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Abdul Manap AS, Almadodi R, Sultana S, Sebastian MG, Kavani KS, Lyenouq VE, Shankar A. Alzheimer's disease: a review on the current trends of the effective diagnosis and therapeutics. Front Aging Neurosci 2024; 16:1429211. [PMID: 39185459 PMCID: PMC11341404 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2024.1429211] [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: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The most prevalent cause of dementia is Alzheimer's disease. Cognitive decline and accelerating memory loss characterize it. Alzheimer's disease advances sequentially, starting with preclinical stages, followed by mild cognitive and/or behavioral impairment, and ultimately leading to Alzheimer's disease dementia. In recent years, healthcare providers have been advised to make an earlier diagnosis of Alzheimer's, prior to individuals developing Alzheimer's disease dementia. Regrettably, the identification of early-stage Alzheimer's disease in clinical settings can be arduous due to the tendency of patients and healthcare providers to disregard symptoms as typical signs of aging. Therefore, accurate and prompt diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease is essential in order to facilitate the development of disease-modifying and secondary preventive therapies prior to the onset of symptoms. There has been a notable shift in the goal of the diagnosis process, transitioning from merely confirming the presence of symptomatic AD to recognizing the illness in its early, asymptomatic phases. Understanding the evolution of disease-modifying therapies and putting effective diagnostic and therapeutic management into practice requires an understanding of this concept. The outcomes of this study will enhance in-depth knowledge of the current status of Alzheimer's disease's diagnosis and treatment, justifying the necessity for the quest for potential novel biomarkers that can contribute to determining the stage of the disease, particularly in its earliest stages. Interestingly, latest clinical trial status on pharmacological agents, the nonpharmacological treatments such as behavior modification, exercise, and cognitive training as well as alternative approach on phytochemicals as neuroprotective agents have been covered in detailed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aimi Syamima Abdul Manap
- Department of Biomedical Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia
| | - Reema Almadodi
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, MAHSA University, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Shirin Sultana
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, MAHSA University, Selangor, Malaysia
| | | | | | - Vanessa Elle Lyenouq
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, MAHSA University, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Aravind Shankar
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, MAHSA University, Selangor, Malaysia
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Huang T, Lin Y, Chen J, Hu J, Chen H, Zhang Y, Zhang B, He X. CD51 Intracellular Domain Promotes Cancer Cell Neurotropism through Interacting with Transcription Factor NR4A3 in Colorectal Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15092623. [PMID: 37174090 PMCID: PMC10177513 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15092623] [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: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 04/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The abundant nervous system in intestine provides the basis for perineural invasion (PNI) of colorectal cancer (CRC). PNI is defined as the invasion of the nerves by cancer cells. Although PNI is already known to be an independent prognostic factor in CRC, the molecular mechanism underlying PNI remains obscure. In this study, we first demonstrated that CD51 could promote the neurotropism of tumor cells through cleavage with γ-secretase to generate an intracellular domain (ICD). Mechanistically, ICD of CD51 could bind to the transcription factor NR4A3, and act as a coactivator to promote the expression of downstream effectors, such as NTRK1, NTRK3, and SEMA3E. Pharmacological inhibition of γ-secretase impedes PNI mediated by CD51 in CRC both in vitro and in vivo and may become a potential therapeutic target for PNI in CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianze Huang
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China
| | - Yanyun Lin
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China
| | - Junguo Chen
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China
| | - Jiancong Hu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China
| | - Hao Chen
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China
| | - Yanhong Zhang
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China
| | - Bin Zhang
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China
| | - Xiaosheng He
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China
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Bhatti JS, Khullar N, Mishra J, Kaur S, Sehrawat A, Sharma E, Bhatti GK, Selman A, Reddy PH. Stem cells in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease - Promises and pitfalls. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2023; 1869:166712. [PMID: 37030521 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2023.166712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/10/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most widespread form of neurodegenerative disorder that causes memory loss and multiple cognitive issues. The underlying mechanisms of AD include the build-up of amyloid-β and phosphorylated tau, synaptic damage, elevated levels of microglia and astrocytes, abnormal microRNAs, mitochondrial dysfunction, hormonal imbalance, and age-related neuronal loss. However, the etiology of AD is complex and involves a multitude of environmental and genetic factors. Currently, available AD medications only alleviate symptoms and do not provide a permanent cure. Therefore, there is a need for therapies that can prevent or reverse cognitive decline, brain tissue loss, and neural instability. Stem cell therapy is a promising treatment for AD because stem cells possess the unique ability to differentiate into any type of cell and maintain their self-renewal. This article provides an overview of the pathophysiology of AD and existing pharmacological treatments. This review article focuses on the role of various types of stem cells in neuroregeneration, the potential challenges, and the future of stem cell-based therapies for AD, including nano delivery and gaps in stem cell technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasvinder Singh Bhatti
- Laboratory of Translational Medicine and Nanotherapeutics, Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, India.
| | - Naina Khullar
- Department of Zoology, Mata Gujri College, Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab, India
| | - Jayapriya Mishra
- Laboratory of Translational Medicine and Nanotherapeutics, Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, India
| | - Satinder Kaur
- Laboratory of Translational Medicine and Nanotherapeutics, Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, India
| | - Abhishek Sehrawat
- Laboratory of Translational Medicine and Nanotherapeutics, Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, India
| | - Eva Sharma
- Laboratory of Translational Medicine and Nanotherapeutics, Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, India
| | - Gurjit Kaur Bhatti
- Department of Medical Lab Technology, University Institute of Applied Health Sciences, Chandigarh University, Mohali, India
| | - Ashley Selman
- Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
| | - P Hemachandra Reddy
- Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA; Department of Public Health, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA; Department of Neurology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA; Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA; Nutritional Sciences Department, College of Human Sciences, Texas Tech University, 1301 Akron Ave, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA.
