neurology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, U.S.A
| | - Catherine C. Price
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida College of Public Health and Health Professions, Gainesville, Florida, U.S.A
| | - Ravinder Nagpal
- Florida State University College of Health and Human Sciences, Tallahassee, Florida, U.S.A
| | - Paramita Chakrabarty
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, U.S.A
| | - Gemma Casadesus
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, U.S.A
| | - Thomas Foster
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, U.S.A
| | - Lyle L. Moldawer
- Department of Surgery and Sepsis and Critical Illness Research Center, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, U.S.A
| | - Philip A. Efron
- Department of Surgery and Sepsis and Critical Illness Research Center, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, U.S.A
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11
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Hillmer L, Erhardt EB, Caprihan A, Adair JC, Knoefel JE, Prestopnik J, Thompson J, Hobson S, Rosenberg GA. Blood-brain barrier disruption measured by albumin index correlates with inflammatory fluid biomarkers. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 2023; 43:712-721. [PMID: 36522849 PMCID: PMC10108191 DOI: 10.1177/0271678x221146127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability can be measured by the ratio of albumin in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood and by dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCEMRI). Albumin is a large molecule measured in CSF and blood to form the albumin index (Qalb), which is a global measure of BBB permeability, while the smaller Gadolinium molecule measures regional transfer (Ktrans); few studies have directly compared them in the same patients. We used both methods as part of a study of mechanisms of white matter injury in patients with different forms of dementia. In addition, we also measured biomarkers for inflammation, including proteases, angiogenic growth factors, and cytokines, and correlated them with the BBB results. We found that there was no correlation between Qalb and Ktrans. The Qalb was associated with the matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-2, MMP-3, and MMP-10), the angiogenic factors (VEGF-C and PlGF), and the cytokines (IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α). On the other hand, Ktrans was associated with the diffusion measures, mean free water and PSMD, which indicate white matter injury. Our results show that the Qalb and Ktrans measure different aspects of BBB permeability, with albumin being a measure of inflammatory BBB opening and Ktrans indicating white matter injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Hillmer
- Center for Memory and Aging,
University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Erik B Erhardt
- Department of Mathematics and
Statistics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | | | - John C Adair
- Center for Memory and Aging,
University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Department of Neurology, University
of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Janice E Knoefel
- Center for Memory and Aging,
University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Department of Neurology, University
of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Jill Prestopnik
- Center for Memory and Aging,
University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Jeffrey Thompson
- Center for Memory and Aging,
University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Sasha Hobson
- Center for Memory and Aging,
University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Gary A Rosenberg
- Center for Memory and Aging,
University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Department of Neurology, University
of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
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12
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Tariq MB, Lee J, McCullough LD. Sex differences in the inflammatory response to stroke. Semin Immunopathol 2023; 45:295-313. [PMID: 36355204 PMCID: PMC10924671 DOI: 10.1007/s00281-022-00969-x] [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: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Ischemic stroke is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality and disproportionally affects women, in part due to their higher longevity. Older women have poorer outcomes after stroke with high rates of cognitive deficits, depression, and reduced quality of life. Post-stroke inflammatory responses are also sexually dimorphic and drive differences in infarct size and recovery. Factors that influence sex-specific immune responses can be both intrinsic and extrinsic. Differences in gonadal hormone exposure, sex chromosome compliment, and environmental/social factors can drive changes in transcriptional and metabolic profiles. In addition, how these variables interact, changes across the lifespan. After the onset of ischemic injury, necrosis and apoptosis occur, which activate microglia and other glial cells within the central nervous system, promoting the release of cytokines and chemokines and neuroinflammation. Cells involved in innate and adaptive immune responses also have dual functions after stroke as they can enhance inflammation acutely, but also contribute to suppression of the inflammatory cascade and later repair. In this review, we provide an overview of the current literature on sex-specific inflammatory responses to ischemic stroke. Understanding these differences is critical to identifying therapeutic options for both men and women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Bilal Tariq
- Memorial Hermann Hospital-Texas Medical Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 6431 Fannin St, MSB7044B, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Juneyoung Lee
- Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 6431 Fannin St, MSB7044B, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Louise D McCullough
- Memorial Hermann Hospital-Texas Medical Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
- Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 6431 Fannin St, MSB7044B, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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13
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Ocañas SR, Ansere VA, Kellogg CM, Isola JVV, Chucair-Elliott AJ, Freeman WM. Chromosomal and gonadal factors regulate microglial sex effects in the aging brain. Brain Res Bull 2023; 195:157-171. [PMID: 36804773 PMCID: PMC10810555 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2023.02.008] [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: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Biological sex contributes to phenotypic sex effects through genetic (sex chromosomal) and hormonal (gonadal) mechanisms. There are profound sex differences in the prevalence and progression of age-related brain diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases. Inflammation of neural tissue is one of the most consistent age-related phenotypes seen with healthy aging and disease. The pro-inflammatory environment of the aging brain has primarily been attributed to microglial reactivity and adoption of heterogeneous reactive states dependent upon intrinsic (i.e., sex) and extrinsic (i.e., age, disease state) factors. Here, we review sex effects in microglia across the lifespan, explore potential genetic and hormonal molecular mechanisms of microglial sex effects, and discuss currently available models and methods to study sex effects in the aging brain. Despite recent attention to this area, significant further research is needed to mechanistically understand the regulation of microglial sex effects across the lifespan, which may open new avenues for sex informed prevention and treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah R Ocañas
- Genes & Human Disease Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Department of Physiology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.
| | - Victor A Ansere
- Genes & Human Disease Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Department of Physiology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Collyn M Kellogg
- Genes & Human Disease Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Jose V V Isola
- Aging & Metabolism Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Ana J Chucair-Elliott
- Genes & Human Disease Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Willard M Freeman
- Genes & Human Disease Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
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14
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Suarez LM, Diaz-Del Cerro E, Felix J, Gonzalez-Sanchez M, Ceprian N, Guerra-Perez N, G Novelle M, Martinez de Toda I, De la Fuente M. Sex differences in neuroimmunoendocrine communication. Involvement on longevity. Mech Ageing Dev 2023; 211:111798. [PMID: 36907251 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2023.111798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2023]
Abstract
Endocrine, nervous, and immune systems work coordinately to maintain the global homeostasis of the organism. They show sex differences in their functions that, in turn, contribute to sex differences beyond reproductive function. Females display a better control of the energetic metabolism and improved neuroprotection and have more antioxidant defenses and a better inflammatory status than males, which is associated with a more robust immune response than that of males. These differences are present from the early stages of life, being more relevant in adulthood and influencing the aging trajectory in each sex and may contribute to the different life lifespan between sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luz M Suarez
- Department of Genetics, Physiology, and Microbiology (Unit of Animal Physiology), Faculty of Biology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Estefania Diaz-Del Cerro
- Department of Genetics, Physiology, and Microbiology (Unit of Animal Physiology), Faculty of Biology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain; Institute of Investigation Hospital 12 Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Judith Felix
- Department of Genetics, Physiology, and Microbiology (Unit of Animal Physiology), Faculty of Biology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain; Institute of Investigation Hospital 12 Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Monica Gonzalez-Sanchez
- Department of Genetics, Physiology, and Microbiology (Unit of Animal Physiology), Faculty of Biology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain; Institute of Investigation Hospital 12 Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Noemi Ceprian
- Department of Genetics, Physiology, and Microbiology (Unit of Animal Physiology), Faculty of Biology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain; Institute of Investigation Hospital 12 Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Natalia Guerra-Perez
- Department of Genetics, Physiology, and Microbiology (Unit of Animal Physiology), Faculty of Biology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain; Institute of Investigation Hospital 12 Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta G Novelle
- Department of Genetics, Physiology, and Microbiology (Unit of Animal Physiology), Faculty of Biology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Irene Martinez de Toda
- Department of Genetics, Physiology, and Microbiology (Unit of Animal Physiology), Faculty of Biology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain; Institute of Investigation Hospital 12 Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Monica De la Fuente
- Department of Genetics, Physiology, and Microbiology (Unit of Animal Physiology), Faculty of Biology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain; Institute of Investigation Hospital 12 Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain.
