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Diniz DG, Bento-Torres J, da Costa VO, Carvalho JPR, Tomás AM, Galdino de Oliveira TC, Soares FC, de Macedo LDED, Jardim NYV, Bento-Torres NVO, Anthony DC, Brites D, Picanço Diniz CW. The Hidden Dangers of Sedentary Living: Insights into Molecular, Cellular, and Systemic Mechanisms. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:10757. [PMID: 39409085 PMCID: PMC11476792 DOI: 10.3390/ijms251910757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2024] [Revised: 09/23/2024] [Accepted: 09/27/2024] [Indexed: 10/20/2024] Open
Abstract
With the aging of the global population, neurodegenerative diseases are emerging as a major public health issue. The adoption of a less sedentary lifestyle has been shown to have a beneficial effect on cognitive decline, but the molecular mechanisms responsible are less clear. Here we provide a detailed analysis of the complex molecular, cellular, and systemic mechanisms underlying age-related cognitive decline and how lifestyle choices influence these processes. A review of the evidence from animal models, human studies, and postmortem analyses emphasizes the importance of integrating physical exercise with cognitive, multisensory, and motor stimulation as part of a multifaceted approach to mitigating cognitive decline. We highlight the potential of these non-pharmacological interventions to address key aging hallmarks, such as genomic instability, telomere attrition, and neuroinflammation, and underscore the need for comprehensive and personalized strategies to promote cognitive resilience and healthy aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Guerreiro Diniz
- Laboratório de Microscopia Eletrônica, Instituto Evandro Chagas, Seção de Hepatologia, Belém 66.093-020, Pará, Brazil;
- Núcleo de Pesquisas em Oncologia, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66.073-005, Pará, Brazil;
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66.073-005, Pará, Brazil; (J.B.-T.); (V.O.d.C.); (J.P.R.C.); (A.M.T.); (T.C.G.d.O.); (F.C.S.); (L.D.e.D.d.M.); (N.Y.V.J.)
| | - João Bento-Torres
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66.073-005, Pará, Brazil; (J.B.-T.); (V.O.d.C.); (J.P.R.C.); (A.M.T.); (T.C.G.d.O.); (F.C.S.); (L.D.e.D.d.M.); (N.Y.V.J.)
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências do Movimento Humano, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66.050-160, Pará, Brazil
| | - Victor Oliveira da Costa
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66.073-005, Pará, Brazil; (J.B.-T.); (V.O.d.C.); (J.P.R.C.); (A.M.T.); (T.C.G.d.O.); (F.C.S.); (L.D.e.D.d.M.); (N.Y.V.J.)
| | - Josilayne Patricia Ramos Carvalho
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66.073-005, Pará, Brazil; (J.B.-T.); (V.O.d.C.); (J.P.R.C.); (A.M.T.); (T.C.G.d.O.); (F.C.S.); (L.D.e.D.d.M.); (N.Y.V.J.)
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências do Movimento Humano, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66.050-160, Pará, Brazil
| | - Alessandra Mendonça Tomás
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66.073-005, Pará, Brazil; (J.B.-T.); (V.O.d.C.); (J.P.R.C.); (A.M.T.); (T.C.G.d.O.); (F.C.S.); (L.D.e.D.d.M.); (N.Y.V.J.)
- Campus Samabaia, Universidade Federal de Goiás (EBTT), CEPAE, Goiânia 74.001-970, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Thaís Cristina Galdino de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66.073-005, Pará, Brazil; (J.B.-T.); (V.O.d.C.); (J.P.R.C.); (A.M.T.); (T.C.G.d.O.); (F.C.S.); (L.D.e.D.d.M.); (N.Y.V.J.)
- Faculdade de Ceilândia, Ceilândia, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília 72.220-900, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Cabral Soares
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66.073-005, Pará, Brazil; (J.B.-T.); (V.O.d.C.); (J.P.R.C.); (A.M.T.); (T.C.G.d.O.); (F.C.S.); (L.D.e.D.d.M.); (N.Y.V.J.)
| | - Liliane Dias e Dias de Macedo
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66.073-005, Pará, Brazil; (J.B.-T.); (V.O.d.C.); (J.P.R.C.); (A.M.T.); (T.C.G.d.O.); (F.C.S.); (L.D.e.D.d.M.); (N.Y.V.J.)
- Campus Tucurui, Universidade do Estado do Pará, Tucurui 68.455-210, Pará, Brazil
| | - Naina Yuki Vieira Jardim
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66.073-005, Pará, Brazil; (J.B.-T.); (V.O.d.C.); (J.P.R.C.); (A.M.T.); (T.C.G.d.O.); (F.C.S.); (L.D.e.D.d.M.); (N.Y.V.J.)
- Campus Tucurui, Universidade do Estado do Pará, Tucurui 68.455-210, Pará, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66.075-110, Pará, Brazil
| | - Natáli Valim Oliver Bento-Torres
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66.073-005, Pará, Brazil; (J.B.-T.); (V.O.d.C.); (J.P.R.C.); (A.M.T.); (T.C.G.d.O.); (F.C.S.); (L.D.e.D.d.M.); (N.Y.V.J.)
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências do Movimento Humano, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66.050-160, Pará, Brazil
| | - Daniel Clive Anthony
- Laboratory of Experimental Neuropathology, Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 2JD, UK;
| | - Dora Brites
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Medicines, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal;
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Cristovam Wanderley Picanço Diniz
- Núcleo de Pesquisas em Oncologia, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66.073-005, Pará, Brazil;
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66.073-005, Pará, Brazil; (J.B.-T.); (V.O.d.C.); (J.P.R.C.); (A.M.T.); (T.C.G.d.O.); (F.C.S.); (L.D.e.D.d.M.); (N.Y.V.J.)
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66.075-110, Pará, Brazil
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2
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Fröhlich AS, Gerstner N, Gagliardi M, Ködel M, Yusupov N, Matosin N, Czamara D, Sauer S, Roeh S, Murek V, Chatzinakos C, Daskalakis NP, Knauer-Arloth J, Ziller MJ, Binder EB. Single-nucleus transcriptomic profiling of human orbitofrontal cortex reveals convergent effects of aging and psychiatric disease. Nat Neurosci 2024; 27:2021-2032. [PMID: 39227716 PMCID: PMC11452345 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-024-01742-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 09/05/2024]
Abstract
Aging is a complex biological process and represents the largest risk factor for neurodegenerative disorders. The risk for neurodegenerative disorders is also increased in individuals with psychiatric disorders. Here, we characterized age-related transcriptomic changes in the brain by profiling ~800,000 nuclei from the orbitofrontal cortex from 87 individuals with and without psychiatric diagnoses and replicated findings in an independent cohort with 32 individuals. Aging affects all cell types, with LAMP5+LHX6+ interneurons, a cell-type abundant in primates, by far the most affected. Disrupted synaptic transmission emerged as a convergently affected pathway in aged tissue. Age-related transcriptomic changes overlapped with changes observed in Alzheimer's disease across multiple cell types. We find evidence for accelerated transcriptomic aging in individuals with psychiatric disorders and demonstrate a converging signature of aging and psychopathology across multiple cell types. Our findings shed light on cell-type-specific effects and biological pathways underlying age-related changes and their convergence with effects driven by psychiatric diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna S Fröhlich
- Department of Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.
| | - Nathalie Gerstner
- Department of Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Miriam Gagliardi
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Maik Ködel
- Department of Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Natan Yusupov
- Department of Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Natalie Matosin
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
- Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Darina Czamara
- Department of Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Susann Sauer
- Department of Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Simone Roeh
- Department of Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Vanessa Murek
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Chris Chatzinakos
- Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Institute for Genomics in Health, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Nikolaos P Daskalakis
- Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Janine Knauer-Arloth
- Department of Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Michael J Ziller
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Elisabeth B Binder
- Department of Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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3
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Qin H, Zhou L, Haque FT, Martin-Jimenez C, Trang A, Benveniste EN, Wang Q. Diverse signaling mechanisms and heterogeneity of astrocyte reactivity in Alzheimer's disease. J Neurochem 2024; 168:3536-3557. [PMID: 37932959 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.16002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) affects various brain cell types, including astrocytes, which are the most abundant cell types in the central nervous system (CNS). Astrocytes not only provide homeostatic support to neurons but also actively regulate synaptic signaling and functions and become reactive in response to CNS insults through diverse signaling pathways including the JAK/STAT, NF-κB, and GPCR-elicited pathways. The advent of new technology for transcriptomic profiling at the single-cell level has led to increasing recognition of the highly versatile nature of reactive astrocytes and the context-dependent specificity of astrocyte reactivity. In AD, reactive astrocytes have long been observed in senile plaques and have recently been suggested to play a role in AD pathogenesis and progression. However, the precise contributions of reactive astrocytes to AD remain elusive, and targeting this complex cell population for AD treatment poses significant challenges. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of astrocyte reactivity and its role in AD, with a particular focus on the signaling pathways that promote astrocyte reactivity and the heterogeneity of reactive astrocytes. Furthermore, we explore potential implications for the development of therapeutics for AD. Our objective is to shed light on the complex involvement of astrocytes in AD and offer insights into potential therapeutic targets and strategies for treating and managing this devastating neurodegenerative disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongwei Qin
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Lianna Zhou
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Faris T Haque
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Cynthia Martin-Jimenez
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USA
| | - Amy Trang
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USA
| | - Etty N Benveniste
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Qin Wang
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USA
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4
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Shi Y, Ma J, Li S, Liu C, Liu Y, Chen J, Liu N, Liu S, Huang H. Sex difference in human diseases: mechanistic insights and clinical implications. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2024; 9:238. [PMID: 39256355 PMCID: PMC11387494 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-024-01929-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 09/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Sex characteristics exhibit significant disparities in various human diseases, including prevalent cardiovascular diseases, cancers, metabolic disorders, autoimmune diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases. Risk profiles and pathological manifestations of these diseases exhibit notable variations between sexes. The underlying reasons for these sex disparities encompass multifactorial elements, such as physiology, genetics, and environment. Recent studies have shown that human body systems demonstrate sex-specific gene expression during critical developmental stages and gene editing processes. These genes, differentially expressed based on different sex, may be regulated by androgen or estrogen-responsive elements, thereby influencing the incidence and presentation of cardiovascular, oncological, metabolic, immune, and neurological diseases across sexes. However, despite the existence of sex differences in patients with human diseases, treatment guidelines predominantly rely on male data due to the underrepresentation of women in clinical trials. At present, there exists a substantial knowledge gap concerning sex-specific mechanisms and clinical treatments for diverse diseases. Therefore, this review aims to elucidate the advances of sex differences on human diseases by examining epidemiological factors, pathogenesis, and innovative progress of clinical treatments in accordance with the distinctive risk characteristics of each disease and provide a new theoretical and practical basis for further optimizing individualized treatment and improving patient prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuncong Shi
- Department of Cardiology, the Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Joint Laboratory of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Universities for Nutritional Metabolism and Precise Prevention and Control of Major Chronic Diseases, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jianshuai Ma
- Department of Cardiology, the Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Joint Laboratory of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Universities for Nutritional Metabolism and Precise Prevention and Control of Major Chronic Diseases, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Sijin Li
- Department of Cardiology, the Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Joint Laboratory of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Universities for Nutritional Metabolism and Precise Prevention and Control of Major Chronic Diseases, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Chao Liu
- Department of Cardiology, the Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Joint Laboratory of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Universities for Nutritional Metabolism and Precise Prevention and Control of Major Chronic Diseases, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yuning Liu
- Department of Cardiology, the Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Joint Laboratory of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Universities for Nutritional Metabolism and Precise Prevention and Control of Major Chronic Diseases, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jie Chen
- Department of Radiotherapy, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ningning Liu
- Department of Cardiology, Guangzhou Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Vascular Diseases, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shiming Liu
- Department of Cardiology, Guangzhou Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Vascular Diseases, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Hui Huang
- Department of Cardiology, the Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Joint Laboratory of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Universities for Nutritional Metabolism and Precise Prevention and Control of Major Chronic Diseases, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China.
