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Apostolou E, Rosén A. Epigenetic reprograming in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: A narrative of latent viruses. J Intern Med 2024; 296:93-115. [PMID: 38693641 DOI: 10.1111/joim.13792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a chronic disease presenting with severe fatigue, post-exertional malaise, and cognitive disturbances-among a spectrum of symptoms-that collectively render the patient housebound or bedbound. Epigenetic studies in ME/CFS collectively confirm alterations and/or malfunctions in cellular and organismal physiology associated with immune responses, cellular metabolism, cell death and proliferation, and neuronal and endothelial cell function. The sudden onset of ME/CFS follows a major stress factor that, in approximately 70% of cases, involves viral infection, and ME/CFS symptoms overlap with those of long COVID. Viruses primarily linked to ME/CFS pathology are the symbiotic herpesviruses, which follow a bivalent latent-lytic lifecycle. The complex interaction between viruses and hosts involves strategies from both sides: immune evasion and persistence by the viruses, and immune activation and viral clearance by the host. This dynamic interaction is imperative for herpesviruses that facilitate their persistence through epigenetic regulation of their own and the host genome. In the current article, we provide an overview of the epigenetic signatures demonstrated in ME/CFS and focus on the potential strategies that latent viruses-particularly Epstein-Barr virus-may employ in long-term epigenetic reprograming in ME/CFS. Epigenetic studies could aid in elucidating relevant biological pathways impacted in ME/CFS and reflect the physiological variations among the patients that stem from environmental triggers, including exogenous viruses and/or altered viral activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eirini Apostolou
- Division of Cell and Neurobiology, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Anders Rosén
- Division of Cell and Neurobiology, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
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2
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Li C, Qian Q, Yan C, Lu M, Li L, Li P, Fan Z, Lei W, Shang K, Wang P, Wang J, Lu T, Huang Y, Yang H, Wei H, Han J, Xiao J, Chen F. HervD Atlas: a curated knowledgebase of associations between human endogenous retroviruses and diseases. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:D1315-D1326. [PMID: 37870452 PMCID: PMC10767980 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad904] [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: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs), as remnants of ancient exogenous retrovirus infected and integrated into germ cells, comprise ∼8% of the human genome. These HERVs have been implicated in numerous diseases, and extensive research has been conducted to uncover their specific roles. Despite these efforts, a comprehensive source of HERV-disease association still needs to be added. To address this gap, we introduce the HervD Atlas (https://ngdc.cncb.ac.cn/hervd/), an integrated knowledgebase of HERV-disease associations manually curated from all related published literature. In the current version, HervD Atlas collects 60 726 HERV-disease associations from 254 publications (out of 4692 screened literature), covering 21 790 HERVs (21 049 HERV-Terms and 741 HERV-Elements) belonging to six types, 149 diseases and 610 related/affected genes. Notably, an interactive knowledge graph that systematically integrates all the HERV-disease associations and corresponding affected genes into a comprehensive network provides a powerful tool to uncover and deduce the complex interplay between HERVs and diseases. The HervD Atlas also features a user-friendly web interface that allows efficient browsing, searching, and downloading of all association information, research metadata, and annotation information. Overall, the HervD Atlas is an essential resource for comprehensive, up-to-date knowledge on HERV-disease research, potentially facilitating the development of novel HERV-associated diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cuidan Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Qiheng Qian
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China
- National Genomics Data Center, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Chenghao Yan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Mingming Lu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China
- National Genomics Data Center, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Lin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Pan Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zhuojing Fan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China
- National Genomics Data Center, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Wenyan Lei
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Kang Shang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Peihan Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jie Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Tianyi Lu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yuting Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Hongwei Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Haobin Wei
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jingwan Han
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Jingfa Xiao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China
- National Genomics Data Center, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Fei Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Genome and Precision Medicine Technologies, Beijing100101, China
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3
