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Wang XF, Xiang XH, Wei J, Zhang PB, Xu Q, Liu MH, Qu LQ, Wang XX, Yu L, Wu AG, Qing DL, Wu JM, Law BYK, Yu CL, Yong-Tang. Raddeanin A Protects the BRB Through Inhibiting Inflammation and Apoptosis in the Retina of Alzheimer's Disease. Neurochem Res 2024; 49:2197-2214. [PMID: 38834846 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-024-04145-5] [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: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Neuroinflammation and endothelial cell apoptosis are prominent features of blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption, which have been described in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and can predict cognitive decline. Recent reports revealed vascular β-amyloid (Aβ) deposits, Muller cell degeneration and microglial dysfunction in the retina of AD patients. However, there has been no in-depth research on the roles of inflammation, retinal endothelial cell apoptosis, and blood-retinal barrier (BRB) damage in AD retinopathy. We found that Raddeanin A (RDA) could improve pathological and cognitive deficits in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease by targeting β-amyloidosis, However, the effects of RDA on AD retinal function require further study. To clarify whether RDA inhibits inflammation and apoptosis and thus improves BRB function in AD-related retinopathy. In vitro we used Aβ-treated HRECs and MIO-M1 cells, and in vivo we used 3×Tg-AD mice to investigate the effect of RDA on BRB in AD-related retinopathy. We found that RDA could improve BRB function in AD-related retinopathy by inhibiting NLRP3-mediated inflammation and suppressing Wnt/β-catenin pathway-mediated apoptosis, which is expected to improve the pathological changes in AD-related retinopathy and the quality of life of AD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Fang Wang
- Laboratory Animal Centre, Model Animal and Human Disease Research of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- School of Basic Medical Sciences of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Hong Xiang
- Department of Ophthalmology in The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Jing Wei
- Eye School and Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province Ophthalmopathy Prevention & Cure and Visual Function Protection of Chengdu University of TCM, Chengdu, China
| | - Peng-Bo Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 15651, China
| | - Qin Xu
- Department of Ophthalmology in The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Meng-Han Liu
- Dr. Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and Faculty of Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
| | - Li-Qun Qu
- Dr. Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and Faculty of Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
| | - Xing-Xia Wang
- Dr. Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and Faculty of Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
| | - Lu Yu
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Druggability Evaluation Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - An-Guo Wu
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Druggability Evaluation Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Da-Lian Qing
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Druggability Evaluation Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Jian-Ming Wu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Druggability Evaluation Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Betty Yuen-Kwan Law
- Dr. Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and Faculty of Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China.
| | - Chong-Lin Yu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.
| | - Yong-Tang
- Laboratory Animal Centre, Model Animal and Human Disease Research of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.
- Dr. Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and Faculty of Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China.
- School of Basic Medical Sciences of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.
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Sánchez-Puebla L, López-Cuenca I, Salobrar-García E, González-Jiménez M, Arias-Vázquez A, Matamoros JA, Ramírez AI, Fernández-Albarral JA, Elvira-Hurtado L, Saido TC, Saito T, Nieto-Vaquero C, Cuartero MI, Moro MA, Salazar JJ, de Hoz R, Ramírez JM. Retinal Vascular and Structural Changes in the Murine Alzheimer's APPNL-F/NL-F Model from 6 to 20 Months. Biomolecules 2024; 14:828. [PMID: 39062542 PMCID: PMC11274728 DOI: 10.3390/biom14070828] [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: 05/07/2024] [Revised: 07/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) may manifest retinal changes preceding brain pathology. A transversal case-control study utilized spectral-domain OCT angiography (SD-OCTA) and Angio-Tool software 0.6a to assess retinal vascular structures and OCT for inner and outer retina thickness in the APPNL-F/NL-F AD model at 6, 9, 12, 15, 17, and 20 months old. Comparisons to age-matched wild type (WT) were performed. The analysis focused on the three vascular plexuses using AngiooTool and on retinal thickness, which was represented with the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) sectors. Compared to WT, the APPNL-F/NL-F group exhibited both vascular and structural changes as early as 6 months persisting and evolving at 15, 17, and 20 months. Significant vascular alterations, principally in the superficial vascular complex (SVC), were observed. There was a significant decrease in the vessel area and the total vessel length in SVC, intermediate, and deep capillary plexus. The inner retina in the APPNL-F/NL-F group predominantly decreased in thickness while the outer retina showed increased thickness in most analyzed time points compared to the control group. There are early vascular and structural retinal changes that precede the cognitive changes, which appear at later stages. Therefore, the natural history of the APPNL-F/NL-F model may be more similar to human AD than other transgenic models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidia Sánchez-Puebla
- Ramon Castroviejo Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (L.S.-P.); (I.L.-C.); (E.S.-G.); (M.G.-J.); (A.A.-V.); (J.A.M.); (A.I.R.); (J.A.F.-A.); (L.E.-H.); (J.J.S.)
- Health Research Institute of the Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Inés López-Cuenca
- Ramon Castroviejo Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (L.S.-P.); (I.L.-C.); (E.S.-G.); (M.G.-J.); (A.A.-V.); (J.A.M.); (A.I.R.); (J.A.F.-A.); (L.E.-H.); (J.J.S.)
- Health Research Institute of the Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC), 28040 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Immunology, Ophthalmology and ENT, Faculty of Optics and Optometry, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Elena Salobrar-García
- Ramon Castroviejo Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (L.S.-P.); (I.L.-C.); (E.S.-G.); (M.G.-J.); (A.A.-V.); (J.A.M.); (A.I.R.); (J.A.F.-A.); (L.E.-H.); (J.J.S.)
- Health Research Institute of the Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC), 28040 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Immunology, Ophthalmology and ENT, Faculty of Optics and Optometry, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - María González-Jiménez
- Ramon Castroviejo Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (L.S.-P.); (I.L.-C.); (E.S.-G.); (M.G.-J.); (A.A.-V.); (J.A.M.); (A.I.R.); (J.A.F.-A.); (L.E.-H.); (J.J.S.)
| | - Alberto Arias-Vázquez
- Ramon Castroviejo Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (L.S.-P.); (I.L.-C.); (E.S.-G.); (M.G.-J.); (A.A.-V.); (J.A.M.); (A.I.R.); (J.A.F.-A.); (L.E.-H.); (J.J.S.)
| | - José A. Matamoros
- Ramon Castroviejo Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (L.S.-P.); (I.L.-C.); (E.S.-G.); (M.G.-J.); (A.A.-V.); (J.A.M.); (A.I.R.); (J.A.F.-A.); (L.E.-H.); (J.J.S.)
- Department of Immunology, Ophthalmology and ENT, Faculty of Optics and Optometry, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana I. Ramírez
- Ramon Castroviejo Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (L.S.-P.); (I.L.-C.); (E.S.-G.); (M.G.-J.); (A.A.-V.); (J.A.M.); (A.I.R.); (J.A.F.-A.); (L.E.-H.); (J.J.S.)
- Health Research Institute of the Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC), 28040 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Immunology, Ophthalmology and ENT, Faculty of Optics and Optometry, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - José A. Fernández-Albarral
- Ramon Castroviejo Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (L.S.-P.); (I.L.-C.); (E.S.-G.); (M.G.-J.); (A.A.-V.); (J.A.M.); (A.I.R.); (J.A.F.-A.); (L.E.-H.); (J.J.S.)
- Health Research Institute of the Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC), 28040 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Immunology, Ophthalmology and ENT, Faculty of Optics and Optometry, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Lorena Elvira-Hurtado
- Ramon Castroviejo Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (L.S.-P.); (I.L.-C.); (E.S.-G.); (M.G.-J.); (A.A.-V.); (J.A.M.); (A.I.R.); (J.A.F.-A.); (L.E.-H.); (J.J.S.)
| | - Takaomi C. Saido
- Laboratory for Proteolytic Neuroscience, Brain Science Institute, RIKEN, Wako 351-0198, Japan;
| | - Takashi Saito
- Institute of Brain Science, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya 467-8601, Japan;
| | - Carmen Nieto-Vaquero
- Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Neurovascular Pathophysiology, Cardiovascular Risk Factor and Brain Function Programme, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (C.N.-V.); (M.A.M.)
- Hospital 12 de Octubre Research Institute (i + 12), 28029 Madrid, Spain;
- University Institute for Research in Neurochemistry, Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - María I. Cuartero
- Hospital 12 de Octubre Research Institute (i + 12), 28029 Madrid, Spain;
- University Institute for Research in Neurochemistry, Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), 28040 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - María A. Moro
- Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Neurovascular Pathophysiology, Cardiovascular Risk Factor and Brain Function Programme, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (C.N.-V.); (M.A.M.)
| | - Juan J. Salazar
- Ramon Castroviejo Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (L.S.-P.); (I.L.-C.); (E.S.-G.); (M.G.-J.); (A.A.-V.); (J.A.M.); (A.I.R.); (J.A.F.-A.); (L.E.-H.); (J.J.S.)
- Health Research Institute of the Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC), 28040 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Immunology, Ophthalmology and ENT, Faculty of Optics and Optometry, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Rosa de Hoz
- Ramon Castroviejo Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (L.S.-P.); (I.L.-C.); (E.S.-G.); (M.G.-J.); (A.A.-V.); (J.A.M.); (A.I.R.); (J.A.F.-A.); (L.E.-H.); (J.J.S.)
- Health Research Institute of the Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC), 28040 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Immunology, Ophthalmology and ENT, Faculty of Optics and Optometry, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - José M. Ramírez
- Ramon Castroviejo Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (L.S.-P.); (I.L.-C.); (E.S.-G.); (M.G.-J.); (A.A.-V.); (J.A.M.); (A.I.R.); (J.A.F.-A.); (L.E.-H.); (J.J.S.)
