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Cao C, Fu G, Xu R, Li N. Coupling of Alzheimer's Disease Genetic Risk Factors with Viral Susceptibility and Inflammation. Aging Dis 2024; 15:2028-2050. [PMID: 37962454 PMCID: PMC11346407 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2023.1017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by persistent cognitive decline. Amyloid plaque deposition and neurofibrillary tangles are the main pathological features of AD brain, though mechanisms leading to the formation of lesions remain to be understood. Genetic efforts through genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified dozens of risk genes influencing the pathogenesis and progression of AD, some of which have been revealed in close association with increased viral susceptibilities and abnormal inflammatory responses in AD patients. In the present study, we try to present a list of AD candidate genes that have been shown to affect viral infection and inflammatory responses. Understanding of how AD susceptibility genes interact with the viral life cycle and potential inflammatory pathways would provide possible therapeutic targets for both AD and infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ruodan Xu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Institute of Basic Theory for Chinese Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China.
| | - Ning Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Institute of Basic Theory for Chinese Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China.
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Zhang Y, Mu BR, Ran Z, Zhu T, Huang X, Yang X, Wang DM, Ma QH, Lu MH. Pericytes in Alzheimer's disease: Key players and therapeutic targets. Exp Neurol 2024; 379:114825. [PMID: 38777251 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2024.114825] [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: 02/22/2024] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder that leads to progressive cognitive decline and neuropathological changes. Pericytes, which are vessel mural cells on the basement membrane of capillaries, play a crucial role in regulating cerebrovascular functions and maintaining neurovascular unit integrity. Emerging research substantiates the involvement of pericytes in AD. This review provides a comprehensive overview of pericytes, including their structure, origin, and markers and various functions within the central nervous system. Emphatically, the review explores the intricate mechanisms through which pericytes contribute to AD, including their interactions with amyloid beta and apolipoprotein E, as well as various signaling pathways. The review also highlights potential for targeted pericyte therapy for AD, with a focus on stem cell therapy and drug treatments. Future research directions include the classification of pericyte subtypes, studies related to aging, and the role of pericytes in exosome-related mechanisms in AD pathology. In conclusion, this review consolidates current knowledge on the pivotal roles of pericytes in AD and their potential as therapeutic targets, providing valuable insights for future research and clinical interventions aimed at addressing the impact of AD on patients' lives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhang
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sichuan-Chongqing Co-construction for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, College of Medical Technology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Ben-Rong Mu
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sichuan-Chongqing Co-construction for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, College of Medical Technology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Zhao Ran
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sichuan-Chongqing Co-construction for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, College of Medical Technology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Tao Zhu
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sichuan-Chongqing Co-construction for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, College of Medical Technology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Xin Huang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases, Institute of Neuroscience, Soochow University, Suzhou 215021, China
| | - Xiong Yang
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sichuan-Chongqing Co-construction for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, College of Medical Technology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Dong-Mei Wang
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Quan-Hong Ma
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases, Institute of Neuroscience, Soochow University, Suzhou 215021, China.
| | - Mei-Hong Lu
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sichuan-Chongqing Co-construction for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, College of Medical Technology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China.
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Issa S, Fayoud H, Shaimardanova A, Sufianov A, Sufianova G, Solovyeva V, Rizvanov A. Growth Factors and Their Application in the Therapy of Hereditary Neurodegenerative Diseases. Biomedicines 2024; 12:1906. [PMID: 39200370 PMCID: PMC11351319 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12081906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2024] [Revised: 08/11/2024] [Accepted: 08/14/2024] [Indexed: 09/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Hereditary neurodegenerative diseases (hNDDs) such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's disease, and others are primarily characterized by their progressive nature, severely compromising both the cognitive and motor abilities of patients. The underlying genetic component in hNDDs contributes to disease risk, creating a complex genetic landscape. Considering the fact that growth factors play crucial roles in regulating cellular processes, such as proliferation, differentiation, and survival, they could have therapeutic potential for hNDDs, provided appropriate dosing and safe delivery approaches are ensured. This article presents a detailed overview of growth factors, and explores their therapeutic potential in treating hNDDs, emphasizing their roles in neuronal survival, growth, and synaptic plasticity. However, challenges such as proper dosing, delivery methods, and patient variability can hinder their clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaza Issa
- Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, St. Petersburg State University, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia; (S.I.); (H.F.)
