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Mitra S, Bp K, C R S, Saikumar NV, Philip P, Narayanan M. Alzheimer's disease rewires gene coexpression networks coupling different brain regions. NPJ Syst Biol Appl 2024; 10:50. [PMID: 38724582 PMCID: PMC11082197 DOI: 10.1038/s41540-024-00376-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Connectome studies have shown how Alzheimer's disease (AD) disrupts functional and structural connectivity among brain regions. But the molecular basis of such disruptions is less studied, with most genomic/transcriptomic studies performing within-brain-region analyses. To inspect how AD rewires the correlation structure among genes in different brain regions, we performed an Inter-brain-region Differential Correlation (Inter-DC) analysis of RNA-seq data from Mount Sinai Brain Bank on four brain regions (frontal pole, superior temporal gyrus, parahippocampal gyrus and inferior frontal gyrus, comprising 264 AD and 372 control human post-mortem samples). An Inter-DC network was assembled from all pairs of genes across two brain regions that gained (or lost) correlation strength in the AD group relative to controls at FDR 1%. The differentially correlated (DC) genes in this network complemented known differentially expressed genes in AD, and likely reflects cell-intrinsic changes since we adjusted for cell compositional effects. Each brain region used a distinctive set of DC genes when coupling with other regions, with parahippocampal gyrus showing the most rewiring, consistent with its known vulnerability to AD. The Inter-DC network revealed master dysregulation hubs in AD (at genes ZKSCAN1, SLC5A3, RCC1, IL17RB, PLK4, etc.), inter-region gene modules enriched for known AD pathways (synaptic signaling, endocytosis, etc.), and candidate signaling molecules that could mediate region-region communication. The Inter-DC network generated in this study is a valuable resource of gene pairs, pathways and signaling molecules whose inter-brain-region functional coupling is disrupted in AD, thereby offering a new perspective of AD etiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanga Mitra
- Bioinformatics and Integrative Data Science group, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Chennai, India
| | - Kailash Bp
- Bioinformatics and Integrative Data Science group, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Chennai, India
| | - Srivatsan C R
- Bioinformatics and Integrative Data Science group, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Chennai, India
| | - Naga Venkata Saikumar
- Bioinformatics and Integrative Data Science group, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Chennai, India
| | - Philge Philip
- Centre for Integrative Biology and Systems Medicine, IIT Madras, Chennai, India
- Robert Bosch Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, IIT Madras, Chennai, India
| | - Manikandan Narayanan
- Bioinformatics and Integrative Data Science group, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Chennai, India.
- Centre for Integrative Biology and Systems Medicine, IIT Madras, Chennai, India.
- Robert Bosch Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, IIT Madras, Chennai, India.
- Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre, IIT Madras, Chennai, India.
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Luckett ES, Zielonka M, Kordjani A, Schaeverbeke J, Adamczuk K, De Meyer S, Van Laere K, Dupont P, Cleynen I, Vandenberghe R. Longitudinal APOE4- and amyloid-dependent changes in the blood transcriptome in cognitively intact older adults. Alzheimers Res Ther 2023; 15:121. [PMID: 37438770 PMCID: PMC10337180 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-023-01242-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gene expression is dysregulated in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients, both in peripheral blood and post mortem brain. We investigated peripheral whole-blood gene (co)expression to determine molecular changes prior to symptom onset. METHODS RNA was extracted and sequenced for 65 cognitively healthy F-PACK participants (65 (56-80) years, 34 APOE4 non-carriers, 31 APOE4 carriers), at baseline and follow-up (interval: 5.0 (3.4-8.6) years). Participants received amyloid PET at both time points and amyloid rate of change derived. Accumulators were defined with rate of change ≥ 2.19 Centiloids. We performed differential gene expression and weighted gene co-expression network analysis to identify differentially expressed genes and networks of co-expressed genes, respectively, with respect to traits of interest (APOE4 status, amyloid accumulation (binary/continuous)), and amyloid positivity status, followed by Gene Ontology annotation. RESULTS There were 166 significant differentially expressed genes at follow-up compared to baseline in APOE4 carriers only, whereas 12 significant differentially expressed genes were found only in APOE4 non-carriers, over time. Among the significant genes in APOE4 carriers, several had strong evidence for a pathogenic role in AD based on direct association scores generated from the DISQOVER platform: NGRN, IGF2, GMPR, CLDN5, SMIM24. Top enrichment terms showed upregulated mitochondrial and metabolic pathways, and an exacerbated upregulation of ribosomal pathways in APOE4 carriers compared to