- Department of Cardiology, Guangzhou Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Vascular Diseases, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
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Krsek A, Ostojic L, Zivalj D, Baticic L. Navigating the Neuroimmunomodulation Frontier: Pioneering Approaches and Promising Horizons-A Comprehensive Review. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:9695. [PMID: 39273641 PMCID: PMC11396210 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25179695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2024] [Revised: 08/30/2024] [Accepted: 09/03/2024] [Indexed: 09/15/2024] Open
Abstract
The research in neuroimmunomodulation aims to shed light on the complex relationships that exist between the immune and neurological systems and how they affect the human body. This multidisciplinary field focuses on the way immune responses are influenced by brain activity and how neural function is impacted by immunological signaling. This provides important insights into a range of medical disorders. Targeting both brain and immunological pathways, neuroimmunomodulatory approaches are used in clinical pain management to address chronic pain. Pharmacological therapies aim to modulate neuroimmune interactions and reduce inflammation. Furthermore, bioelectronic techniques like vagus nerve stimulation offer non-invasive control of these systems, while neuromodulation techniques like transcranial magnetic stimulation modify immunological and neuronal responses to reduce pain. Within the context of aging, neuroimmunomodulation analyzes the ways in which immunological and neurological alterations brought on by aging contribute to cognitive decline and neurodegenerative illnesses. Restoring neuroimmune homeostasis through strategies shows promise in reducing age-related cognitive decline. Research into mood disorders focuses on how immunological dysregulation relates to illnesses including anxiety and depression. Immune system fluctuations are increasingly recognized for their impact on brain function, leading to novel treatments that target these interactions. This review emphasizes how interdisciplinary cooperation and continuous research are necessary to better understand the complex relationship between the neurological and immune systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antea Krsek
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Leona Ostojic
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Dorotea Zivalj
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Lara Baticic
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Biochemistry and Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
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Pavlou A, Mulenge F, Gern OL, Busker LM, Greimel E, Waltl I, Kalinke U. Orchestration of antiviral responses within the infected central nervous system. Cell Mol Immunol 2024; 21:943-958. [PMID: 38997413 PMCID: PMC11364666 DOI: 10.1038/s41423-024-01181-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Many newly emerging and re-emerging viruses have neuroinvasive potential, underscoring viral encephalitis as a global research priority. Upon entry of the virus into the CNS, severe neurological life-threatening conditions may manifest that are associated with high morbidity and mortality. The currently available therapeutic arsenal against viral encephalitis is rather limited, emphasizing the need to better understand the conditions of local antiviral immunity within the infected CNS. In this review, we discuss new insights into the pathophysiology of viral encephalitis, with a focus on myeloid cells and CD8+ T cells, which critically contribute to protection against viral CNS infection. By illuminating the prerequisites of myeloid and T cell activation, discussing new discoveries regarding their transcriptional signatures, and dissecting the mechanisms of their recruitment to sites of viral replication within the CNS, we aim to further delineate the complexity of antiviral responses within the infected CNS. Moreover, we summarize the current knowledge in the field of virus infection and neurodegeneration and discuss the potential links of some neurotropic viruses with certain pathological hallmarks observed in neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Pavlou
- Institute for Experimental Infection Research, TWINCORE, Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, a joint venture between the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research and the Hannover Medical School, 30625, Hannover, Germany
| | - Felix Mulenge
- Institute for Experimental Infection Research, TWINCORE, Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, a joint venture between the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research and the Hannover Medical School, 30625, Hannover, Germany
| | - Olivia Luise Gern
- Institute for Experimental Infection Research, TWINCORE, Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, a joint venture between the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research and the Hannover Medical School, 30625, Hannover, Germany
| | - Lena Mareike Busker
- Institute for Experimental Infection Research, TWINCORE, Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, a joint venture between the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research and the Hannover Medical School, 30625, Hannover, Germany
- Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, 30559, Hannover, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Greimel
- Institute for Experimental Infection Research, TWINCORE, Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, a joint venture between the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research and the Hannover Medical School, 30625, Hannover, Germany
| | - Inken Waltl
- Institute for Experimental Infection Research, TWINCORE, Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, a joint venture between the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research and the Hannover Medical School, 30625, Hannover, Germany
| | - Ulrich Kalinke
- Institute for Experimental Infection Research, TWINCORE, Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, a joint venture between the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research and the Hannover Medical School, 30625, Hannover, Germany.
- Cluster of Excellence RESIST (EXC 2155), Hannover Medical School, 30625, Hannover, Germany.
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7
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Liddelow SA, Olsen ML, Sofroniew MV. Reactive Astrocytes and Emerging Roles in Central Nervous System (CNS) Disorders. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2024; 16:a041356. [PMID: 38316554 PMCID: PMC11216178 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a041356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
In addition to their many functions in the healthy central nervous system (CNS), astrocytes respond to CNS damage and disease through a process called "reactivity." Recent evidence reveals that astrocyte reactivity is a heterogeneous spectrum of potential changes that occur in a context-specific manner. These changes are determined by diverse signaling events and vary not only with the nature and severity of different CNS insults but also with location in the CNS, genetic predispositions, age, and potentially also with "molecular memory" of previous reactivity events. Astrocyte reactivity can be associated with both essential beneficial functions as well as with harmful effects. The available information is rapidly expanding and much has been learned about molecular diversity of astrocyte reactivity. Emerging functional associations point toward central roles for astrocyte reactivity in determining the outcome in CNS disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shane A Liddelow
- Neuroscience Institute, NYU School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, USA
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, USA
| | - Michelle L Olsen
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA
| | - Michael V Sofroniew
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
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8
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Padilla-Ferrer A, Carrete A, Simon A, Meffre D, Jafarian-Tehrani M. A Disintegrin And Metalloprotease 10 expression within the murine central nervous system. Brain Res 2024; 1834:148888. [PMID: 38548249 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2024.148888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
A Disintegrin And Metalloprotease 10 (ADAM10), is able to control several important physiopathological processes through the shedding of a large number of protein substrates. Although ADAM10 plays a crucial role in the central nervous system (CNS) development and function, its protein distribution in the CNS has not been fully addressed. Here, we described the regional and cellular ADAM10 protein expression in C57BL/6 mice examined by immunofluorescence 1) throughout the adult mouse brain, cerebellum and spinal cord in vivo and 2) in different cell types as neurons, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes and microglia in vitro. We observed ADAM10 expression through the whole CNS, with a strong expression in the hippocampus, in the hypothalamus and in the cerebral and piriform cortex in the brain, in the Purkinje and in granular cell layers in the cerebellum and in the spinal cord to a lower extent. In vivo, ADAM10 protein expression was mainly found in neurons and in some oligodendroglial cell populations. However, in primary cultures we observed ADAM10 expression in neurons, oligodendrocytes, astrocytes and microglia. Interestingly, ADAM10 was not only found in the membrane but also in cytoplasmic vesicles and in the nucleus of primary cultured cells. Overall, this work highlights a wide distribution of ADAM10 throughout the CNS. The nuclear localization of ADAM10, probably due to its intracellular domain, emphasizes its role in cell signalling in physiological and pathological conditions. Further investigations are required to better elucidate the role of ADAM10 in glial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alex Carrete
- Université Paris Cité and Inserm, UMR-S 1124, Paris, France
| | - Anne Simon
- Université Paris Cité and Inserm, UMR-S 1124, Paris, France
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9
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Wu W, Alexander JS, Booth JL, Miller CA, Metcalf JP, Drevets DA. Influenza virus infection exacerbates gene expression related to neurocognitive dysfunction in brains of old mice. Immun Ageing 2024; 21:39. [PMID: 38907247 PMCID: PMC11191167 DOI: 10.1186/s12979-024-00447-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Age > 65 years is a key risk factor for poor outcomes after human influenza infection. Specifically, in addition to respiratory disease, non-neurotropic influenza A virus (IAV) causes neuro-cognitive complications, e.g. new onset depression and increases the risk of dementia after hospitalization. This study aimed to identify potential mechanisms of these effects by determining differences between young and old mice in brain gene expression in a mouse model of non-neurotropic IAV infection. METHODS Young (12 weeks) and old (70 weeks) C57Bl/6J mice were inoculated intranasally with 200 PFU H1N1 A/PR/34/8 (PR8) or sterile PBS (mock). Gene expression in lung and brain was measured by qRT-PCR and normalized to β-actin. Findings were confirmed using the nCounter Mouse Neuroinflammation Array (NanoString) and analyzed with nSolver 4.0 and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA, Qiagen). RESULTS IAV PR8 did not invade the central nervous system. Young and old mice differed significantly in brain gene expression at baseline and during non-neurotropic IAV infection. Expression of brain Ifnl, Irf7, and Tnf mRNAs was upregulated over baseline control at 3 days post-infection (p.i.) only in young mice, but old mice expressed more Ifnl than young mice 7 days p.i. Gene arrays showed down-regulation of the Epigenetic Regulation, Insulin Signaling, and Neurons and Neurotransmission pathways in old mice 3 days p.i. while young mice demonstrated no change or induction of these pathways at the same time point. IPA revealed marked baseline differences between old and young mice. Gene expression related to Cognitive Impairment, Memory Deficits and Learning worsened in old mice relative to young mice during IAV infection. Aged mice demonstrate more severe changes in gene expression related to memory loss and cognitive dysfunction by IPA. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest the genes and pathways related to learning and cognitive performance that were worse at baseline in old mice were further worsened by IAV infection, similar to old patients. Early events in the brain triggered by IAV infection portend downstream neurocognitive pathology in old adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenxin Wu
- Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Room 425, RP1 800 N. Research Pkwy, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
| | - Jeremy S Alexander
- Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Room 425, RP1 800 N. Research Pkwy, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
| | - J Leland Booth
- Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Room 425, RP1 800 N. Research Pkwy, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
| | - Craig A Miller
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
| | - Jordan P Metcalf
- Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Room 425, RP1 800 N. Research Pkwy, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA.
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.
| | - Douglas A Drevets
- Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 800 Stanton L. Young, Suite 7300, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA.
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10
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Soelter TM, Howton TC, Clark AD, Oza VH, Lasseigne BN. Altered glia-neuron communication in Alzheimer's Disease affects WNT, p53, and NFkB Signaling determined by snRNA-seq. Cell Commun Signal 2024; 22:317. [PMID: 38849813 PMCID: PMC11157763 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-024-01686-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia and is characterized by amyloid-β plaques, tau neurofibrillary tangles, and neuronal loss. Although neuronal loss is a primary hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, it is known that non-neuronal cell populations are ultimately responsible for maintaining brain homeostasis and neuronal health through neuron-glia and glial cell crosstalk. Many signaling pathways have been proposed to be dysregulated in Alzheimer's disease, including WNT, TGFβ, p53, mTOR, NFkB, and Pi3k/Akt signaling. Here, we predict altered cell-cell communication between glia and neurons. METHODS Using public snRNA-sequencing data generated from postmortem human prefrontal cortex, we predicted altered cell-cell communication between glia (astrocytes, microglia, oligodendrocytes, and oligodendrocyte progenitor cells) and neurons (excitatory and inhibitory). We confirmed interactions in a second and third independent orthogonal dataset. We determined cell-type-specificity using Jaccard Similarity Index and investigated the downstream effects of altered interactions in inhibitory neurons through gene expression and transcription factor activity analyses of signaling mediators. Finally, we determined changes in pathway activity in inhibitory neurons. RESULTS Cell-cell communication between glia and neurons is altered in Alzheimer's disease in a cell-type-specific manner. As expected, ligands are more cell-type-specific than receptors and targets. We identified ligand-receptor pairs in three independent datasets and found involvement of the Alzheimer's disease risk genes APP and APOE across datasets. Most of the signaling mediators of these interactions were not significantly differentially expressed, however, the mediators that are also transcription factors had differential activity between AD and control. Namely, MYC and TP53, which are associated with WNT and p53 signaling, respectively, had decreased TF activity in Alzheimer's disease, along with decreased WNT and p53 pathway activity in inhibitory neurons. Additionally, inhibitory neurons had both increased NFkB signaling pathway activity and increased TF activity of NFIL3, an NFkB signaling-associated transcription factor. CONCLUSIONS Cell-cell communication between glia and neurons in Alzheimer's disease is altered in a cell-type-specific manner involving Alzheimer's disease risk genes. Signaling mediators had altered transcription factor activity suggesting altered glia-neuron interactions may dysregulate signaling pathways including WNT, p53, and NFkB in inhibitory neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tabea M Soelter
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, Heersink School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States of America
| | - Timothy C Howton
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, Heersink School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States of America
| | - Amanda D Clark
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, Heersink School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States of America
| | - Vishal H Oza
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, Heersink School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States of America
| | - Brittany N Lasseigne
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, Heersink School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States of America.
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11
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Zhang S, Heil BJ, Mao W, Chikina M, Greene CS, Heller EA. MousiPLIER: A Mouse Pathway-Level Information Extractor Model. eNeuro 2024; 11:ENEURO.0313-23.2024. [PMID: 38789274 PMCID: PMC11154669 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0313-23.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
High-throughput gene expression profiling measures individual gene expression across conditions. However, genes are regulated in complex networks, not as individual entities, limiting the interpretability of gene expression data. Machine learning models that incorporate prior biological knowledge are a powerful tool to extract meaningful biology from gene expression data. Pathway-level information extractor (PLIER) is an unsupervised machine learning method that defines biological pathways by leveraging the vast amount of published transcriptomic data. PLIER converts gene expression data into known pathway gene sets, termed latent variables (LVs), to substantially reduce data dimensionality and improve interpretability. In the current study, we trained the first mouse PLIER model on 190,111 mouse brain RNA-sequencing samples, the greatest amount of training data ever used by PLIER. We then validated the mousiPLIER approach in a study of microglia and astrocyte gene expression across mouse brain aging. mousiPLIER identified biological pathways that are significantly associated with aging, including one latent variable (LV41) corresponding to striatal signal. To gain further insight into the genes contained in LV41, we performed k-means clustering on the training data to identify studies that respond strongly to LV41. We found that the variable was relevant to striatum and aging across the scientific literature. Finally, we built a Web server (http://mousiplier.greenelab.com/) for users to easily explore the learned latent variables. Taken together, this study defines mousiPLIER as a method to uncover meaningful biological processes in mouse brain transcriptomic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuo Zhang
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
- Penn Epigenetics Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Benjamin J Heil
- Genomics and Computational Biology Graduate Group, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Weiguang Mao
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260
| | - Maria Chikina
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260
| | - Casey S Greene
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, Colorado 80045
| | - Elizabeth A Heller
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
- Penn Epigenetics Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
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12
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Lee EJ, Suh M, Choi H, Choi Y, Hwang DW, Bae S, Lee DS. Spatial transcriptomic brain imaging reveals the effects of immunomodulation therapy on specific regional brain cells in a mouse dementia model. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:516. [PMID: 38796425 PMCID: PMC11128132 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10434-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Increasing evidence of brain-immune crosstalk raises expectations for the efficacy of novel immunotherapies in Alzheimer's disease (AD), but the lack of methods to examine brain tissues makes it difficult to evaluate therapeutics. Here, we investigated the changes in spatial transcriptomic signatures and brain cell types using the 10x Genomics Visium platform in immune-modulated AD models after various treatments. To proceed with an analysis suitable for barcode-based spatial transcriptomics, we first organized a workflow for segmentation of neuroanatomical regions, establishment of appropriate gene combinations, and comprehensive review of altered brain cell signatures. Ultimately, we investigated spatial transcriptomic changes following administration of immunomodulators, NK cell supplements and an anti-CD4 antibody, which ameliorated behavior impairment, and designated brain cells and regions showing probable associations with behavior changes. We provided the customized analytic pipeline into an application named STquantool. Thus, we anticipate that our approach can help researchers interpret the real action of drug candidates by simultaneously investigating the dynamics of all transcripts for the development of novel AD therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun Ji Lee
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Biopharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Minseok Suh
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Radiation Medicine, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University, 103 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Hongyoon Choi
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoori Choi
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
- Cliniclal Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Do Won Hwang
- Research and Development Center, THERABEST Inc., Seocho-daero 40-gil, Seoul, 06657, Republic of Korea
| | - Sungwoo Bae
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- Institute of Radiation Medicine, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University, 103 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea.
| | - Dong Soo Lee
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Biopharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- Institute of Radiation Medicine, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University, 103 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea.
