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Ekanayake A, Peiris S, Ahmed B, Kanekar S, Grove C, Kalra D, Eslinger P, Yang Q, Karunanayaka P. A Review of the Role of Estrogens in Olfaction, Sleep and Glymphatic Functionality in Relation to Sex Disparity in Alzheimer's Disease. Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen 2024; 39:15333175241272025. [PMID: 39116421 PMCID: PMC11311174 DOI: 10.1177/15333175241272025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
Several risk factors contribute to the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD), including genetics, metabolic health, cardiovascular history, and diet. It has been observed that women appear to face a higher risk of developing AD. Among the various hypotheses surrounding the gender disparity in AD, one pertains to the potential neuroprotective properties of estrogen. Compared to men, women are believed to be more susceptible to neuropathology due to the significant decline in circulating estrogen levels following menopause. Studies have shown, however, that estrogen replacement therapies in post-menopausal women do not consistently reduce the risk of AD. While menopause and estrogen levels are potential factors in the elevated incidence rates of AD among women, this review highlights the possible roles estrogen has in other pathways that may also contribute to the sex disparity observed in AD such as olfaction, sleep, and glymphatic functionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anupa Ekanayake
- Department of Radiology, Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
- Grodno State Medical University, Grodno, Belarus
| | - Senal Peiris
- Department of Radiology, Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Biyar Ahmed
- Department of Radiology, Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Sangam Kanekar
- Department of Radiology, Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Cooper Grove
- Department of Radiology, Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Deepak Kalra
- Department of Neurology, Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Paul Eslinger
- Department of Radiology, Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Qing Yang
- Department of Radiology, Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Prasanna Karunanayaka
- Department of Radiology, Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
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2
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Sudwarts A, Thinakaran G. Alzheimer's genes in microglia: a risk worth investigating. Mol Neurodegener 2023; 18:90. [PMID: 37986179 PMCID: PMC10662636 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-023-00679-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite expressing many key risk genes, the role of microglia in late-onset Alzheimer's disease pathophysiology is somewhat ambiguous, with various phenotypes reported to be either harmful or protective. Herein, we review some key findings from clinical and animal model investigations, discussing the role of microglial genetics in mediating perturbations from homeostasis. We note that impairment to protective phenotypes may include prolonged or insufficient microglial activation, resulting in dysregulated metabolomic (notably lipid-related) processes, compounded by age-related inflexibility in dynamic responses. Insufficiencies of mouse genetics and aggressive transgenic modelling imply severe limitations in applying current methodologies for aetiological investigations. Despite the shortcomings, widely used amyloidosis and tauopathy models of the disease have proven invaluable in dissecting microglial functional responses to AD pathophysiology. Some recent advances have brought modelling tools closer to human genetics, increasing the validity of both aetiological and translational endeavours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ari Sudwarts
- Byrd Alzheimer's Center and Research Institute, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, 33613, USA.
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA.
| | - Gopal Thinakaran
- Byrd Alzheimer's Center and Research Institute, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, 33613, USA.
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA.
