1
|
Ye J, Wan H, Chen S, Liu GP. Targeting tau in Alzheimer's disease: from mechanisms to clinical therapy. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:1489-1498. [PMID: 38051891 PMCID: PMC10883484 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.385847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT Alzheimer's disease is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disease affecting older adults. Primary features of Alzheimer's disease include extracellular aggregation of amyloid-β plaques and the accumulation of neurofibrillary tangles, formed by tau protein, in the cells. While there are amyloid-β-targeting therapies for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, these therapies are costly and exhibit potential negative side effects. Mounting evidence suggests significant involvement of tau protein in Alzheimer's disease-related neurodegeneration. As an important microtubule-associated protein, tau plays an important role in maintaining the stability of neuronal microtubules and promoting axonal growth. In fact, clinical studies have shown that abnormal phosphorylation of tau protein occurs before accumulation of amyloid-β in the brain. Various therapeutic strategies targeting tau protein have begun to emerge, and are considered possible methods to prevent and treat Alzheimer's disease. Specifically, abnormalities in post-translational modifications of the tau protein, including aberrant phosphorylation, ubiquitination, small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO)ylation, acetylation, and truncation, contribute to its microtubule dissociation, misfolding, and subcellular missorting. This causes mitochondrial damage, synaptic impairments, gliosis, and neuroinflammation, eventually leading to neurodegeneration and cognitive deficits. This review summarizes the recent findings on the underlying mechanisms of tau protein in the onset and progression of Alzheimer's disease and discusses tau-targeted treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jinwang Ye
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology and Ecology, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Huali Wan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Sihua Chen
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology and Ecology, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Gong-Ping Liu
- Co-innovation Center of Neurodegeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine and the Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education of China and Hubei Province for Neurological Disorders, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Dong Q, Fu H, Jiang H. The role of exosome-shuttled miRNAs in heavy metal-induced peripheral tissues and neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 176:116880. [PMID: 38850652 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116880] [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: 03/17/2024] [Revised: 05/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Heavy metal-induced neuroinflammation is a significant pathophysiologic mechanism in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Microglia-mediated neuroinflammation plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of AD. Multiple miRNAs are differentially expressed in peripheral tissues after heavy metal exposure, and increasing evidence suggests that they are involved in AD progression by regulating microglial homeostasis. Exosomes, which are capable of loading miRNAs and crossing the bloodbrain barrier, serve as mediators of communication between peripheral tissues and the brain. In this review, we summarize the current evidence on the link between miRNAs in peripheral tissues and neuroinflammation in AD after heavy metal exposure and propose a role for miRNAs in the microglial neurodegenerative phenotype (MGnD) of AD. This study will help to elucidate the link between peripheral tissue damage and MGnD-mediated neuroinflammation in AD after heavy metal exposure. Additionally, we summarize the regulatory effects of natural compounds on peripheral tissue-derived miRNAs, which could be potential therapeutic targets for natural compounds to regulate peripheral tissue-derived exosomal miRNAs to ameliorate heavy metal-induced MGnD-mediated neuroinflammation in patients with AD after heavy metal exposure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qing Dong
- Department of Health Laboratory Technology, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110122, China.
| | - Huanyong Fu
- Department of Health Laboratory Technology, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110122, China.
| | - Hong Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Stress and Chronic Disease Control and Prevention, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110122, China; The Key Laboratory of Liaoning Province on Toxic and Biological Effects of Arsenic, Shenyang, Liaoning 110122, China; Department of Health Laboratory Technology, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110122, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Hu Y, Wang X, Zhao Z, Liu M, Ren X, Xian X, Liu C, Wang Q. The Downregulation of ITGAX Exacerbates Amyloid-β Plaque Deposition in Alzheimer's Disease by Increasing Polarization of M1 Microglia. J Alzheimers Dis 2024:JAD240118. [PMID: 38905043 DOI: 10.3233/jad-240118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
Background Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common sort of neurodegenerative dementia, characterized by its challenging, diverse, and progressive nature. Despite significant progress in neuroscience, the current treatment strategies remain suboptimal. Objective Identifying a more accurate molecular target for the involvement of microglia in the pathogenic process of AD and exploring potential mechanisms via which it could influence disease. Methods We utilized single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis in conjunction with APP/PS1 mouse models to find out the molecular mechanism of AD. With the goal of investigating the cellular heterogeneity of AD, we downloaded the scRNA-seq data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Additionally, we evaluated learning and memory capacity using the behavioral experiment. We also examined the expression of proteins associated with memory using western blotting. Immunofluorescence was employed to investigate alterations in amyloid plaques and microglia. Results Our findings revealed an upregulation of ITGAX expression in APP/PS1 transgenic mice, which coincided with a downregulation of synaptic plasticity-related proteins, an increase in amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques, and an elevation in the number of M1 microglia. Interestingly, deletion of ITGAX resulted in increased Aβ plaque deposition, a rise in the M1 microglial phenotype, and decreased production of synaptic plasticity-related proteins, all of which contributed to a decline in learning and memory. Conclusions This research suggested that ITGAX may have a beneficial impact on the APP/PS1 mice model, as its decreased expression could exacerbate the impairment of synaptic plasticity and worsen cognitive dysfunction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yufei Hu
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Xupeng Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Zijun Zhao
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, Hebei Provincial Chest Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Menglin Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Xiaoqin Ren
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Xiaohui Xian
- Department of Pathophysiology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Chunxiao Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Qiujun Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Rachmian N, Medina S, Cherqui U, Akiva H, Deitch D, Edilbi D, Croese T, Salame TM, Ramos JMP, Cahalon L, Krizhanovsky V, Schwartz M. Identification of senescent, TREM2-expressing microglia in aging and Alzheimer's disease model mouse brain. Nat Neurosci 2024; 27:1116-1124. [PMID: 38637622 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-024-01620-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) and dementia in general are age-related diseases with multiple contributing factors, including brain inflammation. Microglia, and specifically those expressing the AD risk gene TREM2, are considered important players in AD, but their exact contribution to pathology remains unclear. In this study, using high-throughput mass cytometry in the 5×FAD mouse model of amyloidosis, we identified senescent microglia that express high levels of TREM2 but also exhibit a distinct signature from TREM2-dependent disease-associated microglia (DAM). This senescent microglial protein signature was found in various mouse models that show cognitive decline, including aging, amyloidosis and tauopathy. TREM2-null mice had fewer microglia with a senescent signature. Treating 5×FAD mice with the senolytic BCL2 family inhibitor ABT-737 reduced senescent microglia, but not the DAM population, and this was accompanied by improved cognition and reduced brain inflammation. Our results suggest a dual and opposite involvement of TREM2 in microglial states, which must be considered when contemplating TREM2 as a therapeutic target in AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Noa Rachmian
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Sedi Medina
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ulysse Cherqui
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Hagay Akiva
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Daniel Deitch
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Dunya Edilbi
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Tommaso Croese
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Tomer Meir Salame
- Flow Cytometry Unit, Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | | | - Liora Cahalon
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Valery Krizhanovsky
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
| | - Michal Schwartz
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Earnest T, Bani A, Ha SM, Hobbs DA, Kothapalli D, Yang B, Lee JJ, Benzinger TLS, Gordon BA, Sotiras A. Data-driven decomposition and staging of flortaucipir uptake in Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Dement 2024; 20:4002-4019. [PMID: 38683905 PMCID: PMC11180875 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Previous approaches pursuing in vivo staging of tau pathology in Alzheimer's disease (AD) have typically relied on neuropathologically defined criteria. In using predefined systems, these studies may miss spatial deposition patterns which are informative of disease progression. METHODS We selected discovery (n = 418) and replication (n = 132) cohorts with flortaucipir imaging. Non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) was applied to learn tau covariance patterns and develop a tau staging system. Flortaucipir components were also validated by comparison with amyloid burden, gray matter loss, and the expression of AD-related genes. RESULTS We found eight flortaucipir covariance patterns which were reproducible and overlapped with relevant gene expression maps. Tau stages were associated with AD severity as indexed by dementia status and neuropsychological performance. Comparisons of flortaucipir uptake with amyloid and atrophy also supported our model of tau progression. DISCUSSION Data-driven decomposition of flortaucipir uptake provides a novel framework for tau staging which complements existing systems. HIGHLIGHTS NMF reveals patterns of tau deposition in AD. Data-driven staging of flortaucipir tracks AD severity. Learned flortaucipir patterns overlap with AD-related gene expression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tom Earnest
- Mallinckrodt Institute of RadiologyWashington University School of Medicine in St LouisSaint LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Abdalla Bani
- Mallinckrodt Institute of RadiologyWashington University School of Medicine in St LouisSaint LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Sung Min Ha
- Mallinckrodt Institute of RadiologyWashington University School of Medicine in St LouisSaint LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Diana A. Hobbs
- Mallinckrodt Institute of RadiologyWashington University School of Medicine in St LouisSaint LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Deydeep Kothapalli
- Mallinckrodt Institute of RadiologyWashington University School of Medicine in St LouisSaint LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Braden Yang
- Mallinckrodt Institute of RadiologyWashington University School of Medicine in St LouisSaint LouisMissouriUSA
| | - John J. Lee
- Mallinckrodt Institute of RadiologyWashington University School of Medicine in St LouisSaint LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Tammie L. S. Benzinger
- Mallinckrodt Institute of RadiologyWashington University School of Medicine in St LouisSaint LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Brian A. Gordon
- Mallinckrodt Institute of RadiologyWashington University School of Medicine in St LouisSaint LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Aristeidis Sotiras
- Mallinckrodt Institute of RadiologyWashington University School of Medicine in St LouisSaint LouisMissouriUSA
- Institute for Informatics, Data Science & BiostatisticsWashington University School of Medicine in St LouisSaint LouisMissouriUSA
| | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Pocock J, Vasilopoulou F, Svensson E, Cosker K. Microglia and TREM2. Neuropharmacology 2024:110020. [PMID: 38821351 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2024.110020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
TREM2 is a membrane receptor solely expressed on microglia in normal brain. In this review we outline recent advances in TREM2 biology and its implications for microglial function, with particular emphasis on findings from iPSC-derived microglia (iMG) expressing TREM2 loss-of-function mutations. Alterations in receptor proximal and distal signalling underlie TREM2 risk variants linked to neurodegenerative disease, principally NH-linked FTD, and late-onset AD, but emerging data suggest roles for TREM2 in PD, MS and ALS. TREM2 downstream functions include phagocytosis of myelin debris, amyloid beta peptides, and phosphatidylserine-expressing cells (resulting from damage or stress). Microglial survival, migration, DAMP signalling, inflammasome activation, and intercellular signalling including tau spreading via exosomes, as well as roles for sTREM2 ain protection and as a biomarker are discussed. The role of TREM2 in metabolic homeostasis, and immunometabolic switching are discussed regarding microglial responses to damage and protection. The use of iPSC models to investigate the role of TREM2 in AD, PD, MS, ALS, and other neurodegenerative diseases could prove invaluable due to their ability to recapitulate human pathology, allowing a full understanding of TREM2 and microglial involvement in the underlying disease mechanisms and progression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Pocock
- Department of Neuroinflammation, and Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, 1 Wakefield Street, London WC1N 1PJ, UK.