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4
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Chen H, Xu J, Xu H, Luo T, Li Y, Jiang K, Shentu Y, Tong Z. New Insights into Alzheimer’s Disease: Novel Pathogenesis, Drug Target and Delivery. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:pharmaceutics15041133. [PMID: 37111618 PMCID: PMC10143738 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15041133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most common type of dementia, is characterized by senile plaques composed of amyloid β protein (Aβ) and neurofilament tangles derived from the hyperphosphorylation of tau protein. However, the developed medicines targeting Aβ and tau have not obtained ideal clinical efficacy, which raises a challenge to the hypothesis that AD is Aβ cascade-induced. A critical problem of AD pathogenesis is which endogenous factor induces Aβ aggregation and tau phosphorylation. Recently, age-associated endogenous formaldehyde has been suggested to be a direct trigger for Aβ- and tau-related pathology. Another key issue is whether or not AD drugs are successfully delivered to the damaged neurons. Both the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and extracellular space (ECS) are the barriers for drug delivery. Unexpectedly, Aβ-related SP deposition in ECS slows down or stops interstitial fluid drainage in AD, which is the direct reason for drug delivery failure. Here, we propose a new pathogenesis and perspectives on the direction of AD drug development and drug delivery: (1) aging-related formaldehyde is a direct trigger for Aβ assembly and tau hyperphosphorylation, and the new target for AD therapy is formaldehyde; (2) nano-packaging and physical therapy may be the promising strategy for increasing BBB permeability and accelerating interstitial fluid drainage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haishu Chen
- Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Institute of Aging, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer’s Disease of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, The Affiliated Wenzhou Kangning Hospital, School of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Jinan Xu
- Cixi Biomedical Research Institute, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Hanyuan Xu
- Institute of Albert, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Tiancheng Luo
- Institute of Albert, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Yihao Li
- Institute of Albert, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Ke Jiang
- Cixi Biomedical Research Institute, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Yangping Shentu
- Institute of Albert, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Zhiqian Tong
- Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Institute of Aging, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer’s Disease of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, The Affiliated Wenzhou Kangning Hospital, School of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
- Institute of Albert, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
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Abstract
The mammalian respiratory system or lung is a tree-like branching structure, and the main site of gas exchange with the external environment. Structurally, the lung is broadly classified into the proximal (or conducting) airways and the distal alveolar region, where the gas exchange occurs. In parallel with the respiratory tree, the pulmonary vasculature starts with large pulmonary arteries that subdivide rapidly ending in capillaries adjacent to alveolar structures to enable gas exchange. The NOTCH signalling pathway plays an important role in lung development, differentiation and regeneration post-injury. Signalling via the NOTCH pathway is mediated through activation of four NOTCH receptors (NOTCH1-4), with each receptor capable of regulating unique biological processes. Dysregulation of the NOTCH pathway has been associated with development and pathophysiology of multiple adult acute and chronic lung diseases. This includes accumulating evidence that alteration of NOTCH3 signalling plays an important role in the development and pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, asthma, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary arterial hypertension. Herein, we provide a comprehensive summary of the role of NOTCH3 signalling in regulating repair/regeneration of the adult lung, its association with development of lung disease and potential therapeutic strategies to target its signalling activity.
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Singh S, Yang F, Sivils A, Cegielski V, Chu XP. Amylin and Secretases in the Pathology and Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease. Biomolecules 2022; 12:996. [PMID: 35883551 PMCID: PMC9312829 DOI: 10.3390/biom12070996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease remains a prevailing neurodegenerative condition which has an array physical, emotional, and financial consequences to patients and society. In the past decade, there has been a greater degree of investigation on therapeutic small peptides. This group of biomolecules have a profile of fundamentally sound characteristics which make them an intriguing area for drug development. Among these biomolecules, there are four modulatory mechanisms of interest in this review: alpha-, beta-, gamma-secretases, and amylin. These protease-based biomolecules all have a contributory role in the amyloid cascade hypothesis. Moreover, the involvement of various biochemical pathways intertwines these peptides to have shared regulators (i.e., retinoids). Further clinical and translational investigation must occur to gain a greater understanding of its potential application in patient care. The aim of this narrative review is to evaluate the contemporary literature on these protease biomolecule modulators and determine its utility in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Xiang-Ping Chu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Kansas City, MO 64108, USA; (S.S.); (F.Y.); (A.S.); (V.C.)
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7
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Congdon EE, Jiang Y, Sigurdsson EM. Targeting tau only extracellularly is likely to be less efficacious than targeting it both intra- and extracellularly. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2022; 126:125-137. [PMID: 34896021 PMCID: PMC9680670 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2021.12.002] [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: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Aggregation of the tau protein is thought to be responsible for the neurodegeneration and subsequent functional impairments in diseases that are collectively named tauopathies. Alzheimer's disease is the most common tauopathy, but the group consists of over 20 different diseases, many of which have tau pathology as their primary feature. The development of tau therapies has mainly focused on preventing the formation of and/or clearing these aggregates. Of these, immunotherapies that aim to either elicit endogenous tau antibodies or deliver exogenous ones are the most common approach in clinical trials. While their mechanism of action can involve several pathways, both extra- and intracellular, pharmaceutical companies have primarily focused on antibody-mediated clearance of extracellular tau. As we have pointed out over the years, this is rather surprising because it is well known that most of pathological tau protein is found intracellularly. It has been repeatedly shown by several groups over the past decades that antibodies can enter neurons and that their cellular uptake can be enhanced by various means, particularly by altering their charge. Here, we will briefly describe the potential extra- and intracellular mechanisms involved in antibody-mediated clearance of tau pathology, discuss these in the context of recent failures of some of the tau antibody trials, and finally provide a brief overview of how the intracellular efficacy of tau antibodies can potentially be further improved by certain modifications that aim to enhance tau clearance via specific intracellular degradation pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin E Congdon
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, United States.
| | - Yixiang Jiang
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, United States
| | - Einar M Sigurdsson
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, United States; Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, United States.
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8
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Jeong H, Shin H, Hong S, Kim Y. Physiological Roles of Monomeric Amyloid-β and Implications for Alzheimer's Disease Therapeutics. Exp Neurobiol 2022; 31:65-88. [PMID: 35673997 PMCID: PMC9194638 DOI: 10.5607/en22004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Revised: 03/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) progressively inflicts impairment of synaptic functions with notable deposition of amyloid-β (Aβ) as senile plaques within the extracellular space of the brain. Accordingly, therapeutic directions for AD have focused on clearing Aβ plaques or preventing amyloidogenesis based on the amyloid cascade hypothesis. However, the emerging evidence suggests that Aβ serves biological roles, which include suppressing microbial infections, regulating synaptic plasticity, promoting recovery after brain injury, sealing leaks in the blood-brain barrier, and possibly inhibiting the proliferation of cancer cells. More importantly, these functions were found in in vitro and in vivo investigations in a hormetic manner, that is to be neuroprotective at low concentrations and pathological at high concentrations. We herein summarize the physiological roles of monomeric Aβ and current Aβ-directed therapies in clinical trials. Based on the evidence, we propose that novel therapeutics targeting Aβ should selectively target Aβ in neurotoxic forms such as oligomers while retaining monomeric Aβ in order to preserve the physiological functions of Aβ monomers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyomin Jeong
- Division of Integrated Science and Engineering, Underwood International College, Yonsei University, Incheon 21983, Korea
- Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Yonsei University, Incheon 21983, Korea
- Yonsei Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Yonsei University, Incheon 21983, Korea
| | - Heewon Shin
- Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Yonsei University, Incheon 21983, Korea
- Yonsei Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Yonsei University, Incheon 21983, Korea
| | - Seungpyo Hong
- Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Yonsei University, Incheon 21983, Korea
- Yonsei Frontier Lab, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea
- Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
- Wisconsin Center for NanoBioSystems, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - YoungSoo Kim
- Division of Integrated Science and Engineering, Underwood International College, Yonsei University, Incheon 21983, Korea
- Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Yonsei University, Incheon 21983, Korea
- Yonsei Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Yonsei University, Incheon 21983, Korea