- Medical Science and Engineering, School of Convergence Science and Technology, POSTECH, Pohang, Republic of Korea.
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13
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Ortiz C, Pearson A, McCartan R, Roche S, Carothers N, Browning M, Perez S, He B, Ginsberg SD, Mullan M, Mufson EJ, Crawford F, Ojo J. Overexpression of pathogenic tau in astrocytes causes a reduction in AQP4 and GLT1, an immunosuppressed phenotype and unique transcriptional responses to repetitive mild TBI without appreciable changes in tauopathy. J Neuroinflammation 2024; 21:130. [PMID: 38750510 PMCID: PMC11096096 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-024-03117-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Epidemiological studies have unveiled a robust link between exposure to repetitive mild traumatic brain injury (r-mTBI) and elevated susceptibility to develop neurodegenerative disorders, notably chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). The pathogenic lesion in CTE cases is characterized by the accumulation of hyperphosphorylated tau in neurons around small cerebral blood vessels which can be accompanied by astrocytes that contain phosphorylated tau, the latter termed tau astrogliopathy. However, the contribution of tau astrogliopathy to the pathobiology and functional consequences of r-mTBI/CTE or whether it is merely a consequence of aging remains unclear. We addressed these pivotal questions by utilizing a mouse model harboring tau-bearing astrocytes, GFAPP301L mice, subjected to our r-mTBI paradigm. Despite the fact that r-mTBI did not exacerbate tau astrogliopathy or general tauopathy, it increased phosphorylated tau in the area underneath the impact site. Additionally, gene ontology analysis of tau-bearing astrocytes following r-mTBI revealed profound alterations in key biological processes including immunological and mitochondrial bioenergetics. Moreover, gene array analysis of microdissected astrocytes accrued from stage IV CTE human brains revealed an immunosuppressed astroglial phenotype similar to tau-bearing astrocytes in the GFAPP301L model. Additionally, hippocampal reduction of proteins involved in water transport (AQP4) and glutamate homeostasis (GLT1) was found in the mouse model of tau astrogliopathy. Collectively, these findings reveal the importance of understanding tau astrogliopathy and its role in astroglial pathobiology under normal circumstances and following r-mTBI. The identified mechanisms using this GFAPP301L model may suggest targets for therapeutic interventions in r-mTBI pathogenesis in the context of CTE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Ortiz
- The Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, FL, USA.
- The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK.
| | - Andrew Pearson
- The Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, FL, USA
- The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Bin He
- Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Stephen D Ginsberg
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, USA
- Departments of Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Physiology, and NYU Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | | | | | - Fiona Crawford
- The Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, FL, USA
- The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
- James A. Haley Veterans Hospital, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Joseph Ojo
- The Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, FL, USA
- The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
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14
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Soelter TM, Howton TC, Clark AD, Oza VH, Lasseigne BN. Altered Glia-Neuron Communication in Alzheimer's Disease Affects WNT, p53, and NFkB Signaling Determined by snRNA-seq. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.11.29.569304. [PMID: 38076822 PMCID: PMC10705421 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.29.569304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Background Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia and is characterized by amyloid-β plaques, tau neurofibrillary tangles, and neuronal loss. Although neuronal loss is a primary hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, it is known that non-neuronal cell populations are ultimately responsible for maintaining brain homeostasis and neuronal health through neuron-glia and glial cell crosstalk. Many signaling pathways have been proposed to be dysregulated in Alzheimer's disease, including WNT, TGFβ, p53, mTOR, NFkB, and Pi3k/Akt signaling. Here, we predict altered cell-cell communication between glia and neurons. Methods Using public snRNA-sequencing data generated from postmortem human prefrontal cortex, we predicted altered cell-cell communication between glia (astrocytes, microglia, oligodendrocytes, and oligodendrocyte progenitor cells) and neurons (excitatory and inhibitory). We confirmed interactions in a second and third independent orthogonal dataset. We determined cell-type-specificity using Jaccard Similarity Index and investigated the downstream effects of altered interactions in inhibitory neurons through gene expression and transcription factor activity analyses of signaling mediators. Finally, we determined changes in pathway activity in inhibitory neurons. Results Cell-cell communication between glia and neurons is altered in Alzheimer's disease in a cell-type-specific manner. As expected, ligands are more cell-type-specific than receptors and targets. We identified ligand-receptor pairs in three independent datasets and found involvement of the Alzheimer's disease risk genes APP and APOE across datasets. Most of the signaling mediators of these interactions were not differentially expressed, however, the mediators that are also transcription factors had differential activity between AD and control. Namely, MYC and TP53, which are associated with WNT and p53 signaling, respectively, had decreased TF activity in Alzheimer's disease, along with decreased WNT and p53 pathway activity in inhibitory neurons. Additionally, inhibitory neurons had both increased NFkB signaling pathway activity and increased TF activity of NFIL3, an NFkB signaling-associated transcription factor. Conclusions Cell-cell communication between glia and neurons in Alzheimer's disease is altered in a cell-type-specific manner involving Alzheimer's disease risk genes. Signaling mediators had altered transcription factor activity suggesting altered glia-neuron interactions may dysregulate signaling pathways including WNT, p53, and NFkB in inhibitory neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tabea M. Soelter
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, Heersink School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Timothy C. Howton
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, Heersink School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Amanda D. Clark
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, Heersink School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Vishal H. Oza
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, Heersink School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Brittany N. Lasseigne
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, Heersink School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
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15
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Firth W, Pye KR, Weightman Potter PG. Astrocytes at the intersection of ageing, obesity, and neurodegeneration. Clin Sci (Lond) 2024; 138:515-536. [PMID: 38652065 DOI: 10.1042/cs20230148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Once considered passive cells of the central nervous system (CNS), glia are now known to actively maintain the CNS parenchyma; in recent years, the evidence for glial functions in CNS physiology and pathophysiology has only grown. Astrocytes, a heterogeneous group of glial cells, play key roles in regulating the metabolic and inflammatory landscape of the CNS and have emerged as potential therapeutic targets for a variety of disorders. This review will outline astrocyte functions in the CNS in healthy ageing, obesity, and neurodegeneration, with a focus on the inflammatory responses and mitochondrial function, and will address therapeutic outlooks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wyn Firth
- School of Optometry and Vision Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, U.K
| | - Katherine R Pye
- Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, University of Exeter Medical School, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, U.K
| | - Paul G Weightman Potter
- Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, University of Exeter Medical School, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, U.K
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16
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Wang M, Caryotakis SE, Smith GG, Nguyen AV, Pleasure DE, Soulika AM. CSF1R antagonism results in increased supraspinal infiltration in EAE. J Neuroinflammation 2024; 21:103. [PMID: 38643194 PMCID: PMC11031888 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-024-03063-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Colony stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) signaling is crucial for the maintenance and function of various myeloid subsets. CSF1R antagonism was previously shown to mitigate clinical severity in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). The associated mechanisms are still not well delineated. METHODS To assess the effect of CSF1R signaling, we employed the CSF1R antagonist PLX5622 formulated in chow (PLX5622 diet, PD) and its control chow (control diet, CD). We examined the effect of PD in steady state and EAE by analyzing cells isolated from peripheral immune organs and from the CNS via flow cytometry. We determined CNS infiltration sites and assessed the extent of demyelination using immunohistochemistry of cerebella and spinal cords. Transcripts of genes associated with neuroinflammation were also analyzed in these tissues. RESULTS In addition to microglial depletion, PD treatment reduced dendritic cells and macrophages in peripheral immune organs, both during steady state and during EAE. Furthermore, CSF1R antagonism modulated numbers and relative frequencies of T effector cells both in the periphery and in the CNS during the early stages of the disease. Classical neurological symptoms were milder in PD compared to CD mice. Interestingly, a subset of PD mice developed atypical EAE symptoms. Unlike previous studies, we observed that the CNS of PD mice was infiltrated by increased numbers of peripheral immune cells compared to that of CD mice. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that CNS infiltrates in PD mice were mainly localized in the cerebellum while in CD mice infiltrates were primarily localized in the spinal cords during the onset of neurological deficits. Accordingly, during the same timepoint, cerebella of PD but not of CD mice had extensive demyelinating lesions, while spinal cords of CD but not of PD mice were heavily demyelinated. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that CSF1R activity modulates the cellular composition of immune cells both in the periphery and within the CNS, and affects lesion localization during the early EAE stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilyn Wang
- Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Sofia E Caryotakis
- Shriners Hospitals for Children, Northern California, Sacramento, CA, USA
- University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Glendalyn G Smith
- Shriners Hospitals for Children, Northern California, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Alan V Nguyen
- Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
- Sutro Biosciences, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - David E Pleasure
- Shriners Hospitals for Children, Northern California, Sacramento, CA, USA
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Athena M Soulika
- Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA.
- Shriners Hospitals for Children, Northern California, Sacramento, CA, USA.
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17
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Kumar NH, Kluever V, Barth E, Krautwurst S, Furlan M, Pelizzola M, Marz M, Fornasiero EF. Comprehensive transcriptome analysis reveals altered mRNA splicing and post-transcriptional changes in the aged mouse brain. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:2865-2885. [PMID: 38471806 PMCID: PMC11014377 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
A comprehensive understanding of molecular changes during brain aging is essential to mitigate cognitive decline and delay neurodegenerative diseases. The interpretation of mRNA alterations during brain aging is influenced by the health and age of the animal cohorts studied. Here, we carefully consider these factors and provide an in-depth investigation of mRNA splicing and dynamics in the aging mouse brain, combining short- and long-read sequencing technologies with extensive bioinformatic analyses. Our findings encompass a spectrum of age-related changes, including differences in isoform usage, decreased mRNA dynamics and a module showing increased expression of neuronal genes. Notably, our results indicate a reduced abundance of mRNA isoforms leading to nonsense-mediated RNA decay and suggest a regulatory role for RNA-binding proteins, indicating that their regulation may be altered leading to the reshaping of the aged brain transcriptome. Collectively, our study highlights the importance of studying mRNA splicing events during brain aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nisha Hemandhar Kumar
- Department of Neuro- and Sensory Physiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Verena Kluever
- Department of Neuro- and Sensory Physiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Emanuel Barth
- Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Bioinformatics Core Facility, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Sebastian Krautwurst
- Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Mattia Furlan
- Center for Genomic Science of IIT@SEMM, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 20139 Milan, Italy
| | - Mattia Pelizzola
- Center for Genomic Science of IIT@SEMM, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 20139 Milan, Italy
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Manja Marz
- Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Leibniz Institute for Age Research, FLI, Beutenbergstraße 11, Jena 07743, Germany
- European Virus Bioinformatics Center, Friedrich Schiller University, Leutragraben 1, Jena 07743, Germany
- German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Puschstraße 4, Leipzig 04103, Germany
- Michael Stifel Center Jena, Friedrich Schiller University, Ernst-Abbe-Platz 2, Jena 07743, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence Balance of the Microverse, Friedrich Schiller University, Fuerstengraben 1, Jena 07743, Germany
| | - Eugenio F Fornasiero
- Department of Neuro- and Sensory Physiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
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18
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Harley J, Santosa MM, Ng CY, Grinchuk OV, Hor JH, Liang Y, Lim VJ, Tee WW, Ong DST, Ng SY. Telomere shortening induces aging-associated phenotypes in hiPSC-derived neurons and astrocytes. Biogerontology 2024; 25:341-360. [PMID: 37987889 PMCID: PMC10998800 DOI: 10.1007/s10522-023-10076-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Telomere shortening is a well-established hallmark of cellular aging. Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) plays a crucial role in maintaining the length of telomeres, which are specialised protective caps at the end of chromosomes. The lack of in vitro aging models, particularly for the central nervous system (CNS), has impeded progress in understanding aging and age-associated neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we aimed to explore the possibility of inducing aging-associated features in cell types of the CNS using hiPSC (human induced pluripotent stem cell) technology. To achieve this, we utilised CRISPR/Cas9 to generate hiPSCs with a loss of telomerase function and shortened telomeres. Through directed differentiation, we generated motor neurons and astrocytes to investigate whether telomere shortening could lead to age-associated phenotypes. Our findings revealed that shortened telomeres induced age-associated characteristics in both motor neurons and astrocytes including increased cellular senescence, heightened inflammation, and elevated DNA damage. We also observed cell-type specific age-related morphology changes. Additionally, our study highlighted the fundamental role of TERT and telomere shortening in neural progenitor cell (NPC) proliferation and neuronal differentiation. This study serves as a proof of concept that telomere shortening can effectively induce aging-associated phenotypes, thereby providing a valuable tool to investigate age-related decline and neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine Harley
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR Research Entities, Singapore, 138673, Singapore
| | - Munirah Mohamad Santosa
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR Research Entities, Singapore, 138673, Singapore
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117593, Singapore
| | - Chong Yi Ng
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR Research Entities, Singapore, 138673, Singapore
| | - Oleg V Grinchuk
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR Research Entities, Singapore, 138673, Singapore
| | - Jin-Hui Hor
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR Research Entities, Singapore, 138673, Singapore
| | - Yajing Liang
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117593, Singapore
| | - Valerie Jingwen Lim
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR Research Entities, Singapore, 138673, Singapore
| | - Wee Wei Tee
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR Research Entities, Singapore, 138673, Singapore
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117593, Singapore
| | - Derrick Sek Tong Ong
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117593, Singapore
| | - Shi-Yan Ng
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR Research Entities, Singapore, 138673, Singapore.