| | - Foteini Vasilopoulou
- Department of Neuroinflammation, and Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, 1 Wakefield Street, London WC1N 1PJ, UK
| | - Elina Svensson
- Department of Neuroinflammation, and Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, 1 Wakefield Street, London WC1N 1PJ, UK
| | - Katharina Cosker
- Department of Neuroinflammation, and Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, 1 Wakefield Street, London WC1N 1PJ, UK
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Wang R, Zhan Y, Zhu W, Yang Q, Pei J. Association of soluble TREM2 with Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Aging Neurosci 2024; 16:1407980. [PMID: 38841103 PMCID: PMC11150578 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2024.1407980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective Soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (sTREM2) is a potential neuroinflammatory biomarker linked to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Previous studies have produced inconsistent results regarding sTREM2 levels in various clinical stages of AD. This study aims to establish the correlation between sTREM2 levels and AD progression through a meta-analysis of sTREM2 levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood. Methods Comprehensive searches were conducted in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library to identify observational studies reporting CSF and blood sTREM2 levels in AD patients, MCI patients, and healthy controls. A random effects meta-analysis was used to calculate the standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results Thirty-six observational studies involving 3,016 AD patients, 3,533 MCI patients, and 4,510 healthy controls were included. CSF sTREM2 levels were significantly higher in both the AD [SMD = 0.28, 95% CI (0.15, 0.41)] and MCI groups [SMD = 0.30, 95% CI (0.13, 0.47)] compared to the healthy control group. However, no significant differences in expression were detected between the AD and MCI groups [SMD = 0.09, 95% CI (-0.09, 0.26)]. Furthermore, increased plasma sTREM2 levels were associated with a higher risk of AD [SMD = 0.42, 95% CI (0.01, 0.83)]. Conclusion CSF sTREM2 levels are positively associated with an increased risk of AD and MCI. Plasma sTREM2 levels were notably higher in the AD group than in the control group and may serve as a promising biomarker for diagnosing AD. However, sTREM2 levels are not effective for distinguishing between different disease stages of AD. Further investigations are needed to explore the longitudinal changes in sTREM2 levels, particularly plasma sTREM2 levels, during AD progression. Systematic review registration https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42024514593.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Jian Pei
- Department of Acupuncture, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Iyer AK, Vermunt L, Mirfakhar FS, Minaya M, Acquarone M, Koppisetti RK, Renganathan A, You SF, Danhash EP, Verbeck A, Galasso G, Lee SM, Marsh J, Nana AL, Spina S, Seeley WW, Grinberg LT, Temple S, Teunissen CE, Sato C, Karch CM. Cell autonomous microglia defects in a stem cell model of frontotemporal dementia. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2024.05.15.24307444. [PMID: 38798451 PMCID: PMC11118656 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.15.24307444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Neuronal dysfunction has been extensively studied as a central feature of neurodegenerative tauopathies. However, across neurodegenerative diseases, there is strong evidence for active involvement of immune cells like microglia in driving disease pathophysiology. Here, we demonstrate that tau mRNA and protein are expressed in microglia in human brains and in human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived microglia like cells (iMGLs). Using iMGLs harboring the MAPT IVS10+16 mutation and isogenic controls, we demonstrate that a tau mutation is sufficient to alter microglial transcriptional states. We discovered that MAPT IVS10+16 microglia exhibit cytoskeletal abnormalities, stalled phagocytosis, disrupted TREM2/TYROBP networks, and altered metabolism. Additionally, we found that secretory factors from MAPT IVS10+16 iMGLs impact neuronal health, reducing synaptic density in neurons. Key features observed in vitro were recapitulated in human brain tissue and cerebrospinal fluid from MAPT mutations carriers. Together, our findings that MAPT IVS10+16 drives cell-intrinsic dysfunction in microglia that impacts neuronal health has major implications for development of therapeutic strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abhirami K. Iyer
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Lisa Vermunt
- Neurochemistry Laboratory, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University, Amsterdam UMC, The Netherlands
| | | | - Miguel Minaya
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Mariana Acquarone
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO, USA
| | | | - Arun Renganathan
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Shih-Feng You
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Emma P. Danhash
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Anthony Verbeck
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Grant Galasso
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Scott M. Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Jacob Marsh
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Alissa L. Nana
- Department of Neurology, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Salvatore Spina
- Department of Neurology, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - William W. Seeley
- Department of Neurology, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Lea T. Grinberg
- Department of Neurology, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Sao Paulo
| | | | - Charlotte E. Teunissen
- Neurochemistry Laboratory, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University, Amsterdam UMC, The Netherlands
| | - Chihiro Sato
- Department of Neurology, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO, USA
- The Tracy Family Stable Isotope Labeling Quantitation Center, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Celeste M. Karch
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO, USA
- Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO, USA
- Charles F. and Joanne Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Davis GH, Zaya A, Pearce MMP. Impairment of the Glial Phagolysosomal System Drives Prion-Like Propagation in a Drosophila Model of Huntington's Disease. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e1256232024. [PMID: 38589228 PMCID: PMC11097281 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1256-23.2024] [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: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Protein misfolding, aggregation, and spread through the brain are primary drivers of neurodegenerative disease pathogenesis. Phagocytic glia are responsible for regulating the load of pathological proteins in the brain, but emerging evidence suggests that glia may also act as vectors for aggregate spread. Accumulation of protein aggregates could compromise the ability of glia to eliminate toxic materials from the brain by disrupting efficient degradation in the phagolysosomal system. A better understanding of phagocytic glial cell deficiencies in the disease state could help to identify novel therapeutic targets for multiple neurological disorders. Here, we report that mutant huntingtin (mHTT) aggregates impair glial responsiveness to injury and capacity to degrade neuronal debris in male and female adult Drosophila expressing the gene that causes Huntington's disease (HD). mHTT aggregate formation in neurons impairs engulfment and clearance of injured axons and causes accumulation of phagolysosomes in glia. Neuronal mHTT expression induces upregulation of key innate immunity and phagocytic genes, some of which were found to regulate mHTT aggregate burden in the brain. A forward genetic screen revealed Rab10 as a novel component of Draper-dependent phagocytosis that regulates mHTT aggregate transmission from neurons to glia. These data suggest that glial phagocytic defects enable engulfed mHTT aggregates to evade lysosomal degradation and acquire prion-like characteristics. Together, our findings uncover new mechanisms that enhance our understanding of the beneficial and harmful effects of phagocytic glia in HD and other neurodegenerative diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Graham H Davis
- Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Rowan University, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028
- Department of Biology, Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19131
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Aprem Zaya
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Margaret M Panning Pearce
- Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Rowan University, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028
- Department of Biology, Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19131
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Mukherjee A, Biswas S, Roy I. Immunotherapy: An emerging treatment option for neurodegenerative diseases. Drug Discov Today 2024; 29:103974. [PMID: 38555032 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2024.103974] [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: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
Accumulation of misfolded proteins and protein aggregates leading to degeneration of neurons is a hallmark of several neurodegenerative diseases. Therapy mostly relies on symptomatic relief. Immunotherapy offers a promising approach for the development of disease-modifying routes. Such strategies have shown remarkable results in oncology, and this promise is increasingly being realized for neurodegenerative diseases in advanced preclinical and clinical studies. This review highlights cases of passive and active immunotherapies in Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. The reasons for success and failure, wherever available, and strategies to cross the blood-brain barrier, are discussed. The need for conditional modulation of the immune response is also reflected on.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abhiyanta Mukherjee
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Sector 67, S.A.S. Nagar, Punjab 160062, India
| | - Soumojit Biswas
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Sector 67, S.A.S. Nagar, Punjab 160062, India
| | - Ipsita Roy
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Sector 67, S.A.S. Nagar, Punjab 160062, India.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Wilson EN, Wang C, Swarovski MS, Zera KA, Ennerfelt HE, Wang Q, Chaney A, Gauba E, Ramos Benitez JA, Le Guen Y, Minhas PS, Panchal M, Tan YJ, Blacher E, A Iweka C, Cropper H, Jain P, Liu Q, Mehta SS, Zuckerman AJ, Xin M, Umans J, Huang J, Durairaj AS, Serrano GE, Beach TG, Greicius MD, James ML, Buckwalter MS, McReynolds MR, Rabinowitz JD, Andreasson KI. TREM1 disrupts myeloid bioenergetics and cognitive function in aging and Alzheimer disease mouse models. Nat Neurosci 2024; 27:873-885. [PMID: 38539014 PMCID: PMC11102654 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-024-01610-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
Human genetics implicate defective myeloid responses in the development of late-onset Alzheimer disease. A decline in peripheral and brain myeloid metabolism, triggering maladaptive immune responses, is a feature of aging. The role of TREM1, a pro-inflammatory factor, in neurodegenerative diseases is unclear. Here we show that Trem1 deficiency prevents age-dependent changes in myeloid metabolism, inflammation and hippocampal memory function in mice. Trem1 deficiency rescues age-associated declines in ribose 5-phosphate. In vitro, Trem1-deficient microglia are resistant to amyloid-β42 oligomer-induced bioenergetic changes, suggesting that amyloid-β42 oligomer stimulation disrupts homeostatic microglial metabolism and immune function via TREM1. In the 5XFAD mouse model, Trem1 haploinsufficiency prevents spatial memory loss, preserves homeostatic microglial morphology, and reduces neuritic dystrophy and changes in the disease-associated microglial transcriptomic signature. In aging APPSwe mice, Trem1 deficiency prevents hippocampal memory decline while restoring synaptic mitochondrial function and cerebral glucose uptake. In postmortem Alzheimer disease brain, TREM1 colocalizes with Iba1+ cells around amyloid plaques and its expression is associated with Alzheimer disease clinical and neuropathological severity. Our results suggest that TREM1 promotes cognitive decline in aging and in the context of amyloid pathology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Edward N Wilson
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Congcong Wang
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Michelle S Swarovski
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Kristy A Zera
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Hannah E Ennerfelt
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Qian Wang
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Aisling Chaney
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Esha Gauba
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Javier A Ramos Benitez
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Yann Le Guen
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Paras S Minhas
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Maharshi Panchal
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Yuting J Tan
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Eran Blacher
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Chinyere A Iweka
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Haley Cropper
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Poorva Jain
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Qingkun Liu
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Swapnil S Mehta
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Abigail J Zuckerman
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Matthew Xin
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Jacob Umans
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Jolie Huang
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Aarooran S Durairaj
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Geidy E Serrano
- Civin Laboratory for Neuropathology, Banner Sun Health Research Institute, Sun City, AZ, USA
| | - Thomas G Beach
- Civin Laboratory for Neuropathology, Banner Sun Health Research Institute, Sun City, AZ, USA
| | - Michael D Greicius
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Michelle L James
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Marion S Buckwalter
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Melanie R McReynolds
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Joshua D Rabinowitz
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Katrin I Andreasson
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Tsering W, Prokop S. Neuritic Plaques - Gateways to Understanding Alzheimer's Disease. Mol Neurobiol 2024; 61:2808-2821. [PMID: 37940777 PMCID: PMC11043180 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03736-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Extracellular deposits of amyloid-β (Aβ) in the form of plaques are one of the main pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Over the years, many different Aβ plaque morphologies such as neuritic plaques, dense cored plaques, cotton wool plaques, coarse-grain plaques, and diffuse plaques have been described in AD postmortem brain tissues, but correlation of a given plaque type with AD progression or AD symptoms is not clear. Furthermore, the exact trigger causing the development of one Aβ plaque morphological subtype over the other is still unknown. Here, we review the current knowledge about neuritic plaques, a subset of Aβ plaques surrounded by swollen or dystrophic neurites, which represent the most detrimental and consequential Aβ plaque morphology. Neuritic plaques have been associated with local immune activation, neuronal network dysfunction, and cognitive decline. Given that neuritic plaques are at the interface of Aβ deposition, tau aggregation, and local immune activation, we argue that understanding the exact mechanism of neuritic plaque formation is crucial to develop targeted therapies for AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wangchen Tsering
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA
- McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA
| | - Stefan Prokop
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
- McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA.