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Bragina EY, Puzyrev VP. Genetic outline of the hermeneutics of the diseases connection phenomenon in human. Vavilovskii Zhurnal Genet Selektsii 2023; 27:7-17. [PMID: 36923482 PMCID: PMC10009484 DOI: 10.18699/vjgb-23-03] [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: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 12/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The structure of diseases in humans is heterogeneous, which is manifested by various combinations of diseases, including comorbidities associated with a common pathogenetic mechanism, as well as diseases that rarely manifest together. Recently, there has been a growing interest in studying the patterns of development of not individual diseases, but entire families associated with common pathogenetic mechanisms and common genes involved in their development. Studies of this problem make it possible to isolate an essential genetic component that controls the formation of disease conglomerates in a complex way through functionally interacting modules of individual genes in gene networks. An analytical review of studies on the problems of various aspects of the combination of diseases is the purpose of this study. The review uses the metaphor of a hermeneutic circle to understand the structure of regular relationships between diseases, and provides a conceptual framework related to the study of multiple diseases in an individual. The existing terminology is considered in relation to them, including multimorbidity, polypathies, comorbidity, conglomerates, families, "second diseases", syntropy and others. Here we summarize the key results that are extremely useful, primarily for describing the genetic architecture of diseases of a multifactorial nature. Summaries of the research problem of the disease connection phenomenon allow us to approach the systematization and natural classification of diseases. From practical healthcare perspective, the description of the disease connection phenomenon is crucial for expanding the clinician's interpretive horizon and moving beyond narrow, disease-specific therapeutic decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Yu Bragina
- Research Institute of Medical Genetics, Tomsk National Research Medical Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Tomsk, Russia
| | - V P Puzyrev
- Research Institute of Medical Genetics, Tomsk National Research Medical Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Tomsk, Russia Siberian State Medical University, Tomsk, Russia
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Potential Regulation of miRNA-29 and miRNA-9 by Estrogens in Neurodegenerative Disorders: An Insightful Perspective. Brain Sci 2023; 13:brainsci13020243. [PMID: 36831786 PMCID: PMC9954655 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13020243] [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: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Finding a link between a hormone and microRNAs (miRNAs) is of great importance since it enables the adjustment of genetic composition or cellular functions without needing gene-level interventions. The dicer-mediated cleavage of precursor miRNAs is an interface link between miRNA and its regulators; any disruption in this process can affect neurogenesis. Besides, the hormonal regulation of miRNAs can occur at the molecular and cellular levels, both directly, through binding to the promoter elements of miRNAs, and indirectly, via regulation of the signaling effects of the post-transcriptional processing proteins. Estrogenic hormones have many roles in regulating miRNAs in the brain. This review discusses miRNAs, their detailed biogenesis, activities, and both the general and estrogen-dependent regulations. Additionally, we highlight the relationship between miR-29, miR-9, and estrogens in the nervous system. Such a relationship could be a possible etiological route for developing various neurodegenerative disorders.
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Cervera-Juanes R, Darakjian P, Ball M, Kohama SG, Urbanski HF. Effects of estradiol supplementation on the brain transcriptome of old rhesus macaques maintained on an obesogenic diet. GeroScience 2022; 44:229-252. [PMID: 34642852 PMCID: PMC8810962 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-021-00453-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Obesity, the cessation of ovarian steroids with menopause, and age are risk factors for mood disorders, dementia, and Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, immediate hormone therapy (HT) after menopause may have beneficial effects in different brain regions involved in memory and cognition. To more closely replicate the age, endocrine, and metabolic environment of obese postmenopausal women, either on or off HT, middle-aged female rhesus macaques were ovariectomized/hysterectomized (OvH) and maintained on a high-fat, high-sugar, obesogenic Western-style diet (WSD) for 30 months; half of the animals received HT immediately after OvH and half served as placebo controls. RNAseq of the occipital (OC) and prefrontal cortex (PFC), hippocampus (HIP), and amygdala (AMG) identified 293, 379, 505, and 4993 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), respectively. Pathway enrichment analysis identified an activation of neuroinflammation in OC and HIP, but an inhibition in the AMG with HT. Synaptogenesis, circadian rhythm, mitochondrial dysfunction, mTOR, glutamate, serotonin, GABA, dopamine, epinephrine/norepinephrine, glucocorticoid receptor signaling, neuronal NOS, and amyloid processing were exclusively enriched in AMG. As compared to the placebo control group, most of these signaling pathways are downregulated after HT, suggesting a protective effect of HT in OvH females under a WSD. Overall, our results suggest that a chronic obesogenic diet may induce a wide range of alterations in multiple signaling pathways that are linked to age-associated brain pathology and dementia. In these individuals, HT seems to have a protective effect against neuroinflammation, amyloid beta depositions, and tau tangle formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Cervera-Juanes
- Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, 505 NW 185th Avenue, Beaverton, OR, 97006, USA.