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Nevalainen T, Autio A, Hurme M. Human endogenous retroviruses of the HERV-K (HML-2) family are expressed in the brain of healthy individuals and modify the composition of the brain-infiltrating immune cells. Heliyon 2023; 9:e21283. [PMID: 37920490 PMCID: PMC10618496 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are remnants of ancient retroviral infections in the human genome. RNA expression of individual HERVs has frequently been observed in various pathologic conditions, but some activity can also be seen in healthy individuals, e.g. in the blood. To quantitate the basal expression levels of HERVs in the brain, we now used high-throughput sequencing-based metagenomic analysis to characterize the expression profiles of the HERV-K (HML-2) family proviruses in different brain regions of healthy brain tissue. To this end, RNA-seq data from the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) project was used. The GTEx project is a public resource to study tissue-specific gene expression and regulation, consisting of a large selection of sequenced samples from different tissues. The GTEx data used in this study consisted of 378 samples taken from 13 brain regions from 55 individuals. The data demonstrated that out of 99 intact proviruses in the family 58 were expressed, but the expression profiles were highly divergent and there were no significant differences in the expression profiles between the various anatomic regions of the brain. It is known that the brain contains a variety of infiltrating immune cells, which are probably of great importance both in the normal defense mechanisms as well as in the various pathogenic processes. Digital cytometry (CIBERSORTx) was used to quantify the proportions of the infiltrating immune cells in the same brain samples. Six most abundant (>5 % of the total population) cell types were observed to be CD4 memory resting T cells, M0 macrophages, plasma cells, CD8 T cells, CD4 memory activated T cells, and monocytes. Analysis of the correlations between the individual HERVs and infiltrating cell types indicated that a cluster of 6 HERVs had a notable correlation signature between T cell type infiltrating cell proportions and HERV RNA expression intensity. The correlations between inflammatory type infiltrating cells were negative or weak. Taken together, these data indicate that the expression of HERVs is associated with a T cell type immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tapio Nevalainen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
- Gerontology Research Center (GEREC), Tampere, Finland
- Tampere University Hospital, Finland
| | - Arttu Autio
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
- Gerontology Research Center (GEREC), Tampere, Finland
| | - Mikko Hurme
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
- Gerontology Research Center (GEREC), Tampere, Finland
- Tampere University Hospital, Finland
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Gruchot J, Lewen I, Dietrich M, Reiche L, Sindi M, Hecker C, Herrero F, Charvet B, Weber-Stadlbauer U, Hartung HP, Albrecht P, Perron H, Meyer U, Küry P. Transgenic expression of the HERV-W envelope protein leads to polarized glial cell populations and a neurodegenerative environment. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2308187120. [PMID: 37695891 PMCID: PMC10515160 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2308187120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The human endogenous retrovirus type W (HERV-W) has been identified and repeatedly confirmed as human-specific pathogenic entity affecting many cell types in multiple sclerosis (MS). Our recent contributions revealed the encoded envelope (ENV) protein to disturb myelin repair by interfering with oligodendroglial precursor differentiation and by polarizing microglial cells toward an axon-damage phenotype. Indirect proof of ENV's antiregenerative and degenerative activities has been gathered recently in clinical trials using a neutralizing anti-ENV therapeutic antibody. Yet direct proof of its mode of action can only be presented here based on transgenic ENV expression in mice. Upon demyelination, we observed myelin repair deficits, neurotoxic microglia and astroglia, and increased axon degeneration. Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis activity progressed faster in mutant mice equally accompanied by activated glial cells. This study therefore provides direct evidence on HERV-W ENV's contribution to the overall negative impact of this activated viral entity in MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel Gruchot
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, 40225Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Isabel Lewen
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, 40225Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Michael Dietrich
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, 40225Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Laura Reiche
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, 40225Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Mustafa Sindi
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, 40225Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Christina Hecker
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, 40225Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Felisa Herrero
- Institute of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zürich-Vetsuisse, CH-8057Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | - Ulrike Weber-Stadlbauer
- Institute of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zürich-Vetsuisse, CH-8057Zürich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zürich and ETH Zürich, CH-8057Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Hans-Peter Hartung
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, 40225Düsseldorf, Germany
- Brain and Mind Center, University of Sydney, NSW 2050Sydney, Australia
- Department of Neurology, Palacky University Olomouc, 77146Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Philipp Albrecht
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, 40225Düsseldorf, Germany
| | | | - Urs Meyer
- Institute of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zürich-Vetsuisse, CH-8057Zürich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zürich and ETH Zürich, CH-8057Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Patrick Küry
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, 40225Düsseldorf, Germany
- Department of Neurology, University of Bern, CH-3010Bern, Switzerland
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5
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Stricker E, Peckham-Gregory EC, Scheurer ME. HERVs and Cancer-A Comprehensive Review of the Relationship of Human Endogenous Retroviruses and Human Cancers. Biomedicines 2023; 11:936. [PMID: 36979914 PMCID: PMC10046157 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11030936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Genomic instability and genetic mutations can lead to exhibition of several cancer hallmarks in affected cells such as sustained proliferative signaling, evasion of growth suppression, activated invasion, deregulation of cellular energetics, and avoidance of immune destruction. Similar biological changes have been observed to be a result of pathogenic viruses and, in some cases, have been linked to virus-induced cancers. Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs), once external pathogens, now occupy more than 8% of the human genome, representing the merge of genomic and external factors. In this review, we outline all reported effects of HERVs on cancer development and discuss the HERV targets most suitable for cancer treatments as well as ongoing clinical trials for HERV-targeting drugs. We reviewed all currently available reports of the effects of HERVs on human cancers including solid tumors, lymphomas, and leukemias. Our review highlights the central roles of HERV genes, such as gag, env, pol, np9, and rec in immune regulation, checkpoint blockade, cell differentiation, cell fusion, proliferation, metastasis, and cell transformation. In addition, we summarize the involvement of HERV long terminal repeat (LTR) regions in transcriptional regulation, creation of fusion proteins, expression of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and promotion of genome instability through recombination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Stricker