- Health Research Institute of the Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC), 28040 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Immunology, Ophthalmology and ENT, School of Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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3
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Gaire BP, Koronyo Y, Fuchs DT, Shi H, Rentsendorj A, Danziger R, Vit JP, Mirzaei N, Doustar J, Sheyn J, Hampel H, Vergallo A, Davis MR, Jallow O, Baldacci F, Verdooner SR, Barron E, Mirzaei M, Gupta VK, Graham SL, Tayebi M, Carare RO, Sadun AA, Miller CA, Dumitrascu OM, Lahiri S, Gao L, Black KL, Koronyo-Hamaoui M. Alzheimer's disease pathophysiology in the Retina. Prog Retin Eye Res 2024; 101:101273. [PMID: 38759947 PMCID: PMC11285518 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2024.101273] [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: 02/11/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
The retina is an emerging CNS target for potential noninvasive diagnosis and tracking of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Studies have identified the pathological hallmarks of AD, including amyloid β-protein (Aβ) deposits and abnormal tau protein isoforms, in the retinas of AD patients and animal models. Moreover, structural and functional vascular abnormalities such as reduced blood flow, vascular Aβ deposition, and blood-retinal barrier damage, along with inflammation and neurodegeneration, have been described in retinas of patients with mild cognitive impairment and AD dementia. Histological, biochemical, and clinical studies have demonstrated that the nature and severity of AD pathologies in the retina and brain correspond. Proteomics analysis revealed a similar pattern of dysregulated proteins and biological pathways in the retina and brain of AD patients, with enhanced inflammatory and neurodegenerative processes, impaired oxidative-phosphorylation, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Notably, investigational imaging technologies can now detect AD-specific amyloid deposits, as well as vasculopathy and neurodegeneration in the retina of living AD patients, suggesting alterations at different disease stages and links to brain pathology. Current and exploratory ophthalmic imaging modalities, such as optical coherence tomography (OCT), OCT-angiography, confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy, and hyperspectral imaging, may offer promise in the clinical assessment of AD. However, further research is needed to deepen our understanding of AD's impact on the retina and its progression. To advance this field, future studies require replication in larger and diverse cohorts with confirmed AD biomarkers and standardized retinal imaging techniques. This will validate potential retinal biomarkers for AD, aiding in early screening and monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhakta Prasad Gaire
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yosef Koronyo
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Dieu-Trang Fuchs
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Haoshen Shi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Altan Rentsendorj
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ron Danziger
- Department of Neurology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jean-Philippe Vit
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Nazanin Mirzaei
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jonah Doustar
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Julia Sheyn
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Harald Hampel
- Sorbonne University, Alzheimer Precision Medicine (APM), AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Andrea Vergallo
- Sorbonne University, Alzheimer Precision Medicine (APM), AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Miyah R Davis
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ousman Jallow
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Filippo Baldacci
- Sorbonne University, Alzheimer Precision Medicine (APM), AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France; Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Neurology Unit, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Ernesto Barron
- Department of Ophthalmology, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Doheny Eye Institute, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Mehdi Mirzaei
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie Medical School, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Vivek K Gupta
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie Medical School, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Stuart L Graham
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie Medical School, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Department of Clinical Medicine, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Mourad Tayebi
- School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, NSW, Australia
| | - Roxana O Carare
- Department of Clinical Neuroanatomy, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Alfredo A Sadun
- Department of Ophthalmology, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Doheny Eye Institute, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Carol A Miller
- Department of Pathology Program in Neuroscience, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Shouri Lahiri
- Department of Neurology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Liang Gao
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Keith L Black
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Maya Koronyo-Hamaoui
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Neurology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Applied Cell Biology and Physiology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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4
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Kountouras J, Boziki M, Kazakos E, Theotokis P, Kesidou E, Nella M, Bakirtzis C, Karafoulidou E, Vardaka E, Mouratidou MC, Kyrailidi F, Tzitiridou-Chatzopoulou M, Orovou E, Giartza-Taxidou E, Deretzi G, Grigoriadis N, Doulberis M. Impact of Helicobacter pylori and metabolic syndrome on mast cell activation-related pathophysiology and neurodegeneration. Neurochem Int 2024; 175:105724. [PMID: 38508416 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2024.105724] [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: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2024] [Accepted: 03/17/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Both Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and metabolic syndrome (MetS) are highly prevalent worldwide. The emergence of relevant research suggesting a pathogenic linkage between H. pylori infection and MetS-related cardio-cerebrovascular diseases and neurodegenerative disorders, particularly through mechanisms involving brain pericyte deficiency, hyperhomocysteinemia, hyperfibrinogenemia, elevated lipoprotein-a, galectin-3 overexpression, atrial fibrillation, and gut dysbiosis, has raised stimulating questions regarding their pathophysiology and its translational implications for clinicians. An additional stimulating aspect refers to H. pylori and MetS-related activation of innate immune cells, mast cells (MC), which is an important, often early, event in systemic inflammatory pathologies and related brain disorders. Synoptically, MC degranulation may play a role in the pathogenesis of H. pylori and MetS-related obesity, adipokine effects, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, insulin resistance, arterial hypertension, vascular dysfunction and arterial stiffness, an early indicator of atherosclerosis associated with cardio-cerebrovascular and neurodegenerative disorders. Meningeal MC can be activated by triggers including stress and toxins resulting in vascular changes and neurodegeneration. Likewise, H.pylori and MetS-related MC activation is linked with: (a) vasculitis and thromboembolic events that increase the risk of cardio-cerebrovascular and neurodegenerative disorders, and (b) gut dysbiosis-associated neurodegeneration, whereas modulation of gut microbiota and MC activation may promote neuroprotection. This narrative review investigates the intricate relationship between H. pylori infection, MetS, MC activation, and their collective impact on pathophysiological processes linked to neurodegeneration. Through a comprehensive search of current literature, we elucidate the mechanisms through which H. pylori and MetS contribute to MC activation, subsequently triggering cascades of inflammatory responses. This highlights the role of MC as key mediators in the pathogenesis of cardio-cerebrovascular and neurodegenerative disorders, emphasizing their involvement in neuroinflammation, vascular dysfunction and, ultimately, neuronal damage. Although further research is warranted, we provide a novel perspective on the pathophysiology and management of brain disorders by exploring potential therapeutic strategies targeting H. pylori eradication, MetS management, and modulation of MC to mitigate neurodegeneration risk while promoting neuroprotection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jannis Kountouras
- Second Medical Clinic, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Ippokration Hospital, 54642, Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece.
| | - Marina Boziki
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology and Neuroimmunology and the Multiple Sclerosis Center, 2nd Department of Neurology, AHEPA University Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece
| | - Evangelos Kazakos
- Second Medical Clinic, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Ippokration Hospital, 54642, Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece; School of Healthcare Sciences, Midwifery Department, University of West Macedonia, Koila, Kozani, 50100, Macedonia, Greece
| | - Paschalis Theotokis
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology and Neuroimmunology and the Multiple Sclerosis Center, 2nd Department of Neurology, AHEPA University Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece
| | - Evangelia Kesidou
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology and Neuroimmunology and the Multiple Sclerosis Center, 2nd Department of Neurology, AHEPA University Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece
| | - Maria Nella
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology and Neuroimmunology and the Multiple Sclerosis Center, 2nd Department of Neurology, AHEPA University Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece
| | - Christos Bakirtzis
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology and Neuroimmunology and the Multiple Sclerosis Center, 2nd Department of Neurology, AHEPA University Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece
| | - Eleni Karafoulidou
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology and Neuroimmunology and the Multiple Sclerosis Center, 2nd Department of Neurology, AHEPA University Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece
| | - Elisabeth Vardaka
- Second Medical Clinic, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Ippokration Hospital, 54642, Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece; Department of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, School of Health Sciences, International Hellenic University, Alexander Campus, 57400, Macedonia, Greece
| | - Maria C Mouratidou
- Second Medical Clinic, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Ippokration Hospital, 54642, Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece
| | - Foteini Kyrailidi
- Second Medical Clinic, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Ippokration Hospital, 54642, Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece
| | - Maria Tzitiridou-Chatzopoulou
- Second Medical Clinic, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Ippokration Hospital, 54642, Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece; School of Healthcare Sciences, Midwifery Department, University of West Macedonia, Koila, Kozani, 50100, Macedonia, Greece
| | - Eirini Orovou
- Second Medical Clinic, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Ippokration Hospital, 54642, Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece; School of Healthcare Sciences, Midwifery Department, University of West Macedonia, Koila, Kozani, 50100, Macedonia, Greece
| | - Evaggelia Giartza-Taxidou
- Second Medical Clinic, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Ippokration Hospital, 54642, Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece
| | - Georgia Deretzi
- Second Medical Clinic, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Ippokration Hospital, 54642, Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece; Department of Neurology, Papageorgiou General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Grigoriadis
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology and Neuroimmunology and the Multiple Sclerosis Center, 2nd Department of Neurology, AHEPA University Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece
| | - Michael Doulberis
- Second Medical Clinic, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Ippokration Hospital, 54642, Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece; Gastroklinik, Private Gastroenterological Practice, 8810, Horgen, Switzerland; Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical University Department, Kantonsspital Aarau, 5001, Aarau, Switzerland
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Kelly L, Brown C, Michalik D, Hawkes CA, Aldea R, Agarwal N, Salib R, Alzetani A, Ethell DW, Counts SE, de Leon M, Fossati S, Koronyo‐Hamaoui M, Piazza F, Rich SA, Wolters FJ, Snyder H, Ismail O, Elahi F, Proulx ST, Verma A, Wunderlich H, Haack M, Dodart JC, Mazer N, Carare RO. Clearance of interstitial fluid (ISF) and CSF (CLIC) group-part of Vascular Professional Interest Area (PIA), updates in 2022-2023. Cerebrovascular disease and the failure of elimination of Amyloid-β from the brain and retina with age and Alzheimer's disease: Opportunities for therapy. Alzheimers Dement 2024; 20:1421-1435. [PMID: 37897797 PMCID: PMC10917045 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13512] [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: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/30/2023]
Abstract
This editorial summarizes advances from the Clearance of Interstitial Fluid and Cerebrospinal Fluid (CLIC) group, within the Vascular Professional Interest Area (PIA) of the Alzheimer's Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer's Research and Treatment (ISTAART). The overarching objectives of the CLIC group are to: (1) understand the age-related physiology changes that underlie impaired clearance of interstitial fluid (ISF) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) (CLIC); (2) understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying intramural periarterial drainage (IPAD) in the brain; (3) establish novel diagnostic tests for Alzheimer's disease (AD), cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), retinal amyloid vasculopathy, amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA) of spontaneous and iatrogenic CAA-related inflammation (CAA-ri), and vasomotion; and (4) establish novel therapies that facilitate IPAD to eliminate amyloid β (Aβ) from the aging brain and retina, to prevent or reduce AD and CAA pathology and ARIA side events associated with AD immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise Kelly
- Faculty of MedicineUniversity of SouthamptonSouthamptonHampshireUK
| | | | - Daniel Michalik
- Faculty of MedicineUniversity of SouthamptonSouthamptonHampshireUK
| | | | - Roxana Aldea
- Roche Pharma Research & Early DevelopmentRoche Innovation Center BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Nivedita Agarwal
- Neuroradiology sectionScientific Institute IRCCS Eugenio MedeaBosisio Parini, LCItaly
| | - Rami Salib
- Faculty of MedicineUniversity of SouthamptonSouthamptonHampshireUK
| | - Aiman Alzetani
- Faculty of MedicineUniversity of SouthamptonSouthamptonHampshireUK
| | | | - Scott E. Counts
- Dept. Translational NeuroscienceDept. Family MedicineMichigan State UniversityGrand RapidsMichiganUSA
| | - Mony de Leon
- Brain Health Imaging InstituteDepartment of RadiologyWeill Cornell MedicineNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | | | - Maya Koronyo‐Hamaoui
- Departments of NeurosurgeryNeurology, and Biomedical SciencesMaxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research InstituteCedars‐Sinai Medical CenterLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | | | | | | | - Heather Snyder
- Alzheimer's AssociationMedical & Scientific RelationsChicagoIllinoisUSA
| | - Ozama Ismail
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Fanny Elahi
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | | | - Ajay Verma
- Formation Venture Engineering FoundryTopsfieldMassachusettsUSA
| | | | | | | | | | - Roxana O. Carare
- Faculty of MedicineUniversity of SouthamptonSouthamptonHampshireUK
