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Fass SB, Mulvey B, Chase R, Yang W, Selmanovic D, Chaturvedi SM, Tycksen E, Weiss LA, Dougherty JD. Relationship between sex biases in gene expression and sex biases in autism and Alzheimer's disease. Biol Sex Differ 2024; 15:47. [PMID: 38844994 PMCID: PMC11157820 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-024-00622-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sex differences in the brain may play an important role in sex-differential prevalence of neuropsychiatric conditions. METHODS In order to understand the transcriptional basis of sex differences, we analyzed multiple, large-scale, human postmortem brain RNA-Seq datasets using both within-region and pan-regional frameworks. RESULTS We find evidence of sex-biased transcription in many autosomal genes, some of which provide evidence for pathways and cell population differences between chromosomally male and female individuals. These analyses also highlight regional differences in the extent of sex-differential gene expression. We observe an increase in specific neuronal transcripts in male brains and an increase in immune and glial function-related transcripts in female brains. Integration with single-nucleus data suggests this corresponds to sex differences in cellular states rather than cell abundance. Integration with case-control gene expression studies suggests a female molecular predisposition towards Alzheimer's disease, a female-biased disease. Autism, a male-biased diagnosis, does not exhibit a male predisposition pattern in our analysis. CONCLUSION Overall, these analyses highlight mechanisms by which sex differences may interact with sex-biased conditions in the brain. Furthermore, we provide region-specific analyses of sex differences in brain gene expression to enable additional studies at the interface of gene expression and diagnostic differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart B Fass
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63110, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Bernard Mulvey
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63110, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63110, USA
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, 855 North Wolfe St. Ste 300, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Rebecca Chase
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63110, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Wei Yang
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63110, USA
- McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Din Selmanovic
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63110, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Sneha M Chaturvedi
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63110, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Eric Tycksen
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63110, USA
- McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Lauren A Weiss
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California, San Francisco, 513 Parnassus Ave, HSE901, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, 513 Parnassus Ave, HSE901, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, 513 Parnassus Ave, HSE901, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Joseph D Dougherty
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
- Department of Genetics, 4566 Scott Ave., Campus Box 8232, St. Louis, MO, 63110-1093, USA.
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2
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Hu Y, Zhu T, Zhang W. The characteristics of brain atrophy prior to the onset of Alzheimer's disease: a longitudinal study. Front Aging Neurosci 2024; 16:1344920. [PMID: 38863784 PMCID: PMC11165148 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2024.1344920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective We aimed to use the onset time of Alzheimer's disease (AD) as the reference time to longitudinally investigate the atrophic characteristics of brain structures prior to the onset of AD. Materials and methods A total of 328 participants from the ADNI database with clear onset of AD and structural imaging data were included in our study. The time before the onset of AD (abbreviated as BAD) was calculated. We investigated the longitudinal brain changes in 97 regions using multivariate linear mixed effects regression models. Results The average BAD was -28.15 months, with a range from -156 to 0 months. The 54 brain regions showed significant atrophy prior to the onset of AD, and these regions were mainly distributed in the frontal and temporal lobes. The parietal and occipital lobe exhibited relatively less atrophy than the other brain lobes. Sex, age, and magnetic field strength had greater direct impacts on structural indicators than APOE genotype and education. The analysis of interaction effects revealed that the APOE ε4 mutation carriers exhibited more severe structural changes in specific brain regions as the BAD increased. However, sex, age, and education had minimal regulatory influence on the structural changes associated with BAD. Conclusion Longitudinal analysis, with the onset time point of AD as the reference, can accurately describe the features of structural changes preceding the onset of AD and provide a comprehensive understanding of AD development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Hu
- Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- West China Biomedical Big Data Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ting Zhu
- West China Biomedical Big Data Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- West China Biomedical Big Data Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Mental Health Center of West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Med-X Center for Informatics, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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3
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Miramontes S, Pereda Serras C, Woldemariam SR, Khan U, Li Y, Tang AS, Tsoy E, Oskotsky TT, Sirota M. Alzheimer's disease as a women's health challenge: a call for action on integrative precision medicine approaches. NPJ WOMEN'S HEALTH 2024; 2:17. [PMID: 38778871 PMCID: PMC11106001 DOI: 10.1038/s44294-024-00021-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is marked by pronounced sex differences in pathophysiology and progression. However, the field has yet to fully recognize AD as a women's health issue, delaying the development of targeted preventative strategies and treatments. This perspective explores the elements impacting AD in women, identifying sex specificity in risk factors, highlighting new diagnostic approaches with electronic health records, and reviewing key molecular studies to underscore the need for integrative precision medicine approaches. Established AD risk factors such as advancing age, the apolipoprotein E4 allele, and poorer cardiovascular health affect women differently. We also shed light on sociocultural risk factors, focusing on the gender disparities that may play a role in AD development. From a biological perspective, sex differences in AD are apparent in biomarkers and transcriptomics, further emphasizing the need for targeted diagnostics and treatments. The convergence of novel multiomics data and cutting-edge computational tools provides a unique opportunity to study the molecular underpinnings behind sex dimorphism in AD. Thus, precision medicine emerges as a promising framework for understanding AD pathogenesis through the integration of genetics, sex, environment, and lifestyle. By characterizing AD as a women's health challenge, we can catalyze a transformative shift in AD research and care, marked by improved diagnostic accuracy, targeted interventions, and ultimately, enhanced clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. Miramontes
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA USA
| | - C. Pereda Serras
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA USA
| | - S. R. Woldemariam
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA USA
| | - U. Khan
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA USA
| | - Y. Li
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA USA
| | - A. S. Tang
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA USA
| | - E. Tsoy
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA USA
- Global Brain Health Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA USA
| | - T. T. Oskotsky
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA USA
| | - M. Sirota
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA USA
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4
