1
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He H, Huang T, Guo S, Yu F, Shen H, Shao H, Chen K, Zhang L, Wu Y, Tang X, Yuan X, Liu J, Zhou Y. Identification of a novel sepsis prognosis model and analysis of possible drug application prospects: Based on scRNA-seq and RNA-seq data. Front Immunol 2022; 13:888891. [PMID: 36389695 PMCID: PMC9650379 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.888891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 08/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Sepsis is a disease with a high morbidity and mortality rate. At present, there is a lack of ideal biomarker prognostic models for sepsis and promising studies using prognostic models to predict and guide the clinical use of medications. In this study, 71 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained by analyzing single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and transcriptome RNA-seq data, and Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment pathway analyses were performed on these genes. Then, a prognosis model with CCL5, HBD, IFR2BP2, LTB, and WFDC1 as prognostic signatures was successfully constructed after univariate LASSO regression analysis and multivariate Cox regression analysis. Kaplan-Meier (K-M) survival analysis, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) time curve analysis, internal validation, and principal component analysis (PCA) further validated the model for its high stability and predictive power. Furthermore, based on a risk prediction model, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) showed that multiple cellular functions and immune function signaling pathways were significantly different between the high- and low-risk groups. In-depth analysis of the distribution of immune cells in healthy individuals and sepsis patients using scRNA-seq data revealed immunosuppression in sepsis patients and differences in the abundance of immune cells between the high- and low-risk groups. Finally, the genetic targets of immunosuppression-related drugs were used to accurately predict the potential use of clinical agents in high-risk patients with sepsis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haihong He
- Department of Emergency Laboratory, Clinical Laboratory Medical Center, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Tingting Huang
- Department of Emergency Laboratory, Clinical Laboratory Medical Center, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Shixing Guo
- Department of Emergency Laboratory, Clinical Laboratory Medical Center, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Fan Yu
- Department of Emergency Laboratory, Clinical Laboratory Medical Center, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hongwei Shen
- Department of Emergency Laboratory, Clinical Laboratory Medical Center, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Haibin Shao
- Department of General Surgery, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Keyan Chen
- Department of Emergency Laboratory, Clinical Laboratory Medical Center, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lijun Zhang
- Department of Emergency Laboratory, Clinical Laboratory Medical Center, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yunfeng Wu
- Department of Emergency Laboratory, Clinical Laboratory Medical Center, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xi Tang
- Department of Emergency Laboratory, Clinical Laboratory Medical Center, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xinhua Yuan
- Department of Emergency Laboratory, Clinical Laboratory Medical Center, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jiao Liu
- Department of Emergency Laboratory, Clinical Laboratory Medical Center, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yiwen Zhou
- Department of Emergency Laboratory, Clinical Laboratory Medical Center, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
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2
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Colini Baldeschi A, Zattoni M, Vanni S, Nikolic L, Ferracin C, La Sala G, Summa M, Bertorelli R, Bertozzi SM, Giachin G, Carloni P, Bolognesi ML, De Vivo M, Legname G. Innovative Non-PrP-Targeted Drug Strategy Designed to Enhance Prion Clearance. J Med Chem 2022; 65:8998-9010. [PMID: 35771181 PMCID: PMC9289883 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00205] [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] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Prion diseases are a group of neurodegenerative disorders characterized by the accumulation of misfolded prion protein (called PrPSc). Although conversion of the cellular prion protein (PrPC) to PrPSc is still not completely understood, most of the therapies developed until now are based on blocking this process. Here, we propose a new drug strategy aimed at clearing prions without any direct interaction with neither PrPC nor PrPSc. Starting from the recent discovery of SERPINA3/SerpinA3n upregulation during prion diseases, we have identified a small molecule, named compound 5 (ARN1468), inhibiting the function of these serpins and effectively reducing prion load in chronically infected cells. Although the low bioavailability of this compound does not allow in vivo studies in prion-infected mice, our strategy emerges as a novel and effective approach to the treatment of prion disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arianna Colini Baldeschi
- Laboratory of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy
| | - Marco Zattoni
- Laboratory of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy
| | - Silvia Vanni
- Laboratory of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy
| | - Lea Nikolic
- Laboratory of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy
| | - Chiara Ferracin
- Laboratory of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy
| | - Giuseppina La Sala
- Molecular Modeling & Drug Discovery Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, 16163 Genoa, Italy
| | - Maria Summa
- Translational Pharmacology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, 16163 Genoa, Italy
| | - Rosalia Bertorelli