| | - Priscila Darakjian
- Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, 505 NW 185th Avenue, Beaverton, OR, 97006, USA
| | - Megan Ball
- Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, 505 NW 185th Avenue, Beaverton, OR, 97006, USA
| | - Steven G Kohama
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, 505 NW 185th Avenue, Beaverton, OR, 97006, USA
| | - Henryk F Urbanski
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, 505 NW 185th Avenue, Beaverton, OR, 97006, USA
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
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Antioxidants in Alzheimer's Disease: Current Therapeutic Significance and Future Prospects. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11020212. [PMID: 35205079 PMCID: PMC8869589 DOI: 10.3390/biology11020212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) rate is accelerating with the increasing aging of the world's population. The World Health Organization (WHO) stated AD as a global health priority. According to the WHO report, around 82 million people in 2030 and 152 million in 2050 will develop dementia (AD contributes 60% to 70% of cases), considering the current scenario. AD is the most common neurodegenerative disease, intensifying impairments in cognition, behavior, and memory. Histopathological AD variations include extracellular senile plaques' formation, tangling of intracellular neurofibrils, and synaptic and neuronal loss in the brain. Multiple evidence directly indicates that oxidative stress participates in an early phase of AD before cytopathology. Moreover, oxidative stress is induced by almost all misfolded protein lumps like α-synuclein, amyloid-β, and others. Oxidative stress plays a crucial role in activating and causing various cell signaling pathways that result in lesion formations of toxic substances, which foster the development of the disease. Antioxidants are widely preferred to combat oxidative stress, and those derived from natural sources, which are often incorporated into dietary habits, can play an important role in delaying the onset as well as reducing the progression of AD. However, this approach has not been extensively explored yet. Moreover, there has been growing evidence that a combination of antioxidants in conjugation with a nutrient-rich diet might be more effective in tackling AD pathogenesis. Thus, considering the above-stated fact, this comprehensive review aims to elaborate the basics of AD and antioxidants, including the vitality of antioxidants in AD. Moreover, this review may help researchers to develop effectively and potentially improved antioxidant therapeutic strategies for this disease as it also deals with the clinical trials in the stated field.
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Yotsuya Y, Hasegawa Y. Nacre extract from pearl oyster attenuates amyloid beta-induced memory impairment. J Nat Med 2022; 76:419-434. [PMID: 35044595 DOI: 10.1007/s11418-021-01598-8] [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: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Shells are composed of two types of calcium carbonate polymorphs-the prismatic layer and the nacreous layer. Pearls, composed of the nacreous layer, have been used in Chinese medicine since ancient times. We have previously shown that extracts from the nacreous layer improves scopolamine-induced memory impairment. However, whether pearl ameliorates cognitive disorders induced by amyloid-β 1-40 (Aβ1-40) has not been elucidated. In this study, we investigated whether nacre extract improves memory impairment induced by intracerebroventricular injection of Aβ1-40. Administration of nacre extract led to recovery from Aβ1-40-induced impairments in object recognition, short-term memory, and spatial memory. Nacre extract reversed the increase in lipid peroxidation caused by Aβ1-40 in the cerebral cortex by increasing the expression of catalase and superoxide dismutase. In addition, nacre extract recovered the expression and phosphorylation of cyclic AMP response element-binding protein (CREB), which decreased with Aβ1-40 treatment, and increased the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neuropeptide Y, which are regulated by CREB. Nacre extract also suppressed acetylcholine esterase activity and Aβ1-40-induced tau phosphorylation. Histochemical analysis of the hippocampus region showed that the nacre extract protected against Aβ1-40-induced neuronal loss in the hippocampus. These results suggest that nacre extract protects against Aβ1-40-induced neuronal cell death by suppressing oxidative stress and increasing the expression and phosphorylation of CREB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yamato Yotsuya
- College of Environmental Technology, Muroran Institute of Technology, 27-1 Mizumoto, Muroran, 050-8585, Japan
| | - Yasushi Hasegawa
- College of Environmental Technology, Muroran Institute of Technology, 27-1 Mizumoto, Muroran, 050-8585, Japan.