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15
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Saravanan M, Xu R, Roby O, Wang Y, Zhu S, Lu A, Du J. Tissue-Specific Sex Difference in Mouse Eye and Brain Metabolome Under Fed and Fasted States. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2023; 64:18. [PMID: 36892534 PMCID: PMC10010444 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.64.3.18] [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: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Visual physiology and various ocular diseases demonstrate sexual dimorphisms; however, how sex influences metabolism in different eye tissues remains undetermined. This study aims to address common and tissue-specific sex differences in metabolism in the retina, RPE, lens, and brain under fed and fasted conditions. Methods After ad libitum fed or being deprived of food for 18 hours, mouse eye tissues (retina, RPE/choroid, and lens), brain, and plasma were harvested for targeted metabolomics. The data were analyzed with both partial least squares-discriminant analysis and volcano plot analysis. Results Among 133 metabolites that cover major metabolic pathways, we found 9 to 45 metabolites that are sex different in different tissues under the fed state and 6 to 18 metabolites under the fasted state. Among these sex-different metabolites, 33 were changed in 2 or more tissues, and 64 were tissue specific. Pantothenic acid, hypotaurine, and 4-hydroxyproline were the top commonly changed metabolites. The lens and the retina had the most tissue-specific, sex-different metabolites enriched in the metabolism of amino acid, nucleotide, lipids, and tricarboxylic acid cycle. The lens and the brain had more similar sex-different metabolites than other ocular tissues. The female RPE and female brain were more sensitive to fasting with more decreased metabolites in amino acid metabolism, tricarboxylic acid cycles, and glycolysis. The plasma had the fewest sex-different metabolites, with very few overlapping changes with tissues. Conclusions Sex has a strong influence on eye and brain metabolism in tissue-specific and metabolic state-specific manners. Our findings may implicate the sexual dimorphisms in eye physiology and susceptibility to ocular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghashri Saravanan
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States
| | - Rong Xu
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States
| | - Olivia Roby
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States
| | - Yekai Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States
| | - Siyan Zhu
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States
| | - Amy Lu
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States
| | - Jianhai Du
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States
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16
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Cui SS, Jiang QW, Chen SD. Sex difference in biological change and mechanism of Alzheimer’s disease: from macro- to micro-landscape. Ageing Res Rev 2023; 87:101918. [PMID: 36967089 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.101918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Revised: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia and numerous studies reported a higher prevalence and incidence of AD among women. Although women have longer lifetime, longevity does not wholly explain the higher frequency and lifetime risk in women. It is important to understand sex differences in AD pathophysiology and pathogenesis, which could provide foundation for future clinical AD research. Here, we reviewed the most recent and relevant literature on sex differences in biological change of AD from macroscopical neuroimaging to microscopical pathologic change (neuronal degeneration, synaptic dysfunction, amyloid-beta and tau accumulation). We also discussed sex differences in cellular mechanisms related to AD (neuroinflammation, mitochondria dysfunction, oxygen stress, apoptosis, autophagy, blood-brain-barrier dysfunction, gut microbiome alteration, bulk and single cell/nucleus omics) and possible causes underlying these differences including sex-chromosome, sex hormone and hypothalamic-pituitary- adrenal (HPA) axis effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi-Shuang Cui
- Department of Neurology & Institute of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China; Department of Geriatrics, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Qian-Wen Jiang
- Department of Neurology & Institute of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China; Department of Geriatrics, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Sheng-Di Chen
- Department of Neurology & Institute of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China.
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17
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Boziki M, Theotokis P, Kesidou E, Karafoulidou E, Konstantinou C, Michailidou I, Bahar Y, Altintas A, Grigoriadis N. Sex, aging and immunity in multiple sclerosis and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis: An intriguing interaction. Front Neurol 2023; 13:1104552. [PMID: 36698908 PMCID: PMC9869255 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.1104552] [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: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS) with a profound neurodegenerative component early in the disease pathogenesis. Age is a factor with a well-described effect on the primary disease phenotype, namely, the relapsing-remitting vs. the primary progressive disease. Moreover, aging is a prominent factor contributing to the transition from relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) to secondary progressive disease. However, sex also seems to, at least in part, dictate disease phenotype and evolution, as evidenced in humans and in animal models of the disease. Sex-specific gene expression profiles have recently elucidated an association with differential immunological signatures in the context of experimental disease. This review aims to summarize current knowledge stemming from experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) models regarding the effects of sex, either independently or as a factor combined with aging, on disease phenotype, with relevance to the immune system and the CNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Boziki
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology and Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis Center, 2nd Neurological University Department, AHEPA General Hospital of Thessaloniki, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Paschalis Theotokis
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology and Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis Center, 2nd Neurological University Department, AHEPA General Hospital of Thessaloniki, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Evangelia Kesidou
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology and Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis Center, 2nd Neurological University Department, AHEPA General Hospital of Thessaloniki, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Eleni Karafoulidou
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology and Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis Center, 2nd Neurological University Department, AHEPA General Hospital of Thessaloniki, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Chrystalla Konstantinou
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology and Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis Center, 2nd Neurological University Department, AHEPA General Hospital of Thessaloniki, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Iliana Michailidou
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology and Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis Center, 2nd Neurological University Department, AHEPA General Hospital of Thessaloniki, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | | | - Ayse Altintas
- School of Medicine, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Nikolaos Grigoriadis
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology and Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis Center, 2nd Neurological University Department, AHEPA General Hospital of Thessaloniki, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece,*Correspondence: Nikolaos Grigoriadis ✉
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18
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Pavan B, Guzzo S, De Bonis P, Fadiga L. β-Estradiol 17-acetate enhances the in vitro vitality of endothelial cells isolated from the brain of patients subjected to neurosurgery. Neural Regen Res 2023; 18:389-395. [PMID: 35900435 PMCID: PMC9396507 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.346054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
In the current landscape of endothelial cell isolation for building in vitro models of the blood-brain barrier, our work moves towards reproducing the features of the neurovascular unit to achieve glial compliance through an innovative biomimetic coating technology for brain chronic implants. We hypothesized that the autologous origin of human brain microvascular endothelial cells (hBMECs) is the first requirement for the suitable coating to prevent the glial inflammatory response triggered by foreign neuroprosthetics. Therefore, this study established a new procedure to preserve the in vitro viability of hBMECs isolated from gray and white matter specimens taken from neurosurgery patients. Culturing adult hBMECs is generally considered a challenging task due to the difficult survival ex vivo and progressive reduction in proliferation of these cells. The addition of 10 nM β-estradiol 17-acetate to the hBMEC culture medium was found to be an essential and discriminating factor promoting adhesion and proliferation both after isolation and thawing, supporting the well-known protective role played by estrogens on microvessels. In particular, β-estradiol 17-acetate was critical for both freshly isolated and thawed female-derived hBMECs, while it was not necessary for freshly isolated male-derived hBMECs; however, it did counteract the decay in the viability of the latter after thawing. The tumor-free hBMECs were thus cultured for up to 2 months and their growth efficiency was assessed before and after two periods of cryopreservation. Despite the thermal stress, the hBMECs remained viable and suitable for re-freezing and storage for several months. This approach increasing in vitro viability of hBMECs opens new perspectives for the use of cryopreserved autologous hBMECs as biomimetic therapeutic tools, offering the potential to avoid additional surgical sampling for each patient.