- Translational Pharmacology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, 16163 Genoa, Italy
| | - Sine Mandrup Bertozzi
- Analytical Chemistry Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, 16163 Genoa, Italy
| | - Gabriele Giachin
- Department of Chemical Sciences (DiSC), University of Padua, Via F. Marzolo 1, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Paolo Carloni
- Institute for Advanced Simulations (IAS)-5/Institute for Neuroscience and Medicine (INM)-9, "Computational Medicine", Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428 Jülich, Germany.,Institute for Neuroscience and Medicine (INM)-11, "Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging", Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428 Jülich, Germany.,Department of Physics, RWTH-Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Maria Laura Bolognesi
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Marco De Vivo
- Molecular Modeling & Drug Discovery Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, 16163 Genoa, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Legname
- Laboratory of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy
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3
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Zattoni M, Mearelli M, Vanni S, Colini Baldeschi A, Tran TH, Ferracin C, Catania M, Moda F, Di Fede G, Giaccone G, Tagliavini F, Zanusso G, Ironside JW, Ferrer I, Legname G. Serpin Signatures in Prion and Alzheimer's Diseases. Mol Neurobiol 2022; 59:3778-3799. [PMID: 35416570 PMCID: PMC9148297 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-022-02817-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Serpins represent the most broadly distributed superfamily of proteases inhibitors. They contribute to a variety of physiological functions and any alteration of the serpin-protease equilibrium can lead to severe consequences. SERPINA3 dysregulation has been associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and prion diseases. In this study, we investigated the differential expression of serpin superfamily members in neurodegenerative diseases. SERPIN expression was analyzed in human frontal cortex samples from cases of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD), patients at early stages of AD-related pathology, and age-matched controls not affected by neurodegenerative disorders. In addition, we studied whether Serpin expression was dysregulated in two animal models of prion disease and AD.Our analysis revealed that, besides the already observed upregulation of SERPINA3 in patients with prion disease and AD, SERPINB1, SERPINB6, SERPING1, SERPINH1, and SERPINI1 were dysregulated in sCJD individuals compared to controls, while only SERPINB1 was upregulated in AD patients. Furthermore, we analyzed whether other serpin members were differentially expressed in prion-infected mice compared to controls and, together with SerpinA3n, SerpinF2 increased levels were observed. Interestingly, SerpinA3n transcript and protein were upregulated in a mouse model of AD. The SERPINA3/SerpinA3nincreased anti-protease activity found in post-mortem brain tissue of AD and prion disease samples suggest its involvement in the neurodegenerative processes. A SERPINA3/SerpinA3n role in neurodegenerative disease-related protein aggregation was further corroborated by in vitro SerpinA3n-dependent prion accumulation changes. Our results indicate SERPINA3/SerpinA3n is a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of prion and prion-like neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Zattoni
- Laboratory of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore Di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
| | - Marika Mearelli
- Laboratory of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore Di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste, Italy.,German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Silvia Vanni
- Laboratory of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore Di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste, Italy.,Osteoncology Unit, Bioscience Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo Per Lo Studio Dei Tumori (IRST) "Dino Amadori", 47014, Meldola, Italy
| | - Arianna Colini Baldeschi
- Laboratory of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore Di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste, Italy.,Institute of Biomedicine, Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, Bellvitge University Hospital-IDIBELL, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Thanh Hoa Tran
- Laboratory of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore Di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste, Italy.,VN-UK Institute for Research and Executive Education, The University of Danang, Da Nang, Vietnam
| | - Chiara Ferracin
- Laboratory of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore Di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
| | - Marcella Catania
- Division of Neurology 5 and Neuropathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Fabio Moda
- Division of Neurology 5 and Neuropathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Di Fede
- Division of Neurology 5 and Neuropathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Giorgio Giaccone
- Division of Neurology 5 and Neuropathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Tagliavini
- Scientific Directorate, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Gianluigi Zanusso
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - James W Ironside
- National CJD Research & Surveillance Unit, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Isidre Ferrer
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Barcelona, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain.,Institute of Biomedical Research of Bellvitge (IDIBELL), Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain.,Biomedical Research Network Center of Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Giuseppe Legname
- Laboratory of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore Di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste, Italy.
