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Ferrer I. Amyloid-β Pathology Is the Common Nominator Proteinopathy of the Primate Brain Aging. J Alzheimers Dis 2024:JAD240389. [PMID: 39031364 DOI: 10.3233/jad-240389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/22/2024]
Abstract
Senile plaques, mainly diffuse, and cerebral amyloid-β (Aβ) angiopathy are prevalent in the aging brain of non-human primates, from lemurs to non-human Hominidae. Aβ but not hyper-phosphorylated tau (HPtau) pathology is the common nominator proteinopathy of non-human primate brain aging. The abundance of Aβ in the aging primate brain is well tolerated, and the impact on cognitive functions is usually limited to particular tasks. In contrast, human brain aging is characterized by the early appearance of HPtau pathology, mainly forming neurofibrillary tangles, dystrophic neurites of neuritic plaques, and neuropil threads, preceding Aβ deposits by several decades and by its severity progressing from selected nuclei of the brain stem, entorhinal cortex, and hippocampus to the limbic system, neocortex, and other brain regions. Neurofibrillary tangles correlate with cognitive impairment and dementia in advanced cases. Aβ pathology is linked in humans to altered membrane protein and lipid composition, particularly involving lipid rafts. Although similar membrane alterations are unknown in non-human primates, membrane senescence is postulated to cause the activated β-amyloidogenic pathway, and Aβ pathology is the prevailing signature of non-human and human primate brain aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isidro Ferrer
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Barcelona, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
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2
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Frye BM, Negrey JD, Johnson CSC, Kim J, Barcus RA, Lockhart SN, Whitlow CT, Chiou KL, Snyder-Mackler N, Montine TJ, Craft S, Shively CA, Register TC. Mediterranean diet protects against a neuroinflammatory cortical transcriptome: Associations with brain volumetrics, peripheral inflammation, social isolation, and anxiety in nonhuman primates (Macaca fascicularis). Brain Behav Immun 2024; 119:681-692. [PMID: 38636565 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 03/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Mediterranean diets may be neuroprotective and prevent cognitive decline relative to Western diets; however, the underlying biology is poorly understood. We assessed the effects of Western versus Mediterranean-like diets on RNAseq-generated transcriptional profiles in lateral temporal cortex and their relationships with longitudinal changes in neuroanatomy, circulating monocyte gene expression, and observations of social isolation and anxiety in 38 socially-housed, middle-aged female cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis). Diet resulted in differential expression of seven transcripts (FDR < 0.05). Cyclin dependent kinase 14 (CDK14), a proinflammatory regulator, was lower in the Mediterranean group. The remaining six transcripts [i.e., "lunatic fringe" (LFNG), mannose receptor C type 2 (MRC2), solute carrier family 3 member 2 (SLCA32), butyrophilin subfamily 2 member A1 (BTN2A1), katanin regulatory subunit B1 (KATNB1), and transmembrane protein 268 (TMEM268)] were higher in cortex of the Mediterranean group and generally associated with anti-inflammatory/neuroprotective pathways. KATNB1 encodes a subcomponent of katanin, important in maintaining microtubule homeostasis. BTN2A1 is involved in immunomodulation of γδ T-cells which have anti-neuroinflammatory and neuroprotective effects. CDK14, LFNG, MRC2, and SLCA32 are associated with inflammatory pathways. The latter four differentially expressed cortex transcripts were associated with peripheral monocyte transcript levels, neuroanatomical changes determined by MRI, and with social isolation and anxiety. These results provide important insights into the potential mechanistic processes linking diet, peripheral and central inflammation, and behavior. Collectively, our results provide evidence that, relative to Western diets, Mediterranean diets confer protection against peripheral and central inflammation which is reflected in preserved brain structure and socioemotional behavior. Ultimately, such protective effects may confer resilience to the development of neuropathology and associated disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett M Frye
- Department of Pathology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA; Department of Biology, Emory and Henry College, Emory, VA, USA; Wake Forest Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Jacob D Negrey
- Department of Pathology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA; School of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | | | - Jeongchul Kim
- Department of Radiology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Richard A Barcus
- Department of Radiology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Samuel N Lockhart
- Wake Forest Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Winston-Salem, NC, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Christopher T Whitlow