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77047, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77047, USA
| | | | - Michael E. Scheurer
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77047, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77047, USA
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6
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Rangel SC, da Silva MD, da Silva AL, dos Santos JDMB, Neves LM, Pedrosa A, Rodrigues FM, Trettel CDS, Furtado GE, de Barros MP, Bachi ALL, Romano CM, Nali LHDS. Human endogenous retroviruses and the inflammatory response: A vicious circle associated with health and illness. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1057791. [PMID: 36518758 PMCID: PMC9744114 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1057791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Human Endogenous Retroviruses (HERVs) are derived from ancient exogenous retroviral infections that have infected our ancestors' germline cells, underwent endogenization process, and were passed throughout the generations by retrotransposition and hereditary transmission. HERVs comprise 8% of the human genome and are critical for several physiological activities. Yet, HERVs reactivation is involved in pathological process as cancer and autoimmune diseases. In this review, we summarize the multiple aspects of HERVs' role within the human genome, as well as virological and molecular aspects, and their fusogenic property. We also discuss possibilities of how the HERVs are possibly transactivated and participate in modulating the inflammatory response in health conditions. An update on their role in several autoimmune, inflammatory, and aging-related diseases is also presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Coelho Rangel
- UNISA Research Center, Universidade Santo Amaro, Post-Graduation in Health Sciences, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Amanda Lopes da Silva
- Laboratório de Virologia, Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Lucas Melo Neves
- UNISA Research Center, Universidade Santo Amaro, Post-Graduation in Health Sciences, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ana Pedrosa
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, CIBB - Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, (3004-504), Coimbra, Portugal
| | | | - Caio dos Santos Trettel
- Interdisciplinary Program in Health Sciences, Institute of Physical Activity Sciences and Sports (ICAFE), Cruzeiro do Sul University, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Eustáquio Furtado
- Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra, Applied Research Institute, Rua da Misericórdia, Lagar dos Cortiços – S. Martinho do Bispo, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Marcelo Paes de Barros
- Interdisciplinary Program in Health Sciences, Institute of Physical Activity Sciences and Sports (ICAFE), Cruzeiro do Sul University, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - André Luis Lacerda Bachi
- UNISA Research Center, Universidade Santo Amaro, Post-Graduation in Health Sciences, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Camila Malta Romano
- Laboratório de Virologia, Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil,Hospital das Clínicas HCFMUSP (LIM52), Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Luiz Henrique Da Silva Nali
- UNISA Research Center, Universidade Santo Amaro, Post-Graduation in Health Sciences, São Paulo, Brazil,*Correspondence: Luiz Henrique Da Silva Nali, ;
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7
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Zhang T, Zheng R, Li M, Yan C, Lan X, Tong B, Lu P, Jiang W. Active endogenous retroviral elements in human pluripotent stem cells play a role in regulating host gene expression. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:4959-4973. [PMID: 35451484 PMCID: PMC9122532 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses, also called LTR elements, can be bound by transcription factors and marked by different histone modifications in different biological contexts. Recently, individual LTR or certain subclasses of LTRs such as LTR7/HERVH and LTR5_Hs/HERVK families have been identified as cis-regulatory elements. However, there are still many LTR elements with unknown functions. Here, we dissected the landscape of histone modifications and regulatory map of LTRs by integrating 98 ChIP-seq data in human embryonic stem cells (ESCs), and annotated the active LTRs enriching enhancer/promoter-related histone marks. Notably, we found that MER57E3 functionally acted as proximal regulatory element to activate respective ZNF gene. Additionally, HERVK transcript could mainly function in nucleus to activate the adjacent genes. Since LTR5_Hs/LTR5 was bound by many early embryo-specific transcription factors, we further investigated the expression dynamics in different pluripotent states. LTR5_Hs/LTR5/HERVK exhibited higher expression level in naïve ESCs and extended pluripotent stem cells (EPSCs). Functionally, the LTR5_Hs/LTR5 with high activity could serve as a distal enhancer to regulate the host genes. Ultimately, our study not only provides a comprehensive regulatory map of LTRs in human ESCs, but also explores the regulatory models of MER57E3 and LTR5_Hs/LTR5 in host genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianzhe Zhang
- Department of Biological Repositories, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Medical Research Institute, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Ran Zheng
- Department of Biological Repositories, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Medical Research Institute, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Mao Li
- Department of Biological Repositories, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Medical Research Institute, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Chenchao Yan