- Department of Pathology, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA.
- Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Vandermeulen L, Geric I, Fumagalli L, Kreir M, Lu A, Nonneman A, Premereur J, Wolfs L, Policarpo R, Fattorelli N, De Bondt A, Van Den Wyngaert I, Asselbergh B, Fiers M, De Strooper B, d'Ydewalle C, Mancuso R. Regulation of human microglial gene expression and function via RNAase-H active antisense oligonucleotides in vivo in Alzheimer's disease. Mol Neurodegener 2024; 19:37. [PMID: 38654375 PMCID: PMC11040766 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-024-00725-9] [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: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Microglia play important roles in maintaining brain homeostasis and neurodegeneration. The discovery of genetic variants in genes predominately or exclusively expressed in myeloid cells, such as Apolipoprotein E (APOE) and triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2), as the strongest risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD) highlights the importance of microglial biology in the brain. The sequence, structure and function of several microglial proteins are poorly conserved across species, which has hampered the development of strategies aiming to modulate the expression of specific microglial genes. One way to target APOE and TREM2 is to modulate their expression using antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs). METHODS In this study, we identified, produced, and tested novel, selective and potent ASOs for human APOE and TREM2. We used a combination of in vitro iPSC-microglia models, as well as microglial xenotransplanted mice to provide proof of activity in human microglial in vivo. RESULTS We proved their efficacy in human iPSC microglia in vitro, as well as their pharmacological activity in vivo in a xenografted microglia model. We demonstrate ASOs targeting human microglia can modify their transcriptional profile and their response to amyloid-β plaques in vivo in a model of AD. CONCLUSIONS This study is the first proof-of-concept that human microglial can be modulated using ASOs in a dose-dependent manner to manipulate microglia phenotypes and response to neurodegeneration in vivo.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lina Vandermeulen
- Neuroscience Discovery, Janssen Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, 2340, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Ivana Geric
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- Laboratory for the Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Laura Fumagalli
- MIND Lab, VIB Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, 2610, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Mohamed Kreir
- Preclinical Development & Safety, Janssen Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, 2340, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Ashley Lu
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- Laboratory for the Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Annelies Nonneman
- Neuroscience Discovery, Janssen Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, 2340, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Jessie Premereur
- MIND Lab, VIB Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, 2610, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Leen Wolfs
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- Laboratory for the Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Rafaela Policarpo
- Neuroscience Discovery, Janssen Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, 2340, Beerse, Belgium
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- Laboratory for the Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Nicola Fattorelli
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- Laboratory for the Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - An De Bondt
- Discovery Sciences, Janssen Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, 2340, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Ilse Van Den Wyngaert
- Discovery Sciences, Janssen Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, 2340, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Bob Asselbergh
- Neuromics Support Facility, VIB Center for Molecular Neurology, University of Antwerp, 2610, Antwerp, Belgium
- Neuromics Support Facility, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Mark Fiers
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- Laboratory for the Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, W1T 7NF, UK
| | - Bart De Strooper
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- Laboratory for the Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, W1T 7NF, UK
| | - Constantin d'Ydewalle
- Neuroscience Discovery, Janssen Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, 2340, Beerse, Belgium.
| | - Renzo Mancuso
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, 3000, Belgium.
- Laboratory for the Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium.
- MIND Lab, VIB Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, 2610, Antwerp, Belgium.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610, Antwerp, Belgium.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Lane RM, Darreh-Shori T, Junge C, Li D, Yang Q, Edwards AL, Graham DL, Moore K, Mummery CJ. Onset of Alzheimer disease in apolipoprotein ɛ4 carriers is earlier in butyrylcholinesterase K variant carriers. BMC Neurol 2024; 24:116. [PMID: 38594621 PMCID: PMC11003149 DOI: 10.1186/s12883-024-03611-5] [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: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The authors sought to examine the impact of the K-variant of butyrylcholinesterase (BCHE-K) carrier status on age-at-diagnosis of Alzheimer disease (AD) in APOE4 carriers. METHODS Patients aged 50-74 years with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarker-confirmed AD, were recruited to clinical trial (NCT03186989 since June 14, 2017). Baseline demographics, disease characteristics, and biomarkers were evaluated in 45 patients according to BCHE-K and APOE4 allelic status in this post-hoc study. RESULTS In APOE4 carriers (N = 33), the mean age-at-diagnosis of AD in BCHE-K carriers (n = 11) was 6.4 years earlier than in BCHE-K noncarriers (n = 22, P < .001, ANOVA). In APOE4 noncarriers (N = 12) there was no observed influence of BCHE-K. APOE4 carriers with BCHE-K also exhibited slightly higher amyloid and tau accumulations compared to BCHE-K noncarriers. A predominantly amyloid, limited tau, and limbic-amnestic phenotype was exemplified by APOE4 homozygotes with BCHE-K. In the overall population, multiple regression analyses demonstrated an association of amyloid accumulation with APOE4 carrier status (P < .029), larger total brain ventricle volume (P < .021), less synaptic injury (Ng, P < .001), and less tau pathophysiology (p-tau181, P < .005). In contrast, tau pathophysiology was associated with more neuroaxonal damage (NfL, P = .002), more synaptic injury (Ng, P < .001), and higher levels of glial activation (YKL-40, P = .01). CONCLUSION These findings have implications for the genetic architecture of prognosis in early AD, not the genetics of susceptibility to AD. In patients with early AD aged less than 75 years, the mean age-at-diagnosis of AD in APOE4 carriers was reduced by over 6 years in BCHE-K carriers versus noncarriers. The functional status of glia may explain many of the effects of APOE4 and BCHE-K on the early AD phenotype. TRIAL REGISTRATION NCT03186989 since June 14, 2017.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roger M Lane
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA, 92010, USA.
| | - Taher Darreh-Shori
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Center for Alzheimer Research, Division of Clinical Geriatric, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Candice Junge
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA, 92010, USA
| | - Dan Li
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA, 92010, USA
| | - Qingqing Yang
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA, 92010, USA
| | | | | | - Katrina Moore
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA, 92010, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
15
|
Hou J, Chen Y, Cai Z, Heo GS, Yuede CM, Wang Z, Lin K, Saadi F, Trsan T, Nguyen AT, Constantopoulos E, Larsen RA, Zhu Y, Wagner ND, McLaughlin N, Kuang XC, Barrow AD, Li D, Zhou Y, Wang S, Gilfillan S, Gross ML, Brioschi S, Liu Y, Holtzman DM, Colonna M. Antibody-mediated targeting of human microglial leukocyte Ig-like receptor B4 attenuates amyloid pathology in a mouse model. Sci Transl Med 2024; 16:eadj9052. [PMID: 38569016 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adj9052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Microglia help limit the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) by constraining amyloid-β (Aβ) pathology, effected through a balance of activating and inhibitory intracellular signals delivered by distinct cell surface receptors. Human leukocyte Ig-like receptor B4 (LILRB4) is an inhibitory receptor of the immunoglobulin (Ig) superfamily that is expressed on myeloid cells and recognizes apolipoprotein E (ApoE) among other ligands. Here, we find that LILRB4 is highly expressed in the microglia of patients with AD. Using mice that accumulate Aβ and carry a transgene encompassing a portion of the LILR region that includes LILRB4, we corroborated abundant LILRB4 expression in microglia wrapping around Aβ plaques. Systemic treatment of these mice with an anti-human LILRB4 monoclonal antibody (mAb) reduced Aβ load, mitigated some Aβ-related behavioral abnormalities, enhanced microglia activity, and attenuated expression of interferon-induced genes. In vitro binding experiments established that human LILRB4 binds both human and mouse ApoE and that anti-human LILRB4 mAb blocks such interaction. In silico modeling, biochemical, and mutagenesis analyses identified a loop between the two extracellular Ig domains of LILRB4 required for interaction with mouse ApoE and further indicated that anti-LILRB4 mAb may block LILRB4-mApoE by directly binding this loop. Thus, targeting LILRB4 may be a potential therapeutic avenue for AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jinchao Hou
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Yun Chen
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Department of Neurology, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Knight Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Zhangying Cai
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Gyu Seong Heo
- Department of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Carla M Yuede
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Zuoxu Wang
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Kent Lin
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Fareeha Saadi
- Department of Neurology, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Knight Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Tihana Trsan
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Aivi T Nguyen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Eleni Constantopoulos
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Rachel A Larsen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Yiyang Zhu
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Nicole D Wagner
- Department of Chemistry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Nolan McLaughlin
- Department of Chemistry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Xinyi Cynthia Kuang
- Department of Chemistry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Alexander D Barrow
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Parkville, VIC 3000, Australia
| | - Dian Li
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Yingyue Zhou
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Shoutang Wang
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong, China
| | - Susan Gilfillan
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Michael L Gross
- Department of Chemistry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Simone Brioschi
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Yongjian Liu
- Department of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - David M Holtzman
- Department of Neurology, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Knight Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Marco Colonna
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Zgorzynska E. TREM2 in Alzheimer's disease: Structure, function, therapeutic prospects, and activation challenges. Mol Cell Neurosci 2024; 128:103917. [PMID: 38244651 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2024.103917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) is a membrane glycoprotein that plays a crucial role in the regulation of microglial survival, activation, phagocytosis, as well as in the maintenance of brain homeostasis and the inflammatory response to injury or neurodegeneration. This review provides a comprehensive overview of TREM2 structure and functions, highlighting the role of its variants in the development and progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD), a devastating neurodegenerative disease that affects millions of people worldwide. Additionally, the article discusses the potential of TREM2 as a therapeutic target in AD, analyzing the current state of research and future prospects. Given the significant challenges associated with the activation of TREM2, particularly due to its diverse isoforms and the delicate balance required to modulate the immune response without triggering hyperactivation, this review aims to enhance our understanding of TREM2 in AD and inspire further research into this promising yet challenging therapeutic target.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emilia Zgorzynska
- Department of Cell-to-Cell Communication, Medical University of Lodz, Mazowiecka 6/8, 92-215 Lodz, Poland.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Rim C, You MJ, Nahm M, Kwon MS. Emerging role of senescent microglia in brain aging-related neurodegenerative diseases. Transl Neurodegener 2024; 13:10. [PMID: 38378788 PMCID: PMC10877780 DOI: 10.1186/s40035-024-00402-3] [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: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Brain aging is a recognized risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, Lou Gehrig's disease), but the intricate interplay between brain aging and the pathogenesis of these conditions remains inadequately understood. Cellular senescence is considered to contribute to cellular dysfunction and inflammaging. According to the threshold theory of senescent cell accumulation, the vulnerability to neurodegenerative diseases is associated with the rates of senescent cell generation and clearance within the brain. Given the role of microglia in eliminating senescent cells, the accumulation of senescent microglia may lead to the acceleration of brain aging, contributing to inflammaging and increased vulnerability to neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we propose the idea that the senescence of microglia, which is notably vulnerable to aging, could potentially serve as a central catalyst in the progression of neurodegenerative diseases. The senescent microglia are emerging as a promising target for mitigating neurodegenerative diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chan Rim
- Department of Pharmacology, Research Institute for Basic Medical Science, School of Medicine, CHA University, CHA Bio Complex, 335 Pangyo, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 13488, Republic of Korea
| | - Min-Jung You
- Department of Pharmacology, Research Institute for Basic Medical Science, School of Medicine, CHA University, CHA Bio Complex, 335 Pangyo, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 13488, Republic of Korea
| | - Minyeop Nahm
- Dementia Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Min-Soo Kwon
- Department of Pharmacology, Research Institute for Basic Medical Science, School of Medicine, CHA University, CHA Bio Complex, 335 Pangyo, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 13488, Republic of Korea.