- Wake Forest Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Winston-Salem, NC, USA; Department of Radiology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Kenneth L Chiou
- Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA; School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Noah Snyder-Mackler
- Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA; School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA; School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | | | - Suzanne Craft
- Wake Forest Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Winston-Salem, NC, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Carol A Shively
- Department of Pathology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA; Wake Forest Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
| | - Thomas C Register
- Department of Pathology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA; Wake Forest Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
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Lomniczi A, Luna SL, Cervera-Juanes R, Appleman ML, Kohama SG, Urbanski HF. Age-related increase in the expression of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 in the hippocampus of male rhesus macaques. Front Aging Neurosci 2024; 16:1328543. [PMID: 38560025 PMCID: PMC10978655 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2024.1328543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction The hippocampus is especially susceptible to age-associated neuronal pathologies, and there is concern that the age-associated rise in cortisol secretion from the adrenal gland may contribute to their etiology. Furthermore, because 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (HSD11B1) catalyzes the reduction of cortisone to the active hormone cortisol, it is plausible that an increase in the expression of this enzyme enhances the deleterious impact of cortisol in the hippocampus and contributes to the neuronal pathologies that underlie cognitive decline in the elderly. Methods Rhesus macaques were used as a translational animal model of human aging, to examine age-related changes in gene and protein expressions of (HSD11B1/HSD11B1) in the hippocampus, a region of the brain that plays a crucial role in learning and memory. Results Older animals showed significantly (p < 0.01) higher base-line cortisol levels in the circulation. In addition, they showed significantly (p < 0.05) higher hippocampal expression of HSD11B1 but not NR3C1 and NR3C2 (i.e., two receptor-encoding genes through which cortisol exerts its physiological actions). A similar age-related significant (p < 0.05) increase in the expression of the HSD11B1 was revealed at the protein level by western blot analysis. Discussion The data suggest that an age-related increase in the expression of hippocampal HSD11B1 is likely to raise cortisol concentrations in this cognitive brain area, and thereby contribute to the etiology of neuropathologies that ultimately lead to neuronal loss and dementia. Targeting this enzyme pharmacologically may help to reduce the negative impact of elevated cortisol concentrations within glucocorticoid-sensitive brain areas and thereby afford neuronal protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Lomniczi
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Selva L. Luna
- Escuela de Química y Farmacia, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Rita Cervera-Juanes
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Maria-Luisa Appleman
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, United States
| | - Steven G. Kohama
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, United States
| | - Henryk F. Urbanski
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, United States
- Division of Reproductive and Developmental Sciences, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, United States
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
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4
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Santistevan AC, Fiske O, Moadab G, Charbonneau JA, Isaacowitz DM, Bliss-Moreau E. See no evil: Attentional bias toward threat is diminished in aged monkeys. Emotion 2024; 24:303-315. [PMID: 37603001 PMCID: PMC10879459 DOI: 10.1037/emo0001276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
Prior evidence demonstrates that relative to younger adults, older human adults exhibit attentional biases toward positive and/or away from negative socioaffective stimuli (i.e., the age-related positivity effect). Whether or not the effect is phylogenetically conserved is currently unknown and its biopsychosocial origins are debated. To address this gap, we evaluated how visual processing of socioaffective stimuli differs in aged, compared to middle-aged, rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) using eye tracking in two experimental designs that are directly comparable to those historically used for evaluating attentional biases in humans. Results of our study demonstrate that while younger rhesus possesses robust attentional biases toward threatening pictures of conspecifics' faces, aged animals evidence no such bias. Critically, these biases emerged only when threatening faces were paired with neutral and not ostensibly "positive" faces, suggesting social context modifies the effect. Results of our study suggest that the evolutionarily shared mechanisms drive age-related decline in visual biases toward negative stimuli in aging across primate species. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony C. Santistevan