- Yonsei Frontier Lab, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea
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Roda AR, Serra-Mir G, Montoliu-Gaya L, Tiessler L, Villegas S. Amyloid-beta peptide and tau protein crosstalk in Alzheimer's disease. Neural Regen Res 2022; 17:1666-1674. [PMID: 35017413 PMCID: PMC8820696 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.332127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 46.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease that accounts for most of the 50-million dementia cases worldwide in 2018. A large amount of evidence supports the amyloid cascade hypothesis, which states that amyloid-beta accumulation triggers tau hyperphosphorylation and aggregation in form of neurofibrillary tangles, and these aggregates lead to inflammation, synaptic impairment, neuronal loss, and thus to cognitive decline and behavioral abnormalities. The poor correlation found between cognitive decline and amyloid plaques, have led the scientific community to question whether amyloid-beta accumulation is actually triggering neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease. The occurrence of tau neurofibrillary tangles better correlates to neuronal loss and clinical symptoms and, although amyloid-beta may initiate the cascade of events, tau impairment is likely the effector molecule of neurodegeneration. Recently, it has been shown that amyloid-beta and tau cooperatively work to impair transcription of genes involved in synaptic function and, more importantly, that downregulation of tau partially reverses transcriptional perturbations. Despite mounting evidence points to an interplay between amyloid-beta and tau, some factors could independently affect both pathologies. Thus, the dual pathway hypothesis, which states that there are common upstream triggers causing both amyloid-beta and tau abnormalities has been proposed. Among others, the immune system seems to be strongly involved in amyloid-beta and tau pathologies. Other factors, as the apolipoprotein E ε4 isoform has been suggested to act as a link between amyloid-beta and tau hyperphosphorylation. Interestingly, amyloid-beta-immunotherapy reduces not only amyloid-beta but also tau levels in animal models and in clinical trials. Likewise, it has been shown that tau-immunotherapy also reduces amyloid-beta levels. Thus, even though amyloid-beta immunotherapy is more advanced than tau-immunotherapy, combined amyloid-beta and tau-directed therapies at early stages of the disease have recently been proposed as a strategy to stop the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro R Roda
- Protein Design and Immunotherapy Group, Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Facultat de Biociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gabriel Serra-Mir
- Protein Design and Immunotherapy Group, Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Facultat de Biociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laia Montoliu-Gaya
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Lidia Tiessler
- Protein Design and Immunotherapy Group, Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Facultat de Biociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sandra Villegas
- Protein Design and Immunotherapy Group, Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Facultat de Biociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
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Alsadat AM, Nikbakht F, Hossein Nia H, Golab F, Khadem Y, Barati M, Vazifekhah S. GSK-3β as a target for apigenin-induced neuroprotection against Aβ 25-35 in a rat model of Alzheimer's disease. Neuropeptides 2021; 90:102200. [PMID: 34597878 DOI: 10.1016/j.npep.2021.102200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) is a critical molecule in Alzheimer's disease (AD) that modulates two histopathological hallmarks of AD: Amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques and neurofibrillary tangles composed of aberrant hyper-phosphorylation of tau protein. This study was performed to investigate the protective effect of flavone apigenin through inhibition of GSK-3 and the involvement of this kinase in the inhibition of BACE1 expression and hyperphosphorylation of tau protein in an AD rat model. 15 nM of aggregated amyloid-beta 25-35 was microinjected into the left lateral ventricle of an AD rat. Apigenin (50 mg/kg) was administered orally 45 min before the Aβ injection and continued daily for three weeks. Immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis showed that apigenin significantly reduced the hyperphosphorylation of tau levels in the hippocampus. Real-time PCR analysis revealed significant inhibition of the mRNA level of β secretase (BACE1) and GSK-3β, but Apigenin had no effect on the level of GSK-3α. The results demonstrate that apigenin has a protective effect against amyloid-beta 25-35 by decreasing the expression of GSK-3β with the consequence of lowering the hyperphosphorylation of tau protein and suppressing BACE1 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Moein Alsadat
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center and Department of Physiology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran. Iran
| | - Farnaz Nikbakht
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center and Department of Physiology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran. Iran.
| | - Hadiseh Hossein Nia
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center and Department of Physiology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran. Iran
| | - Fereshteh Golab
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center and Department of Physiology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran. Iran
| | - Yasaman Khadem
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center and Department of Physiology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran. Iran
| | - Mahmoud Barati
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran. Iran
| | - Somayeh Vazifekhah
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center and Department of Physiology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran. Iran
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Gayathri S, Chandrashekar H R, Fayaz S M. Phytotherapeutics Against Alzheimer's Disease: Mechanism, Molecular Targets and Challenges for Drug Development. CNS & NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS-DRUG TARGETS 2021; 21:409-426. [PMID: 34544351 DOI: 10.2174/1871527320666210920120612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease is inflating worldwide and is combatted by only a few approved drugs. At best, these drugs treat symptomatic conditions by targeting cholinesterase and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors. Most of the clinical trials in progress are focused to develop disease-modifying agents that aim single targets. The 'one drug-one target' approach is failing in the case of Alzheimer's disease due to its labyrinth etiopathogenesis. Traditional medicinal systems like ayurveda uses a holistic approach encompassing legion of medicinal plants exhibiting multimodal activity. Recent advances in high-throughput technologies have catapulted the research in the arena of ayurveda, specifically in identifying plants with potent anti-Alzheimer's disease properties and their phytochemical characterization. Nonetheless, clinical trials of very few herbal medicines are in progress. This review is a compendium of Indian plants and ayurvedic medicines against Alzheimer's disease and their paraphernalia. A record of 230 plants that are found in India with anti-Alzheimer's disease potential and about 500 phytochemicals from medicinal plants has been solicited with the hope of exploring the unexplored. Further, the molecular targets of phytochemicals isolated from commonly used medicinal plants such as Acorus calamus, Bacopa monnieri, Convolvulus pluricaulis, Tinospora cordifolia and Withania somnifera have been reviewed with respect to their multidimensional property such as antioxidant, anti-inflammation, anti-aggregation, synaptic plasticity modulation, cognition and memory enhancing activity. In addition, the strengths, and challenges in ayurvedic medicine that limit its use as mainstream therapy is discussed and a framework for the development of herbal medicine has been proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gayathri S
- Department of Biotechnology, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka - 576104. India
| | - Raghu Chandrashekar H
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka - 576104. India
| | - Fayaz S M
- Department of Biotechnology, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka - 576104. India
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12
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Decourt B, Boumelhem F, Pope ED, Shi J, Mari Z, Sabbagh MN. Critical Appraisal of Amyloid Lowering Agents in AD. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep 2021; 21:39. [PMID: 34110536 PMCID: PMC8192384 DOI: 10.1007/s11910-021-01125-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW According to the amyloid cascade hypothesis, removing amyloid beta (Aβ) should cure Alzheimer's disease (AD). In the past three decades, many agents have been tested to try to lower Aβ production, prevent Aβ aggregation, and dissolve Aβ deposits. However, the paucity in definitive preventative or curative properties of these agents in clinical trials has resulted in more avant-garde approaches to therapeutic investigations. Immunotherapy has become an area of focus for research on disease-modifying therapies for neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we highlight the current clinical development landscape of monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapies that target Aβ plaque formation and removal in AD. RECENT FINDINGS Multiple potential disease-modifying therapeutics for AD are in active development. Targeting Aβ with mAbs has the potential to treat various stages of AD: prodromal, prodromal to mild, mild, and mild to moderate. Monoclonal antibodies discussed here include aducanumab, lecanemab, solanezumab, crenezumab, donanemab, and gantenerumab. The final decision by the FDA regarding the approval of aducanumab will offer valuable insight into the trajectory of drug development for mAbs in AD and other neurodegenerative diseases. Future directions for improving the treatment of AD will include more inquiry into the efficacy of mAbs as disease-modifying agents that specifically target Aβ peptides and/or multimers. In addition, a more robust trial design for AD immunotherapy agents should improve outcomes such that objective measures of clinical efficacy will eventually lead to higher chances of drug approval.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boris Decourt
- Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, 888 W. Bonneville Ave, Las Vegas, NV, 89106, USA
| | | | - Evans D Pope
- Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, 888 W. Bonneville Ave, Las Vegas, NV, 89106, USA
| | - Jiong Shi
- Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, 888 W. Bonneville Ave, Las Vegas, NV, 89106, USA
| | - Zoltan Mari
- Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, 888 W. Bonneville Ave, Las Vegas, NV, 89106, USA
| | - Marwan Noel Sabbagh
- Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, 888 W. Bonneville Ave, Las Vegas, NV, 89106, USA.
