1
|
Gherardini L, Zajdel A, Pini L, Crimi A. Prediction of misfolded proteins spreading in Alzheimer's disease using machine learning and spreading models. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:11471-11485. [PMID: 37833822 PMCID: PMC10724880 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad380] [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] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The pervasive impact of Alzheimer's disease on aging society represents one of the main challenges at this time. Current investigations highlight 2 specific misfolded proteins in its development: Amyloid-$\beta$ and tau. Previous studies focused on spreading for misfolded proteins exploited simulations, which required several parameters to be empirically estimated. Here, we provide an alternative view based on 2 machine learning approaches which we compare with known simulation models. The first approach applies an autoregressive model constrained by structural connectivity, while the second is based on graph convolutional networks. The aim is to predict concentrations of Amyloid-$\beta$ 2 yr after a provided baseline. We also evaluate its real-world effectiveness and suitability by providing a web service for physicians and researchers. In experiments, the autoregressive model generally outperformed state-of-the-art models resulting in lower prediction errors. While it is important to note that a comprehensive prognostic plan cannot solely rely on amyloid beta concentrations, their prediction, achieved by the discussed approaches, can be valuable for planning therapies and other cures, especially when dealing with asymptomatic patients for whom novel therapies could prove effective.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luca Gherardini
- Computer Vision Data Science Group, Sano centre for computational medicine, Czarnowiejska 36, Krakow 30-054, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Zajdel
- Computer Vision Data Science Group, Sano centre for computational medicine, Czarnowiejska 36, Krakow 30-054, Poland
| | - Lorenzo Pini
- Padua Neuroscience Center, University of Padua, Via 8 Febbraio, 2, Padua 35122, Italy
| | - Alessandro Crimi
- Computer Vision Data Science Group, Sano centre for computational medicine, Czarnowiejska 36, Krakow 30-054, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Burnham SC, Iaccarino L, Pontecorvo MJ, Fleisher AS, Lu M, Collins EC, Devous MD. A review of the flortaucipir literature for positron emission tomography imaging of tau neurofibrillary tangles. Brain Commun 2023; 6:fcad305. [PMID: 38187878 PMCID: PMC10768888 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcad305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease is defined by the presence of β-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tau tangles potentially preceding clinical symptoms by many years. Previously only detectable post-mortem, these pathological hallmarks are now identifiable using biomarkers, permitting an in vivo definitive diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. 18F-flortaucipir (previously known as 18F-T807; 18F-AV-1451) was the first tau positron emission tomography tracer to be introduced and is the only Food and Drug Administration-approved tau positron emission tomography tracer (Tauvid™). It has been widely adopted and validated in a number of independent research and clinical settings. In this review, we present an overview of the published literature on flortaucipir for positron emission tomography imaging of neurofibrillary tau tangles. We considered all accessible peer-reviewed literature pertaining to flortaucipir through 30 April 2022. We found 474 relevant peer-reviewed publications, which were organized into the following categories based on their primary focus: typical Alzheimer's disease, mild cognitive impairment and pre-symptomatic populations; atypical Alzheimer's disease; non-Alzheimer's disease neurodegenerative conditions; head-to-head comparisons with other Tau positron emission tomography tracers; and technical considerations. The available flortaucipir literature provides substantial evidence for the use of this positron emission tomography tracer in assessing neurofibrillary tau tangles in Alzheimer's disease and limited support for its use in other neurodegenerative disorders. Visual interpretation and quantitation approaches, although heterogeneous, mostly converge and demonstrate the high diagnostic and prognostic value of flortaucipir in Alzheimer's disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Ming Lu
- Avid, Eli Lilly and Company, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Chen Q, Abrigo J, Deng M, Shi L, Wang YX, Chu WC. Structural Network Topology Reveals Higher Brain Resilience in Individuals with Preclinical Alzheimer's Disease. Brain Connect 2023; 13:553-562. [PMID: 37551987 PMCID: PMC10771874 DOI: 10.1089/brain.2023.0013] [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: 08/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) requires the presence of amyloid and tau pathology, but it remains unclear how they affect the structural network in the pre-clinical stage. We aimed to assess differences in topological properties in cognitively normal (CN) individuals with varying levels of amyloid and tau pathology, as well as their association with AD pathology burden. Methods: A total of 68 CN individuals were included and stratified by normal/abnormal (-/+) amyloid (A) and tau (T) status based