non-carriers. Similarly, there were 33 unique significant differentially expressed genes at follow-up compared to baseline in individuals classified as amyloid negative at baseline and positive at follow-up or amyloid positive at both time points and 32 unique significant differentially expressed genes over time in individuals amyloid negative at both time points. Among the significant genes in the first group, the top five with the highest direct association scores were as follows: RPL17-C18orf32, HSP90AA1, MBP, SIRPB1, and GRINA. Top enrichment terms included upregulated metabolism and focal adhesion pathways. Baseline and follow-up gene co-expression networks were separately built. Seventeen baseline co-expression modules were derived, with one significantly negatively associated with amyloid accumulator status (r2 = - 0.25, p = 0.046). This was enriched for proteasomal protein catabolic process and myeloid cell development. Thirty-two follow-up modules were derived, with two significantly associated with APOE4 status: one downregulated (r2 = - 0.27, p = 0.035) and one upregulated (r2 = 0.26, p = 0.039) module. Top enrichment processes for the downregulated module included proteasomal protein catabolic process and myeloid cell homeostasis. Top enrichment processes for the upregulated module included cytoplasmic translation and rRNA processing. CONCLUSIONS We show that there are longitudinal gene expression changes that implicate a disrupted immune system, protein removal, and metabolism in cognitively intact individuals who carry APOE4 or who accumulate in cortical amyloid. This provides insight into the pathophysiology of AD, whilst providing novel targets for drug and therapeutic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma S Luckett
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neurology, Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- Alzheimer Research Centre KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- Laboratory for Complex Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Magdalena Zielonka
- Alzheimer Research Centre KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- Laboratory for the Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases, VIB-KU Leuven, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Amine Kordjani
- Laboratory for Complex Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Jolien Schaeverbeke
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neurology, Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- Alzheimer Research Centre KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- Laboratory of Neuropathology, Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | | | - Steffi De Meyer
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neurology, Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- Alzheimer Research Centre KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiomarker Research, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Koen Van Laere
- Division of Nuclear Medicine, UZ Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Patrick Dupont
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neurology, Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- Alzheimer Research Centre KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Isabelle Cleynen
- Laboratory for Complex Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Rik Vandenberghe
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neurology, Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium.
- Alzheimer Research Centre KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, 3000, Belgium.
- Neurology Department, University Hospitals Leuven, Herestraat 49, Leuven, 3000, Belgium.
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Berry AS, Harrison TM. New perspectives on the basal forebrain cholinergic system in Alzheimer's disease. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 150:105192. [PMID: 37086935 PMCID: PMC10249144 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105192] [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: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/24/2023]
Abstract
The basal forebrain cholinergic system (BFCS) has long been implicated in age-related cognitive changes and the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Limitations of cholinergic interventions helped to inspire a shift away from BFCS in AD research. A resurgence in interest in the BFCS following methodological and analytical advances has resulted in a call for the BFCS to be examined in novel frameworks. We outline the basic structure and function of the BFCS, its role in supporting cognitive and affective function, and its vulnerability to aging and AD. We consider the BFCS in the context of the amyloid hypothesis and evolving concepts in AD research: resilience and resistance to pathology, selective neuronal vulnerability, trans-synaptic pathology spread and sleep health. We highlight 1) the potential role of the BFCS in cognitive resilience, 2) recent work refining understanding about the selective vulnerability of BFCS to AD, 3) BFCS connectivity that suggests it is related to tau spreading and neurodegeneration and 4) the gap between BFCS involvement in AD and sleep-wake cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Theresa M Harrison
