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Wu Q, Liu SP, Liu C, Chen X, Zhou H, Zhao H. Disulfidoptosis as a Novel Mechanism of Neuronal Death: Insights from Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease. World Neurosurg 2024:S1878-8750(24)01439-6. [PMID: 39159675 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2024.08.070] [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: 08/12/2024] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (SCJD) is a severe neurodegenerative disorder characterized by rapid progression and extensive neuronal loss. Disulfidptosis is an innovative type of programmed cell demise characterized by an accumulation of disulfide bonds within the cellular cytoplasm, subsequently triggering functional disruption and cell demise. METHODS Through literature review and analysis, we identified 18 candidate disulfidptosis-related genes (DRGs) involved in cellular processes. The dataset used for analysis, GSE124571, was obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Gene-gene and protein-protein interactions were analyzed using the GeneMANIA and STRING databases, respectively. We also performed enrichment analysis, differential expressed genes analysis, weighted gene correlation network analysis analysis, immune infiltration, consensus clustering, and matrix correlation. RESULTS The analysis showed that 12 out of 18 DRGs were significantly changed between SCJD and control groups. The DRGs had strong interactions such as physical interactions, co-expression and genetic interactions, and were enriched in biological processes and pathways related to actin cytoskeletal regulation. The study most notably identified 3 hub genes (WASF2, TLN1 and G6PD) important for SCJD and emphasized the functional significance of the identified hub genes. The role of the immune system in the pathogenesis of SCJD. The study found that the composition of immune cells in SCJD brain tissue is altered. Consensus clustering provided insights into immune infiltration and hub gene expression in SCJD subgroup. CONCLUSIONS Our study reveals the possible involvement of disulfidptosis in SCJD and highlights the significance of identified hub genes as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for SCJD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qike Wu
- Beijing Institute of Brain Disorders, Laboratory of Brain Disorders, Ministry of Science and Technology, Joint Innovation Center for Brain Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Shan-Peng Liu
- Beijing Institute of Brain Disorders, Laboratory of Brain Disorders, Ministry of Science and Technology, Joint Innovation Center for Brain Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Cuiying Liu
- School of Nursing, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoyuan Chen
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Nanomedicine Translational Research Program, NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Hongmei Zhou
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Hospital of Jiaxing, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, China
| | - Heng Zhao
- Beijing Institute of Brain Disorders, Laboratory of Brain Disorders, Ministry of Science and Technology, Joint Innovation Center for Brain Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
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López-Pérez Ó, Bernal-Martín M, Hernaiz A, Llorens F, Betancor M, Otero A, Toivonen JM, Zaragoza P, Zerr I, Badiola JJ, Bolea R, Martín-Burriel I. BAMBI and CHGA in Prion Diseases: Neuropathological Assessment and Potential Role as Disease Biomarkers. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10050706. [PMID: 32370154 PMCID: PMC7277700 DOI: 10.3390/biom10050706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Revised: 04/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases affect both animals and humans. Research in the natural animal model of the disease could help in the understanding of neuropathological mechanisms and in the development of biomarkers for human pathologies. For this purpose, we studied the expression of 10 genes involved in prion propagation in vitro in the central nervous system of scrapie-infected sheep. Dysregulated genes (BAMBI and CHGA) were further analysed in a transgenic murine model (Tg338) of scrapie, and their protein distribution was determined using immunohistochemistry and Western blot. Their potential as biomarkers was finally assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of scrapie sheep and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) patients. Protein BAMBI was upregulated in highly affected brain areas and CHGA was overexpressed along the brain in both models. Moreover, BAMBI and CHGA immunostaining scores strongly correlated with spongiosis and microgliosis in mice. Finally, levels of BAMBI were significantly higher in the CSF of clinical sheep and CJD patients. In addition to their potential as biomarkers, our work confirms the role of BAMBI and CHGA in prion neuropathology in vivo, but besides prion replication, they seem to be involved in the characteristic neuroinflammatory response associated to prion infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Óscar López-Pérez
- Laboratorio de Genética Bioquímica (LAGENBIO), Universidad de Zaragoza, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón-IISA, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain; (Ó.L.-P.); (M.B.-M.); (A.H.); (J.M.T.); (P.Z.)
