Perturbations of Ubiquitin-Proteasome-Mediated Proteolysis in Aging and Alzheimer's Disease

Oligomeric Tau-induced oxidative damage and functional alterations in cerebral endothelial cells: Role of RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway

Despite of yet unknown mechanism, microvascular deposition of oligomeric Tau (oTau) has been implicated in alteration of the Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB) function in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains. In this study, we employed an in vitro BBB model using primary mouse cerebral endothelial cells (CECs) to investigate the mechanism underlying the effects of oTau on BBB function. We found that exposing CECs to oTau induced oxidative stress through NADPH oxidase, increased oxidative damage to proteins, decreased proteasome activity, and expressions of tight junction (TJ) proteins including occludin, zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and claudin-5. These effects were suppressed by the pretreatment with Fasudil, a RhoA/ROCK signaling inhibitor. Consistent with the biochemical alterations, we found that exposing the basolateral side of CECs to oTau in the BBB model disrupted the integrity of the BBB, as indicated by an increase in FITC-dextran transport across the model, and a decrease in trans endothelial electrical resistance (TEER). oTau also increased the transmigration of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in the BBB model. These functional alterations in the BBB induced by oTau were also suppressed by Fasudil. Taken together, our findings suggest that targeting the RhoA/ROCK pathway can be a potential therapeutic strategy to maintain BBB function in AD.

Innovative pathological network-based multitarget approaches for Alzheimer's disease treatment

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disease and is a major health threat globally. Its prevalence is forecasted to exponentially increase during the next 30 years due to the global aging population. Currently, approved drugs are merely symptomatic, being ineffective in delaying or blocking the relentless disease advance. Intensive AD research describes this disease as a highly complex multifactorial disease. Disclosure of novel pathological pathways and their interconnections has had a major impact on medicinal chemistry drug development for AD over the last two decades. The complex network of pathological events involved in the onset of the disease has prompted the development of multitarget drugs. These chemical entities combine pharmacological activities toward two or more drug targets of interest. These multitarget-directed ligands are proposed to modify different nodes in the pathological network aiming to delay or even stop disease progression. Here, we review the multitarget drug development strategy for AD during the last decade.

Long-lived proteins and DNA as candidate predictive biomarkers for tissue associated diseases

Protein turnover is an important mechanism to maintain proteostasis. Long-lived proteins (LLPs) are vulnerable to lose their function due to time-accumulated damages. In this study we employed in vivo stable isotope labeling in mice from birth to postnatal day 89. Quantitative proteomics analysis of ten tissues and plasma identified 2113 LLPs, including widespread and tissue-specific ones. Interestingly, a significant percentage of LLPs was detected in plasma, implying a potential link to age-related cardiovascular diseases. LLPs identified in brains were related to neurodegenerative diseases. In addition, the relative quantification of DNA-derived deoxynucleosides from the same tissues provided information about cellular DNA renewal and showed good correlation with LLPs in the brain. The combined data reveal tissue-specific maps of mouse LLPs that may be involved in pathology due to a low renewal rate and an increased risk of damage. Tissue-derived peripheral LLPs hold promise as biomarkers for aging and age-related diseases.

Integrated Transcriptomic and Proteomic Study of the Mechanism of Action of the Novel Small-Molecule Positive Allosteric Modulator 1 in Targeting PAC1-R for the Treatment of D-Gal-Induced Aging Mice

Small-molecule positive allosteric modulator 1 (SPAM1), which targets pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide receptor 1 (PAC1-R), has been found to have a neuroprotective effect, and the underlying mechanism was explored in this study. First, using a D-galactose (D-gal)-induced aging mouse model, we confirmed that SPAM1 improves the structure of the hippocampal dentate gyrus and restores the number of neurons. Compared with D-gal model mice, SPAM1-treated mice showed up-regulated expression of Sirtuin 6 (SIRT6) and Lamin B1 and down-regulated expression of YinYang 1 (YY1) and p16. A similar tendency was observed in senescent RGC-5 cells induced by long-term culture, indicating that SPAM1 exhibits significant in vitro and in vivo anti-senescence activity in neurons. Then, using whole-transcriptome sequencing and proteomic analysis, we further explored the mechanism behind SPAM1's neuroprotective effects and found that SPAM is involved in the longevity-regulating pathway. Finally, the up-regulation of neurofilament light and medium polypeptides indicated by the proteomics results was further confirmed by Western blotting. These results help to lay a pharmacological network foundation for the use of SPAM1 as a potent anti-aging therapeutic drug to combat neurodegeneration with anti-senescence, neuroprotective, and nerve regeneration activity.

Identification of differentially expressed exosome proteins in serum as potential biomarkers for cognitive impairments in cerebral small vessel disease

BACKGROUND

Cognitive impairment arising from cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) represents a critical subtype of vascular cognitive impairments (VCI) and is the primary cause of vascular dementia. However, identifying reliable clinical and laboratory indicators for this disease remain elusive. We hypothesize that plasma exosome proteins hold the potential to serve as biomarkers for the onset of cognitive dysfunction associated with cerebrovascular diseases.

METHODS

We employed TMT-based proteomics to discern variations in serum exosome proteomes between individuals with cognitive impairments due to CSVD and healthy volunteers.

RESULTS

Each group comprised 18 subjects, and through differential expression analysis, we identified 22 down-regulated and 8 up-regulated proteins between the two groups. Our research revealed 30 differentially expressed plasma exosome proteins, including histone, proteasome, clusterin and coagulation factor XIII, in individuals with cognitive impairments caused by CSVD.

CONCLUSION

The 30 differentially expressed plasma exosome proteins identified in our study are promising as biomarkers for diagnosing cognitive impairments resulting from CSVD. These findings may help us better understand the underlying pathological mechanisms involved in the diseases.

Cross-species comparative hippocampal transcriptomics in Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a multifactorial pathology, with most cases having a sporadic origin. Recently, knock-in (KI) mouse models, such as the novel humanized amyloid-β (hAβ)-KI, have been developed to better resemble sporadic human AD.

METHODS

Here, we compared hippocampal publicly available transcriptomic profiles of transgenic (5xFAD and APP/PS1) and KI (hAβ-KI) mouse models with early- (EOAD) and late- (LOAD) onset AD patients.

RESULTS

The three mouse models presented more Gene Ontology biological processes terms and enriched signaling pathways in common with LOAD than with EOAD individuals. Experimental validation of consistently dysregulated genes revealed five altered in mice (SLC11A1, S100A6, CD14, CD33, and C1QB) and three in humans (S100A6, SLC11A1, and KCNK). Finally, we identified 17 transcription factors potentially acting as master regulators of AD.

CONCLUSION

Our cross-species analyses revealed that the three mouse models presented a remarkable similarity to LOAD, with the hAβ-KI being the more specific one.

Targets, trials and tribulations in Alzheimer therapeutics

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by abnormal accumulation of extracellular amyloid beta senile plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles in the parts of the brain responsible for cognition. The therapeutic burden for the management of AD relies solely on cholinesterase inhibitors that provide only symptomatic relief. The urgent need for disease-modifying drugs has resulted in intensive research in this domain, which has led to better understanding of the disease pathology and identification of a plethora of new pathological targets. Currently, there are over a hundred and seventy clinical trials exploring disease modification, cognitive enhancement, and reduction of neuro-psychiatric complications. However, the path to developing safe and efficacious AD therapeutics has not been without challenges. Several clinical trials have been terminated in advanced stages due to lack of therapeutic translation or increased incidence of adverse events. This review presents an in-depth look at the various therapeutic targets of AD and the lessons learnt during their clinical assessment. Comprehensive understanding of the implication of modulating various aspects of Alzheimer brain pathology is crucial for development of drugs with potential to halt disease progression in Alzheimer therapeutics.

