Human class I major histocompatibility complex alleles determine central nervous system injury versus repair

HLA-transgenic mouse models to study autoimmune central nervous system diseases

It is known that certain human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes are associated with autoimmune central nervous system (CNS) diseases, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), but their exact role in disease susceptibility and etiopathogenesis remains unclear. The best studied HLA-associated autoimmune CNS disease is MS, and thus will be the primary focus of this review. Other HLA-associated autoimmune CNS diseases, such as autoimmune encephalitis and neuromyelitis optica will be discussed. The lack of animal models to accurately capture the complex human autoimmune response remains a major challenge. HLA transgenic (tg) mice provide researchers with powerful tools to investigate the underlying mechanisms promoting susceptibility and progression of HLA-associated autoimmune CNS diseases, as well as for elucidating the myelin epitopes potentially targeted by T cells in autoimmune disease patients. We will discuss the potential role(s) of autoimmune disease-associated HLA alleles in autoimmune CNS diseases and highlight information provided by studies using HLA tg mice to investigate the underlying pathological mechanisms and opportunities to use these models for development of novel therapies.

Elucidating Microglial Heterogeneity and Functions in Alzheimer's Disease Using Single-cell Analysis and Convolutional Neural Network Disease Model Construction

In this study, we conducted an in-depth exploration of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) by integrating state-of-the-art methodologies, including single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), and a convolutional neural network (CNN) model. Focusing on the pivotal role of microglia in AD pathology, our analysis revealed 11 distinct microglial subclusters, with 4 exhibiting obviously alterations in AD and HC groups. The investigation of cell-cell communication networks unveiled intricate interactions between AD-related microglia and various cell types within the central nervous system (CNS). Integration of WGCNA and scRNA-seq facilitated the identification of critical genes associated with AD-related microglia, providing insights into their involvement in processes such as peptide chain elongation, synapse-related functions, and cell adhesion. The identification of 9 hub genes, including USP3, through the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and COX regression analyses, presents potential therapeutic targets. Furthermore, the development of a CNN-based model showcases the application of deep learning in enhancing diagnostic accuracy for AD. Overall, our findings significantly contribute to unraveling the molecular intricacies of microglial responses in AD, offering promising avenues for targeted therapeutic interventions and improved diagnostic precision.

Elevated levels of β2-microglobulin in cerebrospinal fluid in adult patients with viral encephalitis/meningitis

BACKGROUND

Increased cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) β2-microglobulin (β2-MG) values are attributed to immune activation, lymphoid cell turnover and release of tissue destruction in the central nervous system (CNS). We investigated plasma and CSF β2-MG levels in adult patients with viral encephalitis/meningitis and their correlations with clinical parameters.

METHOD

CSF samples from 26 patients with viral encephalitis/meningitis were collected. Moreover, 24 CSF samples from patients with non-inflammatory neurological disorders (NIND) as controls were collected. Plasma samples from 22 enrolled patients and 20 healthy individuals were collected. The β2-MG levels were measured by immunoturbidimetry on an automatic biochemical analyzer. Clinical data were extracted from an electronic patient documentation system.

RESULT

CSF levels of β2-MG, adenosine deaminase (ADA), white blood cell (WBC), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), protein and lactate were significantly increased in patients with viral encephalitis/meningitis respectively (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.013). In contrast, no statistically significant difference was found in plasma levels of β2-MG. Furthermore, CSF levels of β2-MG were weakly correlated with WBC (r = 0.426, p = 0.030), lymphocyte percentage (r = 0.599, p = 0.018), ADA (r = 0.545, p = 0.004) and LDH (r = 0.414, p = 0.036), but not with lactate (r = 0.381, p = 0.055), protein (r = 0.179, p = 0.381) and plasma levels of β2-MG (r = -0.156, p = 0.537) in viral encephalitis/meningitis patients.

CONCLUSION

CSF β2-MG may be a potential inflammatory marker for viral encephalitis/meningitis in adult patients diagnosed with viral encephalitis/meningitis.

Genetic variants in the HLA region contribute to the risk of cerebral palsy

Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common physical disability in childhood, and genetic factors play an important role in its pathogenesis. However, the genetic contributions remain incompletely elucidated. Here, we conducted a two-stage association study between 1090 CP cases and 1100 healthy controls after whole exome sequencing. The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) allelic predispositions were further analyzed in overall CP and subgroups using multivariate logistic regression. We found a strong signal in the HLA region on chromosome 6, where rs3131787 harbored the most significant association with CP (P = 2.05 × 10-14, OR = 2.22). In comparison to controls, the carrier frequencies of HLA-B*13:02 were significantly higher in children with CP (9.82 % in control vs 19.27 % in CP, P = 1.03 × 10-4, OR = 2.17). Furthermore, the effect of HLA-B*13:02 on increasing the risk of CP mainly existed in cryptogenic CP without exposure to premature birth, low birth weight, birth asphyxia, or periventricular leukomalacia. This study indicated a strong association of HLA variants with CP, which implied that immune dysregulation resulting from immunogenetic variants might underlie the pathogenesis of CP. Our findings provide genetic evidence that an immunomodulator may serve as a promising therapeutic intervention for patients with CP by reinstating the neuroinflammation hemostasis.