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13
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Ceyzériat K, Zilli T, Millet P, Frisoni GB, Garibotto V, Tournier BB. Learning from the Past: A Review of Clinical Trials Targeting Amyloid, Tau and Neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's Disease. Curr Alzheimer Res 2021; 17:112-125. [PMID: 32129164 DOI: 10.2174/1567205017666200304085513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Revised: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease and cause of dementia. Characterized by amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles of hyperphosphorylated Tau, AD pathology has been intensively studied during the last century. After a long series of failed trials of drugs targeting amyloid or Tau deposits, currently, hope lies in the positive results of one Phase III trial, highly debated, and on other ongoing trials. In parallel, some approaches target neuroinflammation, another central feature of AD. Therapeutic strategies are initially evaluated on animal models, in which the various drugs have shown effects on the target (decreasing amyloid, Tau and neuroinflammation) and sometimes on cognitive impairment. However, it is important to keep in mind that rodent models have a less complex brain than humans and that the pathology is generally not fully represented. Although they are indispensable tools in the drug discovery process, results obtained from animal models must be viewed with caution. In this review, we focus on the current status of disease-modifying therapies targeting amyloid, Tau and neuroinflammation with particular attention on the discrepancy between positive preclinical results on animal models and failures in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Ceyzériat
- Division of Adult Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland.,Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Diagnostic Department, Geneva University and Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland.,Division of Radiation Oncology, Department of Oncology, Geneva University and Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Zilli
- Division of Radiation Oncology, Department of Oncology, Geneva University and Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Philippe Millet
- Division of Adult Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Giovanni B Frisoni
- Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Diagnostic Department, Geneva University and Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland.,IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
| | - Valentina Garibotto
- Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Diagnostic Department, Geneva University and Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Benjamin B Tournier
- Division of Adult Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
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14
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Reiss AB, Montufar N, DeLeon J, Pinkhasov A, Gomolin IH, Glass AD, Arain HA, Stecker MM. Alzheimer Disease Clinical Trials Targeting Amyloid: Lessons Learned From Success in Mice and Failure in Humans. Neurologist 2021; 26:52-61. [PMID: 33646990 DOI: 10.1097/nrl.0000000000000320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The goal of slowing or halting the development of Alzheimer disease (AD) has resulted in the huge allocation of resources by academic institutions and pharmaceutical companies to the development of new treatments. The etiology of AD is elusive, but the aggregation of amyloid-β and tau peptide and oxidative processes are considered critical pathologic mechanisms. The failure of drugs with multiple mechanisms to meet efficacy outcomes has caused several companies to decide not to pursue further AD studies and has left the field essentially where it has been for the past 15 years. Efforts are underway to develop biomarkers for detection and monitoring of AD using genetic, imaging, and biochemical technology, but this is of minimal use if no intervention can be offered. REVIEW SUMMARY In this review, we consider the natural progression of AD and how it continues despite present attempts to modify the amyloid-related machinery to alter the disease trajectory. We describe the mechanisms and approaches to AD treatment targeting amyloid, including both passive and active immunotherapy as well as inhibitors of enzymes in the amyloidogenic pathway. CONCLUSION Lessons learned from clinical trials of amyloid reduction strategies may prove crucial for the leap forward toward novel therapeutic targets to treat AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison B Reiss
- Department of Medicine, NYU Long Island School of Medicine, Mineola, NY
| | - Natalie Montufar
- Department of Medicine, NYU Long Island School of Medicine, Mineola, NY
| | - Joshua DeLeon
- Department of Medicine, NYU Long Island School of Medicine, Mineola, NY
| | - Aaron Pinkhasov
- Department of Medicine, NYU Long Island School of Medicine, Mineola, NY
| | - Irving H Gomolin
- Department of Medicine, NYU Long Island School of Medicine, Mineola, NY
| | - Amy D Glass
- Department of Medicine, NYU Long Island School of Medicine, Mineola, NY
| | - Hirra A Arain
- Department of Medicine, NYU Long Island School of Medicine, Mineola, NY
| | - Mark M Stecker
- Fresno Center for Medical Education and Research, Department of Medicine, University of California-San Francisco, Fresno, CA
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15
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Urbanc B. Cross-Linked Amyloid β-Protein Oligomers: A Missing Link in Alzheimer's Disease Pathology? J Phys Chem B 2021; 125:1307-1316. [PMID: 33440940 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.0c07716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Amyloid β-protein (Aβ) oligomers are broadly viewed as the proximate mediators of toxicity in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recent studies, however, provide substantial evidence that Aβ is involved in protection and repair of the central nervous system whereby Aβ oligomer and subsequent fibril formation are integral to its normal antimicrobial and antiviral function. These developments raise a question of what exactly makes Aβ oligomers toxic in the context of AD. This Perspective describes a paradigm shift in the search for toxic Aβ oligomer species that involves oxidative-stress-induced stabilization of Aβ oligomers via cross-linking and reviews most recent research elucidating structural aspects of cross-linked Aβ oligomers and potential inhibition of their toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brigita Urbanc
- Department of Physics, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
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16
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[The future of dementia prevention and treatment strategies]. Nihon Ronen Igakkai Zasshi 2020; 57:374-396. [PMID: 33268621 DOI: 10.3143/geriatrics.57.374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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17