on positron emission tomography results, yielding three groups: A-T- (n = 19), A+T- (n = 28), and A+T+ (n = 21). Topological properties were measured from structural connectivity. Group differences and correlations with A and T were evaluated. Results: Compared with the A-T- group, the A+T+ group exhibited changes in the structural network topology. At the global level, higher assortativity was shown in the A+T+ group and was correlated with greater tau burden (r = 0.29, p = 0.02), while no difference in global efficiency was found across the three groups. At the local level, the A+T+ group showed disrupted topological properties in the left hippocampus compared with the A-T- group, characterized by lower local efficiency (p < 0.01) and a lower clustering coefficient (p = 0.014). Conclusions: The increased linkage in the higher level architecture of the white matter network reflected by assortativity may indicate increased brain resilience in the early pathological state. Our results encourage further investigation of the topological properties of the structural network in pre-clinical AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qianyun Chen
- Department of Imaging and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jill Abrigo
- Department of Imaging and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Min Deng
- Department of Imaging and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Lin Shi
- Department of Imaging and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yi-Xiang Wang
- Department of Imaging and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Winnie C.W. Chu
- Department of Imaging and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Torrealba E, Aguilar-Zerpa N, Garcia-Morales P, Díaz M. Compensatory Mechanisms in Early Alzheimer's Disease and Clinical Setting: The Need for Novel Neuropsychological Strategies. J Alzheimers Dis Rep 2023; 7:513-525. [PMID: 37313485 PMCID: PMC10259077 DOI: 10.3233/adr-220116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite advances in the detection of biomarkers and in the design of drugs that can slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the underlying primary mechanisms have not been elucidated. The diagnosis of AD has notably improved with the development of neuroimaging techniques and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers which have provided new information not available in the past. Although the diagnosis has advanced, there is a consensus among experts that, when making the diagnosis in a specific patient, many years have probably passed since the onset of the underlying processes, and it is very likely that the biomarkers in use and their cutoffs do not reflect the true critical points for establishing the precise stage of the ongoing disease. In this context, frequent disparities between current biomarkers and cognitive and functional performance in clinical practice constitute a major drawback in translational neurology. To our knowledge, the In-Out-test is the only neuropsychological test developed with the idea that compensatory brain mechanisms exist in the early stages of AD, and whose positive effects on conventional tests performance can be reduced in assessing episodic memory in the context of a dual-task, through which the executive auxiliary networks are 'distracted', thus uncover the real memory deficit. Furthermore, as additional traits, age and formal education have no impact on the performance of the In-Out-test.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Torrealba
- Department of Neurology, Hospital Universitario de Gran Canaria Dr. Negrin, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
- Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Las Palmas De Gran Canaria (ULPGC), Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Norka Aguilar-Zerpa
- Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Pilar Garcia-Morales
- Department of Psychiatry, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Insular Materno-Infantil, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Mario Díaz
- Department of Physics, University of La Laguna, Membrane Physiology and Biophysics, Tenerife, Spain
- Instituto Universitario de Neurociencias (IUNE), Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Birkle TJY, Brown GC. Syk inhibitors protect against microglia-mediated neuronal loss in culture. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1120952. [PMID: 37009452 PMCID: PMC10050448 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1120952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Microglia are brain macrophages and play beneficial and/or detrimental roles in many brain pathologies because of their inflammatory and phagocytic activity. Microglial inflammation and phagocytosis are thought to be regulated by spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk), which is activated by multiple microglial receptors, including TREM2 (Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cells 2), implicated in neurodegeneration. Here, we have tested whether Syk inhibitors can prevent microglia-dependent neurodegeneration induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in primary neuron-glia cultures. We found that the Syk inhibitors BAY61-3606 and P505-15 (at 1 and 10 μM, respectively) completely prevented the neuronal loss induced by LPS, which was microglia-dependent. Syk inhibition also prevented the spontaneous loss of neurons from older neuron-glia cultures. In the