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis
| | - Olivia Fiske
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis
| | - Gilda Moadab
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis
| | - Joey A. Charbonneau
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of California, Davis
| | | | - Eliza Bliss-Moreau
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis
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5
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Jiang Z, Wang J, Qin Y, Liu S, Luo B, Bai F, Wei H, Zhang S, Wei J, Ding G, Ma L, He S, Chen R, Sun Y, Chen Y, Wang L, Xu H, Wang X, Chen G, Lei W. A nonhuman primate model with Alzheimer's disease-like pathology induced by hippocampal overexpression of human tau. Alzheimers Res Ther 2024; 16:22. [PMID: 38281031 PMCID: PMC10821564 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-024-01392-0] [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: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/29/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most burdening diseases of the century with no disease-modifying treatment at this time. Nonhuman primates (NHPs) share genetic, anatomical, and physiological similarities with humans, making them ideal model animals for investigating the pathogenesis of AD and potential therapies. However, the use of NHPs in AD research has been hindered by the paucity of AD monkey models due to their long generation time, ethical considerations, and technical challenges in genetically modifying monkeys. METHODS Here, we developed an AD-like NHP model by overexpressing human tau in the bilateral hippocampi of adult rhesus macaque monkeys. We evaluated the pathological features of these monkeys with immunostaining, Nissl staining, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), and behavioural tests. RESULTS We demonstrated that after hippocampal overexpression of tau protein, these monkeys displayed multiple pathological features of AD, including 3-repeat (3R)/4-repeat (4R) tau accumulation, tau hyperphosphorylation, tau propagation, neuronal loss, hippocampal atrophy, neuroinflammation, Aβ clearance deficits, blood vessel damage, and cognitive decline. More interestingly, the accumulation of both 3R and 4R tau is specific to NHPs but not found in adult rodents. CONCLUSIONS This work establishes a tau-induced AD-like NHP model with many key pathological and behavioural features of AD. In addition, our model may potentially become one of the AD NHP models adopted by researchers worldwide since it can be generated within 2 ~ 3 months through a single injection of AAVs into the monkey brains. Hence, our model NHPs may facilitate mechanistic studies and therapeutic treatments for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhouquan Jiang
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, Guangdong, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, Guangdong, China
| | - Yongpeng Qin
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, Guangdong, China
| | - Shanggong Liu
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, Guangdong, China
| | - Bin Luo
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, Guangdong, China
| | - Fan Bai
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, Guangdong, China
| | - Huiyi Wei
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET/CT-MRI Centre, the First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, Guangdong, China
| | - Shaojuan Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET/CT-MRI Centre, the First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, Guangdong, China
| | - Junjie Wei
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET/CT-MRI Centre, the First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, Guangdong, China
| | - Guoyu Ding
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, Guangdong, China
| | - Long Ma
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, Guangdong, China
| | - Shu He
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, Guangdong, China
| | - Rongjie Chen
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, Guangdong, China
| | - Ying Sun
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, Guangdong, China
| | - Yi Chen
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, Guangdong, China
| | - Lu Wang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET/CT-MRI Centre, the First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, Guangdong, China
| | - Hao Xu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET/CT-MRI Centre, the First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiangyu Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, Guangdong, China
| | - Gong Chen
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, Guangdong, China.
| | - Wenliang Lei
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, Guangdong, China.