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Tamagno E, Guglielmotto M. Estrogens still represent an attractive therapeutic approach for Alzheimer's disease. Neural Regen Res 2022; 17:93-94. [PMID: 34100436 PMCID: PMC8451543 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.314295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Elena Tamagno
- Department of Neuroscience; Neuroscience Institute of Cavalieri Ottolenghi Foundation (NICO), University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Michela Guglielmotto
- Department of Neuroscience; Neuroscience Institute of Cavalieri Ottolenghi Foundation (NICO), University of Torino, Torino, Italy
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Deng C, Chen H, Meng Z, Meng S. Roles of traditional chinese medicine regulating neuroendocrinology on AD treatment. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:955618. [PMID: 36213283 PMCID: PMC9533021 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.955618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The incidence of sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD) is increasing in recent years. Studies have shown that in addition to some genetic abnormalities, the majority of AD patients has a history of long-term exposure to risk factors. Neuroendocrine related risk factors have been proved to be strongly associated with AD. Long-term hormone disorder can have a direct detrimental effect on the brain by producing an AD-like pathology and result in cognitive decline by impairing neuronal metabolism, plasticity and survival. Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) may regulate the complex process of endocrine disorders, and improve metabolic abnormalities, as well as the resulting neuroinflammation and oxidative damage through a variety of pathways. TCM has unique therapeutic advantages in treating early intervention of AD-related neuroendocrine disorders and preventing cognitive decline. This paper reviewed the relationship between neuroendocrine and AD as well as the related TCM treatment and its mechanism. The advantages of TCM intervention on endocrine disorders and some pending problems was also discussed, and new insights for TCM treatment of dementia in the future was provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chujun Deng
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People’s Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Huize Chen
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People’s Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Zeyu Meng
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
| | - Shengxi Meng
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People’s Hospital, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Shengxi Meng,
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10
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Villaseca P, Cisternas P, Inestrosa NC. Menopause and development of Alzheimer's disease: Roles of neural glucose metabolism and Wnt signaling. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:1021796. [PMID: 36339406 PMCID: PMC9627150 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1021796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Late onset Alzheimer´s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease with gender differences in its onset and progression, being the prevalence predominant in women and at an earlier age than in men. The pathophysiology of the menopausal condition has been associated to this dementia, playing major roles regarding both endocrine and glucose metabolism changes, amongst other mechanisms. In the current review we address the role of estrogen deficiency in the processes involved in the development of AD, including amyloid precursor protein (APP) processing to form senile plaques, Tau phosphorylation forming neurofibrillary tangles, Wnt signaling and AD neuropathology, the role of glucose brain metabolism, Wnt signaling and glucose transport in the brain, and our research contribution to these topics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulina Villaseca
- Centro de Excelencia en Biomedicina de Magallanes (CEBIMA), Universidad de Magallanes, Punta Arenas, Chile
| | - Pedro Cisternas
- Instituto de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de O´Higgins, Rancagua, Chile
| | - Nibaldo C. Inestrosa
- Centro de Excelencia en Biomedicina de Magallanes (CEBIMA), Universidad de Magallanes, Punta Arenas, Chile
- Centro de Envejecimiento y Regeneración (CARE UC), Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- *Correspondence: Nibaldo C. Inestrosa,