- Department of Biological Repositories, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Medical Research Institute, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Xianchun Lan
- Department of Biological Repositories, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Medical Research Institute, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Bei Tong
- Department of Cardiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Pei Lu
- Department of Biological Repositories, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Medical Research Institute, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Wei Jiang
- Department of Biological Repositories, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Medical Research Institute, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China.,Human Genetics Resource Preservation Center of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China.,Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmentally Originated Disease, Wuhan 430071, China
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8
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Yang C, Guo X, Li J, Han J, Jia L, Wen HL, Sun C, Wang X, Zhang B, Li J, Chi Y, An T, Wang Y, Wang Z, Li H, Li L. Significant Upregulation of HERV-K (HML-2) Transcription Levels in Human Lung Cancer and Cancer Cells. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:850444. [PMID: 35359739 PMCID: PMC8960717 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.850444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is the second most common cancer worldwide and the leading cause of cancer death in the world. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop new and effective biomarkers for diagnosis and treatment. Under this circumstance, human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) were recently introduced as novel biomarkers for cancer diagnosis. This study focused on the correlation between lung cancer and HERV-K (HML-2) transcription levels. At the cellular level, different types of lung cancer cells and human normal lung epithelial cells were used to analyze the transcription levels of the HERV-K (HML-2) gag, pol, and env genes by RT–qPCR. At the level of lung cancer patients, blood samples with background information from 734 lung cancer patients and 96 healthy persons were collected to analyze the transcription levels of HERV-K (HML-2) gag, pol, and env genes. The results showed that the transcriptional levels of the HERV-K (HML-2) gag, pol, and env genes in lung cancer cells and lung cancer patient blood samples were significantly higher than those in the healthy controls, which was also verified by RNAScope ISH technology. In addition, we also found that there was a correlation between the abnormal transcription levels of HERV-K (HML-2) genes in lung cancer patients and the clinicopathological parameters of lung cancer. We also identified the distribution locations of the gag, pol, and env primer sequences on each chromosome and analyzed the function of these loci. In conclusion, HERV-K (HML-2) genes may be a potential biomarker for the diagnosis of lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caiqin Yang
- Department of Virology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, AMMS, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Guo
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Jianjie Li
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Thoracic Medical Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Jingwan Han
- Department of Virology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, AMMS, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Jia
- Department of Virology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, AMMS, Beijing, China
| | - Hong-Ling Wen
- Key Laboratory for the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiological Laboratory Technology, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Chengxi Sun
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Xiaolin Wang
- Department of Virology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, AMMS, Beijing, China
| | - Bohan Zhang
- Department of Virology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, AMMS, Beijing, China
| | - Jingyun Li
- Department of Virology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, AMMS, Beijing, China
| | - Yujia Chi
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Thoracic Medical Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Tongtong An
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Thoracic Medical Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Yuyan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Thoracic Medical Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Ziping Wang
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Thoracic Medical Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Ziping Wang,
| | - Hanping Li
- Department of Virology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, AMMS, Beijing, China
- Hanping Li,
| | - Lin Li
- Department of Virology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, AMMS, Beijing, China
- Lin Li,
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9
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Environmental Impact on the Epigenetic Mechanisms Underlying Parkinson’s Disease Pathogenesis: A Narrative Review. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12020175. [PMID: 35203939 PMCID: PMC8870303 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12020175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder with an unclear etiology and no disease-modifying treatment to date. PD is considered a multifactorial disease, since both genetic and environmental factors contribute to its pathogenesis, although the molecular mechanisms linking these two key disease modifiers remain obscure. In this context, epigenetic mechanisms that alter gene expression without affecting the DNA sequence through DNA methylation, histone post-transcriptional modifications, and non-coding RNAs may represent the key mediators of the genetic–environmental interactions underlying PD pathogenesis. Environmental exposures may cause chemical alterations in several cellular functions, including gene expression. Emerging evidence has highlighted that smoking, coffee consumption, pesticide exposure, and heavy metals (manganese, arsenic, lead, etc.) may potentially affect the risk of PD development at least partially via epigenetic modifications. Herein, we discuss recent accumulating pre-clinical and clinical evidence of the impact of lifestyle and environmental factors on the epigenetic mechanisms underlying PD development, aiming to shed more light on the pathogenesis and stimulate future research.