absence of LPS, Syk inhibition depleted microglia from the cultures and induced some microglial death. However, in the presence of LPS, Syk inhibition had relatively little effect on microglial density (reduced by 0-30%) and opposing effects on the release of two pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 decreased by about 45%, TNFα increased by 80%). Syk inhibition also had no effect on the morphological transition of microglia exposed to LPS. On the other hand, inhibition of Syk reduced microglial phagocytosis of beads, synapses and neurons. Thus, Syk inhibition in this model is most likely neuroprotective by reducing microglial phagocytosis, however, the reduced microglial density and IL-6 release may also contribute. This work adds to increasing evidence that Syk is a key regulator of the microglial contribution to neurodegenerative disease and suggests that Syk inhibitors may be used to prevent excessive microglial phagocytosis of synapses and neurons.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Guy C. Brown
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Maddury S, Desai K. DeepAD: A deep learning application for predicting amyloid standardized uptake value ratio through PET for Alzheimer's prognosis. Front Artif Intell 2023; 6:1091506. [PMID: 36815006 PMCID: PMC9939778 DOI: 10.3389/frai.2023.1091506] [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: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Amyloid deposition is a vital biomarker in the process of Alzheimer's diagnosis. 18F-florbetapir PET scans can provide valuable imaging data to determine cortical amyloid quantities. However, the process is labor and doctor intensive, requiring extremely specialized education and resources that may not be accessible to everyone, making the amyloid calculation process inefficient. Deep learning is a rising tool in Alzheimer's research which could be used to determine amyloid deposition. Materials and methods Using data from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, we identified 2,980 patients with PET imaging, clinical, and genetic data. We tested various ResNet, EfficientNet, and RegNet convolutional neural networks and later combined the best performing model with Gradient Boosting Decision Tree algorithms to predict standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR) of amyloid in each patient session. We tried several configurations to find the best model tuning for regression-to-SUVR. Results We found that the RegNet X064 architecture combined with a grid search-tuned Gradient Boosting Decision Tree with 3 axial input slices and clinical and genetic data achieved the lowest loss. Using the mean-absolute-error metric, the loss converged to an MAE of 0.0441, equating to 96.4% accuracy across the 596-patient test set. Discussion We showed that this method is more consistent and accessible in comparison to human readers from previous studies, with lower margins of error and substantially faster calculation times. We implemented our deep learning model on to a web application named DeepAD which allows our diagnostic tool to be accessible. DeepAD could be used in hospitals and clinics with resource limitations for amyloid deposition and shows promise for more imaging tasks as well.
Collapse
|
7
|
Increased Hippocampal-Inferior Temporal Gyrus White Matter Connectivity following Donepezil Treatment in Patients with Early Alzheimer's Disease: A Diffusion Tensor Probabilistic Tractography Study. J Clin Med 2023; 12:jcm12030967. [PMID: 36769615 PMCID: PMC9917574 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12030967] [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: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The incidence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been increasing each year, and a defective hippocampus has been primarily associated with an early stage of AD. However, the effect of donepezil treatment on hippocampus-related networks is unknown. Thus, in the current study, we evaluated the hippocampal white matter (WM) connectivity in patients with early-stage AD before and after donepezil treatment using probabilistic tractography, and we further determined the WM integrity and changes in brain volume. Ten patients with early-stage AD (mean age = 72.4 ± 7.9 years; seven females and three males) and nine healthy controls (HC; mean age = 70.7 ± 3.5 years; six females and three males) underwent a magnetic resonance (MR) examination. After performing the first MR examination, the patients received donepezil treatment for 6 months. The brain volumes and diffusion tensor imaging scalars of 11 regions of interest (the superior/middle/inferior frontal gyrus, the superior/middle/inferior temporal gyrus, the amygdala, the caudate nucleus, the hippocampus, the putamen, and the thalamus) were measured using MR imaging and DTI, respectively. Seed-based structural connectivity analyses were focused on the hippocampus. The patients with early AD had a lower hippocampal volume and WM connectivity with the superior frontal gyrus and higher mean diffusivity (MD) and radial diffusivity (RD) in the amygdala than HC (p < 0.05, Bonferroni-corrected). However, brain areas with a higher (or lower) brain volume and WM connectivity were not observed in the HC compared with the patients with early AD. After six months of donepezil treatment, the patients with early AD showed increased hippocampal-inferior temporal gyrus (ITG) WM connectivity (p < 0.05, Bonferroni-corrected).