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Xu X, Zhang C, Tang G, Wang N, Feng Y. Single-cell transcriptome profiling highlights the role of APP in blood vessels in assessing the risk of patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy developing Alzheimer's disease. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 11:1328979. [PMID: 38328307 PMCID: PMC10847282 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1328979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The incidence of diabetic retinopathy (DR) has been found to be associated with the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD). In addition to the common properties of neurodegeneration, their progressions are involved with abnormal vascular functions. However, the interactions between them have not been fully understood. This study aimed to investigate the key factor for the underlying interactions and shared signaling pathways in the vasculature of DR and AD. Methods: We retrieved single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data regarding human fibrovascular membrane (FVM) of proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) and human hippocampus vessels of AD from the NCBI-GEO database. GSEA analysis was performed to analyze AD-related genes in endothelial cells and pericytes of PDR. CellChat was used for predicting cell-cell communication and the signaling pathway. Results: The data suggested that amyloid-beta precursor protein (APP) signaling was found crucial in the vasculature of PDR and AD. Endothelial cells and pericytes could pose influences on other cells mainly via APP signaling in PDR. The endothelial cells were mainly coordinated with macrophages in the hippocampus vasculature of AD via APP signaling. The bulk RNA-seq in mice with PDR validated that the expression of APP gene had a significant correlation with that of the AD genome-wide association studies (GWAS) gene. Discussion: Our study demonstrates that the vasculopathy of PDR and AD is likely to share a common signaling pathway, of which the APP-related pathway is a potential target.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Yibin Feng
- School of Chinese Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
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Alber J, Bouwman F, den Haan J, Rissman RA, De Groef L, Koronyo‐Hamaoui M, Lengyel I, Thal DR. Retina pathology as a target for biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease: Current status, ophthalmopathological background, challenges, and future directions. Alzheimers Dement 2024; 20:728-740. [PMID: 37917365 PMCID: PMC10917008 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13529] [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: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
There is emerging evidence that amyloid beta protein (Aβ) and tau-related lesions in the retina are associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Aβ and hyperphosphorylated (p)-tau deposits have been described in the retina and were associated with small amyloid spots visualized by in vivo imaging techniques as well as degeneration of the retina. These changes correlate with brain amyloid deposition as determined by histological quantification, positron emission tomography (PET) or clinical diagnosis of AD. However, the literature is not coherent on these histopathological and in vivo imaging findings. One important reason for this is the variability in the methods and the interpretation of findings across different studies. In this perspective, we indicate the critical methodological deviations among different groups and suggest a roadmap moving forward on how to harmonize (i) histopathologic examination of retinal tissue; (ii) in vivo imaging among different methods, devices, and interpretation algorithms; and (iii) inclusion/exclusion criteria for studies aiming at retinal biomarker validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Alber
- George and Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversity of Rhode IslandKingstonRhode IslandUSA
- Butler Hospital Memory & Aging ProgramProvidenceRhode IslandUSA
| | - Femke Bouwman
- Amsterdam UMC, location VUmcAlzheimer Center, Department of NeurologyAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Jurre den Haan
- Amsterdam UMC, location VUmcAlzheimer Center, Department of NeurologyAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Robert A. Rissman
- Alzheimer's Therapeutic Research InstituteKeck School of Medicine of the University of Southern CaliforniaSan DiegoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Lies De Groef
- Cellular Communication and Neurodegeneration Research Group, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, Department of BiologyLeuven Brain InstituteKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Maya Koronyo‐Hamaoui
- Departments of Neurosurgery, Neurology, and Biomedical SciencesMaxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars‐Sinai Medical CenterLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | - Imre Lengyel
- The Wellcome‐Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical ScienceQueen's University BelfastBelfastUK
| | - Dietmar Rudolf Thal
- Laboratory of NeuropathologyDepartment of Imaging and Pathology, and Leuven Brain Institute, KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- Department of PathologyUZ LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
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8
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Li C, Zhu X, Yang K, Ju Y, Shi K, Xiao Y, Su B, Lu F, Cui L, Li M. Relationship of retinal capillary plexus and ganglion cell complex with mild cognitive impairment and dementia. Eye (Lond) 2023; 37:3743-3750. [PMID: 37270614 PMCID: PMC10698172 DOI: 10.1038/s41433-023-02592-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/05/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate relationship of the retinal capillary plexus (RCP) and ganglion cell complex (GCC) with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia in a community-based study1. METHODS This cross-sectional study incorporated the participants of the Jidong Eye Cohort Study. Optical coherence tomography angiography was performed to obtain RCP vessel density and GCC thickness with detailed segments. The Mini-mental State Examination and Montreal Cognitive Assessment were used to assess cognitive status by professional neuropsychologists. Participants were thus divided into three groups: normal, mild cognitive impairment, and dementia. Multivariable analysis was used to measure relationship of ocular parameters with cognitive impairment. RESULTS Of the 2678 participants, the mean age was 44.1 ± 11.7 years. MCI and dementia occurred in 197 (7.4%) and 80 (3%) participants, respectively. Compared to the normal group, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) with the 95% confidence interval was 0.76 (0.65-0.90) for the correlation of lower deep RCP with MCI. We found the following items significantly associated with dementia compared with the normal group: a superficial (OR, 0.68 [0.54-0.86]) and deep (OR, 0.75 [0.57-0.99]) RCP, as well as the GCC (OR, 0.68 [0.54-0.85]). Compared to the MCI group, those with dementia had decreased GCC (OR, 0.75 [0.58-0.97]). CONCLUSIONS Decreased deep RCP density was associated with MCI. Decreased superficial and deep RCP and the thin GCC were correlated with dementia. These implied that the retinal microvasculature may develop into a promising non-invasive imaging marker to predict severity of cognitive impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunmei Li
- National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China
- National Engineering Research Center of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China
| | - Xiaoxuan Zhu
- National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China
- National Engineering Research Center of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China
| | - Kai Yang
- National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China
- National Engineering Research Center of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China
| | - Ying Ju
- National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China
- National Engineering Research Center of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China
| | - Keai Shi
- National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China
- National Engineering Research Center of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China
| | - Yunfan Xiao
- National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China
- National Engineering Research Center of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China
| | - Binbin Su
- National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China
- National Engineering Research Center of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China
| | - Fan Lu
- National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China.
- National Engineering Research Center of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China.
| | - Lele Cui
- National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China.
- National Engineering Research Center of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China.
| | - Ming Li
- National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China.
- National Engineering Research Center of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China.
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Arthur E, Ravichandran S, Snyder PJ, Alber J, Strenger J, Bittner AK, Khankan R, Adams SL, Putnam NM, Lypka KR, Piantino JA, Sinoff S. Retinal mid-peripheral capillary free zones are enlarged in cognitively unimpaired older adults at high risk for Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Res Ther 2023; 15:172. [PMID: 37828548 PMCID: PMC10568786 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-023-01312-8] [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: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Compared to standard neuro-diagnostic techniques, retinal biomarkers provide a probable low-cost and non-invasive alternative for early Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk screening. We have previously quantified the periarteriole and perivenule capillary free zones (mid-peripheral CFZs) in cognitively unimpaired (CU) young and older adults as novel metrics of retinal tissue oxygenation. There is a breakdown of the inner retinal blood barrier, pericyte loss, and capillary non-perfusion or dropout in AD leading to potential enlargement of the mid-peripheral CFZs. We hypothesized the mid-peripheral CFZs will be enlarged in CU older adults at high risk for AD compared to low-risk individuals. METHODS 20 × 20° optical coherence tomography angiography images consisting of 512 b-scans, 512 A-scans per b-scan, 12-µm spacing between b-scans, and 5 frames averaged per each b-scan location of the central fovea and of paired major arterioles and venules with their surrounding capillaries inferior to the fovea of 57 eyes of 37 CU low-risk (mean age: 66 years) and 50 eyes of 38 CU high-risk older adults (mean age: 64 years; p = 0.24) were involved in this study. High-risk participants were defined as having at least one APOE e4 allele and a positive first-degree family history of AD while low-risk participants had neither of the two criteria. All participants had Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores ≥ 26. The mid-peripheral CFZs were computed in MATLAB and compared between the two groups. RESULTS The periarteriole CFZ of the high-risk group (75.8 ± 9.19 µm) was significantly larger than that of the low-risk group (71.3 ± 7.07 µm), p = 0.005, Cohen's d = 0.55. The perivenule CFZ of the high-risk group (60.4 ± 8.55 µm) was also significantly larger than that of the low-risk group (57.3 ± 6.40 µm), p = 0.034, Cohen's d = 0.42. There were no significant differences in foveal avascular zone (FAZ) size, FAZ effective diameter, and vessel density between the two groups, all p > 0.05. CONCLUSIONS Our results show larger mid-peripheral CFZs in CU older adults at high risk for AD, with the potential for the periarteriole CFZ to serve as a novel retinal vascular biomarker for early AD risk detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edmund Arthur
- School of Optometry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
| | - Swetha Ravichandran
- School of Optometry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Peter J Snyder
- Department of Neurology, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Jessica Alber
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
- George and Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
- Butler Hospital Memory & Aging Program, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Jennifer Strenger
- Butler Hospital Memory & Aging Program, Providence, RI, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Ava K Bittner
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stein Eye Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Rima Khankan
- Southern California College of Optometry, Marshall B. Ketchum University, Fullerton, CA, USA
| | | | - Nicole M Putnam
- State University of New York College of Optometry, New York, NY, USA
| | - Karin R Lypka
- Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Juan A Piantino
- Department of Pediatrics, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
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Bora K, Kushwah N, Maurya M, Pavlovich MC, Wang Z, Chen J. Assessment of Inner Blood-Retinal Barrier: Animal Models and Methods. Cells 2023; 12:2443. [PMID: 37887287 PMCID: PMC10605292 DOI: 10.3390/cells12202443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Revised: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Proper functioning of the neural retina relies on the unique retinal environment regulated by the blood-retinal barrier (BRB), which restricts the passage of solutes, fluids, and toxic substances. BRB impairment occurs in many retinal vascular diseases and the breakdown of BRB significantly contributes to disease pathology. Understanding the different molecular constituents and signaling pathways involved in BRB development and maintenance is therefore crucial in developing treatment modalities. This review summarizes the major molecular signaling pathways involved in inner BRB (iBRB) formation and maintenance, and representative animal models of eye diseases with retinal vascular leakage. Studies on Wnt/β-catenin signaling are highlighted, which is critical for retinal and brain vascular angiogenesis and barriergenesis. Moreover, multiple in vivo and in vitro methods for the detection and analysis of vascular leakage are described, along with their advantages and limitations. These pre-clinical animal models and methods for assessing iBRB provide valuable experimental tools in delineating the molecular mechanisms of retinal vascular diseases and evaluating therapeutic drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Jing Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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11
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Jovanovic Macura I, Zivanovic A, Perovic M, Ciric J, Major T, Kanazir S, Ivkovic S. The Expression of Major Facilitator Superfamily Domain-Containing Protein2a (Mfsd2a) and Aquaporin 4 Is Altered in the Retinas of a 5xFAD Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14092. [PMID: 37762391 PMCID: PMC10531902 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241814092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is characterized by amyloid β (Aβ) accumulation in the blood vessels and is associated with cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The increased accumulation of Aβ is also present in the retinal blood vessels and a significant correlation between retinal and brain amyloid deposition was demonstrated in living patients and animal AD models. The Aβ accumulation in the retinal blood vessels can be the result of impaired transcytosis and/or the dysfunctional ocular glymphatic system in AD and during aging. We analyzed the changes in the mRNA and protein expression of major facilitator superfamily domain-containing protein2a (Mfsd2a), the major regulator of transcytosis, and of Aquaporin4 (Aqp4), the key player implicated in the functioning of the glymphatic system, in the retinas of 4- and 12-month-old WT and 5xFAD female mice. A strong decrease in the Mfsd2a mRNA and protein expression was observed in the 4 M and 12 M 5xFAD and 12 M WT retinas. The increase in the expression of srebp1-c could be at least partially responsible for the Mfsd2a decrease in the 4 M 5xFAD retinas. The decrease in the pericyte (CD13+) coverage of retinal blood vessels in the 4 M and 12 M 5xFAD retinas and in the 12 M WT retinas suggests that pericyte loss could be associated with the Mfsd2a downregulation in these experimental groups. The observed increase in Aqp4 expression in 4 M and 12 M 5xFAD and 12 M WT retinas accompanied by the decreased perivascular Aqp4 expression is indicative of the impaired glymphatic system. The findings in this study reveal the impaired Mfsd2a and Aqp4 expression and Aqp4 perivascular mislocalization in retinal blood vessels during physiological (WT) and pathological (5xFAD) aging, indicating their importance as putative targets for the development of new treatments that can improve the regulation of transcytosis or the function of the glymphatic system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irena Jovanovic Macura
- Institute for Biological Research “Sinisa Stankovic”, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11060 Belgrade, Serbia; (I.J.M.); (M.P.); (J.C.); (S.K.)