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4
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Gene expression and epigenetic markers of prion diseases. Cell Tissue Res 2022; 392:285-294. [PMID: 35307791 PMCID: PMC10113299 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-022-03603-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Epigenetics, meaning the variety of mechanisms underpinning gene regulation and chromatin states, plays a key role in normal development as well as in disease initiation and progression. Epigenetic mechanisms like alteration of DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs, have been proposed as biomarkers for diagnosis, classification, or monitoring of responsiveness to treatment in many diseases. In prion diseases, the profound associations with human aging, the effects of cell type and differentiation on in vitro susceptibility, and recently identified human risk factors, all implicate causal epigenetic mechanisms. Here, we review the current state of the art of epigenetics in prion diseases and its interaction with genetic determinants. In particular, we will review recent advances made by several groups in the field profiling DNA methylation and microRNA expression in mammalian prion diseases and the potential for these discoveries to be exploited as biomarkers.
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5
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O’Hara E, Herbst A, Kommadath A, Aiken JM, McKenzie D, Goodarzi N, Skinner P, Stothard P. Neural transcriptomic signature of chronic wasting disease in white-tailed deer. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:69. [PMID: 35062879 PMCID: PMC8783489 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08306-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The increasing prevalence and expanding geographical range of the chronic wasting disease (CWD) panzootic in cervids is threatening human, animal, environmental and economic health. The pathogenesis of CWD in cervids is, however, not well understood. We used RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to compare the brain transcriptome from white-tailed deer (WTD; Odocoileus virginianus) clinically affected with CWD (n = 3) to WTD that tested negative (n = 8) for CWD. In addition, one preclinical CWD+ brain sample was analyzed by RNA-seq. Results We found 255 genes that were significantly deregulated by CWD, 197 of which were upregulated. There was a high degree of overlap in differentially expressed genes (DEGs) identified when using either/both the reference genome assembly of WTD for mapping sequenced reads to or the better characterized genome assembly of a closely related model species, Bos taurus. Quantitative PCR of a subset of the DEGs confirmed the RNA-seq data. Gene ontology term enrichment analysis found a majority of genes involved in immune activation, consistent with the neuroinflammatory pathogenesis of prion diseases. A metagenomic analysis of the RNA-seq data was conducted to look for the presence of spiroplasma and other bacteria in CWD infected deer brain tissue. Conclusions The gene expression changes identified highlight the role of innate immunity in prion infection, potential disease associated biomarkers and potential targets for therapeutic agents. An association between CWD and spiroplasma infection was not found. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-022-08306-0.
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6
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Abstract
Introduction: Prion diseases are a class of rare and fatal neurodegenerative diseases for which no cure is currently available. They are characterized by conformational conversion of cellular prion protein (PrPC) into the disease-associated 'scrapie' isoform (PrPSc). Under an etiological point of view, prion diseases can be divided into acquired, genetic, and idiopathic form, the latter of which are the most frequent.Areas covered: Therapeutic approaches targeting prion diseases are based on the use of chemical and nature-based compounds, targeting either PrPC or PrPSc or other putative player in pathogenic mechanism. Other proposed anti-prion treatments include passive and active immunization strategies, peptides, aptamers, and PrPC-directed RNA interference techniques. The treatment efficacy has been mainly assessed in cell lines or animal models of the disease testing their ability to reduce prion accumulation.Expert opinion: The assessed strategies focussing on the identification of an efficient anti-prion therapy faced various issues, which go from permeation of the blood brain barrier to immunological tolerance of the host. Indeed, the use of combinatory approaches, which could boost a synergistic anti-prion effect and lower the potential side effects of single treatments and may represent an extreme powerful and feasible way to tackle prion disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Zattoni
- Laboratory of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore Di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Legname
- Laboratory of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore Di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
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7
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Region-specific glial homeostatic signature in prion diseases is replaced by a uniform neuroinflammation signature, common for brain regions and prion strains with different cell tropism. Neurobiol Dis 2020; 137:104783. [PMID: 32001329 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.104783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Revised: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic neuroinflammation is recognized as a major neuropathological hallmark in a broad spectrum of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Frontal Temporal Dementia, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, and prion diseases. Both microglia and astrocytes exhibit region-specific homeostatic transcriptional identities, which under chronic neurodegeneration, transform into reactive phenotypes in a region- and disease-specific manner. Little is known about region-specific identity of glia in prion diseases. The current study was designed to determine whether the region-specific homeostatic signature of glia changes with the progression of prion diseases, and whether these changes occur in a region-dependent or universal manner. Also of interest was whether different prion strains give rise to different reactive phenotypes. To answer these questions, we analyzed gene expression in the thalamus, cortex, hypothalamus and hippocampus of mice infected with 22L and ME7 prion strains using a Nanostring Neuroinflammation panel at the subclinical, early clinical and advanced stages of the disease. We found that at the preclinical stage of the disease, the region-specific homeostatic identities were preserved. However, with the appearance of clinical signs, the region-specific signatures were partially lost and replaced with a neuroinflammation signature. While the same sets of genes were activated by both prion strains, the timing of neuroinflammation and the degree of activation in different brain regions was strain-specific. Changes in astrocyte function scored at the top of the activated pathways. Moreover, clustering analysis suggested that the astrocyte function pathway responded to prion infection prior to the Activated Microglia or Neuron and Neurotransmission pathways. The current work established neuroinflammation gene expression signature associated with prion diseases. Our results illustrate that with the disease progression, the region-specific homeostatic transcriptome signatures are replaced by the region-independent neuroinflammation signature, which is common for prion strains with different cell tropism. The prion-associated neuroinflammation signature identified in the current study overlapped only partially with the microglia degenerative phenotype and the disease-associated microglia phenotype reported for animal models of other neurodegenerative diseases.