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Fründt O, Hanff AM, Mai T, Kirchner C, Bouzanne des Mazery E, Amouzandeh A, Buhmann C, Krüger R, Südmeyer M. Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on (Health) Care Situation of People with Parkinson's Disease in Germany (Care4PD). Brain Sci 2021; 12:62. [PMID: 35053806 PMCID: PMC8773478 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12010062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 12/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The Care4PD study examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the care situation of people (PwP) with Parkinson's disease in Germany. A comprehensive, nationwide, anonymous questionnaire for PwP was distributed by the members' journal of the German Parkinson's Disease Association and in several PD specialized in- and outpatient institutions. PwP subjectively evaluated their general care situation and individual impairments during the pandemic. We analyzed 1269 eligible out of 1437 returned questionnaires (88.3%) and compared PwP with (p-LTC) and without (np-LTC) professional long-term care. Both groups rated the general pandemic-related consequences as being rather mild to moderate (e.g., worsening of symptom or concerns). However, familial/social contact restrictions were indicated as most compromising, whereas access to outpatient professional health care providers was less affected. PwP with professional LTC reported more impairment than those without. COVID-19 vaccination rates and acceptance were generally high (p-LTC: 64.3%, np-LTC: 52.3%) at the time of the study, but realization of sanitary measures-especially wearing masks as a patient during care sessions-still needs to be improved. Technical options for telemedicine were principally available but only rarely used. Altogether, during the COVID-19 pandemic, PwP in Germany seemed to have a relatively stable health care access, at least in outpatient settings, while mainly social isolation compromised them. The p-LTC group was more impaired in everyday live compared with the np-LTC group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Odette Fründt
- Department of Neurology, Klinikum Ernst von Bergmann, Charlottenstraße 72, 14467 Potsdam, Germany; (C.K.); (E.B.d.M.); (A.A.); (M.S.)
| | - Anne-Marie Hanff
- Transversal Translational Medicine, Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), 1A-B, Rue Thomas Edison, L-1445 Luxembourg, Luxembourg; (A.-M.H.); (R.K.)
| | - Tobias Mai
- Department of Nursing Development/Nursing Research, University Hospital Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany;
| | - Christiane Kirchner
- Department of Neurology, Klinikum Ernst von Bergmann, Charlottenstraße 72, 14467 Potsdam, Germany; (C.K.); (E.B.d.M.); (A.A.); (M.S.)
| | - Emma Bouzanne des Mazery
- Department of Neurology, Klinikum Ernst von Bergmann, Charlottenstraße 72, 14467 Potsdam, Germany; (C.K.); (E.B.d.M.); (A.A.); (M.S.)
| | - Ali Amouzandeh
- Department of Neurology, Klinikum Ernst von Bergmann, Charlottenstraße 72, 14467 Potsdam, Germany; (C.K.); (E.B.d.M.); (A.A.); (M.S.)
| | - Carsten Buhmann
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany;
| | - Rejko Krüger
- Transversal Translational Medicine, Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), 1A-B, Rue Thomas Edison, L-1445 Luxembourg, Luxembourg; (A.-M.H.); (R.K.)
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, 6, Avenue du Swing, L-4367 Luxembourg, Luxembourg
- Parkinson Research Clinic, Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg (CHL), 4, Rue Nicolas Ernest Barblé, L-1210 Luxembourg, Luxembourg
| | - Martin Südmeyer
- Department of Neurology, Klinikum Ernst von Bergmann, Charlottenstraße 72, 14467 Potsdam, Germany; (C.K.); (E.B.d.M.); (A.A.); (M.S.)