| | - Ana Zivanovic
- Vinca—Institute for Nuclear Sciences, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11351 Belgrade, Serbia;
| | - Milka Perovic
- Institute for Biological Research “Sinisa Stankovic”, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11060 Belgrade, Serbia; (I.J.M.); (M.P.); (J.C.); (S.K.)
| | - Jelena Ciric
- Institute for Biological Research “Sinisa Stankovic”, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11060 Belgrade, Serbia; (I.J.M.); (M.P.); (J.C.); (S.K.)
| | - Tamara Major
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, 11221 Belgrade, Serbia;
| | - Selma Kanazir
- Institute for Biological Research “Sinisa Stankovic”, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11060 Belgrade, Serbia; (I.J.M.); (M.P.); (J.C.); (S.K.)
| | - Sanja Ivkovic
- Vinca—Institute for Nuclear Sciences, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11351 Belgrade, Serbia;
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Abstract
Pericytes are specialized cells located in close proximity to endothelial cells within the microvasculature. They play a crucial role in regulating blood flow, stabilizing vessel walls, and maintaining the integrity of the blood-brain barrier. The loss of pericytes has been associated with the development and progression of various diseases, such as diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, sepsis, stroke, and traumatic brain injury. This review examines the detection of pericyte loss in different diseases, explores the methods employed to assess pericyte coverage, and elucidates the potential mechanisms contributing to pericyte loss in these pathological conditions. Additionally, current therapeutic strategies targeting pericytes are discussed, along with potential future interventions aimed at preserving pericyte function and promoting disease mitigation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hongkuan Fan
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA;
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13
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Liu G, Wang J, Wei Z, Fang C, Shen K, Qian C, Qi C, Li T, Gao P, Wong PC, Lu H, Cao X, Wan M. Elevated PDGF-BB from Bone Impairs Hippocampal Vasculature by Inducing PDGFRβ Shedding from Pericytes. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2206938. [PMID: 37102631 PMCID: PMC10369301 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202206938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Evidence suggests a unique association between bone aging and neurodegenerative/cerebrovascular disorders. However, the mechanisms underlying bone-brain interplay remain elusive. Here platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) produced by preosteoclasts in bone is reported to promote age-associated hippocampal vascular impairment. Aberrantly elevated circulating PDGF-BB in aged mice and high-fat diet (HFD)-challenged mice correlates with capillary reduction, pericyte loss, and increased blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability in their hippocampus. Preosteoclast-specific Pdgfb transgenic mice with markedly high plasma PDGF-BB concentration faithfully recapitulate the age-associated hippocampal BBB impairment and cognitive decline. Conversely, preosteoclast-specific Pdgfb knockout mice have attenuated hippocampal BBB impairment in aged mice or HFD-challenged mice. Persistent exposure of brain pericytes to high concentrations of PDGF-BB upregulates matrix metalloproteinase 14 (MMP14), which promotes ectodomain shedding of PDGF receptor β (PDGFRβ) from pericyte surface. MMP inhibitor treatment alleviates hippocampal pericyte loss and capillary reduction in the conditional Pdgfb transgenic mice and antagonizes BBB leakage in aged mice. The findings establish the role of bone-derived PDGF-BB in mediating hippocampal BBB disruption and identify the ligand-induced PDGFRβ shedding as a feedback mechanism for age-associated PDGFRβ downregulation and the consequent pericyte loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanqiao Liu
- Department of Orthopaedic SurgeryJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineRoss Building, Room 232, 720 Rutland AvenueBaltimoreMD21205USA
| | - Jiekang Wang
- Department of Orthopaedic SurgeryJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineRoss Building, Room 232, 720 Rutland AvenueBaltimoreMD21205USA
| | - Zhiliang Wei
- The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological ScienceThe Johns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMD21205USA
| | - Ching‐Lien Fang
- Department of Orthopaedic SurgeryJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineRoss Building, Room 232, 720 Rutland AvenueBaltimoreMD21205USA
| | - Ke Shen
- Department of Orthopaedic SurgeryJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineRoss Building, Room 232, 720 Rutland AvenueBaltimoreMD21205USA
| | - Cheng Qian
- Department of Orthopaedic SurgeryJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineRoss Building, Room 232, 720 Rutland AvenueBaltimoreMD21205USA
| | - Cheng Qi
- Department of Orthopaedic SurgeryJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineRoss Building, Room 232, 720 Rutland AvenueBaltimoreMD21205USA
| | - Tong Li
- Department of PathologyJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMD21205USA
| | - Peisong Gao
- Division of Allergy and Clinical ImmunologyJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMD21224USA
| | - Philip C. Wong
- Department of PathologyJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMD21205USA
- Department of NeuroscienceJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMD21205USA
| | - Hanzhang Lu
- The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological ScienceThe Johns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMD21205USA
| | - Xu Cao
- Department of Orthopaedic SurgeryJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineRoss Building, Room 232, 720 Rutland AvenueBaltimoreMD21205USA
| | - Mei Wan
- Department of Orthopaedic SurgeryJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineRoss Building, Room 232, 720 Rutland AvenueBaltimoreMD21205USA
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Jung E, Kim YE, Jeon HS, Yoo M, Kim M, Kim YM, Koh SH, Choi YK. Chronic hypoxia of endothelial cells boosts HIF-1α-NLRP1 circuit in Alzheimer's disease. Free Radic Biol Med 2023:S0891-5849(23)00427-6. [PMID: 37245530 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2023.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Cerebral microvasculature of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) exhibits reduced capillary diameter and impaired blood flow. Molecular mechanisms of ischemic vessels affecting AD progressions have not been well established yet. In the present study, we found that in vivo triple (PS1M146V, APPswe, tauP301L) transgenic AD mouse model (3x-Tg AD) brains and retinas showed hypoxic vessels expressing hypoxyprobe and hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α). To mimic in vivo hypoxic vessels, we used in vitro oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD)-treated endothelial cells. HIF-1α protein was increased through reactive oxygen species (ROS) producing NADPH oxidases (NOX) (i.e., Nox2, Nox4). OGD-induced HIF-1α upregulated Nox2 and Nox4, demonstrating crosstalk between HIF-1α and NOX (i.e., Nox2, Nox4). Interestingly, NLR family pyrin domain containing 1 (NLRP1) protein was promoted by OGD, and such effect was blocked by downregulation of Nox4 and HIF-1α. Knockdown of NLRP1 also diminished OGD-mediated protein levels of Nox2, Nox4, and HIF-1α in human brain microvascular endothelial cells. These results showed interplay among HIF-1α, Nox4 and NLRP1 in OGD-treated endothelial cells. Expression of NLRP3 was not detected well in hypoxic endothelial cells of 3x-Tg AD retinas or OGD-treated endothelial cells. Instead, hypoxic endothelial cells of 3x-Tg AD brains and retinas markedly expressed NLRP1, the adaptor molecule apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD (ASC), caspase-1, and interleukin-1β (IL-1β). Taken together, our results suggest that AD brains and retinas can trigger chronic hypoxia especially in microvascular endothelial cells, consequently leading to NLRP1 inflammasome formation and upregulation of ASC-caspase-1-IL-1β cascades. In addition, NLRP1 can stimulate HIF-1α expression and form HIF-1α-NLRP1 circuit. These consequences might further destroy vascular system in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eunyoung Jung
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Seoul, 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Ye Eun Kim
- Department of Neurology, Hanyang University Guri Hospital, Guri, 11923, Republic of Korea
| | - Hui Su Jeon
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Seoul, 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Myeongjong Yoo
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Seoul, 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Minsu Kim
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Seoul, 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Myeong Kim
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Kangwon-do, 24341, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong-Ho Koh
- Department of Neurology, Hanyang University Guri Hospital, Guri, 11923, Republic of Korea.
| | - Yoon Kyung Choi
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Seoul, 05029, Republic of Korea.