- Brainimmunex Inc., 26 Yatap-ro, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 13522, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Davis GH, Zaya A, Pearce MMP. Impairment of the glial phagolysosomal system drives prion-like propagation in a Drosophila model of Huntington's disease. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.10.04.560952. [PMID: 38370619 PMCID: PMC10871239 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.04.560952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Protein misfolding, aggregation, and spread through the brain are primary drivers of neurodegenerative diseases pathogenesis. Phagocytic glia are responsible for regulating the load of pathogenic protein aggregates in the brain, but emerging evidence suggests that glia may also act as vectors for aggregate spread. Accumulation of protein aggregates could compromise the ability of glia to eliminate toxic materials from the brain by disrupting efficient degradation in the phagolysosomal system. A better understanding of phagocytic glial cell deficiencies in the disease state could help to identify novel therapeutic targets for multiple neurological disorders. Here, we report that mutant huntingtin (mHTT) aggregates impair glial responsiveness to injury and capacity to degrade neuronal debris in male and female adult Drosophila expressing the gene that causes Huntington's disease (HD). mHTT aggregate formation in neurons impairs engulfment and clearance of injured axons and causes accumulation of phagolysosomes in glia. Neuronal mHTT expression induces upregulation of key innate immunity and phagocytic genes, some of which were found to regulate mHTT aggregate burden in the brain. Finally, a forward genetic screen revealed Rab10 as a novel component of Draper-dependent phagocytosis that regulates mHTT aggregate transmission from neurons to glia. These data suggest that glial phagocytic defects enable engulfed mHTT aggregates to evade lysosomal degradation and acquire prion-like characteristics. Together, our findings reveal new mechanisms that enhance our understanding of the beneficial and potentially harmful effects of phagocytic glia in HD and potentially other neurodegenerative diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Graham H. Davis
- Rowan University, Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Glassboro, NJ 08028
- Saint Joseph’s University, Department of Biology, Philadelphia, PA 19131
- University of the Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Aprem Zaya
- University of the Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Margaret M. Panning Pearce
- Rowan University, Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Glassboro, NJ 08028
- Saint Joseph’s University, Department of Biology, Philadelphia, PA 19131
- University of the Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Nakaso K. Roles of Microglia in Neurodegenerative Diseases. Yonago Acta Med 2024; 67:1-8. [PMID: 38380436 PMCID: PMC10867232 DOI: 10.33160/yam.2024.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
In recent years, microglia have attracted attention owing to their roles in various neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Microglia, which are brain-resident macrophages, not only act as immune cells but also perform other functions in the body. Interestingly, they exert contrasting effects on different neurodegenerative diseases. In addition to the previously reported M1 (toxic) and M2 (protective) types, microglia now also include disease-associated microglia owing to a more elaborate classification. Understanding this detailed classification is necessary to elucidate the association between microglia and neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we discuss the diverse roles of microglia in neurodegenerative diseases and highlight their potential as therapeutic targets.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kazuhiro Nakaso
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Pathophysiological and Therapeutic Sciences, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, 683-8503 Yonago, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Sun Y, Zhang H, Liu R, Huang R, Zhang X, Zhou S, Wu L, Zhu B, Wu H. Pyrolae herba alleviates cognitive impairment via hippocampal TREM2 signaling modulating neuroinflammation and neurogenesis in lipopolysaccharide-treated mice. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 319:117214. [PMID: 37739108 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.117214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANC Pyrolae herba (PH), a kind of Chinese herb, has been identified to have an anti-inflammatory effect, while the potential for treating cognitive impairment (CI), as well as the underlying mechanisms, is unclear. Currently, the interaction between neuroinflammation and neural function play a critical role in pathophysiology of CI. AIM OF THE STUDY To elucidate therapeutic effect of PH for CI as well as its underlying mechanisms with LPS-treated mice model. METHODS AND MATERIALS In this study, male C57BL6/J mice received lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection for 10 days to establish CI model and were administrated with PH for 14 days. We used piracetam as a positive control. Memory and spatial function was tested by Morris water maze (MWM). The level of inflammation-related cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-10, IL-6) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in serum and western blot in hippocampus. Immunofluorescence (IF) was used to measure the levels of ionized calcium binding linker molecule 1 (IBA-1), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), BrdU, Ki67 and doublecortin (DCX) in hippocampus. The mRNA sequencing was used to screen the potential target of PH with therapeutic CI. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to determine the gene alteration of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) in hippocampus. We used western blot to determine protein expressions of TREM2 and its related signaling, as well as synaptic proteins in hippocampus. RESULTS The results revealed that LPS contributed to CI, and PH or piracetam treatment significantly ameliorated CI in MWM test. LPS contributed to increasing expressions of TNF-α and IL-1β in serum and hippocampus, which both reversed by PH or piracetam. PH or piracetam could inhibit the activation of glial cells including microglia and astrocyte in the hippocampus in LPS-induced CI model. The mRNA sequencing and RT-PCR results showed that LPS significantly increased the gene expression of TREM2, which was reversed by PH. The alteration of TREM2 expression was the most significant among the 10 genes (TREM2, Slc24a2, Ptch2, Gck, Il1rapl1, Cadps2, Btbd11, Secisbp2l, Tenm3 and Prepl) in hippocampus. Protein results showed that LPS upregulated the expressions of TREM2 and its related proteins including DAP12, spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK) phosphorylation and ADAM 10, which were all reversed by PH or piracetam in hippocampus. Furthermore, LPS was capable of reducing the expression of BrdU and DCX co-labeled positive cells in hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG), which was reversed only by PH. Moreover, PH or piracetam treatment significantly increased the expression of Ki67 and DCX co-labeled positive cells in hippocampal DG. The expression of synapsin1 was obviously decreased by LPS and was significantly reversed by PH or piracetam. CONCLUSIONS PH could alleviate CI by suppressing the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines and mitigating astrocyte activity by restraining microglia's activation in hippocampus, further facilitating neurogenesis and proliferation, thereby enhancing pre-synaptic protein. This study highlighted on the clinical application of PH, which might promote the use of phytomedicine in CI patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yan Sun
- Key Laboratory of Integrative Biomedicine for Brain Diseases, School of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, PR China; National Famous Chinese Medicine Expert Inheritance Studio (Meng Jingchun), Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, School of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, PR China
| | - Hailou Zhang
- Interdisciplinary Institute for Personalized Medicine in Brain Disorders, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, PR China
| | - Ruiyu Liu
- Key Laboratory of Integrative Biomedicine for Brain Diseases, School of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, PR China; National Famous Chinese Medicine Expert Inheritance Studio (Meng Jingchun), Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, School of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, PR China; Interdisciplinary Institute for Personalized Medicine in Brain Disorders, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, PR China
| | - Rumin Huang
- Key Laboratory of Integrative Biomedicine for Brain Diseases, School of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, PR China; National Famous Chinese Medicine Expert Inheritance Studio (Meng Jingchun), Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, School of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, PR China
| | - Xiangrui Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Integrative Biomedicine for Brain Diseases, School of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, PR China; National Famous Chinese Medicine Expert Inheritance Studio (Meng Jingchun), Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, School of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, PR China
| | - Shihan Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Integrative Biomedicine for Brain Diseases, School of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, PR China; National Famous Chinese Medicine Expert Inheritance Studio (Meng Jingchun), Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, School of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, PR China
| | - Lei Wu
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, PR China
| | - Boran Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Integrative Biomedicine for Brain Diseases, School of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, PR China; National Famous Chinese Medicine Expert Inheritance Studio (Meng Jingchun), Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, School of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, PR China.
| | - Haoxin Wu
- Key Laboratory of Integrative Biomedicine for Brain Diseases, School of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, PR China; National Famous Chinese Medicine Expert Inheritance Studio (Meng Jingchun), Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, School of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Carling GK, Fan L, Foxe NR, Norman K, Ye P, Wong MY, Zhu D, Yu F, Xu J, Yarahmady A, Chen H, Huang Y, Amin S, Zacharioudakis E, Chen X, Holtzman DM, Mok SA, Gavathiotis E, Sinha SC, Cheng F, Luo W, Gong S, Gan L. Alzheimer's disease-linked risk alleles elevate microglial cGAS-associated senescence and neurodegeneration in a tauopathy model. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.24.577107. [PMID: 38328219 PMCID: PMC10849737 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.24.577107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
The strongest risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD) include the χ4 allele of apolipoprotein E (APOE), the R47H variant of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2), and female sex. Here, we combine APOE4 and TREM2R47H ( R47H ) in female P301S tauopathy mice to identify the pathways activated when AD risk is the strongest, thereby highlighting disease-causing mechanisms. We find that the R47H variant induces neurodegeneration in female APOE4 mice without impacting hippocampal tau load. The combination of APOE4 and R47H amplified tauopathy-induced cell-autonomous microglial cGAS-STING signaling and type-I interferon response, and interferon signaling converged across glial cell types in the hippocampus. APOE4-R47H microglia displayed cGAS- and BAX-dependent upregulation of senescence, showing association between neurotoxic signatures and implicating mitochondrial permeabilization in pathogenesis. By uncovering pathways enhanced by the strongest AD risk factors, our study points to cGAS-STING signaling and associated microglial senescence as potential drivers of AD risk.