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Pinheiro L, Faustino C. Therapeutic Strategies Targeting Amyloid-β in Alzheimer's Disease. Curr Alzheimer Res 2020; 16:418-452. [PMID: 30907320 DOI: 10.2174/1567205016666190321163438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2018] [Revised: 03/16/2019] [Accepted: 03/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder linked to protein misfolding and aggregation. AD is pathologically characterized by senile plaques formed by extracellular Amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide and Intracellular Neurofibrillary Tangles (NFT) formed by hyperphosphorylated tau protein. Extensive synaptic loss and neuronal degeneration are responsible for memory impairment, cognitive decline and behavioral dysfunctions typical of AD. Amyloidosis has been implicated in the depression of acetylcholine synthesis and release, overactivation of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors and increased intracellular calcium levels that result in excitotoxic neuronal degeneration. Current drugs used in AD treatment are either cholinesterase inhibitors or NMDA receptor antagonists; however, they provide only symptomatic relief and do not alter the progression of the disease. Aβ is the product of Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) processing after successive cleavage by β- and γ-secretases while APP proteolysis by α-secretase results in non-amyloidogenic products. According to the amyloid cascade hypothesis, Aβ dyshomeostasis results in the accumulation and aggregation of Aβ into soluble oligomers and insoluble fibrils. The former are synaptotoxic and can induce tau hyperphosphorylation while the latter deposit in senile plaques and elicit proinflammatory responses, contributing to oxidative stress, neuronal degeneration and neuroinflammation. Aβ-protein-targeted therapeutic strategies are thus a promising disease-modifying approach for the treatment and prevention of AD. This review summarizes recent findings on Aβ-protein targeted AD drugs, including β-secretase inhibitors, γ-secretase inhibitors and modulators, α-secretase activators, direct inhibitors of Aβ aggregation and immunotherapy targeting Aβ, focusing mainly on those currently under clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lídia Pinheiro
- iMed.ULisboa - Research Institute for Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Célia Faustino
- iMed.ULisboa - Research Institute for Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
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18
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Pais M, Martinez L, Ribeiro O, Loureiro J, Fernandez R, Valiengo L, Canineu P, Stella F, Talib L, Radanovic M, Forlenza OV. Early diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease: new definitions and challenges. REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE PSIQUIATRIA (SAO PAULO, BRAZIL : 1999) 2020; 42:431-441. [PMID: 31994640 PMCID: PMC7430379 DOI: 10.1590/1516-4446-2019-0735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The prevalence of Alzheimer's disease (AD), a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, is expected to more than double by 2050. Studies on the pathophysiology of AD have been changing our understanding of this disorder and setting a new scenario for drug development and other therapies. Concepts like the "amyloid cascade" and the "continuum of AD," discussed in this article, are now well established. From updated classifications and recommendations to advances in biomarkers of AD, we aim to critically assess the literature on AD, addressing new definitions and challenges that emerged from recent studies on the subject. Updates on the status of major clinical trials are also given, and future perspectives are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcos Pais
- Laboratório de Neurociências (LIM27), Departamento e Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (HCFMUSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Luana Martinez
- Laboratório de Neurociências (LIM27), Departamento e Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (HCFMUSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Octávio Ribeiro
- Laboratório de Neurociências (LIM27), Departamento e Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (HCFMUSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Júlia Loureiro
- Laboratório de Neurociências (LIM27), Departamento e Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (HCFMUSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Romel Fernandez
- Laboratório de Neurociências (LIM27), Departamento e Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (HCFMUSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Leandro Valiengo
- Laboratório de Neurociências (LIM27), Departamento e Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (HCFMUSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Paulo Canineu
- Laboratório de Neurociências (LIM27), Departamento e Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (HCFMUSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Programa de Gerontologia, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (PUC-SP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Florindo Stella
- Laboratório de Neurociências (LIM27), Departamento e Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (HCFMUSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Rio Claro, SP, Brazil
| | - Leda Talib
- Laboratório de Neurociências (LIM27), Departamento e Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (HCFMUSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcia Radanovic
- Laboratório de Neurociências (LIM27), Departamento e Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (HCFMUSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Orestes V. Forlenza
- Laboratório de Neurociências (LIM27), Departamento e Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (HCFMUSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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19
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Rizzo P, Vieceli Dalla Sega F, Fortini F, Marracino L, Rapezzi C, Ferrari R. COVID-19 in the heart and the lungs: could we "Notch" the inflammatory storm? Basic Res Cardiol 2020; 115:31. [PMID: 32274570 PMCID: PMC7144545 DOI: 10.1007/s00395-020-0791-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
From January 2020, coronavirus disease (COVID-19) originated in China has spread around the world. The disease is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The presence of myocarditis, cardiac arrest, and acute heart failure in COVID-19 patients suggests the existence of a relationship between SARS-CoV-2 infection and cardiac disease. The Notch signalling is a major regulator of cardiovascular function and it is also implicated in several biological processes mediating viral infections. In this report we discuss the possibility to target Notch signalling to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection and interfere with the progression of COVID-19- associated heart and lungs disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Rizzo
- Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine and Laboratory for Technologies of Advanced Therapies (LTTA), University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
- Maria Cecilia Hospital, GVM Care & Research, Cotignola, Italy.