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8
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Abstract
Prion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative disorders characterized by rapidly progressive dementia. Sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (sCJD) is the most prevalent. We report that, specific gene-expression alterations utilizing a reliable in vivo mouse model (tg340-PRNP129MM) with sCJD MM1 subtype, correlate with human disease manifestations in the brain cortex related to disease progression. RNA-editing functions mediated by the APOBEC and ADAR deaminases possibly affecting protein expression necessary for normal brain function, are altered in disease stages. Our data provide powerful evidence, derived from a humanized sCJD mouse model and human autopsy material, discerning the critical role of gene expression and RNA-editing signatures, introducing disease-associated targets that can be extrapolated in other neurodegenerative disorders with common clinical and molecular features. Prion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative disorders caused by misfolding of the normal prion protein into an infectious cellular pathogen. Clinically characterized by rapidly progressive dementia and accounting for 85% of human prion disease cases, sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (sCJD) is the prevalent human prion disease. Although sCJD neuropathological hallmarks are well-known, associated molecular alterations are elusive due to rapid progression and absence of preclinical stages. To investigate transcriptome alterations during disease progression, we utilized tg340-PRNP129MM mice infected with postmortem material from sCJD patients of the most susceptible genotype (MM1 subtype), a sCJD model that faithfully recapitulates the molecular and pathological alterations of the human disease. Here we report that transcriptomic analyses from brain cortex in the context of disease progression, reveal epitranscriptomic alterations (specifically altered RNA edited pathway profiles, eg., ER stress, lysosome) that are characteristic and possibly protective mainly for preclinical and clinical disease stages. Our results implicate regulatory epitranscriptomic mechanisms in prion disease neuropathogenesis, whereby RNA-editing targets in a humanized sCJD mouse model were confirmed in pathological human autopsy material.
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9
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Vanni S, Colini Baldeschi A, Zattoni M, Legname G. Brain aging: A Ianus-faced player between health and neurodegeneration. J Neurosci Res 2019; 98:299-311. [PMID: 30632202 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Revised: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 12/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are incurable debilitating disorders characterized by structural and functional neuronal loss. Approximately 30 million people are affected worldwide, and this number is predicted to reach more than 150 million by 2050. Neurodegenerative disorders include Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and prion diseases among others. These disorders are characterized by the accumulation of aggregating proteins forming amyloid, responsible for the disease-associated pathological lesions. The aggregation of amyloidogenic proteins can result either in gaining of toxic functions, derived from the damage provoked by these deposits in affected tissue, or in a loss of functions, due to the sequestration and the consequent inability of the aggregating protein to ensure its physiological role. While it is widely accepted that aging represents the main risk factor for neurodegeneration, there is still no clear cut-off line between the two conditions. Indeed, many of the pathways that are commonly altered in neurodegeneration-misfolded protein accumulation, chronic inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, impaired iron homeostasis, epigenetic modifications-have been often correlated also with healthy aging. This overlap could be explained by the fact that the continuous accumulation of cellular damages, together with a progressive decline in metabolic efficiency during aging, makes the neurons more vulnerable to toxic injuries. When a given threshold is exceeded, all these alterations might give rise to pathological phenotypes that ultimately lead to neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Vanni
- Laboratory of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati, Trieste, Italy
| | - Arianna Colini Baldeschi
- Laboratory of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati, Trieste, Italy
| | - Marco Zattoni
- Laboratory of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati, Trieste, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Legname
- Laboratory of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati, Trieste, Italy
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10