Collapse
|
22
|
Chen Y, Song S, Parhizkar S, Lord J, Zhu Y, Strickland MR, Wang C, Park J, Travis Tabor G, Jiang H, Li K, Davis AA, Yuede CM, Colonna M, Ulrich JD, Holtzman DM. APOE3ch alters microglial response and suppresses Aβ-induced tau seeding and spread. Cell 2024; 187:428-445.e20. [PMID: 38086389 PMCID: PMC10842861 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.11.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
A recent case report described an individual who was a homozygous carrier of the APOE3 Christchurch (APOE3ch) mutation and resistant to autosomal dominant Alzheimer's Disease (AD) caused by a PSEN1-E280A mutation. Whether APOE3ch contributed to the protective effect remains unclear. We generated a humanized APOE3ch knock-in mouse and crossed it to an amyloid-β (Aβ) plaque-depositing model. We injected AD-tau brain extract to investigate tau seeding and spreading in the presence or absence of amyloid. Similar to the case report, APOE3ch expression resulted in peripheral dyslipidemia and a marked reduction in plaque-associated tau pathology. Additionally, we observed decreased amyloid response and enhanced microglial response around plaques. We also demonstrate increased myeloid cell phagocytosis and degradation of tau aggregates linked to weaker APOE3ch binding to heparin sulfate proteoglycans. APOE3ch influences the microglial response to Aβ plaques, which suppresses Aβ-induced tau seeding and spreading. The results reveal new possibilities to target Aβ-induced tauopathy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yun Chen
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Sihui Song
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Samira Parhizkar
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Knight Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Jennifer Lord
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Yiyang Zhu
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Michael R. Strickland
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Chanung Wang
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Jiyu Park
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - G. Travis Tabor
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Hong Jiang
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Knight Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Kevin Li
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Albert A. Davis
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Carla M. Yuede
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Knight Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Marco Colonna
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Jason D. Ulrich
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Knight Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - David M. Holtzman
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Knight Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Tewari M, Michalski S, Egan TM. Modulation of Microglial Function by ATP-Gated P2X7 Receptors: Studies in Rat, Mice and Human. Cells 2024; 13:161. [PMID: 38247852 PMCID: PMC10814008 DOI: 10.3390/cells13020161] [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: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
P2X receptors are a family of seven ATP-gated ion channels that trigger physiological and pathophysiological responses in a variety of cells. Five of the family members are sensitive to low concentrations of extracellular ATP, while the P2X6 receptor has an unknown affinity. The last subtype, the P2X7 receptor, is unique in requiring millimolar concentrations to fully activate in humans. This low sensitivity imparts the agonist with the ability to act as a damage-associated molecular pattern that triggers the innate immune response in response to the elevated levels of extracellular ATP that accompany inflammation and tissue damage. In this review, we focus on microglia because they are the primary immune cells of the central nervous system, and they activate in response to ATP or its synthetic analog, BzATP. We start by introducing purinergic receptors and then briefly consider the roles that microglia play in neurodevelopment and disease by referencing both original works and relevant reviews. Next, we move to the role of extracellular ATP and P2X receptors in initiating and/or modulating innate immunity in the central nervous system. While most of the data that we review involve work on mice and rats, we highlight human studies of P2X7R whenever possible.
Collapse
|
24
|
Castro R, Lopes M, De Biase L, Valdez G. Aging spinal cord microglia become phenotypically heterogeneous and preferentially target motor neurons and their synapses. Glia 2024; 72:206-221. [PMID: 37737058 PMCID: PMC10773989 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Microglia have been found to acquire unique region-dependent deleterious features with age and diseases that contribute to neuronal dysfunction and degeneration in the brain. However, it remains unknown whether microglia exhibit similar phenotypic heterogeneity in the spinal cord. Here, we performed a regional analysis of spinal cord microglia in 3-, 16-, 23-, and 30-month-old mice. Using light and electron microscopy, we discovered that spinal cord microglia acquire an increasingly activated phenotype during the course of aging regardless of regional location. However, aging causes microglia in the ventral but not dorsal horn to lose their spatial organization. Aged ventral horn microglia also aggregate around the somata of motor neurons and increase their contacts with motor synapses, which have been shown to be lost with age. These findings suggest that microglia may affect the ability of motor neurons to receive and relay motor commands during aging. To generate additional insights about aging spinal cord microglia, we performed RNA-sequencing on FACS-isolated microglia from 3-, 18-, 22-, and 29-month-old mice. We found that spinal cord microglia acquire a similar transcriptional identity as those in the brain during aging that includes altered expression of genes with roles in microglia-neuron interactions and inflammation. By 29 months of age, spinal cord microglia exhibit additional and unique transcriptional changes known and predicted to cause senescence and to alter lysosomal and ribosomal regulation. Altogether, this work provides the foundation to target microglia to ameliorate aged-related changes in the spinal cord, and particularly on the motor circuit.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Castro
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Mikayla Lopes
- Molecular Biology, Cell Biology & Biochemistry Graduate Program, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Lindsay De Biase
- Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Gregorio Valdez
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Center for Translational Neuroscience, Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science and Brown Institute for Translational Science, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Department of Neurology, Warren Alpert Medical School of Medicine, Brown University, Providence, USA
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
George J. TREM2 as an evolving therapeutic target in Alzheimer's disease. Neural Regen Res 2023; 18:2680-2681. [PMID: 37449620 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.371360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jacob George
- Cognyxx Pharmaceuticals, Tel Aviv Israel and Kaplan Heart Center, Rehovot, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Sudwarts A, Thinakaran G. Alzheimer's genes in microglia: a risk worth investigating. Mol Neurodegener 2023; 18:90. [PMID: 37986179 PMCID: PMC10662636 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-023-00679-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite expressing many key risk genes, the role of microglia in late-onset Alzheimer's disease pathophysiology is somewhat ambiguous, with various phenotypes reported to be either harmful or protective. Herein, we review some key findings from clinical and animal model investigations, discussing the role of microglial genetics in mediating perturbations from homeostasis. We note that impairment to protective phenotypes may include prolonged or insufficient microglial activation, resulting in dysregulated metabolomic (notably lipid-related) processes, compounded by age-related inflexibility in dynamic responses. Insufficiencies of mouse genetics and aggressive transgenic modelling imply severe limitations in applying current methodologies for aetiological investigations. Despite the shortcomings, widely used amyloidosis and tauopathy models of the disease have proven invaluable in dissecting microglial functional responses to AD pathophysiology. Some recent advances have brought modelling tools closer to human genetics, increasing the validity of both aetiological and translational endeavours.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ari Sudwarts
- Byrd Alzheimer's Center and Research Institute, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, 33613, USA.
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA.
| | - Gopal Thinakaran
- Byrd Alzheimer's Center and Research Institute, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, 33613, USA.
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Codocedo JF, Mera-Reina C, Lin PBC, Puntambekar SS, Casali BT, Jury N, Martinez P, Lasagna-Reeves CA, Landreth GE. Therapeutic targeting of immunometabolism in Alzheimer's disease reveals a critical reliance on Hexokinase 2 dosage on microglial activation and disease progression. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.11.566270. [PMID: 38014106 PMCID: PMC10680613 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.11.566270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Microgliosis and neuroinflammation are prominent features of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Disease-responsive microglia meet their increased energy demand by reprogramming metabolism, specifically, switching to favor glycolysis over oxidative phosphorylation. Thus, targeting of microglial immunometabolism might be of therapeutic benefit for treating AD, providing novel and often well understood immune pathways and their newly recognized actions in AD. We report that in the brains of 5xFAD mice and postmortem brains of AD patients, we found a significant increase in the levels of Hexokinase 2 (HK2), an enzyme that supports inflammatory responses by rapidly increasing glycolysis. Moreover, binding of HK2 to mitochondria has been reported to regulate inflammation by preventing mitochondrial dysfunction and NLRP3 inflammasome activation, suggesting that its inflammatory role extends beyond its glycolytic activity. Here we report, that HK2 antagonism selectively affects microglial phenotypes and disease progression in a gene-dose dependent manner. Paradoxically, complete loss of HK2 fails to improve AD progression by exacerbating inflammasome activity while its haploinsufficiency results in reduced pathology and improved cognition in the 5XFAD mice. We propose that the partial antagonism of HK2, is effective in slowed disease progression and inflammation through a non-metabolic mechanism associated with the modulation of NFKβ signaling, through its cytosolic target IKBα. The complete loss of HK2 affects additional inflammatory mechanisms associated to mitochondrial dysfunction. Highlights Hexokinase 2, the first and rate-limiting enzyme of glycolysis, is specifically upregulated in plaque-associated microglia of AD mice models and in the postmortem cortex of human AD patients.Microglia haploinsufficient in HK2 exhibit reduced amyloid burden and inflammation as well as improved cognition in a mouse model of AD. Paradoxically, the complete loss of HK2 results in opposite effects, by exacerbating inflammation.Lonidamine, an anticancer drug that inhibits HK2, mimics the salutary effects of HK2 haploinsufficiency in the 5xFAD mice, but only in males during the early stages of disease.HK2 deletion induced mitochondrial dysfunction associated to increased expression of inflammasome elements and IL-1β.HK2 partial antagonism exerts beneficial effects independent of its energetic or mitochondrial role, likely through cytosolic stabilization of IκBα and inhibition of the NF-κB pathway, leading to reduced proinflammatory gene expression.
