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Stocker H, Gentiluomo M, Trares K, Beyer L, Stevenson-Hoare J, Rujescu D, Holleczek B, Beyreuther K, Gerwert K, Schöttker B, Campa D, Canzian F, Brenner H. Mitochondrial DNA abundance in blood is associated with Alzheimer's disease- and dementia-risk. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02670-x. [PMID: 39009700 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02670-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024]
Abstract
The mitochondrial cascade hypothesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been portrayed through molecular, cellular, and animal studies; however large epidemiological studies are lacking. This study aimed to explore the association of mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn), a marker representative of mtDNA abundance per cell, with risk of incident all-cause dementia, AD, and vascular dementia diagnosis within 17 years and dementia-related blood biomarkers (P-tau181, GFAP, and NfL). Additionally, sex-stratified analyses were completed. In this German population-based cohort study (ESTHER), 9940 participants aged 50-75 years were enrolled by general practitioners and followed for 17 years. Participants were included in this study if information on dementia status and blood-based mtDNAcn measured via real-time polymerase chain reaction were available. In a nested case-control approach, a subsample of participants additionally had measurements of P-tau181, GFAP, and NfL in blood samples taken at baseline. Of 4913 participants eligible for analyses, 386 were diagnosed with incident all-cause dementia, including 130 AD and 143 vascular dementia cases, while 4527 participants remained without dementia diagnosis within 17 years. Participants with low mtDNAcn (lowest 10%) experienced 45% and 65% percent increased risk of incident all-cause dementia and AD after adjusting for age and sex (all-cause dementia: HRadj, 95%CI:1.45, 1.08-1.94; AD: HRadj, 95%CI: 1.65, 1.01-2.68). MtDNAcn was not associated to vascular dementia diagnosis and was more strongly associated with all-cause dementia among women. In the nested case-control study (n = 790), mtDNAcn was not significantly associated with the dementia-related blood biomarkers (P-tau181, GFAP, and NfL) levels in blood from baseline before dementia diagnosis. This study provides novel epidemiological evidence connecting mtDNA abundance, measured via mtDNAcn, to incident dementia and AD at the population-based level. Reduced mitochondrial abundance may play a role in pathogenesis, especially among women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Stocker
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany.
- Network Aging Research, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | | | - Kira Trares
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Léon Beyer
- Center for Protein Diagnostics (ProDi), Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Biophysics, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Joshua Stevenson-Hoare
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dan Rujescu
- Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | | | - Klaus Gerwert
- Center for Protein Diagnostics (ProDi), Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Biophysics, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Ben Schöttker
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Daniele Campa
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Federico Canzian
- Genomic Epidemiology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Hermann Brenner
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
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Tian Q, Greig EE, Walker KA, Fishbein KW, Spencer RG, Resnick SM, Ferrucci L. Plasma metabolomic markers underlying skeletal muscle mitochondrial function relationships with cognition and motor function. Age Ageing 2024; 53:afae079. [PMID: 38615247 DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afae079] [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: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lower skeletal muscle mitochondrial function is associated with future cognitive impairment and mobility decline, but the biological underpinnings for these associations are unclear. We examined metabolomic markers underlying skeletal muscle mitochondrial function, cognition and motor function. METHODS We analysed data from 560 participants from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (mean age: 68.4 years, 56% women, 28% Black) who had data on skeletal muscle oxidative capacity (post-exercise recovery rate of phosphocreatine, kPCr) via 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy and targeted plasma metabolomics using LASSO model. We then examined which kPCr-related markers were also associated with cognition and motor function in a larger sample (n = 918, mean age: 69.4, 55% women, 27% Black). RESULTS The LASSO model revealed 24 metabolites significantly predicting kPCr, with the top 5 being asymmetric dimethylarginine, lactic acid, lysophosphatidylcholine a C18:1, indoleacetic acid and triacylglyceride (17:1_34:3), also significant in multivariable linear regression. The kPCr metabolite score was associated with cognitive or motor function, with 2.5-minute usual gait speed showing the strongest association (r = 0.182). Five lipids (lysophosphatidylcholine a C18:1, phosphatidylcholine ae C42:3, cholesteryl ester 18:1, sphingomyelin C26:0, octadecenoic acid) and 2 amino acids (leucine, cystine) were associated with both cognitive and motor function measures. CONCLUSION Our findings add evidence to the hypothesis that mitochondrial function is implicated in the pathogenesis of cognitive and physical decline with aging and suggest that targeting specific metabolites may prevent cognitive and mobility decline through their effects on mitochondria. Future omics studies are warranted to confirm these findings and explore mechanisms underlying mitochondrial dysfunction in aging phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qu Tian
- Translational Gerontology Branch, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Erin E Greig
- Translational Gerontology Branch, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Keenan A Walker
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Kenneth W Fishbein
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Richard G Spencer
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Susan M Resnick
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Luigi Ferrucci
- Translational Gerontology Branch, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
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Tian Q, Lee PR, Yang Q, Moore AZ, Landman BA, Resnick SM, Ferrucci L. The mediation roles of intermuscular fat and inflammation in muscle mitochondrial associations with cognition and mobility. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle 2024; 15:138-148. [PMID: 38116708 PMCID: PMC10834332 DOI: 10.1002/jcsm.13413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mitochondrial dysfunction may contribute to brain and muscle health through inflammation or fat infiltration in the muscle, both of which are associated with cognitive function and mobility. We aimed to examine the association between skeletal muscle mitochondrial function and cognitive and mobility outcomes and tested the mediation effect of inflammation or fat infiltration. METHODS We analysed data from 596 Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging participants who had concurrent data on skeletal muscle oxidative capacity and cognitive and mobility measures of interest (mean age: 66.1, 55% women, 24% Black). Skeletal muscle oxidative capacity was assessed as post-exercise recovery rate (kPCr) via P31 MR spectroscopy. Fat infiltration was measured as intermuscular fat (IMF) via CT scan and was available for 541 participants. Inflammation markers [IL-6, C-reactive protein (CRP), total white blood cell (WBC), neutrophil count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), or albumin] were available in 594 participants. We examined the association of kPCr and cognitive and mobility measures using linear regression and tested the mediation effect of IMF or inflammation using the mediation package in R. Models were adjusted for demographics and PCr depletion. RESULTS kPCr and IMF were both significantly associated with specific cognitive domains (DSST, TMA-A, and pegboard dominant hand performance) and mobility (usual gait speed, HABCPPB, 400 m walk time) (all P < 0.05). IMF significantly mediated the relationship between kPCr and these cognitive and mobility measures (all P < 0.05, proportion mediated 13.1% to 27%). Total WBC, neutrophil count, and ESR, but not IL-6 or CRP, also mediated at least one of the cognitive and mobility outcomes (all P < 0.05, proportion mediated 9.4% to 15.3%). CONCLUSIONS Skeletal muscle mitochondrial function is associated with cognitive performance involving psychomotor speed. Muscle fat infiltration and specific inflammation markers mediate the relationship between muscle mitochondrial function and cognitive and mobility outcomes. Future studies are needed to confirm these associations longitudinally and to understand their mechanistic underpinnings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qu Tian
- Longitudinal Studies Section, Translational Gerontology Branch, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Philip R Lee
- Longitudinal Studies Section, Translational Gerontology Branch, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Qi Yang
- Department of Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Anne Z Moore
- Longitudinal Studies Section, Translational Gerontology Branch, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Bennett A Landman
- Department of Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Susan M Resnick
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Luigi Ferrucci
- Longitudinal Studies Section, Translational Gerontology Branch, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD, USA
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