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117593, Singapore.
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19
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Papazoglou A, Henseler C, Weickhardt S, Teipelke J, Papazoglou P, Daubner J, Schiffer T, Krings D, Broich K, Hescheler J, Sachinidis A, Ehninger D, Scholl C, Haenisch B, Weiergräber M. Sex- and region-specific cortical and hippocampal whole genome transcriptome profiles from control and APP/PS1 Alzheimer's disease mice. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0296959. [PMID: 38324617 PMCID: PMC10849391 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0296959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
A variety of Alzheimer's disease (AD) mouse models has been established and characterized within the last decades. To get an integrative view of the sophisticated etiopathogenesis of AD, whole genome transcriptome studies turned out to be indispensable. Here we carried out microarray data collection based on RNA extracted from the retrosplenial cortex and hippocampus of age-matched, eight months old male and female APP/PS1 AD mice and control animals to perform sex- and brain region specific analysis of transcriptome profiles. The results of our studies reveal novel, detailed insight into differentially expressed signature genes and related fold changes in the individual APP/PS1 subgroups. Gene ontology and Venn analysis unmasked that intersectional, upregulated genes were predominantly involved in, e.g., activation of microglial, astrocytic and neutrophilic cells, innate immune response/immune effector response, neuroinflammation, phagosome/proteasome activation, and synaptic transmission. The number of (intersectional) downregulated genes was substantially less in the different subgroups and related GO categories included, e.g., the synaptic vesicle docking/fusion machinery, synaptic transmission, rRNA processing, ubiquitination, proteasome degradation, histone modification and cellular senescence. Importantly, this is the first study to systematically unravel sex- and brain region-specific transcriptome fingerprints/signature genes in APP/PS1 mice. The latter will be of central relevance in future preclinical and clinical AD related studies, biomarker characterization and personalized medicinal approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Papazoglou
- Experimental Neuropsychopharmacology, Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (Bundesinstitut für Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte, BfArM), Bonn, Germany
| | - Christina Henseler
- Experimental Neuropsychopharmacology, Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (Bundesinstitut für Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte, BfArM), Bonn, Germany
| | - Sandra Weickhardt
- Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (Bundesinstitut für Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte, BfArM), Bonn, Germany
| | - Jenni Teipelke
- Experimental Neuropsychopharmacology, Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (Bundesinstitut für Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte, BfArM), Bonn, Germany
| | - Panagiota Papazoglou
- Experimental Neuropsychopharmacology, Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (Bundesinstitut für Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte, BfArM), Bonn, Germany
| | - Johanna Daubner
- Experimental Neuropsychopharmacology, Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (Bundesinstitut für Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte, BfArM), Bonn, Germany
| | - Teresa Schiffer
- Experimental Neuropsychopharmacology, Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (Bundesinstitut für Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte, BfArM), Bonn, Germany
| | - Damian Krings
- Experimental Neuropsychopharmacology, Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (Bundesinstitut für Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte, BfArM), Bonn, Germany
| | - Karl Broich
- Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (Bundesinstitut für Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte, BfArM), Bonn, Germany
| | - Jürgen Hescheler
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Neurophysiology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Agapios Sachinidis
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Neurophysiology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Dan Ehninger
- Translational Biogerontology, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen, DZNE), Bonn, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen, DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | - Catharina Scholl
- Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (Bundesinstitut für Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte, BfArM), Bonn, Germany
| | - Britta Haenisch
- Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (Bundesinstitut für Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte, BfArM), Bonn, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen, DZNE), Bonn, Germany
- Center for Translational Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Marco Weiergräber
- Experimental Neuropsychopharmacology, Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (Bundesinstitut für Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte, BfArM), Bonn, Germany
- Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (Bundesinstitut für Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte, BfArM), Bonn, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Neurophysiology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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20
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Cavalier AN, Clayton ZS, Wahl D, Hutton DA, McEntee CM, Seals DR, LaRocca TJ. Protective effects of apigenin on the brain transcriptome with aging. Mech Ageing Dev 2024; 217:111889. [PMID: 38007051 PMCID: PMC10843586 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2023.111889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/27/2023]
Abstract
Brain aging is associated with reduced cognitive function that increases the risk for dementia. Apigenin is a bioactive plant compound that inhibits cellular aging processes and could protect against age-related cognitive dysfunction, but its mechanisms of action in the brain have not been comprehensively studied. We characterized brain transcriptome changes in young and old mice treated with apigenin in drinking water. We observed improved learning/memory in old treated mice, and our transcriptome analyses indicated that differentially expressed genes with aging and apigenin were primarily related to immune responses, inflammation, and cytokine regulation. Moreover, we found that genes/transcripts that were increased in old vs. young mice but downregulated with apigenin treatment in old animals were associated with immune activation/inflammation, whereas transcripts that were reduced with aging but increased with apigenin were related neuronal function and signaling. We also found that these transcriptome differences with aging and apigenin treatment were driven in part by glial cells. To follow up on these in vivo transcriptome findings, we studied aged astrocytes in vitro, and we found that apigenin reduced markers of inflammation and cellular senescence in these cells. Collectively, our data suggest that apigenin may protect against age-related cognitive dysfunction by suppressing neuro-inflammatory processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa N Cavalier
- Department of Health and Exercise Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States; Columbine Health Systems Center for Healthy Aging, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Zachary S Clayton
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Devin Wahl
- Department of Health and Exercise Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States; Columbine Health Systems Center for Healthy Aging, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - David A Hutton
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Cali M McEntee
- Department of Health and Exercise Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States; Columbine Health Systems Center for Healthy Aging, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Douglas R Seals
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Thomas J LaRocca
- Department of Health and Exercise Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States; Columbine Health Systems Center for Healthy Aging, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States.
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21
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Saito K, Shigetomi E, Shinozaki Y, Kobayashi K, Parajuli B, Kubota Y, Sakai K, Miyakawa M, Horiuchi H, Nabekura J, Koizumi S. Microglia sense astrocyte dysfunction and prevent disease progression in an Alexander disease model. Brain 2024; 147:698-716. [PMID: 37955589 PMCID: PMC10834242 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Alexander disease (AxD) is an intractable neurodegenerative disorder caused by GFAP mutations. It is a primary astrocyte disease with a pathological hallmark of Rosenthal fibres within astrocytes. AxD astrocytes show several abnormal phenotypes. Our previous study showed that AxD astrocytes in model mice exhibit aberrant Ca2+ signals that induce AxD aetiology. Here, we show that microglia have unique phenotypes with morphological and functional alterations, which are related to the pathogenesis of AxD. Immunohistochemical studies of 60TM mice (AxD model) showed that AxD microglia exhibited highly ramified morphology. Functional changes in microglia were assessed by Ca2+ imaging using hippocampal brain slices from Iba1-GCaMP6-60TM mice and two-photon microscopy. We found that AxD microglia showed aberrant Ca2+ signals, with high frequency Ca2+ signals in both the processes and cell bodies. These microglial Ca2+ signals were inhibited by pharmacological blockade or genetic knockdown of P2Y12 receptors but not by tetrodotoxin, indicating that these signals are independent of neuronal activity but dependent on extracellular ATP from non-neuronal cells. Our single-cell RNA sequencing data showed that the expression level of Entpd2, an astrocyte-specific gene encoding the ATP-degrading enzyme NTPDase2, was lower in AxD astrocytes than in wild-type astrocytes. In situ ATP imaging using the adeno-associated virus vector GfaABC1D ATP1.0 showed that exogenously applied ATP was present longer in 60TM mice than in wild-type mice. Thus, the increased ATP level caused by the decrease in its metabolizing enzyme in astrocytes could be responsible for the enhancement of microglial Ca2+ signals. To determine whether these P2Y12 receptor-mediated Ca2+ signals in AxD microglia play a significant role in the pathological mechanism, a P2Y12 receptor antagonist, clopidogrel, was administered. Clopidogrel significantly exacerbated pathological markers in AxD model mice and attenuated the morphological features of microglia, suggesting that microglia play a protective role against AxD pathology via P2Y12 receptors. Taken together, we demonstrated that microglia sense AxD astrocyte dysfunction via P2Y12 receptors as an increase in extracellular ATP and alter their morphology and Ca2+ signalling, thereby protecting against AxD pathology. Although AxD is a primary astrocyte disease, our study may facilitate understanding of the role of microglia as a disease modifier, which may contribute to the clinical diversity of AxD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kozo Saito
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi 409-3898, Japan
- GLIA Center, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi 409-3898, Japan
| | - Eiji Shigetomi
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi 409-3898, Japan
- GLIA Center, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi 409-3898, Japan
| | - Youichi Shinozaki
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi 409-3898, Japan
- GLIA Center, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi 409-3898, Japan
| | - Kenji Kobayashi
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi 409-3898, Japan
| | - Bijay Parajuli
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi 409-3898, Japan
- GLIA Center, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi 409-3898, Japan
| | - Yuto Kubota
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi 409-3898, Japan
| | - Kent Sakai
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi 409-3898, Japan
- GLIA Center, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi 409-3898, Japan
| | - Miho Miyakawa
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi 409-3898, Japan
- GLIA Center, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi 409-3898, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Horiuchi
- Division of Homeostatic Development, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Aichi 444-8585, Japan
| | - Junichi Nabekura
- Division of Homeostatic Development, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Aichi 444-8585, Japan
| | - Schuichi Koizumi
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi 409-3898, Japan
- GLIA Center, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi 409-3898, Japan
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22
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Gebril HM, Aryasomayajula A, de Lima MRN, Uhrich KE, Moghe PV. Nanotechnology for microglial targeting and inhibition of neuroinflammation underlying Alzheimer's pathology. Transl Neurodegener 2024; 13:2. [PMID: 38173014 PMCID: PMC10765804 DOI: 10.1186/s40035-023-00393-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alzheimer's disease (AD) is considered to have a multifactorial etiology. The hallmark of AD is progressive neurodegeneration, which is characterized by the deepening loss of memory and a high mortality rate in the elderly. The neurodegeneration in AD is believed to be exacerbated following the intercoupled cascades of extracellular amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques, uncontrolled microglial activation, and neuroinflammation. Current therapies for AD are mostly designed to target the symptoms, with limited ability to address the mechanistic triggers for the disease. In this study, we report a novel nanotechnology based on microglial scavenger receptor (SR)-targeting amphiphilic nanoparticles (NPs) for the convergent alleviation of fibril Aβ (fAβ) burden, microglial modulation, and neuroprotection. METHODS We designed a nanotechnology approach to regulate the SR-mediated intracellular fAβ trafficking within microglia. We synthesized SR-targeting sugar-based amphiphilic macromolecules (AM) and used them as a bioactive shell to fabricate serum-stable AM-NPs via flash nanoprecipitation. Using electron microscopy, in vitro approaches, ELISA, and confocal microscopy, we investigated the effect of AM-NPs on Aβ fibrilization, fAβ-mediated microglial inflammation, and neurotoxicity in BV2 microglia and SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cell lines. RESULTS AM-NPs interrupted Aβ fibrilization, attenuated fAβ microglial internalization via targeting the fAβ-specific SRs, arrested the fAβ-mediated microglial activation and pro-inflammatory response, and accelerated lysosomal degradation of intracellular fAβ. Moreover, AM-NPs counteracted the microglial-mediated neurotoxicity after exposure to fAβ. CONCLUSIONS The AM-NP nanotechnology presents a multifactorial strategy to target pathological Aβ aggregation and arrest the fAβ-mediated pathological progression in microglia and neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hoda M Gebril
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, 599 Taylor Rd., Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA.
| | - Aravind Aryasomayajula
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, 599 Taylor Rd., Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | | | - Kathryn E Uhrich
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, 501 Big Springs Rd., Riverside, CA, 92507, USA
| | - Prabhas V Moghe
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, 599 Taylor Rd., Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA.
- Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Rutgers University, 98 Brett Rd., Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA.