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Bartoletti-Stella A, Corrado P, Mometto N, Baiardi S, Durrenberger PF, Arzberger T, Reynolds R, Kretzschmar H, Capellari S, Parchi P. Analysis of RNA Expression Profiles Identifies Dysregulated Vesicle Trafficking Pathways in Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease. Mol Neurobiol 2018; 56:5009-5024. [PMID: 30446946 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-018-1421-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2018] [Accepted: 11/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Functional genomics applied to the study of RNA expression profiles identified several abnormal molecular processes in experimental prion disease. However, only a few similar studies have been carried out to date in a naturally occurring human prion disease. To better characterize the transcriptional cascades associated with sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD), the most common human prion disease, we investigated the global gene expression profile in samples from the frontal cortex of 10 patients with sCJD and 10 non-neurological controls by microarray analysis. The comparison identified 333 highly differentially expressed genes (hDEGs) in sCJD. Functional enrichment Gene Ontology analysis revealed that hDEGs were mainly associated with synaptic transmission, including GABA (q value = 0.049) and glutamate (q value = 0.005) signaling, and the immune/inflammatory response. Furthermore, the analysis of cellular components performed on hDEGs showed a compromised regulation of vesicle-mediated transport with mainly up-regulated genes related to the endosome (q value = 0.01), lysosome (q value = 0.04), and extracellular exosome (q value < 0.01). A targeted analysis of the retromer core component VPS35 (vacuolar protein sorting-associated protein 35) showed a down-regulation of gene expression (p value= 0.006) and reduced brain protein levels (p value= 0.002). Taken together, these results confirm and expand previous microarray expression profile data in sCJD. Most significantly, they also demonstrate the involvement of the endosomal-lysosomal system. Since the latter is a common pathogenic pathway linking together diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, it might be the focus of future studies aimed to identify new therapeutic targets in neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Bartoletti-Stella
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Ospedale Bellaria, 40139, Bologna, Italy
| | - Patrizia Corrado
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, DIBINEM, University of Bologna, 40123, Bologna, Italy
| | - Nicola Mometto
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, DIBINEM, University of Bologna, 40123, Bologna, Italy
| | - Simone Baiardi
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, DIBINEM, University of Bologna, 40123, Bologna, Italy
| | - Pascal F Durrenberger
- Centre for Inflammation and Tissue Repair, UCL Respiratory, University College London, Rayne Building, London, UK
| | - Thomas Arzberger
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany.,Center for Neuropathology and Prion Research, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Hans Kretzschmar
- Center for Neuropathology and Prion Research, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Sabina Capellari
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Ospedale Bellaria, 40139, Bologna, Italy. .,Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, DIBINEM, University of Bologna, 40123, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Piero Parchi
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Ospedale Bellaria, 40139, Bologna, Italy. .,Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, DIMES, University of Bologna, 40138, Bologna, Italy.
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11
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Choi MR, Chun JW, Kwak SM, Bang SH, Jin YB, Lee Y, Kim HN, Chang KT, Chai YG, Lee SR, Kim DJ. Effects of acute and chronic methamphetamine administration on cynomolgus monkey hippocampus structure and cellular transcriptome. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2018; 355:68-79. [DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2018.05.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2017] [Revised: 05/21/2018] [Accepted: 05/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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12
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Vanni S, Zattoni M, Moda F, Giaccone G, Tagliavini F, Haïk S, Deslys JP, Zanusso G, Ironside JW, Carmona M, Ferrer I, Kovacs GG, Legname G. Hemoglobin mRNA Changes in the Frontal Cortex of Patients with Neurodegenerative Diseases. Front Neurosci 2018; 12:8. [PMID: 29403351 PMCID: PMC5786544 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2017] [Accepted: 01/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Hemoglobin is the major protein found in erythrocytes, where it acts as an oxygen carrier molecule. In recent years, its expression has been reported also in neurons and glial cells, although its role in brain tissue remains still unknown. Altered hemoglobin expression has been associated with various neurodegenerative disorders. Here, we investigated hemoglobin mRNA levels in brains of patients affected by variant, iatrogenic, and sporadic forms of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD, iCJD, sCJD, respectively) and in different genetic forms of prion diseases (gPrD) in comparison to Alzheimer's disease (AD) subjects and age-matched controls. Methods: Total RNA was obtained from the frontal cortex of vCJD (n = 20), iCJD (n = 11), sCJD (n = 23), gPrD (n = 30), and AD (n = 14) patients and age-matched controls (n = 30). RT-qPCR was performed for hemoglobin transcripts HBB and HBA1/2 using four reference genes for normalization. In addition, expression analysis of the specific erythrocyte marker ALAS2 was performed in order to account for blood contamination of the tissue samples. Hba1/2 and Hbb protein expression was then investigated with immunofluorescence and confocal microscope analysis. Results: We observed a significant up-regulation of HBA1/2 in vCJD brains together with a significant down-regulation of HBB in iCJD. In addition, while in sporadic and genetic forms of prion disease hemoglobin transcripts did not shown any