Neprilysin inhibitors and risk of Alzheimer's disease: A future perspective

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a heterogeneous neurodegenerative disease with multifaceted neuropathological disorders. AD is characterized by intracellular accumulation of phosphorylated tau proteins and extracellular deposition of amyloid beta (Aβ). Various protease enzymes, including neprilysin (NEP), are concerned with the degradation and clearance of Aβ. Indeed, a defective neuronal clearance pathway due to the dysfunction of degradation enzymes might be a possible mechanism for the accumulation of Aβ and subsequent progression of AD neuropathology. NEP is one of the most imperative metalloproteinase enzymes involved in the clearance of Aβ. This review aimed to highlight the possible role of NEP inhibitors in AD. The combination of sacubitril and valsartan which is called angiotensin receptor blocker and NEP inhibitor (ARNI) may produce beneficial and deleterious effects on AD neuropathology. NEP inhibitors might increase the risk of AD by the inhibition of Aβ clearance, and increase brain bradykinin (BK) and natriuretic peptides (NPs), which augment the pathogenesis of AD. These verdicts come from animal model studies, though they may not be applied to humans. However, clinical studies revealed promising safety findings regarding the use of ARNI. Moreover, NEP inhibition increases various neuroprotective peptides involved in inflammation, glucose homeostasis and nerve conduction. Also, NEP inhibitors may inhibit dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) expression, ameliorating insulin and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) levels. These findings proposed that NEP inhibitors may have a protective effect against AD development by increasing GLP-1, neuropeptide Y (NPY) and substance P, and deleterious effects by increasing brain BK. Preclinical and clinical studies are recommended in this regard.

Human neural stem cells restore spatial memory in a transgenic Alzheimer's disease mouse model by an immunomodulating mechanism

Introduction

Stem cells are a promising therapeutic in Alzheimer's disease (AD) given the complex pathophysiologic pathways involved. However, the therapeutic mechanisms of stem cells remain unclear. Here, we used spatial transcriptomics to elucidate therapeutic mechanisms of human neural stem cells (hNSCs) in an animal model of AD.

Methods

hNSCs were transplanted into the fimbria fornix of the hippocampus using the 5XFAD mouse model. Spatial memory was assessed by Morris water maze. Amyloid plaque burden was quantified. Spatial transcriptomics was performed and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) identified both globally and within the hippocampus. Subsequent pathway enrichment and ligand-receptor network analysis was performed.

Results

hNSC transplantation restored learning curves of 5XFAD mice. However, there were no changes in amyloid plaque burden. Spatial transcriptomics showed 1,061 DEGs normalized in hippocampal subregions. Plaque induced genes in microglia, along with populations of stage 1 and stage 2 disease associated microglia (DAM), were normalized upon hNSC transplantation. Pathologic signaling between hippocampus and DAM was also restored.

Discussion

hNSCs normalized many dysregulated genes, although this was not mediated by a change in amyloid plaque levels. Rather, hNSCs appear to exert beneficial effects in part by modulating microglia-mediated neuroinflammation and signaling in AD.

Human neural stem cells restore spatial memory in a transgenic Alzheimer's disease mouse model by an immunomodulating mechanism

INTRODUCTION

Stem cells are a promising therapeutic in Alzheimer's disease (AD) given the complex pathophysiologic pathways involved. However, the therapeutic mechanisms of stem cells remain unclear. Here, we used spatial transcriptomics to elucidate therapeutic mechanisms of human neural stem cells (hNSCs) in an animal model of AD.

METHODS

hNSCs were transplanted into the fimbria fornix of the hippocampus using the 5XFAD mouse model. Spatial memory was assessed by Morris water maze. Amyloid plaque burden was quantified. Spatial transcriptomics was performed and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) identified both globally and within the hippocampus. Subsequent pathway enrichment and ligand-receptor network analysis was performed.

RESULTS

hNSC transplantation restored learning curves of 5XFAD mice. However, there were no changes in amyloid plaque burden. Spatial transcriptomics showed 1061 DEGs normalized in hippocampal subregions. Plaque induced genes in microglia, along with populations of stage 1 and stage 2 disease associated microglia (DAM), were normalized upon hNSC transplantation. Pathologic signaling between hippocampus and DAM was also restored.

DISCUSSION

hNSCs normalized many dysregulated genes, although this was not mediated by a change in amyloid plaque levels. Rather, hNSCs appear to exert beneficial effects in part by modulating microglia-mediated neuroinflammation and signaling in AD.

Orthogonal approaches required to measure proteasome composition and activity in mammalian brain tissue

Proteasomes are large macromolecular complexes with multiple distinct catalytic activities that are each vital to human brain health and disease. Despite their importance, standardized approaches to investigate proteasomes have not been universally adapted. Here, we describe pitfalls and define straightforward orthogonal biochemical approaches essential to measure and understand changes in proteasome composition and activity in the mammalian central nervous system. Through our experimentation in the mammalian brain, we determined an abundance of catalytically active proteasomes exist with and without a 19S cap(s), the regulatory particle essential for ubiquitin-dependent degradation. Moreover, we learned that in-cell measurements using activity-based probes (ABPs) are more sensitive in determining the available activity of the 20S proteasome without the 19S cap and in measuring individual catalytic subunit activities of each β subunit within all neuronal proteasomes. Subsequently, applying these tools to human brain samples, we were surprised to find that post-mortem tissue retained little to no 19S-capped proteasome, regardless of age, sex, or disease state. Comparing brain tissues (parahippocampal gyrus) from human Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients and unaffected subjects, available 20S proteasome activity was significantly elevated in severe cases of AD, an observation not previously noted. Taken together, our study establishes standardized approaches for comprehensive investigation of proteasomes in mammalian brain tissue, and we reveal new insight into brain proteasome biology.

Proteostasis failure exacerbates neuronal circuit dysfunction and sleep impairments in Alzheimer's disease

Failed proteostasis is a well-documented feature of Alzheimer's disease, particularly, reduced protein degradation and clearance. However, the contribution of failed proteostasis to neuronal circuit dysfunction is an emerging concept in neurodegenerative research and will prove critical in understanding cognitive decline. Our objective is to convey Alzheimer's disease progression with the growing evidence for a bidirectional relationship of sleep disruption and proteostasis failure. Proteostasis dysfunction and tauopathy in Alzheimer's disease disrupts neurons that regulate the sleep-wake cycle, which presents behavior as impaired slow wave and rapid eye movement sleep patterns. Subsequent sleep loss further impairs protein clearance. Sleep loss is a defined feature seen early in many neurodegenerative disorders and contributes to memory impairments in Alzheimer's disease. Canonical pathological hallmarks, β-amyloid, and tau, directly disrupt sleep, and neurodegeneration of locus coeruleus, hippocampal and hypothalamic neurons from tau proteinopathy causes disruption of the neuronal circuitry of sleep. Acting in a positive-feedback-loop, sleep loss and circadian rhythm disruption then increase spread of β-amyloid and tau, through impairments of proteasome, autophagy, unfolded protein response and glymphatic clearance. This phenomenon extends beyond β-amyloid and tau, with interactions of sleep impairment with the homeostasis of TDP-43, α-synuclein, FUS, and huntingtin proteins, implicating sleep loss as an important consideration in an array of neurodegenerative diseases and in cases of mixed neuropathology. Critically, the dynamics of this interaction in the neurodegenerative environment are not fully elucidated and are deserving of further discussion and research. Finally, we propose sleep-enhancing therapeutics as potential interventions for promoting healthy proteostasis, including β-amyloid and tau clearance, mechanistically linking these processes. With further clinical and preclinical research, we propose this dynamic interaction as a diagnostic and therapeutic framework, informing precise single- and combinatorial-treatments for Alzheimer's disease and other brain disorders.