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23
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Cheng WH, Anwer M, Fan J, Cheung H, Zhang K, Wellington C. Age at Injury as a Modifier of Preclinical TBI Behavioral, Neuropathological, and Inflammatory Outcomes. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2024; 42:263-283. [PMID: 39432047 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-69832-3_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2024]
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of injury-related death and disability. In high-income countries, TBI is most prevalent among the older population (≥65 years), commonly caused by falls. Though age at injury is associated with increased risk of mortality and poor outcome, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Studies in animal models may yield insights into the intersection of TBI with age. Here we review recent studies in animal models where TBI induced in aged animals is associated with exacerbated behavioral deficits (e.g., mortality, thigmotaxis, and cognitive deficits), neuropathology (microgliosis and astrogliosis), neuroinflammation (e.g., cytokines and iNOS), microglial alterations (e.g., more cellular vesicles and adopting a damage-associated microglia gene signature), and cell signaling and pathway changes (e.g., complement, phagocytosis, autophagy, trophic factor signaling). As relatively few preclinical studies focus on aged animals, more research is needed to fully understand the pathophysiology of TBI in the aged population. Particularly, we recommend that (1) more aged animals should be used, (2) closed-head TBI models should be considered, and (3) animal models of comorbidity or polytrauma should be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mehwish Anwer
- University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Jianjia Fan
- University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Honor Cheung
- University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Kevin Zhang
- University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Cheryl Wellington
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries, School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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24
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Dejanovic B, Sheng M, Hanson JE. Targeting synapse function and loss for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2024; 23:23-42. [PMID: 38012296 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-023-00823-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Synapse dysfunction and loss are hallmarks of neurodegenerative diseases that correlate with cognitive decline. However, the mechanisms and therapeutic strategies to prevent or reverse synaptic damage remain elusive. In this Review, we discuss recent advances in understanding the molecular and cellular pathways that impair synapses in neurodegenerative diseases, including the effects of protein aggregation and neuroinflammation. We also highlight emerging therapeutic approaches that aim to restore synaptic function and integrity, such as enhancing synaptic plasticity, preventing synaptotoxicity, modulating neuronal network activity and targeting immune signalling. We discuss the preclinical and clinical evidence for each strategy, as well as the challenges and opportunities for developing effective synapse-targeting therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Morgan Sheng
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jesse E Hanson
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, USA.
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25
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Garmendia JV, De Sanctis CV, Das V, Annadurai N, Hajduch M, De Sanctis JB. Inflammation, Autoimmunity and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Therapeutics and Beyond. Curr Neuropharmacol 2024; 22:1080-1109. [PMID: 37898823 PMCID: PMC10964103 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x22666231017141636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative disease (ND) incidence has recently increased due to improved life expectancy. Alzheimer's (AD) or Parkinson's disease (PD) are the most prevalent NDs. Both diseases are poly genetic, multifactorial and heterogenous. Preventive medicine, a healthy diet, exercise, and controlling comorbidities may delay the onset. After the diseases are diagnosed, therapy is needed to slow progression. Recent studies show that local, peripheral and age-related inflammation accelerates NDs' onset and progression. Patients with autoimmune disorders like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) could be at higher risk of developing AD or PD. However, no increase in ND incidence has been reported if the patients are adequately diagnosed and treated. Autoantibodies against abnormal tau, β amyloid and α- synuclein have been encountered in AD and PD and may be protective. This discovery led to the proposal of immune-based therapies for AD and PD involving monoclonal antibodies, immunization/ vaccines, pro-inflammatory cytokine inhibition and anti-inflammatory cytokine addition. All the different approaches have been analysed here. Future perspectives on new therapeutic strategies for both disorders are concisely examined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny Valentina Garmendia
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University, Olomouc, The Czech Republic
| | - Claudia Valentina De Sanctis
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University, Olomouc, The Czech Republic
| | - Viswanath Das
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University, Olomouc, The Czech Republic
- The Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute (Catrin), Palacky University, Olomouc, The Czech Republic
| | - Narendran Annadurai
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University, Olomouc, The Czech Republic
| | - Marián Hajduch
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University, Olomouc, The Czech Republic
- The Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute (Catrin), Palacky University, Olomouc, The Czech Republic
| | - Juan Bautista De Sanctis
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University, Olomouc, The Czech Republic
- The Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute (Catrin), Palacky University, Olomouc, The Czech Republic
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26
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Le YP, Saito K, Parajuli B, Sakai K, Kubota Y, Miyakawa M, Shinozaki Y, Shigetomi E, Koizumi S. Severity of Peripheral Infection Differentially Affects Brain Functions in Mice via Microglia-Dependent and -Independent Mechanisms. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17597. [PMID: 38139424 PMCID: PMC10743593 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242417597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Peripheral infection induces inflammation in peripheral tissues and the brain, impacting brain function. Glial cells are key players in this process. However, the effects of peripheral infection on glial activation and brain function remain unknown. Here, we showed that varying degrees of peripheral infection had different effects on the regulation of brain functions by microglia-dependent and -independent mechanisms. Acute mild infection (one-day LPS challenge: 1LPS) exacerbated middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) injury, and severe infection (four-day LPS challenge: 4LPS) for one week suppressed it. MCAO injury was assessed by triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining. We observed early activation of microglia in the 1LPS and 4LPS groups. Depleting microglia with a colony-stimulating factor-1 receptor (CSF1R) antagonist had no effect on 1LPS-induced brain injury exacerbation but abolished 4LPS-induced protection, indicating microglial independence and dependence, respectively. Microglia-independent exacerbation caused by 1LPS involved peripheral immune cells including macrophages. RNA sequencing analysis of 4LPS-treated microglia revealed increased factors related to anti-inflammatory and neuronal tissue repair, suggesting their association with the protective effect. In conclusion, varying degrees of peripheral inflammation had contradictory effects (exacerbation vs. protection) on MCAO, which may be attributed to microglial dependence. Our findings highlight the significant impact of peripheral infection on brain function, particularly in relation to glial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yen-Phung Le
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Chuo 409-3898, Japan; (Y.-P.L.); (K.S.); (B.P.); (K.S.); (Y.K.); (M.M.); (Y.S.); (E.S.)
- GLIA Center, University of Yamanashi, Chuo 409-3898, Japan
| | - Kozo Saito
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Chuo 409-3898, Japan; (Y.-P.L.); (K.S.); (B.P.); (K.S.); (Y.K.); (M.M.); (Y.S.); (E.S.)
- GLIA Center, University of Yamanashi, Chuo 409-3898, Japan
| | - Bijay Parajuli
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Chuo 409-3898, Japan; (Y.-P.L.); (K.S.); (B.P.); (K.S.); (Y.K.); (M.M.); (Y.S.); (E.S.)
- GLIA Center, University of Yamanashi, Chuo 409-3898, Japan
| | - Kent Sakai
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Chuo 409-3898, Japan; (Y.-P.L.); (K.S.); (B.P.); (K.S.); (Y.K.); (M.M.); (Y.S.); (E.S.)
- GLIA Center, University of Yamanashi, Chuo 409-3898, Japan
| | - Yuto Kubota
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Chuo 409-3898, Japan; (Y.-P.L.); (K.S.); (B.P.); (K.S.); (Y.K.); (M.M.); (Y.S.); (E.S.)
- GLIA Center, University of Yamanashi, Chuo 409-3898, Japan
| | - Miho Miyakawa
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Chuo 409-3898, Japan; (Y.-P.L.); (K.S.); (B.P.); (K.S.); (Y.K.); (M.M.); (Y.S.); (E.S.)
- GLIA Center, University of Yamanashi, Chuo 409-3898, Japan
| | - Youichi Shinozaki
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Chuo 409-3898, Japan; (Y.-P.L.); (K.S.); (B.P.); (K.S.); (Y.K.); (M.M.); (Y.S.); (E.S.)
- GLIA Center, University of Yamanashi, Chuo 409-3898, Japan
| | - Eiji Shigetomi
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Chuo 409-3898, Japan; (Y.-P.L.); (K.S.); (B.P.); (K.S.); (Y.K.); (M.M.); (Y.S.); (E.S.)
- GLIA Center, University of Yamanashi, Chuo 409-3898, Japan
| | - Schuichi Koizumi
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Chuo 409-3898, Japan; (Y.-P.L.); (K.S.); (B.P.); (K.S.); (Y.K.); (M.M.); (Y.S.); (E.S.)
- GLIA Center, University of Yamanashi, Chuo 409-3898, Japan
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27
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Rapaka D, Adiukwu PC, Challa SR, Bitra VR. Interplay Between Astroglial Endocannabinoid System and the Cognitive Dysfunction in Alzheimer's Disease. Physiol Res 2023; 72:575-586. [PMID: 38015757 PMCID: PMC10751057 DOI: 10.33549/physiolres.935156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Cannabinoid CB1 receptors have been shown to regulate wide array of functions ranging from homeostasis to the cognitive functioning but recent data support the hypothesis that astrocytes also operate as a mediator of synaptic plasticity and contribute to cognition and learning. The receptor heterogeneity plays a key role in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes. Despite the fact that the majority of CB1 receptors act on neurons, studies have revealed that cannabinoids have direct control over astrocytes, including energy generation and neuroprotection. The tripartite synapse connects astrocytes to neurons and allows them to interact with one another and the astrocytes are key players in synaptic plasticity, which is associated with cognitive functions. This review focuses on our growing understanding of the intricate functions of astroglial CB1 that underpin physiological brain function, and in Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Rapaka
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana. ,
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28
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Yang S, Chen D, Xie L, Zou X, Xiao Y, Rao L, Yao T, Zhang Q, Cai L, Huang F, Yang B, Huang L. Developmental dynamics of the single nucleus regulatory landscape of pig hippocampus. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2023; 66:2614-2628. [PMID: 37428306 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-022-2345-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
The hippocampus is a brain region associated with memory, learning and spatial navigation, its aging-related dysfunction is a common sign of Alzheimer's disease. Pig is a good model for human neurodegenerative disease, but our understanding of the regulatory program of the pig hippocampus and its cross-species conservation in humans remains limited. Here, we profiled chromatin accessibility in 33,409 high-quality nuclei and gene expression in 8,122 high-quality nuclei of the pig hippocampus at four postnatal stages. We identified 510,908 accessible chromatin regions (ACRs) in 12 major cell types, among which progenitor cells such as neuroblasts and oligodendrocyte progenitor cells showed a dynamic decrease from early to later developmental stages. We revealed significant enrichment of transposable elements in cell type-specific ACRs, particularly in neuroblasts. We identified oligodendrocytes as the most prominent cell type with the greatest number of genes that showed significant changes during the development. We identified ACRs and key transcription factors underlying the trajectory of neurogenesis (such as POU3F3 and EGR1) and oligodendrocyte differentiation (RXRA and FOXO6). We examined 27 Alzheimer's disease-related genes in our data and found that 15 showed cell type-specific activity (TREM2, RIN3 and CLU), and 15 genes displayed age-associated dynamic activity (BIN1, RABEP1 and APOE). We intersected our data with human genome-wide association study results to detect neurological disease-associated cell types. The present study provides a single nucleus-accessible chromatin landscape of the pig hippocampus at different developmental stages and is helpful for the exploration of pigs as a biomedical model in human neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pig Genetic Improvement and Production Technology, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China
| | - Dong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Pig Genetic Improvement and Production Technology, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China
| | - Lei Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Pig Genetic Improvement and Production Technology, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Pig Genetic Improvement and Production Technology, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China
| | - Yanyuan Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Pig Genetic Improvement and Production Technology, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China
| | - Lin Rao
- State Key Laboratory of Pig Genetic Improvement and Production Technology, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China
| | - Tianxiong Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Pig Genetic Improvement and Production Technology, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China
| | - Qing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pig Genetic Improvement and Production Technology, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China
| | - Liping Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Pig Genetic Improvement and Production Technology, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China
| | - Fei Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Pig Genetic Improvement and Production Technology, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China
| | - Bin Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pig Genetic Improvement and Production Technology, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China.
| | - Lusheng Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Pig Genetic Improvement and Production Technology, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China.
