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Abd El-Fadeal NM, Ellawindy A, Jeraiby MA, Qusti SY, Alshammari EM, Alzahrani AK, Ismail EA, Ehab Z, Toraih EA, Fawzy MS, Mohamed MH. HSP70 Expression Signature in Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Clinical and Bioinformatic Analysis Approach. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:genes14020355. [PMID: 36833281 PMCID: PMC9957082 DOI: 10.3390/genes14020355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are cytoprotective against stressful conditions, as in the case of cancer cell metabolism. Scientists proposed that HSP70 might be implicated in increased cancer cell survival. This study aimed to investigate the HSP70 (HSPA4) gene expression signature in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in correlation to cancer subtype, stage, grade, and recurrence, combining both clinicopathological and in silico analysis approaches. One hundred and thirty archived formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples, including 65 RCC tissue specimens and their paired non-cancerous tissues, were included in the study. Total RNA was extracted from each sample and analyzed using TaqMan quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction. Correlation and validation to the available clinicopathological data and results were executed. Upregulated HSP70 (HSPA4) gene expression was evident in RCC compared to non-cancer tissues in the studied cohort and was validated by in silico analysis. Furthermore, HSP70 expression levels showed significant positive correlations with cancer size, grade, and capsule infiltration, as well as recurrence in RCC patients. The expression levels negatively correlated with the overall survival (r = -0.87, p < 0.001). Kaplan-Meier curves showed lower survival rates in high HSP70 expressor group compared to the low expressors. In conclusion, the HSP70 expression levels are associated with poor RCC prognosis in terms of advanced grade, capsule infiltration, recurrence, and short survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noha M. Abd El-Fadeal
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt
- Center of Excellence in Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt
- Oncology Diagnostic Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt
| | - Alia Ellawindy
- Medical Genetics Unit, Department of Histology and Cell Biology, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt
| | - Mohammed A. Jeraiby
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan 82621, Saudi Arabia
| | - Safaa Y. Qusti
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Eida M. Alshammari
- Department of Chemistry, College of Sciences, University of Ha’il, Ha’il 2440, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmad Khuzaim Alzahrani
- Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Northern Border University, Arar 91431, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ezzat A. Ismail
- Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt
| | - Ziad Ehab
- Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 21955, Egypt
| | - Eman A. Toraih
- Medical Genetics Unit, Department of Histology and Cell Biology, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt
- Division of Endocrine and Oncologic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Correspondence: (E.A.T.); (M.S.F.)
| | - Manal S. Fawzy
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Northern Border University, Arar 1321, Saudi Arabia
- Correspondence: (E.A.T.); (M.S.F.)
| | - Marwa Hussein Mohamed
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt
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Rathmann K, Bilz L, Hurrelmann K, Kiess W, Richter M. Is being a "small fish in a big pond" bad for students´ psychosomatic health? A multilevel study on the role of class-level school performance. BMC Public Health 2018; 18:1098. [PMID: 30189839 PMCID: PMC6128006 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-018-5977-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2017] [Accepted: 08/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Features of schools and classes are closely related to students´ health and wellbeing. However, class composition (e.g. in terms of school performance) has rarely been examined in relation to students´ health and wellbeing. This study focuses on the so called Big-Fish-Little-Pond-Effect (BFLPE), by investigating whether the level of high-performing students in classroom is negatively associated with psychosomatic complaints of students who perceive themselves as poor performers. Methods Data were derived from the German sample of the WHO-Collaborative “Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC)” study 2013/2014. The sample included 5226 11-, 13- and 15-year-old students. Individual perceived school performance (PSP) was included (very good/good vs. average/below average PSP) at the individual student-level. At the class-level, school performance in class was generated by aggregating the share (in percentage) of students who report a very good/good PSP to the class-level, indicating the percentage of students with good/very good PSP in classroom. Using multilevel regression models, the association between class-level school performance (in percentage of students with very good/good PSP) and individual psychosomatic complaints were analyzed, stratified by students´ individual PSP. Results Students who report average/below average PSP showed higher likelihoods of psychosomatic complaints (Odds Ratio: 1.75; 95% Confidence Interval: 1.52–2.03) compared to counterparts with very good/good PSP. The aggregated class-level PSP was not significantly associated with psychosomatic complaints. However, in line with the BFLPE, results further revealed that students with average/below average PSP, who attend classes with a higher percentage of students who report very good/good PSP, had higher likelihoods of psychosomatic complaints (Odds Ratio: 1.91; 95% Confidence Interval: 1.01–4.01) compared to classmates with very good/good PSP. Conclusions This study revealed that class composition in terms of PSP was differentially associated with students´ psychosomatic complaints, depending on their individual PSP. Findings highlight the vulnerability of students with poor PSP placed in classes with a higher percentage of students with good PSP. Results of this study therefore indicate a need for initiatives for low performing students from teachers and school staff in class.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Rathmann
- Department of Nursing and Health, Fulda University of Applied Sciences, Leipziger Straße 123, 36037, Fulda, Germany. .,Department for Sociology of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Technical University Dortmund, Emil-Figge-Str. 50, 44227, Dortmund, Germany.