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Williams ZAP, Lang L, Nicolas S, Clarke G, Cryan J, Vauzour D, Nolan YM. Do microbes play a role in Alzheimer's disease? Microb Biotechnol 2024; 17:e14462. [PMID: 38593310 PMCID: PMC11003713 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease is a complex and progressive condition that affects essential neurological functions such as memory and reasoning. In the brain, neuronal loss, synaptic dysfunction, proteinopathy, neurofibrillary tangles, and neuroinflammation are the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease pathophysiology. In addition, recent evidence has highlighted that microbes, whether commensal or pathogenic, also have the ability to interact with their host and to regulate its immune system, therefore participating in the exchanges that lead to peripheral inflammation and neuropathology. Because of this intimate relationship, bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa have been implicated in the development of Alzheimer's disease. Here, we bring together current and most recent evidence of the role of microbes in Alzheimer's disease, raising burning questions that need to be addressed to guide therapeutic approaches and potential prophylactic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoë A. P. Williams
- Department of Anatomy and NeuroscienceUniversity College CorkCorkIreland
- APC Microbiome IrelandUniversity College CorkCorkIreland
| | - Leonie Lang
- Norwich Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health SciencesUniversity of East AngliaNorwichUK
| | - Sarah Nicolas
- Department of Anatomy and NeuroscienceUniversity College CorkCorkIreland
- APC Microbiome IrelandUniversity College CorkCorkIreland
| | - Gerard Clarke
- APC Microbiome IrelandUniversity College CorkCorkIreland
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural ScienceUniversity College CorkCorkIreland
| | - John Cryan
- Department of Anatomy and NeuroscienceUniversity College CorkCorkIreland
- APC Microbiome IrelandUniversity College CorkCorkIreland
| | - David Vauzour
- Norwich Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health SciencesUniversity of East AngliaNorwichUK
| | - Yvonne M. Nolan
- Department of Anatomy and NeuroscienceUniversity College CorkCorkIreland
- APC Microbiome IrelandUniversity College CorkCorkIreland
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5
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Do AN, Ali M, Timsina J, Wang L, Western D, Liu M, Sanford J, Rosende-Roca M, Boada M, Puerta R, Wilson T, Ruiz A, Pastor P, Wyss-Coray T, Cruchaga C, Sung YJ. CSF proteomic profiling with amyloid/tau positivity identifies distinctive sex-different alteration of multiple proteins involved in Alzheimer's disease. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2024.03.15.24304164. [PMID: 38559166 PMCID: PMC10980123 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.15.24304164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
In Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common cause of dementia, females have higher prevalence and faster progression, but sex-specific molecular findings in AD are limited. Here, we comprehensively examined and validated 7,006 aptamers targeting 6,162 proteins in cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) from 2,077 amyloid/tau positive cases and controls to identify sex-specific proteomic signatures of AD. In discovery (N=1,766), we identified 330 male-specific and 121 female-specific proteomic alternations in CSF (FDR <0.05). These sex-specific proteins strongly predicted amyloid/tau positivity (AUC=0.98 in males; 0.99 in females), significantly higher than those with age, sex, and APOE-ε4 (AUC=0.85). The identified sex-specific proteins were well validated (r≥0.5) in the Stanford study (N=108) and Emory study (N=148). Biological follow-up of these proteins led to sex differences in cell-type specificity, pathways, interaction networks, and drug targets. Male-specific proteins, enriched in astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, were involved in postsynaptic and axon-genesis. The male network exhibited direct connections among 152 proteins and highlighted PTEN, NOTCH1, FYN, and MAPK8 as hubs. Drug target suggested melatonin (used for sleep-wake cycle regulation), nabumetone (used for pain), daunorubicin, and verteporfin for treating AD males. In contrast, female-specific proteins, enriched in neurons, were involved in phosphoserine residue binding including cytokine activities. The female network exhibits strong connections among 51 proteins and highlighted JUN and 14-3-3 proteins (YWHAG and YWHAZ) as hubs. Drug target suggested biperiden (for muscle control of Parkinson's disease), nimodipine (for cerebral vasospasm), quinostatin and ethaverine for treating AD females. Together, our findings provide mechanistic understanding of sex differences for AD risk and insights into clinically translatable interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anh N Do
- Division of Biostatistics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- NeuroGenomics and Informatics Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Muhammad Ali
- NeuroGenomics and Informatics Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Jigyasha Timsina
- NeuroGenomics and Informatics Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Lihua Wang
- NeuroGenomics and Informatics Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Daniel Western
- NeuroGenomics and Informatics Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Menghan Liu
- NeuroGenomics and Informatics Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Jessie Sanford
- NeuroGenomics and Informatics Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Matitee Rosende-Roca
- Research Center and Memory clinic Fundació ACE. Institut Català de Neurociències Aplicades, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Merce Boada
- Research Center and Memory clinic Fundació ACE. Institut Català de Neurociències Aplicades, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Raquel Puerta
- Research Center and Memory clinic Fundació ACE. Institut Català de Neurociències Aplicades, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ted Wilson
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Agustin Ruiz
- Research Center and Memory clinic Fundació ACE. Institut Català de Neurociències Aplicades, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pau Pastor
- Memory Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Mutua Terrassa, Terrassa, Spain
| | - Tony Wyss-Coray
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Carlos Cruchaga
- NeuroGenomics and Informatics Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Hope Center for Neurologic Diseases, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Yun Ju Sung
- Division of Biostatistics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- NeuroGenomics and Informatics Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
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6
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Ali M, Garcia P, Lunkes LP, Sciortino A, Thomas M, Heurtaux T, Grzyb K, Halder R, Coowar D, Skupin A, Buée L, Blum D, Buttini M, Glaab E. Single cell transcriptome analysis of the THY-Tau22 mouse model of Alzheimer's disease reveals sex-dependent dysregulations. Cell Death Discov 2024; 10:119. [PMID: 38453894 PMCID: PMC10920792 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-024-01885-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression and pathology show pronounced sex differences, but the factors driving these remain poorly understood. To gain insights into early AD-associated molecular changes and their sex dependency for tau pathology in the cortex, we performed single-cell RNA-seq in the THY-Tau22 AD mouse model. By examining cell type-specific and cell type-agnostic AD-related gene activity changes and their sex-dimorphism for individual genes, pathways and cellular sub-networks, we identified both statistically significant alterations and interpreted the upstream mechanisms controlling them. Our results confirm several significant sex-dependent alterations in gene activity in the THY-Tau22 model mice compared to controls, with more pronounced alterations in females. Both changes shared across multiple cell types and cell type-specific changes were observed. The differential genes showed significant over-representation of known AD-relevant processes, such as pathways associated with neuronal differentiation, programmed cell death and inflammatory responses. Regulatory network analysis of these genes revealed upstream regulators that modulate many of the downstream targets with sex-dependent changes. Most key regulators have been previously implicated in AD, such as Egr1, Klf4, Chchd2, complement system genes, and myelin-associated glycoproteins. Comparing with similar data from the Tg2576 AD mouse model and human AD patients, we identified multiple genes with consistent, cell type-specific and sex-dependent alterations across all three datasets. These shared changes were particularly evident in the expression of myelin-associated genes such as Mbp and Plp1 in oligodendrocytes. In summary, we observed significant cell type-specific transcriptomic changes in the THY-Tau22 mouse model, with a strong over-representation of known AD-associated genes and processes. These include both sex-neutral and sex-specific patterns, characterized by consistent shifts in upstream master regulators and downstream target genes. Collectively, these findings provide insights into mechanisms influencing sex-specific susceptibility to AD and reveal key regulatory proteins that could be targeted for developing treatments addressing sex-dependent AD pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Ali