alterations, both chains display a strong down-regulation in AD brains. These results were confirmed also at a protein level. Conclusions: These data indicate distinct hemoglobin transcriptional responses depending on the specific alterations occurring in different neurodegenerative diseases. In particular, the initial site of misfolding event (central nervous system vs. peripheral tissue)-together with specific molecular and conformational features of the pathological agent of the disease-seem to dictate the peculiar hemoglobin dysregulation found in prion and non-prion neurodegenerative disorders. In addition, these results suggest that gene expression of HBB and HBA1/2 in brain tissue is differentially affected by distinct prion and prion-like aggregating protein strains. Validation of these results in more accessible tissues could prompt the development of novel diagnostic tests for neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Vanni
- Laboratory of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati, Trieste, Italy
| | - Marco Zattoni
- Laboratory of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati, Trieste, Italy
| | - Fabio Moda
- Neurology and Neuropathology Unit, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Foundation Carlo Besta Neurological Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Giorgio Giaccone
- Neurology and Neuropathology Unit, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Foundation Carlo Besta Neurological Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Tagliavini
- Neurology and Neuropathology Unit, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Foundation Carlo Besta Neurological Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Stéphane Haïk
- UPMC Univ Paris 06 UMR S 1127 and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR 7225, ICM, Sorbonne Universités, Paris, France
| | | | - Gianluigi Zanusso
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - James W Ironside
- National CJD Research and Surveillance Unit, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Margarita Carmona
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Isidre Ferrer
- Institut d'Investigació Biomédica de Bellvitge (IDIBELL), Bellvitge University Hospital (CIBERNED), Hospitalet de LLobregat, Spain
| | - Gabor G Kovacs
- Institute of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Giuseppe Legname
- Laboratory of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati, Trieste, Italy
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13
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Effects of methamphetamine in the hippocampus of cynomolgus monkeys according to age. BIOCHIP JOURNAL 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s13206-017-1403-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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14
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Differential overexpression of SERPINA3 in human prion diseases. Sci Rep 2017; 7:15637. [PMID: 29142239 PMCID: PMC5688139 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-15778-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 11/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative disorders with sporadic, genetic or acquired etiologies. The molecular alterations leading to the onset and the spreading of these diseases are still unknown. In a previous work we identified a five-gene signature able to distinguish intracranially BSE-infected macaques from healthy ones, with SERPINA3 showing the most prominent dysregulation. We analyzed 128 suitable frontal cortex samples, from prion-affected patients (variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) n = 20, iatrogenic CJD (iCJD) n = 11, sporadic CJD (sCJD) n = 23, familial CJD (gCJD) n = 17, fatal familial insomnia (FFI) n = 9, Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker syndrome (GSS)) n = 4), patients with Alzheimer disease (AD, n = 14) and age-matched controls (n = 30). Real Time-quantitative PCR was performed for SERPINA3 transcript, and ACTB, RPL19, GAPDH and B2M were used as reference genes. We report SERPINA3 to be strongly up-regulated in the brain of all human prion diseases, with only a mild up-regulation in AD. We show that this striking up-regulation, both at the mRNA and at the protein level, is present in all types of human prion diseases analyzed, although to a different extent for each specific disorder. Our data suggest that SERPINA3 may be involved in the pathogenesis and the progression of prion diseases, representing a valid tool for distinguishing different forms of these disorders in humans.
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15
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Abstract
Prion diseases are unique neurodegenerative pathologies that can occur with sporadic, genetic, and acquired etiologies. Human and animal prion diseases can be recapitulated in laboratory animals with good reproducibility providing highly controlled models for studying molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration. In this chapter the overall area of omics research in prion diseases is described. The term omics includes all fields of studies that employ a comprehensive, unbiased, and high-throughput approach to areas of research such as functional genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics. These kind of approaches can be extremely helpful in identifying disease susceptibility factors and pathways that are dysregulated upon the onset and the progression of the disease. Herein, the most important research about the various forms of prion pathologies in human and in models of prion diseases in animals is presented and discussed.