Mechanism of action deconvolution of the small-molecule pathological tau aggregation inhibitor Anle138b

BACKGROUND

A key histopathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the presence of neurofibrillary tangles of aggregated microtubule-associated protein tau in neurons. Anle138b is a small molecule which has previously shown efficacy in mice in reducing tau aggregates and rescuing AD disease phenotypes.

METHODS

In this work, we employed bioinformatics analysis-including pathway enrichment and causal reasoning-of an in vitro tauopathy model. The model consisted of cultured rat cortical neurons either unseeded or seeded with tau aggregates derived from human AD patients, both of which were treated with Anle138b to generate hypotheses for its mode of action. In parallel, we used a collection of human target prediction models to predict direct targets of Anle138b based on its chemical structure.

RESULTS

Combining the different approaches, we found evidence supporting the hypothesis that the action of Anle138b involves several processes which are key to AD progression, including cholesterol homeostasis and neuroinflammation. On the pathway level, we found significantly enriched pathways related to these two processes including those entitled "Superpathway of cholesterol biosynthesis" and "Granulocyte adhesion and diapedesis". With causal reasoning, we inferred differential activity of SREBF1/2 (involved in cholesterol regulation) and mediators of the inflammatory response such as NFKB1 and RELA. Notably, our findings were also observed in Anle138b-treated unseeded neurons, meaning that the inferred processes are independent of tau pathology and thus represent the direct action of the compound in the cellular system. Through structure-based ligand-target prediction, we predicted the intracellular cholesterol carrier NPC1 as well as NF-κB subunits as potential targets of Anle138b, with structurally similar compounds in the model training set known to target the same proteins.

CONCLUSIONS

This study has generated feasible hypotheses for the potential mechanism of action of Anle138b, which will enable the development of future molecular interventions aiming to reduce tau pathology in AD patients.

Circulating micro-RNAs Differentially Expressed in Korean Alzheimer's Patients With Brain Aβ Accumulation Activate Amyloidogenesis

BACKGROUND

Roles for extracellular vesicles (EVs) enriched with micro-RNAs (miRNAs) have been proposed in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis, leading to the discovery of blood miRNAs as AD biomarkers. However, the diagnostic utility of specific miRNAs is not consistent. This study aimed to discover blood miRNAs that are differentially expressed in Korean AD patients, evaluate their clinical performance, and investigate their role in amyloidogenesis.

METHODS

We discovered miRNAs differentially expressed in AD (N = 8) from cognitively normal participants (CN, N = 7) or Parkinson's disease (PD) patients (N = 8). We evaluated the clinical performance of these miRNAs in plasma of subgroup (N = 99) and in plasma EVs isolated from the total cohort (N = 251). The effects of miRNAs on amyloidogenesis and on the regulation of their target genes were investigated in vitro.

RESULTS

Among 17 upregulated and one downregulated miRNAs in AD (>twofold), miR-122-5p, miR-210-3p, and miR-590-5p were differentially expressed compared with CN or PD. However, the diagnostic performance of the selected plasma or EV miRNAs in total participants were limited (area under the curve < 0.8). Nevertheless, levels of 3 miRNAs in plasma or plasma EVs of participants who were amyloid positron emission tomography (Aβ-PET) positive were significantly higher than those from the Aβ-PET negative participants (p < .05). The selected miRNAs induced Aβ production (p < .05) through activation of β-cleavage of amyloid precursor protein (CTF-β; p < .01), and downregulated their target genes (ADAM metallopeptidase domain 10, Brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and Jagged canonical notch ligand 1; p < .05), which was further supported by pathway enrichment analysis of target genes of the miRNAs.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, despite of the limited diagnostic utility of selected miRNAs as plasma or plasma EV biomarkers, the discovered miRNAs may play a role in amyloidogenesis during AD onset and progression.

circRNA from APP Gene Changes in Alzheimer's Disease Human Brain

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of age-related dementia. Amyloid precursor protein (APP) is the precursor of Aβ peptides, and its role in AD has been widely investigated. Recently, it has been reported that a circular RNA (circRNA) originated from APP gene can serve as a template for Aβ synthesis, postulating it as an alternative pathway for the Aβ biogenesis. Moreover, circRNAs play important roles in brain development and in neurological diseases. Therefore, our aim was to study the expression of a circAPP (hsa_circ_0007556) and its linear cognate in AD human entorhinal cortex, a brain region most vulnerable to AD pathology. First, we confirmed the presence of circAPP (hsa_circ_0007556) in human entorhinal cortex samples using RT-PCR and Sanger sequencing of PCR products. Next, a 0.49-fold decrease in circAPP (hsa_circ_0007556) levels was observed in entorhinal cortex of AD cases compared to controls (p-value < 0.05) by qPCR. In contrast, APP mRNA expression did not show changes in the entorhinal cortex between AD cases and controls (Fold-change = 1.06; p-value = 0.81). A negative correlation was found between Aβ deposits and circAPP (hsa_circ_0007556) and APP expression levels (Rho Spearman = -0.56, p-value < 0.001 and Rho Spearman = -0.44, p-values < 0.001, respectively). Finally, by using bioinformatics tools, 17 miRNAs were predicted to bind circAPP (hsa_circ_0007556), and the functional analysis predicted that they were involved in some pathways, such as the Wnt-signaling pathway (p = 3.32 × 10^-6). Long-term potentiation (p = 2.86 × 10^-5), among others, is known to be altered in AD. To sum up, we show that circAPP (hsa_circ_0007556) is deregulated in the entorhinal cortex of AD patients. These results add to the notion that circAPP (hsa_circ_0007556) could be playing a role in the pathogenesis of AD disease.

Molecular Mechanisms of Neuroinflammation in Aging and Alzheimer's Disease Progression

Aging is the most prominent risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's disease. Aging associates with a chronic inflammatory state both in the periphery and in the central nervous system, the evidence thereof and the mechanisms leading to chronic neuroinflammation being discussed. Nonetheless, neuroinflammation is significantly enhanced by the accumulation of amyloid beta and accelerates the progression of Alzheimer's disease through various pathways discussed in the present review. Decades of clinical trials targeting the 2 abnormal proteins in Alzheimer's disease, amyloid beta and tau, led to many failures. As such, targeting neuroinflammation via different strategies could prove a valuable therapeutic strategy, although much research is still needed to identify the appropriate time window. Active research focusing on identifying early biomarkers could help translating these novel strategies from bench to bedside.