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, 7 avenue des Hauts Fourneaux, L-4362, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Pierre Garcia
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, 7 avenue des Hauts Fourneaux, L-4362, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Laetitia P Lunkes
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, 7 avenue des Hauts Fourneaux, L-4362, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Alessia Sciortino
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, 7 avenue des Hauts Fourneaux, L-4362, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Melanie Thomas
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, 7 avenue des Hauts Fourneaux, L-4362, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Tony Heurtaux
- Department of Life Sciences and Medicine (DLSM), University of Luxembourg, 8 avenue du Swing, L-4367, Belvaux, Luxembourg
- Luxembourg Center of Neuropathology, L-3555, Dudelange, Luxembourg
| | - Kamil Grzyb
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, 7 avenue des Hauts Fourneaux, L-4362, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Rashi Halder
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, 7 avenue des Hauts Fourneaux, L-4362, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Djalil Coowar
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, 7 avenue des Hauts Fourneaux, L-4362, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Alex Skupin
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, 7 avenue des Hauts Fourneaux, L-4362, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Luc Buée
- University of Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, UMR-S1172 Lille Neuroscience & Cognition (LilNCog), Lille, France
- Alzheimer and Tauopathies, LabEx DISTALZ, Lille, France
| | - David Blum
- University of Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, UMR-S1172 Lille Neuroscience & Cognition (LilNCog), Lille, France
- Alzheimer and Tauopathies, LabEx DISTALZ, Lille, France
| | - Manuel Buttini
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, 7 avenue des Hauts Fourneaux, L-4362, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Enrico Glaab
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, 7 avenue des Hauts Fourneaux, L-4362, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg.
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7
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Nordengen K, Cappelletti C, Bahrami S, Frei O, Pihlstrøm L, Henriksen SP, Geut H, Rozemuller AJM, van de Berg WDJ, Andreassen OA, Toft M. Pleiotropy with sex-specific traits reveals genetic aspects of sex differences in Parkinson's disease. Brain 2024; 147:858-870. [PMID: 37671566 PMCID: PMC10907091 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad297] [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: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease is an age-related neurodegenerative disorder with a higher incidence in males than females. The causes for this sex difference are unknown. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified 90 Parkinson's disease risk loci, but the genetic studies have not found sex-specific differences in allele frequency on autosomal chromosomes or sex chromosomes. Genetic variants, however, could exert sex-specific effects on gene function and regulation of gene expression. To identify genetic loci that might have sex-specific effects, we studied pleiotropy between Parkinson's disease and sex-specific traits. Summary statistics from GWASs were acquired from large-scale consortia for Parkinson's disease (n cases = 13 708; n controls = 95 282), age at menarche (n = 368 888 females) and age at menopause (n = 69 360 females). We applied the conditional/conjunctional false discovery rate (FDR) method to identify shared loci between Parkinson's disease and these sex-specific traits. Next, we investigated sex-specific gene expression differences in the superior frontal cortex of both neuropathologically healthy individuals and Parkinson's disease patients (n cases = 61; n controls = 23). To provide biological insights to the genetic pleiotropy, we performed sex-specific expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) analysis and sex-specific age-related differential expression analysis for genes mapped to Parkinson's disease risk loci. Through conditional/conjunctional FDR analysis we found 11 loci shared between Parkinson's disease and the sex-specific traits age at menarche and age at menopause. Gene-set and pathway analysis of the genes mapped to these loci highlighted the importance of the immune response in determining an increased disease incidence in the male population. Moreover, we highlighted a total of nine genes whose expression or age-related expression in the human brain is influenced by genetic variants in a sex-specific manner. With these analyses we demonstrated that the lack of clear sex-specific differences in allele frequencies for Parkinson's disease loci does not exclude a genetic contribution to differences in disease incidence. Moreover, further studies are needed to elucidate the role that the candidate genes identified here could have in determining a higher incidence of Parkinson's disease in the male population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaja Nordengen
- Department of Neurology, Oslo University Hospital, 0424 Oslo, Norway
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, 0372 Oslo, Norway
| | - Chiara Cappelletti
- Department of Neurology, Oslo University Hospital, 0424 Oslo, Norway
- Department of Mechanical, Electronics and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Technology, Art and Design, OsloMet—Oslo Metropolitan University, 0130 Oslo, Norway
- Department of Research, Innovation and Education, Oslo University Hospital, 0424 Oslo, Norway
| | - Shahram Bahrami
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, 0372 Oslo, Norway
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, 0450 Oslo, Norway
| | - Oleksandr Frei
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, 0372 Oslo, Norway
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, 0450 Oslo, Norway
| | - Lasse Pihlstrøm
- Department of Neurology, Oslo University Hospital, 0424 Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Hanneke Geut
- Section of Clinical Neuroanatomy and Biobanking, Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam UMC, Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, 1081 Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Annemieke J M Rozemuller
- Department of Pathology, Amsterdam UMC, Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, 1081 Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Wilma D J van de Berg
- Section of Clinical Neuroanatomy and Biobanking, Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam UMC, Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, 1081 Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ole A Andreassen
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, 0372 Oslo, Norway
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, 0450 Oslo, Norway
| | - Mathias Toft
- Department of Neurology, Oslo University Hospital, 0424 Oslo, Norway
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, 0372 Oslo, Norway
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8
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Lynch MA. A case for seeking sex-specific treatments in Alzheimer's disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2024; 16:1346621. [PMID: 38414633 PMCID: PMC10897030 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2024.1346621] [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: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
There is no satisfactory explanation for the sex-related differences in the incidence of many diseases and this is also true of Alzheimer's disease (AD), where females have a higher lifetime risk of developing the disease and make up about two thirds of the AD patient population. The importance of understanding the cause(s) that account for this disproportionate distribution cannot be overestimated, and is likely to be a significant factor in the search for therapeutic strategies that will combat the disease and, furthermore, potentially point to a sex-targeted approach to treatment. This review considers the literature in the context of what is known about the impact of sex on processes targeted by drugs that are in clinical trial for AD, and existing knowledge on differing responses of males and females to these drugs. Current knowledge strongly supports the view that trials should make assessing sex-related difference in responses a priority with a focus on exploring the sex-stratified treatments.