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19
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Podtschaske AH, Martin J, Ulm B, Jungwirth B, Kagerbauer SM. Sex-specific issues of central and peripheral arginine-vasopressin concentrations in neurocritical care patients. BMC Neurosci 2022; 23:69. [PMID: 36434506 PMCID: PMC9700878 DOI: 10.1186/s12868-022-00757-1] [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: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Arginine-Vasopressin (AVP) is a nonapeptide that exerts multiple functions within the central nervous system and in the blood circulation that might contribute to outcome in critically ill patients. Sex differences have been found for mental and physical effects of AVP. For example, stress response and response due to hemorrhage differ between males and females, at least in animal studies. Data on humans -especially on AVP within the central nervous system (CNS)-are scarce, as cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) which is said to represent central AVP activity, has to be collected by means of invasive procedures. Here we present data on 30 neurocritical care patients where we simultaneously collected blood, CSF and saliva to analyze concentrations in the central and peripheral compartments. PATIENTS AND METHODS 30 neurocritical care patients were included (13 male, 13 postmenopausal female, 4 premenopausal female) with a median age of 60 years. CSF, plasma and saliva were obtained simultaneously once in each patient and analyzed for AVP concentrations. Correlations between the central compartment represented by CSF, and the peripheral compartment represented by plasma and saliva, were identified. Relations between AVP concentrations and serum sodium and hematocrit were also determined. RESULTS In the whole patient collective, only very weak to weak correlations could be detected between AVP plasma/CSF, plasma/saliva and CSF/saliva as well as between AVP concentrations in each of the compartments and serum sodium/hematocrit. Regarding the subgroup of postmenopausal females, a significant moderate correlation could be detected for AVP in plasma and CSF and AVP CSF and serum sodium. CONCLUSION Absolute concentrations of AVP in central and peripheral compartments did not show sex differences. However, correlations between AVP plasma and CSF and AVP CSF and serum sodium in postmenopausal females indicate differences in AVP secretion and AVP response to triggers that deserve further examination.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. H. Podtschaske
- grid.6936.a0000000123222966Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - J. Martin
- grid.6936.a0000000123222966Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - B. Ulm
- grid.6936.a0000000123222966Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany ,grid.6582.90000 0004 1936 9748Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - B. Jungwirth
- grid.6582.90000 0004 1936 9748Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - S. M. Kagerbauer
- grid.6936.a0000000123222966Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany ,grid.6582.90000 0004 1936 9748Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081 Ulm, Germany
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20
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Salwierz P, Davenport C, Sumra V, Iulita MF, Ferretti MT, Tartaglia MC. Sex and gender differences in dementia. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2022; 164:179-233. [PMID: 36038204 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2022.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The dementia landscape has undergone a striking paradigm shift. The advances in understanding of neurodegeneration and proteinopathies has changed our approach to patients with cognitive impairment. Firstly, it has recently been shown that the various proteinopathies that are the cause of the dementia begin to build up long before the appearance of any obvious symptoms. This has cemented the idea that there is an urgency in diagnosis as it occurs very late in the pathophysiology of these diseases. Secondly, that accurate diagnosis is required to deliver targeted therapies, that is precision medicine. With this latter point, the realization that various factors of a person need to be considered as they may impact the presentation and progression of disease has risen to the forefront. Two of these factors aside from race and age are biological sex and gender (social construct), as both can have tremendous impact on manifestation of disease. This chapter will cover what is known and remains to be known on the interaction of sex and gender with some of the major causes of dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Salwierz
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Carly Davenport
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Vishaal Sumra
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - M Florencia Iulita
- Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Center of Biomedical Investigation Network for Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain; Women's Brain Project, Guntershausen, Switzerland
| | | | - Maria Carmela Tartaglia
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Memory Clinic, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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21
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Winek K, Tzur Y, Soreq H. Biological underpinnings of sex differences in neurological disorders. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2022; 164:27-67. [PMID: 36038206 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2022.06.009] [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: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The importance of sex differences in neurological disorders has been increasingly acknowledged in recent clinical and basic research studies, but the complex biology and genetics underlying sex-linked biological heterogeneity and its brain-to-body impact remained incompletely understood. Men and women differ substantially in their susceptibility to certain neurological diseases, in the severity of symptoms, prognosis as well as the nature and efficacy of their response to treatments. The detailed mechanisms underlying these differences, especially at the molecular level, are being addressed in many studies but leave a lot to be further revealed. Here, we provide an overview of recent advances in our understanding of how sex differences in the brain and brain-body signaling contribute to neurological disorders and further present some future prospects entailed in terms of diagnostics and therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Winek
- The Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel; The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Yonat Tzur
- The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Hermona Soreq
- The Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel; The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
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22
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Bathini P, Sun T, Schenk M, Schilling S, McDannold NJ, Lemere CA. Acute Effects of Focused Ultrasound-Induced Blood-Brain Barrier Opening on Anti-Pyroglu3 Abeta Antibody Delivery and Immune Responses. Biomolecules 2022; 12:951. [PMID: 35883506 PMCID: PMC9313174 DOI: 10.3390/biom12070951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the accumulation of amyloid plaques and hyperphosphorylated tau in the brain. Currently, therapeutic agents targeting amyloid appear promising for AD, however, delivery to the CNS is limited due to the blood-brain-barrier (BBB). Focused ultrasound (FUS) is a method to induce a temporary opening of the BBB to enhance the delivery of therapeutic agents to the CNS. In this study, we evaluated the acute effects of FUS and whether the use of FUS-induced BBB opening enhances the delivery of 07/2a mAb, an anti-pyroglutamate-3 Aβ antibody, in aged 24 mo-old APP/PS1dE9 transgenic mice. FUS was performed either unilaterally or bilaterally with mAb infusion and the short-term effect was analyzed 4 h and 72 h post-treatment. Quantitative analysis by ELISA showed a 5-6-fold increase in 07/2a mAb levels in the brain at both time points and an increased brain-to-blood ratio of the antibody. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated an increase in IgG2a mAb detection particularly in the cortex, enhanced immunoreactivity of resident Iba1+ and phagocytic CD68+ microglial cells, and a transient increase in the infiltration of Ly6G+ immune cells. Cerebral microbleeds were not altered in the unilaterally or bilaterally sonicated hemispheres. Overall, this study shows the potential of FUS therapy for the enhanced delivery of CNS therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Praveen Bathini
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 60 Fenwood Road, Boston, MA 02115, USA;
| | - Tao Sun
- Focused Ultrasound Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA;
| | - Mathias Schenk
- Department of Molecular Drug Biochemistry and Therapy, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Weinbergweg 22, 06120 Halle, Germany; (M.S.); (S.S.)