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29
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Fujiwara M, Ferdousi F, Isoda H. Investigation into Molecular Brain Aging in Senescence-Accelerated Mouse (SAM) Model Employing Whole Transcriptomic Analysis in Search of Potential Molecular Targets for Therapeutic Interventions. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13867. [PMID: 37762170 PMCID: PMC10530366 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241813867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
With the progression of an aging society, cognitive aging has emerged as a pressing concern necessitating attention. The senescence-accelerated mouse-prone 8 (SAMP8) model has proven instrumental in investigating the early stages of cognitive aging. Through an extensive examination of molecular changes in the brain cortex, utilizing integrated whole-genome transcriptomics, our principal aim was to uncover potential molecular targets with therapeutic applications and relevance to drug screening. Our investigation encompassed four distinct conditions, comparing the same strain at different time points (1 year vs. 16 weeks) and the same time point across different strains (SAMP8 vs. SAMR1), namely: physiological aging, accelerated aging, early events in accelerated aging, and late events in accelerated aging. Focusing on key functional alterations associated with aging in the brain, including neurogenesis, synapse dynamics, neurometabolism, and neuroinflammation, we identified candidate genes linked to these processes. Furthermore, employing protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis, we identified pivotal hub genes involved in interactions within these functional domains. Additionally, gene-set perturbation analysis allowed us to uncover potential upstream genes or transcription factors that exhibited activation or inhibition across the four conditions. In summary, our comprehensive analysis of the SAMP8 mouse brain through whole-genome transcriptomics not only deepens our understanding of age-related changes but also lays the groundwork for a predictive model to facilitate drug screening for cognitive aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michitaka Fujiwara
- Graduate School of Environmental Science Program, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba 305-8577, Japan
- Open Innovation Laboratory for Food and Medicinal Resource Engineering, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba 305-8572, Japan
| | - Farhana Ferdousi
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba 305-8572, Japan
- Alliance for Research on the Mediterranean and North Africa (ARENA), University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba 305-8572, Japan
| | - Hiroko Isoda
- Open Innovation Laboratory for Food and Medicinal Resource Engineering, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba 305-8572, Japan
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba 305-8572, Japan
- Alliance for Research on the Mediterranean and North Africa (ARENA), University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba 305-8572, Japan
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30
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Abdullatef S, Farina C. Publicly available ex vivo transcriptomics datasets to explore CNS physiology and neurodegeneration: state of the art and perspectives. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1211079. [PMID: 37680966 PMCID: PMC10481165 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1211079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The central nervous system (CNS) is characterized by an intricate composition of diverse cell types, including neurons and glia cells (astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and microglia), whose functions may differ along time, between sexes and upon pathology. The advancements in high-throughput transcriptomics are providing fundamental insights on cell phenotypes, so that molecular codes and instructions are ever more described for CNS physiology and neurodegeneration. To facilitate the search of relevant information, this review provides an overview of key CNS transcriptomics studies ranging from CNS development to ageing and from physiology to pathology as defined for five neurodegenerative disorders and their relative animal models, with a focus on molecular descriptions whose raw data were publicly available. Accurate phenotypic descriptions of cellular states correlate with functional changes and this knowledge may support research devoted to the development of therapeutic strategies supporting CNS repair and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Abdullatef
- Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology (INSpe), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Faculty of Medicine, Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Cinthia Farina
- Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology (INSpe), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
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31
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Guebel DV. Human hippocampal astrocytes: Computational dissection of their transcriptome, sexual differences and exosomes across ageing and mild-cognitive impairment. Eur J Neurosci 2023; 58:2677-2707. [PMID: 37427765 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2022] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
The role of astrocytes in Alzheimer's disease is often disregarded. Hence, characterization of astrocytes along their early evolution toward Alzheimer would be greatly beneficial. However, due to their exquisite responsiveness, in vivo studies are difficult. So public microarray data of hippocampal homogenates from (healthy) young, (healthy) elder and elder with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) were subjected to re-analysis by a multi-step computational pipeline. Ontologies and pathway analyses were compared after determining the differential genes that, belonging to astrocytes, have splice forms. Likewise, the subset of molecules exportable to exosomes was also determined. The results showed that astrocyte's phenotypes changed significantly. While already 'activated' astrocytes were found in the younger group, major changes occurred during ageing (increased vascular remodelling and response to mechanical stimulus, diminished long-term potentiation and increased long-term depression). MCI's astrocytes showed some 'rejuvenated' features, but their sensitivity to shear stress was markedly lost. Importantly, most of the changes showed to be sex biassed. Men's astrocytes are enriched in a type 'endfeet-astrocytome', whereas women's astrocytes appear close to the 'scar-forming' type (prone to endothelial dysfunction, hypercholesterolemia, loss of glutamatergic synapses, Ca+2 dysregulation, hypoxia, oxidative stress and 'pro-coagulant' phenotype). In conclusion, the computational dissection of the networks based on the hippocampal gene isoforms provides a relevant proxy to in vivo astrocytes, also revealing the occurrence of sexual differences. Analyses of the astrocytic exosomes did not provide an acceptable approximation to the overall functioning of astrocytes in the hippocampus, probably due to the selective cellular mechanisms which charge the cargo molecules.
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32
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Duffy MF, Ding J, Langston RG, Shah SI, Nalls MA, Scholz SW, Whitaker DT, Auluck PK, Marenco S, Gibbs JR, Cookson MR. Divergent patterns of healthy aging across human brain regions at single-cell resolution reveal links to neurodegenerative disease. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.31.551097. [PMID: 37577533 PMCID: PMC10418086 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.31.551097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Age is a major common risk factor underlying neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Previous studies reported that chronological age correlates with differential gene expression across different brain regions. However, prior datasets have not disambiguated whether expression associations with age are due to changes in cell numbers and/or gene expression per cell. In this study, we leveraged single nucleus RNA-sequencing (snRNAseq) to examine changes in cell proportions and transcriptomes in four different brain regions, each from 12 donors aged 20-30 years (young) or 60-85 years (old). We sampled 155,192 nuclei from two cortical regions (entorhinal cortex and middle temporal gyrus) and two subcortical regions (putamen and subventricular zone) relevant to neurodegenerative diseases or the proliferative niche. We found no changes in cellular composition of different brain regions with healthy aging. Surprisingly, we did find that each brain region has a distinct aging signature, with only minor overlap in differentially associated genes across regions. Moreover, each cell type shows distinct age-associated expression changes, including loss of protein synthesis genes in cortical inhibitory neurons, axonogenesis genes in excitatory neurons and oligodendrocyte precursor cells, enhanced gliosis markers in astrocytes and disease-associated markers in microglia, and genes critical for neuron-glia communication. Importantly, we find cell type-specific enrichments of age associations with genes nominated by Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease genome-wide association studies (GWAS), such as apolipoprotein E (APOE), and leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) in microglia that are independent of overall expression levels across cell types. We present this data as a new resource which highlights, first, region- and cell type-specific transcriptomic changes in healthy aging that may contribute to selective vulnerability and, second, provide context for testing GWAS-nominated disease risk genes in relevant subtypes and developing more targeted therapeutic strategies. The data is readily accessible without requirement for extensive computational support in a public website, https://brainexp-hykyffa56a-uc.a.run.app/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan F. Duffy
- Cell Biology and Gene Expression Section, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA 20892
| | - Jinhui Ding
- Computational Biology Group, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA 20892
| | - Rebekah G. Langston
- Cell Biology and Gene Expression Section, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA 20892
| | - Syed I. Shah
- Data Tecnica International LLC, Washington, DC, USA
- Center for Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Mike A. Nalls
- Data Tecnica International LLC, Washington, DC, USA
- Center for Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Sonja W. Scholz
- Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - D. Thad Whitaker
- Cell Biology and Gene Expression Section, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA 20892
| | - Pavan K. Auluck
- Human Brain Collection Core, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Stefano Marenco
- Human Brain Collection Core, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - J. Raphael Gibbs
- Computational Biology Group, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA 20892
| | - Mark R. Cookson
- Cell Biology and Gene Expression Section, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA 20892
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Jin K, Yao Z, van Velthoven CTJ, Kaplan ES, Glattfelder K, Barlow ST, Boyer G, Carey D, Casper T, Chakka AB, Chakrabarty R, Clark M, Departee M, Desierto M, Gary A, Gloe J, Goldy J, Guilford N, Guzman J, Hirschstein D, Lee C, Liang E, Pham T, Reding M, Ronellenfitch K, Ruiz A, Sevigny J, Shapovalova N, Shulga L, Sulc J, Torkelson A, Tung H, Levi B, Sunkin SM, Dee N, Esposito L, Smith K, Tasic B, Zeng H. Cell-type specific molecular signatures of aging revealed in a brain-wide transcriptomic cell-type atlas. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.26.550355. [PMID: 38168182 PMCID: PMC10760145 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.26.550355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Biological aging can be defined as a gradual loss of homeostasis across various aspects of molecular and cellular function. Aging is a complex and dynamic process which influences distinct cell types in a myriad of ways. The cellular architecture of the mammalian brain is heterogeneous and diverse, making it challenging to identify precise areas and cell types of the brain that are more susceptible to aging than others. Here, we present a high-resolution single-cell RNA sequencing dataset containing ~1.2 million high-quality single-cell transcriptomic profiles of brain cells from young adult and aged mice across both sexes, including areas spanning the forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain. We find age-associated gene expression signatures across nearly all 130+ neuronal and non-neuronal cell subclasses we identified. We detect the greatest gene expression changes in non-neuronal cell types, suggesting that different cell types in the brain vary in their susceptibility to aging. We identify specific, age-enriched clusters within specific glial, vascular, and immune cell types from both cortical and subcortical regions of the brain, and specific gene expression changes associated with cell senescence, inflammation, decrease in new myelination, and decreased vasculature integrity. We also identify genes with expression changes across multiple cell subclasses, pointing to certain mechanisms of aging that may occur across wide regions or broad cell types of the brain. Finally, we discover the greatest gene expression changes in cell types localized to the third ventricle of the hypothalamus, including tanycytes, ependymal cells, and Tbx3+ neurons found in the arcuate nucleus that are part of the neuronal circuits regulating food intake and energy homeostasis. These findings suggest that the area surrounding the third ventricle in the hypothalamus may be a hub for aging in the mouse brain. Overall, we reveal a dynamic landscape of cell-type-specific transcriptomic changes in the brain associated with normal aging that will serve as a foundation for the investigation of functional changes in the aging process and the interaction of aging and diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Jin
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Zizhen Yao
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Daniel Carey
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Max Departee
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Amanda Gary
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jessica Gloe
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jeff Goldy
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Changkyu Lee
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Josh Sevigny
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | - Josef Sulc
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Herman Tung
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Boaz Levi
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Nick Dee
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Hongkui Zeng
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
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Pereira MJ, Ayana R, Holt MG, Arckens L. Chemogenetic manipulation of astrocyte activity at the synapse- a gateway to manage brain disease. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1193130. [PMID: 37534103 PMCID: PMC10393042 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1193130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes are the major glial cell type in the central nervous system (CNS). Initially regarded as supportive cells, it is now recognized that this highly heterogeneous cell population is an indispensable modulator of brain development and function. Astrocytes secrete neuroactive molecules that regulate synapse formation and maturation. They also express hundreds of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) that, once activated by neurotransmitters, trigger intracellular signalling pathways that can trigger the release of gliotransmitters which, in turn, modulate synaptic transmission and neuroplasticity. Considering this, it is not surprising that astrocytic dysfunction, leading to synaptic impairment, is consistently described as a factor in brain diseases, whether they emerge early or late in life due to genetic or environmental factors. Here, we provide an overview of the literature showing that activation of genetically engineered GPCRs, known as Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADDs), to specifically modulate astrocyte activity partially mimics endogenous signalling pathways in astrocytes and improves neuronal function and behavior in normal animals and disease models. Therefore, we propose that expressing these genetically engineered GPCRs in astrocytes could be a promising strategy to explore (new) signalling pathways which can be used to manage brain disorders. The precise molecular, functional and behavioral effects of this type of manipulation, however, differ depending on the DREADD receptor used, targeted brain region and timing of the intervention, between healthy and disease conditions. This is likely a reflection of regional and disease/disease progression-associated astrocyte heterogeneity. Therefore, a thorough investigation of the effects of such astrocyte manipulation(s) must be conducted considering the specific cellular and molecular environment characteristic of each disease and disease stage before this has therapeutic applicability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria João Pereira
- Department of Biology, Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Rajagopal Ayana
- Department of Biology, Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Matthew G. Holt
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Laboratory of Synapse Biology, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Lutgarde Arckens
- Department of Biology, Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
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Claeys W, Van Hoecke L, Lernout H, De Nolf C, Van Imschoot G, Van Wonterghem E, Verhaege D, Castelein J, Geerts A, Van Steenkiste C, Vandenbroucke RE. Experimental hepatic encephalopathy causes early but sustained glial transcriptional changes. J Neuroinflammation 2023; 20:130. [PMID: 37248507 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-023-02814-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a common complication of liver cirrhosis, associated with high morbidity and mortality, for which no brain-targeted therapies exist at present. The interplay between hyperammonemia and inflammation is thought to drive HE development. As such, astrocytes, the most important ammonia-metabolizing cells in the brain, and microglia, the main immunomodulatory cells in the brain, have been heavily implicated in HE development. As insight into cellular perturbations driving brain pathology remains largely elusive, we aimed to investigate cell-type specific transcriptomic changes in the HE brain. In the recently established mouse bile duct ligation (BDL) model of HE, we performed RNA-Seq of sorted astrocytes and microglia at 14 and 28 days after induction. This revealed a marked transcriptional response in both cell types which was most pronounced in microglia. In both cell types, pathways related to inflammation and hypoxia, mechanisms commonly implicated in HE, were enriched. Additionally, astrocytes exhibited increased corticoid receptor and oxidative stress signaling, whereas microglial transcriptome changes were linked to immune cell attraction. Accordingly, both monocytes and neutrophils accumulated in the BDL mouse brain. Time-dependent changes were limited in both cell types, suggesting early establishment of a pathological phenotype. While HE is often considered a unique form of encephalopathy, astrocytic and microglial transcriptomes showed significant overlap with previously established gene expression signatures in other neuroinflammatory diseases like septic encephalopathy and stroke, suggesting common pathophysiological mechanisms. Our dataset identifies key molecular mechanisms involved in preclinical HE and provides a valuable resource for development of novel glial-directed therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wouter Claeys
- Hepatology Research Unit, Department of Internal Medicine and Paediatrics, Ghent University, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
- Liver Research Center Ghent, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent University, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
- Barriers in Inflammation, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, VIB, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Lien Van Hoecke
- Barriers in Inflammation, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, VIB, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Hannah Lernout
- Barriers in Inflammation, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, VIB, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
- IBD Research Unit, Department of Internal Medicine and Paediatrics, Ghent University, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Clint De Nolf
- Barriers in Inflammation, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, VIB, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Internal Medicine and Paediatrics, Ghent University, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Griet Van Imschoot
- Barriers in Inflammation, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, VIB, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Elien Van Wonterghem
- Barriers in Inflammation, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, VIB, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Daan Verhaege
- Barriers in Inflammation, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, VIB, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jonas Castelein
- Barriers in Inflammation, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, VIB, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Anja Geerts
- Hepatology Research Unit, Department of Internal Medicine and Paediatrics, Ghent University, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
- Liver Research Center Ghent, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent University, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Christophe Van Steenkiste
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Antwerp University, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Maria Middelares Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Roosmarijn E Vandenbroucke
- Barriers in Inflammation, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, VIB, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, 9052, Ghent, Belgium.