| | - Haidar Fayoud
- Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, St. Petersburg State University, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia; (S.I.); (H.F.)
| | - Alisa Shaimardanova
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, 420008 Kazan, Russia; (A.S.); (V.S.)
| | - Albert Sufianov
- Department of Neurosurgery, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (Sechenov University), 119991 Moscow, Russia;
- The Research and Educational Institute of Neurosurgery, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN), 117198 Moscow, Russia
| | - Galina Sufianova
- Department of Pharmacology, Tyumen State Medical University, 625023 Tyumen, Russia;
| | - Valeriya Solovyeva
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, 420008 Kazan, Russia; (A.S.); (V.S.)
| | - Albert Rizvanov
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, 420008 Kazan, Russia; (A.S.); (V.S.)
- Division of Medical and Biological Sciences, Tatarstan Academy of Sciences, 420111 Kazan, Russia
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Wang A, Tian P, Zhang YD. TWAS-GKF: a novel method for causal gene identification in transcriptome-wide association studies with knockoff inference. Bioinformatics 2024; 40:btae502. [PMID: 39189955 PMCID: PMC11361808 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btae502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 07/02/2024] [Accepted: 08/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024] Open
Abstract
MOTIVATION Transcriptome-wide association study (TWAS) aims to identify trait-associated genes regulated by significant variants to explore the underlying biological mechanisms at a tissue-specific level. Despite the advancement of current TWAS methods to cover diverse traits, traditional approaches still face two main challenges: (i) the lack of methods that can guarantee finite-sample false discovery rate (FDR) control in identifying trait-associated genes; and (ii) the requirement for individual-level data, which is often inaccessible. RESULTS To address this challenge, we propose a powerful knockoff inference method termed TWAS-GKF to identify candidate trait-associated genes with a guaranteed finite-sample FDR control. TWAS-GKF introduces the main idea of Ghostknockoff inference to generate knockoff variables using only summary statistics instead of individual-level data. In extensive studies, we demonstrate that TWAS-GKF successfully controls the finite-sample FDR under a pre-specified FDR level across all settings. We further apply TWAS-GKF to identify genes in brain cerebellum tissue from the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) v8 project associated with schizophrenia (SCZ) from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium (PGC), and genes in liver tissue related to low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) from the UK Biobank, respectively. The results reveal that the majority of the identified genes are validated by Open Targets Validation Platform. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION The R package TWAS.GKF is publicly available at https://github.com/AnqiWang2021/TWAS.GKF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anqi Wang
- Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, China
| | - Peixin Tian
- Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, China
| | - Yan Dora Zhang
- Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, China
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Xu L, Li F, Xu J, Li B, Li Y, Jia J. Vascular endothelial growth factor is an effective biomarker for vascular dementia, not for Alzheimer's disease: A meta-analysis. ALZHEIMER'S & DEMENTIA (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2024; 16:e12612. [PMID: 38912304 PMCID: PMC11193096 DOI: 10.1002/dad2.12612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Vascular pathology is known to contribute to dementia and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a well-established biomarker associated with vascular alterations. Nonetheless, research findings on VEGF in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VaD) are inconsistent across various studies. METHODS We conducted a meta-analysis to elucidate relationships between VEGF and AD/VaD. RESULTS Twenty-four studies were included. Pooled data showed that both blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) VEGF levels were higher in VaD patients, whereas no significant difference was found between AD patients and healthy controls. However, the correlation between blood VEGF and AD was found among studies with AD pathology verification. And blood VEGF levels were higher in AD patients than controls in "age difference < 5 years" subgroup and CSF samples for European cohorts. DISCUSSION This study highlights that VEGF is more effective for the diagnosis of VaD and vascular factors are also an important contributor in AD. Highlights Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels were higher in the vascular dementia group, but not in the overall Alzheimer's disease (AD) group.Correlation between VEGF and AD was found among studies with clear AD pathological verification.Elevated VEGF in the cerebrospinal fluid might be a diagnostic marker for AD in European populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling‐Zhi Xu
- Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders and Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric DiseasesCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Geriatric Cognitive DisordersBeijingChina
- Clinical Center for Neurodegenerative Disease and Memory ImpairmentCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
- Center of Alzheimer's Disease, Beijing Institute of Brain Disorders, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain DisordersCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
- Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative DiseasesMinistry of EducationBeijingChina
| | - Fang‐Yu Li
- Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders and Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric DiseasesCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Geriatric Cognitive DisordersBeijingChina
- Clinical Center for Neurodegenerative Disease and Memory ImpairmentCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
- Center of Alzheimer's Disease, Beijing Institute of Brain Disorders, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain DisordersCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
- Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative DiseasesMinistry of EducationBeijingChina
| | - Jin Xu
- Department of Library, Xuanwu HospitalCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Bing‐Qiu Li
- Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders and Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric DiseasesCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Geriatric Cognitive DisordersBeijingChina
- Clinical Center for Neurodegenerative Disease and Memory ImpairmentCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
- Center of Alzheimer's Disease, Beijing Institute of Brain Disorders, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain DisordersCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
- Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative DiseasesMinistry of EducationBeijingChina
| | - Ying Li
- Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders and Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric DiseasesCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Geriatric Cognitive DisordersBeijingChina
- Clinical Center for Neurodegenerative Disease and Memory ImpairmentCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
- Center of Alzheimer's Disease, Beijing Institute of Brain Disorders, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain DisordersCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
- Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative DiseasesMinistry of EducationBeijingChina
| | - Jian‐Ping Jia
- Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders and Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric DiseasesCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Geriatric Cognitive DisordersBeijingChina
- Clinical Center for Neurodegenerative Disease and Memory ImpairmentCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
- Center of Alzheimer's Disease, Beijing Institute of Brain Disorders, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain DisordersCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
- Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative DiseasesMinistry of EducationBeijingChina
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Qi F, Zuo Z, Hu K, Wang R, Wu T, Liu H, Tang J, Wang Q, Xie Y, Tan L, Yang Y, Zhang X, Zheng J, Xu J, Yao Z, Wang S, Wu LJ, Guo K. VEGF-A in serum protects against memory impairment in APP/PS1 transgenic mice by blocking neutrophil infiltration. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:4374-4389. [PMID: 37280283 PMCID: PMC10827659 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02097-w] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Activation of innate immunity in the brain is a prominent feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The present study investigated the regulation of innate immunity by wild-type serum injection in a transgenic AD mouse model. We found that treatment with wild-type mouse serum significantly reduced the number of neutrophils and microglial reactivity in the brains of APP/PS1 mice. Mimicking this effect, neutrophil depletion via Ly6G neutralizing antibodies resulted in improvements in AD brain functions. Serum proteomic analysis identified vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) and chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1 (CXCL1) as factors enriched in serum samples, which are crucial for neutrophil migration and chemotaxis, leukocyte migration, and cell chemotaxis. Exogenous VEGF-A reversed amyloid β (Aβ)-induced decreases in cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) and increases in CXCL1 in vitro and blocked neutrophil infiltration into the AD brain. Endothelial Cdk5 overexpression conferred an inhibitory effect on CXCL1 and neutrophil infiltration, thereby restoring memory abilities in APP/PS1 mice. Our findings uncover a previously unknown link between blood-derived VEGF signaling and neutrophil infiltration and support targeting endothelial Cdk5 signaling as a potential therapeutic strategy for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangfang Qi
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
- Editorial Department of Journal of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Zejie Zuo
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, the Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Kaishun Hu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Rui Wang
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Tong Wu
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Hao Liu
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Jiaoling Tang
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Qingbo Wang
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Yufeng Xie
- Five-year Programs of Clinical Medicine in the 2017 grade, School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 528406, China
| | - Liren Tan
- Department of Neurology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Yunjie Yang
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Xiaoran Zhang
- Center for Stem Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering, Key Laboratory for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Jiaying Zheng
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Jie Xu
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Zhibin Yao
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Shengwen Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, China.