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9
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Wen L, Bi D, Shen Y. Complement-mediated synapse loss in Alzheimer's disease: mechanisms and involvement of risk factors. Trends Neurosci 2024; 47:135-149. [PMID: 38129195 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2023.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
The complement system is increasingly recognized as a key player in the synapse loss and cognitive impairments observed in Alzheimer's disease (AD). In particular, the process of complement-dependent synaptic pruning through phagocytosis is over-activated in AD brains, driving detrimental excessive synapse elimination and contributing to synapse loss, which is the strongest neurobiological correlate of cognitive impairments in AD. Herein we review recent advances in characterizing complement-mediated synapse loss in AD, summarize the underlying mechanisms, and discuss the possible involvement of AD risk factors such as aging and various risk genes. We conclude with an overview of key questions that remain to be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lang Wen
- Department of Neurology and Institute on Aging and Brain Disorders, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
| | - Danlei Bi
- Department of Neurology and Institute on Aging and Brain Disorders, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Biomedical Aging Research, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China; Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, Hefei, 230026, China; CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China; Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China.
| | - Yong Shen
- Department of Neurology and Institute on Aging and Brain Disorders, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Biomedical Aging Research, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China; CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China; Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China.
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10
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Gammie SC, Messing A, Hill MA, Kelm-Nelson CA, Hagemann TL. Large-scale gene expression changes in APP/PSEN1 and GFAP mutation models exhibit high congruence with Alzheimer's disease. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0291995. [PMID: 38236817 PMCID: PMC10796008 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex neurodegenerative disorder with both genetic and non-genetic causes. Animal research models are available for a multitude of diseases and conditions affecting the central nervous system (CNS), and large-scale CNS gene expression data exist for many of these. Although there are several models specifically for AD, each recapitulates different aspects of the human disease. In this study we evaluate over 500 animal models to identify those with CNS gene expression patterns matching human AD datasets. Approaches included a hypergeometric based scoring system that rewards congruent gene expression patterns but penalizes discordant gene expression patterns. The top two models identified were APP/PS1 transgenic mice expressing mutant APP and PSEN1, and mice carrying a GFAP mutation that is causative of Alexander disease, a primary disorder of astrocytes in the CNS. The APP/PS1 and GFAP models both matched over 500 genes moving in the same direction as in human AD, and both had elevated GFAP expression and were highly congruent with one another. Also scoring highly were the 5XFAD model (with five mutations in APP and PSEN1) and mice carrying CK-p25, APP, and MAPT mutations. Animals with the APOE3 and 4 mutations combined with traumatic brain injury ranked highly. Bulbectomized rats scored high, suggesting anosmia could be causative of AD-like gene expression. Other matching models included the SOD1G93A strain and knockouts for SNORD116 (Prader-Willi mutation), GRID2, INSM1, XBP1, and CSTB. Many top models demonstrated increased expression of GFAP, and results were similar across multiple human AD datasets. Heatmap and Uniform Manifold Approximation Plot results were consistent with hypergeometric ranking. Finally, some gene manipulation models, including for TYROBP and ATG7, were identified with reversed AD patterns, suggesting possible neuroprotective effects. This study provides insight for the pathobiology of AD and the potential utility of available animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen C. Gammie
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Albee Messing
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Mason A. Hill
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Cynthia A. Kelm-Nelson
- Department of Surgery, Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Tracy L. Hagemann
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
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11
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Widjaya MA, Liu CH, Lee SD, Cheng WC. Transcriptomics Meta-Analysis Reveals Phagosome and Innate Immune System Dysfunction as Potential Mechanisms in the Cortex of Alzheimer's Disease Mouse Strains. J Mol Neurosci 2023; 73:773-786. [PMID: 37733230 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-023-02152-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
Immune-related pathways can affect the immune system directly, such as the chemokine signaling pathway, or indirectly, such as the phagosome pathway. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is reportedly associated with several immune-related pathways. However, exploring its underlying mechanism is challenging in animal studies because AD mouse strains differentially express immune-related pathway characteristics. To overcome this problem, we performed a meta-analysis to identify significant and consistent immune-related AD pathways that are expressed in different AD mouse strains. Next-generation RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and microarray datasets for the cortex of AD mice from different strains such as APP/PSEN1, APP/PS2, 3xTg, TREM, and 5xFAD were collected from the NCBI GEO database. Each dataset's quality control and normalization were already processed from each original study source using various methods depending on the high-throughput analysis platform (FastQC, median of ratios, RMA, between array normalization). Datasets were analyzed using DESeq2 for RNA-seq and GEO2R for microarray to identify differentially expressed (DE) genes. Significantly DE genes were meta-analyzed using Stouffer's method, with significant genes further analyzed for functional enrichment. Ten datasets representing 20 conditions were obtained from the NCBI GEO database, comprising 116 control and 120 AD samples. The DE analysis identified 284 significant DE genes. The meta-analysis identified three significantly enriched immune-related AD pathways: phagosome, the complement and coagulation cascade, and chemokine signaling. Phagosomes-related genes correlated with complement and immune system. Meanwhile, phagosomes and chemokine signaling genes overlapped with B cells receptors pathway genes indicating potential correlation between phagosome, chemokines, and adaptive immune system as well. The transcriptomic meta-analysis showed that AD is associated with immune-related pathways in the brain's cortex through the phagosome, complement and coagulation cascade, and chemokine signaling pathways. Interestingly, phagosome and chemokine signaling pathways had potential correlation with B cells receptors pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Anekson Widjaya
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Hsin Liu
- Cancer Biology and Precision Therapeutics Center, China Medical University and Academia Sinica China Medical University, Taichung, 40403, Taiwan
| | - Shin-Da Lee
- Department of Physical Therapy, PhD program in Healthcare Science, China Medical University, Taichung, 406040, Taiwan.
