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Shen M, Zhang L, Chen C, Wei X, Ma Y, Ma Y. Investigating the causal relationship between immune cell and Alzheimer's disease: a mendelian randomization analysis. BMC Neurol 2024; 24:98. [PMID: 38500057 PMCID: PMC10946133 DOI: 10.1186/s12883-024-03599-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: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Complex interactions between the immune system and the brain may affect neural development, survival, and function, with etiological and therapeutic implications for neurodegenerative diseases. However, previous studies investigating the association between immune inflammation and Alzheimer's disease (AD) have yielded inconsistent results. METHODS We applied Mendelian randomization (MR) to examine the causal relationship between immune cell traits and AD risk using genetic variants as instrumental variables. MR is an epidemiological study design based on genetic information that reduces the effects of confounding and reverse causation. We analyzed the causal associations between 731 immune cell traits and AD risk based on publicly available genetic data. RESULTS We observed that 5 immune cell traits conferred protection against AD, while 7 immune cell traits increased the risk of AD. These immune cell traits mainly involved T cell regulation, monocyte activation and B cell differentiation. Our findings suggest that immune regulation may influence the development of AD and provide new insights into potential targets for AD prevention and treatment. We also conducted various sensitivity analyses to test the validity and robustness of our results, which revealed no evidence of pleiotropy or heterogeneity. CONCLUSION Our research shows that immune regulation is important for AD and provides new information on potential targets for AD prevention and treatment. However, this study has limitations, including the possibility of reverse causality, lack of validation in independent cohorts, and potential confounding by population stratification. Further research is needed to validate and amplify these results and to elucidate the potential mechanisms of the immune cell-AD association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Shen
- Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Linlin Zhang
- Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Chen Chen
- Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Xiaocen Wei
- Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Yuning Ma
- Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong Province, China.
| | - Yuxia Ma
- Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong Province, China.
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Canet G, Zussy C, Hernandez C, Maurice T, Desrumaux C, Givalois L. The pathomimetic oAβ25–35 model of Alzheimer's disease: Potential for screening of new therapeutic agents. Pharmacol Ther 2023; 245:108398. [PMID: 37001735 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2023.108398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia in the elderly, currently affecting more than 40 million people worldwide. The two main histopathological hallmarks of AD were identified in the 1980s: senile plaques (composed of aggregated amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides) and neurofibrillary tangles (composed of hyperphosphorylated tau protein). In the human brain, both Aβ and tau show aggregation into soluble and insoluble oligomers. Soluble oligomers of Aβ include their most predominant forms - Aβ1-40 and Aβ1-42 - as well as shorter peptides such as Aβ25-35 or Aβ25-35/40. Most animal models of AD have been developed using transgenesis, based on identified human mutations. However, these familial forms of AD represent less than 1% of AD cases. In this context, the idea emerged in the 1990s to directly inject the Aβ25-35 fragment into the rodent brain to develop an acute model of AD that could mimic the disease's sporadic forms (99% of all cases). This review aims to: (1) summarize the biological activity of Aβ25-35, focusing on its impact on the main structural and functional alterations observed in AD (cognitive deficits, APP misprocessing, tau system dysfunction, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, cholinergic and glutamatergic alterations, HPA axis dysregulation, synaptic deficits and cell death); and (2) confirm the interest of this pathomimetic model in AD research, as it has helped identify and characterize many molecules (marketed, in clinical development, and in preclinical testing), and to the development of alternative approaches for AD prevention and therapy. Today, the Aβ25-35 model appears as a first-intent choice model to rapidly screen the symptomatic or neuroprotective potencies of new compounds, chemical series, or innovative therapeutic strategies.
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Dong X, Han X, Zhang X, Li S, Li Z, Kang J, Jiang J, Ni S, Lu L, He Z, Huang H, Xian S, Yuan T, Yang Z, Long W, Wan Z. A Simplified Herbal Formula Improves Cardiac Function and Reduces Inflammation in Mice Through the TLR-Mediated NF-κB Signaling Pathway. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:865614. [PMID: 35734399 PMCID: PMC9207450 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.865614] [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: 01/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Nuanxinkang tablet (NXK), a Chinese herbal formula, can improve heart function and quality of life in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). However, the mechanisms of action of NXK are not fully understood. In this study, we investigated the effects of NXK on inflammation in the CHF mouse model. This model was established by transverse aortic constriction (TAC) and treated with NXK for 8 weeks. Then, the cardiac function and myocardial fibrosis were evaluated. The monocytes/macrophages were evaluated by immunofluorescence. The mRNA levels of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, ICAM-1, and VCAM-1 were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), while TLR4, MyD88, NF-κB p65, P-IκBα, TLR2, TLR7 and TLR9 protein levels were evaluated by Western blot. The results showed that NXK improved the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and left ventricular end-systolic dimension, reversed myocardial fibrosis, and inhibited pro-inflammatory (CD11b + Ly6C+) monocytes/macrophages in the TAC mouse model. NXK also reduced the mRNA and protein levels of the above markers. Taken together, NXK improved heart function and reduced inflammation through the TLR-mediated NF-κB signaling pathway, suggesting that it might be used as an innovative treatment strategy for CHF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoming Dong
- The First Clinical Medical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaowei Han
- The First Clinical Medical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaojiao Zhang
- The First Clinical Medical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Sijing Li
- The First Clinical Medical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ziru Li
- The First Clinical Medical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jinhua Kang
- The First Clinical Medical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jialin Jiang
- The First Clinical Medical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shihao Ni
- The First Clinical Medical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lu Lu
- Lingnan Medical Research Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhiling He
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Haoming Huang
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shaoxiang Xian
- Lingnan Medical Research Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tianhui Yuan
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhongqi Yang
- Lingnan Medical Research Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Zhongqi Yang, ; Wenjie Long, ; Zemin Wan,
| | - Wenjie Long
- Lingnan Medical Research Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Zhongqi Yang, ; Wenjie Long, ; Zemin Wan,
| | - Zemin Wan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Zhongqi Yang, ; Wenjie Long, ; Zemin Wan,
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