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Gonçalves JIB, de Castro VR, Martins WA, Xavier FAC, Da Costa JC, Neto EP, Palmini A, Marinowic DR. Case Report: Molecular Analyses of Cell-Cycle-Related Genes in Cortical Brain Tissue of a Patient with Rasmussen Encephalitis. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:8487. [PMID: 39126055 PMCID: PMC11313535 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25158487] [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: 06/26/2024] [Revised: 07/30/2024] [Accepted: 07/31/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Rasmussen's encephalitis (RE) stands as a rare neurological disorder marked by progressive cerebral hemiatrophy and epilepsy resistant to medical treatment. Despite extensive study, the primary cause of RE remains elusive, while its histopathological features encompass cortical inflammation, neuronal degeneration, and gliosis. The underlying molecular mechanisms driving disease progression remain largely unexplored. In this case study, we present a patient with RE who underwent hemispherotomy and has remained seizure-free for over six months, experiencing gradual motor improvement. Furthermore, we conducted molecular analysis on the excised brain tissue, unveiling a decrease in the expression of cell-cycle-associated genes coupled with elevated levels of BDNF and TNF-α proteins. These findings suggest the potential involvement of cell cycle regulators in the progression of RE.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vinicius Rosa de Castro
- Graduate Program in Medicine and Health Sciences, Medical School, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90619-900, Brazil;
- Epilepsy Surgery Program, Saint Lucas Hospital, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90610-001, Brazil; (W.A.M.); (E.P.N.); (A.P.)
| | - William Alves Martins
- Epilepsy Surgery Program, Saint Lucas Hospital, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90610-001, Brazil; (W.A.M.); (E.P.N.); (A.P.)
| | | | - Jaderson Costa Da Costa
- Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90610-000, Brazil; (J.I.B.G.); (F.A.C.X.); (J.C.D.C.)
- Graduate Program in Medicine and Health Sciences, Medical School, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90619-900, Brazil;
| | - Eliseu Paglioli Neto
- Epilepsy Surgery Program, Saint Lucas Hospital, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90610-001, Brazil; (W.A.M.); (E.P.N.); (A.P.)
| | - André Palmini
- Epilepsy Surgery Program, Saint Lucas Hospital, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90610-001, Brazil; (W.A.M.); (E.P.N.); (A.P.)
| | - Daniel Rodrigo Marinowic
- Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90610-000, Brazil; (J.I.B.G.); (F.A.C.X.); (J.C.D.C.)
- Graduate Program in Medicine and Health Sciences, Medical School, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90619-900, Brazil;
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Witt ST, Brown A, Gravelsins L, Engström M, Classon E, Lykke N, Åvall-Lundqvist E, Theodorsson E, Ernerudh J, Kjölhede P, Einstein G. Gray matter volume in women with the BRCA mutation with and without ovarian removal: evidence for increased risk of late-life Alzheimer's disease or dementia. Menopause 2024; 31:608-616. [PMID: 38688467 DOI: 10.1097/gme.0000000000002361] [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: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Ovarian removal prior to spontaneous/natural menopause (SM) is associated with increased risk of late life dementias including Alzheimer's disease. This increased risk may be related to the sudden and early loss of endogenous estradiol. Women with breast cancer gene mutations (BRCAm) are counseled to undergo oophorectomy prior to SM to significantly reduce their risk of developing breast, ovarian, and cervical cancers. There is limited evidence of the neurological effects of ovarian removal prior to the age of SM showing women without the BRCAm had cortical thinning in medial temporal lobe structures. A second study in women with BRCAm and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO) noted changes in cognition. METHODS The present, cross-sectional study examined whole-brain differences in gray matter (GM) volume using high-resolution, quantitative magnetic resonance imaging in women with BRCAm and intact ovaries (BRCA-preBSO [study cohort with BRCA mutation prior to oophorectomy]; n = 9) and after surgery with (BSO + estradiol-based therapy [ERT]; n = 10) and without (BSO; n = 10) postsurgical estradiol hormone therapy compared with age-matched women (age-matched controls; n = 10) with their ovaries. RESULTS The BRCA-preBSO and BSO groups showed significantly lower GM volume in the left medial temporal and frontal lobe structures. BSO + ERT exhibited few areas of lower GM volume compared with age-matched controls. Novel to this study, we also observed that all three BRCAm groups exhibited significantly higher GM volume compared with age-matched controls, suggesting continued plasticity. CONCLUSIONS The present study provides evidence, through lower GM volume, to support both the possibility that the BRCAm, alone, and early life BSO may play a role in increasing the risk for late-life dementia. At least for BRCAm with BSO, postsurgical ERT seems to ameliorate GM losses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alana Brown
- Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | | | - Elisabet Classon
- Department of Acute Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Division of Prevention, Rehabilitation and Community Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Nina Lykke
- Thematic Studies, Linköping University, Sweden
| | - Elisabeth Åvall-Lundqvist
- Department of Oncology in Linköping and Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Elvar Theodorsson
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Jan Ernerudh
- Department of Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, and Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Sweden
| | - Preben Kjölhede
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
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Sahu M, Rani N, Kumar P. Simulation and Computational Study of RING Domain Mutants of BRCA1 and Ube2k in AD/PD Pathophysiology. Mol Biotechnol 2024; 66:1095-1115. [PMID: 38172369 DOI: 10.1007/s12033-023-01006-4] [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: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Lysine-based post-translational modification (PTM) such as acylation, acetylation, deamination, methylation, SUMOylation, and ubiquitination has proven to be a major regulator of gene expression, chromatin structure, protein stability, protein-protein interaction, protein degradation, and cellular localization. However, besides all the PTMs, ubiquitination stands as the second most common PTM after phosphorylation that is involved in the etiology of neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) namely, Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). NDDs are characterized by the accumulation of misfolded protein aggregates in the brain that lead to disease-related gene mutation and irregular protein