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15
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Hu Z, Wang L, Zhu D, Qin R, Sheng X, Ke Z, Shao P, Zhao H, Xu Y, Bai F. Retinal Alterations as Potential Biomarkers of Structural Brain Changes in Alzheimer’s Disease Spectrum Patients. Brain Sci 2023; 13:brainsci13030460. [PMID: 36979270 PMCID: PMC10046312 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13030460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2023] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Retinal imaging being a potential biomarker for Alzheimer’s disease is gradually attracting the attention of researchers. However, the association between retinal parameters and AD neuroimaging biomarkers, particularly structural changes, is still unclear. In this cross-sectional study, we recruited 25 cognitively impaired (CI) and 21 cognitively normal (CN) individuals. All subjects underwent retinal layer thickness and microvascular measurements with optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). Gray matter and white matter (WM) data such as T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging, respectively, were also collected. In addition, hippocampal subfield volumes and WM tract microstructural alterations were investigated as classical AD neuroimaging biomarkers. The microvascular and retinal features and their correlation with brain structural imaging markers were further analyzed. We observed a reduction in vessel density (VD) at the inferior outer (IO) sector (p = 0.049), atrophy in hippocampal subfield volumes, such as the subiculum (p = 0.012), presubiculum (p = 0.015), molecular_layer_HP (p = 0.033), GC-ML-DG (p = 0.043) and whole hippocampus (p = 0.033) in CI patients. Altered microstructural integrity of WM tracts in CI patients was also discovered in the cingulum hippocampal part (CgH). Importantly, we detected significant associations between retinal VD and gray matter volumes of the hippocampal subfield in CI patients. These findings suggested that the retinal microvascular measures acquired by OCTA may be markers for the early prediction of AD-related structural brain changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheqi Hu
- Department of Neurology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, and The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Lianlian Wang
- Department of Neurology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Jiangsu University, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Dandan Zhu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Ruomeng Qin
- Department of Neurology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, and The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Xiaoning Sheng
- Department of Neurology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, and The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Zhihong Ke
- Department of Neurology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, and The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Pengfei Shao
- Department of Neurology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, and The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Hui Zhao
- Department of Neurology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, and The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Yun Xu
- Department of Neurology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, and The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Feng Bai
- Department of Neurology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, and The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008, China
- Geriatric Medicine Center, Affiliated Taikang Xianlin Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008, China
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-25-83105960
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16
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Lista S, Vergallo A, Teipel SJ, Lemercier P, Giorgi FS, Gabelle A, Garaci F, Mercuri NB, Babiloni C, Gaire BP, Koronyo Y, Koronyo-Hamaoui M, Hampel H, Nisticò R. Determinants of approved acetylcholinesterase inhibitor response outcomes in Alzheimer's disease: relevance for precision medicine in neurodegenerative diseases. Ageing Res Rev 2023; 84:101819. [PMID: 36526257 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2022.101819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (ChEI) are the global standard of care for the symptomatic treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and show significant positive effects in neurodegenerative diseases with cognitive and behavioral symptoms. Although experimental and large-scale clinical evidence indicates the potential long-term efficacy of ChEI, primary outcomes are generally heterogeneous across outpatient clinics and regional healthcare systems. Sub-optimal dosing or slow tapering, heterogeneous guidelines about the timing for therapy initiation (prodromal versus dementia stages), healthcare providers' ambivalence to treatment, lack of disease awareness, delayed medical consultation, prescription of ChEI in non-AD cognitive disorders, contribute to the negative outcomes. We present an evidence-based overview of determinants, spanning genetic, molecular, and large-scale networks, involved in the response to ChEI in patients with AD and other neurodegenerative diseases. A comprehensive understanding of cerebral and retinal cholinergic system dysfunctions along with ChEI response predictors in AD is crucial since disease-modifying therapies will frequently be prescribed in combination with ChEI. Therapeutic algorithms tailored to genetic, biological, clinical (endo)phenotypes, and disease stages will help leverage inter-drug synergy and attain optimal combined response outcomes, in line with the precision medicine model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Lista
- Memory Resources and Research Center (CMRR), Neurology Department, Gui de Chauliac University Hospital, Montpellier, France; School of Pharmacy, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy.
| | - Andrea Vergallo
- Sorbonne University, Alzheimer Precision Medicine (APM), AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Stefan J Teipel
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Rostock/Greifswald, Rostock, Germany; Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medicine Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Pablo Lemercier
- Sorbonne University, Alzheimer Precision Medicine (APM), AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Filippo Sean Giorgi
- Department of Translational Research and of New Surgical and Medical Technologies, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Audrey Gabelle
- Memory Resources and Research Center (CMRR), Neurology Department, Gui de Chauliac University Hospital, Montpellier, France
| | - Francesco Garaci
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy; Casa di Cura "San Raffaele Cassino", Cassino, Italy
| | - Nicola B Mercuri
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy; IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Claudio Babiloni
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "Erspamer", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; Hospital San Raffaele Cassino, Cassino, Italy
| | - Bhakta Prasad Gaire
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yosef Koronyo
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Maya Koronyo-Hamaoui
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Applied Cell Biology and Physiology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Harald Hampel
- Sorbonne University, Alzheimer Precision Medicine (APM), AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Robert Nisticò
- School of Pharmacy, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy; Laboratory of Pharmacology of Synaptic Plasticity, EBRI Rita Levi-Montalcini Foundation, Rome, Italy.
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17
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Xia X, Qin Q, Peng Y, Wang M, Yin Y, Tang Y. Retinal Examinations Provides Early Warning of Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis 2022; 90:1341-1357. [PMID: 36245377 DOI: 10.3233/jad-220596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Patients with Alzheimer's disease have difficulty maintaining independent living abilities as the disease progresses, causing an increased burden of care on family caregivers and the healthcare system and related financial strain. This patient group is expected to continue to expand as life expectancy climbs. Current diagnostics for Alzheimer's disease are complex, unaffordable, and invasive without regard to diagnosis quality at early stages, which urgently calls for more technical improvements for diagnosis specificity. Optical coherence tomography or tomographic angiography has been shown to identify retinal thickness loss and lower vascular density present earlier than symptom onset in these patients. The retina is an extension of the central nervous system and shares anatomic and functional similarities with the brain. Ophthalmological examinations can be an efficient tool to offer a window into cerebral pathology with the merit of easy operation. In this review, we summarized the latest observations on retinal pathology in Alzheimer's disease and discussed the feasibility of retinal imaging in diagnostic prediction, as well as limitations in current retinal examinations for Alzheimer's disease diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyi Xia
- Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders, Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,National Center for Neurological Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Qi Qin
- Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders, Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,National Center for Neurological Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Yankun Peng
- Department of Ophthalmology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Meng Wang
- Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders, Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yunsi Yin
- Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders, Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Tang
- Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders, Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
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18
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Choi YK. An Altered Neurovascular System in Aging-Related Eye Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232214104. [PMID: 36430581 PMCID: PMC9694120 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232214104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The eye has a complex and metabolically active neurovascular system. Repeated light injuries induce aging and trigger age-dependent eye diseases. Damage to blood vessels is related to the disruption of the blood-retinal barrier (BRB), altered cellular communication, disrupted mitochondrial functions, and exacerbated aggregated protein accumulation. Vascular complications, such as insufficient blood supply and BRB disruption, have been suggested to play a role in glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and Alzheimer's disease (AD), resulting in neuronal cell death. Neuronal loss can induce vision loss. In this review, we discuss the importance of the neurovascular system in the eye, especially in aging-related diseases such as glaucoma, AMD, and AD. Beneficial molecular pathways to prevent or slow down retinal pathologic processes will also be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoon Kyung Choi
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
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19
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Chiara C, Gilda C, Daniela M, Antonio C, Miriana M, Marcello M, Elena S, Roberta L, Ciro C, Vincenzo BM. A two-year longitudinal study of retinal vascular impairment in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:993621. [PMID: 36420311 PMCID: PMC9678013 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.993621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
ObjectiveTo evaluate the relation between retinal vascular impairment and cognitive decline in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) over time.MethodsSpectral domain-optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and OCT angiography study was performed in aMCI patients over 2 years follow-up and compared to baseline.ResultsThirty-eight eyes from 19 aMCI patients were evaluated. Structural and vascular OCT measures were reduced at follow-up except for vessel density (VD) of the choriocapillaris, unchanged, and foveal avascular zone, which was increased; no changes in any parameter were found in 18 age-matched healthy controls. Overall, these findings were confirmed when patients were evaluated separately according to progression to dementia. Only non-converters to dementia showed significant VD reduction in the deep capillary plexuses (coeff. β = −4.20; p < 0.001), may be for an initial massive VD depletion becoming less evident with progression of the disease. MMSE reduction was associated with a higher ganglion cell complex reduction (coeff. β = 0.10; p = 0.04) and a higher VD reduction in the radial peripapillary capillary (RPC) plexus (coeff. β = 0.14; p = 0.02) in the whole patient group, while it was associated with a higher VD reduction only in RPC plexus in converters (coeff. β = 0.21; p < 0.001).ConclusionOur data shows vascular impairment progression in the inner retina of aMCI patients and support the hypothesis that vascular changes may contribute to the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Other follow-up studies, with a larger number of patients, are needed to better define VD as a potential biomarker.