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Lyu W, Li Q, Li Q, Chen Y, Wang Y, Tang T, Feng F, Chi H, Li Y, Liu W, Sun H. Design, Bio-evaluation and Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Novel GSK-3β Inhibitors. Mol Inform 2021; 40:e2060031. [PMID: 34323388 DOI: 10.1002/minf.202060031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK-3β) is considered as a promising drug target for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In the present study, two compound libraries were selected for virtual screening based on pharmacophore models of GSK-3β to discover new inhibitors. Nine potential hits were retained for biological investigation and four of these compounds showed GSK-3β inhibitory activity (with the IC50 values in sub-micromolar range on GSK-3β). Compounds 6 and 9 have good safety. They do not have any significant in vitro cytotoxicity against PC12 and SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells at concentrations up to 90 μM. Based on the inhibitory activity and druggability properties, compound 8 is the preferred molecule, and it is a promising lead for the development of the GSK-3β inhibitors for reducing the abnormal hyperphosphorylation of tau protein and relieving AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiping Lyu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, People's Republic of China
| | - Qihang Li
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, People's Republic of China
| | - Qi Li
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, People's Republic of China
| | - Ying Chen
- Department of Natural Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, People's Republic of China
| | - Yingming Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, People's Republic of China
| | - Tongzhong Tang
- Department of Natural Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, People's Republic of China
| | - Feng Feng
- Institute of Food and Pharmaceuticals Research, Jiangsu Food and Pharmaceuticals Science College, Huaian, 223003, People's Republic of China.,Department of Natural Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, People's Republic of China
| | - Heng Chi
- Food and Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Jiangsu Food and Pharmaceuticals Science College, Huaian, 223003, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuan Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Jiangsu Food and Pharmaceuticals Science College, Huaian, 223005, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenyuan Liu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, People's Republic of China.,Zhejiang Center for Safety Study of Drug Substances (Industrial Technology Innovation Platform), Hangzhou, 310018
| | - Haopeng Sun
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, People's Republic of China
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Forés-Martos J, Boullosa C, Rodrigo-Domínguez D, Sánchez-Valle J, Suay-García B, Climent J, Falcó A, Valencia A, Puig-Butillé JA, Puig S, Tabarés-Seisdedos R. Transcriptomic and Genetic Associations between Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, and Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13122990. [PMID: 34203763 PMCID: PMC8232649 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13122990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Epidemiological studies have identified a link between neurodegenerative disorders and a reduced risk of overall cancer. Increases and decreases in the risk of site-specific cancers have also been reported. However, it is still unknown whether these associations arise due to shared genetic and molecular factors or are explained by other phenomena (e.g., biases in epidemiological studies or the use of medication). In this study, we aimed to investigate the potential molecular, genetic, and pharmacological links between Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases and a large panel of 22 cancer types. To examine the overlapping involvement of genes and pathways, we obtained differential gene expression profiles through meta-analyses of post-mortem brain tissues from Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease patients, primary tumors, and tissue-matched controls, and compared them. Genetic similarities were assessed through network-based methods and the computation of genetic correlations. Finally, the potential impact of drugs indicated for each disorder in the identified associations was evaluated using transcriptomic methods. Our research extends previous work in the field by identifying new significant patterns of transcriptomic associations (direct and inverse) between Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and different site-specific cancers. The results reveal significant genetic correlations between Parkinson’s disease, prostate cancer, and melanoma. In addition, to our knowledge, this is the first time that the role of drugs indicated for the treatment of both sets of disorders has been investigated in the context of their comorbid associations using transcriptomic methods. Abstract Alzheimer’s (AD) and Parkinson’s diseases (PD) are the two most prevalent neurodegenerative disorders in human populations. Epidemiological studies have shown that patients suffering from either condition present a reduced overall risk of cancer than controls (i.e., inverse comorbidity), suggesting that neurodegeneration provides a protective effect against cancer. Reduced risks of several site-specific tumors, including colorectal, lung, and prostate cancers, have also been observed in AD and PD. By contrast, an increased risk of melanoma has been described in PD patients (i.e., direct comorbidity). Therefore, a fundamental question to address is whether these associations are due to shared genetic and molecular factors or are explained by other phenomena, such as flaws in