| | - Stephan Schilling
- Department of Molecular Drug Biochemistry and Therapy, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Weinbergweg 22, 06120 Halle, Germany; (M.S.); (S.S.)
- Faculty of Applied Biosciences and Process Technology, Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, Bernburger Strasse 55, 06366 Kothen, Germany
| | - Nathan J. McDannold
- Focused Ultrasound Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA;
| | - Cynthia A. Lemere
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 60 Fenwood Road, Boston, MA 02115, USA;
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23
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O’Neill E, Mela V, Gaban AS, Bechet S, McGrath A, Walsh A, McIntosh A, Lynch MA. Sex-Related Microglial Perturbation Is Related to Mitochondrial Changes in a Model of Alzheimer’s Disease. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:939830. [PMID: 35875349 PMCID: PMC9297004 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.939830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Many studies implicate microglia in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) but precisely how these cells make their impact has not been determined to date. One contributory factor is likely to be the enhanced production of inflammatory mediators and it is now known that microglia with this secretory phenotype exhibit other adaptations including in their morphology, function, and metabolism. AD, like many neurological disorders, demonstrates a sex bias and recent evidence indicates that the sexual dimorphism in microglial function, which has been recognized for many years in early development, persists into adulthood and aging. Here, we demonstrate sex-related differences in microglia from post mortem tissue of male and female AD patients and a marked increase in the number of dystrophic and rod-shaped microglia in tissue from female AD patients compared with males. Furthermore, there was an increase in iron-laden microglia in tissue from female AD patients and this has been reported to reflect mitochondrial changes. To address this further, we assessed changes in microglia from male and female APP/PS1 mice and demonstrate that iron accumulation in microglia is increased to a greater extent in tissue prepared from females compared with males. This was associated with altered expression of genes coding for proteins that modulate mitochondrial function. The findings suggest that sex-related differences in the severity and perhaps incidence of AD may, at least in part, arise from sexual dimorphism in microglia.
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24
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Dalla C, Pavlidi P, Sakelliadou DG, Grammatikopoulou T, Kokras N. Sex Differences in Blood–Brain Barrier Transport of Psychotropic Drugs. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:844916. [PMID: 35677576 PMCID: PMC9169874 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.844916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders relies on the effective delivery of therapeutic molecules to the target organ, the brain. The blood–brain barrier (BBB) hinders such delivery and proteins acting as transporters actively regulate the influx and importantly the efflux of both endo- and xeno-biotics (including medicines). Neuropsychiatric disorders are also characterized by important sex differences, and accumulating evidence supports sex differences in the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of many drugs that act on the brain. In this minireview we gather preclinical and clinical findings on how sex and sex hormones can influence the activity of those BBB transporter systems and affect the brain pharmacokinetics of psychotropic medicines. It emerges that it is not well understood which psychotropics are substrates for each of the many and not well-studied brain transporters. Indeed, most evidence originates from studies performed in peripheral tissues, such as the liver and the kidneys. None withstanding, accumulated evidence supports the existence of several sex differences in expression and activity of transport proteins, and a further modulating role of gonadal hormones. It is proposed that a closer study of sex differences in the active influx and efflux of psychotropics from the brain may provide a better understanding of sex-dependent brain pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of psychotropic medicines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Dalla
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Pavlina Pavlidi
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Danai-Georgia Sakelliadou
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Tatiana Grammatikopoulou
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Kokras
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
- First Department of Psychiatry, Eginition Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
- *Correspondence: Nikolaos Kokras,
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25
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Gupta S, Teachey DT, Chen Z, Rabin KR, Dunsmore KP, Larsen EC, Maloney KW, Mattano LA, Winter SS, Carroll AJ, Heerema NA, Borowitz MJ, Wood BL, Carroll WL, Raetz EA, Winick NJ, Loh ML, Hunger SP, Devidas M. Sex-based disparities in outcome in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a Children's Oncology Group report. Cancer 2022; 128:1863-1870. [PMID: 35201611 PMCID: PMC9007837 DOI: 10.1002/cncr.34150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Boys with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have historically experienced inferior survival compared to girls. This study determined whether sex-based disparities persist with contemporary therapy and whether patterns of treatment failure vary by sex. METHODS Patients 1 to 30.99 years old were enrolled on frontline Children's Oncology Group trials between 2004 and 2014. Boys received an additional year of maintenance therapy. Sex-based differences in the distribution of various prognosticators, event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS), and subcategories of relapse by site were explored. RESULTS A total of 8202 (54.4% male) B-cell ALL (B-ALL) and 1562 (74.3% male) T-cell ALL (T-ALL) patients were included. There was no sex-based difference in central nervous system (CNS) status. Boys experienced inferior 5-year EFS and OS (EFS, 84.6% ± 0.5% vs 86.0% ± 0.6%, P = .009; OS, 91.3% ± 0.4% vs 92.5% ± 0.4%, P = .02). This was attributable to boys with B-ALL, who experienced inferior EFS (hazard ratio [HR], 1.2; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.1-1.3; P = .004) and OS (HR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.0-1.4; P = .046) after adjustment for prognosticators. Inferior B-ALL outcomes in boys were attributable to more relapses (5-year cumulative incidence 11.2% ± 0.5% vs 9.6% ± 0.5%; P = .001), particularly involving the CNS (4.2% ± 0.3% vs 2.5% ± 0.3%; P < .0001). There was no difference in isolated bone marrow relapses (5.4% ± 0.4% vs 6.2% ± 0.4%; P = .49). There were no sex-based differences in EFS or OS in T-ALL. CONCLUSIONS Sex-based disparities in ALL persist, attributable to increased CNS relapses in boys with B-ALL. Studies of potential mechanisms are warranted. Improved strategies to identify and modify treatment for patients at highest risk of CNS relapse may have particular benefit for boys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumit Gupta
- Division of Haematology/Oncology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - David T. Teachey
