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Hu M, Xu F, Liu S, Yao Y, Xia Q, Zhu C, Zhang X, Tang H, Qaiser Z, Liu S, Tang Y. Aging pattern of the brainstem based on volumetric measurement and optimized surface shape analysis. Brain Imaging Behav 2024; 18:396-411. [PMID: 38155336 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-023-00840-z] [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] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
The brainstem, a small and crucial structure, is connected to the cerebrum, spinal cord, and cerebellum, playing a vital role in regulating autonomic functions, transmitting motor and sensory information, and modulating cognitive processes, emotions, and consciousness. While previous research has indicated that changes in brainstem anatomy can serve as a biomarker for aging and neurodegenerative diseases, the structural changes that occur in the brainstem during normal aging remain unclear. This study aimed to examine the age- and sex-related differences in the global and local structural measures of the brainstem in 187 healthy adults (ranging in age from 18 to 70 years) using structural magnetic resonance imaging. The findings showed a significant negative age effect on the volume of the two major components of the brainstem: the medulla oblongata and midbrain. The shape analysis revealed that atrophy primarily occurs in specific structures, such as the pyramid, cerebral peduncle, superior and inferior colliculi. Surface area and shape analysis showed a trend of flattening in the aging brainstem. There were no significant differences between the sexes or sex-by-age interactions in brainstem structural measures. These findings provide a systematic description of age associations with brainstem structures in healthy adults and may provide a reference for future research on brain aging and neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minqi Hu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Research Center for Sectional and Imaging Anatomy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder, Shandong Key Laboratory of Digital Human and Clinical Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
- Institute of Brain and Brain-Inspired Science, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Feifei Xu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Research Center for Sectional and Imaging Anatomy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder, Shandong Key Laboratory of Digital Human and Clinical Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
- Institute of Brain and Brain-Inspired Science, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Shizhou Liu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Research Center for Sectional and Imaging Anatomy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder, Shandong Key Laboratory of Digital Human and Clinical Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
- Institute of Brain and Brain-Inspired Science, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Yuan Yao
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Research Center for Sectional and Imaging Anatomy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder, Shandong Key Laboratory of Digital Human and Clinical Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
- Institute of Brain and Brain-Inspired Science, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Qing Xia
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Research Center for Sectional and Imaging Anatomy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder, Shandong Key Laboratory of Digital Human and Clinical Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
- Institute of Brain and Brain-Inspired Science, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Caiting Zhu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Research Center for Sectional and Imaging Anatomy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder, Shandong Key Laboratory of Digital Human and Clinical Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
- Institute of Brain and Brain-Inspired Science, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Xinwen Zhang
- Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Haiyan Tang
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Research Center for Sectional and Imaging Anatomy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder, Shandong Key Laboratory of Digital Human and Clinical Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
- Institute of Brain and Brain-Inspired Science, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Zubair Qaiser
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Research Center for Sectional and Imaging Anatomy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder, Shandong Key Laboratory of Digital Human and Clinical Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
- Institute of Brain and Brain-Inspired Science, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Shuwei Liu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Research Center for Sectional and Imaging Anatomy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder, Shandong Key Laboratory of Digital Human and Clinical Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
- Institute of Brain and Brain-Inspired Science, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Yuchun Tang
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Research Center for Sectional and Imaging Anatomy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder, Shandong Key Laboratory of Digital Human and Clinical Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China.
- Institute of Brain and Brain-Inspired Science, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China.
- Advanced Medical Research Institute, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China.