epidemiological studies, exposure to shared risk factors, or the effect of medications. To this end, we first evaluated the transcriptomes of AD and PD post-mortem brain tissues derived from the hippocampus and the substantia nigra and analyzed their similarities to those of a large panel of 22 site-specific cancers, which were obtained through differential gene expression meta-analyses of array-based studies available in public repositories. Genes and pathways that were deregulated in both disorders in each analyzed pair were examined. Second, we assessed potential genetic links between AD, PD, and the selected cancers by establishing interactome-based overlaps of genes previously linked to each disorder. Then, their genetic correlations were computed using cross-trait LD score regression and GWAS summary statistics data. Finally, the potential role of medications in the reported comorbidities was assessed by comparing disease-specific differential gene expression profiles to an extensive collection of differential gene expression signatures generated by exposing cell lines to drugs indicated for AD, PD, and cancer treatment (LINCS L1000). We identified significant inverse associations of transcriptomic deregulation between AD hippocampal tissues and breast, lung, liver, and prostate cancers, and between PD substantia nigra tissues and breast, lung, and prostate cancers. Moreover, significant direct (same direction) associations of deregulation were observed between AD and PD and brain and thyroid cancers, as well as between PD and kidney cancer. Several biological processes, including the immune system, oxidative phosphorylation, PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling, and the cell cycle, were found to be deregulated in both cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. Significant genetic correlations were found between PD and melanoma and prostate cancers. Several drugs indicated for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders and cancer, such as galantamine, selegiline, exemestane, and estradiol, were identified as potential modulators of the comorbidities observed between neurodegeneration and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaume Forés-Martos
- Biomedical Research Networking Center of Mental Health (CIBERSAM), 28029 Madrid, Spain;
- ESI International Chair@CEU-UCH, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, San Bartolomé 55, 46115 Alfara del Patriarca, Spain; (B.S.-G.); (J.C.); (A.F.)
- Departamento de Matemáticas, Física y Ciencias Tecnológicas, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, San Bartolomé 55, 46115 Alfara del Patriarca, Spain
| | | | - David Rodrigo-Domínguez
- Consorcio Hospital General de Valencia, Servicio de Medicina Interna, 46014 Valencia, Spain;
| | - Jon Sánchez-Valle
- Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain; (J.S.-V.); (A.V.)
| | - Beatriz Suay-García
- ESI International Chair@CEU-UCH, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, San Bartolomé 55, 46115 Alfara del Patriarca, Spain; (B.S.-G.); (J.C.); (A.F.)
- Departamento de Matemáticas, Física y Ciencias Tecnológicas, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, San Bartolomé 55, 46115 Alfara del Patriarca, Spain
| | - Joan Climent
- ESI International Chair@CEU-UCH, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, San Bartolomé 55, 46115 Alfara del Patriarca, Spain; (B.S.-G.); (J.C.); (A.F.)
- Departamento de Producción y Sanidad Animal, Salud Pública Veterinaria y Ciencia y Tecnología de los Alimentos, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, C/Tirant lo Blanc 7, 46115 Alfara del Patriarca, Spain
| | - Antonio Falcó
- ESI International Chair@CEU-UCH, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, San Bartolomé 55, 46115 Alfara del Patriarca, Spain; (B.S.-G.); (J.C.); (A.F.)
- Departamento de Matemáticas, Física y Ciencias Tecnológicas, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, San Bartolomé 55, 46115 Alfara del Patriarca, Spain
| | - Alfonso Valencia
- Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain; (J.S.-V.); (A.V.)
- Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), 08010 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joan Anton Puig-Butillé
- Biochemical and Molecular Genetics Service, Hospital Clínic and August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), 08036 Barcelona, Spain;
- Melanoma Unit, Hospital Clínic, Center for Networked Biomedical Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII), 08036 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Susana Puig
- Melanoma Unit, Hospital Clínic, Center for Networked Biomedical Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII), 08036 Barcelona, Spain;
- Dermatology Department, Hospital Clínic and August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rafael Tabarés-Seisdedos
- Biomedical Research Networking Center of Mental Health (CIBERSAM), 28029 Madrid, Spain;
- Teaching Unit of Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Valencia, Blasco-Ibañez 15, 46010 Valencia, Spain
- INCLIVA Health Research Institute, 46010 Valencia, Spain
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +44-(0)1865-617-855
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