| | - Wei-Chung Cheng
- Cancer Biology and Precision Therapeutics Center, China Medical University and Academia Sinica China Medical University, Taichung, 40403, Taiwan.
- Ph.D. Program for Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, China Medical University and Academia Sinica, Taichung, Taiwan.
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12
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Fass SB, Mulvey B, Yang W, Selmanovic D, Chaturvedi S, Tycksen E, Weiss LA, Dougherty JD. Relationship between sex biases in gene expression and sex biases in autism and Alzheimer's disease. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.08.29.23294773. [PMID: 37693465 PMCID: PMC10491382 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.29.23294773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Sex differences in the brain may play an important role in sex-differential prevalence of neuropsychiatric conditions. In order to understand the transcriptional basis of sex differences, we analyzed multiple, large-scale, human postmortem brain RNA-seq datasets using both within-region and pan-regional frameworks. We find evidence of sex-biased transcription in many autosomal genes, some of which provide evidence for pathways and cell population differences between chromosomally male and female individuals. These analyses also highlight regional differences in the extent of sex-differential gene expression. We observe an increase in specific neuronal transcripts in male brains and an increase in immune and glial function-related transcripts in female brains. Integration with single-cell data suggests this corresponds to sex differences in cellular states rather than cell abundance. Integration with case-control gene expression studies suggests a female molecular predisposition towards Alzheimer's disease, a female-biased disease. Autism, a male-biased diagnosis, does not exhibit a male predisposition pattern in our analysis. Finally, we provide region specific analyses of sex differences in brain gene expression to enable additional studies at the interface of gene expression and diagnostic differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart B Fass
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis MO, 63110, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis MO, 63110, USA
| | - Bernard Mulvey
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis MO, 63110, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis MO, 63110, USA
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, 855 North Wolfe St. Ste 300, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Wei Yang
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis MO, 63110, USA
- McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Din Selmanovic
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis MO, 63110, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis MO, 63110, USA
| | - Sneha Chaturvedi
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis MO, 63110, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis MO, 63110, USA
| | - Eric Tycksen
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis MO, 63110, USA
- McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Lauren A Weiss
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California, San Francisco, 513 Parnassus Ave, HSE901, San Francisco, CA 94143
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, 513 Parnassus Ave, HSE901, San Francisco, CA 94143
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, 513 Parnassus Ave, HSE901, San Francisco, CA 94143
| | - Joseph D Dougherty
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis MO, 63110, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis MO, 63110, USA
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis MO, 63110, USA
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Li M, Larsen PA. Single-cell sequencing of entorhinal cortex reveals widespread disruption of neuropeptide networks in Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Dement 2023; 19:3575-3592. [PMID: 36825405 DOI: 10.1002/alz.12979] [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: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Abnormalities of neuropeptides (NPs) that play important roles in modulating neuronal activities are commonly observed in Alzheimer's disease (AD). We hypothesize that NP network disruption is widespread in AD brains. METHODS Single-cell transcriptomic data from the entorhinal cortex (EC) were used to investigate the NP network disruption in AD. Bulk RNA-sequencing data generated from the temporal cortex by independent groups and machine learning were employed to identify key NPs involved in AD. The relationship between aging and AD-associated NP (ADNP) expression was studied using GTEx data. RESULTS The proportion of cells expressing NPs but not their receptors decreased significantly in AD. Neurons expressing higher level and greater diversity of NPs were disproportionately absent in AD. Increased age coincides with decreased ADNP expression in the hippocampus. DISCUSSION NP network disruption is widespread in AD EC. Neurons expressing more NPs may be selectively vulnerable to AD. Decreased expression of NPs participates in early AD pathogenesis. We predict that the NP network can be harnessed for treatment and/or early diagnosis of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manci Li
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
- Minnesota Center for Prion Research and Outreach, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - Peter A Larsen
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
- Minnesota Center for Prion Research and Outreach, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
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14
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Cui SS, Jiang QW, Chen SD. Sex difference in biological change and mechanism of Alzheimer’s disease: from macro- to micro-landscape. Ageing Res Rev 2023; 87:101918. [PMID: 36967089 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.101918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Revised: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia and numerous studies reported a higher prevalence and incidence of AD among women. Although women have longer lifetime, longevity does not wholly explain the higher frequency and lifetime risk in women. It is important to understand sex differences in AD pathophysiology and pathogenesis, which could provide foundation for future clinical AD research. Here, we reviewed the most recent and relevant literature on sex differences in biological change of AD from macroscopical neuroimaging to microscopical pathologic change (neuronal degeneration, synaptic dysfunction, amyloid-beta and tau accumulation). We also discussed sex differences in cellular mechanisms related to AD (neuroinflammation, mitochondria dysfunction, oxygen stress, apoptosis, autophagy, blood-brain-barrier dysfunction, gut microbiome alteration, bulk and single cell/nucleus omics) and possible causes underlying these differences including sex-chromosome, sex hormone and hypothalamic-pituitary- adrenal (HPA) axis effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi-Shuang Cui
- Department of Neurology & Institute of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China; Department of Geriatrics, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Qian-Wen Jiang
- Department of Neurology & Institute of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China; Department of Geriatrics, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Sheng-Di Chen
- Department of Neurology & Institute of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China.