| | - Ludwig Bilz
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty for Health, Social Work, and Music, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, Universitätsplatz 1, 01968, Senftenberg, Germany
| | - Klaus Hurrelmann
- Hertie School of Governance, Friedrichstr. 180, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Wieland Kiess
- Department of Women and Child Health, Hospital for Children and Adolescents and Centre for Paediatric Research (CPL), University of Leipzig, Liebigstr. 20a, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,LIFE Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Liebigstr. 20a, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Matthias Richter
- Institute of Medical Sociology, Medical Faculty, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Magdeburger Str. 8, 06112, Halle Saale, Germany
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Schneeberger A, Tierney L, Mandler M. Active immunization therapies for Parkinson's disease and multiple system atrophy. Mov Disord 2015; 31:214-24. [PMID: 26260853 DOI: 10.1002/mds.26377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2015] [Revised: 07/16/2015] [Accepted: 07/20/2015] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Vaccination is increasingly being investigated as a potential treatment for synucleinopathies, a group of neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson's disease, multiple system atrophy, and dementia with Lewy bodies associated with α-synuclein pathology. All lack a causal therapy. Development of novel, disease-altering treatment strategies is urgently needed. Vaccination has positioned itself as a prime strategy for addressing these diseases because it is broadly applicable, requires infrequent administration, and maintains low production costs for treating a large population or as a preventive measure. Current evidence points to a causal role of misfolded α-synuclein in the development and progression of synucleinopathies. In the past decade, significant progress in active immunization against α-synuclein has been shown both in preclinical animal models and in early clinical development. In this review, we describe the state-of-the-art in active immunization approaches to synucleinopathies, with a focus on advances in Parkinson's disease (PD) and multiple-system atrophy (MSA). We first review preclinical animal models, highlighting their progress in translation to the clinical setting. We then discuss current clinical applications, stressing different approaches taken to address α-synuclein pathology. Finally, we address challenges, trends, and future perspectives of current vaccination programs.
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Labrador-Garrido A, Cejudo-Guillén M, Klippstein R, De Genst EJ, Tomas-Gallardo L, Leal MM, Villadiego J, Toledo-Aral JJ, Dobson CM, Pozo D, Roodveldt C. Chaperoned amyloid proteins for immune manipulation: α-Synuclein/Hsp70 shifts immunity toward a modulatory phenotype. IMMUNITY INFLAMMATION AND DISEASE 2014; 2:226-38. [PMID: 25866630 PMCID: PMC4386917 DOI: 10.1002/iid3.39] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2014] [Revised: 09/23/2014] [Accepted: 10/20/2014] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
α-Synuclein (αSyn) is a 140-residue amyloid-forming protein whose aggregation is linked to Parkinson's disease (PD). It has also been found to play a critical role in the immune imbalance that accompanies disease progression, a characteristic that has prompted the search for an effective αSyn-based immunotherapy. In this study, we have simultaneously exploited two important features of certain heat-shock proteins (HSPs): their classical “chaperone” activities and their recently discovered and diverse “immunoactive” properties. In particular, we have explored the immune response elicited by immunization of C57BL/6 mice with an αSyn/Hsp70 protein combination in the absence of added adjuvant. Our results show differential effects for mice immunized with the αSyn/Hsp70 complex, including a restrained αSyn-specific (IgM and IgG) humoral response as well as minimized alterations in the Treg (CD4+CD25+Foxp3+) and Teff (CD4+Foxp3−) cell populations, as opposed to significant changes in mice immunized with αSyn and Hsp70 alone. Furthermore, in vitro-stimulated splenocytes from immunized mice showed the lowest relative response against αSyn challenge for the “αSyn/Hsp70” experimental group as measured by IFN-γ and IL-17 secretion, and higher IL-10 levels when stimulated with LPS. Finally, serum levels of Th1-cytokine IFN-γ and immunomodulatory IL-10 indicated a unique shift toward an immunomodulatory/immunoprotective phenotype in mice immunized with the αSyn/Hsp70 complex. Overall, we propose the use of functional “HSP-chaperoned amyloid/aggregating proteins” generated with appropriate HSP-substrate protein combinations, such as the αSyn/Hsp70 complex, as a novel strategy for immune-based intervention against synucleinopathies and other amyloid or “misfolding” neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adahir Labrador-Garrido