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
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36
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Meldolesi J. Role of Senescent Astrocytes in Health and Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24108498. [PMID: 37239843 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24108498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
For many decades after their discovery, astrocytes, the abundant glial cells of the brain, were believed to work as a glue, supporting the structure and metabolic functions of neurons. A revolution that started over 30 years ago revealed many additional functions of these cells, including neurogenesis, gliosecretion, glutamate homeostasis, assembly and function of synapses, neuronal metabolism with energy production, and others. These properties have been confirmed, limited however, to proliferating astrocytes. During their aging or following severe brain stress lesions, proliferating astrocytes are converted into their no-longer-proliferating, senescent forms, similar in their morphology but profoundly modified in their functions. The changed specificity of senescent astrocytes is largely due to their altered gene expression. The ensuing effects include downregulation of many properties typical of proliferating astrocytes, and upregulation of many others, concerned with neuroinflammation, release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, dysfunction of synapses, etc., specific to their senescence program. The ensuing decrease in neuronal support and protection by astrocytes induces the development, in vulnerable brain regions, of neuronal toxicity together with cognitive decline. Similar changes, ultimately reinforced by astrocyte aging, are also induced by traumatic events and molecules involved in dynamic processes. Senescent astrocytes play critical roles in the development of many severe brain diseases. The first demonstration, obtained for Alzheimer's disease less than 10 years ago, contributed to the elimination of the previously predominant neuro-centric amyloid hypothesis. The initial astrocyte effects, operating a considerable time before the appearance of known Alzheimer's symptoms evolve with the severity of the disease up to their proliferation during the final outcome. Involvement of astrocytes in other neurodegenerative diseases and cancer is now intensely investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacopo Meldolesi
- San Raffaele Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, 20132 Milan, Italy
- CNR Institute of Neuroscience, Milano-Bicocca University, Vedano al Lambro, 20854 Milan, Italy
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37
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Cheng Q, Ma X, Liu J, Feng X, Liu Y, Wang Y, Ni W, Song M. Pharmacological Inhibition of the Asparaginyl Endopeptidase (AEP) in an Alzheimer's Disease Model Improves the Survival and Efficacy of Transplanted Neural Stem Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24097739. [PMID: 37175445 PMCID: PMC10178525 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24097739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Stem-cell-based therapy is very promising for Alzheimer's disease (AD), yet has not become a reality. A critical challenge is the transplantation microenvironment, which impacts the therapeutic effect of stem cells. In AD brains, amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptides and inflammatory cytokines continuously poison the tissue microenvironment, leading to low survival of grafted cells and restricted efficacy. It is necessary to create a growth-supporting microenvironment for transplanted cells. Recent advances in AD studies suggest that the asparaginyl endopeptidase (AEP) is a potential intervention target for modifying pathological changes. We here chose APP/PS1 mice as an AD model and employed pharmacological inhibition of the AEP for one month to improve the brain microenvironment. Thereafter, we transplanted neural stem cells (NSCs) into the hippocampus and maintained therapy for one more month. We found that inhibition of AEPs resulted in a significant decrease of Aβ, TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β in their brains. In AD mice receiving NSC transplantation alone, the survival of NSCs was at a low level, while in combination with AEP inhibition pre-treatment the survival rate of engrafted cells was doubled. Within the 2-month treatment period, implantation of NSCs plus pre-inhibition of the AEP significantly enhanced neural plasticity of the hippocampus and rescued cognitive impairment. Neither NSC transplantation alone nor AEP inhibition alone achieved significant efficacy. In conclusion, pharmacological inhibition of the AEP ameliorated brain microenvironment of AD mice, and thus improved the survival and therapeutic efficacy of transplanted stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Cheng
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 280 South Chongqing Road, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Xiaoli Ma
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 280 South Chongqing Road, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Jingjing Liu
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 280 South Chongqing Road, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Xuemei Feng
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 280 South Chongqing Road, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Yan Liu
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 280 South Chongqing Road, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Yanxia Wang
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 280 South Chongqing Road, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Wenwen Ni
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 280 South Chongqing Road, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Mingke Song
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 280 South Chongqing Road, Shanghai 200025, China
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38
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Antignano I, Liu Y, Offermann N, Capasso M. Aging microglia. Cell Mol Life Sci 2023; 80:126. [PMID: 37081238 PMCID: PMC10119228 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-04775-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
Microglia are the tissue-resident macrophage population of the brain, specialized in supporting the CNS environment and protecting it from endogenous and exogenous insults. Nonetheless, their function declines with age, in ways that remain to be fully elucidated. Given the critical role played by microglia in neurodegenerative diseases, a better understanding of the aging microglia phenotype is an essential prerequisite in designing better preventive and therapeutic strategies. In this review, we discuss the most recent literature on microglia in aging, comparing findings in rodent models and human subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignazio Antignano
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | - Yingxiao Liu
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | - Nina Offermann
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | - Melania Capasso
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), Bonn, Germany.
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39
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Lee HJ, Yoon YS, Lee SJ. Molecular mechanisms of cellular senescence in neurodegenerative diseases. J Mol Biol 2023:168114. [PMID: 37085010 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.168114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/23/2023]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, are characterized by several pathological features, including selective neuronal loss, aggregation of specific proteins, and chronic inflammation. Aging is the most critical risk factor of these disorders. However, the mechanism by which aging contributes to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases is not clearly understood. Cellular senescence is a cell state or fate in response to stimuli. It is typically associated with a series of changes in cellular phenotypes such as abnormal cellular metabolism and proteostasis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and increased secretion of certain molecules via senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). In this review, we discuss how cellular senescence contributes to brain aging and neurodegenerative diseases, and the relationship between protein aggregation and cellular senescence. Finally, we discuss the potential of senescence modifiers and senolytics in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- He-Jin Lee
- Department of Anatomy, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Korea; IBST, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Korea.
| | - Ye-Seul Yoon
- Department of Anatomy, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Korea; IBST, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Korea
| | - Seung-Jae Lee
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Neuroscience Research Institute, Convergence Research Center for Dementia, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea; Neuramedy, Co., Ltd., Seoul, Korea.
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40
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Duwat C, Léal P, Vautheny A, Aurégan G, Joséphine C, Gaillard MC, Hérard AS, Jan C, Gipchtein P, Mitja J, Fouquet S, Niepon ML, Hantraye P, Brouillet E, Bonvento G, Cambon K, Bemelmans AP. Development of an AAV-based model of tauopathy targeting retinal ganglion cells and the mouse visual pathway to study the role of microglia in Tau pathology. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 181:106116. [PMID: 37054900 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Tauopathy is a typical feature of Alzheimer's disease of major importance because it strongly correlates with the severity of cognitive deficits experienced by patients. During the pathology, it follows a characteristic spatiotemporal course which takes its origin in the transentorhinal cortex, and then gradually invades the entire forebrain. To study the mechanisms of tauopathy, and test new therapeutic strategies, it is necessary to set-up relevant and versatile in vivo models allowing to recapitulate tauopathy. With this in mind, we have developed a model of tauopathy by overexpression of the human wild-type Tau protein in retinal ganglion cells in mice (RGCs). This overexpression led to the presence of hyperphosphorylated forms of the protein in the transduced cells as well as to their progressive degeneration. The application of this model to mice deficient in TREM2 (Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid cells-2, an important genetic risk factor for AD) as well as to 15-month-old mice showed that microglia actively participate in the degeneration of RGCs. Surprisingly, although we were able to detect the transgenic Tau protein up to the terminal arborization of RGCs at the level of the superior colliculi, spreading of the transgenic Tau protein to post-synaptic neurons was detected only in aged animals. This suggests that there may be neuron-intrinsic- or microenvironment mediators facilitating this spreading that appear with aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Duwat
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives: mécanismes, thérapies, imagerie, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Pauline Léal
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives: mécanismes, thérapies, imagerie, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Audrey Vautheny
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives: mécanismes, thérapies, imagerie, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Gwennaëlle Aurégan
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives: mécanismes, thérapies, imagerie, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Charlène Joséphine
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives: mécanismes, thérapies, imagerie, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Marie-Claude Gaillard
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives: mécanismes, thérapies, imagerie, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Anne-Sophie Hérard
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives: mécanismes, thérapies, imagerie, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Caroline Jan
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives: mécanismes, thérapies, imagerie, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Pauline Gipchtein
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives: mécanismes, thérapies, imagerie, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Julien Mitja
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives: mécanismes, thérapies, imagerie, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Stéphane Fouquet
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France
| | | | - Philippe Hantraye
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives: mécanismes, thérapies, imagerie, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Emmanuel Brouillet
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives: mécanismes, thérapies, imagerie, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Gilles Bonvento
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives: mécanismes, thérapies, imagerie, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Karine Cambon
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives: mécanismes, thérapies, imagerie, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Alexis-Pierre Bemelmans
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives: mécanismes, thérapies, imagerie, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.
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41
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Yu J, Li T, Zhu J. Gene Therapy Strategies Targeting Aging-Related Diseases. Aging Dis 2023; 14:398-417. [PMID: 37008065 PMCID: PMC10017145 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2022.00725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Rapid advancements have taken place in gene therapy technology. However, effective methods for treating aging- or age-related chronic diseases, which are often closely related to genes or even multiple genes, are still lacking. The path to developing cures is winding, while gene therapy that targets genes related to aging represents an exciting research direction with tremendous potential. Among aging-related genes, some candidates have been studied at different levels, from cell to organismal levels (e.g., mammalian models) with different methods, from overexpression to gene editing. The TERT and APOE have even entered the stage of clinical trials. Even those displaying only a preliminary association with diseases have potential applications. This article discusses the foundations and recent breakthroughs in the field of gene therapy, providing a summary of current mainstream strategies and gene therapy products with clinical and preclinical applications. Finally, we review representative target genes and their potential for treating aging or age-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jianhong Zhu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, National Center for Neurological Disorders, National Key Laboratory for Medical Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Regeneration, Institute of Neurosurgery, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai, China.
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42
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Goshi N, Kim H, Girardi G, Gardner A, Seker E. Electrophysiological Activity of Primary Cortical Neuron-Glia Mixed Cultures. Cells 2023; 12:cells12050821. [PMID: 36899957 PMCID: PMC10001406 DOI: 10.3390/cells12050821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroinflammation plays a central role in many neurological disorders, ranging from traumatic brain injuries to neurodegeneration. Electrophysiological activity is an essential measure of neuronal function, which is influenced by neuroinflammation. In order to study neuroinflammation and its electrophysiological fingerprints, there is a need for in vitro models that accurately capture the in vivo phenomena. In this study, we employed a new tri-culture of primary rat neurons, astrocytes, and microglia in combination with extracellular electrophysiological recording techniques using multiple electrode arrays (MEAs) to determine the effect of microglia on neural function and the response to neuroinflammatory stimuli. Specifically, we established the tri-culture and its corresponding neuron-astrocyte co-culture (lacking microglia) counterpart on custom MEAs and monitored their electrophysiological activity for 21 days to assess culture maturation and network formation. As a complementary assessment, we quantified synaptic puncta and averaged spike waveforms to determine the difference in excitatory to inhibitory neuron ratio (E/I ratio) of the neurons. The results demonstrate that the microglia in the tri-culture do not disrupt neural network formation and stability and may be a better representation of the in vivo rat cortex due to its more similar E/I ratio as compared to more traditional isolated neuron and neuron-astrocyte co-cultures. In addition, only the tri-culture displayed a significant decrease in both the number of active channels and spike frequency following pro-inflammatory lipopolysaccharide exposure, highlighting the critical role of microglia in capturing electrophysiological manifestations of a representative neuroinflammatory insult. We expect the demonstrated technology to assist in studying various brain disease mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noah Goshi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California—Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Hyehyun Kim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California—Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Gregory Girardi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California—Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Alexander Gardner
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California—Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Erkin Seker
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California—Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
- Correspondence:
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43
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Huang T, Lv Z, Cui K, Wang X, Zhang X, Yue B, Chu Y, Zhao K. Involvement of the E3 ubiquitin ligase Cblb in host defense and evaluation of transcriptome during Trueperella pyogenes infection. Microbes Infect 2023; 25:105104. [PMID: 36682520 DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2023.105104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Trueperella pyogenes (T. pyogenes) is a versatile and ingenious bacterium that causes severe suppurative injuries in lots of economically important ruminants. The underlying pathogenesis of T. pyogenes infection remains poorly understood. In the current study, we performed transcriptome sequencing of mouse blood tissue infected with T. pyogenes. A total of 36.73 G clean data were collected, and 136 differentially expressed genes were obtained in the infection group compared to the control group. In addition, we found that the E3 ubiquitin ligase Cblb exhibited significant upregulation in the infection groups compared to the control group. Mechanistically, T. pyogenes infection markedly enhanced the expression of Cblb and regulated the host defense response. Inhibiting Cblb expression with Cblb siRNA impaired the inflammatory response and reduced the effect of phagocytosis in RAW264.7 murine macrophages. Intriguingly, overexpression of Cblb induced a strong inflammatory response and enhanced phagocytosis against T. pyogenes infection in macrophages. More importantly, the overexpression of Cblb significantly reduced the bacterial load and protected mice from the T. pyogenes infections. Therefore, our findings reveal that Cblb is a novel and potential regulator in response to T. pyogenes infection and shed new light on the development of promising treatments against T. pyogenes-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Huang
- Antibiotics Research and Re-evaluation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of pharmacy, Chengdu University, Chengdu 610052, China.
| | - Zheng Lv
- Antibiotics Research and Re-evaluation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of pharmacy, Chengdu University, Chengdu 610052, China.
| | - Kai Cui
- Key Laboratory of Bio-resources and Eco-environment (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China.
| | - Xinrong Wang
- Antibiotics Research and Re-evaluation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of pharmacy, Chengdu University, Chengdu 610052, China.
| | - Xiuyue Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Bio-resources and Eco-environment (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China.
| | - Bisong Yue
- Key Laboratory of Bio-resources and Eco-environment (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China.
| | - Yiwen Chu
- Antibiotics Research and Re-evaluation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of pharmacy, Chengdu University, Chengdu 610052, China.
| | - Kelei Zhao
- Antibiotics Research and Re-evaluation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of pharmacy, Chengdu University, Chengdu 610052, China.