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15
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Akushevich I, Kravchenko J, Yashkin A, Doraiswamy PM, Hill CV. Expanding the scope of health disparities research in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias: Recommendations from the "Leveraging Existing Data and Analytic Methods for Health Disparities Research Related to Aging and Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias" Workshop Series. ALZHEIMER'S & DEMENTIA (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2023; 15:e12415. [PMID: 36935764 PMCID: PMC10020680 DOI: 10.1002/dad2.12415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
Topics discussed at the "Leveraging Existing Data and Analytic Methods for Health Disparities Research Related to Aging and Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias" workshop, held by Duke University and the Alzheimer's Association with support from the National Institute on Aging, are summarized. Ways in which existing data resources paired with innovative applications of both novel and well-known methodologies can be used to identify the effects of multi-level societal, community, and individual determinants of race/ethnicity, sex, and geography-related health disparities in Alzheimer's disease and related dementia are proposed. Current literature on the population analyses of these health disparities is summarized with a focus on identifying existing gaps in knowledge, and ways to mitigate these gaps using data/method combinations are discussed at the workshop. Substantive and methodological directions of future research capable of advancing health disparities research related to aging are formulated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Akushevich
- Social Science Research InstituteBiodemography of Aging Research UnitDuke UniversityDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Julia Kravchenko
- Duke University School of MedicineDepartment of SurgeryDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Arseniy Yashkin
- Social Science Research InstituteBiodemography of Aging Research UnitDuke UniversityDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - P. Murali Doraiswamy
- Departments of Psychiatry and MedicineDuke University School of MedicineDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA
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16
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Liu C, Li Y, Nwosu A, Ang TFA, Liu Y, Devine S, Au R, Doraiswamy PM. Sex-specific biomarkers in Alzheimer's disease progression: Framingham Heart Study. ALZHEIMER'S & DEMENTIA (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2022; 14:e12369. [PMID: 36348973 PMCID: PMC9633867 DOI: 10.1002/dad2.12369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 09/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Background Sex differences in Alzheimer's disease (AD) are not well understood. Methods We performed sex-specific analyses of AD and annualized cognitive decline with clinical and blood biomarker data in participants 60+ years old in the community-based longitudinal Framingham Heart Study Offspring Cohort (n = 1398, mean age 68 years, 55% women). Results During 11 years of follow-up, women were 96% more likely than men to be diagnosed with clinical AD dementia after adjusting for age and education in the younger age group 60 to 70 years (n = 946; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08 to 3.56) although not in the older age group (70+) (n = 452; hazard ratio = 0.98; 95% CI, 0.68 to 1.53). Sex-differences in incident AD rates decreased with increasing levels of education. The total contribution of the biomarkers to AD risk variance was 7.6% in women and 11.7% in men. One unit (pg/ml) lower plasma Aβ42 was associated with 0.0095 unit faster memory decline in women (p = 0.0002) but not in men (p = 0.55) after adjusting for age and education. Discussion Our study suggests that both early life and later-life pathological factors may contribute to potential sex differences in incident AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunyu Liu
- Department of BiostatisticsBoston University School of Public HealthBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Framingham Heart StudyBoston University School of MedicineBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Yi Li
- Department of BiostatisticsBoston University School of Public HealthBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Adaora Nwosu
- Departments of Psychiatry and MedicineNeurocognitive Disorders ProgramDuke University School of MedicineDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Ting Fang Alvin Ang
- Framingham Heart StudyBoston University School of MedicineBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Department of Anatomy and NeurobiologyBoston University School of MedicineBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Yulin Liu
- Framingham Heart StudyBoston University School of MedicineBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Department of Anatomy and NeurobiologyBoston University School of MedicineBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Sherral Devine
- Framingham Heart StudyBoston University School of MedicineBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Department of Anatomy and NeurobiologyBoston University School of MedicineBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Rhoda Au
- Framingham Heart StudyBoston University School of MedicineBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Department of Anatomy and NeurobiologyBoston University School of MedicineBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Department of NeurologyBoston University School of MedicineBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Department of EpidemiologyBoston University School of Public HealthBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - P. Murali Doraiswamy
- Departments of Psychiatry and MedicineNeurocognitive Disorders ProgramDuke University School of MedicineDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA
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Alzheimer's disease large-scale gene expression portrait identifies exercise as the top theoretical treatment. Sci Rep 2022; 12:17189. [PMID: 36229643 PMCID: PMC9561721 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-22179-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex neurodegenerative disorder that affects multiple brain regions and is difficult to treat. In this study we used 22 AD large-scale gene expression datasets to identify a consistent underlying portrait of AD gene expression across multiple brain regions. Then we used the portrait as a platform for identifying treatments that could reverse AD dysregulated expression patterns. Enrichment of dysregulated AD genes included multiple processes, ranging from cell adhesion to CNS development. The three most dysregulated genes in the AD portrait were the inositol trisphosphate kinase, ITPKB (upregulated), the astrocyte specific intermediate filament protein, GFAP (upregulated), and the rho GTPase, RHOQ (upregulated). 41 of the top AD dysregulated genes were also identified in a recent human AD GWAS study, including PNOC, C4B, and BCL11A. 42 transcription factors were identified that were both dysregulated in AD and that in turn affect expression of other AD dysregulated genes. Male and female AD portraits were highly congruent. Out of over 250 treatments, three datasets for exercise or activity were identified as the top three theoretical treatments for AD via reversal of large-scale gene expression patterns. Exercise reversed expression patterns of hundreds of AD genes across multiple categories, including cytoskeleton, blood vessel development, mitochondrion, and interferon-stimulated related genes. Exercise also ranked as the best treatment across a majority of individual region-specific AD datasets and meta-analysis AD datasets. Fluoxetine also scored well and a theoretical combination of fluoxetine and exercise reversed 549 AD genes. Other positive treatments included curcumin. Comparisons of the AD portrait to a recent depression portrait revealed a high congruence of downregulated genes in both. Together, the AD portrait provides a new platform for understanding AD and identifying potential treatments for AD.
