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Hao Q, Gong Z, Song Y, Wang Y, Meng W, Wu W, Li Y, Zhang Y. Amyloid and Tau as cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers in anti-N-Methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis. Neurol Sci 2024; 45:3399-3410. [PMID: 38280087 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-024-07341-x] [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: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 01/29/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Neuroinfection is associated with the deposition of amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptides, and subsequent decrease in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) amyloid levels. However, whether autoimmune encephalitis involves extracellular deposition of Aβ peptides in the brain is unreported. METHODS We examined CSF amyloid and tau values in adults with anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis (NMDAR-E). Forty-two patients with NMDAR-E, 35 patients with viral and bacterial neuroinfections, and 16 controls were included. We measured CSF Aβ1-42 (cAβ1-42), Aβ1-40 (cAβ1-40), t-Tau (ct-Tau), and p-Tau181 (cp-Tau181) levels and assessed their efficacies regarding differential diagnosis and predicting prognosis. RESULTS NMDAR-E patients had lower cAβ1-42 levels; however, they were higher than those of patients with bacterial meningitis. ct-Tau levels in NMDAR-E patients were lower than those in patients with neuroinfections. No changes were observed in controls. cAβ1-42 and ct-Tau were combined as an excellent marker to distinguish NMDAR-E from neuroinfections. cAβ1-42 levels in NMDAR-E patients were positively correlated with Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores. We observed an inverse relationship between cAβ1-42 levels and modified Rankin Scale scores. Patients with poor outcomes exhibited low cAβ1-42 levels and high levels of several blood parameters. cAβ1-42 was the highest quality biomarker for assessing NMDAR-E prognosis. Correlations were found between cAβ1-42 and some inflammatory indicators. CONCLUSION cAβ1-42 was decreased in NMDAR-E patients. cAβ1-42 levels indicated NMDAR-E severity and acted as a biomarker for its prognosis. Combining cAβ1-42 and ct-Tau levels could serve as a novel differential diagnostic marker for NMDAR-E.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianmeng Hao
- Department of Blood Transfusion, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450053, Henan, China
| | - Zhe Gong
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yajun Song
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yali Wang
- Department of Blood Transfusion, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450053, Henan, China
| | - Weiwei Meng
- Department of Blood Transfusion, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450053, Henan, China
| | - Wei Wu
- Department of Blood Transfusion, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450053, Henan, China
| | - Yanfei Li
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yulin Zhang
- Department of Blood Transfusion, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450053, Henan, China.
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Naik B, Sasikumar J, Das SP. From Skin and Gut to the Brain: The Infectious Journey of the Human Commensal Fungus Malassezia and Its Neurological Consequences. Mol Neurobiol 2024:10.1007/s12035-024-04270-w. [PMID: 38871941 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-024-04270-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
The human mycobiome encompasses diverse communities of fungal organisms residing within the body and has emerged as a critical player in shaping health and disease. While extensive research has focused on the skin and gut mycobiome, recent investigations have pointed toward the potential role of fungal organisms in neurological disorders. Among those fungal organisms, the presence of the commensal fungus Malassezia in the brain has created curiosity because of its commensal nature and primary association with the human skin and gut. This budding yeast is responsible for several diseases, such as Seborrheic dermatitis, Atopic dermatitis, Pityriasis versicolor, Malassezia folliculitis, dandruff, and others. However recent findings surprisingly show the presence of Malassezia DNA in the brain and have been linked to diseases like Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Multiple sclerosis, and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The exact role of Malassezia in these disorders is unknown, but its ability to infect human cells, travel through the bloodstream, cross the blood-brain barrier, and reside along with the lipid-rich neuronal cells are potential mechanisms responsible for pathogenesis. This also includes the induction of pro-inflammatory cytokines, disruption of the blood-brain barrier, gut-microbe interaction, and accumulation of metabolic changes in the brain environment. In this review, we discuss these key findings from studies linking Malassezia to neurological disorders, emphasizing the complex and multifaceted nature of these cases. Furthermore, we discuss potential mechanisms through which Malassezia might contribute to the development of neurological conditions. Future investigations will open up new avenues for our understanding of the fungal gut-brain axis and how it influences human behavior. Collaborative research efforts among microbiologists, neuroscientists, immunologists, and clinicians hold promise for unraveling the enigmatic connections between human commensal Malassezia and neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bharati Naik
- Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University), Mangalore, 575018, India
| | - Jayaprakash Sasikumar
- Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University), Mangalore, 575018, India
| | - Shankar Prasad Das
- Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University), Mangalore, 575018, India.
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3
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Ekwudo MN, Gubert C, Hannan AJ. The microbiota-gut-brain axis in Huntington's disease: pathogenic mechanisms and therapeutic targets. FEBS J 2024. [PMID: 38426291 DOI: 10.1111/febs.17102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a currently incurable neurogenerative disorder and is typically characterized by progressive movement disorder (including chorea), cognitive deficits (culminating in dementia), psychiatric abnormalities (the most common of which is depression), and peripheral symptoms (including gastrointestinal dysfunction). There are currently no approved disease-modifying therapies available for HD, with death usually occurring approximately 10-25 years after onset, but some therapies hold promising potential. HD subjects are often burdened by chronic diarrhea, constipation, esophageal and gastric inflammation, and a susceptibility to diabetes. Our understanding of the microbiota-gut-brain axis in HD is in its infancy and growing evidence from preclinical and clinical studies suggests a role of gut microbial population imbalance (gut dysbiosis) in HD pathophysiology. The gut and the brain can communicate through the enteric nervous system, immune system, vagus nerve, and microbiota-derived-metabolites including short-chain fatty acids, bile acids, and branched-chain amino acids. This review summarizes supporting evidence demonstrating the alterations in bacterial and fungal composition that may be associated with HD. We focus on mechanisms through which gut dysbiosis may compromise brain and gut health, thus triggering neuroinflammatory responses, and further highlight outcomes of attempts to modulate the gut microbiota as promising therapeutic strategies for HD. Ultimately, we discuss the dearth of data and the need for more longitudinal and translational studies in this nascent field. We suggest future directions to improve our understanding of the association between gut microbes and the pathogenesis of HD, and other 'brain and body disorders'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Millicent N Ekwudo
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Carolina Gubert
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Anthony J Hannan
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
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4
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Li Z, Wang H, Yin Y. Peripheral inflammation is a potential etiological factor in Alzheimer's disease. Rev Neurosci 2024; 35:99-120. [PMID: 37602685 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2023-0049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
Peripheral inflammation could constitute a risk factor for AD. This review summarizes the research related to peripheral inflammation that appears to have a relationship with Alzheimer's disease. We find there are significant associations between AD and peripheral infection induced by various pathogens, including herpes simplex virus type 1, cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, human immunodeficiency virus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Helicobacter pylori, and Toxoplasma gondii. Chronic inflammatory diseases are also reported to contribute to the pathophysiology of AD. The mechanisms by which peripheral inflammation affects the pathophysiology of AD are complex. Pathogen-derived neurotoxic molecule composition, disrupted BBB, and dysfunctional neurogenesis may all play a role in peripheral inflammation, promoting the development of AD. Anti-pathogenic medications and anti-inflammatory treatments are reported to decrease the risk of AD. Studies that could improve understanding the associations between AD and peripheral inflammation are needed. If our assumption is correct, early intervention against inflammation may be a potential method of preventing and treating AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyuan Li
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Kongjiang Road 1665, Yangpu District, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Hui Wang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Kongjiang Road 1665, Yangpu District, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Yafu Yin
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Kongjiang Road 1665, Yangpu District, Shanghai 200092, China
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Greenblatt CL, Lathe R. Vaccines and Dementia: Part II. Efficacy of BCG and Other Vaccines Against Dementia. J Alzheimers Dis 2024; 98:361-372. [PMID: 38393913 DOI: 10.3233/jad-231323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