Myelinosome organelles in pathological retinas: ubiquitous presence and dual role in ocular proteostasis maintenance

The timely and efficient elimination of aberrant proteins and damaged organelles, formed in response to various genetic and environmental stressors, is a vital need for all cells of the body. Recent lines of evidence point out several non-classical strategies employed by ocular tissues to cope with aberrant constituents generated in the retina and in the retinal pigmented epithelium cells exposed to various stressors. Along with conventional strategies relying upon the intracellular degradation of aberrant constituents through ubiquitin-proteasome and/or lysosome-dependent autophagy proteolysis, two non-conventional mechanisms also contribute to proteostasis maintenance in ocular tissues. An exosome-mediated clearing and a myelinosome-driven secretion mechanism do not require intracellular degradation but provide the export of aberrant constituents and "waste proteins" outside of the cells. The current review is centered on the non-degradative myelinosome-driven secretion mechanism, which operates in the retina of transgenic Huntington's disease R6/1 model mice. Myelinosome-driven secretion is supported by rare organelles myelinosomes that are detected not only in degenerative Huntington's disease R6/1 retina but also in various pathological states of the retina and of the retinal pigmented epithelium. The intra-retinal traffic and inter-cellular exchange of myelinosomes was discussed in the context of a dual role of the myelinosome-driven secretion mechanism for proteostasis maintenance in different ocular compartments. Special focus was made on the interplay between degradative and non-degradative strategies in ocular pathophysiology, to delineate potential therapeutic approaches to counteract several vision diseases.

Therapeutic roles of plants for 15 hypothesised causal bases of Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is progressive and ultimately fatal, with current drugs failing to reverse and cure it. This study aimed to find plant species which may provide therapeutic bioactivities targeted to causal agents proposed to be driving AD. A novel toolkit methodology was employed, whereby clinical symptoms were translated into categories recognized in ethnomedicine. These categories were applied to find plant species with therapeutic effects, mined from ethnomedical surveys. Survey locations were mapped to assess how this data is at risk. Bioactivities were found of therapeutic relevance to 15 hypothesised causal bases for AD. 107 species with an ethnological report of memory improvement demonstrated therapeutic activity for all these 15 causal bases. The majority of the surveys were found to reside within biodiversity hotspots (centres of high biodiversity under threat), with loss of traditional knowledge the most common threat. Our findings suggest that the documented plants provide a large resource of AD therapeutic potential. In demonstrating bioactivities targeted to these causal bases, such plants may have the capacity to reduce or reverse AD, with promise as drug leads to target multiple AD hallmarks. However, there is a need to preserve ethnomedical knowledge, and the habitats on which this knowledge depends.

The disturbance of protein synthesis/degradation homeostasis is a common trait of age-related neurodegenerative disorders

Protein homeostasis or "proteostasis" represent the process that regulates the balance of the intracellular functional and "healthy" proteins. Proteostasis is fundamental to preserve physiological metabolic processes in the cell and it allow to respond to any given stimulus as the expression of components of the proteostasis network is customized according to the proteomic demands of different cellular environments. In conditions that promote unfolding/misfolding of proteins chaperones act as signaling molecules inducing extreme measures to either fix the problem or destroy unfolded proteins. When the chaperone machinery fails under pathological insults unfolded proteins induce the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress activating the unfolded protein response (UPR) machinery. The activation of the UPR restores ER proteostasis primarily through the transcriptional remodeling of ER protein folding, trafficking, and degradation pathways, such as the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS). If these mechanisms do not manage to clear the aberrant proteins, proteasome overload and become defective, and misfolded proteins may form aggregates thus extending the UPR mechanism. These aggregates are then attempted to be cleared by macroautophagy. Impaired proteostasis promote the accumulation of misfolded proteins that exacerbate the damage to chaperones, surveillance systems and/or degradative activities. Remarkably, the removal of toxic misfolded proteins is critical for all cells, but it is especially significant in neurons since these cannot be readily replaced. In neurons, the maintenance of efficient proteostasis is essential to healthy aging since the dysregulation of the proteostasis network can lead to neurodegenerative disease. Each of these brain pathologies is characterized by the repeated misfolding of one of more peculiar proteins, which evade both the protein folding machinery and cellular degradation mechanisms and begins to form aggregates that nucleate out into large fibrillar aggregates. In this chapter we describe the mechanisms, associated with faulty proteostasis, that promote the formation of protein aggregates, amyloid fibrils, intracellular, and extracellular inclusions in the most common nondegenerative disorders also referred to as protein misfolding disorders.

Identification of Potential Key circRNAs in Aged Mice With Postoperative Delirium

Postoperative delirium (POD) is a common postoperative complication in elderly patients and seriously affects postoperative recovery. The exact mechanism of POD is still unclear. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the mechanism of POD in transcriptional regulation. At present, circRNAs have been proven to play an important role in a variety of mental health and cognitive disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease, depression and schizophrenia. To reveal the effect of circRNA on POD, we used microarray to analyze the differential expression profiles of circRNAs in the hippocampus of 12-month-old mice between the tibial fracture and control groups. A total of 1,4236 circRNAs were identified. Compared with the control group, there were 500 circRNAs with increased expression and 187 with decreased expression. The accuracy of the microarray data was further verified by qRT–PCR. Finally, GO enrichment and KEGG pathway analyses indicated that changes in axon orientation, ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis, glutamate synapses, the estrogen signaling pathway, the RAS signaling pathway and other systems may be important potential pathological mechanisms in the progression of POD. In particular, we found that the HOMER1 gene and its transcript mmu_circRNA_26701 are specifically expressed in the glutamate synapse, which may provide new clues and intervention targets for the progression of this refractory disease.

Modulation of the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System Restores Plasticity in Hippocampal Pyramidal Neurons of the APP/PS1 Alzheimer’s Disease-Like Mice

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by memory and cognitive deficits that in part are related to a diminished ability to activity-dependent synaptic plasticity. In AD, an attenuated long-term potentiation has been correlated with a deficit of synaptic plasticity-relevant proteins and protein turnover. The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) critically regulates the protein turnover and contributes to dynamic changes of the protein milieu within synapses. In AD, UPS aberration has been implicated in inadequate proteostasis and synaptic malfunction. However, here we show that the inhibition of proteasome-mediated protein degradation by MG132 or lactacystin restored an impaired activity-dependent synaptic plasticity in an AD-like mouse model. In this whole-cell voltage-clamp study, we provided evidence that an amelioration of long-term plasticity by modulating UPS activity in pyramidal neurons.

N-Acetyl-Cysteine: Modulating the Cysteine Redox Proteome in Neurodegenerative Diseases

In the last twenty years, significant progress in understanding the pathophysiology of age-associated neurodegenerative diseases has been made. However, the prevention and treatment of these diseases remain without clinically significant therapeutic advancement. While we still hope for some potential genetic therapeutic approaches, the current reality is far from substantial progress. With this state of the issue, emphasis should be placed on early diagnosis and prompt intervention in patients with increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases to slow down their progression, poor prognosis, and decreasing quality of life. Accordingly, it is urgent to implement interventions addressing the psychosocial and biochemical disturbances we know are central in managing the evolution of these disorders. Genomic and proteomic studies have shown the high molecular intricacy in neurodegenerative diseases, involving a broad spectrum of cellular pathways underlying disease progression. Recent investigations indicate that the dysregulation of the sensitive-cysteine proteome may be a concurrent pathogenic mechanism contributing to the pathophysiology of major neurodegenerative diseases, opening new therapeutic opportunities. Considering the incidence and prevalence of these disorders and their already significant burden in Western societies, they will become a real pandemic in the following decades. Therefore, we propose large-scale investigations, in selected groups of people over 40 years of age with decreased blood glutathione levels, comorbidities, and/or mild cognitive impairment, to evaluate supplementation of the diet with low doses of N-acetyl-cysteine, a promising and well-tolerated therapeutic agent suitable for long-term use.