| | - Long-Jun Wu
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA.
| | - Kaihua Guo
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
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White AL, Bix GJ. VEGFA Isoforms as Pro-Angiogenic Therapeutics for Cerebrovascular Diseases. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13040702. [PMID: 37189449 DOI: 10.3390/biom13040702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Therapeutic angiogenesis has long been considered a viable treatment for vasculature disruptions, including cerebral vasculature diseases. One widely-discussed treatment method to increase angiogenesis is vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) A. In animal models, treatment with VEGFA proved beneficial, resulting in increased angiogenesis, increased neuronal density, and improved outcome. However, VEGFA administration in clinical trials has thus far failed to replicate the promising results seen in animal models. The lack of beneficial effects in humans and the difficulty in medicinal translation may be due in part to administration methods and VEGFA's ability to increase vascular permeability. One solution to mitigate the side effects of VEGFA may be found in the VEGFA isoforms. VEGFA is able to produce several different isoforms through alternative splicing. Each VEGFA isoform interacts differently with both the cellular components and the VEGF receptors. Because of the different biological effects elicited, VEGFA isoforms may hold promise as a tangible potential therapeutic for cerebrovascular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Louise White
- Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Neuroscience Research Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Gregory Jaye Bix
- Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Neuroscience Research Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Department of Neurology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70122, USA
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Kafyra M, Kalafati IP, Gavra I, Siest S, Dedoussis GV. Associations of VEGF-A-Related Variants with Adolescent Cardiometabolic and Dietary Parameters. Nutrients 2023; 15:nu15081884. [PMID: 37111103 PMCID: PMC10143198 DOI: 10.3390/nu15081884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous research has allowed the identification of variants related to the vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) and their association with anthropometric, lipidemic and glycemic indices. The present study examined potential relations between key VEGF-A-related single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), cardiometabolic parameters and dietary habits in an adolescent cohort. Cross-sectional analyses were conducted using baseline data from 766 participants of the Greek TEENAGE study. Eleven VEGF-A-related SNPs were examined for associations with cardiometabolic indices through multivariate linear regressions after adjusting for confounding factors. A 9-SNP unweighted genetic risk score (uGRS) for increased VEGF-A levels was constructed to examine associations and the effect of its interactions with previously extracted dietary patterns for the cohort. Two variants (rs4416670, rs7043199) displayed significant associations (p-values < 0.005) with the logarithms of systolic and diastolic blood pressure (logSBP and logDBP). The uGRS was significantly associated with higher values of the logarithm of Body Mass Index (logBMI) and logSBP (p-values < 0.05). Interactions between the uGRS and specific dietary patterns were related to higher logDBP and logGlucose (p-values < 0.01). The present analyses constitute the first-ever attempt to investigate the influence of VEGF-A-related variants on teenage cardiometabolic determinants, unveiling several associations and the modifying effect of diet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Kafyra
- Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Science and Education, Harokopio University, 17671 Athens, Greece
| | - Ioanna Panagiota Kalafati
- Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Science and Education, Harokopio University, 17671 Athens, Greece
- Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Physical Education, Sport Science and Dietetics, University of Thessaly, 42132 Trikala, Greece
| | - Ioanna Gavra
- Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Science and Education, Harokopio University, 17671 Athens, Greece
| | - Sophie Siest
- Interactions Gène-Environnement en Physiopathologie Cardio-Vasculaire (IGE-PCV), Université de Lorraine, 54000 Nancy, France
- Santorini Conferences (SCs) Association-For Research Innovation in Health, 54470 Bernecourt, France
| | - George V Dedoussis
- Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Science and Education, Harokopio University, 17671 Athens, Greece