There is growing awareness that infections may contribute to the development of senile dementia including Alzheimer's disease (AD), and that immunopotentiation is therefore a legitimate target in the management of diseases of the elderly including AD. In Part I of this work, we provided a historical and molecular background to how vaccines, adjuvants, and their component molecules can elicit broad-spectrum protective effects against diverse agents, culminating in the development of the tuberculosis vaccine strain Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) as a treatment for some types of cancer as well as a prophylactic against infections of the elderly such as pneumonia. In Part II, we critically review studies that BCG and other vaccines may offer a measure of protection against dementia development. Five studies to date have determined that intravesicular BCG administration, the standard of care for bladder cancer, is followed by a mean ∼45% reduction in subsequent AD development in these patients. Although this could potentially be ascribed to confounding factors, the finding that other routine vaccines such as against shingles (herpes zoster virus) and influenza (influenza A virus), among others, also offer a degree of protection against AD (mean 29% over multiple studies) underlines the plausibility that the protective effects are real. We highlight clinical trials that are planned or underway and discuss whether BCG could be replaced by key components of the mycobacterial cell wall such as muramyl dipeptide. We conclude that BCG and similar agents merit far wider consideration as prophylactic agents against dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles L Greenblatt
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada (IMRIC), Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Richard Lathe
- Division of Infection Medicine, University of Edinburgh Medical School, Edinburgh, UK
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6
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Lathe R, Schultek NM, Balin BJ, Ehrlich GD, Auber LA, Perry G, Breitschwerdt EB, Corry DB, Doty RL, Rissman RA, Nara PL, Itzhaki R, Eimer WA, Tanzi RE. Establishment of a consensus protocol to explore the brain pathobiome in patients with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease: Research outline and call for collaboration. Alzheimers Dement 2023; 19:5209-5231. [PMID: 37283269 PMCID: PMC10918877 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13076] [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: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Microbial infections of the brain can lead to dementia, and for many decades microbial infections have been implicated in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. However, a causal role for infection in AD remains contentious, and the lack of standardized detection methodologies has led to inconsistent detection/identification of microbes in AD brains. There is a need for a consensus methodology; the Alzheimer's Pathobiome Initiative aims to perform comparative molecular analyses of microbes in post mortem brains versus cerebrospinal fluid, blood, olfactory neuroepithelium, oral/nasopharyngeal tissue, bronchoalveolar, urinary, and gut/stool samples. Diverse extraction methodologies, polymerase chain reaction and sequencing techniques, and bioinformatic tools will be evaluated, in addition to direct microbial culture and metabolomic techniques. The goal is to provide a roadmap for detecting infectious agents in patients with mild cognitive impairment or AD. Positive findings would then prompt tailoring of antimicrobial treatments that might attenuate or remit mounting clinical deficits in a subset of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Lathe
- Division of Infection Medicine, Chancellor's Building, University of Edinburgh Medical School, Edinburgh, UK
| | | | - Brian J. Balin
- Department of Bio-Medical Sciences, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19131, USA
| | - Garth D. Ehrlich
- Center for Genomic Sciences, Institute for Molecular Medicine and Infectious Disease, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19102, USA
| | | | - George Perry
- Department of Biology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Edward B. Breitschwerdt
- Intracellular Pathogens Research Laboratory, Comparative Medicine Institute, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - David B. Corry
- Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Richard L. Doty
- Smell and Taste Center, Department of Otorhinolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Robert A. Rissman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego and VA San Diego Healthcare System, La Jolla, CA
| | | | - Ruth Itzhaki
- Institute of Population Ageing, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - William A. Eimer
- Genetics and Aging Research Unit, Mass General Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
- McCance Cancer Center for Brain Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Rudolph E. Tanzi
- Genetics and Aging Research Unit, Mass General Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
- McCance Cancer Center for Brain Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Intracell Research Group Consortium Collaborators
- David L. Hahn (Intracell Research Group, USA), Benedict C. Albensi (Nova Southeastern, USA), James St John (Griffith University, Australia), Jenny Ekberg (Griffith University, Australia), Mark L. Nelson (Intracell Research Group, USA), Gerald McLaughlin (National Institutes of Health, USA), Christine Hammond (Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, USA), Judith Whittum-Hudson (Wayne State University, USA), Alan P. Hudson (Wayne State University, USA), Guillaume Sacco (Université Cote d’Azur, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice, CoBTek, France), Alexandra Konig (Université Cote d’Azur and CoBTek, France), Bruno Pietro Imbimbo (Chiesi Farmaceutici, Parma, Italy), Nicklas Linz (Ki Elements Ltd, Saarbrücken, Germany), Nicole Danielle Bell (Author, 'What Lurks in the Woods'), Shima T. Moein (Smell and Taste Center, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Philadelphia, USA), Jürgen G. Haas (Infection Medicine, University of Edinburgh Medical School, UK)
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7
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Jermakow N, Skarżyńska W, Lewandowska K, Kiernozek E, Goździk K, Mietelska-Porowska A, Drela N, Wojda U, Doligalska M. Modulation of LPS-Induced Neurodegeneration by Intestinal Helminth Infection in Ageing Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13994. [PMID: 37762297 PMCID: PMC10530578 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241813994] [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: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Parasitic helminths induce a transient, short-term inflammation at the beginning of infection, but in persistent infection may suppress the systemic immune response by enhancing the activity of regulatory M2 macrophages. The aim of the study was to determine how nematode infection affects age-related neuroinflammation, especially macrophages in the nervous tissue. Here, intraperitoneal LPS-induced systemic inflammation resulting in brain neurodegeneration was enhanced by prolonged Heligmosomoides polygyrus infection in C57BL/6 mice. The changes in the brain coincided with the increase in M1 macrophages, reduced survivin level, enhanced APP and GFAP expression, chitin-like chains deposition in the brain and deterioration behaviour manifestations. These changes were also observed in transgenic C57BL/6 mice predisposed to develop neurodegeneration typical for Alzheimer's disease in response to pathogenic stimuli. Interestingly, in mice infected with the nematode only, the greater M2 macrophage population resulted in better results in the forced swim test. Given the growing burden of neurodegenerative diseases, understanding such interactive associations can have significant implications for ageing health strategies and disease monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Jermakow
- Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warszawa, Poland; (N.J.); (W.S.); (E.K.); (K.G.); (N.D.)
| | - Weronika Skarżyńska
- Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warszawa, Poland; (N.J.); (W.S.); (E.K.); (K.G.); (N.D.)
| | - Katarzyna Lewandowska
- Faculty of Chemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus in Toruń, Gagarina 7, 87-100 Toruń, Poland;
| | - Ewelina Kiernozek
- Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warszawa, Poland; (N.J.); (W.S.); (E.K.); (K.G.); (N.D.)
| | - Katarzyna Goździk
- Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warszawa, Poland; (N.J.); (W.S.); (E.K.); (K.G.); (N.D.)
| | - Anna Mietelska-Porowska
- Laboratory of Preclinical Testing of Higher Standard, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Ludwika Pasteura 3, 02-093 Warszawa, Poland; (A.M.-P.); (U.W.)
| | - Nadzieja Drela
- Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warszawa, Poland; (N.J.); (W.S.); (E.K.); (K.G.); (N.D.)
| | - Urszula Wojda
- Laboratory of Preclinical Testing of Higher Standard, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Ludwika Pasteura 3, 02-093 Warszawa, Poland; (A.M.-P.); (U.W.)
| | - Maria Doligalska
- Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warszawa, Poland; (N.J.); (W.S.); (E.K.); (K.G.); (N.D.)
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Catumbela CSG, Giridharan VV, Barichello T, Morales R. Clinical evidence of human pathogens implicated in Alzheimer's disease pathology and the therapeutic efficacy of antimicrobials: an overview. Transl Neurodegener 2023; 12:37. [PMID: 37496074 PMCID: PMC10369764 DOI: 10.1186/s40035-023-00369-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
A wealth of pre-clinical reports and data derived from human subjects and brain autopsies suggest that microbial infections are relevant to Alzheimer's disease (AD). This has inspired the hypothesis that microbial infections increase the risk or even trigger the onset of AD. Multiple models have been developed to explain the increase in pathogenic microbes in AD patients. Although this hypothesis is well accepted in the field, it is not yet clear whether microbial neuroinvasion is a cause of AD or a consequence of the pathological changes experienced by the demented brain. Along the same line, the gut microbiome has also been proposed as a modulator of AD. In this review, we focus on human-based evidence demonstrating the elevated abundance of microbes and microbe-derived molecules in AD hosts as well as their interactions with AD hallmarks. Further, the direct-purpose and potential off-target effects underpinning the efficacy of anti-microbial treatments in AD are also addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celso S G Catumbela
- Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Vijayasree V Giridharan
- Translational Psychiatry Program, Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, 77054, USA
| | - Tatiana Barichello
- Translational Psychiatry Program, Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, 77054, USA
- Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, 88806-000, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Morales
- Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
- Centro Integrativo de Biologia y Quimica Aplicada (CIBQA), Universidad Bernardo O'Higgins, 8370993, Santiago, Chile.