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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Kara B, Gordon MN, Gifani M, Dorrance AM, Counts SE. Vascular and Nonvascular Mechanisms of Cognitive Impairment and Dementia. Clin Geriatr Med 2023; 39:109-122. [PMID: 36404024 PMCID: PMC10062062 DOI: 10.1016/j.cger.2022.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Aging, familial gene mutations, and genetic, environmental, and modifiable lifestyle risk factors predispose individuals to cognitive impairment or dementia by influencing the efficacy of multiple, often interdependent cellular and molecular homeostatic pathways mediating neuronal, glial, and vascular integrity and, ultimately, cognitive status. This review summarizes data from foundational and recent breakthrough studies to highlight common and differential vascular and nonvascular pathogenic mechanisms underlying the progression of Alzheimer disease, vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and dementia with Lewy bodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Betul Kara
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Michigan State University, 400 Monroe Avenue Northwest, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Marcia N Gordon
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Michigan State University, 400 Monroe Avenue Northwest, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Mahsa Gifani
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Michigan State University, 400 Monroe Avenue Northwest, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Anne M Dorrance
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, 1355 Bogue Street, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Scott E Counts
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Michigan State University, 400 Monroe Avenue Northwest, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA; Department of Family Medicine, Michigan State University, 15 Michigan Street Northeast, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA; Hauenstein Neurosciences Center, Mercy Health Saint Mary's Medical Center, 20 Jefferson Avenue Southeast, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA.
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Zhang Y, Guo K, Zhang P, Zhang M, Li X, Zhou S, Sun H, Wang W, Wang H, Hu Y. Exploring the mechanism of YangXue QingNao Wan based on network pharmacology in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Front Genet 2022; 13:942203. [PMID: 36105078 PMCID: PMC9465410 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.942203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
It is clinical reported that YangXue QingNao Wan (YXQNW) combined with donepezil can significantly improve the cognitive function of AD patients. However, the mechanism is not clear. A network pharmacology approach was employed to predict the protein targets and affected pathways of YXQNW in the treatment of AD. Based on random walk evaluation, the correlation between YXQNW and AD was calculated; while a variety of AD clinical approved Western drugs were compared. The targets of YXQNW were enriched and analyzed by using the TSEA platform and MetaCore. We proved that the overall correlation between YXQNW and AD is equivalent to clinical Western drugs, but the mechanism of action is very different. Firstly, YXQNW may promote cerebral blood flow velocity by regulating platelet aggregation and the vasoconstriction/relaxation signal pathway, which has been verified by clinical meta-analysis. Secondly, YXQNW may promote Aβ degradation in the liver by modulating the abnormal glucose and lipid metabolisms via the adiponectin-dependent pathway, RXR/PPAR-dependent lipid metabolism signal pathway, and fatty acid synthase activity signal pathway. We also verified whether YXQNW indeed promoted Aβ degradation in hepatic stellate cells. This work provides a novel scientific basis for the mechanism of YXQNW in the treatment of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuying Zhang
- Cloudphar Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., Shenzhen, China
| | - Kaimin Guo
- Cloudphar Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., Shenzhen, China
| | - Pengfei Zhang
- Tianjin Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic Evaluation and Inspection Center, Tianjin, China
| | | | - Xiaoqiang Li
- Cloudphar Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., Shenzhen, China
| | - Shuiping Zhou
- The State Key Laboratory of Core Technology in Innovative Chinese Medicine, Tasly Academy, Tasly Holding Group Co. Ltd., Tianjin, China
- Tasly Pharmaceutical Group Co. Ltd., Tianjin, China
| | - He Sun
- The State Key Laboratory of Core Technology in Innovative Chinese Medicine, Tasly Academy, Tasly Holding Group Co. Ltd., Tianjin, China
- Tasly Pharmaceutical Group Co. Ltd., Tianjin, China
| | - Wenjia Wang
- Cloudphar Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., Shenzhen, China
| | - Hui Wang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, Hebei Province, Institute of Biophysics, School of Health Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
- *Correspondence: Hui Wang, ; Yunhui Hu,
| | - Yunhui Hu
- Cloudphar Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., Shenzhen, China
- *Correspondence: Hui Wang, ; Yunhui Hu,
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