Collapse
|
8
|
Amyloid-β in Alzheimer's disease - front and centre after all? Neuronal Signal 2023; 7:NS20220086. [PMID: 36687366 PMCID: PMC9829960 DOI: 10.1042/ns20220086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The amyloid hypothesis, which proposes that accumulation of the peptide amyloid-β at synapses is the key driver of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis, has been the dominant idea in the field of Alzheimer's research for nearly 30 years. Recently, however, serious doubts about its validity have emerged, largely motivated by disappointing results from anti-amyloid therapeutics in clinical trials. As a result, much of the AD research effort has shifted to understanding the roles of a variety of other entities implicated in pathogenesis, such as microglia, astrocytes, apolipoprotein E and several others. All undoubtedly play an important role, but the nature of this has in many cases remained unclear, partly due to their pleiotropic functions. Here, we propose that all of these AD-related entities share at least one overlapping function, which is the local regulation of amyloid-β levels, and that this may be critical to their role in AD pathogenesis. We also review what is currently known of the actions of amyloid-β at the synapse in health and disease, and consider in particular how it might interact with the key AD-associated protein tau in the disease setting. There is much compelling evidence in support of the amyloid hypothesis; rather than detract from this, the implication of many disparate AD-associated cell types, molecules and processes in the regulation of amyloid-β levels may lend further support.
Collapse
|
9
|
Chow TE, Veziris CR, Mundada N, Martinez-Arroyo AI, Kramer JH, Miller BL, Rosen HJ, Gorno-Tempini ML, Rankin KP, Seeley WW, Rabinovici GD, La Joie R, Sturm VE. Medial Temporal Lobe Tau Aggregation Relates to Divergent Cognitive and Emotional Empathy Abilities in Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis 2023; 96:313-328. [PMID: 37742643 PMCID: PMC10894587 DOI: 10.3233/jad-230367] [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] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In Alzheimer's disease (AD), the gradual accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau proteins may underlie alterations in empathy. OBJECTIVE To assess whether tau aggregation in the medial temporal lobes related to differences in cognitive empathy (the ability to take others' perspectives) and emotional empathy (the ability to experience others' feelings) in AD. METHODS Older adults (n = 105) completed molecular Aβ positron emission tomography (PET) scans. Sixty-eight of the participants (35 women) were Aβ positive and symptomatic with diagnoses of mild cognitive impairment, dementia of the Alzheimer's type, logopenic variant primary progressive aphasia, or posterior cortical atrophy. The remaining 37 (22 women) were asymptomatic Aβ negative healthy older controls. Using the Interpersonal Reactivity Index, we compared current levels of informant-rated cognitive empathy (Perspective-Taking subscale) and emotional empathy (Empathic Concern subscale) in the Aβ positive and negative participants. The Aβ positive participants also underwent molecular tau-PET scans, which were used to investigate whether regional tau burden in the bilateral medial temporal lobes related to empathy. RESULTS Aβ positive participants had lower perspective-taking and higher empathic concern than Aβ negative healthy controls. Medial temporal tau aggregation in the Aβ positive participants had divergent associations with cognitive and emotional empathy. Whereas greater tau burden in the amygdala predicted lower perspective-taking, greater tau burden in the entorhinal cortex predicted greater empathic concern. Tau burden in the parahippocampal cortex did not predict either form of empathy. CONCLUSIONS Across AD clinical syndromes, medial temporal lobe tau aggregation is associated with lower perspective-taking yet higher empathic concern.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany E. Chow
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Christina R. Veziris
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Nidhi Mundada
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Alexis I. Martinez-Arroyo
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Joel H. Kramer
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Bruce L. Miller
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Howard J. Rosen
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Maria Luisa Gorno-Tempini
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Katherine P. Rankin
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - William W. Seeley
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Gil D. Rabinovici
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Renaud La Joie
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Virginia E. Sturm
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Kazemi-Harikandei SZ, Shobeiri P, Salmani Jelodar MR, Tavangar SM. Effective connectivity in individuals with Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment: A systematic review. NEUROSCIENCE INFORMATICS 2022; 2:100104. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuri.2022.100104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2023]