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6
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Appleman ML, Thomas JL, Weiss AR, Nilaver BI, Cervera-Juanes R, Kohama SG, Urbanski HF. Effect of hormone replacement therapy on amyloid beta (Aβ) plaque density in the rhesus macaque amygdala. Front Aging Neurosci 2024; 15:1326747. [PMID: 38274989 PMCID: PMC10808750 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1326747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Amyloid beta (Aβ) plaque density was examined in the amygdala of rhesus macaques, to elucidate the influence of age, diet and hormonal environment. Methods Luminex technology was used to measure cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of Aβ40 and Aβ42 across three decades, while immunohistochemistry was used to examine Aβ plaque density in the amygdala. Results Aβ40 was found to be the predominant isoform of Aβ in the CSF, but neither Aβ40 or Aβ42 concentrations showed an age-related change, and the ratio of Aβ42 to Aβ40 showed only a marginal increase. Significantly fewer Aβ plaques were detected in the amygdala of old ovariectomized animals if they received estradiol HRT (p < 0.001); similar results were obtained regardless of whether they had been maintained on a regular monkey chow for ∼48 months or on a high-fat, high-sugar, Western-style diet for ∼30 months. Conclusion The results demonstrate that HRT involving estrogen can reduce Aβ plaque load in a cognitive brain region of aged non-human primates. The results from this translational animal model may therefore have clinical relevance to the treatment of AD in post-menopausal women, whether used alone, or as a supplement to current pharmacological and monoclonal antibody-based interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria-Luisa Appleman
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, United States
| | - Jeremy L. Thomas
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, United States
| | - Alison R. Weiss
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, United States
| | - Benjamin I. Nilaver
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, United States
| | - Rita Cervera-Juanes
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Steven G. Kohama
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, United States
| | - Henryk F. Urbanski
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, United States
- Division of Reproductive & Developmental Sciences, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, United States
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
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Thomas JL, Nilaver BI, Lomniczi A, Brown DI, Appleman ML, Kohama SG, Urbanski HF. Pathological Markers of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementia in the Rhesus Macaque Amygdala. J Alzheimers Dis Rep 2024; 8:25-32. [PMID: 38229831 PMCID: PMC10790150 DOI: 10.3233/adr-230184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Rhesus macaques develop amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques during old age, but it is unclear how extensively they express other pathological hallmarks of dementia. Here we used immunohistochemistry to examine expression of phosphorylated tau (pTau) protein and cytoplasmic inclusions of TAR DNA binding protein 43 kDa (TDP-43) within the amygdala of young and old males, and also in old surgically-menopausal females that were maintained on regular or obesogenic diets. Only one animal, a 23-year-old female, showed pTau expression and none showed TDP-43 inclusions. What genetic and/or environmental factors protect macaques from expressing more severe human neuro-pathologies remains an interesting unresolved question.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy L. Thomas
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, USA
| | - Benjamin I. Nilaver
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, USA
| | - Alejandro Lomniczi
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Donald I. Brown
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, USA
- Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Maria-Luisa Appleman
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, USA
| | - Steven G. Kohama
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, USA
| | - Henryk F. Urbanski
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, USA
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