Collapse
|
28
|
Huang W, Huang J, Huang N, Luo Y. The role of TREM2 in Alzheimer's disease: from the perspective of Tau. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1280257. [PMID: 38020891 PMCID: PMC10663217 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1280257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2), a pattern recognition receptor abundantly expressed on microglia, has been identified as one of the risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Several studies have already demonstrated the relationship between TREM2 and Tau. TREM2 mutations and altered expression play an important role in Tau phosphorylation. Furthermore, the level of Tau phosphorylation is correlated with soluble TREM2 (sTREM2). However, in different stages of AD, TREM2 seems to have varying effects on Tau pathology. The explicit interaction between TREM2 and Tau, as well as how they affect AD pathology, remains unclear, and there is much evidence to the contrary that requires rational interpretation. Reviewing the dual roles of TREM2 in AD will help identify a more appropriate development strategy for targeting TREM2 to treat AD. Therefore, this review focuses on the interplay between Tau and TREM2 in relation to AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wendi Huang
- Department of Neurology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University (The First People’s Hospital of Zunyi), Zunyi, China
| | - Juan Huang
- Key Laboratory of Basic Pharmacology of Ministry of Education and Joint International Research Lab of Ethnomedicine of Ministry of Education, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Nanqu Huang
- National Drug Clinical Trial Institution, Third Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University (The First People’s Hospital of Zunyi), Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Yong Luo
- Department of Neurology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University (The First People’s Hospital of Zunyi), Zunyi, China
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Schlepckow K, Morenas-Rodríguez E, Hong S, Haass C. Stimulation of TREM2 with agonistic antibodies-an emerging therapeutic option for Alzheimer's disease. Lancet Neurol 2023; 22:1048-1060. [PMID: 37863592 DOI: 10.1016/s1474-4422(23)00247-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, are associated with microgliosis. Microglia have long been considered to have detrimental roles in Alzheimer's disease. However, functional analyses of genes encoding risk factors that are linked to late-onset Alzheimer's disease, and that are enriched or exclusively expressed in microglia, have revealed unexpected protective functions. One of the major risk genes for Alzheimer's disease is TREM2. Risk variants of TREM2 are loss-of-function mutations affecting chemotaxis, phagocytosis, lipid and energy metabolism, and survival and proliferation. Agonistic anti-TREM2 antibodies have been developed to boost these protective functions in patients with intact TREM2 alleles. Several anti-TREM2 antibodies are in early clinical trials, and current efforts aim to achieve more efficient transport of these antibodies across the blood-brain barrier. PET imaging could be used to monitor target engagement. Data from animal models, and biomarker studies in patients, further support a rationale for boosting TREM2 functions during the preclinical stage of Alzheimer's disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kai Schlepckow
- German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Munich, Germany
| | - Estrella Morenas-Rodríguez
- Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain; Group of Neurogenerative Diseases, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre Research Institute (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Soyon Hong
- UK Dementia Research Institute, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Christian Haass
- German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Munich, Germany; Metabolic Biochemistry, Biomedical Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany; Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Tobeh NS, Bruce KD. Emerging Alzheimer's disease therapeutics: promising insights from lipid metabolism and microglia-focused interventions. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1259012. [PMID: 38020773 PMCID: PMC10630922 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1259012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
More than 55 million people suffer from dementia, with this number projected to double every 20 years. In the United States, 1 in 3 aged individuals dies from Alzheimer's disease (AD) or another type of dementia and AD kills more individuals than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. AD is a complex and multifactorial disease involving amyloid plaque and neurofibrillary tangle formation, glial cell dysfunction, and lipid droplet accumulation (among other pathologies), ultimately leading to neurodegeneration and neuronal death. Unfortunately, the current FDA-approved therapeutics do not reverse nor halt AD. While recently approved amyloid-targeting antibodies can slow AD progression to improve outcomes for some patients, they are associated with adverse side effects, may have a narrow therapeutic window, and are expensive. In this review, we evaluate current and emerging AD therapeutics in preclinical and clinical development and provide insight into emerging strategies that target brain lipid metabolism and microglial function - an approach that may synergistically target multiple mechanisms that drive AD neuropathogenesis. Overall, we evaluate whether these disease-modifying emerging therapeutics hold promise as interventions that may be able to reverse or halt AD progression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nour S Tobeh
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Kimberley D Bruce
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Zhang X, Tang L, Yang J, Meng L, Chen J, Zhou L, Wang J, Xiong M, Zhang Z. Soluble TREM2 ameliorates tau phosphorylation and cognitive deficits through activating transgelin-2 in Alzheimer's disease. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6670. [PMID: 37865646 PMCID: PMC10590452 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42505-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: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) is a transmembrane protein that is predominantly expressed by microglia in the brain. The proteolytic shedding of TREM2 results in the release of soluble TREM2 (sTREM2), which is increased in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). It remains unknown whether sTREM2 regulates the pathogenesis of AD. Here we identified transgelin-2 (TG2) expressed on neurons as the receptor for sTREM2. The microglia-derived sTREM2 binds to TG2, induces RhoA phosphorylation at S188, and deactivates the RhoA-ROCK-GSK3β pathway, ameliorating tau phosphorylation. The sTREM2 (77-89) fragment, which is the minimal active sequence of sTREM2 to activate TG2, mimics the inhibitory effect of sTREM2 on tau phosphorylation. Overexpression of sTREM2 or administration of the active peptide rescues tau pathology and behavioral defects in the tau P301S transgenic mice. Together, these findings demonstrate that the sTREM2-TG2 interaction mediates the cross-talk between microglia and neurons. sTREM2 and its active peptide may be a potential therapeutic intervention for tauopathies including AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xingyu Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Li Tang
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Jiaolong Yang
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Lanxia Meng
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Jiehui Chen
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Lingyan Zhou
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Jiangyu Wang
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Min Xiong
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Zhentao Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China.
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Luo W, Qu W, Gan L. The AD odyssey 2023: Tales of single cell. Cell 2023; 186:4257-4259. [PMID: 37774675 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.09.001] [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: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
Deciphering cellular changes in Alzheimer's disease (AD) using large cohorts with defined clinical stages is essential for understanding the diverse trajectories of AD progression. In this issue of Cell, five studies harnessed the power of single-nuclei RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) and single-nuclei ATAC sequencing (snATAC-seq) at unprecedented scale and revealed exciting insights into cell-type-specific mechanisms underlying the progression of AD pathogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wenjie Luo
- Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer's Disease Research Institute, Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Wenhui Qu
- Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer's Disease Research Institute, Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Li Gan
- Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer's Disease Research Institute, Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Gandy S, Ehrlich ME. miR155, TREM2, INPP5D: Disease stage and cell type are essential considerations when targeting clinical interventions based on mouse models of Alzheimer's amyloidopathy. J Neuroinflammation 2023; 20:214. [PMID: 37749581 PMCID: PMC10518910 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-023-02895-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies of microglial gene manipulation in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease (AD) amyloidopathy can cause unpredictable effects on various key endpoints, including amyloidosis, inflammation, neuritic dystrophy, neurodegeneration, and learning behavior. In this Correspondence, we discuss three examples, microRNA 155 (miR155), TREM2, and INPP5D, in which observed results have been difficult to reconcile with predicted results based on precedent, because these six key endpoints do not reliably track together. The pathogenesis of AD involves multiple cell types and complex events that may change with disease stage. We propose that cell-type targeting and timing of intervention are responsible for the sometimes impossibility of predicting whether any prospective therapeutic intervention should aim at increasing or decreasing the level or activity of a particular molecular target.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sam Gandy
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry and Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
- James J Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY, 10468, USA.
| | - Michelle E Ehrlich
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Self WK, Holtzman DM. Emerging diagnostics and therapeutics for Alzheimer disease. Nat Med 2023; 29:2187-2199. [PMID: 37667136 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-023-02505-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most common contributor to dementia in the world, but strategies that slow or prevent its clinical progression have largely remained elusive, until recently. This Review highlights the latest advances in biomarker technologies and therapeutic development to improve AD diagnosis and treatment. We review recent results that enable pathological staging of AD with neuroimaging and fluid-based biomarkers, with a particular emphasis on the role of amyloid, tau and neuroinflammation in disease pathogenesis. We discuss the lessons learned from randomized controlled trials, including some supporting the proposal that certain anti-amyloid antibodies slow cognitive decline during the mildly symptomatic phase of AD. In addition, we highlight evidence for newly identified therapeutic targets that may be able to modify AD pathogenesis and progression. Collectively, these recent discoveries-and the research directions that they open-have the potential to move AD clinical care toward disease-modifying treatment strategies with maximal benefits for patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wade K Self
- Department of Neurology, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Knight Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - David M Holtzman
- Department of Neurology, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Knight Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Rego S, Sanchez G, Da Mesquita S. Current views on meningeal lymphatics and immunity in aging and Alzheimer's disease. Mol Neurodegener 2023; 18:55. [PMID: 37580702 PMCID: PMC10424377 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-023-00645-0] [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: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an aging-related form of dementia associated with the accumulation of pathological aggregates of amyloid beta and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain. These phenomena are accompanied by exacerbated inflammation and marked neuronal loss, which altogether contribute to accelerated cognitive decline. The multifactorial nature of AD, allied to our still limited knowledge of its etiology and pathophysiology, have lessened our capacity to develop effective treatments for AD patients. Over the last few decades, genome wide association studies and biomarker development, alongside mechanistic experiments involving animal models, have identified different immune components that play key roles in the modulation of brain pathology in AD, affecting its progression and severity. As we will relay in this review, much of the recent efforts have been directed to better understanding the role of brain innate immunity, and particularly of microglia. However, and despite the lack of diversity within brain resident immune cells, the brain border tissues, especially the meninges, harbour a considerable number of different types and subtypes of adaptive and innate immune cells. Alongside microglia, which have taken the centre stage as important players in AD research, there is new and exciting evidence pointing to adaptive immune cells, namely T and B cells found in the brain and its meninges, as important modulators of neuroinflammation and neuronal (dys)function in AD. Importantly, a genuine and functional lymphatic vascular network is present around the brain in the outermost meningeal layer, the dura. The meningeal lymphatics are directly connected to the peripheral lymphatic system in different mammalian species, including humans, and play a crucial role in preserving a "healthy" immune surveillance of the CNS, by shaping immune responses, not only locally at the meninges, but also at the level of the brain tissue. In this review, we will provide a comprehensive view on our current knowledge about the meningeal lymphatic vasculature, emphasizing its described roles in modulating CNS fluid and macromolecule drainage, meningeal and brain immunity, as well as glial and neuronal function in aging and in AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shanon Rego
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
- Post-baccalaureate Research Education Program, Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Guadalupe Sanchez
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
- Neuroscience Ph.D. Program, Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Sandro Da Mesquita
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA.
- Post-baccalaureate Research Education Program, Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA.
- Neuroscience Ph.D. Program, Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Wang C, Nambiar A, Strickland MR, Lee C, Parhizkar S, Moore AC, Musiek ES, Ulrich JD, Holtzman DM. APOE-ε4 synergizes with sleep disruption to accelerate Aβ deposition and Aβ-associated tau seeding and spreading. J Clin Invest 2023; 133:e169131. [PMID: 37279069 PMCID: PMC10351966 DOI: 10.1172/jci169131] [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: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia. The APOE-ε4 allele of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene is the strongest genetic risk factor for late-onset AD. The APOE genotype modulates the effect of sleep disruption on AD risk, suggesting a possible link between apoE and sleep in AD pathogenesis, which is relatively unexplored. We hypothesized that apoE modifies Aβ deposition and Aβ plaque-associated tau seeding and spreading in the form of neuritic plaque-tau (NP-tau) pathology in response to chronic sleep deprivation (SD) in an apoE isoform-dependent fashion. To test this hypothesis, we used APPPS1 mice expressing human APOE-ε3 or -ε4 with or without AD-tau injection. We found that SD in APPPS1 mice significantly increased Aβ deposition and peri-plaque NP-tau pathology in the presence of APOE4 but not APOE3. SD in APPPS1 mice significantly decreased microglial clustering around plaques and aquaporin-4 (AQP4) polarization around blood vessels in the presence of APOE4 but not APOE3. We also found that sleep-deprived APPPS1:E4 mice injected with AD-tau had significantly altered sleep behaviors compared with APPPS1:E3 mice. These findings suggest that the APOE-ε4 genotype is a critical modifier in the development of AD pathology in response to SD.