- Department of Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics and The Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Perelman School of Medicine at The University of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Zhiguo Chen
- Department of Biostatistics, Colleges of Medicine, Public Health, and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville FL
| | - Karen R. Rabin
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Kimberly P. Dunsmore
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA
| | - Eric C. Larsen
- Department of Pediatrics, Maine Children’s Cancer Program, Scarborough, ME
| | - Kelly W. Maloney
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado and Children’s Hospital Colorado, Aurora CO
| | | | | | - Andrew J. Carroll
- Department of Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham AL
| | - Nyla A. Heerema
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University Wexner School of Medicine, Columbus, OH
| | | | - Brent L. Wood
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | | | | | - Naomi J. Winick
- UT Southwestern, Simmons Cancer Center, and Department of Pediatrics, Dallas, TX
| | - Mignon L. Loh
- Benioff Children’s Hospital and the Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Stephen P. Hunger
- Department of Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics and The Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Perelman School of Medicine at The University of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Meenakshi Devidas
- Department of Global Pediatric Medicine, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
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26
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Li W, Zou J, Shang J, Gao C, Sun R, Liu R, Cao H, Wang Y, Zhang J. Both the Complexity of Tight Junctions and Endothelial Transcytosis Are Increased During BBB Postnatal Development in Rats. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:850857. [PMID: 35573303 PMCID: PMC9095945 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.850857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) comprises a single layer of endothelial cells and maintains a safe and homeostatic environment for proper neuronal function and synaptic transmission. BBB is not a discrete physical barrier, but a complex, dynamic, and adaptable interface. BBB continues to mature under the influence of the neural environment within a short period of time after birth. However, the basic mechanism of BBB formation and maintenance remains a mystery. Early studies have identified two structural characteristics of microvascular endothelium: special tight junctions (TJs) and a very low transcellular vesicle transport rate. Previous studies believed that BBB damage was mainly due to the destruction of tight junctions, and the role of vesicle transcytosis was neglected, so there was a lack of research on its impact on blood-brain barrier. It is urgent to get a better clarification of the unique structural and functional characteristics of the BBB endothelium to explain the role of BBB injury in neurological diseases. RNA sequencing was used to study the molecular characterization of cerebral cortex vascular endothelium by isolating them from neonatal, adolescent and adult rats. For investigation the maintenance mechanism of the BBB, we focused on the cellular and molecular regulation of barrier formation and the two characteristics of microvascular endothelial cells. Interestingly, we found that during the development of the blood-brain barrier, although the tight junctions gradually mature, endothelial cell transcytosis is gradually enhanced, resulting in an increase in the permeability of the blood-brain barrier. This study suggested that under physiological conditions, low vesicle transport is playing an important role in maintaining the integrity of the blood-brain barrier. This study not only summarized the unique characteristics of microvascular endothelial cells, but also illustrated a clarified mechanism of the development and maintenance of BBB which can provide new therapeutic opportunities for central nervous system drug delivery. Raw data of RNA sequencing were deposited in NCBI Sequence Read Archive database (PRJNA790676).
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Li
- Department of Neurology, Zhengzhou University People’s Hospital, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jinlong Zou
- Department of Neurology, Henan University People’s Hospital, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Junkui Shang
- Department of Neurology, Zhengzhou University People’s Hospital, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Chenhao Gao
- Department of Neurology, Zhengzhou University People’s Hospital, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Ruihua Sun
- Department of Neurology, Zhengzhou University People’s Hospital, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Ruijie Liu
- Department of Neurology, Henan University People’s Hospital, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Huixia Cao
- Department of Nephrology, Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Kidney Disease and Immunology, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou University People’s Hospital, Henan University People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yanliang Wang
- Department of Nephrology, Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Kidney Disease and Immunology, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou University People’s Hospital, Henan University People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jiewen Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Zhengzhou University People’s Hospital, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, China,*Correspondence: Jiewen Zhang,
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Abstract
In both acute and chronic diseases, functional differences in host immune responses arise from a multitude of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Two of the most important factors affecting the immune response are biological sex and aging. Ischemic stroke is a debilitating disease that predominately affects older individuals. Epidemiological studies have shown that older women have poorer functional outcomes compared with men, in part due to the older age at which they experience their first stroke and the increased comorbidities seen with aging. The immune response also differs in men and women, which could lead to altered inflammatory events that contribute to sex differences in poststroke recovery. Intrinsic factors including host genetics and chromosomal sex play a crucial role both in shaping the host immune system and in the neuroimmune response to brain injury. Ischemic stroke leads to altered intracellular communication between astrocytes, neurons, and resident immune cells in the central nervous system. Increased production of cytokines and chemokines orchestrate the infiltration of peripheral immune cells and promote neuroinflammation. To maintain immunosurveillance, the host immune and central nervous system are highly regulated by a diverse population of immune cells which are strategically distributed within the neurovascular unit and become activated with injury. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of sex-specific host immune responses in ischemic stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anik Banerjee
- Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (A.B., L.D.M.).,UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston (A.B.)
| | - Louise D McCullough
- Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (A.B., L.D.M.)