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Sarafidis M, Lambrou GI, Zoumpourlis V, Koutsouris D. An Integrated Bioinformatics Analysis towards the Identification of Diagnostic, Prognostic, and Predictive Key Biomarkers for Urinary Bladder Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14143358. [PMID: 35884419 PMCID: PMC9319344 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14143358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Bladder cancer is evidently a challenge as far as its prognosis and treatment are concerned. The investigation of potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets is indispensable and still in progress. Most studies attempt to identify differential signatures between distinct molecular tumor subtypes. Therefore, keeping in mind the heterogeneity of urinary bladder tumors, we attempted to identify a consensus gene-related signature between the common expression profile of bladder cancer and control samples. In the quest for substantive features, we were able to identify key hub genes, whose signatures could hold diagnostic, prognostic, or therapeutic significance, but, primarily, could contribute to a better understanding of urinary bladder cancer biology. Abstract Bladder cancer (BCa) is one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide and accounts for high morbidity and mortality. This study intended to elucidate potential key biomarkers related to the occurrence, development, and prognosis of BCa through an integrated bioinformatics analysis. In this context, a systematic meta-analysis, integrating 18 microarray gene expression datasets from the GEO repository into a merged meta-dataset, identified 815 robust differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The key hub genes resulted from DEG-based protein–protein interaction and weighted gene co-expression network analyses were screened for their differential expression in urine and blood plasma samples of BCa patients. Subsequently, they were tested for their prognostic value, and a three-gene signature model, including COL3A1, FOXM1, and PLK4, was built. In addition, they were tested for their predictive value regarding muscle-invasive BCa patients’ response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. A six-gene signature model, including ANXA5, CD44, NCAM1, SPP1, CDCA8, and KIF14, was developed. In conclusion, this study identified nine key biomarker genes, namely ANXA5, CDT1, COL3A1, SPP1, VEGFA, CDCA8, HJURP, TOP2A, and COL6A1, which were differentially expressed in urine or blood of BCa patients, held a prognostic or predictive value, and were immunohistochemically validated. These biomarkers may be of significance as prognostic and therapeutic targets for BCa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michail Sarafidis
- Biomedical Engineering Laboratory, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 9 Iroon Polytechniou Str., 15780 Athens, Greece;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +30-210-772-2430
| | - George I. Lambrou
- Choremeio Research Laboratory, First Department of Pediatrics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 8 Thivon & Levadeias Str., 11527 Athens, Greece;
- University Research Institute of Maternal and Child Health and Precision Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 8 Thivon & Levadeias Str., 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Vassilis Zoumpourlis
- Biomedical Applications Unit, Institute of Chemical Biology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 48 Vas. Konstantinou Ave., 11635 Athens, Greece;
| | - Dimitrios Koutsouris
- Biomedical Engineering Laboratory, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 9 Iroon Polytechniou Str., 15780 Athens, Greece;
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Balasubramanian P, Hall D, Subramanian M. Sympathetic nervous system as a target for aging and obesity-related cardiovascular diseases. GeroScience 2018; 41:13-24. [PMID: 30519806 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-018-0048-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2018] [Accepted: 11/26/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic sympathetic nervous system overactivity is a hallmark of aging and obesity and contributes to the development of cardiovascular diseases including hypertension and heart failure. The cause of this chronic sympathoexcitation in aging and obesity is multifactorial and centrally mediated. In this mini-review, we have provided an overview of the key and emerging central mechanisms contributing to the pathogenesis of sympathoexcitation in obesity and healthy aging, specifically focusing on hypertension. A clear understanding of these mechanisms will pave way for targeting the sympathetic nervous system for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases in obesity and aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priya Balasubramanian
- Reynolds Oklahoma Center on Aging, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
| | - Delton Hall
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, 277 McElroy Hall, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA
| | - Madhan Subramanian
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, 277 McElroy Hall, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA.
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Pawar HN, Balivada S, Kenney MJ. Does acute heat stress differentially-modulate expression of ionotropic neurotransmitter receptors in the RVLM of young and aged F344 rats? Neurosci Lett 2018; 687:223-233. [PMID: 30287307 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2018.09.062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2018] [Revised: 09/08/2018] [Accepted: 09/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The rostral ventral lateral medulla (RVLM) is a brainstem area that plays a role in regulating numerous physiological systems, especially their responsiveness to acute stress. Aging affects the responsiveness of RVLM neural circuits to acute stress. Based on the relationship between ionotropic neurotransmitter receptors in the RVLM and the physiological functions mediated via activation of these receptors, we hypothesized that in response to acute heat stress the expression of ionotropic neurotransmitter receptors in the RVLM of aged rats would be characterized by upregulation of inhibitory subunits and downregulation of excitatory subunits. The goal of the present study was to determine the effect of acute heating on the gene expression profile of RVLM inhibitory (GABAA and Glycine) and excitatory (NMDA and AMPA) ionotropic neurotransmitter receptor subunits in young and aged F344 rats. RVLM tissue punches from young and aged F344 rats were analyzed using TaqMan qPCR and immunoblotting. When compared to age-matched controls, heat stress increased the gene expression of RVLM inhibitory receptor subunits in aged (Gabra1, Gabra2, Gabra5, Glra1) and young (Gabra1) F344 rats at mRNA level, with little change in the expression of RVLM excitatory receptor subunits. Significant age x heat interaction effects were observed with increased expression of Gabra2 and Gabrb1 inhibitory receptor subunits and decreased expression of Gria1 and Gria2 excitatory receptor subunits in the RVLM of aged F344 rats, with the most marked change observed with the Gabra2 subunit, which was validated by immunoblotting. These findings demonstrate that in response to acute heat stress there is enhanced expression of inhibitory ionotropic receptor subunits in aged compared to young rats, supporting the idea that advanced age may alter RVLM responsivity by affecting the molecular substrate of ionotropic receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hitesh N Pawar
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA.