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Lathe R, St Clair D. Programmed ageing: decline of stem cell renewal, immunosenescence, and Alzheimer's disease. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2023. [PMID: 37068798 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023]
Abstract
The characteristic maximum lifespan varies enormously across animal species from a few hours to hundreds of years. This argues that maximum lifespan, and the ageing process that itself dictates lifespan, are to a large extent genetically determined. Although controversial, this is supported by firm evidence that semelparous species display evolutionarily programmed ageing in response to reproductive and environmental cues. Parabiosis experiments reveal that ageing is orchestrated systemically through the circulation, accompanied by programmed changes in hormone levels across a lifetime. This implies that, like the circadian and circannual clocks, there is a master 'clock of age' (circavital clock) located in the limbic brain of mammals that modulates systemic changes in growth factor and hormone secretion over the lifespan, as well as systemic alterations in gene expression as revealed by genomic methylation analysis. Studies on accelerated ageing in mice, as well as human longevity genes, converge on evolutionarily conserved fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) and their receptors, including KLOTHO, as well as insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) and steroid hormones, as key players mediating the systemic effects of ageing. Age-related changes in these and multiple other factors are inferred to cause a progressive decline in tissue maintenance through failure of stem cell replenishment. This most severely affects the immune system, which requires constant renewal from bone marrow stem cells. Age-related immune decline increases risk of infection whereas lifespan can be extended in germfree animals. This and other evidence suggests that infection is the major cause of death in higher organisms. Immune decline is also associated with age-related diseases. Taking the example of Alzheimer's disease (AD), we assess the evidence that AD is caused by immunosenescence and infection. The signature protein of AD brain, Aβ, is now known to be an antimicrobial peptide, and Aβ deposits in AD brain may be a response to infection rather than a cause of disease. Because some cognitively normal elderly individuals show extensive neuropathology, we argue that the location of the pathology is crucial - specifically, lesions to limbic brain are likely to accentuate immunosenescence, and could thus underlie a vicious cycle of accelerated immune decline and microbial proliferation that culminates in AD. This general model may extend to other age-related diseases, and we propose a general paradigm of organismal senescence in which declining stem cell proliferation leads to programmed immunosenescence and mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Lathe
- Division of Infection Medicine, Chancellor's Building, University of Edinburgh Medical School, Little France, Edinburgh, EH16 4SB, UK
| | - David St Clair
- Institute of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK
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Sachdeva B, Sachdeva P, Negi A, Ghosh S, Han S, Dewanjee S, Jha SK, Bhaskar R, Sinha JK, Paiva-Santos AC, Jha NK, Kesari KK. Chitosan Nanoparticles-Based Cancer Drug Delivery: Application and Challenges. Mar Drugs 2023; 21:md21040211. [PMID: 37103352 PMCID: PMC10142570 DOI: 10.3390/md21040211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Chitin is the second most abundant biopolymer consisting of N-acetylglucosamine units and is primarily derived from the shells of marine crustaceans and the cell walls of organisms (such as bacteria, fungi, and algae). Being a biopolymer, its materialistic properties, such as biodegradability, and biocompatibility, make it a suitable choice for biomedical applications. Similarly, its deacetylated derivative, chitosan, exhibits similar biocompatibility and biodegradability properties, making it a suitable support material for biomedical applications. Furthermore, it has intrinsic material properties such as antioxidant, antibacterial, and antitumor. Population studies have projected nearly 12 million cancer patients across the globe, where most will be suffering from solid tumors. One of the shortcomings of potent anticancer drugs is finding a suitable cellular delivery material or system. Therefore, identifying new drug carriers to achieve effective anticancer therapy is becoming essential. This paper focuses on the strategies implemented using chitin and chitosan biopolymers in drug delivery for cancer treatment.
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Wu C, Jiang ML, Jiang R, Pang T, Zhang CJ. The roles of fungus in CNS autoimmune and neurodegeneration disorders. Front Immunol 2023; 13:1077335. [PMID: 36776399 PMCID: PMC9910218 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1077335] [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: 10/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Fungal infection or proliferation in our body is capable of initiation of strong inflammation and immune responses that result in different consequences, including infection-trigged organ injury and inflammation-related remote organ dysfunction. Fungi associated infectious diseases have been well recognized in the clinic. However, whether fungi play an important role in non-infectious central nervous system disease is still to be elucidated. Recently, a growing amount of evidence point to a non-negligible role of peripheral fungus in triggering unique inflammation, immune response, and exacerbation of a range of non-infectious CNS disorders, including Multiple sclerosis, Neuromyelitis optica, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis et al. In this review, we summarized the recent advances in recognizing patterns and inflammatory signaling of fungi in different subsets of immune cells, with a specific focus on its function in CNS autoimmune and neurodegeneration diseases. In conclusion, the fungus is capable of triggering unique inflammation by multiple mechanisms in the progression of a body of CNS non-infectious diseases, suggesting it serves as a key factor and critical novel target for the development of potential therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuyu Wu
- Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China,State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Screening, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Discovery for Metabolic Diseases, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Mei-Ling Jiang
- Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China,*Correspondence: Cun-Jin Zhang, ; Mei-Ling Jiang, ; Tao Pang,
| | - Runqui Jiang
- Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tao Pang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Screening, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Discovery for Metabolic Diseases, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China,*Correspondence: Cun-Jin Zhang, ; Mei-Ling Jiang, ; Tao Pang,
| | - Cun-Jin Zhang
- Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China,Department of Neurology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School and the State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China,Institute of Brain Sciences, Institute of Brain Disorder Translational Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China,Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China,Jiangsu Province Stroke Center for Diagnosis and Therapy, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China,*Correspondence: Cun-Jin Zhang, ; Mei-Ling Jiang, ; Tao Pang,
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12
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Bidaki R, Hekmati Moghaddam SH, Sadeh M. Gut Microbiota and Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Basic Clin Neurosci 2023; 14:167-170. [PMID: 37346870 PMCID: PMC10279994 DOI: 10.32598/bcn.2021.3220.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Numerous studies in humans and animals hypothesize that gut microbiota dysbiosis is involved in the development of behavioral and neurological diseases such as depression, autism spectrum disorder, Parkinson disease, multiple sclerosis, stroke and Alzheimer's disease. Some of the most salient works so far regarding the brain-gut axis are mentioned below. The current knowledge on the impact of gut microbiota on nervous system diseases is far from being directly used for pharmacologic or nutritional advice toward restoration of normal bodily functions. It seems that a more comprehensive approach should be followed so that the individual effect of each kind of intervention on the patient's somatic or psychological status is determined. Future research must address global need for regimens which could reestablish normal composition of gut microorganisms after each neuropsychological disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reza Bidaki
- Research Center of Addiction and Behavioral Sciences, Diabetes Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
| | - Seyed Hossein Hekmati Moghaddam
- Department of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, School of Paramedicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
| | - Maryam Sadeh
- Department of Laboratory Sciences, School of Paramedicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
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Fry SE, Kaye M, Missan DS, Becker C, Shabilla M, Martinez D, Bossert E, Ellis J. Microbial community profiling by next-generation DNA sequencing of adenocarcinoma of the prostate with evidence of ochratoxin A producing fungi. Exp Mol Pathol 2022; 128:104831. [PMID: 36100037 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexmp.2022.104831] [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: 06/07/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prostatic carcinomas are a leading cancer and leading cause of mortality in the developed world. The etiology is diverse with underlying patient genetics, environmental factors, and microbial associations. Sequencing DNA for microbes allows the detection of potential disease relationships. OBJECTIVE Targeted 16S (prokaryotic) and 18S (eukaryotic) rDNA sequencing was performed to map the tumor microbial flora. DESIGN Twelve patients undergoing elective laparoscopic prostatectomy for biopsy proven adenocarcinoma of the prostate were enrolled. PCR and amplicon based sequencing was conducted; a portion of the sequencing results were confirmed by special stains. SETTING Patients were recruited by the urologist were prospectively scheduled for radical prostatectomy by 'Da Vinci' robotically assisted procedure in an outpatient setting. Samples were portioned in the hospital surgical suite at the time of prostatectomy. PARTICIPANTS Male patients were requested to enter the study on a first come basis. OUTCOME MEASUREMENT AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS Average age of the 12 participants was 64.3 years. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS DNA reads were detected and by 'best match' were identified belonging to Perkinsus, Hydrurus, Diversispora and Funneliformis genera, few samples displayed bacteria. Out of the 12 total patients, 11 patients had detectable DNA sequences matching arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the Glomeromycetes Class; Funneliformis mosseae and Diversasporum versiformis. Specific PCR for arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi failed to confirm Glomeromycetes Class; in-depth taxonomic analysis suggests a newer fungal grouping, not falling within an accepted Phylum of fungi. Calcoflour white staining of histological sections confirmed potential fungal markers in all 12 cases. Ochratoxin A antigen was identified by immunofluorescence in all 12 patient samples. The study was limited by the low sample volume and disease free normal controls. CONCLUSIONS Fungi may play a significant role in adenocarcinoma of the prostate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen E Fry
- Fry Laboratories, LLC, Scottsdale, AZ, United States of America.
| | - Mitchell Kaye
- Scottsdale Urology, Scottsdale, AZ, United States of America
| | - Dara S Missan
- Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, United States of America
| | | | | | - Delyn Martinez
- Tricore Laboratory, Albuquerque Community Hospital, Albuquerque, NM, United States of America
| | - Erin Bossert
- Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, United States of America
| | - Jeremy Ellis
- Fry Laboratories, LLC, Scottsdale, AZ, United States of America
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14
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Abstract
The potential contribution of pathogenic microbes to dementia-inducing disease is a subject of considerable importance. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurocognitive disease that slowly destroys brain function, leading to cognitive decline and behavioral and psychiatric disorders. The histopathology of AD is associated with neuronal loss and progressive synaptic dysfunction, accompanied by the deposition of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide in the form of parenchymal plaques and abnormal aggregated tau protein in the form of neurofibrillary tangles. Observational, epidemiological, experimental, and pathological studies have generated evidence for the complexity and possible polymicrobial causality in dementia-inducing diseases. The AD pathogen hypothesis states that pathogens and microbes act as triggers, interacting with genetic factors to initiate the accumulation of Aβ, hyperphosphorylated tau protein (p-tau), and inflammation in the brain. Evidence indicates that Borrelia sp., HSV-1, VZV (HHV-2), HHV-6/7, oral pathogens, Chlamydophila pneumoniae, and Candida albicans can infect the central nervous system (CNS), evade the immune system, and consequently prevail in the AD brain. Researchers have made significant progress in understanding the multifactorial and overlapping factors that are thought to take part in the etiopathogenesis of dementia; however, the cause of AD remains unclear.