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28
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Wareham LK, Liddelow SA, Temple S, Benowitz LI, Di Polo A, Wellington C, Goldberg JL, He Z, Duan X, Bu G, Davis AA, Shekhar K, Torre AL, Chan DC, Canto-Soler MV, Flanagan JG, Subramanian P, Rossi S, Brunner T, Bovenkamp DE, Calkins DJ. Solving neurodegeneration: common mechanisms and strategies for new treatments. Mol Neurodegener 2022; 17:23. [PMID: 35313950 PMCID: PMC8935795 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-022-00524-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Across neurodegenerative diseases, common mechanisms may reveal novel therapeutic targets based on neuronal protection, repair, or regeneration, independent of etiology or site of disease pathology. To address these mechanisms and discuss emerging treatments, in April, 2021, Glaucoma Research Foundation, BrightFocus Foundation, and the Melza M. and Frank Theodore Barr Foundation collaborated to bring together key opinion leaders and experts in the field of neurodegenerative disease for a virtual meeting titled "Solving Neurodegeneration". This "think-tank" style meeting focused on uncovering common mechanistic roots of neurodegenerative disease and promising targets for new treatments, catalyzed by the goal of finding new treatments for glaucoma, the world's leading cause of irreversible blindness and the common interest of the three hosting foundations. Glaucoma, which causes vision loss through degeneration of the optic nerve, likely shares early cellular and molecular events with other neurodegenerative diseases of the central nervous system. Here we discuss major areas of mechanistic overlap between neurodegenerative diseases of the central nervous system: neuroinflammation, bioenergetics and metabolism, genetic contributions, and neurovascular interactions. We summarize important discussion points with emphasis on the research areas that are most innovative and promising in the treatment of neurodegeneration yet require further development. The research that is highlighted provides unique opportunities for collaboration that will lead to efforts in preventing neurodegeneration and ultimately vision loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren K Wareham
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Shane A Liddelow
- Neuroscience Institute, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sally Temple
- Neural Stem Cell Institute, NY, 12144, Rensselaer, USA
| | - Larry I Benowitz
- Department of Neurosurgery and F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Adriana Di Polo
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Cheryl Wellington
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Jeffrey L Goldberg
- Spencer Center for Vision Research, Byers Eye Institute, Stanford University, CA, Palo Alto, USA
| | - Zhigang He
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, MA, Boston, USA
| | - Xin Duan
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Guojun Bu
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Albert A Davis
- Department of Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Karthik Shekhar
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Anna La Torre
- Department of Cell Biology and Human Anatomy, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - David C Chan
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, CA, 91125, Pasadena, USA
| | - M Valeria Canto-Soler
- CellSight Ocular Stem Cell and Regeneration Research Program, Department of Ophthalmology, Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - John G Flanagan
- Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - David J Calkins
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
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29
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Rudge JD. A New Hypothesis for Alzheimer’s Disease: The Lipid Invasion Model. J Alzheimers Dis Rep 2022; 6:129-161. [PMID: 35530118 PMCID: PMC9028744 DOI: 10.3233/adr-210299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
This paper proposes a new hypothesis for Alzheimer’s disease (AD)—the lipid invasion model. It argues that AD results from external influx of free fatty acids (FFAs) and lipid-rich lipoproteins into the brain, following disruption of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The lipid invasion model explains how the influx of albumin-bound FFAs via a disrupted BBB induces bioenergetic changes and oxidative stress, stimulates microglia-driven neuroinflammation, and causes anterograde amnesia. It also explains how the influx of external lipoproteins, which are much larger and more lipid-rich, especially more cholesterol-rich, than those normally present in the brain, causes endosomal-lysosomal abnormalities and overproduction of the peptide amyloid-β (Aβ). This leads to the formation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, the most well-known hallmarks of AD. The lipid invasion model argues that a key role of the BBB is protecting the brain from external lipid access. It shows how the BBB can be damaged by excess Aβ, as well as by most other known risk factors for AD, including aging, apolipoprotein E4 (APOE4), and lifestyle factors such as hypertension, smoking, obesity, diabetes, chronic sleep deprivation, stress, and head injury. The lipid invasion model gives a new rationale for what we already know about AD, explaining its many associated risk factors and neuropathologies, including some that are less well-accounted for in other explanations of AD. It offers new insights and suggests new ways to prevent, detect, and treat this destructive disease and potentially other neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan D’Arcy Rudge
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, Berkshire, United Kingdom
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30
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Archie SR, Sharma S, Burks E, Abbruscato T. Biological determinants impact the neurovascular toxicity of nicotine and tobacco smoke: A pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics perspective. Neurotoxicology 2022; 89:140-160. [PMID: 35150755 PMCID: PMC8958572 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2022.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 01/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Accumulating evidence suggests that the detrimental effect of nicotine and tobacco smoke on the central nervous system (CNS) is caused by the neurotoxic role of nicotine on blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability, nicotinic acetylcholine receptor expression, and the dopaminergic system. The ultimate consequence of these nicotine associated neurotoxicities can lead to cerebrovascular dysfunction, altered behavioral outcomes (hyperactivity and cognitive dysfunction) as well as future drug abuse and addiction. The severity of these detrimental effects can be associated with several biological determinants. Sex and age are two important biological determinants which can affect the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of several systemically available substances, including nicotine. With regard to sex, the availability of gonadal hormone is impacted by the pregnancy status and menstrual cycle resulting in altered metabolism rate of nicotine. Additionally, the observed lower smoking cessation rate in females compared to males is a consequence of differential effects of sex on pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of nicotine. Similarly, age-dependent alterations in the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of nicotine have also been observed. One such example is related to severe vulnerability of adolescence towards addiction and long-term behavioral changes which may continue through adulthood. Considering the possible neurotoxic effects of nicotine on the central nervous system and the deterministic role of sex as well as age on these neurotoxic effects of smoking, it has become important to consider sex and age to study nicotine induced neurotoxicity and development of treatment strategies for combating possible harmful effects of nicotine. In the future, understanding the role of sex and age on the neurotoxic actions of nicotine can facilitate the individualization and optimization of treatment(s) to mitigate nicotine induced neurotoxicity as well as smoking cessation therapy. Unfortunately, however, no such comprehensive study is available which has considered both the sex- and age-dependent neurotoxicity of nicotine, as of today. Hence, the overreaching goal of this review article is to analyze and summarize the impact of sex and age on pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of nicotine and possible neurotoxic consequences associated with nicotine in order to emphasize the importance of including these biological factors for such studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Rahman Archie
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC), Amarillo, TX, USA
| | - Sejal Sharma
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC), Amarillo, TX, USA
| | - Elizabeth Burks
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC), Amarillo, TX, USA
| | - Thomas Abbruscato
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC), Amarillo, TX, USA.
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Payne A, Nahashon S, Taka E, Adinew GM, Soliman KFA. Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate (EGCG): New Therapeutic Perspectives for Neuroprotection, Aging, and Neuroinflammation for the Modern Age. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12030371. [PMID: 35327563 PMCID: PMC8945730 DOI: 10.3390/biom12030371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases are the two most common forms of neurodegenerative diseases. The exact etiology of these disorders is not well known; however, environmental, molecular, and genetic influences play a major role in the pathogenesis of these diseases. Using Alzheimer’s disease (AD) as the archetype, the pathological findings include the aggregation of Amyloid Beta (Aβ) peptides, mitochondrial dysfunction, synaptic degradation caused by inflammation, elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS), and cerebrovascular dysregulation. This review highlights the neuroinflammatory and neuroprotective role of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG): the medicinal component of green tea, a known nutraceutical that has shown promise in modulating AD progression due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-aging abilities. This report also re-examines the current literature and provides innovative approaches for EGCG to be used as a preventive measure to alleviate AD and other neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Payne
- Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Public Health, Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL 32307, USA; (A.P.); (E.T.); (G.M.A.)
| | - Samuel Nahashon
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN 37209, USA;
| | - Equar Taka
- Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Public Health, Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL 32307, USA; (A.P.); (E.T.); (G.M.A.)