The ATP/Mg2+ Balance Affects the Degradation of Short Fluorogenic Substrates by the 20S Proteasome

Proteasomes hydrolyze most cellular proteins. The standard reaction to determine proteasome activity in cellular lysate or elsewhere contains AMC-conjugated peptide substrate, ATP, Mg²⁺, and DTT. ATP and Mg²⁺ are included to maintain 26S proteasome functionality. However, most cellular proteasomes are 20S proteasomes, and the effects of ATP on the turnover of fluorogenic substrates by 20S complexes are largely unknown. Here, we evaluated the effect of ATP alone or in combination with Mg²⁺ on the degradation of AMC-conjugated fluorogenic substrates by purified 20S proteasomes. Degradation of substrates used to determine chymotrypsin-, caspase- and trypsin-like proteasome activities was gradually decreased with the rise of ATP concentration from 0.25 to 10 mM. These effects were not associated with the blockage of the proteasome catalytic subunit active sites or unspecific alterations of AMC fluorescence by the ATP. However, ATP-induced peptide degradation slowdown was rescued by the addition of Mg²⁺. Moreover, the substrate degradation efficacy was proportional to the Mg²⁺/ATP ratio, being equal to control values when equimolar concentrations of the molecules were used. The obtained results indicate that when proteasome activity is assessed, the reciprocal effects of ATP and Mg²⁺ on the hydrolysis of AMC-conjugated fluorogenic substrates by the 20S proteasomes should be considered.

UBQLN4 is activated by C/EBPβ and exerts oncogenic effects on colorectal cancer via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

Ubiquilin 4 (UBQLN4) is an important member of the ubiquitin-like protein family. An increasing number of studies have shown that UBQLN4 is an important regulator of tumorigenesis. Nevertheless, the biological function and detailed mechanisms of UBQLN4 in colorectal cancer (CRC) development and progression remain unclear. Here, we identified UBQLN4 upregulation in CRC tissues and it is positively associated with CRC size, TNM stage, and lymphatic metastasis. Patients with high UBQLN4 expression had a poor prognosis. Functionally, overexpression of UBQLN4 significantly promoted CRC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, while UBQLN4 silencing elicited the opposite effect. This result was consistent with the conclusion that UBQLN4 expression correlated positively with the CRC size and lymphatic metastasis. In vivo, UBQLN4 silencing also inhibited tumor growth. Mechanistically, using gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and western blot experiments, we identified that UBQLN4 activated the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway to upregulate β-catenin and c-Myc expression, thereby promoting CRC proliferation, migration and invasion. A rescue experiment further verified this conclusion. Dual luciferase reporter, real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), western blot and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays indicated that the transcription factor CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein beta (C/EBPβ) directly bound to the UBQLN4 core promoter region and activated its transcription, upregulating β-catenin and c-Myc expression to promote CRC progression. Thus, our findings suggest that UBQLN4 is a key oncogene in CRC and may be a promising target for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with CRC.

Past, present and future of therapeutic strategies against amyloid-β peptides in Alzheimer's disease: a systematic review

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disease in ageing, affecting around 46 million people worldwide but few treatments are currently available. The etiology of AD is still puzzling, and new drugs development and clinical trials have high failure rates. Urgent outline of an integral (multi-target) and effective treatment of AD is needed. Accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides is considered one of the fundamental neuropathological pillars of the disease, and its dyshomeostasis has shown a crucial role in AD onset. Therefore, many amyloid-targeted therapies have been investigated. Here, we will systematically review recent (from 2014) investigational, follow-up and review studies focused on anti-amyloid strategies to summarize and analyze their current clinical potential. Combination of anti-Aβ therapies with new developing early detection biomarkers and other therapeutic agents acting on early functional AD changes will be highlighted in this review. Near-term approval seems likely for several drugs acting against Aβ, with recent FDA approval of a monoclonal anti-Aβ oligomers antibody -aducanumab- raising hopes and controversies. We conclude that, development of oligomer-epitope specific Aβ treatment and implementation of multiple improved biomarkers and risk prediction methods allowing early detection, together with therapies acting on other factors such as hyperexcitability in early AD, could be the key to slowing this global pandemic.

P62 accumulates through neuroanatomical circuits in response to tauopathy propagation

In Alzheimer's disease and related tauopathies, trans-synaptic transfer and accumulation of pathological tau from donor to recipient neurons is thought to contribute to disease progression, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Using complementary in vivo and in vitro models, we examined the relationship between these two processes and neuronal clearance. Accumulation of p62 (a marker of defective protein clearance) correlated with pathological tau accumulation in two mouse models of tauopathy spread; Entorhinal Cortex-tau (EC-Tau) mice where tau pathology progresses in time from EC to other brain regions, and PS19 mice injected with tau seeds. In both models and in several brain regions, p62 colocalized with human tau in a pathological conformation (MC1 antibody). In EC-Tau mice, p62 accumulated before overt tau pathology had developed and was associated with the presence of aggregation-competent tau seeds identified using a FRET-based assay. Furthermore, p62 accumulated in the cytoplasm of neurons in the dentate gyrus of EC-Tau mice prior to the appearance of MC1 positive tauopathy. However, MC1 positive tau was shown to be present at the synapse and to colocalize with p62 as shown by immuno electron microscopy. In vitro, p62 colocalized with tau inclusions in two primary cortical neuron models of tau pathology. In a three-chamber microfluidic device containing neurons overexpressing fluorescent tau, seeding of tau in the donor chamber led to tau pathology spread and p62 accumulation in both the donor and the recipient chamber. Overall, these data are in accordance with the hypothesis that the accumulation and trans-synaptic spread of pathological tau disrupts clearance mechanisms, preceding the appearance of obvious tau aggregation. A vicious cycle of tau accumulation and clearance deficit would be expected to feed-forward and exacerbate disease progression across neuronal circuits in human tauopathies.

Oxidative Modification of Proteins: From Damage to Catalysis, Signaling, and Beyond

Significance: The systematic investigation of oxidative modification of proteins by reactive oxygen species started in 1980. Later, it was shown that reactive nitrogen species could also modify proteins. Some protein oxidative modifications promote loss of protein function, cleavage or aggregation, and some result in proteo-toxicity and cellular homeostasis disruption. Recent Advances: Previously, protein oxidation was associated exclusively to damage. However, not all oxidative modifications are necessarily associated with damage, as with Met and Cys protein residue oxidation. In these cases, redox state changes can alter protein structure, catalytic function, and signaling processes in response to metabolic and/or environmental alterations. This review aims to integrate the present knowledge on redox modifications of proteins with their fate and role in redox signaling and human pathological conditions. Critical Issues: It is hypothesized that protein oxidation participates in the development and progression of many pathological conditions. However, no quantitative data have been correlated with specific oxidized proteins or the progression or severity of pathological conditions. Hence, the comprehension of the mechanisms underlying these modifications, their importance in human pathologies, and the fate of the modified proteins is of clinical relevance. Future Directions: We discuss new tools to cope with protein oxidation and suggest new approaches for integrating knowledge about protein oxidation and redox processes with human pathophysiological conditions. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 35, 1016-1080.