- Centro de Encefalopatías y Enfermedades Transmisibles Emergentes (CEETE), Universidad de Zaragoza, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón-IISA, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain; (M.B.); (A.O.); (J.J.B.); (R.B.)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Institute Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain;
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Bellvitge (IDIBELL), L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08908 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marcos Bernal-Martín
- Laboratorio de Genética Bioquímica (LAGENBIO), Universidad de Zaragoza, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón-IISA, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain; (Ó.L.-P.); (M.B.-M.); (A.H.); (J.M.T.); (P.Z.)
| | - Adelaida Hernaiz
- Laboratorio de Genética Bioquímica (LAGENBIO), Universidad de Zaragoza, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón-IISA, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain; (Ó.L.-P.); (M.B.-M.); (A.H.); (J.M.T.); (P.Z.)
| | - Franc Llorens
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Institute Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain;
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Bellvitge (IDIBELL), L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08908 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Neurology, Clinical Dementia Center and National Reference Center for CJD Surveillance, University Medical School, 37075 Göttingen, Germany;
| | - Marina Betancor
- Centro de Encefalopatías y Enfermedades Transmisibles Emergentes (CEETE), Universidad de Zaragoza, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón-IISA, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain; (M.B.); (A.O.); (J.J.B.); (R.B.)
| | - Alicia Otero
- Centro de Encefalopatías y Enfermedades Transmisibles Emergentes (CEETE), Universidad de Zaragoza, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón-IISA, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain; (M.B.); (A.O.); (J.J.B.); (R.B.)
- Department of Biological Sciences, Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada
| | - Janne Markus Toivonen
- Laboratorio de Genética Bioquímica (LAGENBIO), Universidad de Zaragoza, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón-IISA, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain; (Ó.L.-P.); (M.B.-M.); (A.H.); (J.M.T.); (P.Z.)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Institute Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Pilar Zaragoza
- Laboratorio de Genética Bioquímica (LAGENBIO), Universidad de Zaragoza, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón-IISA, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain; (Ó.L.-P.); (M.B.-M.); (A.H.); (J.M.T.); (P.Z.)
| | - Inga Zerr
- Department of Neurology, Clinical Dementia Center and National Reference Center for CJD Surveillance, University Medical School, 37075 Göttingen, Germany;
| | - Juan José Badiola
- Centro de Encefalopatías y Enfermedades Transmisibles Emergentes (CEETE), Universidad de Zaragoza, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón-IISA, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain; (M.B.); (A.O.); (J.J.B.); (R.B.)
| | - Rosa Bolea
- Centro de Encefalopatías y Enfermedades Transmisibles Emergentes (CEETE), Universidad de Zaragoza, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón-IISA, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain; (M.B.); (A.O.); (J.J.B.); (R.B.)
| | - Inmaculada Martín-Burriel
- Laboratorio de Genética Bioquímica (LAGENBIO), Universidad de Zaragoza, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón-IISA, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain; (Ó.L.-P.); (M.B.-M.); (A.H.); (J.M.T.); (P.Z.)
- Centro de Encefalopatías y Enfermedades Transmisibles Emergentes (CEETE), Universidad de Zaragoza, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón-IISA, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain; (M.B.); (A.O.); (J.J.B.); (R.B.)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Institute Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-653-638-749
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Abstract
Mammalian prion diseases are a group of neurodegenerative conditions caused by infection of the central nervous system with proteinaceous agents called prions, including sporadic, variant, and iatrogenic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease; kuru; inherited prion disease; sheep scrapie; bovine spongiform encephalopathy; and chronic wasting disease. Prions are composed of misfolded and multimeric forms of the normal cellular prion protein (PrP). Prion diseases require host expression of the prion protein gene (PRNP) and a range of other cellular functions to support their propagation and toxicity. Inherited forms of prion disease are caused by mutation of PRNP, whereas acquired and sporadically occurring mammalian prion diseases are controlled by powerful genetic risk and modifying factors. Whereas some PrP amino acid variants cause the disease, others confer protection, dramatically altered incubation times, or changes in the clinical phenotype. Multiple mechanisms, including interference with homotypic protein interactions and the selection of the permissible prion strains in a host, play a role. Several non-PRNP factors have now been uncovered that provide insights into pathways of disease susceptibility or neurotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Mead