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16
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Codrich M, Bertuzzi M, Russo R, Francescatto M, Espinoza S, Zentilin L, Giacca M, Cesselli D, Beltrami AP, Ascenzi P, Zucchelli S, Persichetti F, Leanza G, Gustincich S. Neuronal hemoglobin affects dopaminergic cells' response to stress. Cell Death Dis 2017; 8:e2538. [PMID: 28055011 PMCID: PMC5386368 DOI: 10.1038/cddis.2016.458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2016] [Revised: 11/21/2016] [Accepted: 12/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Hemoglobin (Hb) is the major protein in erythrocytes and carries oxygen (O2) throughout the body. Recently, Hb has been found synthesized in atypical sites, including the brain. Hb is highly expressed in A9 dopaminergic (DA) neurons of the substantia nigra (SN), whose selective degeneration leads to Parkinson's disease (PD). Here we show that Hb confers DA cells' susceptibility to 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+) and rotenone, neurochemical cellular models of PD. The toxic property of Hb does not depend on O2 binding and is associated with insoluble aggregate formation in the nucleolus. Neurochemical stress induces epigenetic modifications, nucleolar alterations and autophagy inhibition that depend on Hb expression. When adeno-associated viruses carrying α- and β-chains of Hb are stereotaxically injected into mouse SN, Hb forms aggregates and causes motor learning impairment. These results position Hb as a potential player in DA cells' homeostasis and dysfunction in PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Codrich
- Area of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), via Bonomea 265, Trieste 34136, Italy
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Piedmont ‘A. Avogadro', via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Maria Bertuzzi
- Area of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), via Bonomea 265, Trieste 34136, Italy
| | - Roberta Russo
- Area of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), via Bonomea 265, Trieste 34136, Italy
| | - Margherita Francescatto
- Department of Neuroscience and Brain Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), via Morego 30, Genova 16163, Italy
| | - Stefano Espinoza
- Department of Neuroscience and Brain Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), via Morego 30, Genova 16163, Italy
| | | | | | - Daniela Cesselli
- Department of Medical and Biological Sciences, University of Udine, Piazzale Kolbe 4, Udine, 33100, Italy
| | - Antonio Paolo Beltrami
- Department of Medical and Biological Sciences, University of Udine, Piazzale Kolbe 4, Udine, 33100, Italy
| | - Paolo Ascenzi
- Department of Sciences, University of Roma Tre, viale G. Marconi 446, Roma 00146, Italy
| | - Silvia Zucchelli
- Area of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), via Bonomea 265, Trieste 34136, Italy
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Piedmont ‘A. Avogadro', via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Francesca Persichetti
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Piedmont ‘A. Avogadro', via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Giampiero Leanza
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, via Fleming 22, Trieste 34127, Italy
| | - Stefano Gustincich
- Area of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), via Bonomea 265, Trieste 34136, Italy
- Department of Neuroscience and Brain Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), via Morego 30, Genova 16163, Italy
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17
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Li J, Sun L, Xu F, Qi H, Shen C, Jiao W, Xiao J, Li Q, Xu B, Shen A. Screening and Identification of APOC1 as a Novel Potential Biomarker for Differentiate of Mycoplasma pneumoniae in Children. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:1961. [PMID: 28018301 PMCID: PMC5156883 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.01961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2016] [Accepted: 11/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Although Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) is a common cause of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children, the currently used diagnostic methods are not optimal. Proteomics is increasingly being used to study the biomarkers of infectious diseases. Methods: Label-free quantitative proteomics and liquid chromatography-mass/mass spectrometry were used to analyze the fold change of protein expression in plasma of children with MP pneumonia (MPP), infectious disease control (IDC), and healthy control (HC) groups. Selected proteins that can distinguish MPP from HC and IDC were further validated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: After multivariate analyses, 27 potential plasma biomarkers were identified to be expressed differently among child MPP, HC, and IDC groups. Among these proteins, SERPINA3, APOC1, ANXA6, KNTC1, and CFLAR were selected for ELISA verification. SERPINA3, APOC1, and CFLAR levels were significantly different among the three groups and the ratios were consistent with the trends of proteomics results. A comparison of MPP patients and HC showed APOC1 had the largest area under the curve (AUC) of 0.853, with 77.6% sensitivity and 81.1% specificity. When APOC1 levels were compared between MPP and IDC patients, it also showed a relatively high AUC of 0.882, with 77.6% sensitivity and 85.3% specificity. Conclusion: APOC1 is a potential biomarker for the rapid and noninvasive diagnosis of MPP in children. The present finding may offer new insights into the pathogenesis and biomarker selection of MPP in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jieqiong Li
- MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, National Key Discipline of Pediatrics (Capital Medical University), National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, Beijing Key Laboratory of Pediatric Respiratory Infection Diseases, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University Beijing, China
| | - Lin Sun
- MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, National Key Discipline of Pediatrics (Capital Medical University), National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, Beijing Key Laboratory of Pediatric Respiratory Infection Diseases, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University Beijing, China