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Düsseldorf, Moorenstraße 5, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
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Meier UC, Cipian RC, Karimi A, Ramasamy R, Middeldorp JM. Cumulative Roles for Epstein-Barr Virus, Human Endogenous Retroviruses, and Human Herpes Virus-6 in Driving an Inflammatory Cascade Underlying MS Pathogenesis. Front Immunol 2021; 12:757302. [PMID: 34790199 PMCID: PMC8592026 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.757302] [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: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Roles for viral infections and aberrant immune responses in driving localized neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration in multiple sclerosis (MS) are the focus of intense research. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), as a persistent and frequently reactivating virus with major immunogenic influences and a near 100% epidemiological association with MS, is considered to play a leading role in MS pathogenesis, triggering localized inflammation near or within the central nervous system (CNS). This triggering may occur directly via viral products (RNA and protein) and/or indirectly via antigenic mimicry involving B-cells, T-cells and cytokine-activated astrocytes and microglia cells damaging the myelin sheath of neurons. The genetic MS-risk factor HLA-DR2b (DRB1*1501β, DRA1*0101α) may contribute to aberrant EBV antigen-presentation and anti-EBV reactivity but also to mimicry-induced autoimmune responses characteristic of MS. A central role is proposed for inflammatory EBER1, EBV-miRNA and LMP1 containing exosomes secreted by viable reactivating EBV+ B-cells and repetitive release of EBNA1-DNA complexes from apoptotic EBV+ B-cells, forming reactive immune complexes with EBNA1-IgG and complement. This may be accompanied by cytokine- or EBV-induced expression of human endogenous retrovirus-W/-K (HERV-W/-K) elements and possibly by activation of human herpesvirus-6A (HHV-6A) in early-stage CNS lesions, each contributing to an inflammatory cascade causing the relapsing-remitting neuro-inflammatory and/or progressive features characteristic of MS. Elimination of EBV-carrying B-cells by antibody- and EBV-specific T-cell therapy may hold the promise of reducing EBV activity in the CNS, thereby limiting CNS inflammation, MS symptoms and possibly reversing disease. Other approaches targeting HHV-6 and HERV-W and limiting inflammatory kinase-signaling to treat MS are also being tested with promising results. This article presents an overview of the evidence that EBV, HHV-6, and HERV-W may have a pathogenic role in initiating and promoting MS and possible approaches to mitigate development of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ute-Christiane Meier
- Institut für Laboratoriumsmedizin, Klinikum der Universität München, München, Germany.,Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Abbas Karimi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
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Aubert A, Stüder F, Colombo BM, Mendoza-Parra MA. A Core Transcription Regulatory Circuitry Defining Microglia Cell Identity Inferred from the Reanalysis of Multiple Human Microglia Differentiation Protocols. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11101338. [PMID: 34679401 PMCID: PMC8533937 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11101338] [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: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Microglia, the immune cells in the brain involved in both homeostasis and injury/infection control, play a predominant role in neurodegenerative diseases. In vivo studies on microglia are limited due to the requirement of surgical intervention, which can lead to the destruction of the tissues. Over the last few years, multiple protocols-presenting a variety of strategies-have described microglia differentiation issued from human pluripotent stem cells. Herein, we have reanalyzed the transcriptomes released on six different microglia differentiation protocols and revealed a consensus core of master transcription regulatory circuitry defining microglia identity. Furthermore, we have discussed the major divergencies among the studied protocols and have provided suggestions to further enhance microglia differentiation assays.