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44
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Rawji KS, Neumann B, Franklin RJM. Glial aging and its impact on central nervous system myelin regeneration. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2023; 1519:34-45. [PMID: 36398864 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Aging is a major risk factor for several neurodegenerative diseases and is associated with cognitive decline. In addition to affecting neuronal function, the aging process significantly affects the functional phenotype of the glial cell compartment, comprising oligodendrocyte lineage cells, astrocytes, and microglia. These changes result in a more inflammatory microenvironment, resulting in a condition that is favorable for neuron and synapse loss. In addition to facilitating neurodegeneration, the aging glial cell population has negative implications for central nervous system remyelination, a regenerative process that is of particular importance to the chronic demyelinating disease multiple sclerosis. This review will discuss the changes that occur with aging in the three main glial populations and provide an overview of the studies documenting the impact these changes have on remyelination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khalil S Rawji
- Altos Labs, Cambridge Institute of Science, Cambridge, UK
| | - Björn Neumann
- Altos Labs, Cambridge Institute of Science, Cambridge, UK
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45
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Var SR, Strell P, Johnson ST, Roman A, Vasilakos Z, Low WC. Transplanting Microglia for Treating CNS Injuries and Neurological Diseases and Disorders, and Prospects for Generating Exogenic Microglia. Cell Transplant 2023; 32:9636897231171001. [PMID: 37254858 PMCID: PMC10236244 DOI: 10.1177/09636897231171001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Microglia are associated with a wide range of both neuroprotective and neuroinflammatory functions in the central nervous system (CNS) during development and throughout lifespan. Chronically activated and dysfunctional microglia are found in many diseases and disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and CNS-related injuries, and can accelerate or worsen the condition. Transplantation studies designed to replace and supplement dysfunctional microglia with healthy microglia offer a promising strategy for addressing microglia-mediated neuroinflammation and pathologies. This review will cover microglial involvement in neurological diseases and disorders and CNS-related injuries, current microglial transplantation strategies, and different approaches and considerations for generating exogenic microglia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanna R. Var
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical
School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Stem Cell Institute, Medical School,
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Phoebe Strell
- Stem Cell Institute, Medical School,
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical
Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Sether T. Johnson
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical
School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Stem Cell Institute, Medical School,
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Alex Roman
- Department of Neuroscience, University
of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Zoey Vasilakos
- Stem Cell Institute, Medical School,
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University
of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Walter C. Low
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical
School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Stem Cell Institute, Medical School,
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical
Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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46
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Sharma S, Borski C, Hanson J, Garcia MA, Link CD, Hoeffer C, Chatterjee A, Nagpal P. Identifying an Optimal Neuroinflammation Treatment Using a Nanoligomer Discovery Engine. ACS Chem Neurosci 2022; 13:3247-3256. [PMID: 36410860 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute activation of innate immune response in the brain, or neuroinflammation, protects this vital organ from a range of external pathogens and promotes healing after traumatic brain injury. However, chronic neuroinflammation leading to the activation of immune cells like microglia and astrocytes causes damage to the nervous tissue, and it is causally linked to a range of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's diseases (AD), Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Parkinson's disease (PD), and many others. While neuroinflammation is a key target for a range of neuropathological diseases, there is a lack of effective countermeasures to tackle it, and existing experimental therapies require fairly invasive intracerebral and intrathecal delivery due to difficulty associated with the therapeutic crossover between the blood-brain barrier, making such treatments impractical to treat neuroinflammation long-term. Here, we present the development of an optimal neurotherapeutic using our Nanoligomer Discovery Engine, by screening downregulation of several proinflammatory cytokines (e.g., Interleukin-1β or IL-1β, tumor necrosis factor-alpha or TNF-α, TNF receptor 1 or TNFR1, Interleukin 6 or IL-6), inflammasomes (e.g., NLRP1), key transcription factors (e.g., nuclear factor kappa-B or NF-κβ) and their combinations, as upstream regulators and canonical pathway targets, to identify and validate the best-in-class treatment. Using our high-throughput drug discovery, target validation, and lead molecule identification via a bioinformatics and artificial intelligence-based ranking method to design sequence-specific peptide molecules to up- or downregulate gene expression of the targeted gene at will, we used our discovery engine to perturb and identify most effective upstream regulators and canonical pathways for therapeutic intervention to reverse neuroinflammation. The lead neurotherapeutic was a combination of Nanoligomers targeted to NF-κβ (SB.201.17D.8_NF-κβ1) and TNFR1 (SB.201.18D.6_TNFR1), which were identified using in vitro cell-based screening in donor-derived human astrocytes and further validated in vivo using a mouse model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced neuroinflammation. The combination treatment SB_NI_111 was delivered without any special formulation using a simple intraperitoneal injection of low dose (5 mg/kg) and was found to significantly suppress the expression of LPS-induced neuroinflammation in mouse hippocampus. These results point to the broader applicability of this approach towards the development of therapies for chronic neuroinflammation-linked neurodegenerative diseases, sleep countermeasures, and others, and the potential for further investigation of the lead neurotherapeutic molecule as reversible gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sadhana Sharma
- Sachi Bioworks, Colorado Technology Center, 685 S Arthur AvenueLouisville, Colorado 80027, United States
| | - Curtis Borski
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States.,Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80303, United States
| | - Jessica Hanson
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States.,Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80303, United States
| | - Micklaus A Garcia
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Christopher D Link
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Charles Hoeffer
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States.,Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80303, United States
| | - Anushree Chatterjee
- Sachi Bioworks, Colorado Technology Center, 685 S Arthur AvenueLouisville, Colorado 80027, United States
| | - Prashant Nagpal
- Sachi Bioworks, Colorado Technology Center, 685 S Arthur AvenueLouisville, Colorado 80027, United States
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Voskuhl R, Itoh Y. The X factor in neurodegeneration. J Exp Med 2022; 219:e20211488. [PMID: 36331399 PMCID: PMC9641640 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20211488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Given the aging population, it is important to better understand neurodegeneration in aging healthy people and to address the increasing incidence of neurodegenerative diseases. It is imperative to apply novel strategies to identify neuroprotective therapeutics. The study of sex differences in neurodegeneration can reveal new candidate treatment targets tailored for women and men. Sex chromosome effects on neurodegeneration remain understudied and represent a promising frontier for discovery. Here, we will review sex differences in neurodegeneration, focusing on the study of sex chromosome effects in the context of declining levels of sex hormones during aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rhonda Voskuhl
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Yuichiro Itoh
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
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48
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Fonken LK, Gaudet AD. Neuroimmunology of healthy brain aging. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2022; 77:102649. [PMID: 36368270 PMCID: PMC9826730 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2022.102649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Aging involves progressive deterioration away from homeostasis. Whereas the healthy adult brain maintains neuroimmune cells in a surveillant and homeostatic state, aged glial cells have a hyperreactive phenotype. These age-related pro-inflammatory biases are driven in part by cell-intrinsic factors, including increased cell priming and pro-inflammatory cell states. In addition, the aged inflammatory milieu is shaped by an altered environment, such as amplified danger signals and cytokines and dysregulated glymphatic function. These cell-instrinsic and environmental factors conspire to heighten the age-related risk for neuroimmune activation and associated pathology. In this review, we discuss cellular and molecular neuroimmune shifts with "healthy" aging; how these age-related changes affect physiology and behavior; and how recent research has revealed neuroimmune pathways and targets for improving health span.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura K Fonken
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
| | - Andrew D Gaudet
- Department of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA; Department of Neurology, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA. https://twitter.com/Gaudet_91
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Wu YG, Song LJ, Yin LJ, Yin JJ, Wang Q, Yu JZ, Xiao BG, Ma CG. The effects and potential of microglial polarization and crosstalk with other cells of the central nervous system in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Neural Regen Res 2022; 18:947-954. [PMID: 36254973 PMCID: PMC9827789 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.355747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Microglia are resident immune cells in the central nervous system. During the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease, stimulatory factors continuously act on the microglia causing abnormal activation and unbalanced phenotypic changes; these events have become a significant and promising area of research. In this review, we summarize the effects of microglial polarization and crosstalk with other cells in the central nervous system in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Our literature search found that phenotypic changes occur continuously in Alzheimer's disease and that microglia exhibit extensive crosstalk with astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, neurons, and penetrated peripheral innate immune cells via specific signaling pathways and cytokines. Collectively, unlike previous efforts to modulate microglial phenotypes at a single level, targeting the phenotypes of microglia and the crosstalk with other cells in the central nervous system may be more effective in reducing inflammation in the central nervous system in Alzheimer's disease. This would establish a theoretical basis for reducing neuronal death from central nervous system inflammation and provide an appropriate environment to promote neuronal regeneration in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Ge Wu
- The Key Research Laboratory of Benefiting Qi for Acting Blood Circulation Method to Treat Multiple Sclerosis of State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine/Research Center of Neurobiology, Shanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Jinzhong, Shanxi Province, China
| | - Li-Juan Song
- The Key Research Laboratory of Benefiting Qi for Acting Blood Circulation Method to Treat Multiple Sclerosis of State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine/Research Center of Neurobiology, Shanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Jinzhong, Shanxi Province, China,Department of Physiology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, China
| | - Li-Jun Yin
- The Key Research Laboratory of Benefiting Qi for Acting Blood Circulation Method to Treat Multiple Sclerosis of State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine/Research Center of Neurobiology, Shanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Jinzhong, Shanxi Province, China
| | - Jun-Jun Yin
- The Key Research Laboratory of Benefiting Qi for Acting Blood Circulation Method to Treat Multiple Sclerosis of State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine/Research Center of Neurobiology, Shanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Jinzhong, Shanxi Province, China,Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Qing Wang
- The Key Research Laboratory of Benefiting Qi for Acting Blood Circulation Method to Treat Multiple Sclerosis of State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine/Research Center of Neurobiology, Shanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Jinzhong, Shanxi Province, China
| | - Jie-Zhong Yu
- Institute of Brain Science/Shanxi Key Laboratory of Inflammatory Neurodegenerative Diseases/Medical School, Shanxi Datong University, Datong, Shanxi Province, China
| | - Bao-Guo Xiao
- Institute of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Institutes of Brain Science and State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Cun-Gen Ma
- The Key Research Laboratory of Benefiting Qi for Acting Blood Circulation Method to Treat Multiple Sclerosis of State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine/Research Center of Neurobiology, Shanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Jinzhong, Shanxi Province, China,Institute of Brain Science/Shanxi Key Laboratory of Inflammatory Neurodegenerative Diseases/Medical School, Shanxi Datong University, Datong, Shanxi Province, China,Correspondence to: Cun-Gen Ma, .
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Rosen SF, Soung AL, Yang W, Ai S, Kanmogne M, Davé VA, Artyomov M, Magee JA, Klein RS. Single-cell RNA transcriptome analysis of CNS immune cells reveals CXCL16/CXCR6 as maintenance factors for tissue-resident T cells that drive synapse elimination. Genome Med 2022; 14:108. [PMID: 36153630 PMCID: PMC9509564 DOI: 10.1186/s13073-022-01111-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Emerging RNA viruses that target the central nervous system (CNS) lead to cognitive sequelae in survivors. Studies in humans and mice infected with West Nile virus (WNV), a re-emerging RNA virus associated with learning and memory deficits, revealed microglial-mediated synapse elimination within the hippocampus. Moreover, CNS-resident memory T (TRM) cells activate microglia, limiting synapse recovery and inducing spatial learning defects in WNV-recovered mice. The signals involved in T cell-microglia interactions are unknown. Methods Here, we examined immune cells within the murine WNV-recovered forebrain using single-cell RNA sequencing to identify putative ligand-receptor pairs involved in intercellular communication between T cells and microglia. Clustering and differential gene analyses were followed by protein validation and genetic and antibody-based approaches utilizing an established murine model of WNV recovery in which microglia and complement promote ongoing hippocampal synaptic loss. Results Profiling of host transcriptome immune cells at 25 days post-infection in mice revealed a shift in forebrain homeostatic microglia to activated subpopulations with transcriptional signatures that have previously been observed in studies of neurodegenerative diseases. Importantly, CXCL16/CXCR6, a chemokine signaling pathway involved in TRM cell biology, was identified as critically regulating CXCR6 expressing CD8+ TRM cell numbers within the WNV-recovered forebrain. We demonstrate that CXCL16 is highly expressed by all myeloid cells, and its unique receptor, CXCR6, is highly expressed on all CD8+ T cells. Using genetic and pharmacological approaches, we demonstrate that CXCL16/CXCR6 not only is required for the maintenance of WNV-specific CD8 TRM cells in the post-infectious CNS, but also contributes to their expression of TRM cell markers. Moreover, CXCR6+CD8+ T cells are required for glial activation and ongoing synapse elimination. Conclusions We provide a comprehensive assessment of the role of CXCL16/CXCR6 as an interaction link between microglia and CD8+ T cells that maintains forebrain TRM cells, microglial and astrocyte activation, and ongoing synapse elimination in virally recovered animals. We also show that therapeutic targeting of CXCL16 in mice during recovery may reduce CNS CD8+ TRM cells. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13073-022-01111-0.
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