Cell type-specific potential pathogenic genes and functional pathways in Alzheimer's Disease

BACKGROUND

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a pervasive age-related and highly heritable neurodegenerative disorder but has no effective therapy. The complex cellular microenvironment in the AD brain impedes our understanding of pathogenesis. Thus, a comprehensive investigation of cell type-specific responses in AD is crucial to provide precise molecular and cellular targets for therapeutic development.

METHODS

Here, we integrated analyzed 4,441 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that were identified from 263,370 single-cells in cortex samples by single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) between 42 AD-pathology subjects and 39 normal controls within 3 studies. DEGs were analyzed in microglia, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, excitatory neurons, inhibitory neurons, and endothelial cells, respectively. In each cell type, we identified both common DEGs which were observed in all 3 studies, and overlapping DEGs which have been seen in at least 2 studies. Firstly, we showed the common DEGs expression and explained the biological functions by comparing with existing literature or multil-omics signaling pathways knowledgebase. We then determined the significant modules and hub genes, and explored the biological processes using the overlapping DEGs. Finally, we identified the common and distinct dysregulated pathways using overall DEGs and overlapping DEGs in a cell type-specific manner.

RESULTS

Up-regulated LINGO1 has been seen in both oligodendrocytes and excitatory neurons across 3 studies. Interestingly, genes enriched in the mitochondrial module were up-regulated across all cell types, which indicates mitochondrial dysfunction in the AD brain. The estrogen signaling pathway seems to be the most common pathway that is disrupted in AD.

CONCLUSION

Together, these analyses provide detailed information of cell type-specific and overall transcriptional changes and pathways underlying the human AD-pathology. These findings may provide important insights for drug development to tackle this disease.

Neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease associated with human aging. Ten percent of individuals over 65 years have AD and its prevalence continues to rise with increasing age. There are currently no effective disease modifying treatments for AD, resulting in increasingly large socioeconomic and personal costs. Increasing age is associated with an increase in low-grade chronic inflammation (inflammaging) that may contribute to the neurodegenerative process in AD. Although the exact mechanisms remain unclear, aberrant elevation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) levels from several endogenous and exogenous processes in the brain may not only affect cell signaling, but also trigger cellular senescence, inflammation, and pyroptosis. Moreover, a compromised immune privilege of the brain that allows the infiltration of peripheral immune cells and infectious agents may play a role. Additionally, meta-inflammation as well as gut microbiota dysbiosis may drive the neuroinflammatory process. Considering that inflammatory/immune pathways are dysregulated in parallel with cognitive dysfunction in AD, elucidating the relationship between the central nervous system and the immune system may facilitate the development of a safe and effective therapy for AD. We discuss some current ideas on processes in inflammaging that appear to drive the neurodegenerative process in AD and summarize details on a few immunomodulatory strategies being developed to selectively target the detrimental aspects of neuroinflammation without affecting defense mechanisms against pathogens and tissue damage.

Molecular and functional characteristics of megakaryocytes and platelets in aging

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Advances in medical care and preventive measures have contributed to increasing life expectancy. Therefore, it is critical to expand our understanding of the physiological and pathophysiological adaptations of the hematological system in aging. We highlight and review the findings from recent investigations aimed at understanding the effects of aging on megakaryocytes and platelets.

RECENT FINDINGS

Biochemical and transcriptomic studies of megakaryocytes and platelets from older humans and mice have advanced our understanding of the molecular and functional characteristics of megakaryocytes and platelets during aging. These studies have led to the identification of metabolic and inflammatory pathways associated with the generation of hyperreactive platelets that may significantly contribute to the high incidence of thrombosis in aging.

SUMMARY

By increasing our research efforts to understand and identify the characteristics of megakaryocytes and platelets in aging, we will increase our potential to develop novel therapies aimed at decreasing the incidence of aging-associated thrombosis. These efforts will also serve as a foundation to better understand the role of megakaryocytes and platelets in other age-related hematological conditions with high thrombotic risk such as clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential and myeloproliferative neoplasms.

Age-related changes in expression of lysine48 and lysine63 ubiquitin linkages in dopamine neurons of midbrain in mice

Ubiquitination of target proteins is mediated via different ubiquitin lysine (K) linkages and determines the protein fates. In particular, K48 ubiquitin linkage targets proteins for degradation, whereas K63 ubiquitin linkage plays a nondegradative role. Parkinson's disease is an age-onset neurodegenerative disorder, which shows selective loss of dopamine neurons in substantia nigra pars compacta (SNC) and ubiquitinated protein aggregates. However, age-related expression of K48 and K63 ubiquitin linkages in SNC dopamine neurons remains elusive. We thus sought to explore the expression of K48 and K63 ubiquitin linkages in dopamine neurons in SNCs of mice at different ages with morphological and biochemical assays. Here our results indicated that in 5-week-old mice, dopamine neurons presented higher levels of K48 and K63 ubiquitin linkages than nondopamine neural cells. Aging promoted the formation of protein aggregates that are positive for both K48 and K63 ubiquitin linkages, together with tyrosine hydroxylase, a dopamine neuron marker. Moreover, 21-month-old mice showed fewer neural cells and tyrosine hydroxylase positive neurons in the SNCs than younger mice. Through biochemical analysis, the 21-month-old mice were shown to express more K48 ubiquitin linkages and less tyrosine hydroxylase and NeuN than the 5-week-old mice. These results suggest the first time that expression of K48 and K63 ubiquitin lysine linkages in midbrain dopamine neurons is age-related and may be involved in the loss of dopamine neurons.

Losartan Improves Memory, Neurogenesis and Cell Motility in Transgenic Alzheimer's Mice

Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) have demonstrated multiple neuroprotective benefits in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) models. However, their beneficial effects on memory deficits, cholinergic activity, neurogenesis and Amyloid beta (Aβ) clearance reveal significant interstudy variability. The delivery route can impact not only delivery but also targeting and therapeutic efficacy of ARBs. Our previous findings on the beneficial effects of intranasally delivered losartan in the APP/PS1 model of AD prompted us to explore the influence of the delivery route by employing here the systemic administration of losartan. Consistent with our previous results with intranasal losartan, repeated intraperitoneal administration (10 mg/kg) resulted in a remarkable decrease in Aβ plaques and soluble Aβ42, as well as inflammatory cytokines (IL-2, IL-6 and TNFα). The Aβ reduction can be ascribed to its facilitated degradation by neprilysin and diminished generation by BACE1. Losartan increased neurogenesis in vivo and in vitro and improved migratory properties of astrocytes isolated from adult transgenic AD mice. In summary, this data together with our previous results suggest therapeutic features of losartan which are independent of delivery route. The improvement of cell motility of Aβ-affected astrocytes by losartan deserves further in vivo investigation, which may lead to new strategies for AD treatment.