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15
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Phuna ZX, Madhavan P. A CLOSER LOOK AT THE MYCOBIOME IN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE: FUNGAL SPECIES, PATHOGENESIS AND TRANSMISSION. Eur J Neurosci 2022; 55:1291-1321. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zhi Xin Phuna
- School of Medicine, Faculty of Health & Medical Sciences, Taylor’s University Malaysia Subang Jaya Selangor
| | - Priya Madhavan
- School of Medicine, Faculty of Health & Medical Sciences, Taylor’s University Malaysia Subang Jaya Selangor
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16
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Constantin AM, Boşca AB, Melincovici CS, Mărginean MV, Jianu EM, Moldovan IM, Sufleţel RT, Djouini A, Şovrea AS, Şovrea AS. Short histological kaleidoscope - recent findings in histology. Part II. ROMANIAN JOURNAL OF MORPHOLOGY AND EMBRYOLOGY = REVUE ROUMAINE DE MORPHOLOGIE ET EMBRYOLOGIE 2022; 63:275-292. [PMID: 36374135 PMCID: PMC9801680 DOI: 10.47162/rjme.63.2.01] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
This article focuses on the latest histological knowledge in the field regarding the peripheral lymphoid system [mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT), bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue (BALT), gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT)], the thymus stroma, some of the various corpuscles of the human body (Hassall's corpuscles in thymus, arenaceous corpuscles in pineal gland, corpora amylacea in prostate and other locations) and Fañanas glial cells in the cerebellum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Marie Constantin
- Discipline of Histology, Department of Morphological Sciences, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Adina Bianca Boşca
- Discipline of Histology, Department of Morphological Sciences, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Carmen Stanca Melincovici
- Discipline of Histology, Department of Morphological Sciences, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Mariana Viorica Mărginean
- Discipline of Histology, Department of Morphological Sciences, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Elena Mihaela Jianu
- Discipline of Histology, Department of Morphological Sciences, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Ioana Maria Moldovan
- Discipline of Histology, Department of Morphological Sciences, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Rada Teodora Sufleţel
- Discipline of Histology, Department of Morphological Sciences, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Amina Djouini
- Ophthalmology Resident Physician, Victor Babeş University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timişoara, Romania
| | - Alina Simona Şovrea
- Discipline of Histology, Department of Morphological Sciences, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
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Tsurkan MV, Voronkina A, Khrunyk Y, Wysokowski M, Petrenko I, Ehrlich H. Progress in chitin analytics. Carbohydr Polym 2021; 252:117204. [DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2020.117204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Revised: 09/26/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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18
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Satitsri S, Muanprasat C. Chitin and Chitosan Derivatives as Biomaterial Resources for Biological and Biomedical Applications. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25245961. [PMID: 33339290 PMCID: PMC7766609 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25245961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Chitin is a long-chain polymer of N-acetyl-glucosamine, which is regularly found in the exoskeleton of arthropods including insects, shellfish and the cell wall of fungi. It has been known that chitin can be used for biological and biomedical applications, especially as a biomaterial for tissue repairing, encapsulating drug for drug delivery. However, chitin has been postulated as an inducer of proinflammatory cytokines and certain diseases including asthma. Likewise, chitosan, a long-chain polymer of N-acetyl-glucosamine and d-glucosamine derived from chitin deacetylation, and chitosan oligosaccharide, a short chain polymer, have been known for their potential therapeutic effects, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidiarrheal, and anti-Alzheimer effects. This review summarizes potential utilization and limitation of chitin, chitosan and chitosan oligosaccharide in a variety of diseases. Furthermore, future direction of research and development of chitin, chitosan, and chitosan oligosaccharide for biomedical applications is discussed.
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19
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Andreev A, Erdinc B, Shivaraj K, Schmutz J, Levochkina O, Bhowmik D, Farag F, Money KM, Primavera LH, Gotlieb V, Sahni S. The Association Between Anemia of Chronic Inflammation and Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias. J Alzheimers Dis Rep 2020; 4:379-391. [PMID: 33163899 PMCID: PMC7592836 DOI: 10.3233/adr-200178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Dementia is a spectrum of neurological diseases characterized by memory impairment and cognitive decline with the pathogenesis and effective management remaining elusive. Several studies have identified a correlation between anemia and Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD); however, anemia subtypes and association with ADRD have yet to be studied conclusively. Objective To study an association between ADRD and anemia of chronic inflammation. Methods We conducted a retrospective case-control study of the patients, diagnosed with ADRD at Brookdale Hospital. Pair-wise comparisons between means of controls and cases in terms of iron studies and laboratory results were performed using a Mann-Whitney U test. Pair-wise comparisons between anemia subgroups (moderate and severe) were performed using a Two Sample proportion Z-Test, where for each couple of normally distributed population. Results There was a total of 4,517 (1,274 ADRD group; 3,243 Control group) patients. There was significant difference in hemoglobin 10.15 versus 11.04 [p-value <0.001]. Iron studies showed a significant difference in ferritin 395±488.18 versus 263±1023.4 [p < 0.001], total iron binding capacity 225±84.08 versus 266±82.30 [p < 0.001] and serum iron level 64±39.34 versus 53±41.83 [p < 0.001]. Folic acid and vitamin B12 levels were normal in both groups. Severe and moderate anemia in the ADRD group were respectively 6.2% [95% CI: 4.2-8.4] and 13% [95% CI: 9.8-16.2] higher. Overall, incidence of moderate-to-severe anemia was found to be 19% higher in ADRD group [95% CI: 15.8-22.1]. Conclusion We demonstrated an association between ADRD and anemia of chronic inflammation independent of age, renal function, and HgbA1C levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Andreev
- Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Brooklyn, NY, USA.,Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Department of Neurology, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Burak Erdinc
- Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Kiran Shivaraj
- Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Julia Schmutz
- Ross University School of Medicine, Miramar, FL, USA
| | - Olga Levochkina
- Richmond University Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry, Staten Island, NY, USA
| | - Dhrity Bhowmik
- Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Fady Farag
- Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Kelli M Money
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Department of Neurology, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Vladimir Gotlieb
- Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology & Oncology, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Sonu Sahni
- Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Brooklyn, NY, USA.,Department of Primary Care, Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Research Medicine, NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine, Glen Head, NY, USA
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20
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Bulgart HR, Neczypor EW, Wold LE, Mackos AR. Microbial involvement in Alzheimer disease development and progression. Mol Neurodegener 2020; 15:42. [PMID: 32709243 PMCID: PMC7382139 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-020-00378-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most prominent form of dementia and the 5th leading cause of death in individuals over 65. AD is a complex disease stemming from genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. It is known that AD patients have increased levels of senile plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, and neuroinflammation; however, the mechanism(s) by which the plaques, tangles, and neuroinflammation manifest remain elusive. A recent hypothesis has emerged that resident bacterial populations contribute to the development and progression of AD by contributing to neuroinflammation, senile plaque formation, and potentially neurofibrillary tangle accumulation (Fig. 1). This review will highlight recent studies involved in elucidating microbial involvement in AD development and progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah R. Bulgart
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH USA
| | - Evan W. Neczypor
- Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH USA
- College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, 1585 Neil Ave, Columbus, OH 43210 USA
| | - Loren E. Wold
- Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH USA
- College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, 1585 Neil Ave, Columbus, OH 43210 USA
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, The Ohio State University College of Medicine and Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH USA
| | - Amy R. Mackos
- College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, 1585 Neil Ave, Columbus, OH 43210 USA
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21
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Carrasco L, Pisa D, Alonso R. Polymicrobial Infections and Neurodegenerative Diseases. CURRENT CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s40588-020-00139-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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22
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Pisa D, Alonso R, Carrasco L. Parkinson's Disease: A Comprehensive Analysis of Fungi and Bacteria in Brain Tissue. Int J Biol Sci 2020; 16:1135-1152. [PMID: 32174790 PMCID: PMC7053320 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.42257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by motor disorders and the destruction of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. In addition to motor disability, many patients with PD present a spectrum of clinical symptoms, including cognitive decline, psychiatric alterations, loss of smell and bladder dysfunction, among others. Neuroinflammation is one of the most salient features of PD, but the nature of the trigger remains unknown. A plausible mechanism to explain inflammation and the range of clinical symptoms in these patients is the presence of systemic microbial infection. Accordingly, the present study provides extensive evidence for the existence of mixed microbial infections in the central nervous system (CNS) of patients with PD. Assessment of CNS sections by immunohistochemistry using specific antibodies revealed the presence of both fungi and bacteria. Moreover, different regions of the CNS were positive for a variety of microbial morphologies, suggesting infection by a number of microorganisms. Identification of specific fungal and bacterial species in different CNS regions from six PD patients was accomplished using nested PCR analysis and next-generation sequencing, providing compelling evidence of polymicrobial infections in the CNS of PD. Most of the fungal species identified belong to the genera Botrytis, Candida, Fusarium and Malassezia. Some relevant bacterial genera were Streptococcus and Pseudomonas, with most bacterial species belonging to the phyla Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria. Interestingly, we noted similarities and differences between the microbiota present in the CNS of patients with PD and that in other neurodegenerative diseases. Overall, our observations lend strong support to the concept that mixed microbial infections contribute to or are a risk factor for the neuropathology of PD. Importantly, these results provide the basis for effective treatments of this disease using already approved and safe antimicrobial therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Luis Carrasco