| | | | | | - Luisa Marracino
- Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine and Laboratory for Technologies of Advanced Therapies (LTTA), University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Claudio Rapezzi
- Maria Cecilia Hospital, GVM Care & Research, Cotignola, Italy
- Cardiovascular Center, University Hospital of Cona, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Roberto Ferrari
- Maria Cecilia Hospital, GVM Care & Research, Cotignola, Italy
- Cardiovascular Center, University Hospital of Cona, Ferrara, Italy
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20
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Mancuso C, Gaetani S. Editorial: Alzheimer's Disease: Original Mechanisms and Translational Impact. Front Pharmacol 2020; 11:157. [PMID: 32174838 PMCID: PMC7054435 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.00157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 02/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Cesare Mancuso
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy.,Institute of Pharmacology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvana Gaetani
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "V. Erspamer," Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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21
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Yiannopoulou KG, Papageorgiou SG. Current and Future Treatments in Alzheimer Disease: An Update. J Cent Nerv Syst Dis 2020; 12:1179573520907397. [PMID: 32165850 PMCID: PMC7050025 DOI: 10.1177/1179573520907397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 352] [Impact Index Per Article: 88.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Disease-modifying treatment strategies for Alzheimer disease (AD) are still under extensive research. Nowadays, only symptomatic treatments exist for this disease, all trying to counterbalance the neurotransmitter disturbance: 3 cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine. To block the progression of the disease, therapeutic agents are supposed to interfere with the pathogenic steps responsible for the clinical symptoms, classically including the deposition of extracellular amyloid β plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangle formation. Other underlying mechanisms are targeted by neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, growth factor promotive, metabolic efficacious agents and stem cell therapies. Recent therapies have integrated multiple new features such as novel biomarkers, new neuropsychological outcomes, enrollment of earlier populations in the course of the disease, and innovative trial designs. In the near future different specific agents for every patient might be used in a “precision medicine” context, where aberrant biomarkers accompanied with a particular pattern of neuropsychological and neuroimaging findings could determine a specific treatment regimen within a customized therapeutic framework. In this review, we discuss potential disease-modifying therapies that are currently being studied and potential individualized therapeutic frameworks that can be proved beneficial for patients with AD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sokratis G Papageorgiou
- Cognitive Disorders/Dementia Unit, 2nd Neurological Department, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attikon General University Hospital, Athens, Greece
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22
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Liyanage SI, Weaver DF. Misfolded proteins as a therapeutic target in Alzheimer's disease. ADVANCES IN PROTEIN CHEMISTRY AND STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY 2020; 118:371-411. [PMID: 31928732 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apcsb.2019.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
For decades, Alzheimer's Disease (AD) was defined as a disorder of protein misfolding and aggregation. In particular, the extracellular peptide fragment: amyloid-β (Aβ), and the intracellular microtubule-associated protein: tau, were thought to initiate a neurodegenerative cascade which culminated in AD's progressive loss of memory and executive function. As such, both proteins became the focus of intense scrutiny, and served as the principal pathogenic target for hundreds of clinical trials. However, with varying efficacy, none of these investigations produced a disease-modifying therapy - offering patients with AD little recourse aside from transient, symptomatic medications. The near universal failure of clinical trials is unprecedented for a major research discipline. In part, this has motivated an increasing skepticism of the relevance of protein misfolding to AD's etiology. Several recent observations, principally the presence of significant protein pathologies in non-demented seniors, have lent credence to an apparent cursory role for Aβ and tau. Herein, we review both Aβ and tau, examining the processes from their biosynthesis to their pathogenesis and evaluate their vulnerability to medicinal intervention. We further attempt to reconcile the apparent failure of trials with the potential these targets hold. Ultimately, we seek to answer if protein misfolding is a viable platform in the pursuit of a disease-arresting strategy for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Imindu Liyanage
- Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Donald F Weaver
- Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada; Departments of Medicine (Neurology), Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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23
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Penninkilampi R, Casey AN, Singh MF, Brodaty H. The Association between Social Engagement, Loneliness, and Risk of Dementia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Alzheimers Dis 2019; 66:1619-1633. [PMID: 30452410 DOI: 10.3233/jad-180439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 228] [Impact Index Per Article: 45.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
It has been reported that social engagement may be associated with dementia risk. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, LILACS, Biomed Central, Scopus, and Web of Science from January 2012 - May 2017, supplemented by extraction from previous reviews. We included cohort and case-control studies examining the association between social engagement or loneliness and dementia risk, pooling data using a random-effects model. Registered: PROSPERO (CRD42017067074). We included 31 cohort and 2 case-control studies comprising 2,370,452 participants. Poor social engagement indices were associated with increased dementia risk, including having a poor social network (RR = 1.59, 95% CI 1.31-1.96; I2 = 0.00%) and poor social support (RR = 1.28, 95% CI 1.01-1.62; I2 = 55.51%). In long-term studies (≥10 years), good social engagement was modestly protective (RR = 0.88, 95% CI 0.80-0.96; I2 = 0.00%). Loneliness was non-significantly associated with increased risk (RR = 1.38, 95% CI 0.98-1.94; I2 = 45.32). Our findings encourage interventions targeting social isolation and disengagement for dementia prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ross Penninkilampi
- Dementia Centre for Research Collaboration, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Anne-Nicole Casey
- Dementia Centre for Research Collaboration, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.,Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Maria Fiatarone Singh
- The University of Sydney, faculty of Health Sciences and Sydney Medical School Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Hebrew SeniorLife and Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Henry Brodaty
- Dementia Centre for Research Collaboration, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.,Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.,Academic Department for Old Age Psychiatry, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, Australia
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24
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Catania M, Giaccone G, Salmona M, Tagliavini F, Di Fede G. Dreaming of a New World Where Alzheimer's Is a Treatable Disorder. Front Aging Neurosci 2019; 11:317. [PMID: 31803047 PMCID: PMC6873113 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2019.00317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia. It’s a chronic and untreatable neurodegenerative disease with irreversible progression and has important social and economic implications in terms of direct medical and social care costs. Despite prolonged and expensive efforts employed by the scientific community over the last few decades, no effective treatments are still available for patients, and the development of disease-modifying drugs is now a really urgent need. The recent failure of clinical trials based on the immunotherapeutic approach against amyloid-β(Aβ) protein questioned the validity of the “amyloid cascade hypothesis” as the molecular machinery causing the disease. Indeed, most attempts to design effective treatments for AD have been based until now on molecular targets suggested to be implicated in AD pathogenesis by the amyloid cascade hypothesis. However, mounting evidence from scientific literature supports the view of AD as a multifactorial disease that results from the concomitant action of multiple molecular players. This view, together with the lack of success of the disease-modifying single-target approaches, strongly suggests that AD drug design needs to be shifted towards multi-targeted compounds or drug combinations acting synergistically on the main core features of disease pathogenesis. The discovery of drug candidates targeting multiple factors involved in AD would greatly improve drug development. So, it is reasonable that upcoming strategies for the design of preventive and/or therapeutic agents for AD point to a multi-pronged approach including more than one druggable target to definitely defeat the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcella Catania
- Neurology V-Neuropathology Unit and Scientific Directorate, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Giorgio Giaccone
- Neurology V-Neuropathology Unit and Scientific Directorate, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Mario Salmona
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Tagliavini
- Neurology V-Neuropathology Unit and Scientific Directorate, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Di Fede
- Neurology V-Neuropathology Unit and Scientific Directorate, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
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25
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Kisby B, Jarrell JT, Agar ME, Cohen DS, Rosin ER, Cahill CM, Rogers JT, Huang X. Alzheimer's Disease and Its Potential Alternative Therapeutics. JOURNAL OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE & PARKINSONISM 2019; 9. [PMID: 31588368 PMCID: PMC6777730 DOI: 10.4172/2161-0460.1000477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disease that affects over 5 million individuals in the United States alone. Currently, there are only two kinds of pharmacological interventions available for symptomatic relief of AD; Acetyl Cholinesterase Inhibitors (AChEI) and N-methyl-D-aspartic Acid (NMDA) receptor antagonists and these drugs do not slow down or stop the progression of the disease. Several molecular targets have been implicated in the pathophysiology of AD, such as the tau (τ) protein, Amyloid-beta (Aβ), the Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) and more and several responses have also been observed in the advancement of the disease, such as reduced neurogenesis, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress and iron overload. In this review, we discuss general features of AD and several small molecules across different experimental AD drug classes that have been studied for their effects in the context of the molecular targets and responses associated with the AD progression. These drugs include: Paroxetine, Desferrioxamine (DFO), N-acetylcysteine (NAC), Posiphen/-(−)Phenserine, JTR-009, Carvedilol, LY450139, Intravenous immunoglobulin G 10%, Indomethacin and Lithium Carbonate (Li2CO3).