- CABIMER, Andalusian Center for Molecular Biology and Regenerative Medicine Seville, Spain ; Department of Medical Biochemistry Molecular Biology and Immunology School of Medicine, University of Seville Spain
| | - Marta Cejudo-Guillén
- CABIMER, Andalusian Center for Molecular Biology and Regenerative Medicine Seville, Spain ; Department of Medical Biochemistry Molecular Biology and Immunology School of Medicine, University of Seville Spain
| | - Rebecca Klippstein
- CABIMER, Andalusian Center for Molecular Biology and Regenerative Medicine Seville, Spain ; Department of Medical Biochemistry Molecular Biology and Immunology School of Medicine, University of Seville Spain
| | | | | | - María M Leal
- CABIMER, Andalusian Center for Molecular Biology and Regenerative Medicine Seville, Spain
| | - Javier Villadiego
- IBiS Institute of Biomedicine of Seville, University Hospital Virgen del Rocío-CSIC-University of Seville Spain ; Department of Medical Physiology and Biophysics School of Medicine, University of Seville Spain ; CIBERNED, Centers for Networked Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases Spain
| | - Juan J Toledo-Aral
- IBiS Institute of Biomedicine of Seville, University Hospital Virgen del Rocío-CSIC-University of Seville Spain ; Department of Medical Physiology and Biophysics School of Medicine, University of Seville Spain ; CIBERNED, Centers for Networked Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases Spain
| | | | - David Pozo
- CABIMER, Andalusian Center for Molecular Biology and Regenerative Medicine Seville, Spain ; Department of Medical Biochemistry Molecular Biology and Immunology School of Medicine, University of Seville Spain
| | - Cintia Roodveldt
- CABIMER, Andalusian Center for Molecular Biology and Regenerative Medicine Seville, Spain
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Bogner S, Bernreuther C, Matschke J, Barrera-Ocampo A, Sepulveda-Falla D, Leypoldt F, Magnus T, Haag F, Bergmann M, Brück W, Vogelgesang S, Glatzel M. Immune activation in amyloid-β-related angiitis correlates with decreased parenchymal amyloid-β plaque load. NEURODEGENER DIS 2013; 13:38-44. [PMID: 24021982 DOI: 10.1159/000352020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2012] [Accepted: 05/12/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Primary angiitis of the central nervous system (PACNS) is a rare but serious condition. A fraction of patients suffering from PACNS concurrently exhibit pronounced cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) which is characterized by deposits of amyloid-β (Aβ) in and around the walls of small and medium-sized arteries of the brain. PACNS with CAA has been identified as a distinct disease entity, termed Aβ-related angiitis (ABRA). Evidence points to an immune reaction to vessel wall Aβ as the trigger of vasculitis. OBJECTIVE To investigate whether the inflammatory response to Aβ has (1) any effect on the status of immune activation in the brain parenchyma and (2) leads to clearance of Aβ from brain parenchyma. METHODS We studied immune activation and Aβ load by quantitative immunohistochemical analysis in brain parenchyma adjacent to affected vessels in 11 ABRA patients and 10 matched CAA controls. RESULTS ABRA patients showed significantly increased immune activation and decreased Aβ loads in the brain parenchyma adjacent to affected vessels. CONCLUSION Our results are in line with the hypothesis of ABRA being the result of an excessive immune response to Aβ and show that this can lead to enhanced clearance of Aβ from the brain parenchyma by immune-mediated mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Bogner
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
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Choi BD, Archer GE, Mitchell DA, Heimberger AB, McLendon RE, Bigner DD, Sampson JH. EGFRvIII-targeted vaccination therapy of malignant glioma. Brain Pathol 2009; 19:713-23. [PMID: 19744042 PMCID: PMC2846812 DOI: 10.1111/j.1750-3639.2009.00318.