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20
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Buscho S, Palacios E, Xia F, Shi S, Li S, Luisi J, Kayed R, Motamedi M, Zhang W, Liu H. Longitudinal characterization of retinal vasculature alterations with optical coherence tomography angiography in a mouse model of tauopathy. Exp Eye Res 2022; 224:109240. [PMID: 36096190 PMCID: PMC10162407 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2022.109240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Tauopathies are a family of neurodegenerative diseases which predominately afflict the rapidly growing aging population suffering from various brain disorders including Alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal dementia with parkinsonism-17 and Pick disease. As the only visually accessible region of the central nervous system, in recent years, the retina has attracted extensive attention for its potential as a target for visualizing and quantifying emerging biomarkers of neurodegenerative diseases. Our previous study has found that retinal vascular inflammation and leakage occur at the very early stage of tauopathic mouse model. Here, we aimed to non-invasively visualize age-dependent alterations of retinal vasculature assessing the potential for using changes in retinal vasculature as the biomarker for the early diagnosis of tauopathy. Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), a non-invasive depth-resolved high-resolution imaging technique was used to visualize and quantify tauopathy-induced alterations of retinal vasculature in P301S transgenic mice overexpressing the P301S mutant form of human tau and age-matched wild type littermate mice at 3, 6 and 10 months of age. We observed significant alterations of vascular features in the intermediate capillary plexus (ICP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP) but not in the superficial vascular complex (SVC) of P301S mice at early stages of tauopathy. With aging, alterations of vascular features in P301S mice became more prominent in all three vascular plexuses. Staining of retinal vasculature in flatmounts and trypsin digests of P301S mice at 10 months of age revealed decreased vessel density and increased acellular capillary formation, indicating that vascular degeneration also occurs during tauopathy. Overall, our results demonstrate that the changes in retinal vascular features accelerate during the progression of tauopathy. Vessels in the ICP and DCP may be more susceptible to tauopathy than vessels in the SVC. Since changes in retinal vasculature often precede tau pathology in the brain, non-invasive identification of retinal vascular alterations with OCTA may be a useful biomarker for the early diagnosis of tauopathy and monitoring its progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seth Buscho
- Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Erick Palacios
- Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Fan Xia
- Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Shuizhen Shi
- Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Shengguo Li
- Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Jonathan Luisi
- Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Rakez Kayed
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Massoud Motamedi
- Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Wenbo Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Departments of Neuroscience, Cell Biology & Anatomy, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
| | - Hua Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
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21
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Shi H, Yin Z, Koronyo Y, Fuchs DT, Sheyn J, Davis MR, Wilson JW, Margeta MA, Pitts KM, Herron S, Ikezu S, Ikezu T, Graham SL, Gupta VK, Black KL, Mirzaei M, Butovsky O, Koronyo-Hamaoui M. Regulating microglial miR-155 transcriptional phenotype alleviates Alzheimer's-induced retinal vasculopathy by limiting Clec7a/Galectin-3 + neurodegenerative microglia. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2022; 10:136. [PMID: 36076283 PMCID: PMC9461176 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-022-01439-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Single cell RNA sequencing studies identified novel neurodegeneration-associated microglial (MGnD/DAM) subtypes activated around cerebral amyloid plaques. Micro-RNA (miR)-155 of the TREM2-APOE pathway was shown to be a key transcriptional regulator of MGnD microglial phenotype. Despite growing interest in studying manifestations of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in the retina, a CNS organ accessible to noninvasive high-resolution imaging, to date MGnD microglia have not been studied in the AD retina. Here, we discovered the presence and increased populations of Clec7a+ and Galectin-3+ MGnD microglia in retinas of transgenic APPSWE/PS1L166P AD-model mice. Conditionally targeting MGnD microglia by miR-155 ablation via the tamoxifen-inducible CreERT2 system in APPSWE/PS1L166P mice diminished retinal Clec7a+ and Galectin-3+ microglial populations while increasing homeostatic P2ry12+ microglia. Retinal MGnD microglia were often adhering to microvessels; their depletion protected the inner blood-retina barrier and reduced vascular amyloidosis. Microglial miR-155 depletion further limits retinal inflammation. Mass spectrometry analysis revealed enhanced retinal PI3K-Akt signaling and predicted IL-8 and Spp1 decreases in mice with microglia-specific miR-155 knockout. Overall, this study identified MGnD microglia in APPSWE/PS1L166P mouse retina. Transcriptional regulation of these dysfunctional microglia mitigated retinal inflammation and vasculopathy. The protective effects of microglial miR-155 ablation should shed light on potential treatments for retinal inflammation and vascular damage during AD and other ocular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoshen Shi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 127 S. San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles, CA, A6212, USA
| | - Zhuoran Yin
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yosef Koronyo
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 127 S. San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles, CA, A6212, USA
| | - Dieu-Trang Fuchs
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 127 S. San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles, CA, A6212, USA
| | - Julia Sheyn
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 127 S. San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles, CA, A6212, USA
| | - Miyah R Davis
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 127 S. San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles, CA, A6212, USA
| | - Jered W Wilson
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 127 S. San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles, CA, A6212, USA
| | - Milica A Margeta
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kristen M Pitts
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Shawn Herron
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Seiko Ikezu
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Tsuneya Ikezu
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Stuart L Graham
- Department of Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Vivek K Gupta
- Department of Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Keith L Black
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 127 S. San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles, CA, A6212, USA
| | - Mehdi Mirzaei
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Department of Molecular Sciences and Australian Proteome Analysis Facility, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Oleg Butovsky
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Evergrande Center for Immunologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Maya Koronyo-Hamaoui
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 127 S. San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles, CA, A6212, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Applied Cell Biology and Physiology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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22
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Israel LL, Galstyan A, Cox A, Shatalova ES, Sun T, Rashid MH, Grodzinski Z, Chiechi A, Fuchs DT, Patil R, Koronyo-Hamaoui M, Black KL, Ljubimova JY, Holler E. Signature Effects of Vector-Guided Systemic Nano Bioconjugate Delivery Across Blood-Brain Barrier of Normal, Alzheimer's, and Tumor Mouse Models. ACS NANO 2022; 16:11815-11832. [PMID: 35961653 PMCID: PMC9413444 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c10034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The ability to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is critical for targeted therapy of the central nerve system (CNS). Six peptide vectors were covalently attached to a 50 kDa poly(β-l-malic acid)-trileucine polymer forming P/LLL(40%)/vector conjugates. The vectors were Angiopep-2 (AP2), B6, Miniap-4 (M4), and d-configurated peptides D1, D3, and ACI-89, with specificity for transcytosis receptors low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein-1 (LRP-1), transferrin receptor (TfR), bee venom-derived ion channel, and Aβ/LRP-1 related transcytosis complex, respectively. The BBB-permeation efficacies were substantially increased ("boosted") in vector conjugates of P/LLL(40%). We have found that the copolymer group binds at the endothelial membrane and, by an allosterically membrane rearrangement, exposes the sites for vector-receptor complex formation. The specificity of vectors is indicated by competition experiments with nonconjugated vectors. P/LLL(40%) does not function as an inhibitor, suggesting that the copolymer binding site is eliminated after binding of the vector-nanoconjugate. The two-step mechanism, binding to endothelial membrane and allosteric exposure of transcytosis receptors, is supposed to be an integral feature of nanoconjugate-transcytosis pathways. In vivo brain delivery signatures of the nanoconjugates were recapitulated in mouse brains of normal, tumor (glioblastoma), and Alzheimer's disease (AD) models. BBB permeation of the tumor was most efficient, followed by normal and then AD-like brain. In tumor-bearing and normal brains, AP2 was the top performing vector; however, in AD models, D3 and D1 peptides were superior ones. The TfR vector B6 was equally efficient in normal and AD-model brains. Cross-permeation efficacies are manifested through modulated vector coligation and dosage escalation such as supra-linear dose dependence and crossover transcytosis activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liron L. Israel
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California 90048, United States
| | - Anna Galstyan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California 90048, United States
| | - Alysia Cox
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California 90048, United States
| | - Ekaterina S. Shatalova
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California 90048, United States
| | - Tao Sun
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California 90048, United States
| | - Mohammad-Harun Rashid
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California 90048, United States
| | - Zachary Grodzinski
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California 90048, United States
| | - Antonella Chiechi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California 90048, United States
| | - Dieu-Trang Fuchs
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California 90048, United States
| | - Rameshwar Patil
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California 90048, United States
| | - Maya Koronyo-Hamaoui
- Department of Neurosurgery and Department of Biomedical Sciences,
Division of Applied Cell Biology and Physiology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los
Angeles, California 90048, United States
| | - Keith L. Black
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California 90048, United States
| | - Julia Y. Ljubimova
- Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation
(TIBI), 1018 Westwood
Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 90024, United States
| | - Eggehard Holler
- Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation
(TIBI), 1018 Westwood
Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 90024, United States
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23
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Matei N, Leahy S, Blair NP, Burford J, Rahimi M, Shahidi M. Retinal Vascular Physiology Biomarkers in a 5XFAD Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease. Cells 2022; 11:2413. [PMID: 35954257 PMCID: PMC9368483 DOI: 10.3390/cells11152413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects the brain and retina and lacks reliable biomarkers for early diagnosis. As amyloid beta (Aβ) manifestations emerge prior to clinical symptoms and plaques of amyloid may cause vascular damage, identification of retinal vascular biomarkers may improve knowledge of AD pathophysiology and potentially serve as therapeutic targets. The purpose of the current study was to test the hypothesis that retinal hemodynamic and oxygen metrics are altered in 5XFAD mice. METHODS Thirty-two male mice were evaluated at 3 months of age: sixteen 5XFAD transgenic and sixteen wild-type mice. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography, vascular oxygen tension, and blood flow imaging were performed in one eye of each mouse. After imaging, the imaged and fellow retinal tissues were submitted for histological sectioning and amyloid protein analysis, respectively. Protein analysis was also performed on the brain tissues. RESULTS Retinal physiological changes in venous diameter and blood velocity, arterial and venous oxygen contents, coupled with anatomical alterations in the thickness of retinal cell layers were detected in 5XFAD mice. Moreover, an increase in Aβ42 levels in both the retina and brain tissues was observed in 5XFAD mice. Significant changes in retinal oxygen delivery, metabolism, or extraction fraction were not detected. Based on compiled data from both groups, arterial oxygen content was inversely related to venous blood velocity and nerve fiber/ganglion cell layer thickness. CONCLUSIONS Concurrent alterations in retinal hemodynamic and oxygen metrics, thickness, and tissue Aβ42 protein levels in 5XFAD mice at 3 months of age corresponded to previously reported findings in human AD. Overall, these results suggest that this mouse model can be utilized for studying pathophysiology of AD and evaluating potential therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathanael Matei
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Sophie Leahy
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Norman P. Blair
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - James Burford
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Mansour Rahimi
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Mahnaz Shahidi
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
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24
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Altered retinal cerebral vessel oscillation frequencies in Alzheimer's disease compatible with impaired amyloid clearance. Neurobiol Aging 2022; 120:117-127. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2022.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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25
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Feng J, Zhang S, Li W, Bai T, Liu Y, Chang X. Intermittent Fasting to the Eye: A New Dimension Involved in Physiological and Pathological Changes. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:867624. [PMID: 35685418 PMCID: PMC9171076 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.867624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Intermittent fasting (IF) is gaining popularity as a therapeutic dietary strategy that regulates metabolism and can alter the development of metabolic disorders. An increasing amount of research has connected ocular diseases to IF and discovered that it has a direct and indirect effect on the eye’s physiological structure and pathological alterations. This article summarizes the progress of research on IF in regulating the physiological structures of the ocular vasculature, the anterior segment of the eye, the retina, and the choroid. We explored the therapeutic potential of IF for various common ocular diseases. In the future, a comprehensive study into the fundamental processes of IF will provide a direct and rigorous approach to eye disease prevention and therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaqing Feng
- The First Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Shijiao Zhang
- The First Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Wenning Li
- The First Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Tianle Bai
- The First Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yulin Liu
- The First Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xingyu Chang
- The First Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
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26
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Zhang J, Shi L, Shen Y. The retina: A window in which to view the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Ageing Res Rev 2022; 77:101590. [PMID: 35192959 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2022.101590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most familiar type of dementia affecting elderly populations worldwide. Studies of AD patients and AD transgenic mice have revealed alterations in the retina similar to alterations which occur in the AD brain. Moreover, AD retinal pathology occurs even earlier than AD brain pathology. Importantly, non-invasive imaging techniques can be utilized for retinal observation due to the unique optical transparency of the eye, which acts as a convenient window in which preclinical pathology in the AD brain can be monitored. In this review, we overview the existing literature covering different forms of AD retinal pathology and propose a basis for the clinical application of using the retina as a window to view AD during preclinical and clinical stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zhang
- Institute on Aging and Brain Disorders, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Neurodegenerative Disorder Research Center, School of Life Science, Division of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Lei Shi
- Institute on Aging and Brain Disorders, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Neurodegenerative Disorder Research Center, School of Life Science, Division of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Yong Shen
- Institute on Aging and Brain Disorders, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Neurodegenerative Disorder Research Center, School of Life Science, Division of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China; Center for Excellence in Brain Sciences and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China.