Structure, Dynamics and Function of the 26S Proteasome

The 26S proteasome is the most complex ATP-dependent protease machinery, of ~2.5 MDa mass, ubiquitously found in all eukaryotes. It selectively degrades ubiquitin-conjugated proteins and plays fundamentally indispensable roles in regulating almost all major aspects of cellular activities. To serve as the sole terminal "processor" for myriad ubiquitylation pathways, the proteasome evolved exceptional adaptability in dynamically organizing a large network of proteins, including ubiquitin receptors, shuttle factors, deubiquitinases, AAA-ATPase unfoldases, and ubiquitin ligases, to enable substrate selectivity and processing efficiency and to achieve regulation precision of a vast diversity of substrates. The inner working of the 26S proteasome is among the most sophisticated, enigmatic mechanisms of enzyme machinery in eukaryotic cells. Recent breakthroughs in three-dimensional atomic-level visualization of the 26S proteasome dynamics during polyubiquitylated substrate degradation elucidated an extensively detailed picture of its functional mechanisms, owing to progressive methodological advances associated with cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM). Multiple sites of ubiquitin binding in the proteasome revealed a canonical mode of ubiquitin-dependent substrate engagement. The proteasome conformation in the act of substrate deubiquitylation provided insights into how the deubiquitylating activity of RPN11 is enhanced in the holoenzyme and is coupled to substrate translocation. Intriguingly, three principal modes of coordinated ATP hydrolysis in the heterohexameric AAA-ATPase motor  were discovered to regulate intermediate functional steps of the proteasome, including ubiquitin-substrate engagement, deubiquitylation, initiation of substrate translocation and processive substrate degradation. The atomic dissection of the innermost working of the 26S proteasome opens up a new era in our understanding of the ubiquitin-proteasome system and has far-reaching implications in health and disease.

Proteodynamics and aging of eukaryotic cells

All aspects of each protein existence in the eukaryotic cells, starting from the pre-translation events, through translation, multiple different post-translational modifications, functional life and eventual proteostatic removal after loss of functionality and changes in physico-chemical properties, can be collectively called the proteodynamics. With aging, passing of time as well as accumulating effects of exposures, interactions and wearing-off lead to problems at each of the above mentioned stages, eventually leading to general malfunction of the proteome. This work briefly reviews and summarizes current knowledge concerning this important topic.

Alzheimer Cells on Their Way to Derailment Show Selective Changes in Protein Quality Control Network

Alzheimer's Disease is driven by protein aggregation and is characterized by accumulation of Tau protein into neurofibrillary tangles. In healthy neurons the cellular protein quality control is successfully in charge of protein folding, which raises the question to which extent this control is disturbed in disease. Here, we describe that brain cells in Alzheimer's Disease show very specific derailment of the protein quality control network. We performed a meta-analysis on the Alzheimer's Disease Proteome database, which provides a quantitative assessment of disease-related proteome changes in six brain regions in comparison to age-matched controls. We noted that levels of all paralogs of the conserved Hsp90 chaperone family are reduced, while most other chaperones - or their regulatory co-chaperones - do not change in disease. The notable exception is a select group consisting of the stress inducible HSP70, its nucleotide exchange factor BAG3 - which links the Hsp70 system to autophagy - and neuronal small heat shock proteins, which are upregulated in disease. They are all members of a cascade controlled in the stress response, channeling proteins towards a pathway of chaperone assisted selective autophagy. Together, our analysis reveals that in an Alzheimer's brain, with exception of Hsp90, the players of the protein quality control are still present in full strength, even in brain regions most severely affected in disease. The specific upregulation of small heat shock proteins and HSP70:BAG3, ubiquitous in all brain areas analyzed, may represent a last, unsuccessful attempt to advert cell death.

Degradation of Transcriptional Repressor ATF4 during Long-Term Synaptic Plasticity

Maintenance of long-term synaptic plasticity requires gene expression mediated by cAMP-responsive element binding protein (CREB). Gene expression driven by CREB can commence only if the inhibition by a transcriptional repressor activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4; also known as CREB2) is relieved. Previous research showed that the removal of ATF4 occurs through ubiquitin-proteasome-mediated proteolysis. Using chemically induced hippocampal long-term potentiation (cLTP) as a model system, we investigate the mechanisms that control ATF4 degradation. We observed that ATF4 phosphorylated at serine-219 increases upon induction of cLTP and decreases about 30 min thereafter. Proteasome inhibitor β-lactone prevents the decrease in ATF4. We found that the phosphorylation of ATF4 is mediated by cAMP-dependent protein kinase. Our initial experiments towards the identification of the ligase that mediates ubiquitination of ATF4 revealed a possible role for β-transducin repeat containing protein (β-TrCP). Regulation of ATF4 degradation is likely to be a mechanism for determining the threshold for gene expression underlying maintenance of long-term synaptic plasticity and by extension, long-term memory.

Identifying the Mechanisms and Molecular Targets of Yizhiqingxin Formula on Alzheimer's Disease: Coupling Network Pharmacology with GEO Database

Background

Yizhiqingxin formula (YZQX) is a promising formula for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) with significant clinical effects. Here, we coupled a network pharmacology approach with the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database to illustrate comprehensive mechanisms and screen for molecular targets of YZQX for AD treatment.

Methods

First, active ingredients of YZQX were screened for the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP) database with the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) parameters. Subsequently, putative targets of active ingredients were predicted using the DrugBank database. AD-related targets were retrieved by analyzing published microarray data (accession number GSE5281). Protein–protein interaction (PPI) networks of YZQX putative targets and AD-related targets were constructed visually and merged to identify candidate targets for YZQX against AD using Cytoscape 3.7.2 software. We performed gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis to further clarify the biological functions of the candidate targets. The gene-pathway network was established to filter for key target genes.

Results

Forty-three active ingredients were identified, and 193 putative target genes were predicted. Seven hundred and ten targets related to AD were screened with |log2 FC| > 1 and P < 0.05. Based on the PPI network, 110 target genes of YZQX against AD were identified. Moreover, 32 related pathways including the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis, apoptosis and the NF-kappa B signaling pathway were significantly enriched. In the gene-pathway network, MAPK1, AKT1, TP53, MDM2, EGFR, RELA, SRC, GRB2, CUL1, and MYC targets are putative core genes for YZQX in AD treatment.

Conclusion

YZQX against AD may exert its neuroprotective effect via the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, and ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis. YZQX may be a promising drug that can be used in the treatment of AD.

Pathophysiological mechanisms of statin-associated myopathies: possible role of the ubiquitin-proteasome system

BACKGROUND

Statins are the cornerstone of pharmacotherapy for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. While these drugs are generally safe, treatment adherence is not optimal in a considerable proportion of patients because of the adverse effects on skeletal muscles in the forms of myopathy, myalgia, muscular pain, nocturnal muscle cramping, weakness, and rare rhabdomyolysis.

METHODS

For the purpose of this narrative review, we searched for the literature suggesting the involvement of the ubiquitin-proteasome system in the development of statin-induced myopathy.

RESULTS

Statins have been shown to up-regulate the expression of the muscle-specific ubiquitin-proteasome system as the major non-lysosomal intracellular protein degradation system. It has been postulated that statins may provoke instability in the myocyte cell membrane when subjected to eccentric exercise stress, triggering activation of intracellular proteolytic cascades and changes in protein degradation machinery. This is accompanied by the up-regulation of a series of genes implicated in protein catabolism, in addition to those of the ubiquitin-proteasome system.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the available literature, it seems that the involvement of ubiquitin-proteasome system is potentially implicated in the pathophysiology of statin-induced myopathy.