homeostasis. The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is in charge of degrading these misfolded proteins, which involve an interplay of E1, E2, E3, and deubiquitinase enzymes. Impaired UPS has been commonly observed in NDDs and E3 ligases are the key members of the UPS, thus, dysfunction of the same can accelerate the neurodegeneration process. Therefore, the aim of this study is firstly, to find E3 ligases that are common in both AD and PD through data mining. Secondly, to study the impact of mutation on its structure and function. The study deciphered 74 E3 ligases that were common in both AD and PD. Later, 10 hub genes were calculated of which protein-protein interaction, pathway enrichment, lysine site prediction, domain, and motif analysis were performed. The results predicted BRCA1, PML, and TRIM33 as the top three putative lysine-modified E3 ligases involved in AD and PD pathogenesis. However, based on structural characterization, BRCA1 was taken further to study RING domain mutation that inferred K32Y, K32L, K32C, K45V, K45Y, and K45G as potential mutants that alter the structural and functional ability of BRCA1 to interact with Ube2k, E2-conjugating enzyme. The most probable mutant observed after molecular dynamics simulation of 50 ns is K32L. Therefore, our study concludes BRCA1, a potential E3 ligase common in AD and PD, and RING domain mutation at sites K32 and K45 possibly disturbs its interaction with its E2, Ube2k.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehar Sahu
- Molecular Neuroscience and Functional Genomics Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Delhi Technological University (Formerly Delhi College of Engineering), Shahbad Daulatpur, Bawana Road, Delhi, 110042, India
| | - Neetu Rani
- Molecular Neuroscience and Functional Genomics Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Delhi Technological University (Formerly Delhi College of Engineering), Shahbad Daulatpur, Bawana Road, Delhi, 110042, India
| | - Pravir Kumar
- Molecular Neuroscience and Functional Genomics Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Delhi Technological University (Formerly Delhi College of Engineering), Shahbad Daulatpur, Bawana Road, Delhi, 110042, India.
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Lu Y, Jarrahi A, Moore N, Bartoli M, Brann DW, Baban B, Dhandapani KM. Inflammaging, cellular senescence, and cognitive aging after traumatic brain injury. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 180:106090. [PMID: 36934795 PMCID: PMC10763650 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with mortality and morbidity worldwide. Accumulating pre-clinical and clinical data suggests TBI is the leading extrinsic cause of progressive neurodegeneration. Neurological deterioration after either a single moderate-severe TBI or repetitive mild TBI often resembles dementia in aged populations; however, no currently approved therapies adequately mitigate neurodegeneration. Inflammation correlates with neurodegenerative changes and cognitive dysfunction for years post-TBI, suggesting a potential association between immune activation and both age- and TBI-induced cognitive decline. Inflammaging, a chronic, low-grade sterile inflammation associated with natural aging, promotes cognitive decline. Cellular senescence and the subsequent development of a senescence associated secretory phenotype (SASP) promotes inflammaging and cognitive aging, although the functional association between senescent cells and neurodegeneration is poorly defined after TBI. In this mini-review, we provide an overview of the pre-clinical and clinical evidence linking cellular senescence with poor TBI outcomes. We also discuss the current knowledge and future potential for senotherapeutics, including senolytics and senomorphics, which kill and/or modulate senescent cells, as potential therapeutics after TBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujiao Lu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, United States of America.
| | - Abbas Jarrahi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, United States of America
| | - Nicholas Moore
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, United States of America
| | - Manuela Bartoli
- Department of Ophthalmology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, United States of America
| | - Darrell W Brann
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, United States of America
| | - Babak Baban
- Department of Oral Biology and Diagnostic Services, Dental College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, United States of America
| | - Krishnan M Dhandapani
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, United States of America.
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Piryaei Z, Salehi Z, Tahsili MR, Ebrahimie E, Ebrahimi M, Kavousi K. Agonist/antagonist compounds' mechanism of action on estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer: A system-level investigation assisted by meta-analysis. INFORMATICS IN MEDICINE UNLOCKED 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.imu.2022.100985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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Schwab N, Leung E, Hazrati LN. Cellular Senescence in Traumatic Brain Injury: Evidence and Perspectives. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:742632. [PMID: 34650425 PMCID: PMC8505896 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.742632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) can lead to long-term neurological dysfunction and increase one's risk of neurodegenerative disease. Several repercussions of mTBI have been identified and well-studied, including neuroinflammation, gliosis, microgliosis, excitotoxicity, and proteinopathy – however the pathophysiological mechanisms activating these pathways after mTBI remains controversial and unclear. Emerging research suggests DNA damage-induced cellular senescence as a possible driver of mTBI-related sequalae. Cellular senescence is a state of chronic cell-cycle arrest and inflammation associated with physiological aging, mood disorders, dementia, and various neurodegenerative pathologies. This narrative review evaluates the existing studies which identify DNA damage or cellular senescence after TBI (including mild, moderate, and severe TBI) in both experimental animal models and human studies, and outlines how cellular senescence may functionally explain both the molecular and clinical manifestations of TBI. Studies on this subject clearly show accumulation of various forms of DNA damage (including oxidative damage, single-strand breaks, and double-strand breaks) and senescent cells after TBI, and indicate that cellular senescence may be an early event after TBI. Further studies are required to understand the role of sex, cell-type specific mechanisms, and temporal patterns, as senescence may be a pathway of interest to target for therapeutic purposes including prognosis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Schwab
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Emily Leung
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Lili-Naz Hazrati
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
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