- Medical Research Council Prion Unit at UCL, Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London W1W 7FF, United Kingdom;
| | - Sarah Lloyd
- Medical Research Council Prion Unit at UCL, Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London W1W 7FF, United Kingdom;
| | - John Collinge
- Medical Research Council Prion Unit at UCL, Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London W1W 7FF, United Kingdom;
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Bartoletti-Stella A, Corrado P, Mometto N, Baiardi S, Durrenberger PF, Arzberger T, Reynolds R, Kretzschmar H, Capellari S, Parchi P. Analysis of RNA Expression Profiles Identifies Dysregulated Vesicle Trafficking Pathways in Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease. Mol Neurobiol 2018; 56:5009-5024. [PMID: 30446946 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-018-1421-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2018] [Accepted: 11/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Functional genomics applied to the study of RNA expression profiles identified several abnormal molecular processes in experimental prion disease. However, only a few similar studies have been carried out to date in a naturally occurring human prion disease. To better characterize the transcriptional cascades associated with sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD), the most common human prion disease, we investigated the global gene expression profile in samples from the frontal cortex of 10 patients with sCJD and 10 non-neurological controls by microarray analysis. The comparison identified 333 highly differentially expressed genes (hDEGs) in sCJD. Functional enrichment Gene Ontology analysis revealed that hDEGs were mainly associated with synaptic transmission, including GABA (q value = 0.049) and glutamate (q value = 0.005) signaling, and the immune/inflammatory response. Furthermore, the analysis of cellular components performed on hDEGs showed a compromised regulation of vesicle-mediated transport with mainly up-regulated genes related to the endosome (q value = 0.01), lysosome (q value = 0.04), and extracellular exosome (q value < 0.01). A targeted analysis of the retromer core component VPS35 (vacuolar protein sorting-associated protein 35) showed a down-regulation of gene expression (p value= 0.006) and reduced brain protein levels (p value= 0.002). Taken together, these results confirm and expand previous microarray expression profile data in sCJD. Most significantly, they also demonstrate the involvement of the endosomal-lysosomal system. Since the latter is a common pathogenic pathway linking together diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, it might be the focus of future studies aimed to identify new therapeutic targets in neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Bartoletti-Stella
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Ospedale Bellaria, 40139, Bologna, Italy
| | - Patrizia Corrado
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, DIBINEM, University of Bologna, 40123, Bologna, Italy
| | - Nicola Mometto
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, DIBINEM, University of Bologna, 40123, Bologna, Italy
| | - Simone Baiardi
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, DIBINEM, University of Bologna, 40123, Bologna, Italy
| | - Pascal F Durrenberger
- Centre for Inflammation and Tissue Repair, UCL Respiratory, University College London, Rayne Building, London, UK
| | - Thomas Arzberger
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany.,Center for Neuropathology and Prion Research, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Hans Kretzschmar
- Center for Neuropathology and Prion Research, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Sabina Capellari
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Ospedale Bellaria, 40139, Bologna, Italy. .,Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, DIBINEM, University of Bologna, 40123, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Piero Parchi
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Ospedale Bellaria, 40139, Bologna, Italy. .,Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, DIMES, University of Bologna, 40138, Bologna, Italy.
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5
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Abstract
Prion diseases are unique neurodegenerative pathologies that can occur with sporadic, genetic, and acquired etiologies. Human and animal prion diseases can be recapitulated in laboratory animals with good reproducibility providing highly controlled models for studying molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration. In this chapter the overall area of omics research in prion diseases is described. The term omics includes all fields of studies that employ a comprehensive, unbiased, and high-throughput approach to areas of research such as functional genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics. These kind of approaches can be extremely helpful in identifying disease susceptibility factors and pathways that are dysregulated upon the onset and the progression of the disease. Herein, the most important research about the various forms of prion pathologies in human and in models of prion diseases in animals is presented and discussed.