Collapse
|
37
|
Zhang W, Xiao D, Mao Q, Xia H. Role of neuroinflammation in neurodegeneration development. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:267. [PMID: 37433768 PMCID: PMC10336149 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01486-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 80.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies in neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington's disease, and so on, have suggested that inflammation is not only a result of neurodegeneration but also a crucial player in this process. Protein aggregates which are very common pathological phenomenon in neurodegeneration can induce neuroinflammation which further aggravates protein aggregation and neurodegeneration. Actually, inflammation even happens earlier than protein aggregation. Neuroinflammation induced by genetic variations in CNS cells or by peripheral immune cells may induce protein deposition in some susceptible population. Numerous signaling pathways and a range of CNS cells have been suggested to be involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegeneration, although they are still far from being completely understood. Due to the limited success of traditional treatment methods, blocking or enhancing inflammatory signaling pathways involved in neurodegeneration are considered to be promising strategies for the therapy of neurodegenerative diseases, and many of them have got exciting results in animal models or clinical trials. Some of them, although very few, have been approved by FDA for clinical usage. Here we comprehensively review the factors affecting neuroinflammation and the major inflammatory signaling pathways involved in the pathogenicity of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. We also summarize the current strategies, both in animal models and in the clinic, for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Weifeng Zhang
- Laboratory of Gene Therapy, Department of Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, 199 South Chang'an Road, Xi'an, 710062, P.R. China
| | - Dan Xiao
- The State Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Air Force Medical University, No. 169 Changle West Road, Xi'an, 710032, P.R. China
- Department of Burns and Cutaneous Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Air Force Medical University, No. 169 Changle West Road, Xi'an, 710032, China
| | - Qinwen Mao
- Department of Pathology, University of Utah, Huntsman Cancer Institute, 2000 Circle of Hope Drive, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
| | - Haibin Xia
- Laboratory of Gene Therapy, Department of Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, 199 South Chang'an Road, Xi'an, 710062, P.R. China.
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Španić Popovački E, Babić Leko M, Langer Horvat L, Brgić K, Vogrinc Ž, Boban M, Klepac N, Borovečki F, Šimić G. Soluble TREM2 Concentrations in the Cerebrospinal Fluid Correlate with the Severity of Neurofibrillary Degeneration, Cognitive Impairment, and Inflammasome Activation in Alzheimer's Disease. Neurol Int 2023; 15:842-856. [PMID: 37489359 PMCID: PMC10366813 DOI: 10.3390/neurolint15030053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individuals with specific TREM2 gene variants that encode for a Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid cells 2 have a higher prevalence of Alzheimer's disease (AD). By interacting with amyloid and apolipoproteins, the TREM2 receptor regulates the number of myeloid cells, phagocytosis, and the inflammatory response. Higher TREM2 expression has been suggested to protect against AD. However, it is extremely difficult to comprehend TREM2 signaling in the context of AD. Previous results are variable and show distinct effects on diverse pathological changes in AD, differences between soluble and membrane isoform signaling, and inconsistency between animal models and humans. In addition, the relationship between TREM2 and inflammasome activation pathways is not yet entirely understood. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to determine the relationship between soluble TREM2 (sTREM2) levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma samples and other indicators of AD pathology. METHODS Using the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), we analyzed 98 samples of AD plasma, 35 samples of plasma from individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 11 samples of plasma from healthy controls (HC), as well as 155 samples of AD CSF, 90 samples of MCI CSF, and 50 samples of HC CSF. RESULTS CSF sTREM2 levels were significantly correlated with neurofibrillary degeneration, cognitive decline, and inflammasome activity in AD patients. In contrast to plasma sTREM2, CSF sTREM2 levels in the AD group were higher than those in the MCI and HC groups. Moreover, concentrations of sTREM2 in CSF were substantially higher in the MCI group than in the HC group, indicating that CSF sTREM2 levels could be used not only to distinguish between HC and AD patients but also as a biomarker to detect earlier changes in the MCI stage. CONCLUSIONS The results indicate CSF sTREM2 levels reliably predict neurofibrillary degeneration, cognitive decline, and inflammasome activation, and also have a high diagnostic potential for distinguishing diseased from healthy individuals. To add sTREM2 to the list of required AD biomarkers, future studies will need to include a larger number of patients and utilize a standardized methodology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ena Španić Popovački
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Šalata 12, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Mirjana Babić Leko
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Šalata 12, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Lea Langer Horvat
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Šalata 12, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Klara Brgić
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Kišpatićeva 12, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Željka Vogrinc
- Laboratory for Neurobiochemistry, Department of Laboratory Diagnostics, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Kišpatićeva 12, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Marina Boban
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Kišpatićeva 12, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
- School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Nataša Klepac
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Kišpatićeva 12, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
- School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Fran Borovečki
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Kišpatićeva 12, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
- School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Goran Šimić
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Šalata 12, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Yin Z, Herron S, Silveira S, Kleemann K, Gauthier C, Mallah D, Cheng Y, Margeta MA, Pitts KM, Barry JL, Subramanian A, Shorey H, Brandao W, Durao A, Delpech JC, Madore C, Jedrychowski M, Ajay AK, Murugaiyan G, Hersh SW, Ikezu S, Ikezu T, Butovsky O. Identification of a protective microglial state mediated by miR-155 and interferon-γ signaling in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Nat Neurosci 2023; 26:1196-1207. [PMID: 37291336 PMCID: PMC10619638 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01355-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Microglia play a critical role in brain homeostasis and disease progression. In neurodegenerative conditions, microglia acquire the neurodegenerative phenotype (MGnD), whose function is poorly understood. MicroRNA-155 (miR-155), enriched in immune cells, critically regulates MGnD. However, its role in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis remains unclear. Here, we report that microglial deletion of miR-155 induces a pre-MGnD activation state via interferon-γ (IFN-γ) signaling, and blocking IFN-γ signaling attenuates MGnD induction and microglial phagocytosis. Single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis of microglia from an AD mouse model identifies Stat1 and Clec2d as pre-MGnD markers. This phenotypic transition enhances amyloid plaque compaction, reduces dystrophic neurites, attenuates plaque-associated synaptic degradation and improves cognition. Our study demonstrates a miR-155-mediated regulatory mechanism of MGnD and the beneficial role of IFN-γ-responsive pre-MGnD in restricting neurodegenerative pathology and preserving cognitive function in an AD mouse model, highlighting miR-155 and IFN-γ as potential therapeutic targets for AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhuoran Yin
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Evergrande Center for Immunologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Shawn Herron
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sebastian Silveira
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kilian Kleemann
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- School of Computing, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK
| | - Christian Gauthier
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dania Mallah
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yiran Cheng
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Milica A Margeta
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kristen M Pitts
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jen-Li Barry
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ayshwarya Subramanian
- Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- ARCND, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hannah Shorey
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Wesley Brandao
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ana Durao
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jean-Christophe Delpech
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Laboratoire NutriNeuro, UMR 1286, Bordeaux INP, INRAE, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Charlotte Madore
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Laboratoire NutriNeuro, UMR 1286, Bordeaux INP, INRAE, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Mark Jedrychowski
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Amrendra K Ajay
- Department of Medicine, Division of Renal Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Gopal Murugaiyan
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Samuel W Hersh
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Seiko Ikezu
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Tsuneya Ikezu
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA.
| | - Oleg Butovsky
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Evergrande Center for Immunologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Lee-Gosselin A, Jury-Garfe N, You Y, Dabin L, Soni D, Dutta S, Rochet JC, Kim J, Oblak AL, Lasagna-Reeves CA. TREM2-Deficient Microglia Attenuate Tau Spreading In Vivo. Cells 2023; 12:1597. [PMID: 37371067 PMCID: PMC10296847 DOI: 10.3390/cells12121597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The role of TREM2 in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is not fully understood. Previous studies investigating the effect of TREM2 deletion on tauopathy mouse models without the contribution of b-amyloid have focused only on tau overexpression models. Herein, we investigated the effects of TREM2 deficiency on tau spreading using a mouse model in which endogenous tau is seeded to produce AD-like tau features. We found that Trem2-/- mice exhibit attenuated tau pathology in multiple brain regions concomitant with a decreased microglial density. The neuroinflammatory profile in TREM2-deficient mice did not induce an activated inflammatory response to tau pathology. These findings suggest that reduced TREM2 signaling may alter the response of microglia to pathological tau aggregates, impairing their activation and decreasing their capacity to contribute to tau spreading. However, caution should be exercised when targeting TREM2 as a therapeutic entry point for AD until its involvement in tau aggregation and propagation is better understood.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Audrey Lee-Gosselin
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (A.L.-G.); (N.J.-G.)
| | - Nur Jury-Garfe
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (A.L.-G.); (N.J.-G.)
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology & Physiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Yanwen You
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (A.L.-G.); (N.J.-G.)
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology & Physiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Luke Dabin
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (A.L.-G.); (N.J.-G.)
- Department of Medical & Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Disha Soni
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (A.L.-G.); (N.J.-G.)
- Department of Radiology & Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Sayan Dutta
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
- Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Jean-Christophe Rochet
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
- Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Jungsu Kim
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (A.L.-G.); (N.J.-G.)
- Department of Medical & Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Adrian L. Oblak
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (A.L.-G.); (N.J.-G.)
- Department of Radiology & Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Cristian A. Lasagna-Reeves
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (A.L.-G.); (N.J.-G.)