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Affiliation(s)
- Brent Kisby
- Neurochemistry Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Juliet T Jarrell
- Neurochemistry Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - M Enes Agar
- Neurochemistry Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - David S Cohen
- Neurochemistry Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Eric R Rosin
- Neurochemistry Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Catherine M Cahill
- Neurochemistry Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Jack T Rogers
- Neurochemistry Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Xudong Huang
- Neurochemistry Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
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26
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Šimić G, Španić E, Langer Horvat L, Hof PR. Blood-brain barrier and innate immunity in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2019; 168:99-145. [PMID: 31699331 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2019.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is only partly understood. This is the probable reason why significant efforts to treat or prevent AD have been unsuccessful. In fact, as of April 2019, there have been 2094 studies registered for AD on the clinicaltrials.gov U.S. National Library of Science web page, of which only a few are still ongoing. In AD, abnormal accumulation of amyloid and tau proteins in the brain are thought to begin 10-20 years before the onset of overt symptoms, suggesting that interventions designed to prevent pathological amyloid and tau accumulation may be more effective than attempting to reverse a pathology once it is established. However, to be successful, such early interventions need to be selectively administered to individuals who will likely develop the disease long before the symptoms occur. Therefore, it is critical to identify early biomarkers that are strongly predictive of AD. Currently, patients are diagnosed on the basis of a variety of clinical scales, neuropsychological tests, imaging and laboratory modalities, but definitive diagnosis can be made only by postmortem assessment of underlying neuropathology. People suffering from AD thus may be misdiagnosed clinically with other primary causes of dementia, and vice versa, thereby also reducing the power of clinical trials. The amyloid cascade hypothesis fits well for the familial cases of AD with known mutations, but is not sufficient to explain sporadic, late-onset AD (LOAD) that accounts for over 95% of all cases. Since the earliest descriptions of AD there have been neuropathological features described other than amyloid plaques (AP) and neurofibrillary tangles (NFT), most notably gliosis and neuroinflammation. However, it is only recently that genetic and experimental studies have implicated microglial dysfunction as a causal factor for AD, as opposed to a merely biological response of its accumulation around AP. Additionally, many studies have suggested the importance of changes in blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability in the pathogenesis of AD. Here we suggest how these less investigated aspects of the disease that have gained increased attention in recent years may contribute mechanistically to the development of lesions and symptoms of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Goran Šimić
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia.
| | - Ena Španić
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Lea Langer Horvat
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Patrick R Hof
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
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Gosztyla ML, Brothers HM, Robinson SR. Alzheimer's Amyloid-β is an Antimicrobial Peptide: A Review of the Evidence. J Alzheimers Dis 2019; 62:1495-1506. [PMID: 29504537 DOI: 10.3233/jad-171133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 148] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide has long been considered to be the driving force behind Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, clinical trials that have successfully reduced Aβ burden in the brain have not slowed the cognitive decline, and in some instances, have resulted in adverse outcomes. While these results can be interpreted in different ways, a more nuanced picture of Aβ is emerging that takes into account the facts that the peptide is evolutionarily conserved and is present throughout life in cognitively normal individuals. Recent evidence indicates a role for Aβ as an antimicrobial peptide (AMP), a class of innate immune defense molecule that utilizes fibrillation to protect the host from a wide range of infectious agents. In humans and in animal models, infection of the brain frequently leads to increased amyloidogenic processing of the amyloid-β protein precursor (AβPP) and resultant fibrillary aggregates of Aβ. Evidence from in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrates that Aβ oligomers have potent, broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties by forming fibrils that entrap pathogens and disrupt cell membranes. Importantly, overexpression of Aβ confers increased resistance to infection from both bacteria and viruses. The antimicrobial role of Aβ may explain why increased rates of infection have been observed in some of the AD clinical trials that depleted Aβ. Perhaps progress toward a cure for AD will accelerate once treatment strategies begin to take into account the likely physiological functions of this enigmatic peptide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya L Gosztyla
- Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Holly M Brothers
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Stephen R Robinson
- Discipline of Psychology, School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
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Guix FX, Sartório CL, Ill-Raga G. BACE1 Translation: At the Crossroads Between Alzheimer's Disease Neurodegeneration and Memory Consolidation. J Alzheimers Dis Rep 2019; 3:113-148. [PMID: 31259308 PMCID: PMC6597968 DOI: 10.3233/adr-180089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Human life unfolds not only in time and space, but also in the recollection and interweaving of memories. Therefore, individual human identity depends fully on a proper access to the autobiographical memory. Such access is hindered under pathological conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, which affects millions of people worldwide. Unfortunately, no effective cure exists to prevent this disorder, the impact of which will rise alarmingly within the next decades. While Alzheimer’s disease is largely considered to be the outcome of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide accumulation in the brain, conceiving this complex disorder strictly as the result of Aβ-neurotoxicity is perhaps a too straight-line simplification. Instead, complementary to this view, the tableau of molecular disarrangements in the Alzheimer’s disease brain may be reflecting, at least in part, a loss of function phenotype in memory processing. Here we take BACE1 translation and degradation as a gateway to study molecular mechanisms putatively involved in the transition between memory and neurodegeneration. BACE1 participates in the excision of Aβ-peptide from its precursor holoprotein, but plays a role in synaptic plasticity too. Its translation is governed by eIF2α phosphorylation: a hub integrating cellular responses to stress, but also a critical switch in memory consolidation. Paralleling these dualities, the eIF2α-kinase HRI has been shown to be a nitric oxide-dependent physiological activator of hippocampal BACE1 translation. Finally, beholding BACE1 as a representative protease active in the CNS, we venture a new perspective on the cellular basis of memory, which may incorporate neurodegeneration in itself as a drift in memory consolidating systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesc X Guix
- Department of Molecular Neuropathology, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmem L Sartório
- Division of Physiological Sciences, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil
| | - Gerard Ill-Raga
- Division of Physiological Sciences, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil
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Medoro A, Bartollino S, Mignogna D, Passarella D, Porcile C, Pagano A, Florio T, Nizzari M, Guerra G, Di Marco R, Intrieri M, Raimo G, Russo C. Complexity and Selectivity of γ-Secretase Cleavage on Multiple Substrates: Consequences in Alzheimer's Disease and Cancer. J Alzheimers Dis 2018; 61:1-15. [PMID: 29103038 DOI: 10.3233/jad-170628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The processing of the amyloid-β protein precursor (AβPP) by β- and γ-secretases is a pivotal event in the genesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Besides familial mutations on the AβPP gene, or upon its overexpression, familial forms of AD are often caused by mutations or deletions in presenilin 1 (PSEN1) and 2 (PSEN2) genes: the catalytic components of the proteolytic enzyme γ-secretase (GS). The "amyloid hypothesis", modified over time, states that the aberrant processing of AβPP by GS induces the formation of specific neurotoxic soluble amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides which, in turn, cause neurodegeneration. This theory, however, has recently evidenced significant limitations and, in particular, the following issues are debated: 1) the concept and significance of presenilin's "gain of function" versus "loss of function"; and 2) the presence of several and various GS substrates, which interact with AβPP and may influence Aβ formation. The latter consideration is suggestive: despite the increasing number of GS substrates so far identified, their reciprocal interaction with AβPP itself, even in the AD field, is significantly unexplored. On the other hand, GS is also an important pharmacological target in the cancer field; inhibitors or GS activity are investigated in clinical trials for treating different tumors. Furthermore, the function of AβPP and PSENs in brain development and in neuronal migration is well known. In this review, we focused on a specific subset of GS substrates that directly interact with AβPP and are involved in its proteolysis and signaling, by evaluating their role in neurodegeneration and in cell motility or proliferation, as a possible connection between AD and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Medoro