|
11
|
Chen H, Yu C, Liu W, Zhu C, Jiang X, Xu C, Liu W, Huang Y, Xu Z, Zhao Q. Discovery of novel α-carboline derivatives as glycogen synthase kinase-3β inhibitors for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Arch Pharm (Weinheim) 2022; 355:e2200156. [PMID: 35836098 DOI: 10.1002/ardp.202200156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a chronic and progressive neurodegenerative disease, characterized by irreversible cognitive impairment, memory loss, and behavioral disturbances, ultimately resulting in death. The critical roles of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) in tau pathology have also received considerable attention. Based on molecular docking studies, a series of novel α-carboline derivatives were designed, synthesized, and evaluated as GSK-3β inhibitors for their various biological activities. Among them, compound ZCH-9 showed the most potent inhibitory activity against GSK-3β, with an IC50 value of 1.71 ± 0.09 µM. The cytotoxicity assay showed that ZCH-9 had low cytotoxicity toward the cell lines SH-SY5Y, HepG2, and HL-7702. Moreover, Western blot analysis indicated that ZCH-9 effectively inhibited hyperphosphorylation of the tau protein in okadaic acid-treated SH-SY5Y cells. The binding mode between ZCH-9 and GSK-3β was analyzed and further clarified throughout the molecular dynamics simulations. In general, these results suggested that the α-carboline-based small-molecule compounds could serve as potential candidates targeting GSK-3β for the treatment of AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Huanhua Chen
- School of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Chong Yu
- School of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Wenjie Liu
- School of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Chengze Zhu
- School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Xiaowen Jiang
- School of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China.,Department of Pharmacy, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Shenyang, China
| | - Chang Xu
- School of Life Science and Biochemistry, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Wenwu Liu
- School of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yaoguang Huang
- School of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Zihua Xu
- Department of Pharmacy, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Shenyang, China
| | - Qingchun Zhao
- School of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China.,Department of Pharmacy, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Shenyang, China
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
LncRNA: a new perspective on the study of neurological diseases. Biochem Soc Trans 2022; 50:951-963. [PMID: 35383841 DOI: 10.1042/bst20211181] [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: 10/15/2021] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a class of non-coding RNA with a length greater than 200 nt. It has a mRNA-like structure, formed by splicing after transcription, and contains a polyA tail and a promoter, of whom promoter plays a role by binding transcription factors. LncRNAs' sequences are low in conservation, and other species can only find a handful of the same lncRNAs as humans, and there are different splicing ways during the differentiation of identical species, with spatiotemporal expression specificity. With developing high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics, found that more and more lncRNAs associated with nervous system disease. This article deals with the regulation of certain lncRNAs in the nervous system disease, by mean of to understand its mechanism of action, and the pathogenesis of some neurological diseases have a fresh understanding, deposit a foundation for resulting research and clinical treatment of disease.
Collapse
|
13
|
Imaging Clinical Subtypes and Associated Brain Networks in Alzheimer’s Disease. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12020146. [PMID: 35203910 PMCID: PMC8869882 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12020146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) does not present uniform symptoms or a uniform rate of progression in all cases. The classification of subtypes can be based on clinical symptoms or patterns of pathological brain alterations. Imaging techniques may allow for the identification of AD subtypes and their differentiation from other neurodegenerative diseases already at an early stage. In this review, the strengths and weaknesses of current clinical imaging methods are described. These include positron emission tomography (PET) to image cerebral glucose metabolism and pathological amyloid or tau deposits. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is more widely available than PET. It provides information on structural or functional changes in brain networks and their relation to AD subtypes. Amyloid PET provides a very early marker of AD but does not distinguish between AD subtypes. Regional patterns of pathology related to AD subtypes are observed with tau and glucose PET, and eventually as atrophy patterns on MRI. Structural and functional network changes occur early in AD but have not yet provided diagnostic specificity.