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Dawidowski B, Górniak A, Podwalski P, Lebiecka Z, Misiak B, Samochowiec J. The Role of Cytokines in the Pathogenesis of Schizophrenia. J Clin Med 2021; 10:jcm10173849. [PMID: 34501305 PMCID: PMC8432006 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10173849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 08/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a chronic mental illness of unknown etiology. A growing and compelling body of evidence implicates immunologic dysfunction as the key element in its pathomechanism. Cytokines, whose altered levels have been increasingly reported in various patient populations, are the major mediators involved in the coordination of the immune system. The available literature reports both elevated levels of proinflammatory as well as reduced levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines, and their effects on clinical status and neuroimaging changes. There is evidence of at least a partial genetic basis for the association between cytokine alterations and schizophrenia. Two other factors implicated in its development include early childhood trauma and disturbances in the gut microbiome. Moreover, its various subtypes, characterized by individual symptom severity and course, such as deficit schizophrenia, seem to differ in terms of changes in peripheral cytokine levels. While the use of a systematic review methodology could be difficult due to the breadth and diversity of the issues covered in this review, the applied narrative approach allows for a more holistic presentation. The aim of this narrative review was to present up-to-date evidence on cytokine dysregulation in schizophrenia, its effect on the psychopathological presentation, and links with antipsychotic medication. We also attempted to summarize its postulated underpinnings, including early childhood trauma and gut microbiome disturbances, and propose trait and state markers of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bartosz Dawidowski
- Department of Psychiatry, Pomeranian Medical University, 71-460 Szczecin, Poland; (B.D.); (A.G.); (J.S.)
| | - Adrianna Górniak
- Department of Psychiatry, Pomeranian Medical University, 71-460 Szczecin, Poland; (B.D.); (A.G.); (J.S.)
| | - Piotr Podwalski
- Department of Psychiatry, Pomeranian Medical University, 71-460 Szczecin, Poland; (B.D.); (A.G.); (J.S.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +48-510-091-466
| | - Zofia Lebiecka
- Department of Health Psychology, Pomeranian Medical University, 71-210 Szczecin, Poland;
| | - Błażej Misiak
- Department of Psychiatry, Division of Consultation Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Medical University, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland;
| | - Jerzy Samochowiec
- Department of Psychiatry, Pomeranian Medical University, 71-460 Szczecin, Poland; (B.D.); (A.G.); (J.S.)
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Yuan Z, Yang Y, Zhang N, Soto C, Jiang X, An Z, Zheng WJ. Human Endogenous Retroviruses in Glioblastoma Multiforme. Microorganisms 2021; 9:764. [PMID: 33917421 PMCID: PMC8067472 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9040764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 03/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most aggressive and deadly brain tumor. It is primarily diagnosed in the elderly and has a 5-year survival rate of less than 6% even with the most aggressive therapies. The lack of biomarkers has made the development of immunotherapy for GBM challenging. Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are a group of viruses with long terminal repeat (LTR) elements, which are believed to be relics from ancient viral infections. Recent studies have found that those repetitive elements play important roles in regulating various biological processes. The differentially expressed LTR elements from HERVs are potential biomarkers for immunotherapy to treat GBM. However, the understanding of the LTR element expression in GBM is greatly lacking. METHODS We obtained 1077.4 GB of sequencing data from public databases. These data were generated from 111 GBM tissue studies, 30 GBM cell lines studies, and 45 normal brain tissues studies. We analyzed repetitive elements that were differentially expressed in GBM and normal brain samples. RESULTS We found that 48 LTR elements were differentially expressed (p-value < 0.05) between GBM and normal brain tissues, of which 46 were HERV elements. Among these 46 elements, 34 significantly changed HERVs belong to the ERV1 superfamily. Furthermore, 43 out of the 46 differentially expressed HERV elements were upregulated. CONCLUSION Our results indicate significant differential expression of many HERV LTR elements in GBM and normal brain tissues. Expression levels of these elements could be developed as biomarkers for GBM treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zihao Yuan
- School of Biomedical Informatics, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (Z.Y.); (Y.Y.); (X.J.)
- Texas Therapeutics Institute, Institute of Molecular Medicine, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Yuntao Yang
- School of Biomedical Informatics, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (Z.Y.); (Y.Y.); (X.J.)
| | - Ningyan Zhang
- Texas Therapeutics Institute, Institute of Molecular Medicine, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Claudio Soto
- Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Xiaoqian Jiang
- School of Biomedical Informatics, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (Z.Y.); (Y.Y.); (X.J.)
| | - Zhiqiang An
- Texas Therapeutics Institute, Institute of Molecular Medicine, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Wenjin Jim Zheng
- School of Biomedical Informatics, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (Z.Y.); (Y.Y.); (X.J.)