- Centro de Biología Molecular “Severo Ochoa” (CSIC-UAM). c/Nicolás Cabrera, 1. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. Cantoblanco. 28049 Madrid. Spain
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Azzam SZ, Cayme GJ, Martinez LR. Polymicrobial interactions involving fungi and their importance for the environment and in human disease. Microb Pathog 2019; 140:103942. [PMID: 31881258 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2019.103942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2019] [Revised: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Understanding polymicrobial interactions involving fungi in the environment and the human mycobiome is necessary to address environmental and medically related problems such as drought or antimicrobial resistance. The diversity of these interactions highlights the complexity of fungi, considering how some interactions can be antagonistic, while others synergistic. Over the years, an increase in studies on the mycobiome have revealed similarities between the human and environmental hosts. More recently, studies have focused on microbial commensal relationships and identifying causative agents of human disease. The overlap of some of these interactions is impossible to ignore, indicating that there are areas for medical exploitation that need to be further investigated. This review provides the latest advances in polymicrobial interactions involving fungi and discusses the importance of the fungal lifestyle in the environment and in human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seham Z Azzam
- Department of Biological Sciences, The Border Biomedical Research Center, University of Texas at El Paso, TX, USA
| | - Ginelle J Cayme
- Department of Biological Sciences, The Border Biomedical Research Center, University of Texas at El Paso, TX, USA
| | - Luis R Martinez
- Department of Biological Sciences, The Border Biomedical Research Center, University of Texas at El Paso, TX, USA; Department of Oral Biology, College of Dentistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
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24
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Joshi H, Malik A, Aggarwal S, Munde M, Maitra SS, Adlakha N, Bhatnagar R. In-vitro Detection of Phytopathogenic Fungal Cell Wall by Polyclonal Sera Raised Against Trimethyl Chitosan Nanoparticles. Int J Nanomedicine 2019; 14:10023-10033. [PMID: 31908457 PMCID: PMC6930813 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s220488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose The objective of this research was to generate a tool for the first-line detection of fungal infection in plants. Chitin is one of the unique fungal cell wall polysaccharide which is naturally deacetylated to chitosan upon infection. It is said to be involved in the fungal cell wall modulation and plant-pathogen communication. Therefore, detection of chitosan could be potentially helpful in the detection of fungal contamination. Methods Five different phytopathogenic fungi strains were used for the study. Polyclonal sera were raised in the mice against Trimethylchitosan nanoparticles to generate an enhanced humoral immune response and generate a rich and heterogeneous repertoire of antibodies. The binding affinity of the sera with fungal cell wall was analyzed by ELISA, Langmuir isotherm, confocal microscopy and ITC (Isothermal Calorimetry). Results The raised polyclonal sera could detect chitosan in the fungal cell wall, as analyzed with the different techniques. However, the detection specificity varied among the strains in proportion to the chitin content of their cell wall. Fusarium oxysporum was detected with the highest affinity while Trichoderma reesei was detected with the least affinity by ELISA. Adsorption isotherm, as well as ITC, revealed the specific and high binding capacity. Confocal microscopy also confirmed the detection of all strains used in the study. Conclusion This novel technique employing TMC nanoparticulate system could be potentially used as a source to raise sera against chitosan in an inexpensive and less laborious manner. Rapid detection of fungal contamination by the polyclonal antibodies could help in devising a quick solution. The polyclonal sera are expected to detect a span of epitopes and provide precise detection. The detection system could be advanced for future applications such as food quality control, crop protection, and human fungal infection detection and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hemant Joshi
- Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering Laboratory, School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Anshu Malik
- Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering Laboratory, School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Soumya Aggarwal
- School of Physical Science, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Manoj Munde
- School of Physical Science, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Subhrangsu Sundar Maitra
- Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering Laboratory, School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Nidhi Adlakha
- Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Cluster, Faridabad 121001, India
| | - Rakesh Bhatnagar
- Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering Laboratory, School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India.,Banaras Hindu University, Banaras, Uttar Pradesh 221005, India
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Alonso R, Pisa D, Carrasco L. Brain Microbiota in Huntington's Disease Patients. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:2622. [PMID: 31798558 PMCID: PMC6861841 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2019] [Accepted: 10/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the most important challenges facing medical science is to better understand the cause of neuronal pathology in neurodegenerative diseases. Such is the case for Huntington's disease (HD), a genetic disorder primarily caused by a triplet expansion in the Huntingtin gene (HTT). Although aberrant HTT is expressed from embryogenesis, it remains puzzling as to why the onset of disease symptoms manifest only after several decades of life. In the present study, we investigated the possibility of microbial infection in brain tissue from patients with HD, reasoning that perhaps mutated HTT could be deleterious for immune cells and neural tissue, and could facilitate microbial colonization. Using immunohistochemistry approaches, we observed a variety of fungal structures in the striatum and frontal cortex of seven HD patients. Some of these fungi were found in close proximity to the nucleus, or even as intranuclear inclusions. Identification of the fungal species was accomplished by next-generation sequencing (NGS). Interestingly, some genera, such as Ramularia, appeared unique to HD patients, and have not been previously described in other neurodegenerative diseases. Several bacterial species were also identified both by PCR and NGS. Notably, a curved and filamentous structure that immunoreacts with anti-bacterial antibodies was characteristic of HD brains and has not been previously observed in brain tissue from neurodegenerative patients. Prevalent bacterial genera included Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, and Burkholderia. Collectively, our results represent the first attempt to identify the brain microbiota in HD. Our observations suggest that microbial colonization may be a risk factor for HD and might explain why the onset of the disease appears after several decades of life. Importantly, they may open a new field of investigation and could help in the design of new therapeutic strategies for this devastating disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Alonso
- Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" (CSIC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Diana Pisa
- Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" (CSIC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis Carrasco
- Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" (CSIC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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Lomiguen C, Vidal L, Kozlowski P, Prancan A, Stern R. Possible Role of Chitin-Like Proteins in the Etiology of Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis 2019; 66:439-444. [PMID: 30282354 DOI: 10.3233/jad-180326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Chitin is a β-linked straight chain carbohydrate matrix monopolymer prominent in invertebrates, from fungi to arthropods. Surprisingly, chitin is now documented in vertebrates, including humans, a component of vertebrate physiology that has been neglected until now. Chitin levels are elevated in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients, not only in the central nervous system but also in the cerebrospinal fluid and plasma. Elevated levels of chitin lectin have been reported in patients with AD. Chitinase activity varies widely in the human population. Chitin levels can increase in individuals with intrinsically low chitinase activity. Elevated amounts of chitin can reflect accumulation of the small chitin fragments that remain wherever rapid hyaluronan synthesis occurs. Another source of chitin may be from remote fungal infections. Chitin can be toxic for neurons, and its accumulation may lead to the development of AD. We present new suggestions for animal models and treatment modalities that could prove useful in future research endeavors. An unexpected connection with Gaucher's disease patients and their heterozygote relatives is also identified. These chitin-related mechanisms are novel approaches to AD whose etiology until now has defied explication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Lomiguen
- Department of Anatomy, Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Luis Vidal
- Department of Anatomy, Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Piotr Kozlowski
- Professor of Pathology and Dean for Research, Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Arthur Prancan
- Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Pre-Clinical Dean, Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Robert Stern
- Department of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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27
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Cryan JF, O'Riordan KJ, Cowan CSM, Sandhu KV, Bastiaanssen TFS, Boehme M, Codagnone MG, Cussotto S, Fulling C, Golubeva AV, Guzzetta KE, Jaggar M, Long-Smith CM, Lyte JM, Martin JA, Molinero-Perez A, Moloney G, Morelli E, Morillas E, O'Connor R, Cruz-Pereira JS, Peterson VL, Rea K, Ritz NL, Sherwin E, Spichak S, Teichman EM, van de Wouw M, Ventura-Silva AP, Wallace-Fitzsimons SE, Hyland N, Clarke G, Dinan TG. The Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis. Physiol Rev 2019; 99:1877-2013. [DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00018.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1243] [Impact Index Per Article: 248.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The importance of the gut-brain axis in maintaining homeostasis has long been appreciated. However, the past 15 yr have seen the emergence of the microbiota (the trillions of microorganisms within and on our bodies) as one of the key regulators of gut-brain function and has led to the appreciation of the importance of a distinct microbiota-gut-brain axis. This axis is gaining ever more traction in fields investigating the biological and physiological basis of psychiatric, neurodevelopmental, age-related, and neurodegenerative disorders. The microbiota and the brain communicate with each other via various routes including the immune system, tryptophan metabolism, the vagus nerve and the enteric nervous system, involving microbial metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids, branched chain amino acids, and peptidoglycans. Many factors can influence microbiota composition in early life, including infection, mode of birth delivery, use of antibiotic medications, the nature of nutritional provision, environmental stressors, and host genetics. At the other extreme of life, microbial diversity diminishes with aging. Stress, in particular, can significantly impact the microbiota-gut-brain axis at all stages of life. Much recent work has implicated the gut microbiota in many conditions including autism, anxiety, obesity, schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. Animal models have been paramount in linking the regulation of fundamental neural processes, such as neurogenesis and myelination, to microbiome activation of microglia. Moreover, translational human studies are ongoing and will greatly enhance the field. Future studies will focus on understanding the mechanisms underlying the microbiota-gut-brain axis and attempt to elucidate microbial-based intervention and therapeutic strategies for neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- John F. Cryan