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27
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Wang L, Wei X. T Cell-Mediated Autoimmunity in Glaucoma Neurodegeneration. Front Immunol 2022; 12:803485. [PMID: 34975917 PMCID: PMC8716691 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.803485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Glaucoma as the leading neurodegenerative disease leads to blindness in 3.6 million people aged 50 years and older worldwide. For many decades, glaucoma therapy has primarily focused on controlling intraocular pressure (IOP) and sound evidence supports its role in delaying the progress of retinal ganglial cell (RGC) damage and protecting patients from vision loss. Meanwhile, accumulating data point to the immune-mediated attack of the neural retina as the underlying pathological process behind glaucoma that may come independent of raised IOP. Recently, some scholars have suggested autoimmune aspects in glaucoma, with autoreactive T cells mediating the chief pathogenic process. This autoimmune process, as well as the pathological features of glaucoma, largely overlaps with other neurodegenerative diseases in the central nervous system (CNS), including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and multiple sclerosis. In addition, immune modulation therapy, which is regarded as a potential solution for glaucoma, has been boosted in trials in some CNS neurodegenerative diseases. Thus, novel insights into the T cell-mediated immunity and treatment in CNS neurodegenerative diseases may serve as valuable inspirations for ophthalmologists. This review focuses on the role of T cell-mediated immunity in the pathogenesis of glaucoma and discusses potential applications of relevant findings of CNS neurodegenerative diseases in future glaucoma research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lixiang Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xin Wei
- Department of Ophthalmology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Department of Ophthalmology, Shangjin Nanfu Hospital, Chengdu, China
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28
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Li P, Wu Y, Hamlett ED, Goodwin AJ, Halushka PV, Carroll SL, Liu M, Fan H. Suppression of Fli-1 protects against pericyte loss and cognitive deficits in Alzheimer's disease. Mol Ther 2022; 30:1451-1464. [PMID: 35038582 PMCID: PMC9077320 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2022.01.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 12/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain pericytes regulate cerebral blood flow, maintain the integrity of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and facilitate the removal of amyloid β (Aβ) which is critical to healthy brain activity. Pericyte loss has been observed in brains from patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and animal models. Our previous data demonstrated that friend leukemia virus integration 1 (Fli-1), an ETS transcription factor, governs pericyte viability in murine sepsis; however, the role of Fli-1 and its impact on pericyte loss in AD remains unknown. Here, we demonstrated that Fli-1 expression was up-regulated in postmortem brains from a cohort of human AD donors and in 5xFAD mice, which corresponded with a decreased pericyte number, elevated inflammatory mediators, and increased Aβ accumulation as compared to cognitively normal individuals and WT mice. Antisense oligonucleotide Fli-1 Gapmer administrated via intrahippocampal injection decelerated pericyte loss, decreased inflammatory response, ameliorated cognitive deficits, improved BBB dysfunction, and reduced Aβ deposition in 5xFAD mice. Fli-1 Gapmer-mediated inhibition of Fli-1 protected against Aβ accumulation-induced human brain pericyte apoptosis in vitro. Overall, these studies indicate that Fli-1 contributes to pericyte loss, inflammatory response, Aβ deposition, vascular dysfunction and cognitive decline, and suggest that inhibition of Fli-1 may represent novel therapeutic strategies for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengfei Li
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425
| | - Yan Wu
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425
| | - Eric D Hamlett
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425
| | - Andrew J Goodwin
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy, and Sleep Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425
| | - Perry V Halushka
- Department of Medicine and Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425; Department of Pharmacology and, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425
| | - Steven L Carroll
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425
| | - Meng Liu
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425
| | - Hongkuan Fan
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425.
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29
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Vit JP, Fuchs DT, Angel A, Levy A, Lamensdorf I, Black KL, Koronyo Y, Koronyo-Hamaoui M. Visual-stimuli Four-arm Maze test to Assess Cognition and Vision in Mice. Bio Protoc 2021; 11:e4234. [PMID: 34909455 DOI: 10.21769/bioprotoc.4234] [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: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Visual impairments, notably loss of contrast sensitivity and color vision, were documented in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients yet are critically understudied. This protocol describes a novel visual-stimuli four-arm maze (ViS4M; also called visual x-maze), which is a versatile x-shaped maze equipped with spectrum- and intensity-controlled light-emitting diode (LED) sources and dynamic grayscale objects. The ViS4M is designed to allow the assessment of color and contrast vision along with locomotor and cognitive functions in mice. In the color testing mode, the spectral distributions of the LED lights create four homogenous spaces that differ in chromaticity and luminance, corresponding to the mouse visual system. In the contrast sensitivity test, the four grayscale objects are placed in the middle of each arm, contrasting against the black walls and the white floors of the maze. Upon entering the maze, healthy wild-type (WT) mice tend to spontaneously alternate between arms, even under equiluminant conditions of illumination, suggesting that cognitively and visually intact mice use both color and brightness as cues to navigate the maze. Evaluation of the double-transgenic APPSWE/PS1ΔE9 mouse model of AD (AD+ mice) reveals substantial deficits to alternate in both color and contrast modes at an early age, when hippocampal-based memory and learning is still intact. Profiling of timespan, entries, and transition patterns between the different arms uncovers variable aging and AD-associated impairments in color discrimination and contrast sensitivity. The analysis of arm sequences of alternation reveals different pathways of exploration in young WT, old WT, and AD+ mice, which can be used as color and contrast imprints of functionally intact versus impaired mice. Overall, we describe the utility of a novel visual x-maze test to identify behavioral changes in mice related to cognition, as well as color and contrast vision, with high precision and reproducibility. Graphic abstract: Exploratory behavior of AD+ mice versus age- and sex-matched WT mice is tracked (top left: trajectory from a 5-min video file) in a novel visual-stimuli four-arm maze (ViS4M; also named visual x-maze) equipped with spectrum- and intensity-controlled LED sources or grayscale objects. Consecutive arm entries reveal that APPSWE/PS1ΔE9 (AD+) mice alternate less between arms, as opposed to WT mice. Sequence analysis, according to the three alternation pathways (depicted by white, yellow, and brown arrows) under different conditions of illumination, uncovers specific deficits linked to color vision in AD+ mice, evidenced by a color imprint chart.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Philippe Vit
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA
| | - Dieu-Trang Fuchs
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA
| | | | | | | | - Keith L Black
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA
| | - Yosef Koronyo
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA
| | - Maya Koronyo-Hamaoui
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Applied Cell Biology and Physiology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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30
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Dumitrascu OM, Rosenberry R, Sherman DS, Khansari MM, Sheyn J, Torbati T, Sherzai A, Sherzai D, Johnson KO, Czeszynski AD, Verdooner S, Black KL, Frautschy S, Lyden PD, Shi Y, Cheng S, Koronyo Y, Koronyo-Hamaoui M. Retinal Venular Tortuosity Jointly with Retinal Amyloid Burden Correlates with Verbal Memory Loss: A Pilot Study. Cells 2021; 10:cells10112926. [PMID: 34831149 PMCID: PMC8616417 DOI: 10.3390/cells10112926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 08/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Retinal imaging is a non-invasive tool to study both retinal vasculature and neurodegeneration. In this exploratory retinal curcumin-fluorescence imaging (RFI) study, we sought to determine whether retinal vascular features combined with retinal amyloid burden correlate with the neurocognitive status. Methods: We used quantitative RFI in a cohort of patients with cognitive impairment to automatically compute retinal amyloid burden. Retinal blood vessels were segmented, and the vessel tortuosity index (VTI), inflection index, and branching angle were quantified. We assessed the correlations between retinal vascular and amyloid parameters, and cognitive domain Z-scores using linear regression models. Results: Thirty-four subjects were enrolled and twenty-nine (55% female, mean age 64 ± 6 years) were included in the combined retinal amyloid and vascular analysis. Eleven subjects had normal cognition and 18 had impaired cognition. Retinal VTI was discriminated among cognitive scores. The combined proximal mid-periphery amyloid count and venous VTI index exhibited significant differences between cognitively impaired and cognitively normal subjects (0.49 ± 1.1 vs. 0.91 ± 1.4, p = 0.006), and correlated with both the Wechsler Memory Scale-IV and SF-36 mental component score Z-scores (p < 0.05). Conclusion: This pilot study showed that retinal venular VTI combined with the proximal mid-periphery amyloid count could predict verbal memory loss. Future research is needed to finesse the clinical application of this retinal imaging-based technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oana M. Dumitrascu
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ 85251, USA
- Correspondence: (O.M.D.); (M.K.-H.); Tel.: +480-301-8100 (O.M.D.); Fax: +480-301-9494 (O.M.D.)
| | - Ryan Rosenberry
- Department of Cardiology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA; (R.R.); (S.C.)
| | - Dale S. Sherman
- Department of Neuropsychology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA;
| | - Maziyar M. Khansari
- USC Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90007, USA; (M.M.K.); (Y.S.)
| | - Julia Sheyn
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA; (J.S.); (T.T.); (K.L.B.); (Y.K.)
| | - Tania Torbati
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA; (J.S.); (T.T.); (K.L.B.); (Y.K.)
| | - Ayesha Sherzai
- Department of Neurology, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA; (A.S.); (D.S.)
| | - Dean Sherzai
- Department of Neurology, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA; (A.S.); (D.S.)
| | - Kenneth O. Johnson
- NeuroVision Imaging Inc., Sacramento, CA 95833, USA; (K.O.J.); (A.D.C.); (S.V.)
| | - Alan D. Czeszynski
- NeuroVision Imaging Inc., Sacramento, CA 95833, USA; (K.O.J.); (A.D.C.); (S.V.)
| | - Steven Verdooner
- NeuroVision Imaging Inc., Sacramento, CA 95833, USA; (K.O.J.); (A.D.C.); (S.V.)
| | - Keith L. Black
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA; (J.S.); (T.T.); (K.L.B.); (Y.K.)
| | - Sally Frautschy
- Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA;
| | - Patrick D. Lyden
- Department of Neurology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA;
| | - Yonggang Shi
- USC Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90007, USA; (M.M.K.); (Y.S.)
| | - Susan Cheng
- Department of Cardiology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA; (R.R.); (S.C.)
| | - Yosef Koronyo
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA; (J.S.); (T.T.); (K.L.B.); (Y.K.)
| | - Maya Koronyo-Hamaoui
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA; (J.S.); (T.T.); (K.L.B.); (Y.K.)
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
- Correspondence: (O.M.D.); (M.K.-H.); Tel.: +480-301-8100 (O.M.D.); Fax: +480-301-9494 (O.M.D.)