| | - Fang Xu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, National Key Discipline of Pediatrics (Capital Medical University), National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, Beijing Key Laboratory of Pediatric Respiratory Infection Diseases, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University Beijing, China
| | - Hui Qi
- MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, National Key Discipline of Pediatrics (Capital Medical University), National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, Beijing Key Laboratory of Pediatric Respiratory Infection Diseases, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University Beijing, China
| | - Chen Shen
- MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, National Key Discipline of Pediatrics (Capital Medical University), National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, Beijing Key Laboratory of Pediatric Respiratory Infection Diseases, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University Beijing, China
| | - Weiwei Jiao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, National Key Discipline of Pediatrics (Capital Medical University), National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, Beijing Key Laboratory of Pediatric Respiratory Infection Diseases, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University Beijing, China
| | - Jing Xiao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, National Key Discipline of Pediatrics (Capital Medical University), National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, Beijing Key Laboratory of Pediatric Respiratory Infection Diseases, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University Beijing, China
| | - Qinjing Li
- MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, National Key Discipline of Pediatrics (Capital Medical University), National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, Beijing Key Laboratory of Pediatric Respiratory Infection Diseases, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University Beijing, China
| | - Baoping Xu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, National Key Discipline of Pediatrics (Capital Medical University), National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, Beijing Key Laboratory of Pediatric Respiratory Infection Diseases, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University Beijing, China
| | - Adong Shen
- MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, National Key Discipline of Pediatrics (Capital Medical University), National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, Beijing Key Laboratory of Pediatric Respiratory Infection Diseases, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University Beijing, China
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18
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Xerxa E, Barbisin M, Chieppa MN, Krmac H, Vallino Costassa E, Vatta P, Simmons M, Caramelli M, Casalone C, Corona C, Legname G. Whole Blood Gene Expression Profiling in Preclinical and Clinical Cattle Infected with Atypical Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0153425. [PMID: 27073865 PMCID: PMC4830546 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0153425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2016] [Accepted: 03/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases, such as bovine spongiform encephalopathies (BSE), are transmissible neurodegenerative disorders affecting humans and a wide variety of mammals. Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD), a prion disease in humans, has been linked to exposure to BSE prions. This classical BSE (cBSE) is now rapidly disappearing as a result of appropriate measures to control animal feeding. Besides cBSE, two atypical forms (named H- and L-type BSE) have recently been described in Europe, Japan, and North America. Here we describe the first wide-spectrum microarray analysis in whole blood of atypical BSE-infected cattle. Transcriptome changes in infected animals were analyzed prior to and after the onset of clinical signs. The microarray analysis revealed gene expression changes in blood prior to the appearance of the clinical signs and during the progression of the disease. A set of 32 differentially expressed genes was found to be in common between clinical and preclinical stages and showed a very similar expression pattern in the two phases. A 22-gene signature showed an oscillating pattern of expression, being differentially expressed in the preclinical stage and then going back to control levels in the symptomatic phase. One gene, SEL1L3, was downregulated during the progression of the disease. Most of the studies performed up to date utilized various tissues, which are not suitable for a rapid analysis of infected animals and patients. Our findings suggest the intriguing possibility to take advantage of whole blood RNA transcriptional profiling for the preclinical identification of prion infection. Further, this study highlighted several pathways, such as immune response and metabolism that may play an important role in peripheral prion pathogenesis. Finally, the gene expression changes identified in the present study may be further investigated as a fingerprint for monitoring the progression of disease and for developing targeted therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Xerxa
- Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Functional and Structural Genomics sector, Trieste, Italy
| | - Maura Barbisin
- Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Functional and Structural Genomics sector, Trieste, Italy
| | - Maria Novella Chieppa
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Torino, Italy
| | - Helena Krmac
- Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Functional and Structural Genomics sector, Trieste, Italy
| | - Elena Vallino Costassa
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Torino, Italy
| | - Paolo Vatta
- Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Functional and Structural Genomics sector, Trieste, Italy
| | - Marion Simmons
- Pathology Department, Animal and Plant Health Agency (Weybridge), New Haw, Addlestone, United Kingdom
| | - Maria Caramelli
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Torino, Italy
| | - Cristina Casalone
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Torino, Italy
| | - Cristiano Corona
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Torino, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Legname
- Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Functional and Structural Genomics sector, Trieste, Italy
- * E-mail:
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