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; and Department of Physiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Kenneth J. O'Riordan
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; and Department of Physiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Caitlin S. M. Cowan
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; and Department of Physiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Kiran V. Sandhu
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; and Department of Physiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Thomaz F. S. Bastiaanssen
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; and Department of Physiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Marcus Boehme
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; and Department of Physiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Martin G. Codagnone
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; and Department of Physiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Sofia Cussotto
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; and Department of Physiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Christine Fulling
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; and Department of Physiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Anna V. Golubeva
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; and Department of Physiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Katherine E. Guzzetta
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; and Department of Physiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Minal Jaggar
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; and Department of Physiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Caitriona M. Long-Smith
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; and Department of Physiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Joshua M. Lyte
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; and Department of Physiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Jason A. Martin
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; and Department of Physiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Alicia Molinero-Perez
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; and Department of Physiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Gerard Moloney
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; and Department of Physiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Emanuela Morelli
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; and Department of Physiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Enrique Morillas
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; and Department of Physiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Rory O'Connor
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; and Department of Physiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Joana S. Cruz-Pereira
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; and Department of Physiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Veronica L. Peterson
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; and Department of Physiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Kieran Rea
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; and Department of Physiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Nathaniel L. Ritz
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; and Department of Physiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Eoin Sherwin
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; and Department of Physiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Simon Spichak
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; and Department of Physiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Emily M. Teichman
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; and Department of Physiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Marcel van de Wouw
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; and Department of Physiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Ana Paula Ventura-Silva
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; and Department of Physiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Shauna E. Wallace-Fitzsimons
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; and Department of Physiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Niall Hyland
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; and Department of Physiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Gerard Clarke
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; and Department of Physiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Timothy G. Dinan
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; and Department of Physiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
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28
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ALSUntangled No. 50: Antifungal Therapy. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2019; 20:625-629. [PMID: 31155963 DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2019.1622197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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29
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Gosztyla ML, Brothers HM, Robinson SR. Alzheimer's Amyloid-β is an Antimicrobial Peptide: A Review of the Evidence. J Alzheimers Dis 2019; 62:1495-1506. [PMID: 29504537 DOI: 10.3233/jad-171133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 139] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide has long been considered to be the driving force behind Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, clinical trials that have successfully reduced Aβ burden in the brain have not slowed the cognitive decline, and in some instances, have resulted in adverse outcomes. While these results can be interpreted in different ways, a more nuanced picture of Aβ is emerging that takes into account the facts that the peptide is evolutionarily conserved and is present throughout life in cognitively normal individuals. Recent evidence indicates a role for Aβ as an antimicrobial peptide (AMP), a class of innate immune defense molecule that utilizes fibrillation to protect the host from a wide range of infectious agents. In humans and in animal models, infection of the brain frequently leads to increased amyloidogenic processing of the amyloid-β protein precursor (AβPP) and resultant fibrillary aggregates of Aβ. Evidence from in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrates that Aβ oligomers have potent, broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties by forming fibrils that entrap pathogens and disrupt cell membranes. Importantly, overexpression of Aβ confers increased resistance to infection from both bacteria and viruses. The antimicrobial role of Aβ may explain why increased rates of infection have been observed in some of the AD clinical trials that depleted Aβ. Perhaps progress toward a cure for AD will accelerate once treatment strategies begin to take into account the likely physiological functions of this enigmatic peptide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya L Gosztyla
- Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Holly M Brothers
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Stephen R Robinson
- Discipline of Psychology, School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
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30
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Alonso R, Pisa D, Carrasco L. Searching for Bacteria in Neural Tissue From Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Front Neurosci 2019; 13:171. [PMID: 30863279 PMCID: PMC6399391 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2018] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite great efforts in the investigation, the exact etiology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a matter of intensive research. We recently advanced the idea that ALS might be caused by fungal infection. Indeed, fungal yeast and hyphal structures can be directly visualized in neural tissue of ALS patients, and a number of fungal species have been identified in the central nervous system (CNS). In the present work, we tested the possibility that bacterial infections can accompany these mycoses. Our findings establish the presence of bacterial DNA in different regions of the CNS from all ALS patients examined. Specifically, we used PCR and next generation sequencing (NGS) to precisely determine the bacterial species present in ALS tissue. Consistent with these findings, immunohistochemistry analysis of CNS sections using specific anti-bacterial antibodies identified prokaryotic cells in neural tissue. Finally, we assayed for the repeat expansion of the hexanucleotide repeat GGGGCC in C9orf72, which is considered the most common genetic cause of ALS in patients, using DNA extracted from ALS CNS tissue. We failed to find this repeated sequence in any of the eleven patients analyzed. Our results indicate that bacterial DNA and prokaryotic cells are present in CNS tissue, leading to the concept that both fungal and bacterial infections coexist in patients with ALS. These observations lay the groundwork for the use of appropriate therapies to eradicate the polymicrobial infections in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Alonso
- Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" (CSIC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Diana Pisa
- Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" (CSIC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis Carrasco
- Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" (CSIC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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31
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Wu Y, Du S, Johnson JL, Tung HY, Landers CT, Liu Y, Seman BG, Wheeler RT, Costa-Mattioli M, Kheradmand F, Zheng H, Corry DB. Microglia and amyloid precursor protein coordinate control of transient Candida cerebritis with memory deficits. Nat Commun 2019; 10:58. [PMID: 30610193 PMCID: PMC6320369 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-07991-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Accepted: 12/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Bloodborne infections with Candida albicans are an increasingly recognized complication of modern medicine. Here, we present a mouse model of low-grade candidemia to determine the effect of disseminated infection on cerebral function and relevant immune determinants. We show that intravenous injection of 25,000 C. albicans cells causes a highly localized cerebritis marked by the accumulation of activated microglial and astroglial cells around yeast aggregates, forming fungal-induced glial granulomas. Amyloid precursor protein accumulates within the periphery of these granulomas, while cleaved amyloid beta (Aβ) peptides accumulate around the yeast cells. CNS-localized C. albicans further activate the transcription factor NF-κB and induce production of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF), and Aβ peptides enhance both phagocytic and antifungal activity from BV-2 cells. Mice infected with C. albicans display mild memory impairment that resolves with fungal clearance. Our results warrant additional studies to understand the effect of chronic cerebritis on cognitive and immune function. The potential links between infections and neurodegenerative disorders are unclear. Here, Wu et al. present a mouse model of low-grade candidemia characterized by highly localized cerebritis, accumulation of amyloid precursor protein and beta peptides, and mild memory impairment that resolves with fungal clearance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Wu
- Departments of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Biology of Inflammation Center, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Shuqi Du
- Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Jennifer L Johnson
- Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Memory and Brain Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Hui-Ying Tung
- Departments of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Biology of Inflammation Center, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Cameron T Landers
- Biology of Inflammation Center, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Translational Biology and Molecular Medicine Program, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Yuwei Liu
- Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Memory and Brain Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Brittany G Seman
- Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, ME, 04469, USA
| | - Robert T Wheeler
- Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, ME, 04469, USA.,Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, ME, 04469, USA
| | - Mauro Costa-Mattioli
- Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Memory and Brain Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Farrah Kheradmand
- Departments of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Biology of Inflammation Center, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Michael E. DeBakey VA Center for Translational Research on Inflammatory Diseases, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Hui Zheng
- Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Memory and Brain Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Huffington Center on Aging, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - David B Corry
- Departments of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA. .,Biology of Inflammation Center, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA. .,Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA. .,Michael E. DeBakey VA Center for Translational Research on Inflammatory Diseases, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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32
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Fülöp T, Itzhaki RF, Balin BJ, Miklossy J, Barron AE. Role of Microbes in the Development of Alzheimer's Disease: State of the Art - An International Symposium Presented at the 2017 IAGG Congress in San Francisco. Front Genet 2018; 9:362. [PMID: 30250480 PMCID: PMC6139345 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2018.00362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2018] [Accepted: 08/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
This article reviews research results and ideas presented at a special symposium at the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics (IAGG) Congress held in July 2017 in San Francisco. Five researchers presented their results related to infection and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Prof. Itzhaki presented her work on the role of viruses, specifically HSV-1, in the pathogenesis of AD. She maintains that although it is true that most people harbor HSV-1 infection, either latent or active, nonetheless aspects of herpes infection can play a role in the pathogenesis of AD, based on extensive experimental evidence from AD brains and infected cell cultures. Dr. Miklossy presented research on the high prevalence of bacterial infections that correlate with AD, specifically spirochete infections, which have been known for a century to be a significant cause of dementia (e.g., in syphilis). She demonstrated how spirochetes drive senile plaque formation, which are in fact biofilms. Prof. Balin then described the involvement of brain tissue infection by the Chlamydia pneumoniae bacterium, with its potential to use the innate immune system in its spread, and its initiation of tissue damage characteristic of AD. Prof. Fülöp described the role of AD-associated amyloid beta (Aβ) peptide as an antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral innate immune effector produced in reaction to microorganisms that attack the brain. Prof. Barron put forward the novel hypothesis that, according to her experiments, there is strong sequence-specific binding between the AD-associated Aβ and another ubiquitous and important human innate immune effector, the cathelicidin peptide LL-37. Given this binding, LL-37 expression in the brain will decrease Aβ deposition via formation of non-toxic, soluble Aβ/LL-37 complexes. Therefore, a chronic underexpression of LL-37 could be the factor that simultaneously permits chronic infections in brain tissue and allows for pathological accumulation of Aβ. This first-of-its-kind symposium opened the way for a paradigm shift in studying the pathogenesis of AD, from the "amyloid cascade hypothesis," which so far has been quite unsuccessful, to a new "infection hypothesis," or perhaps more broadly, "innate immune system dysregulation hypothesis," which may well permit and lead to the discovery of new treatments for AD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamàs Fülöp
- Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics, Research Center on Aging, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Ruth F. Itzhaki
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Brian J. Balin
- Department of Bio-Medical Sciences, Center for Chronic Disorders of Aging, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Judith Miklossy
- International Alzheimer Research Centre, Prevention Alzheimer International Foundation, Martigny-Croix, Switzerland
| | - Annelise E. Barron
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
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33
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Abstract
Various fungi and bacteria can colonize in the brain and produce physical alterations seen in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Environmental and genetic factors affect the occurrence of fungal colonization, and how fungi can grow, enter the brain, and interact with the innate immune system. The essence of AD development is the defeat of the innate immune system, whether through vulnerable patient health status or treatment that suppresses inflammation by suppressing the innate immune system. External and mechanical factors that lead to inflammation are a door for pathogenic opportunity. Current research associates the presence of fungi in the etiology of AD and is shown in cerebral tissue at autopsy. From the time of the discovery of AD, much speculation exists for an infective cause. Identifying any AD disease organism is obscured by processes that can take place over years. Amyloid protein deposits are generally considered to be evidence of an intrinsic response to stress or imbalance, but instead amyloid may be evidence of the innate immune response which exists to destroy fungal colonization through structural interference and cytotoxicity. Fungi can remain ensconced for a long time in niches or inside cells, and it is the harboring of fungi that leads to repeated reinfection and slow wider colonization that eventually leads to a grave outcome. Although many fungi and bacteria are associated with AD affected tissues, discussion here focuses on Candida albicans as the archetype of human fungal pathology because of its wide proliferation as a commensal fungus, extensive published research, numerous fungal morphologies, and majority proliferation in AD tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bodo Parady
- Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute, Oakland, CA, USA.,Visiting Scholar, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley CA, USA
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34
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Fulop T, Witkowski JM, Bourgade K, Khalil A, Zerif E, Larbi A, Hirokawa K, Pawelec G, Bocti C, Lacombe G, Dupuis G, Frost EH. Can an Infection Hypothesis Explain the Beta Amyloid Hypothesis of Alzheimer's Disease? Front Aging Neurosci 2018; 10:224. [PMID: 30087609 PMCID: PMC6066504 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2018.00224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2018] [Accepted: 07/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most frequent type of dementia. The pathological hallmarks of the disease are extracellular senile plaques composed of beta-amyloid peptide (Aβ) and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles composed of pTau. These findings led to the "beta-amyloid hypothesis" that proposes that Aβ is the major cause of AD. Clinical trials targeting Aβ in the brain have mostly failed, whether they attempted to decrease Aβ production by BACE inhibitors or by antibodies. These failures suggest a need to find new hypotheses to explain AD pathogenesis and generate new targets for intervention to prevent and treat the disease. Many years ago, the "infection hypothesis" was proposed, but received little attention. However, the recent discovery that Aβ is an antimicrobial peptide (AMP) acting against bacteria, fungi, and viruses gives increased credence to an infection hypothesis in the etiology of AD. We and others have shown that microbial infection increases the synthesis of this AMP. Here, we propose that the production of Aβ as an AMP will be beneficial on first microbial challenge but will become progressively detrimental as the infection becomes chronic and reactivates from time to time. Furthermore, we propose that host measures to remove excess Aβ decrease over time due to microglial senescence and microbial biofilm formation. We propose that this biofilm aggregates with Aβ to form the plaques in the brain of AD patients. In this review, we will develop this connection between Infection - Aβ - AD and discuss future possible treatments based on this paradigm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamas Fulop
- Division of Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, Research Center on Aging, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Jacek M. Witkowski
- Department of Pathophysiology, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Karine Bourgade
- Division of Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, Research Center on Aging, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Abdelouahed Khalil
- Division of Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, Research Center on Aging, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Echarki Zerif
- Division of Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, Research Center on Aging, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Anis Larbi
- Singapore Immunology Network, ASTAR, Biopolis, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Katsuiku Hirokawa
- Department of Pathology, Nitobe Memorial Nakano General Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Graham Pawelec
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Center for Medical Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Health Sciences North Research Institute, Greater Sudbury, ON, Canada
| | - Christian Bocti
- Division of Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, Research Center on Aging, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Guy Lacombe
- Division of Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, Research Center on Aging, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Gilles Dupuis
- Department of Biochemistry, Graduate Programme of Immunology, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Eric H. Frost
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
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Pisa D, Alonso R, Marina AI, Rábano A, Carrasco L. Human and Microbial Proteins From Corpora Amylacea of Alzheimer's Disease. Sci Rep 2018; 8:9880. [PMID: 29959356 PMCID: PMC6026157 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-28231-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2017] [Accepted: 06/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Corpora amylacea (CA) are spherical bodies mainly composed of polyglucans and, to a lesser extent, proteins. They are abundant in brains from patients with neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer’s disease. Although CA were discovered many years ago, their precise origin and function remain obscure. CA from the insular cortex of two Alzheimer’s patients were purified and the protein composition was assessed by proteomic analysis. A number of microbial proteins were identified and fungal DNA was detected by nested PCR.A wide variety of human proteins form part of CA. In addition, we unequivocally demonstrated several fungal and bacterial proteins in purified CA. In addition to a variety of human proteins, CA also contain fungal and bacterial polypeptides.In conclusion, this paper suggests that the function of CA is to scavenge cellular debris provoked by microbial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Pisa
- Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" (CSIC-UAM). c/Nicolás Cabrera, 1. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. Cantoblanco., 28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ruth Alonso
- Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" (CSIC-UAM). c/Nicolás Cabrera, 1. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. Cantoblanco., 28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Isabel Marina
- Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" (CSIC-UAM). c/Nicolás Cabrera, 1. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. Cantoblanco., 28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alberto Rábano
- Department of Neuropathology and Tissue Bank, Unidad de Investigación Proyecto Alzheimer, Fundación CIEN, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis Carrasco
- Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" (CSIC-UAM). c/Nicolás Cabrera, 1. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. Cantoblanco., 28049, Madrid, Spain.