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18
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C. Silva T, Zhang W, Young JI, Gomez L, Schmidt MA, Varma A, Chen XS, Martin ER, Wang L. Distinct sex-specific DNA methylation differences in Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Res Ther 2022; 14:133. [PMID: 36109771 PMCID: PMC9479371 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-022-01070-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sex is increasingly recognized as a significant factor contributing to the biological and clinical heterogeneity in AD. There is also growing evidence for the prominent role of DNA methylation (DNAm) in Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHODS We studied sex-specific DNA methylation differences in the blood samples of AD subjects compared to cognitively normal subjects, by performing sex-specific meta-analyses of two large blood-based epigenome-wide association studies (ADNI and AIBL), which included DNA methylation data for a total of 1284 whole blood samples (632 females and 652 males). Within each dataset, we used two complementary analytical strategies, a sex-stratified analysis that examined methylation to AD associations in male and female samples separately, and a methylation-by-sex interaction analysis that compared the magnitude of these associations between different sexes. After adjusting for age, estimated immune cell type proportions, batch effects, and correcting for inflation, the inverse-variance fixed-effects meta-analysis model was used to identify the most consistent DNAm differences across datasets. In addition, we also evaluated the performance of the sex-specific methylation-based risk prediction models for AD diagnosis using an independent external dataset. RESULTS In the sex-stratified analysis, we identified 2 CpGs, mapped to the PRRC2A and RPS8 genes, significantly associated with AD in females at a 5% false discovery rate, and an additional 25 significant CpGs (21 in females, 4 in males) at P-value < 1×10-5. In methylation-by-sex interaction analysis, we identified 5 significant CpGs at P-value < 10-5. Out-of-sample validations using the AddNeuroMed dataset showed in females, the best logistic prediction model included age, estimated immune cell-type proportions, and methylation risk scores (MRS) computed from 9 of the 23 CpGs identified in AD vs. CN analysis that are also available in AddNeuroMed dataset (AUC = 0.74, 95% CI: 0.65-0.83). In males, the best logistic prediction model included only age and MRS computed from 2 of the 5 CpGs identified in methylation-by-sex interaction analysis that are also available in the AddNeuroMed dataset (AUC = 0.70, 95% CI: 0.56-0.82). CONCLUSIONS Overall, our results show that the DNA methylation differences in AD are largely distinct between males and females. Our best-performing sex-specific methylation-based prediction model in females performed better than that for males and additionally included estimated cell-type proportions. The significant discriminatory classification of AD samples with our methylation-based prediction models demonstrates that sex-specific DNA methylation could be a predictive biomarker for AD. As sex is a strong factor underlying phenotypic variability in AD, the results of our study are particularly relevant for a better understanding of the epigenetic architecture that underlie AD and for promoting precision medicine in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiago C. Silva
- grid.26790.3a0000 0004 1936 8606Division of Biostatistics, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, 1120 NW 14th Street, Miami, FL 33136 USA
| | - Wei Zhang
- grid.26790.3a0000 0004 1936 8606Division of Biostatistics, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, 1120 NW 14th Street, Miami, FL 33136 USA
| | - Juan I. Young
- grid.26790.3a0000 0004 1936 8606Dr. John T Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136 USA ,grid.26790.3a0000 0004 1936 8606John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136 USA
| | - Lissette Gomez
- grid.26790.3a0000 0004 1936 8606John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136 USA
| | - Michael A. Schmidt
- grid.26790.3a0000 0004 1936 8606Dr. John T Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136 USA ,grid.26790.3a0000 0004 1936 8606John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136 USA
| | - Achintya Varma
- grid.26790.3a0000 0004 1936 8606John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136 USA
| | - X. Steven Chen
- grid.26790.3a0000 0004 1936 8606Division of Biostatistics, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, 1120 NW 14th Street, Miami, FL 33136 USA ,grid.26790.3a0000 0004 1936 8606Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136 USA
| | - Eden R. Martin
- grid.26790.3a0000 0004 1936 8606Dr. John T Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136 USA ,grid.26790.3a0000 0004 1936 8606John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136 USA
| | - Lily Wang
- grid.26790.3a0000 0004 1936 8606Division of Biostatistics, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, 1120 NW 14th Street, Miami, FL 33136 USA ,grid.26790.3a0000 0004 1936 8606Dr. John T Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136 USA ,grid.26790.3a0000 0004 1936 8606John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136 USA ,grid.26790.3a0000 0004 1936 8606Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136 USA
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Winek K, Tzur Y, Soreq H. Biological underpinnings of sex differences in neurological disorders. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2022; 164:27-67. [PMID: 36038206 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2022.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The importance of sex differences in neurological disorders has been increasingly acknowledged in recent clinical and basic research studies, but the complex biology and genetics underlying sex-linked biological heterogeneity and its brain-to-body impact remained incompletely understood. Men and women differ substantially in their susceptibility to certain neurological diseases, in the severity of symptoms, prognosis as well as the nature and efficacy of their response to treatments. The detailed mechanisms underlying these differences, especially at the molecular level, are being addressed in many studies but leave a lot to be further revealed. Here, we provide an overview of recent advances in our understanding of how sex differences in the brain and brain-body signaling contribute to neurological disorders and further present some future prospects entailed in terms of diagnostics and therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Winek
- The Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel; The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Yonat Tzur
- The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Hermona Soreq
- The Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel; The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
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Lai Y, Lin C, Lin X, Wu L, Zhao Y, Lin F. Identification and immunological characterization of cuproptosis-related molecular clusters in Alzheimer's disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:932676. [PMID: 35966780 PMCID: PMC9366224 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.932676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Alzheimer's disease is the most common dementia with clinical and pathological heterogeneity. Cuproptosis is a recently reported form of cell death, which appears to result in the progression of various diseases. Therefore, our study aimed to explore cuproptosis-related molecular clusters in Alzheimer's disease and construct a prediction model. Methods Based on the GSE33000 dataset, we analyzed the expression profiles of cuproptosis regulators and immune characteristics in Alzheimer's disease. Using 310 Alzheimer's disease samples, we explored the molecular clusters based on cuproptosis-related genes, along with the related immune cell infiltration. Cluster-specific differentially expressed genes were identified using the WGCNA algorithm. Subsequently, the optimal machine model was chosen by comparing the performance of the random forest model, support vector machine model, generalized linear model, and eXtreme Gradient Boosting. Nomogram, calibration curve, decision curve analysis, and three external datasets were applied for validating the predictive efficiency. Results The dysregulated cuproptosis-related genes and activated immune responses were determined between Alzheimer's disease and