| | - Getinet M. Adinew
- Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Public Health, Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL 32307, USA; (A.P.); (E.T.); (G.M.A.)
| | - Karam F. A. Soliman
- Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Public Health, Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL 32307, USA; (A.P.); (E.T.); (G.M.A.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1850-322-8788
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Abstract
Brain disease remains a significant health, social, and economic burden with a high failure rate of translation of therapeutics to the clinic. Nanotherapeutics have represented a promising area of technology investment to improve drug bioavailability and delivery to the brain, with several successes for nanotherapeutic use for central nervous system disease that are currently in the clinic. However, renewed and continued research on the treatment of neurological disorders is critically needed. We explore the challenges of drug delivery to the brain and the ways in which nanotherapeutics can overcome these challenges. We provide a summary and overview of general design principles that can be applied to nanotherapeutics for uptake and penetration in the brain. We next highlight remaining questions that limit the translational potential of nanotherapeutics for application in the clinic. Lastly, we provide recommendations for ongoing preclinical research to improve the overall success of nanotherapeutics against neurological disease. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Volume 13 is October 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Joseph
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA;
| | - Elizabeth Nance
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA;
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Vascular and blood-brain barrier-related changes underlie stress responses and resilience in female mice and depression in human tissue. Nat Commun 2022; 13:164. [PMID: 35013188 PMCID: PMC8748803 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27604-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Prevalence, symptoms, and treatment of depression suggest that major depressive disorders (MDD) present sex differences. Social stress-induced neurovascular pathology is associated with depressive symptoms in male mice; however, this association is unclear in females. Here, we report that chronic social and subchronic variable stress promotes blood-brain barrier (BBB) alterations in mood-related brain regions of female mice. Targeted disruption of the BBB in the female prefrontal cortex (PFC) induces anxiety- and depression-like behaviours. By comparing the endothelium cell-specific transcriptomic profiling of the mouse male and female PFC, we identify several pathways and genes involved in maladaptive stress responses and resilience to stress. Furthermore, we confirm that the BBB in the PFC of stressed female mice is leaky. Then, we identify circulating vascular biomarkers of chronic stress, such as soluble E-selectin. Similar changes in circulating soluble E-selectin, BBB gene expression and morphology can be found in blood serum and postmortem brain samples from women diagnosed with MDD. Altogether, we propose that BBB dysfunction plays an important role in modulating stress responses in female mice and possibly MDD.
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Tsiknia AA, Edland SD, Sundermann EE, Reas ET, Brewer JB, Galasko D, Banks SJ. Sex differences in plasma p-tau181 associations with Alzheimer's disease biomarkers, cognitive decline, and clinical progression. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:4314-4322. [PMID: 35768637 PMCID: PMC9718670 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01675-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Studies have shown that women on the Alzheimer's disease (AD) continuum have more pathological tau in the brain and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), than men. Some studies have found that higher levels of tau biomarkers are more strongly associated with clinical AD, cognitive decline and neurodegeneration in women than in men. Despite major developments in the use of plasma tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 (p-tau181) as an AD biomarker, it is unknown whether these sex differences apply to plasma p-tau181. In 1060 Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) participants (47% women, 73.8 ± 7.6 years old), we examined sex differences in plasma p-tau181 levels and their association with other biomarkers, cognitive decline and incident AD. Linear regressions tested for an effect of sex on plasma p-tau181 levels and for plasma p-tau181 × sex interactions on CSF p-tau181, as well as entorhinal cortex tau, cortical amyloid-β (Aβ) deposition, and brain glucose metabolism, quantified using PET imaging. Linear mixed effects models tested for a sex × baseline plasma p-tau181 interaction on change in cognition over time. Finally, Cox models tested for a sex × plasma p-tau181 interaction on the risk of AD dementia in participants who were free of dementia at baseline. Despite similar plasma p-tau181 levels between sexes, women had lower brain glucose metabolism, greater brain Aβ and entorhinal cortex tau deposition, higher CSF p-tau181 and faster cognitive decline in relation to higher baseline plasma p-tau181 levels compared with men. Among Aβ positive, dementia-free participants, women had higher rates of incident AD dementia associated with increasing baseline plasma p-tau181 levels, relative to men. Our results suggest that sex may impact the clinical interpretation of plasma p-tau181 concentrations. If replicated, these findings could have important implications for the use of plasma p-tau181 as an accessible AD biomarker and screening tool for preventive and therapeutic clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amaryllis A. Tsiknia
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 USA
| | - Steven D. Edland
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 USA ,grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Division of Biostatistics, School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 USA
| | - Erin E. Sundermann
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 USA ,grid.410371.00000 0004 0419 2708Research Service, Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA 92161 USA
| | - Emilie T. Reas
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 USA
| | - James B. Brewer
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 USA
| | - Douglas Galasko
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 USA
| | - Sarah J. Banks
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 USA ,grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 USA
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Dissanayake AS, Tan YB, Bowie CR, Butters MA, Flint AJ, Gallagher D, Golas AC, Herrmann N, Ismail Z, Kennedy JL, Kumar S, Lanctot KL, Mah L, Mulsant BH, Pollock BG, Rajji TK, Tau M, Maraj A, Churchill NW, Tsuang D, Schweizer TA, Munoz DG, Fischer CE. Sex Modifies the Associations of APOEɛ4 with Neuropsychiatric Symptom Burden in Both At-Risk and Clinical Cohorts of Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis 2022; 90:1571-1588. [PMID: 36314203 DOI: 10.3233/jad-220586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent work suggests that APOEɛ4/4 females with Alzheimer's disease (AD) are more susceptible to developing neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS). OBJECTIVE To examine the interaction of sex and APOEɛ4 status on NPS burden using two independent cohorts: 1) patients at risk for AD with mild cognitive impairment and/or major depressive disorder (n = 252) and 2) patients with probable AD (n = 7,261). METHODS Regression models examined the interactive effects of sex and APOEɛ4 on the number of NPS experienced and NPS Severity. APOEɛ3/4 and APOEɛ4/4 were pooled in the at-risk cohort due to the sample size. RESULTS In the at-risk cohort, there was a significant sex*APOEɛ4 interaction (p = 0.007) such that the association of APOEɛ4 with NPS was greater in females than in males (incident rate ratio (IRR) = 2.0). APOEɛ4/4 females had the most NPS (mean = 1.9) and the highest severity scores (mean = 3.5) of any subgroup. In the clinical cohort, APOEɛ4/4 females had significantly more NPS (IRR = 1.1, p = 0.001, mean = 3.1) and higher severity scores (b = 0.31, p = 0.015, mean = 3.7) than APOEɛ3/3 females (meanNPS = 2.9, meanSeverity = 3.3). No association was found in males. CONCLUSION Our study suggests that sex modifies the association of APOEɛ4 on NPS burden. APOEɛ4/4 females may be particularly susceptible to increased NPS burden among individuals with AD and among individuals at risk for AD. Further investigation into the mechanisms behind these associations are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew S Dissanayake
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Yu Bin Tan
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Christopher R Bowie
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Meryl A Butters
- University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Alastair J Flint
- Centre for Mental Health, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Damien Gallagher
- Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Neuropsychopharmacology Research Group, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Angela C Golas
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nathan Herrmann
- Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Zahinoor Ismail
- Department of Psychiatry, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - James L Kennedy