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31
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Shi H, Koronyo Y, Rentsendorj A, Fuchs DT, Sheyn J, Black KL, Mirzaei N, Koronyo-Hamaoui M. Retinal Vasculopathy in Alzheimer's Disease. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:731614. [PMID: 34630020 PMCID: PMC8493243 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.731614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The retina has been increasingly investigated as a site of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) manifestation for over a decade. Early reports documented degeneration of retinal ganglion cells and their axonal projections. Our group provided the first evidence of the key pathological hallmarks of AD, amyloid β-protein (Aβ) plaques including vascular Aβ deposits, in the retina of AD and mild cognitively impaired (MCI) patients. Subsequent studies validated these findings and further identified electroretinography and vision deficits, retinal (p)tau and inflammation, intracellular Aβ accumulation, and retinal ganglion cell-subtype degeneration surrounding Aβ plaques in these patients. Our data suggest that the brain and retina follow a similar trajectory during AD progression, probably due to their common embryonic origin and anatomical proximity. However, the retina is the only CNS organ feasible for direct, repeated, and non-invasive ophthalmic examination with ultra-high spatial resolution and sensitivity. Neurovascular unit integrity is key to maintaining normal CNS function and cerebral vascular abnormalities are increasingly recognized as early and pivotal factors driving cognitive impairment in AD. Likewise, retinal vascular abnormalities such as changes in vessel density and fractal dimensions, blood flow, foveal avascular zone, curvature tortuosity, and arteriole-to-venule ratio were described in AD patients including early-stage cases. A rapidly growing number of reports have suggested that cerebral and retinal vasculopathy are tightly associated with cognitive deficits in AD patients and animal models. Importantly, we recently identified early and progressive deficiency in retinal vascular platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β (PDGFRβ) expression and pericyte loss that were associated with retinal vascular amyloidosis and cerebral amyloid angiopathy in MCI and AD patients. Other studies utilizing optical coherence tomography (OCT), retinal amyloid-fluorescence imaging and retinal hyperspectral imaging have made significant progress in visualizing and quantifying AD pathology through the retina. With new advances in OCT angiography, OCT leakage, scanning laser microscopy, fluorescein angiography and adaptive optics imaging, future studies focusing on retinal vascular AD pathologies could transform non-invasive pre-clinical AD diagnosis and monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoshen Shi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Yosef Koronyo
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Altan Rentsendorj
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Dieu-Trang Fuchs
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Julia Sheyn
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Keith L Black
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Nazanin Mirzaei
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Maya Koronyo-Hamaoui
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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32
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Li S, Wang C, Wang Z, Tan J. Involvement of cerebrovascular abnormalities in the pathogenesis and progression of Alzheimer's disease: an adrenergic approach. Aging (Albany NY) 2021; 13:21791-21806. [PMID: 34479211 PMCID: PMC8457611 DOI: 10.18632/aging.203482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD), as the most common neurodegenerative disease in elder population, is pathologically characterized by β-amyloid (Aβ) plaques, neurofibrillary tangles composed of highly-phosphorylated tau protein and consequently progressive neurodegeneration. However, both Aβ and tau fails to cover the whole pathological process of AD, and most of the Aβ- or tau-based therapeutic strategies are all failed. Increasing lines of evidence from both clinical and preclinical studies have indicated that age-related cerebrovascular dysfunctions, including the changes in cerebrovascular microstructure, blood-brain barrier integrity, cerebrovascular reactivity and cerebral blood flow, accompany or even precede the development of AD-like pathologies. These findings may raise the possibility that cerebrovascular changes are likely pathogenic contributors to the onset and progression of AD. In this review, we provide an appraisal of the cerebrovascular alterations in AD and the relationship to cognitive impairment and AD pathologies. Moreover, the adrenergic mechanisms leading to cerebrovascular and AD pathologies were further discussed. The contributions of early cerebrovascular factors, especially through adrenergic mechanisms, should be considered and treasured in the diagnostic, preventative, and therapeutic approaches to address AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Song Li
- Liaoning Provincial Center for Clinical Research on Neurological Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116021, China.,Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory for Research on the Pathogenic Mechanisms of Neurological Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116021, China
| | - Che Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116029, China
| | - Zhen Wang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, China
| | - Jun Tan
- Key Laboratory of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, China
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33
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Xia F, Ha Y, Shi S, Li Y, Li S, Luisi J, Kayed R, Motamedi M, Liu H, Zhang W. Early alterations of neurovascular unit in the retina in mouse models of tauopathy. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2021; 9:51. [PMID: 33762004 PMCID: PMC7992935 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-021-01149-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The retina, as the only visually accessible tissue in the central nervous system, has attracted significant attention for evaluating it as a biomarker for neurodegenerative diseases. Yet, most of studies focus on characterizing the loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and degeneration of their axons. There is no integrated analysis addressing temporal alterations of different retinal cells in the neurovascular unit (NVU) in particular retinal vessels. Here we assessed NVU changes in two mouse models of tauopathy, P301S and P301L transgenic mice overexpressing the human tau mutated gene, and evaluated the therapeutic effects of a tau oligomer monoclonal antibody (TOMA). We found that retinal edema and breakdown of blood-retina barrier were observed at the very early stage of tauopathy. Leukocyte adhesion/infiltration, and microglial recruitment/activation were constantly increased in the retinal ganglion cell layer of tau transgenic mice at different ages, while Müller cell gliosis was only detected in relatively older tau mice. Concomitantly, the number and function of RGCs progressively decreased during aging although they were not considerably altered in the very early stage of tauopathy. Moreover, intrinsically photosensitive RGCs appeared more sensitive to tauopathy. Remarkably, TOMA treatment in young tau transgenic mice significantly attenuated vascular leakage, inflammation and RGC loss. Our data provide compelling evidence that abnormal tau accumulation can lead to pathology in the retinal NVU, and vascular alterations occur more manifest and earlier than neurodegeneration in the retina. Oligomeric tau-targeted immunotherapy has the potential to treat tau-induced retinopathies. These data suggest that retinal NVU may serve as a potential biomarker for diagnosis and staging of tauopathy as well as a platform to study the molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Xia
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555-0144 USA
| | - Yonju Ha
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555-0144 USA
| | - Shuizhen Shi
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555-0144 USA
| | - Yi Li
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555-0144 USA
| | - Shengguo Li
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555-0144 USA
| | - Jonathan Luisi
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555-0144 USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX USA
| | - Rakez Kayed
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX USA
| | - Massoud Motamedi
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555-0144 USA
| | - Hua Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555-0144 USA
| | - Wenbo Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555-0144 USA
- Departments of Neuroscience, Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX USA
- Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555 USA
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34
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Latina V, Giacovazzo G, Cordella F, Balzamino BO, Micera A, Varano M, Marchetti C, Malerba F, Florio R, Ercole BB, La Regina F, Atlante A, Coccurello R, Di Angelantonio S, Calissano P, Amadoro G. Systemic delivery of a specific antibody targeting the pathological N-terminal truncated tau peptide reduces retinal degeneration in a mouse model of Alzheimer's Disease. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2021; 9:38. [PMID: 33750467 PMCID: PMC7942014 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-021-01138-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Retina and optic nerve are sites of extra-cerebral manifestations of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques and neurofibrillary tangles of hyperphosphorylated tau protein are detected in eyes from AD patients and transgenic animals in correlation with inflammation, reduction of synapses, visual deficits, loss of retinal cells and nerve fiber. However, neither the pathological relevance of other post-translational tau modifications-such as truncation with generation of toxic fragments-nor the potential neuroprotective action induced by their in vivo clearance have been investigated in the context of AD retinal degeneration. We have recently developed a monoclonal tau antibody (12A12mAb) which selectively targets the neurotoxic 20-22 kDa NH2-derived peptide generated from pathological truncation at the N-terminal domain of tau without cross-reacting with its full-length normal protein. Previous studies have shown that 12A12mAb, when intravenously (i.v.)-injected into 6-month-old Tg2576 animals, markedly improves their AD-like, behavioural and neuropathological syndrome. By taking advantage of this well-established tau-directed immunization regimen, we found that 12A12mAb administration also exerts a beneficial action on biochemical, morphological and metabolic parameters (i.e. APP/Aβ processing, tau hyperphosphorylation, neuroinflammation, synaptic proteins, microtubule stability, mitochondria-based energy production, neuronal death) associated with ocular injury in the AD phenotype. These findings prospect translational implications in the AD field by: (1) showing for the first time that cleavage of tau takes part in several pathological changes occurring in vivo in affected retinas and vitreous bodies and that its deleterious effects are successfully antagonized by administration of the specific 12A12mAb; (2) shedding further insights on the tight connections between neurosensory retina and brain, in particular following tau-based immunotherapy. In our view, the parallel response we detected in this preclinical animal model, both in the eye and in the hippocampus, following i.v. 12A12mAb injection opens novel diagnostic and therapeutic avenues for the clinical management of cerebral and extracerebral AD signs in human beings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Latina
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Viale Regina Elena 295, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Giacomo Giacovazzo
- IRCSS Santa Lucia Foundation, Via Fosso del Fiorano 64-65, 00143 Rome, Italy
| | - Federica Cordella
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Rome La Sapienza, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Center for Life Nanoscience, Istituto Italiano Di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Bijorn Omar Balzamino
- Research Laboratories in Ophthalmology, IRCCS - Fondazione Bietti, Via Santo Stefano Rotondo, 6, 00184 Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandra Micera
- Research Laboratories in Ophthalmology, IRCCS - Fondazione Bietti, Via Santo Stefano Rotondo, 6, 00184 Rome, Italy
| | - Monica Varano
- Research Laboratories in Ophthalmology, IRCCS - Fondazione Bietti, Via Santo Stefano Rotondo, 6, 00184 Rome, Italy
| | - Cristina Marchetti
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Viale Regina Elena 295, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Malerba
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Viale Regina Elena 295, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Rita Florio
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Viale Regina Elena 295, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Bruno Bruni Ercole
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Viale Regina Elena 295, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Federico La Regina
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Viale Regina Elena 295, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Anna Atlante
- Institute of Biomembranes, Bioenergetics and Molecular Biotechnologies (IBIOM)-CNR, Via Amendola 122/O, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Roberto Coccurello
- IRCSS Santa Lucia Foundation, Via Fosso del Fiorano 64-65, 00143 Rome, Italy
- Institute for Complex System (ISC)-CNR, Via dei Taurini 19, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Di Angelantonio
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Rome La Sapienza, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Center for Life Nanoscience, Istituto Italiano Di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Pietro Calissano
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Viale Regina Elena 295, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppina Amadoro
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Viale Regina Elena 295, 00161 Rome, Italy
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology (IFT), National Research Council (CNR), Via Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Rome, Italy
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35
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Vit JP, Fuchs DT, Angel A, Levy A, Lamensdorf I, Black KL, Koronyo Y, Koronyo-Hamaoui M. Color and contrast vision in mouse models of aging and Alzheimer's disease using a novel visual-stimuli four-arm maze. Sci Rep 2021; 11:1255. [PMID: 33441984 PMCID: PMC7806734 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-80988-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
We introduce a novel visual-stimuli four-arm maze (ViS4M) equipped with spectrally- and intensity-controlled LED emitters and dynamic grayscale objects that relies on innate exploratory behavior to assess color and contrast vision in mice. Its application to detect visual impairments during normal aging and over the course of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is evaluated in wild-type (WT) and transgenic APPSWE/PS1∆E9 murine models of AD (AD+) across an array of irradiance, chromaticity, and contrast conditions. Substantial color and contrast-mode alternation deficits appear in AD+ mice at an age when hippocampal-based memory and learning is still intact. Profiling of timespan, entries and transition patterns between the different arms uncovers variable AD-associated impairments in contrast sensitivity and color discrimination, reminiscent of tritanomalous defects documented in AD patients. Transition deficits are found in aged WT mice in the absence of alternation decline. Overall, ViS4M is a versatile, controlled device to measure color and contrast-related vision in aged and diseased mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Philippe Vit
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 127 S. San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA.,Biobehavioral Research Core, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Dieu-Trang Fuchs
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ariel Angel
- Pharmaseed Ltd., 9 Hamazmera St., 74047, Ness Ziona, Israel
| | - Aharon Levy
- Pharmaseed Ltd., 9 Hamazmera St., 74047, Ness Ziona, Israel
| | | | - Keith L Black
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yosef Koronyo
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Maya Koronyo-Hamaoui
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 127 S. San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA. .,Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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