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Kristensen MK, Christensen T. Regulation of the expression of human endogenous retroviruses: elements in fetal development and a possible role in the development of cancer and neurological diseases. APMIS 2021; 129:241-253. [PMID: 33683784 DOI: 10.1111/apm.13130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are remnants of ancient retroviral germline infections. Most HERV sequences are silenced in somatic cells, but interest is emerging on the involvement of HERV derived transcripts and proteins in human physiology and disease. A HERV-W encoded protein, syncytin-1, has been co-opted into fetal physiology, where it plays a role in trophoblast formation. Altered HERV transcription and expression of HERV derived proteins are associated with various cancer types and neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS). The implication of HERVs as potential mediators of both health and disease suggests important roles of regulatory mechanisms and alterations of these in physiological and pathological processes. The regulation of HERV sequences is mediated by a wide variety of mechanisms, and the focus of this review is on selected aspects of these, including epigenetic mechanisms such as CpG methylation and histone modifications of the HP1-H3K9me axis, viral transactivation events, and regulatory perspectives of transient stimuli in the microenvironment. Increasing knowledge of the regulation of HERV sequences will not only contribute to the understanding of complex pathogeneses, but also may pinpoint potential targets for better diagnosis and treatment in complex diseases as MS.
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Römer C. Viruses and Endogenous Retroviruses as Roots for Neuroinflammation and Neurodegenerative Diseases. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:648629. [PMID: 33776642 PMCID: PMC7994506 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.648629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Many neurodegenerative diseases are associated with chronic inflammation in the brain and periphery giving rise to a continuous imbalance of immune processes. Next to inflammation markers, activation of transposable elements, including long intrespersed nuclear elements (LINE) elements and endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), has been identified during neurodegenerative disease progression and even correlated with the clinical severity of the disease. ERVs are remnants of viral infections in the human genome acquired during evolution. Upon activation, they produce transcripts and the phylogenetically youngest ones are still able to produce viral-like particles. In addition, ERVs can bind transcription factors and modulate immune response. Being between own and foreign, ERVs are reviewed in the context of viral infections of the central nervous system, in aging and neurodegenerative diseases. Moreover, this review tests the hypothesis that viral infection may be a trigger at the onset of neuroinflammation and that ERVs sustain the inflammatory imbalance by summarizing existing data of neurodegenerative diseases associated with viruses and/or ERVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Römer
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, The Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Berlin, Germany
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Alster P, Madetko N, Koziorowski D, Friedman A. Microglial Activation and Inflammation as a Factor in the Pathogenesis of Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP). Front Neurosci 2020; 14:893. [PMID: 32982676 PMCID: PMC7492584 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a neurodegenerative disease based on four-repeat tauopathy pathology. Currently, this entity is not fully recognized in the context of pathogenesis or clinical examination. This review evaluates the association between neuroinflammation and microglial activation with the induction of pathological cascades that result in tauopathy pathology and the clinical manifestation of PSP. Multidimensional analysis was performed by evaluating genetic, biochemical, and neuroimaging biomarkers to determine whether neurodegeneration as an effect of neuroinflammation or neuroinflammation is a consequence of neurodegeneration in PSP. To the best of our knowledge, this review is the first to investigate PSP in this context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Alster
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Natalia Madetko
- Department and Clinic of Neurology, Wrocław Medical University, Wrocław, Poland
| | | | - Andrzej Friedman
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
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Beckers KF, Sones JL. Maternal microbiome and the hypertensive disorder of pregnancy, preeclampsia. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2019; 318:H1-H10. [PMID: 31626558 DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00469.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Preeclampsia (PE) is a pregnancy-specific disorder that can be life threatening for both mother and baby. It is characterized by a new onset hypertension during the second half of pregnancy and affects ~300,000 women in the United States every year. There is no cure for PE, and the only effective treatment is delivery of the placenta and the fetus, which is often preterm. PE is believed to be a severe manifestation of placental dysfunction due to early angiogenic imbalances and inflammatory disturbances; however, the cause of this is unknown. The once thought "sterile" placenta now has been proposed to have a unique microbiome of its own. Under ideal conditions, the microbiome represents a balanced bacterial community that is important to the maintenance of a healthy environment. Dysbiosis of these communities may lead to inflammation that potentially contributes to adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as preterm birth and PE. Thus far, the female reproductive tract microbiome has been found to be influenced by periodontal disease, cardiometabolic complications, and maternal obesity, all of which have been identified as contributors to PE. This review will look at the maternal reproductive tract microbiome, evidence for and against, and its role in pregnancy and PE-related events as well as data from relevant mouse models that could be useful for further investigating the influence of the reproductive tract microbiome on the pathogenesis of PE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalie F Beckers
- Veterinary Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
| | - Jenny L Sones
- Veterinary Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
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