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Nystuen KL, McNamee SM, Akula M, Holton KM, DeAngelis MM, Haider NB. Alzheimer's Disease: Models and Molecular Mechanisms Informing Disease and Treatments. Bioengineering (Basel) 2024; 11:45. [PMID: 38247923 PMCID: PMC10813760 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering11010045] [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: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a complex neurodegenerative disease resulting in progressive loss of memory, language and motor abilities caused by cortical and hippocampal degeneration. This review captures the landscape of understanding of AD pathology, diagnostics, and current therapies. Two major mechanisms direct AD pathology: (1) accumulation of amyloid β (Aβ) plaque and (2) tau-derived neurofibrillary tangles (NFT). The most common variants in the Aβ pathway in APP, PSEN1, and PSEN2 are largely responsible for early-onset AD (EOAD), while MAPT, APOE, TREM2 and ABCA7 have a modifying effect on late-onset AD (LOAD). More recent studies implicate chaperone proteins and Aβ degrading proteins in AD. Several tests, such as cognitive function, brain imaging, and cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) and blood tests, are used for AD diagnosis. Additionally, several biomarkers seem to have a unique AD specific combination of expression and could potentially be used in improved, less invasive diagnostics. In addition to genetic perturbations, environmental influences, such as altered gut microbiome signatures, affect AD. Effective AD treatments have been challenging to develop. Currently, there are several FDA approved drugs (cholinesterase inhibitors, Aß-targeting antibodies and an NMDA antagonist) that could mitigate AD rate of decline and symptoms of distress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaden L. Nystuen
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Shannon M. McNamee
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Monica Akula
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Kristina M. Holton
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Margaret M. DeAngelis
- Department of Ophthalmology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
| | - Neena B. Haider
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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9
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Negrey JD, Frye BM, Johnson CSC, Kim J, Barcus RA, Lockhart SN, Whitlow CT, Sutphen C, Chiou KL, Snyder-Mackler N, Montine TJ, Craft S, Shively CA, Register TC. Mediterranean Diet Protects Against a Neuroinflammatory Cortical Transcriptome: Associations with Brain Volumetrics, Peripheral Inflammation, Social Isolation and Anxiety. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.01.565068. [PMID: 37961556 PMCID: PMC10635044 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.01.565068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Mediterranean diets may be neuroprotective and prevent cognitive decline relative to Western diets, however the underlying biology is poorly understood. METHODS We assessed the effects of Western vs. Mediterranean-like diets on RNAseq generated transcriptional profiles in temporal cortex and their relationships with changes in MRI neuroimaging phenotypes, circulating monocyte gene expression, and observations of social isolation and anxiety in 38 socially-housed, middle-aged female cynomolgus macaques. RESULTS Diet resulted in differential expression of seven transcripts (FDR<0.05). Cyclin dependent kinase 14 ( CDK14 ), a proinflammatory regulator, was lower in the Mediterranean group. The remaining six transcripts [i.e., "lunatic fringe" ( LFNG ), mannose receptor C type 2 ( MRC2 ), solute carrier family 3 member 2 ( SLCA32 ), butyrophilin subfamily 2 member A1 ( BTN2A1 ), katanin regulatory subunit B1 ( KATNB1 ), and transmembrane protein 268 ( TMEM268 )] were higher in cortex of the Mediterranean group and generally associated with anti-inflammatory/neuroprotective pathways. KATNB1 encodes a subcomponent of katanin, important in maintaining microtubule homeostasis. BTN2A1 is involved in immunomodulation of γδ T-cells which have anti-neuroinflammatory and neuroprotective effects. CDK14 , LFNG , MRC2, and SLCA32 are associated with inflammatory pathways. The latter four differentially expressed cortex transcripts were associated with monocyte transcript levels, changes in AD-relevant brain volumes determined by MRI over the course of the study, and social isolation and anxiety. CDK14 was positively correlated with monocyte inflammatory transcripts, changes in total brain, gray matter, cortical gray matter volumes, and time alone and anxious behavior, and negatively correlated with changes in total white matter and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) volumes. In contrast, LFNG , MRC2 , and SLCA32 were negatively correlated with monocyte inflammatory transcripts and changes in total gray matter volume, and positively correlated with CSF volume changes, and SLCA32 was negatively correlated with time alone. DISCUSSION Collectively, our results suggest that relative to Western diets, Mediterranean diets confer protection against peripheral and central inflammation which is reflected in preserved brain structure and behavior.