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2009] [Accepted: 06/30/2009] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Given the highly infiltrative growth pattern of malignant glioma and the lack of specificity associated with currently available treatment regimens, alternative strategies designed to eradicate cancer cells while limiting collateral toxicity in normal tissues remain a high priority. To this end, the development of specific immunotherapies against targeted neoplastic cells represents a promising approach. The epidermal growth factor receptor class III variant (EGFRvIII), a constitutively activated mutant of the wild-type tyrosine kinase, is present in a substantial proportion of malignant gliomas and other human cancers, yet completely absent from normal tissues. This receptor variant consists of an in-frame deletion, the translation of which produces an extracellular junction with a novel glycine residue, flanked by amino acid sequences that are not typically adjacent in the normal protein. In this review, both preclinical and early clinical development of a peptide vaccine directed against this portion of the EGFRvIII antigenic domain are recapitulated. Following vaccination, our group has demonstrated potent, redirected cellular and humoral immunity against cancer cells expressing the mutant receptor without significant toxicity. Additionally, the corresponding therapeutic outcomes observed in these studies lend credence to the potential role of peptide-based vaccination strategies among emerging antitumor immunotherapies in patients with malignant glioma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan D Choi
- Duke Brain Tumor Immunotherapy Program, Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA.
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Mohajeri MH, Leuba G. Prevention of age-associated dementia. Brain Res Bull 2009; 80:315-25. [PMID: 19576269 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2009.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2009] [Revised: 06/23/2009] [Accepted: 06/24/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The advancement of medical sciences during the last century has resulted in a considerable increase in life expectancy. As more people live to old age, one of the most fundamental questions of the 21st century is whether the number of individuals suffering from dementia will also continue to increase. Alzheimer's disease (AD) accounts for the majority of cases of dementia in the elderly, but there is currently no curative treatment available. Several strategies have been introduced for treatment, the most recent strategy of which was the immunization of patients using antibodies against Abeta, which is a naturally occurring, even though misfolded peptide in the AD brain. Both active and passive immunization routes have been shown to reduce the pathology associated with Abeta accumulation in brains of genetically designed animal models. However, despite tremendous efforts, no unequivocal proof of therapeutic efficacy could be shown in AD patients. Particularly, the persistence of the neurofibrillary tangles in immunized brains and the issue of inducing cerebral amyloid angiopathy are major limiting factors of antibody therapy. Furthermore, physical activity, a healthy immune system and nutritional habits are suggested to protect against the onset of age-associated dementia. Thus, accumulative evidence suggests that an early integrated strategy, combining pharmacological, immunological, nutritional and life-style factors, is the most pragmatic approach to delay the onset and progression of age-associated dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Hasan Mohajeri
- Division of Psychiatry Research, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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Abstract
Despite aggressive multi-modality therapy including surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, the prognosis for patients with malignant primary brain tumors remains very poor. Moreover, the non-specific nature of conventional therapy for brain tumors often results in incapacitating damage to surrounding normal brain and systemic tissues. Thus, there is an urgent need for the development of therapeutic strategies that precisely target tumor cells while minimizing collateral damage to neighboring eloquent cerebral cortex. The rationale for using the immune system to target brain tumors is based on the premise that the inherent specificity of immunologic reactivity could meet the clear need for more specific and precise therapy. The success of this modality is dependent on our ability to understand the mechanisms of immune regulation within the central nervous system (CNS), as well as counter the broad defects in host cell-mediated immunity that malignant gliomas are known to elicit. Recent advances in our understanding of tumor-induced and host-mediated immunosuppressive mechanisms, the development of effective strategies to combat these suppressive effects, and a better understanding of how to deliver immunologic effector molecules more efficiently to CNS tumors have all facilitated significant progress toward the realization of true clinical benefit from immunotherapeutic treatment of malignant gliomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duane A Mitchell
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center, Duke, NC 27710, USA.