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Accumulation of amyloid-β in the brain of mouse models of Alzheimer's disease is modified by altered gene expression in the presence of human apoE isoforms during aging. Neurobiol Aging 2023; 123:63-74. [PMID: 36638682 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2022.12.003] [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: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Apolipoprotein E4 (apoE4) is a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here, we investigated brain amyloid-β (Aβ) accumulation throughout the aging process in an amyloid precursor protein (APP) knock-in (KI) mouse model of AD that expresses human APPNL-G-F with or without human apoE4 or apoE3. Brain Aβ42 levels were significantly lower in 9-month-old mice that express human isoforms of apoE than in age-matched APP-KI control mice. Linear accumulation of Aβ42 began in 5-month-old apoE4 mice, and a strong increase in Aβ42 levels was observed in 21-month-old apoE3 mice. Aβ42 levels in cerebroventricular fluid were higher in apoE3 than in apoE4 mice at 6-7 months of age, suggesting that apoE3 is more efficient at clearing Aβ42 than apoE4 at these ages. However, apoE3 protein levels were lower than apoE4 protein levels in the brains of 21-month-old apoE3 and apoE4 mice, respectively, which may explain the rapid increase in brain Aβ42 burden in apoE3 mice. We identified genes that were downregulated in a human apoE-dependent (apoE4 > apoE3) and age-dependent (apoE3 = apoE4) manner, which may regulate brain Aβ burden and/or AD progression. Analysis of gene expression in AD mouse models helps identify molecular mechanisms of pleiotropy by the human APOE gene during aging.
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Jonnakuti VS, Wagner EJ, Maletić-Savatić M, Liu Z, Yalamanchili HK. PolyAMiner-Bulk: A Machine Learning Based Bioinformatics Algorithm to Infer and Decode Alternative Polyadenylation Dynamics from bulk RNA-seq data. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.23.523471. [PMID: 36747700 PMCID: PMC9900750 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.23.523471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
More than half of human genes exercise alternative polyadenylation (APA) and generate mRNA transcripts with varying 3' untranslated regions (UTR). However, current computational approaches for identifying cleavage and polyadenylation sites (C/PASs) and quantifying 3'UTR length changes from bulk RNA-seq data fail to unravel tissue- and disease-specific APA dynamics. Here, we developed a next-generation bioinformatics algorithm and application, PolyAMiner-Bulk, that utilizes an attention-based machine learning architecture and an improved vector projection-based engine to infer differential APA dynamics accurately. When applied to earlier studies, PolyAMiner-Bulk accurately identified more than twice the number of APA changes in an RBM17 knockdown bulk RNA-seq dataset compared to current generation tools. Moreover, on a separate dataset, PolyAMiner-Bulk revealed novel APA dynamics and pathways in scleroderma pathology and identified differential APA in a gene that was identified as being involved in scleroderma pathogenesis in an independent study. Lastly, we used PolyAMiner-Bulk to analyze the RNA-seq data of post-mortem prefrontal cortexes from the ROSMAP data consortium and unraveled novel APA dynamics in Alzheimer's Disease. Our method, PolyAMiner-Bulk, creates a paradigm for future alternative polyadenylation analysis from bulk RNA-seq data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Venkata Soumith Jonnakuti
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Program in Quantitative and Computational Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Eric J. Wagner
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Mirjana Maletić-Savatić
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Zhandong Liu
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Program in Quantitative and Computational Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Hari Krishna Yalamanchili
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
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Ali M, Bracko O. VEGF Paradoxically Reduces Cerebral Blood Flow in Alzheimer’s Disease Mice. Neurosci Insights 2022; 17:26331055221109254. [PMID: 35873789 PMCID: PMC9298729 DOI: 10.1177/26331055221109254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Vascular dysfunction plays a critical role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Cerebral blood flow reductions of 10% to 25% present early in disease pathogenesis. Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-A (VEGF-A) drives angiogenesis, which typically addresses blood flow reductions and global hypoxia. However, recent evidence suggests aberrant VEGF-A signaling in Alzheimer’s disease may undermine its physiological angiogenic function. Instead of improving cerebral blood flow, VEGF-A contributes to brain capillary stalls and blood flow reductions, likely accelerating cognitive decline. In this commentary, we explore the evidence for pathological VEGF signaling in Alzheimer’s disease, and discuss its implications for disease therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Ali
- Department of Neurosurgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Oliver Bracko
- Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
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