Collapse
|
14
|
Yang Z, Sheng X, Qin R, Chen H, Shao P, Xu H, Yao W, Zhao H, Xu Y, Bai F. Cognitive Improvement via Left Angular Gyrus-Navigated Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Inducing the Neuroplasticity of Thalamic System in Amnesic Mild Cognitive Impairment Patients. J Alzheimers Dis 2022; 86:537-551. [PMID: 35068464 DOI: 10.3233/jad-215390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Background: Stimulating superficial brain regions highly associated with the hippocampus by repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) may improve memory of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) spectrum patients. Objective: We recruited 16 amnesic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and 6 AD patients in the study. All the patients were stimulated to the left angular gyrus, which was confirmed a strong link to the hippocampus through neuroimaging studies, by the neuro-navigated rTMS for four weeks. Methods: Automated fiber quantification using diffusion tensor imaging metrics and graph theory analysis on functional network were employed to detect the neuroplasticity of brain networks. Results: After neuro-navigated rTMS intervention, the episodic memory of aMCI patients and Montreal Cognitive Assessment score of two groups were significantly improved. Increased FA values of right anterior thalamic radiation among aMCI patients, while decreased functional network properties of thalamus subregions were observed, whereas similar changes not found in AD patients. It is worth noting that the improvement of cognition was associated with the neuroplasticity of thalamic system. Conclusion: We speculated that the rTMS intervention targeting left angular gyrus may be served as a strategy to improve cognitive impairment at the early stage of AD patients, supporting by the neuroplasticity of thalamic system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyuan Yang
- Department of Neurology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital of The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, and The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaoning Sheng
- Department of Neurology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital of The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, and The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ruomeng Qin
- Department of Neurology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital of The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, and The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Province Stroke Center for Diagnosis and Therapy, Nanjing, China
- Nanjing Neuropsychiatry Clinic Medical Center, Nanjing, China
| | - Haifeng Chen
- Department of Neurology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital of The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, and The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Province Stroke Center for Diagnosis and Therapy, Nanjing, China
- Nanjing Neuropsychiatry Clinic Medical Center, Nanjing, China
| | - Pengfei Shao
- Department of Neurology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital of The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, and The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hengheng Xu
- Department of Neurology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital of The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, and The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Weina Yao
- Department of Neurology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Hui Zhao
- Department of Neurology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital of The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, and The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Province Stroke Center for Diagnosis and Therapy, Nanjing, China
- Nanjing Neuropsychiatry Clinic Medical Center, Nanjing, China
| | - Yun Xu
- Department of Neurology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital of The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, and The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Province Stroke Center for Diagnosis and Therapy, Nanjing, China
- Nanjing Neuropsychiatry Clinic Medical Center, Nanjing, China
| | - Feng Bai
- Department of Neurology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital of The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, and The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Province Stroke Center for Diagnosis and Therapy, Nanjing, China
- Nanjing Neuropsychiatry Clinic Medical Center, Nanjing, China
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Liu C, Zhao L, Xu K, Wei Y, Mai W, Liang L, Piao R, Geng B, Zhang S, Deng D, Liu P. Altered functional connectivity density in mild cognitive impairment with moxibustion treatment: A resting-state fMRI study. Brain Res 2022; 1775:147732. [PMID: 34813773 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2021.147732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Revised: 11/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a general neurodegenerative disease. Moxibustion has been shown to have remarkable effect on cognitive improvement, however, less is known about the effect of moxibustion on MCI and its underlying neural mechanism. This study aimed to investigate the ameliorative brain network in MCI after treatments of acupoint-related moxibustion. METHODS Resting-state functional MRI were derived from 47 MCI patients and 30 healthy controls (HCs). Patients were randomized as Tiaoshen YiZhi (TSYZ, n = 27) and sham (SHAM, n = 20) acupoint moxibustion groups. Functional connectivity density (FCD) method and repeated-measures two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were performed to ascertain the interaction effects between groups (TSYZ and SHAM) and time (baseline and post-treatment). Abnormal FCD was examined between baseline and post-treatment in TSYZ and SHAM groups, respectively. RESULTS Compared with HCs, MCI showed altered FCD in the middle frontal cortex (MFC), inferior frontal cortex, temporal pole, thalamus and middle cingulate cortex. After moxibustion treatment in MCI, 1) a significant time-by-groups interaction was observed in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC); 2) abnormal long-range FCD (lrFCD) in the mPFC and MFC were modulated in TSYZ group; 3) significantly improved clinical symptoms; 4) changed lrFCD in the MFC was significantly negatively correlated with the increased Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores in TSYZ group. CONCLUSIONS These imaging findings suggest that treatments of acupoint-related moxibustion could improve lrFCD in certain regions related to self-related cognitive and decision making. Our study might promote understanding of MCI neural mechanisms and expand the clinical application of moxibustion in MCI.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chengxiang Liu
- Life Science Research Center, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710071, China; Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710071, China
| | - Lihua Zhao
- Department of Acupuncture, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Ke Xu
- Life Science Research Center, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710071, China; Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710071, China
| | - Yichen Wei
- Department of Radiology, The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Wei Mai
- Department of Acupuncture, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Lingyan Liang
- Department of Radiology, The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Ruiqing Piao
- Life Science Research Center, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710071, China; Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710071, China
| | - Bowen Geng
- Life Science Research Center, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710071, China; Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710071, China
| | - Shuming Zhang
- Life Science Research Center, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710071, China; Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710071, China
| | - Demao Deng
- Department of Radiology, The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning 530021, Guangxi, China.
| | - Peng Liu
- Life Science Research Center, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710071, China; Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710071, China.
| |
Collapse
|