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Giunta B, Fernandez F, Nikolic WV, Obregon D, Rrapo E, Town T, Tan J. Inflammaging as a prodrome to Alzheimer's disease. J Neuroinflammation 2008; 5:51. [PMID: 19014446 PMCID: PMC2615427 DOI: 10.1186/1742-2094-5-51] [Citation(s) in RCA: 198] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2008] [Accepted: 11/11/2008] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, the term "inflammaging" was coined by Franceshci and colleagues to characterize a widely accepted paradigm that ageing is accompanied by a low-grade chronic up-regulation of certain pro-inflammatory responses. Inflammaging differs significantly from the traditional five cardinal features of acute inflammation in that it is characterized by a relative decline in adaptive immunity and T-helper 2 responses and is associated with increased innate immunity by cells of the mononuclear phagocyte lineage. While the over-active innate immunity characteristic of inflammaging may remain subclinical in many elderly individuals, a portion of individuals (postulated to have a "high responder inflammatory genotype") may shift from a state of "normal" or "subclinical" inflammaging to one or more of a number of age-associated diseases. We and others have found that IFN-γ and other pro-inflammatory cytokines interact with processing and production of Aβ peptide, the pathological hallmark feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD), suggesting that inflammaging may be a "prodrome" to AD. Although conditions of enhanced innate immune response with overproduction of pro-inflammatory proteins are associated with both healthy aging and AD, it is suggested that those who age "well" demonstrate anti-inflammaging mechanisms and biomarkers that likely counteract the adverse immune response of inflammaging. Thus, opposing the features of inflammaging may prevent or treat the symptoms of AD. In this review, we fully characterize the aging immune system. In addition, we explain how three novel treatments, (1) human umbilical cord blood cells (HUCBC), (2) flavanoids, and (3) Aβ vaccination oppose the forces of inflammaging and AD-like pathology in various mouse models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Giunta
- Neuroimmunology Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Behavioral Medicine, Institute for Research in Psychiatry, University of South Florida, College of Medicine, Tampa, FL 33613, USA.
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Duerson K, Woltjer RL, Mookherjee P, Leverenz JB, Montine TJ, Bird TD, Pow DV, Rauen T, Cook DG. Detergent-insoluble EAAC1/EAAT3 aberrantly accumulates in hippocampal neurons of Alzheimer's disease patients. Brain Pathol 2008; 19:267-78. [PMID: 18624794 DOI: 10.1111/j.1750-3639.2008.00186.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Disturbed glutamate homeostasis may contribute to the pathological processes involved in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Once glutamate is released from synapses or from other intracellular sources, it is rapidly cleared by glutamate transporters. EAAC1 (also called EAAT3 or SLC1A1) is the primary glutamate transporter in forebrain neurons. In addition to transporting glutamate, EAAC1 plays other roles in regulating GABA synthesis, reducing oxidative stress in neurons, and is important in supporting neuron viability. Currently, little is known about EAAC1 in AD. To address whether EAAC1 is disturbed in AD, immunohistochemistry was performed on tissue from hippocampus and frontal cortex of AD and normal control subjects matched for age and gender. While EAAC1 immunostaining in cortex appeared comparable to controls, in the hippocampus, EAAC1 aberrantly accumulated in the cell bodies and proximal neuritic processes of CA2-CA3 pyramidal neurons in AD patients. Biochemical analyses showed that Triton X-100-insoluble EAAC1 was significantly increased in the hippocampus of AD patients compared to both controls and Parkinson's disease patients. These findings suggest that aberrant glutamate transporter expression is associated with AD-related neuropathology and that intracellular accumulation of detergent-insoluble EAAC1 is a feature of the complex biochemical lesions in AD that include altered protein solubility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Duerson
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, VA Medical Center, 1660 S. Columbian Way, Seattle, WA 98108, USA
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Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized pathologically by the deposition of beta-amyloid (A beta)-containing extracellular neuritic plaques, intracellular neurofibrillary tangles and neuronal loss. Much evidence supports the hypothesis that A beta peptide aggregation contributes to AD pathogenesis, however, currently approved therapeutic treatments do nothing to stop or reverse A beta deposition. The success of active and passive anti-A beta immunotherapies in both preventing and clearing parenchymal amyloid in transgenic mouse models led to the initiation of an active anti-A beta vaccination (AN1792) trial in human patients with mild-to-moderate AD, but was prematurely halted when 6% of inoculated patients developed aseptic meningoencephalitis. Autopsy results from the brains of four individuals treated with AN1792 revealed decreased plaque burden in select brain areas, as well as T-cell lymphocytes in three of the patients. Furthermore, antibody responders showed some improvement in