| | - Sivasai Balivada
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
| | - Michael J Kenney
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
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Wang J, Li Q, Kong Y, Zhou F, Li J, Li W, Wang K, Wu T, Guan Y, Xie J, Wen T. Biosystems Study of the Molecular Networks Underlying Hippocampal Aging Progression and Anti-aging Treatment in Mice. Front Aging Neurosci 2018; 9:393. [PMID: 29311893 PMCID: PMC5735351 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2017.00393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2017] [Accepted: 11/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Aging progression is a process that an individual encounters as they become older, and usually results from a series of normal physiological changes over time. The hippocampus, which contributes to the loss of spatial and episodic memory and learning in older people, is closely related to the detrimental effects of aging at the morphological and molecular levels. However, age-related genetic changes in hippocampal molecular mechanisms are not yet well-established. To provide additional insight into the aging process, differentially-expressed genes of 3- versus 24- and 29-month old mice were re-analyzed. The results revealed that a large number of immune and inflammatory response-related genes were up-regulated in the aged hippocampus, and membrane receptor-associated genes were down-regulated. The down-regulation of transmembrane receptors may indicate the weaker perception of environmental exposure in older people, since many transmembrane proteins participate in signal transduction. In addition, molecular interaction analysis of the up-regulated immune genes indicated that the hub gene, Ywhae, may play essential roles in immune and inflammatory responses during aging progression, as well as during hippocampal development. Our biological experiments confirmed the conserved roles of Ywhae and its partners between human and mouse. Furthermore, comparison of microarray data between advanced-age mice treated with human umbilical cord blood plasma protein and the phosphate-buffered saline control showed that the genes that contribute to the revitalization of advanced-age mice are different from the genes induced by aging. These results implied that the revitalization of advanced-age mice is not a simple reverse process of normal aging progression. Our data assigned novel roles of genes during aging progression and provided further theoretic evidence for future studies exploring the underlying mechanisms of aging and anti-aging-related disease therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiao Wang
- Laboratory of Molecular Neural Biology, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qian Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Neural Biology, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanyan Kong
- Position Emission Computed Tomography Center, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Fangfang Zhou
- Laboratory of Molecular Neural Biology, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Neural Biology, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Weihao Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Neural Biology, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Kai Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Andrology, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Ting Wu
- Shanghai Stem Cell Group, Shanghai, China
| | - Yihui Guan
- Position Emission Computed Tomography Center, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiang Xie
- School of Computer Engineering and Science, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tieqiao Wen
- Laboratory of Molecular Neural Biology, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
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Khan AM, Grant AH, Martinez A, Burns GAPC, Thatcher BS, Anekonda VT, Thompson BW, Roberts ZS, Moralejo DH, Blevins JE. Mapping Molecular Datasets Back to the Brain Regions They are Extracted from: Remembering the Native Countries of Hypothalamic Expatriates and Refugees. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2018; 21:101-193. [PMID: 30334222 PMCID: PMC6310046 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-94593-4_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
This article focuses on approaches to link transcriptomic, proteomic, and peptidomic datasets mined from brain tissue to the original locations within the brain that they are derived from using digital atlas mapping techniques. We use, as an example, the transcriptomic, proteomic and peptidomic analyses conducted in the mammalian hypothalamus. Following a brief historical overview, we highlight studies that have mined biochemical and molecular information from the hypothalamus and then lay out a strategy for how these data can be linked spatially to the mapped locations in a canonical brain atlas where the data come from, thereby allowing researchers to integrate these data with other datasets across multiple scales. A key methodology that enables atlas-based mapping of extracted datasets-laser-capture microdissection-is discussed in detail, with a view of how this technology is a bridge between systems biology and systems neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arshad M Khan
- UTEP Systems Neuroscience Laboratory, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA.
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA.
- Border Biomedical Research Center, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA.
| | - Alice H Grant
- UTEP Systems Neuroscience Laboratory, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
- Graduate Program in Pathobiology, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
| | - Anais Martinez
- UTEP Systems Neuroscience Laboratory, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
- Graduate Program in Pathobiology, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
| | - Gully A P C Burns
- Information Sciences Institute, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Marina del Rey, CA, USA
| | - Brendan S Thatcher
- VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Office of Research and Development Medical Research Service, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Vishwanath T Anekonda
- VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Office of Research and Development Medical Research Service, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Benjamin W Thompson
- VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Office of Research and Development Medical Research Service, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Zachary S Roberts
- VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Office of Research and Development Medical Research Service, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Daniel H Moralejo
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - James E Blevins
- VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Office of Research and Development Medical Research Service, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA
- Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
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