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6
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Xerxa E, Barbisin M, Chieppa MN, Krmac H, Vallino Costassa E, Vatta P, Simmons M, Caramelli M, Casalone C, Corona C, Legname G. Whole Blood Gene Expression Profiling in Preclinical and Clinical Cattle Infected with Atypical Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0153425. [PMID: 27073865 PMCID: PMC4830546 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0153425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2016] [Accepted: 03/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases, such as bovine spongiform encephalopathies (BSE), are transmissible neurodegenerative disorders affecting humans and a wide variety of mammals. Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD), a prion disease in humans, has been linked to exposure to BSE prions. This classical BSE (cBSE) is now rapidly disappearing as a result of appropriate measures to control animal feeding. Besides cBSE, two atypical forms (named H- and L-type BSE) have recently been described in Europe, Japan, and North America. Here we describe the first wide-spectrum microarray analysis in whole blood of atypical BSE-infected cattle. Transcriptome changes in infected animals were analyzed prior to and after the onset of clinical signs. The microarray analysis revealed gene expression changes in blood prior to the appearance of the clinical signs and during the progression of the disease. A set of 32 differentially expressed genes was found to be in common between clinical and preclinical stages and showed a very similar expression pattern in the two phases. A 22-gene signature showed an oscillating pattern of expression, being differentially expressed in the preclinical stage and then going back to control levels in the symptomatic phase. One gene, SEL1L3, was downregulated during the progression of the disease. Most of the studies performed up to date utilized various tissues, which are not suitable for a rapid analysis of infected animals and patients. Our findings suggest the intriguing possibility to take advantage of whole blood RNA transcriptional profiling for the preclinical identification of prion infection. Further, this study highlighted several pathways, such as immune response and metabolism that may play an important role in peripheral prion pathogenesis. Finally, the gene expression changes identified in the present study may be further investigated as a fingerprint for monitoring the progression of disease and for developing targeted therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Xerxa
- Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Functional and Structural Genomics sector, Trieste, Italy
| | - Maura Barbisin
- Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Functional and Structural Genomics sector, Trieste, Italy
| | - Maria Novella Chieppa
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Torino, Italy
| | - Helena Krmac
- Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Functional and Structural Genomics sector, Trieste, Italy
| | - Elena Vallino Costassa
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Torino, Italy
| | - Paolo Vatta
- Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Functional and Structural Genomics sector, Trieste, Italy
| | - Marion Simmons
- Pathology Department, Animal and Plant Health Agency (Weybridge), New Haw, Addlestone, United Kingdom
| | - Maria Caramelli
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Torino, Italy
| | - Cristina Casalone
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Torino, Italy
| | - Cristiano Corona
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Torino, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Legname
- Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Functional and Structural Genomics sector, Trieste, Italy
- * E-mail:
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Basak I, Patil KS, Alves G, Larsen JP, Møller SG. microRNAs as neuroregulators, biomarkers and therapeutic agents in neurodegenerative diseases. Cell Mol Life Sci 2016; 73:811-27. [PMID: 26608596 PMCID: PMC11108480 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-015-2093-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2015] [Revised: 10/14/2015] [Accepted: 11/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The last decade has experienced the emergence of microRNAs as a key molecular tool for the diagnosis and prognosis of human diseases. Although the focus has mostly been on cancer, neurodegenerative diseases present an exciting, yet less explored, platform for microRNA research. Several studies have highlighted the significance of microRNAs in neurogenesis and neurodegeneration, and pre-clinical studies have shown the potential of microRNAs as biomarkers. Despite this, no bona fide microRNAs have been identified as true diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers for neurodegenerative disease. This is mainly due to the lack of precisely defined patient cohorts and the variability within and between individual cohorts. However, the discovery that microRNAs exist as stable molecules at detectable levels in body fluids has opened up new avenues for microRNAs as potential biomarker candidates. Furthermore, technological developments in microRNA biology have contributed to the possible design of microRNA-mediated disease intervention strategies. The combination of these advancements, with the availability of well-defined longitudinal patient cohort, promises to not only assist in developing invaluable diagnostic tools for clinicians, but also to increase our overall understanding of the underlying heterogeneity of neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we present a comprehensive overview of the existing knowledge of microRNAs in neurodegeneration and provide a perspective of the applicability of microRNAs as a basis for future therapeutic intervention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Indranil Basak
- Department of Biological Sciences, St. John's University, 8000 Utopia Parkway, New York, NY, 11439, USA
| | - Ketan S Patil
- Department of Biological Sciences, St. John's University, 8000 Utopia Parkway, New York, NY, 11439, USA
| | - Guido Alves
- Norwegian Center for Movement Disorders, Stavanger University Hospital, 4068, Stavanger, Norway
| | - Jan Petter Larsen
- Norwegian Center for Movement Disorders, Stavanger University Hospital, 4068, Stavanger, Norway
| | - Simon Geir Møller
- Department of Biological Sciences, St. John's University, 8000 Utopia Parkway, New York, NY, 11439, USA.
- Norwegian Center for Movement Disorders, Stavanger University Hospital, 4068, Stavanger, Norway.