memory task measures. These findings indicated that anti-A beta therapy might still be a viable option for the treatment of AD, if potentially harmful proinflammatory processes can be avoided. Over the past 6 years, this target has led to the development of novel experimental immunization strategies, including selective A beta epitope targeting, antibody and adjuvant modifications, as well as alternative routes and mechanisms of vaccine delivery, to generate anti-A beta antibodies that selectively target and remove specific A beta species without evoking autoimmunity. Results from the passive vaccination AD clinical trials that are currently underway will provide invaluable information about both the effectiveness of newly improved anti-A beta vaccines in clinical treatment, as well as the role of the A beta peptide in the pathogenesis of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheryl A Hawkes
- Center for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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Spencer B, Rockenstein E, Crews L, Marr R, Masliah E. Novel strategies for Alzheimer's disease treatment. Expert Opin Biol Ther 2007; 7:1853-67. [PMID: 18034651 DOI: 10.1517/14712598.7.12.1853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Considerable progress has been made in recent years towards better understanding the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), a dementing neurodegenerative disorder that affects > 10 million individuals in the US and Europe combined. Recent studies suggest that alterations in the processing of amyloid precursor protein (APP), resulting in the accumulation of amyloid-beta protein (Abeta) and the formation of oligomers leads to synaptic damage and neurodegeneration. Therefore, strategies for treatment development have been focused on reducing Abeta accumulation using, among other approaches, antiaggregation molecules, regulators of the APP proteolysis and processing, reducing APP production (e.g., small-interfering RNA), and increasing Abeta clearance with antibodies, apolipoprotein E and Abeta-degrading enzymes (e.g., neprilysin). The main focus of this review is on novel treatments for AD with a special emphasis on delivering neuroprotective and antiamyloidogenic molecules by gene therapy and by promoting neurogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Spencer
- University of California, Department of Neurosciences, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0624, USA
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Burbach GJ, Vlachos A, Ghebremedhin E, Del Turco D, Coomaraswamy J, Staufenbiel M, Jucker M, Deller T. Vessel ultrastructure in APP23 transgenic mice after passive anti-Aβ immunotherapy and subsequent intracerebral hemorrhage. Neurobiol Aging 2007; 28:202-12. [PMID: 16427722 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2005.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2005] [Revised: 11/28/2005] [Accepted: 12/06/2005] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Passive immunization of amyloid precursor protein (APP) transgenic mice with anti-amyloid beta (Abeta) antibodies was shown to reduce Abeta-deposition in brain and to improve cognition. However, immunotherapy may also be accompanied by a significant increase in the frequency of intracerebral hemorrhages. Because hemorrhages are associated with amyloid-laden vessels, this raises the question whether high concentrations of anti-Abeta antibodies may directly or indirectly lead to a structural destabilization of the vessel wall. To address this point, transmission electron microscopy was performed and the ultrastructure of bleeding and non-bleeding vessels in immunized and non-immunized APP23 transgenic animals was analyzed. To localize bleeding vessels, hemosiderin-positive macrophages were visualized by pre-embedding Perl's Berlin Blue histochemistry. Vessels were analyzed morphologically, anomalies evaluated and quantified. Bleeding vessels were, furthermore, reconstructed in three dimensions to analyze the spatial distribution of amyloid deposits and other pathological changes of the vessel wall. This in-depth morphological analysis revealed that bleeding vessels in immunized as well as in non-immunized APP23 mice were surrounded by a higher number of macrophages compared to non-bleeding vessels in the same animals. However, no differences in the number of macrophages or other structural parameters, such as amyloid deposition, were observed between bleeding vessels of immunized and non-immunized mice. No pathologies which may indicate impending bleeding were observed in the vascular wall of non-bleeding vessels. We conclude, that the increased hemorrhage frequency observed after passive immunization with anti-Abeta antibodies does not lead to overt structural changes in the vessel wall of APP23 transgenic mice. Minor structural alterations of the vessel wall, however, cannot be excluded due to the sample size of our study and the high complexity of the three-dimensional vessel wall ultrastructure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guido J Burbach
- Institute of Clinical Neuroanatomy, J. W. Goethe-University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, D-60590 Frankfurt, Germany
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Abstract
The pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD) include beta-amyloid (Abeta) plaques, dystrophic neurites and neurofibrillary pathology, which eventually result in the degeneration of neurons and subsequent dementia. In 1999, international interest in a new therapeutic approach to the treatment of AD was ignited following transgenic mouse studies that indicated that it might be possible to immunise against the pathological alterations in Abeta that lead to aggregation of this protein in the brain. A subsequent phase I human trial for safety, tolerability and immunogenicity using an active immunisation strategy against Abeta had a positive outcome. However, phase IIA human trials involving active immunisation were halted following the diagnosis of aseptic meningoencephalitis in 6% of immunised subjects. Research into immunisation strategies involving transgenic AD mouse models has subsequently been refocused to determine the mechanisms by which plaque clearance and reduced memory deficits are attained, and to establish safer therapeutic approaches that may reduce potentially harmful brain inflammation. The vigour of international research on immunotherapy for AD provides significant hope for a strong therapeutic lead for the escalating number of individuals who will develop this otherwise incurable condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adele Woodhouse
- School of Medicine, NeuroRepair Group, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
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15
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Mohajeri MH, Gaugler MNM, Martinez J, Tracy J, Li H, Crameri A, Kuehnle K, Wollmer MA, Nitsch RM. Assessment of the Bioactivity of Antibodies against β-Amyloid Peptide in vitro and in vivo. NEURODEGENER DIS 2004; 1:160-7. [PMID: 16908985 DOI: 10.1159/000080981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The accumulation of the beta-amyloid peptide (Abeta) is a central event in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Abeta removal from the brain by immune therapy shows promising potential for the treatment of patients with AD, although the mechanisms of the antibody action are incompletely understood. In this study we compared the biological activities of antibodies raised against various Abeta fragments for Abeta reduction in vitro and in vivo. Antibodies against Abeta enhanced the uptake of Abeta42 aggregates up to 6-fold by primary microglial cells in vitro. The kinetics of Abeta42 uptake varied considerably among antibodies. Based on the activity to mediate Abeta42 uptake by microglial cells, we identified a bioactive antibody that significantly reduced Abeta42 levels in the brains of transgenic mice with neuronal expression of an AD-related mutated amyloid precursor protein. This effect depended on the epitopes recognized by the antibody. Our data suggest that the ability to facilitate Abeta42 uptake by primary microglia cells in vitro can be used to predict the biological activity of the antibody by passive immunization in vivo. This protocol may prove useful for the rapid validation of the activity of antibodies designed to be used in immune therapy of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Hasan Mohajeri
- Division of Psychiatry Research, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
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16
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Herzig MC, Winkler DT, Burgermeister P, Pfeifer M, Kohler E, Schmidt SD, Danner S, Abramowski D, Stürchler-Pierrat C, Bürki K, van Duinen SG, Maat-Schieman MLC, Staufenbiel M, Mathews PM, Jucker M. Aβ is targeted to the vasculature in a mouse model of hereditary cerebral hemorrhage with amyloidosis. Nat Neurosci 2004; 7:954-60. [PMID: 15311281 DOI: 10.1038/nn1302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 290] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2004] [Accepted: 07/12/2004] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The E693Q mutation in the amyloid beta precursor protein (APP) leads to cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), with recurrent cerebral hemorrhagic strokes and dementia. In contrast to Alzheimer disease (AD), the brains of those affected by hereditary cerebral hemorrhage with amyloidosis-Dutch type (HCHWA-D) show few parenchymal amyloid plaques. We found that neuronal overexpression of human E693Q APP in mice (APPDutch mice) caused extensive CAA, smooth muscle cell degeneration, hemorrhages and neuroinflammation. In contrast, overexpression of human wild-type APP (APPwt mice) resulted in predominantly parenchymal amyloidosis, similar to that seen in AD. In APPDutch mice and HCHWA-D human brain, the ratio of the amyloid-beta40 peptide (Abeta40) to Abeta42 was significantly higher than that seen in APPwt mice or AD human brain. Genetically shifting the ratio of AbetaDutch40/AbetaDutch42 toward AbetaDutch42 by crossing APPDutch mice with transgenic mice producing mutated presenilin-1 redistributed the amyloid pathology from the vasculature to the parenchyma. The understanding that different Abeta species can drive amyloid pathology in different cerebral compartments has implications for current anti-amyloid therapeutic strategies. This HCHWA-D mouse model is the first to develop robust CAA in the absence of parenchymal amyloid, highlighting the key role of neuronally produced Abeta to vascular amyloid pathology and emphasizing the differing roles of Abeta40 and Abeta42 in vascular and parenchymal amyloid pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin C Herzig
- Department of Cellular Neurology, Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany
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