The proteasome as a druggable target with multiple therapeutic potentialities: Cutting and non-cutting edges

Ubiquitin Proteasome System (UPS) is an adaptable and finely tuned system that sustains proteostasis network under a large variety of physiopathological conditions. Its dysregulation is often associated with the onset and progression of human diseases; hence, UPS modulation has emerged as a promising new avenue for the development of treatments of several relevant pathologies, such as cancer and neurodegeneration. The clinical interest in proteasome inhibition has considerably increased after the FDA approval in 2003 of bortezomib for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma, which is now used in the front-line setting. Thereafter, two other proteasome inhibitors (carfilzomib and ixazomib), designed to overcome resistance to bortezomib, have been approved for treatment-experienced patients, and a variety of novel inhibitors are currently under preclinical and clinical investigation not only for haematological malignancies but also for solid tumours. However, since UPS collapse leads to toxic misfolded proteins accumulation, proteasome is attracting even more interest as a target for the care of neurodegenerative diseases, which are sustained by UPS impairment. Thus, conceptually, proteasome activation represents an innovative and largely unexplored target for drug development. According to a multidisciplinary approach, spanning from chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology to pharmacology, this review will summarize the most recent available literature regarding different aspects of proteasome biology, focusing on structure, function and regulation of proteasome in physiological and pathological processes, mostly cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, connecting biochemical features and clinical studies of proteasome targeting drugs.

Extracellular vesicles from human iPSC-derived neural stem cells: miRNA and protein signatures, and anti-inflammatory and neurogenic properties

Grafting of neural stem cells (NSCs) derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) has shown promise for brain repair after injury or disease, but safety issues have hindered their clinical application. Employing nano-sized extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from hiPSC-NSCs appears to be a safer alternative because they likely have similar neuroreparative properties as NSCs and are amenable for non-invasive administration as an autologous or allogeneic off-the-shelf product. However, reliable methods for isolation, characterization and testing the biological properties of EVs are critically needed for translation. We investigated signatures of miRNAs and proteins and the biological activity of EVs, isolated from hiPSC-NSCs through a combination of anion-exchange chromatography (AEC) and size-exclusion chromatography (SEC). AEC and SEC facilitated the isolation of EVs with intact ultrastructure and expressing CD9, CD63, CD81, ALIX and TSG 101. Small RNA sequencing, proteomic analysis, pathway analysis and validation of select miRNAs and proteins revealed that EVs were enriched with miRNAs and proteins involved in neuroprotective, anti-apoptotic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, blood-brain barrier repairing, neurogenic and Aβ reducing activities. Besides, EVs comprised miRNAs and/or proteins capable of promoting synaptogenesis, synaptic plasticity and better cognitive function. Investigations using an in vitro macrophage assay and a mouse model of status epilepticus confirmed the anti-inflammatory activity of EVs. Furthermore, the intranasal administration of EVs resulted in the incorporation of EVs by neurons, microglia and astrocytes in virtually all adult rat and mouse brain regions, and enhancement of hippocampal neurogenesis. Thus, biologically active EVs containing miRNAs and proteins relevant to brain repair could be isolated from hiPSC-NSC cultures, making them a suitable biologic for treating neurodegenerative disorders.

A Crucial Role for the Protein Quality Control System in Motor Neuron Diseases

Motor neuron diseases (MNDs) are fatal diseases characterized by loss of motor neurons in the brain cortex, in the bulbar region, and/or in the anterior horns of the spinal cord. While generally sporadic, inherited forms linked to mutant genes encoding altered RNA/protein products have also been described. Several different mechanisms have been found altered or dysfunctional in MNDs, like the protein quality control (PQC) system. In this review, we will discuss how the PQC system is affected in two MNDs—spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)—and how this affects the clearance of aberrantly folded proteins, which accumulate in motor neurons, inducing dysfunctions and their death. In addition, we will discuss how the PQC system can be targeted to restore proper cell function, enhancing the survival of affected cells in MNDs.

Dysregulation of protein degradation in the hippocampus is associated with impaired spatial memory during the development of obesity

Studies have shown that long-term exposure to high fat and other obesogenic diets results in insulin resistance and altered blood brain barrier permeability, dysregulation of intracellular signaling mechanisms, changes in DNA methylation levels and gene expression, and increased oxidative stress and neuroinflammation in the hippocampus, all of which are associated with impaired spatial memory. The ubiquitin-proteasome system controls the majority of protein degradation in cells and is a critical regulator of synaptic plasticity and memory formation. Yet, whether protein degradation in the hippocampus becomes dysregulated following weight gain and is associated with obesity-induced memory impairments is unknown. Here, we used a high fat diet procedure in combination with behavioral and subcellular fractionation protocols and a variety of biochemical assays to determine if ubiquitin-proteasome activity becomes altered in the hippocampus during obesity development and whether this is associated with impaired spatial memory. We found that only 6 weeks of exposure to a high fat diet was sufficient to impair performance on an object location task in rats and resulted in dynamic dysregulation of ubiquitin-proteasome activity in the nucleus and cytoplasm of cells in the hippocampus. Furthermore, these changes in the protein degradation process extended into cortical regions also involved in spatial memory formation. Collectively, these results indicate that weight gain-induced memory impairments may be due to altered ubiquitin-proteasome signaling that occurs during the early stages of obesity development.

Semisynthetic Modification of Tau Protein with Di-Ubiquitin Chains for Aggregation Studies

Ubiquitin, a protein modifier that regulates diverse essential cellular processes, is also a component of the protein inclusions characteristic of many neurodegenerative disorders. In Alzheimer’s disease, the microtubule associated tau protein accumulates within damaged neurons in the form of cross-beta structured filaments. Both mono- and polyubiquitin were found linked to several lysine residues belonging to the region of tau protein that forms the structured core of the filaments. Thus, besides priming the substrate protein for proteasomal degradation, ubiquitin could also contribute to the assembly and stabilization of tau protein filaments. To advance our understanding of the impact of ubiquitination on tau protein aggregation and function, we applied disulfide-coupling chemistry to modify tau protein at position 353 with Lys48- or Lys63-linked di-ubiquitin, two representative polyubiquitin chains that differ in topology and structure. Aggregation kinetics experiments performed on these conjugates reveal that di-ubiquitination retards filament formation and perturbs the fibril elongation rate more than mono-ubiquitination. We further show that di-ubiquitination modulates tau-mediated microtubule assembly. The effects on tau protein aggregation and microtubule polymerization are essentially independent from polyubiquitin chain topology. Altogether, our findings provide novel insight into the consequences of ubiquitination on the functional activity and disease-related behavior of tau protein.

Normal ageing of the brain: Histological and biological aspects

All the hallmarks of ageing are observed in the brain, and its cells, especially neurons, are characterized by their remarkably long lifetime. Like any organ or system, the brain is exposed to ageing processes which affect molecules, cells, blood vessels, gross morphology and, uniquely for this organ, cognition. The preponderant cerebral structures are characterized by the cellular processes of neurons and glial cells and while the quantity of cerebral interstitial fluid is limited, it is now recognized as playing a crucial role in maintaining cerebral homeostasis. Most of our current knowledge of the ageing brain derives from studies of neurodegenerative disorders. It is interesting to note that common features of these disorders, like Tau, phosphoTau and amyloid peptide accumulation, can begin relatively early in life as a result of physiological ageing and are present in subclinical cases while also being used as early-stage markers of neurodegenerative diseases in progression. In this article, we review tissue and cellular modifications in the ageing brain. Commonly described macroscopic, microscopic and vascular changes that in the ageing brain are contrasted with those seen in neurodegenerative contexts. We also review the molecular changes that occur with age in the brain, such as modifications in gene expression, insulin/insulin-like growth factor 1 signalling dysfunction, post-translational protein modifications, mitochondrial dysfunction, autophagy and calcium conductance changes.