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sanjeev Kumar
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Krista L Lanctot
- Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Neuropsychopharmacology Research Group, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Linda Mah
- Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Health Science Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Benoit H Mulsant
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Bruce G Pollock
- Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Division of Geriatric Psychiatry, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Toronto Dementia Research Alliance, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Tarek K Rajji
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Toronto Dementia Research Alliance, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Michael Tau
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Unity Health, St. Michaels Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Anika Maraj
- Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Unity Health, St. Michaels Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nathan W Churchill
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Unity Health, St. Michaels Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Debby Tsuang
- GRECC, VA Puget Sound and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Tom A Schweizer
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Unity Health, St. Michaels Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - David G Munoz
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Unity Health, St. Michaels Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Corinne E Fischer
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Unity Health, St. Michaels Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Barbeau-Meunier CA, Bernier M, Côté S, Gilbert G, Bocti C, Whittingstall K. Sexual dimorphism in the cerebrovascular network: Brain MRI shows lower arterial density in women. J Neuroimaging 2021; 32:337-344. [PMID: 34861082 DOI: 10.1111/jon.12951] [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: 08/10/2021] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Accumulating evidence suggests that there is a sexual dimorphism in brain health, with women exhibiting greater disability following strokes of comparable size and having a higher prevalence of cognitive impairment later in life. Despite the critical implication of the cerebrovascular architecture in brain perfusion and brain health, it remains unclear whether structural differences in vessel density exist across the sexes. METHODS In this study, we used high-density MRI imaging to characterize the intracerebral arterial and venous density of 28 (14 women) sex-matched healthy young volunteers in vivo. Using an in-house vessel segmentation algorithm, we quantified and compared these vascular features across the cortical and subcortical deep gray matter, white matter, and periventricular white matter. RESULTS We found that, on average, women have reduced intracerebral arterial density in comparison to men (F 2.34 ± 0.48%, M 2.67 ± 0.39%; p<.05). This difference was most pronounced in the subcortical deep gray matter (F 1.78 ± 0.53%, M 2.38 ± 0.82%; p<.05) and periventricular white matter (F 0.68 ± 0.15%, M 1.14 ± 0.33%; p<.0005), indicating a potential sex-specific vulnerability to hypoperfusion in areas critical to core cerebral functions. In contrast, venous density did not exhibit a significant difference between sexes. CONCLUSIONS While this research remains exploratory, it raises important pathophysiological considerations for brain health, adverse cerebrovascular events, and dementia across the sexes. Our findings also highlight the need to take into account sex differences when investigating cerebral characteristics in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michaël Bernier
- Martinos Center - MGH - Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Samantha Côté
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Radiobiology, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Guillaume Gilbert
- MR Clinical Science, Philips Healthcare Canada, Markham, Ontario, Canada
| | - Christian Bocti
- Research Center on Aging, Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Kevin Whittingstall
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Radiobiology, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
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Yan L, Moriarty RA, Stroka KM. Recent progress and new challenges in modeling of human pluripotent stem cell-derived blood-brain barrier. Theranostics 2021; 11:10148-10170. [PMID: 34815809 PMCID: PMC8581424 DOI: 10.7150/thno.63195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a semipermeable unit that serves to vascularize the central nervous system (CNS) while tightly regulating the movement of molecules, ions, and cells between the blood and the brain. The BBB precisely controls brain homeostasis and protects the neural tissue from toxins and pathogens. The BBB is coordinated by a tight monolayer of brain microvascular endothelial cells, which is subsequently supported by mural cells, astrocytes, and surrounding neuronal cells that regulate the barrier function with a series of specialized properties. Dysfunction of barrier properties is an important pathological feature in the progression of various neurological diseases. In vitro BBB models recapitulating the physiological and diseased states are important tools to understand the pathological mechanism and to serve as a platform to screen potential drugs. Recent advances in this field have stemmed from the use of pluripotent stem cells (PSCs). Various cell types of the BBB such as brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs), pericytes, and astrocytes have been derived from PSCs and synergistically incorporated to model the complex BBB structure in vitro. In this review, we summarize the most recent protocols and techniques for the differentiation of major cell types of the BBB. We also discuss the progress of BBB modeling by using PSC-derived cells and perspectives on how to reproduce more natural BBBs in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Yan
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Rebecca A. Moriarty
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Kimberly M. Stroka
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
- Biophysics Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
- Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
- Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
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Proteomics of Multiple Sclerosis: Inherent Issues in Defining the Pathoetiology and Identifying (Early) Biomarkers. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22147377. [PMID: 34298997 PMCID: PMC8306353 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22147377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease of the human central nervous system having an unconfirmed pathoetiology. Although animal models are used to mimic the pathology and clinical symptoms, no single model successfully replicates the full complexity of MS from its initial clinical identification through disease progression. Most importantly, a lack of preclinical biomarkers is hampering the earliest possible diagnosis and treatment. Notably, the development of rationally targeted therapeutics enabling pre-emptive treatment to halt the disease is also delayed without such biomarkers. Using literature mining and bioinformatic analyses, this review assessed the available proteomic studies of MS patients and animal models to discern (1) whether the models effectively mimic MS; and (2) whether reasonable biomarker candidates have been identified. The implication and necessity of assessing proteoforms and the critical importance of this to identifying rational biomarkers are discussed. Moreover, the challenges of using different proteomic analytical approaches and biological samples are also addressed.
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Aliperti V, Skonieczna J, Cerase A. Long Non-Coding RNA (lncRNA) Roles in Cell Biology, Neurodevelopment and Neurological Disorders. Noncoding RNA 2021; 7:36. [PMID: 34204536 PMCID: PMC8293397 DOI: 10.3390/ncrna7020036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Development is a complex process regulated both by genetic and epigenetic and environmental clues. Recently, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as key regulators of gene expression in several tissues including the brain. Altered expression of lncRNAs has been linked to several neurodegenerative, neurodevelopmental and mental disorders. The identification and characterization of lncRNAs that are deregulated or mutated in neurodevelopmental and mental health diseases are fundamental to understanding the complex transcriptional processes in brain function. Crucially, lncRNAs can be exploited as a novel target for treating neurological disorders. In our review, we first summarize the recent advances in our understanding of lncRNA functions in the context of cell biology and then discussing their association with selected neuronal development and neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincenza Aliperti
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Justyna Skonieczna
- Centre for Genomics and Child Health, Blizard Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 2AT, UK;
| | - Andrea Cerase
- Centre for Genomics and Child Health, Blizard Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 2AT, UK;
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