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Application of “Omics” Technologies for Diagnosis and Pathogenesis of Neurological Infections. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s11910-015-0580-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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9
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Majer A, Booth SA. Microdissection and transcriptional profiling: a window into the pathobiology of preclinical prion disease. Prion 2015; 8:67-74. [PMID: 24406429 DOI: 10.4161/pri.27729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases share common features on a sub-cellular level with many neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer disease; the most prevalent neurodegenerative disease world-wide. The most obvious similarity is the accumulation of misfolded forms of the host proteins which forms aggregates in the brains of patients. Remarkably, one of the earliest pathological changes detected in degenerating brain tissue, well before clinical symptoms are observed, is synaptic dysfunction and loss. This pathology was recently shown to be reversible in early stages of mouse prion disease suggesting that synaptic regeneration and reestablishment of neuronal function is possible. Determination of the molecular events that underlie synapse degeneration and how this eventually results in neuronal loss is therefore a research priority that may contribute to the search for new therapeutic interventions for neurodegenerative disorders. Functional genomic studies using unbiased whole genome expression analyses represent one method that can provide insights into these perplexing processes. However, transcriptional profiles from brain tissues are representative of a heterogeneous mixture of cell types that effectively mask the expression of low abundance transcripts, or molecular changes that occur only in a small population of affected neurons. One method that was recently applied to address these challenges was laser capture microdissection which was used to effectively isolate the CA1 neuronal rich region of the hippocampus prior to RNA extraction. Profiling of both mRNAs and microRNAs revealed previously unidentified neuronal-specific genes and expression signatures that are relevant to understanding the pathophysiological processes involved in preclinical stages of prion disease. In this review we will highlight these molecular signatures and discuss their implications with respect to prion-induced neurodegeneration.
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Barbisin M, Vanni S, Schmädicke AC, Montag J, Motzkus D, Opitz L, Salinas-Riester G, Legname G. Gene expression profiling of brains from bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)-infected cynomolgus macaques. BMC Genomics 2014; 15:434. [PMID: 24898206 PMCID: PMC4061447 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-15-434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2014] [Accepted: 05/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative disorders whose pathogenesis mechanisms are not fully understood. In this context, the analysis of gene expression alterations occurring in prion-infected animals represents a powerful tool that may contribute to unravel the molecular basis of prion diseases and therefore discover novel potential targets for diagnosis and therapeutics. Here we present the first large-scale transcriptional profiling of brains from BSE-infected cynomolgus macaques, which are an excellent model for human prion disorders. RESULTS The study was conducted using the GeneChip® Rhesus Macaque Genome Array and revealed 300 transcripts with expression changes greater than twofold. Among these, the bioinformatics analysis identified 86 genes with known functions, most of which are involved in cellular development, cell death and survival, lipid homeostasis, and acute phase response signaling. RT-qPCR was performed on selected gene transcripts in order to validate the differential expression in infected animals versus controls. The results obtained with the microarray technology were confirmed and a gene signature was identified. In brief, HBB and HBA2 were down-regulated in infected macaques, whereas TTR, APOC1 and SERPINA3 were up-regulated. CONCLUSIONS Some genes involved in oxygen or lipid transport and in innate immunity were found to be dysregulated in prion infected macaques. These genes are known to be involved in other neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Our results may facilitate the identification of potential disease biomarkers for many neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Giuseppe Legname
- Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy.
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Llorens F, Ferrer I, del Río JA. Gene expression resulting from PrPC ablation and PrPC overexpression in murine and cellular models. Mol Neurobiol 2013; 49:413-23. [PMID: 23949728 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-013-8529-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2013] [Accepted: 08/05/2013] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The cellular prion protein (PrP(C)) plays a key role in prion diseases when it converts to the pathogenic form scrapie prion protein. Increasing knowledge of its participation in prion infection contrasts with the elusive and controversial data regarding its physiological role probably related to its pleiotropy, cell-specific functions, and cellular-specific milieu. Multiple approaches have been made to the increasing understanding of the molecular mechanisms and cellular functions modulated by PrP(C) at the transcriptomic and proteomic levels. Gene expression analyses have been made in several mouse and cellular models with regulated expression of PrP(C) resulting in PrP(C) ablation or PrP(C) overexpression. These analyses support previous functional data and have yielded clues about new potential functions. However, experiments on animal models have shown moderate and varied results which are difficult to interpret. Moreover, studies in cell cultures correlate little with in vivo counterparts. Yet, both animal and cell models have provided some insights on how to proceed in the future by using more refined methods and selected functional experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franc Llorens
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital Bellvitge-Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain,
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