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology & Physiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
- Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Melchiorri D, Merlo S, Micallef B, Borg JJ, Dráfi F. Alzheimer's disease and neuroinflammation: will new drugs in clinical trials pave the way to a multi-target therapy? Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1196413. [PMID: 37332353 PMCID: PMC10272781 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1196413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite extensive research, no disease-modifying therapeutic option, able to prevent, cure or halt the progression of Alzheimer's disease [AD], is currently available. AD, a devastating neurodegenerative pathology leading to dementia and death, is characterized by two pathological hallmarks, the extracellular deposits of amyloid beta (Aβ) and the intraneuronal deposits of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) consisting of altered hyperphosphorylated tau protein. Both have been widely studied and pharmacologically targeted for many years, without significant therapeutic results. In 2022, positive data on two monoclonal antibodies targeting Aβ, donanemab and lecanemab, followed by the 2023 FDA accelerated approval of lecanemab and the publication of the final results of the phase III Clarity AD study, have strengthened the hypothesis of a causal role of Aβ in the pathogenesis of AD. However, the magnitude of the clinical effect elicited by the two drugs is limited, suggesting that additional pathological mechanisms may contribute to the disease. Cumulative studies have shown inflammation as one of the main contributors to the pathogenesis of AD, leading to the recognition of a specific role of neuroinflammation synergic with the Aβ and NFTs cascades. The present review provides an overview of the investigational drugs targeting neuroinflammation that are currently in clinical trials. Moreover, their mechanisms of action, their positioning in the pathological cascade of events that occur in the brain throughout AD disease and their potential benefit/limitation in the therapeutic strategy in AD are discussed and highlighted as well. In addition, the latest patent requests for inflammation-targeting therapeutics to be developed in AD will also be discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Melchiorri
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - Sara Merlo
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | | | - John-Joseph Borg
- Malta Medicines Authority, San Ġwann, Malta
- School of Pharmacy, Department of Biology, University of Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - František Dráfi
- Institute of Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, Centre of Experimental Medicine SAS Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
- State Institute for Drug Control, Bratislava, Slovakia
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Langworth-Green C, Patel S, Jaunmuktane Z, Jabbari E, Morris H, Thom M, Lees A, Hardy J, Zandi M, Duff K. Chronic effects of inflammation on tauopathies. Lancet Neurol 2023; 22:430-442. [PMID: 37059510 DOI: 10.1016/s1474-4422(23)00038-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
Tauopathies are a heterogeneous group of neurodegenerative disorders that are characterised by the aggregation of the microtubule-associated protein tau into filamentous inclusions within neurons and glia. Alzheimer's disease is the most prevalent tauopathy. Despite years of intense research efforts, developing disease-modifying interventions for these disorders has been very challenging. The detrimental role that chronic inflammation plays in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease is increasingly recognised; however, it is largely ascribed to the accumulation of amyloid β, leaving the effect of chronic inflammation on tau pathology and neurofibrillary tangle-related pathways greatly overlooked. Tau pathology can independently arise secondary to a range of triggers that are each associated with inflammatory processes, including infection, repetitive mild traumatic brain injury, seizure activity, and autoimmune disease. A greater understanding of the chronic effects of inflammation on the development and progression of tauopathies could help forge a path for the establishment of effective immunomodulatory disease-modifying interventions for clinical use.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Saisha Patel
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, UK
| | - Zane Jaunmuktane
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, University College London, London, UK; Queen Square Brain Bank for Neurological Disorders, University College London, London, UK; Division of Neuropathology, University College London, London, UK; National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK
| | - Edwin Jabbari
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, University College London, London, UK; National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK; Department of Neurology, Royal Free Hospital, London, UK
| | - Huw Morris
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, University College London, London, UK; National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK; Department of Neurology, Royal Free Hospital, London, UK
| | - Maria Thom
- Division of Neuropathology, University College London, London, UK; Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, University College London, London, UK
| | - Andrew Lees
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, University College London, London, UK; Reta Lila Weston Institute, University College London, London, UK
| | - John Hardy
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, UK; Reta Lila Weston Institute, University College London, London, UK; Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, University College London, London, UK
| | - Michael Zandi
- Department of Neuroinflammation, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK; National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK
| | - Karen Duff
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Jain N, Holtzman DM. Insights from new in vivo models of TREM2 variants. Mol Neurodegener 2023; 18:21. [PMID: 37016433 PMCID: PMC10074644 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-023-00609-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Nimansha Jain
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine, MO, St. Louis, USA
- Knight Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, MO, St. Louis, USA
| | - David M Holtzman
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
- Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine, MO, St. Louis, USA.
- Knight Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, MO, St. Louis, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Zajac DJ, Simpson J, Zhang E, Parikh I, Estus S. Expression of INPP5D Isoforms in Human Brain: Impact of Alzheimer's Disease Neuropathology and Genetics. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:763. [PMID: 36981033 PMCID: PMC10048252 DOI: 10.3390/genes14030763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The single nucleotide polymorphisms rs35349669 and rs10933431 within Inositol Polyphosphate-5-Phosphatase D (INPP5D) are strongly associated with Alzheimer's Disease risk. To better understand INPP5D expression in the brain, we investigated INPP5D isoform expression as a function of rs35349669 and rs10933431, as well as Alzheimer's disease neuropathology, by qPCR and isoform-specific primers. In addition, INPP5D allelic expression imbalance was evaluated relative to rs1141328 within exon 1. Expression of INPP5D isoforms associated with transcription start sites in exon 1 and intron 14 was increased in individuals with high Alzheimer's disease neuropathology. In addition, a novel variant with 47bp lacking from exon 12 increased expression in Alzheimer's Disease brains, accounting for 13% of total INPP5D expression, and was found to undergo nonsense-mediated decay. Although inter-individual variation obscured a possible polymorphism effect on INPP5D isoform expression as measured by qPCR, rs35349669 was associated with rs1141328 allelic expression imbalance, suggesting that rs35349669 is significantly associated with full-length INPP5D isoform expression. In summary, expression of INPP5D isoforms with start sites in exon 1 and intron 14 are increased in brains with high Alzheimer's Disease neuropathology, a novel isoform lacking the phosphatase domain was significantly increased with the disease, and the polymorphism rs35349669 correlates with allele-specific full-length INPP5D expression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Steven Estus
- Department of Physiology and Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40508, USA
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Zhao N, Bu G. A TREM2 antibody energizes microglia. Nat Neurosci 2023; 26:366-368. [PMID: 36765163 PMCID: PMC10474563 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01265-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
Loss-of-function variants of TREM2 increase the risk for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). A new study presents a therapeutic candidate, ATV:TREM2, a TREM2 activating antibody engineered with a transferrin receptor binding site to facilitating blood-to-brain transport. ATV:TREM2 treatment in AD model mice improved energy metabolism and microglial function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Na Zhao
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA.
| | - Guojun Bu
- SciNeuro Pharmaceuticals, Rockville, MD, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
I F. The unique neuropathological vulnerability of the human brain to aging. Ageing Res Rev 2023; 87:101916. [PMID: 36990284 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.101916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related neurofibrillary tangles (NFT), argyrophilic grain disease (AGD), aging-related tau astrogliopathy (ARTAG), limbic predominant TDP-43 proteinopathy (LATE), and amygdala-predominant Lewy body disease (LBD) are proteinopathies that, together with hippocampal sclerosis, progressively appear in the elderly affecting from 50% to 99% of individuals aged 80 years, depending on the disease. These disorders usually converge on the same subject and associate with additive cognitive impairment. Abnormal Tau, TDP-43, and α-synuclein pathologies progress following a pattern consistent with an active cell-to-cell transmission and abnormal protein processing in the host cell. However, cell vulnerability and transmission pathways are specific for each disorder, albeit abnormal proteins may co-localize in particular neurons. All these alterations are unique or highly prevalent in humans. They all affect, at first, the archicortex and paleocortex to extend at later stages to the neocortex and other regions of the telencephalon. These observations show that the phylogenetically oldest areas of the human cerebral cortex and amygdala are not designed to cope with the lifespan of actual humans. New strategies aimed at reducing the functional overload of the human telencephalon, including optimization of dream repair mechanisms and implementation of artificial circuit devices to surrogate specific brain functions, appear promising.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ferrer I
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Emeritus Researcher of the Bellvitge Institute of Biomedical Research (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain; Biomedical Research Network of Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain; Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
The Interplay between α-Synuclein and Microglia in α-Synucleinopathies. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032477. [PMID: 36768798 PMCID: PMC9916729 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Synucleinopathies are a set of devastating neurodegenerative diseases that share a pathologic accumulation of the protein α-synuclein (α-syn). This accumulation causes neuronal death resulting in irreversible dementia, deteriorating motor symptoms, and devastating cognitive decline. While the etiology of these conditions remains largely unknown, microglia, the resident immune cells of the central nervous system (CNS), have been consistently implicated in the pathogenesis of synucleinopathies. Microglia are generally believed to be neuroprotective in the early stages of α-syn accumulation and contribute to further neurodegeneration in chronic disease states. While the molecular mechanisms by which microglia achieve this role are still being investigated, here we highlight the major findings to date. In this review, we describe how structural varieties of inherently disordered α-syn result in varied microglial receptor-mediated interactions. We also summarize which microglial receptors enable cellular recognition and uptake of α-syn. Lastly, we review the downstream effects of α-syn processing within microglia, including spread to other brain regions resulting in neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration in chronic disease states. Understanding the mechanism of microglial interactions with α-syn is vital to conceptualizing molecular targets for novel therapeutic interventions. In addition, given the significant diversity in the pathophysiology of synucleinopathies, such molecular interactions are vital in gauging all potential pathways of neurodegeneration in the disease state.
Collapse
|
48
|
Heneka MT. ApoE4 makes microglia trem 2bling. Neuron 2023; 111:142-144. [PMID: 36657395 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.12.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The ApoE-Trem2 pathway links two of the most important genetic risk variants for sporadic Alzheimer's disease. In this issue of Neuron, Gratuze and colleagues1 report that Trem2 deficiency further aggravates neurodegeneration in tau mutant mice expressing human ApoE4. Together with previous work, this study points to a complex interaction and highlights the need for studying molecular interactions on all human ApoE variants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael T Heneka
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg; Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, North Worcester, MA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Carling G, Luo W, Gan L. Friend turned foe: TREM2 agonist in battles against tau. J Exp Med 2023; 220:e20221850. [PMID: 36399126 PMCID: PMC9680035 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20221850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In this important study, Jain et al. (2022. J. Exp. Med.https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.20220654) find that chronic TREM2 activation by AL002a antibody exacerbates the seeding and spread of pathological tau, enhances the disease-associated microglial signature, and increases neurite dystrophy in 5xFAD mice seeded with Alzheimer's disease tau.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gillian Carling
- Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer Disease Research Institute, Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Wenjie Luo
- Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer Disease Research Institute, Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Li Gan
- Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer Disease Research Institute, Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Chu YN, Akahori A, Takatori S, Tomita T. Pathological Roles of INPP5D in Alzheimer's Disease. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2023; 1423:289-301. [PMID: 37525057 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-31978-5_30] [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: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
Current hypothesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) postulates that amyloid β (Aβ) deposition in the brain causes tau inclusion in neurons and leads to cognitive decline. The discovery of the genetic association between triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) with increased AD risk points to a causal link between microglia and AD pathogenesis, and revealed a crucial role of TREM2-dependent clustering of microglia around amyloid plaques that prevents Aβ toxicity to facilitate tau deposition near the plaques. Here we review the physiological and pathological roles of another AD risk gene expressed in microglia, inositol polyphosphate-5-polyphosphatase D (INPP5D), which encodes a phosphoinositide phosphatase. Evidence suggests that its risk polymorphisms alter the expression level and/or function of INPP5D, while concomitantly affecting tau levels in cerebrospinal fluids. In β-amyloidosis mice, INPP5D was upregulated upon Aβ deposition and negatively regulated the microglial clustering toward amyloid plaques. INPP5D seems to exert its function by acting antagonistically at downstream of the TREM2 signaling pathway, suggesting that it is a novel regulator of the protective barrier by microglia. Further studies to elucidate INPP5D's role in AD may help in developing new therapeutic targets for AD treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yung Ning Chu
- Laboratory of Neuropathology and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Aika Akahori
- Laboratory of Neuropathology and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Sho Takatori
- Laboratory of Neuropathology and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Taisuke Tomita
- Laboratory of Neuropathology and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|