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10
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Datta D. Interrogating the Etiology of Sporadic Alzheimer's Disease Using Aging Rhesus Macaques: Cellular, Molecular, and Cortical Circuitry Perspectives. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2023; 78:1523-1534. [PMID: 37279946 PMCID: PMC10460555 DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glad134] [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: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging is the most significant risk factor for neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) associated with profound socioeconomic and personal costs. Consequently, there is an urgent need for animal models that recapitulate the age-related spatial and temporal complexity and patterns of pathology identical to human AD. Our research in aging nonhuman primate models involving rhesus macaques has revealed naturally occurring amyloid and tau pathology, including the formation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles comprising hyperphosphorylated tau. Moreover, rhesus macaques exhibit synaptic dysfunction in association cortices and cognitive impairments with advancing age, and thus can be used to interrogate the etiological mechanisms that generate neuropathological cascades in sporadic AD. Particularly, unique molecular mechanisms (eg, feedforward cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate [cAMP]-Protein kinase A (PKA)-calcium signaling) in the newly evolved primate dorsolateral prefrontal cortex are critical for persistent firing required for subserving higher-order cognition. For example, dendritic spines in primate dorsolateral prefrontal cortex contain a specialized repertoire of proteins to magnify feedforward cAMP-PKA-calcium signaling such as N-methyl-d-aspartic acid receptors and calcium channels on the smooth endoplasmic reticulum (eg, ryanodine receptors). This process is constrained by phosphodiesterases (eg, PDE4) that hydrolyze cAMP and calcium-buffering proteins (eg, calbindin) in the cytosol. However, genetic predispositions and age-related insults exacerbate feedforward cAMP-Protein kinase A-calcium signaling pathways that induce a myriad of downstream effects, including the opening of K+ channels to weaken network connectivity, calcium-mediated dysregulation of mitochondria, and activation of inflammatory cascades to eliminate synapses, thereby increasing susceptibility to atrophy. Therefore, aging rhesus macaques provide an invaluable model to explore novel therapeutic strategies in sporadic AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dibyadeep Datta
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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de Sousa AA, Rigby Dames BA, Graff EC, Mohamedelhassan R, Vassilopoulos T, Charvet CJ. Going beyond established model systems of Alzheimer's disease: companion animals provide novel insights into the neurobiology of aging. Commun Biol 2023; 6:655. [PMID: 37344566 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05034-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by brain plaques, tangles, and cognitive impairment. AD is one of the most common age-related dementias in humans. Progress in characterizing AD and other age-related disorders is hindered by a perceived dearth of animal models that naturally reproduce diseases observed in humans. Mice and nonhuman primates are model systems used to understand human diseases. Still, these model systems lack many of the biological characteristics of Alzheimer-like diseases (e.g., plaques, tangles) as they grow older. In contrast, companion animal models (cats and dogs) age in ways that resemble humans. Both companion animal models and humans show evidence of brain atrophy, plaques, and tangles, as well as cognitive decline with age. We embrace a One Health perspective, which recognizes that the health of humans is connected to those of animals, and we illustrate how such a perspective can work synergistically to enhance human and animal health. A comparative biology perspective is ideally suited to integrate insights across veterinary and human medical disciplines and solve long-standing problems in aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra A de Sousa
- Centre for Health and Cognition, Bath Spa University, Bath, UK
- Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK
| | - Brier A Rigby Dames
- Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK
- Department of Computer Science, University of Bath, Bath, UK
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, Milner Centre for Evolution, University of Bath, Bath, UK
| | - Emily C Graff
- Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Rania Mohamedelhassan
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Tatianna Vassilopoulos
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Christine J Charvet
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA.