non-Alzheimer's disease controls. Two cuproptosis-related molecular clusters were defined in Alzheimer's disease. Analysis of immune infiltration suggested the significant heterogeneity of immunity between distinct clusters. Cluster2 was characterized by elevated immune scores and relatively higher levels of immune infiltration. Functional analysis showed that cluster-specific differentially expressed genes in Cluster2 were closely related to various immune responses. The Random forest machine model presented the best discriminative performance with relatively lower residual and root mean square error, and a higher area under the curve (AUC = 0.9829). A final 5-gene-based random forest model was constructed, exhibiting satisfactory performance in two external validation datasets (AUC = 0.8529 and 0.8333). The nomogram, calibration curve, and decision curve analysis also demonstrated the accuracy to predict Alzheimer's disease subtypes. Further analysis revealed that these five model-related genes were significantly associated with the Aβ-42 levels and β-secretase activity. Conclusion Our study systematically illustrated the complicated relationship between cuproptosis and Alzheimer's disease, and developed a promising prediction model to evaluate the risk of cuproptosis subtypes and the pathological outcome of Alzheimer's disease patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongxing Lai
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Provincial Center for Geriatrics, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Fuzhou, China
| | - Chunjin Lin
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Provincial Center for Geriatrics, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xing Lin
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Provincial Center for Geriatrics, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Fuzhou, China
| | - Lijuan Wu
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Provincial Center for Geriatrics, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yinan Zhao
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Provincial Center for Geriatrics, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Fuzhou, China
| | - Fan Lin
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Provincial Center for Geriatrics, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Fuzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Fan Lin
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Tang AS, Oskotsky T, Havaldar S, Mantyh WG, Bicak M, Solsberg CW, Woldemariam S, Zeng B, Hu Z, Oskotsky B, Dubal D, Allen IE, Glicksberg BS, Sirota M. Deep phenotyping of Alzheimer's disease leveraging electronic medical records identifies sex-specific clinical associations. Nat Commun 2022; 13:675. [PMID: 35115528 PMCID: PMC8814236 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28273-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that is still not fully understood. Sex modifies AD vulnerability, but the reasons for this are largely unknown. We utilize two independent electronic medical record (EMR) systems across 44,288 patients to perform deep clinical phenotyping and network analysis to gain insight into clinical characteristics and sex-specific clinical associations in AD. Embeddings and network representation of patient diagnoses demonstrate greater comorbidity interactions in AD in comparison to matched controls. Enrichment analysis identifies multiple known and new diagnostic, medication, and lab result associations across the whole cohort and in a sex-stratified analysis. With this data-driven method of phenotyping, we can represent AD complexity and generate hypotheses of clinical factors that can be followed-up for further diagnostic and predictive analyses, mechanistic understanding, or drug repurposing and therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice S Tang
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Graduate Program in Bioengineering, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- School of Medicine, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Tomiko Oskotsky
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Shreyas Havaldar
- Hasso Plattner Institute for Digital Health at Mount Sinai, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - William G Mantyh
- Department of Neurology, University of Minnesota School of Medicine, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Mesude Bicak
- Hasso Plattner Institute for Digital Health at Mount Sinai, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Caroline Warly Solsberg
- Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacogenomics, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Neurology and Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
- Memory and Aging Center, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Sarah Woldemariam
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Billy Zeng
- School of Medicine, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Zicheng Hu
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Boris Oskotsky
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Dena Dubal
- Department of Neurology and Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Isabel E Allen
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Benjamin S Glicksberg
- Hasso Plattner Institute for Digital Health at Mount Sinai, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Marina Sirota
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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22
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Guo L, Zhong MB, Zhang L, Zhang B, Cai D. Sex Differences in Alzheimer's Disease: Insights From the Multiomics Landscape. Biol Psychiatry 2022; 91:61-71. [PMID: 33896621 PMCID: PMC8996342 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.02.968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2020] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) has complex etiologies, and the impact of sex on AD varies over the course of disease development. The literature provides some evidence of sex-specific contributions to AD. However, molecular mechanisms of sex-biased differences in AD remain elusive. Multiomics data in tandem with systems biology approaches offer a new avenue to dissect sex-stratified molecular mechanisms of AD and to develop sex-specific diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for AD. Single-cell transcriptomic datasets and cell deconvolution of bulk tissue transcriptomic data provide additional insights into brain cell type-specific impact on sex-biased differences in AD. In this review, we summarize the impact of sex chromosomes and sex hormones on AD, the impact of sex-biased differences during AD development, and the interplay between sex and a major AD genetic risk factor, the APOE ε4 genotype, through the multiomics landscape. Several sex-biased molecular pathways such as neuroinflammation and bioenergetic metabolism have been identified. The importance of sex chromosome and sex hormones, as well as the associated pathways in AD pathogenesis, is further strengthened by findings from omics studies. Future research efforts should integrate the multiomics data from different brain regions and different cell types using systems biology approaches, and leverage the knowledge into a holistic examination of sex differences in AD. Advances in systems biology technologies and increasingly available large-scale multiomics datasets will facilitate future studies dissecting such complex signaling mechanisms to better understand AD pathogenesis in both sexes, with the ultimate goals of developing efficacious sex- and APOE-stratified preventive and therapeutic interventions for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Guo
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Mount Sinai Center for Transformative Disease Modeling, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Margaret B Zhong
- Department of Neuroscience, Barnard College of Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Larry Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Research and Development Service, James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, New York
| | - Bin Zhang
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Mount Sinai Center for Transformative Disease Modeling, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York.
| | - Dongming Cai
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Alzheimer Disease Research Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Research and Development Service, James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, New York.
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