- Department of Medicine and Health Sciences "V. Tiberio", University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy
| | - Silvia Bartollino
- Department of Medicine and Health Sciences "V. Tiberio", University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy
| | - Donatella Mignogna
- Department of Medicine and Health Sciences "V. Tiberio", University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy
| | - Daniela Passarella
- Department of Medicine and Health Sciences "V. Tiberio", University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy
| | - Carola Porcile
- Department of Medicine and Health Sciences "V. Tiberio", University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy
| | - Aldo Pagano
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genoa and Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, IRCCS per l'Oncologia, Genoa, Italy
| | - Tullio Florio
- Department of Internal Medicine and Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Mario Nizzari
- Department of Internal Medicine and Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Germano Guerra
- Department of Medicine and Health Sciences "V. Tiberio", University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy
| | - Roberto Di Marco
- Department of Medicine and Health Sciences "V. Tiberio", University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy
| | - Mariano Intrieri
- Department of Medicine and Health Sciences "V. Tiberio", University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy
| | - Gennaro Raimo
- Department of Medicine and Health Sciences "V. Tiberio", University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy
| | - Claudio Russo
- Department of Medicine and Health Sciences "V. Tiberio", University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy
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Novak P, Cehlar O, Skrabana R, Novak M. Tau Conformation as a Target for Disease-Modifying Therapy: The Role of Truncation. J Alzheimers Dis 2018; 64:S535-S546. [DOI: 10.3233/jad-179942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Petr Novak
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Ondrej Cehlar
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Rostislav Skrabana
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Michal Novak
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
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Brothers HM, Gosztyla ML, Robinson SR. The Physiological Roles of Amyloid-β Peptide Hint at New Ways to Treat Alzheimer's Disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2018; 10:118. [PMID: 29922148 PMCID: PMC5996906 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2018.00118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 214] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2018] [Accepted: 04/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyloid-ß (Aß) is best known as the misfolded peptide that is involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and it is currently the primary therapeutic target in attempts to arrest the course of this disease. This notoriety has overshadowed evidence that Aß serves several important physiological functions. Aß is present throughout the lifespan, it has been found in all vertebrates examined thus far, and its molecular sequence shows a high degree of conservation. These features are typical of a factor that contributes significantly to biological fitness, and this suggestion has been supported by evidence of functions that are beneficial for the brain. The putative roles of Aß include protecting the body from infections, repairing leaks in the blood-brain barrier, promoting recovery from injury, and regulating synaptic function. Evidence for these beneficial roles comes from in vitro and in vivo studies, which have shown that the cellular production of Aß rapidly increases in response to a physiological challenge and often diminishes upon recovery. These roles are further supported by the adverse outcomes of clinical trials that have attempted to deplete Aß in order to treat AD. We suggest that anti-Aß therapies will produce fewer adverse effects if the known triggers of Aß deposition (e.g., pathogens, hypertension, and diabetes) are addressed first.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holly M Brothers
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University Columbus, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Maya L Gosztyla
- Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University Columbus, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Stephen R Robinson
- Discipline of Psychology, School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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32
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Wang BJ, Wu PY, Chen YW, Chang YT, Bhore N, Wu PF, Liao YF. Quantitative Measurement of γ-Secretase-mediated Amyloid Precursor Protein and Notch Cleavage in Cell-based Luciferase Reporter Assay Platforms. J Vis Exp 2018. [PMID: 29443039 DOI: 10.3791/56795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
We have developed a pair of cell-based reporter gene assays to quantitatively measure γ-secretase cleavage of distinct substrates. This manuscript describes procedures that may be used to monitor γ-secretase-mediated cleavage of either APP-C99 or Notch, using a Gal4 promoter-driven firefly luciferase reporter system. These assays were established by stably co-transfecting HEK293 cells with the Gal4-driven luciferase reporter gene and either the Gal4/VP16-tagged C-terminal fragment of APP (APP-C99; CG cells), or the Gal4/VP16-tagged Notch-ΔE (NΔE; NG cells). Using these reporter assays in parallel, we have demonstrated that an ErbB2 inhibitor, CL-387,785, can preferentially suppress γ-secretase cleavage of APP-C99 in CG cells, but not NΔE in NG cells. The differential responses exhibited by the CG and NG cells, when treated with CL-387,785, represent a preferred characteristic for γ-secretase modulators, and these responses are in stark contrast to the pan-inhibition of γ-secretase induced by DAPT. Our studies provide direct evidence that γ-secretase activities toward different substrates can be differentiated in a cellular context. These new assays may therefore be useful tools in drug discovery for improved AD therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo-Jeng Wang
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica
| | - Pei-Yi Wu
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica
| | - Yun-Wen Chen
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica
| | - Yu-Tzu Chang
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica
| | - Noopur Bhore
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica
| | - Po-Fan Wu
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica
| | - Yung-Feng Liao
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica;
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33
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Penninkilampi R, Brothers HM, Eslick GD. Safety and Efficacy of Anti-Amyloid-β Immunotherapy in Alzheimer's Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Neuroimmune Pharmacol 2016; 12:194-203. [PMID: 28025724 DOI: 10.1007/s11481-016-9722-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2016] [Accepted: 12/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Immunotherapeutics targeting amyloid-β (Aβ) have had mixed results in clinical trials. The present study aims to evaluate the safety and clinical efficacy of immunotherapeutic agents targeting Aβ in Alzheimer's disease. Randomised controlled trials of at least two weeks duration were included in the review. Fourteen randomised controlled trials (n = 5554) were identified in a systematic search of eight electronic databases. Upon pooling of data, there was no increased risk of any adverse event, serious adverse events, or death with the exception of a near fivefold increase in amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA; OR 4.79, 95% CI 1.24-18.55; p = 0.02). Of the cognitive indicators, the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) showed a small statistically significant improvement (diff in means =0.44; p = 0.02), while the others (ADAS-cog, ADCS-ADL, and CDR-sb) showed no change. Therefore, immunotherapeutic agents have been relatively well tolerated, with some promise for cognitive improvements if the occurrence of ARIA can be mitigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ross Penninkilampi
- The Whiteley-Martin Research Centre, Discipline of Surgery, The University of Sydney, P.O. Box 63, Nepean Hospital, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - Holly M Brothers
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Guy D Eslick
- The Whiteley-Martin Research Centre, Discipline of Surgery, The University of Sydney, P.O. Box 63, Nepean Hospital, Penrith, NSW, Australia.
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