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Rigby Dames BA, Kilili H, Charvet CJ, Díaz-Barba K, Proulx MJ, de Sousa AA, Urrutia AO. Evolutionary and genomic perspectives of brain aging and neurodegenerative diseases. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2023; 275:165-215. [PMID: 36841568 PMCID: PMC11191546 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2022.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
This chapter utilizes genomic concepts and evolutionary perspectives to further understand the possible links between typical brain aging and neurodegenerative diseases, focusing on the two most prevalent of these: Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Aging is the major risk factor for these neurodegenerative diseases. Researching the evolutionary and molecular underpinnings of aging helps to reveal elements of the typical aging process that leave individuals more vulnerable to neurodegenerative pathologies. Very little is known about the prevalence and susceptibility of neurodegenerative diseases in nonhuman species, as only a few individuals have been observed with these neuropathologies. However, several studies have investigated the evolution of lifespan, which is closely connected with brain size in mammals, and insights can be drawn from these to enrich our understanding of neurodegeneration. This chapter explores the relationship between the typical aging process and the events in neurodegeneration. First, we examined how age-related processes can increase susceptibility to neurodegenerative diseases. Second, we assessed to what extent neurodegeneration is an accelerated form of aging. We found that while at the phenotypic level both neurodegenerative diseases and the typical aging process share some characteristics, at the molecular level they show some distinctions in their profiles, such as variation in genes and gene expression. Furthermore, neurodegeneration of the brain is associated with an earlier onset of cellular, molecular, and structural age-related changes. In conclusion, a more integrative view of the aging process, both from a molecular and an evolutionary perspective, may increase our understanding of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brier A Rigby Dames
- Department of Computer Science, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom; Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom.
| | - Huseyin Kilili
- Milner Centre for Evolution, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
| | - Christine J Charvet
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States
| | - Karina Díaz-Barba
- Licenciatura en Ciencias Genómicas, UNAM, CP62210, Cuernavaca, México; Instituto de Ecología, UNAM, Ciudad Universitaria, CP04510, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Michael J Proulx
- Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
| | | | - Araxi O Urrutia
- Milner Centre for Evolution, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom; Licenciatura en Ciencias Genómicas, UNAM, CP62210, Cuernavaca, México; Instituto de Ecología, UNAM, Ciudad Universitaria, CP04510, Ciudad de México, México.
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Chan AWS, Cho IK, Li CX, Zhang X, Patel S, Rusnak R, Raper J, Bachevalier J, Moran SP, Chi T, Cannon KH, Hunter CE, Martin RC, Xiao H, Yang SH, Gumber S, Herndon JG, Rosen RF, Hu WT, Lah JJ, Levey AI, Smith Y, Walker LC. Cerebral Aβ deposition in an Aβ-precursor protein-transgenic rhesus monkey. AGING BRAIN 2022; 2:100044. [PMID: 36589695 PMCID: PMC9802652 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbas.2022.100044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
With the ultimate goal of developing a more representative animal model of Alzheimer's disease (AD), two female amyloid-β-(Aβ) precursor protein-transgenic (APPtg) rhesus monkeys were generated by lentiviral transduction of the APP gene into rhesus oocytes, followed by in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer. The APP-transgene included the AD-associated Swedish K670N/M671L and Indiana V717F mutations (APPSWE/IND) regulated by the human polyubiquitin-C promoter. Overexpression of APP was confirmed in lymphocytes and brain tissue. Upon sacrifice at 10 years of age, one of the monkeys had developed Aβ plaques and cerebral Aβ-amyloid angiopathy in the occipital, parietal, and caudal temporal neocortices. The induction of Aβ deposition more than a decade prior to its usual emergence in the rhesus monkey supports the feasibility of creating a transgenic nonhuman primate model for mechanistic analyses and preclinical testing of treatments for Alzheimer's disease and cerebrovascular amyloidosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony W S Chan
- Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA.,Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - In Ki Cho
- Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Chun-Xia Li
- Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Xiaodong Zhang
- Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Sudeep Patel
- Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Rebecca Rusnak
- Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Jessica Raper
- Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Jocelyne Bachevalier
- Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA.,Department of Psychology, Emory College, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Sean P Moran
- Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Tim Chi
- Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Katherine H Cannon
- Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Carissa E Hunter
- Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Ryan C Martin
- Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Hailian Xiao
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Shang-Hsun Yang
- Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA.,Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Sanjeev Gumber
- Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - James G Herndon
- Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Rebecca F Rosen
- Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - William T Hu
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - James J Lah
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Allan I Levey
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Yoland Smith
- Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA.,Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Lary C Walker
- Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA.,Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
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