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Alonso R, Fernández-Fernández AM, Pisa D, Carrasco L. Multiple sclerosis and mixed microbial infections. Direct identification of fungi and bacteria in nervous tissue. Neurobiol Dis 2018; 117:42-61. [PMID: 29859870 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2018.05.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 05/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the prototypical inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS), leading to multifocal demyelination and neurodegeneration. The etiology of this incurable disease is unknown and remains a matter of intensive research. The possibility that microbial infections, such as viruses or bacteria, can trigger an autoimmune reaction in CNS tissue has been suggested. However, the recent demonstration that bacteria are present in CNS tissue points to a direct involvement of microbial infections in the etiology of MS. In the present study, we provide the first evidence of fungal infection in CNS tissue of MS patients, and demonstrate that fungal DNA from different species can be detected in the CNS. We used, nested PCR assays together with next-generation sequencing to identify the fungal species in the nervous tissue of 10 patients with MS. Strikingly, Trichosporon mucoides was found in the majority of MS patients, and particularly high levels of this fungus were found in two patients. Importantly, T. mucoides was not detected in the CNS of control subjects. We were also able to visualize fungal structures in CNS tissue sections by immunohistochemistry using specific antifungal antibodies, which also revealed the accumulation of a number of microbial cells in microfoci. Again, microbial structures were not observed in CNS sections from controls. In addition to fungi, neural tissue from MS patients was also positive for bacteria. In conclusion, our present observations point to the novel concept that MS could be caused by polymicrobial infections. Thus, mycosis of the CNS may be accompanied by opportunistic bacterial infection, promoting neuroinflammation and directly causing focal lesions, followed by demyelination and axonal injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Alonso
- Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" (CSIC-UAM), c/Nicolás Cabrera, 1. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana M Fernández-Fernández
- Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" (CSIC-UAM), c/Nicolás Cabrera, 1. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Diana Pisa
- Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" (CSIC-UAM), c/Nicolás Cabrera, 1. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis Carrasco
- Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" (CSIC-UAM), c/Nicolás Cabrera, 1. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
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Alonso R, Pisa D, Fernández-Fernández AM, Carrasco L. Infection of Fungi and Bacteria in Brain Tissue From Elderly Persons and Patients With Alzheimer's Disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2018; 10:159. [PMID: 29881346 PMCID: PMC5976758 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2018.00159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia in elderly people. The etiology of this disease remains a matter of intensive research in many laboratories. We have advanced the idea that disseminated fungal infection contributes to the etiology of AD. Thus, we have demonstrated that fungal proteins and DNA are present in nervous tissue from AD patients. More recently, we have reported that bacterial infections can accompany these mycoses, suggesting that polymicrobial infections exist in AD brains. In the present study, we have examined fungal and bacterial infection in brain tissue from AD patients and control subjects by immunohistochemistry. In addition, we have documented the fungal and bacterial species in brain regions from AD patients and control subjects by next-generation sequencing (NGS). Our results from the analysis of ten AD patients reveal a variety of fungal and bacterial species, although some were more prominent than others. The fungal genera more prevalent in AD patients were Alternaria, Botrytis, Candida, and Malassezia. We also compared these genera with those found in elderly and younger subjects. One of the most prominent genera in control subjects was Fusarium. Principal component analysis clearly indicated that fungi from frontal cortex samples of AD brains clustered together and differed from those of equivalent control subjects. Regarding bacterial infection, the phylum Proteobacteria was the most prominent in both AD patients and controls, followed by Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroides. At the family level, Burkholderiaceae and Staphylococcaceae exhibited higher percentages in AD brains than in control brains. These findings could be of interest to guide targeted antimicrobial therapy for AD patients. Moreover, the variety of microbial species in each patient may constitute a basis for a better understanding of the evolution and severity of clinical symptoms in each patient.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Luis Carrasco
- Centro de Biología Molecular “Severo Ochoa”, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas y Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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Alonso R, Pisa D, Aguado B, Carrasco L. Identification of Fungal Species in Brain Tissue from Alzheimer's Disease by Next-Generation Sequencing. J Alzheimers Dis 2018; 58:55-67. [PMID: 28387676 DOI: 10.3233/jad-170058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The possibility that patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease (AD) have disseminated fungal infection has been recently advanced by the demonstration of fungal proteins and DNA in nervous tissue from AD patients. In the present study, next-generation sequencing (NGS) was used to identify fungal species present in the central nervous system (CNS) of AD patients. Initially, DNA was extracted from frozen tissue from four different CNS regions of one AD patient and the fungi in each region were identified by NGS. Notably, whereas a great variety of species were identified using the Illumina platform, Botrytis cinerea and Cryptococcus curvatus were common to all four CNS regions analyzed. Further analysis of entorhinal/cortex hippocampus samples from an additional eight AD patients revealed a variety of fungal species, although some were more prominent than others. Five genera were common to all nine patients: Alternaria, Botrytis, Candida, Cladosporium, and Malassezia. These observations could be used to guide targeted antifungal therapy for AD patients. Moreover, the differences found between the fungal species in each patient may constitute a basis to understand the evolution and severity of clinical symptoms in AD.
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Alonso R, Pisa D, Fernández-Fernández AM, Rábano A, Carrasco L. Fungal infection in neural tissue of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neurobiol Dis 2017; 108:249-260. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2017.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2017] [Revised: 08/24/2017] [Accepted: 09/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
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40
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Benito-León J, Laurence M. The Role of Fungi in the Etiology of Multiple Sclerosis. Front Neurol 2017; 8:535. [PMID: 29085329 PMCID: PMC5650687 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2017.00535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2017] [Accepted: 09/25/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the central nervous system. Infectious triggers of MS are being actively investigated. Substantial evidence supports the involvement of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), though other viruses, bacteria, protists, and fungi are also being considered. Many links between fungi and diseases involving chronic inflammation have been found recently. Evidence linking MS and fungi is reviewed here. The HLA-DRB1*15 allele group is the most important genetic risk factor of MS, and is a risk factor in several other conditions linked to fungal infections. Many biomarkers of MS are consistent with fungal infections, such as IL-17, chitotriosidase, and antibodies against fungi. Dimethyl fumarate (DMF), first used as an industrial fungicide, was recently repurposed to reduce MS symptoms. Its mechanisms of action in MS have not been firmly established. The low risk of MS during childhood and its moderate association with herpes simplex virus type 2 suggest genital exposure to microbes (including fungi) should be investigated as a possible trigger. Molecular and epidemiological evidence support a role for infections such as EBV in MS. Though fungal infections have not been widely studied in MS, many lines of evidence are consistent with a fungal etiology. Future microbiome and serological studies should consider fungi as a possible risk factor for MS, and future clinical studies should consider the effect of fungicides other than DMF on MS symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julián Benito-León
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital “12 de Octubre”, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
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Polymicrobial Infections In Brain Tissue From Alzheimer's Disease Patients. Sci Rep 2017; 7:5559. [PMID: 28717130 PMCID: PMC5514053 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-05903-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2017] [Accepted: 06/05/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Several studies have advanced the idea that the etiology of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) could be microbial in origin. In the present study, we tested the possibility that polymicrobial infections exist in tissue from the entorhinal cortex/hippocampus region of patients with AD using immunohistochemistry (confocal laser scanning microscopy) and highly sensitive (nested) PCR. We found no evidence for expression of early (ICP0) or late (ICP5) proteins of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) in brain sections. A polyclonal antibody against Borrelia detected structures that appeared not related to spirochetes, but rather to fungi. These structures were not found with a monoclonal antibody. Also, Borrelia DNA was undetectable by nested PCR in the ten patients analyzed. By contrast, two independent Chlamydophila antibodies revealed several structures that resembled fungal cells and hyphae, and prokaryotic cells, but most probably were unrelated to Chlamydophila spp. Finally, several structures that could belong to fungi or prokaryotes were detected using peptidoglycan and Clostridium antibodies, and PCR analysis revealed the presence of several bacteria in frozen brain tissue from AD patients. Thus, our results show that polymicrobial infections consisting of fungi and bacteria can be revealed in brain tissue from AD patients.
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