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Victorino DB, Faber J, Pinheiro DJLL, Scorza FA, Almeida ACG, Costa ACS, Scorza CA. Toward the Identification of Neurophysiological Biomarkers for Alzheimer's Disease in Down Syndrome: A Potential Role for Cross-Frequency Phase-Amplitude Coupling Analysis. Aging Dis 2023; 14:428-449. [PMID: 37008053 PMCID: PMC10017148 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2022.0906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cross-frequency coupling (CFC) mechanisms play a central role in brain activity. Pathophysiological mechanisms leading to many brain disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), may produce unique patterns of brain activity detectable by electroencephalography (EEG). Identifying biomarkers for AD diagnosis is also an ambition among research teams working in Down syndrome (DS), given the increased susceptibility of people with DS to develop early-onset AD (DS-AD). Here, we review accumulating evidence that altered theta-gamma phase-amplitude coupling (PAC) may be one of the earliest EEG signatures of AD, and therefore may serve as an adjuvant tool for detecting cognitive decline in DS-AD. We suggest that this field of research could potentially provide clues to the biophysical mechanisms underlying cognitive dysfunction in DS-AD and generate opportunities for identifying EEG-based biomarkers with diagnostic and prognostic utility in DS-AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniella B Victorino
- Discipline of Neuroscience, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Federal University of São Paulo / Paulista Medical School, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
| | - Jean Faber
- Discipline of Neuroscience, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Federal University of São Paulo / Paulista Medical School, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
| | - Daniel J. L. L Pinheiro
- Discipline of Neuroscience, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Federal University of São Paulo / Paulista Medical School, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
| | - Fulvio A Scorza
- Discipline of Neuroscience, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Federal University of São Paulo / Paulista Medical School, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
| | - Antônio C. G Almeida
- Department of Biosystems Engineering, Federal University of São João Del Rei, Minas Gerais, MG, Brazil.
| | - Alberto C. S Costa
- Division of Psychiatry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States.
- Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States.
| | - Carla A Scorza
- Discipline of Neuroscience, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Federal University of São Paulo / Paulista Medical School, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
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Seol S, Kwon J, Kang HJ. Cell type characterization of spatiotemporal gene co-expression modules in Down syndrome brain. iScience 2022; 26:105884. [PMID: 36647384 PMCID: PMC9840153 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Down syndrome (DS) is the most common genetic cause of intellectual disability and increases the risk of other brain-related dysfunctions, like seizures, early-onset Alzheimer's disease, and autism. To reveal the molecular profiles of DS-associated brain phenotypes, we performed a meta-data analysis of the developmental DS brain transcriptome at cell type and co-expression module levels. In the DS brain, astrocyte-, microglia-, and endothelial cell-associated genes show upregulated patterns, whereas neuron- and oligodendrocyte-associated genes show downregulated patterns. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis identified cell type-enriched co-expressed gene modules. We present eight representative cell-type modules for neurons, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and microglia. We classified the neuron modules into glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons and associated them with detailed subtypes. Cell type modules were interpreted by analyzing spatiotemporal expression patterns, functional annotations, and co-expression networks of the modules. This study provides insight into the mechanisms underlying brain abnormalities in DS and related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sihwan Seol
- Department of Life Science, Chung-Ang University, 84 Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul 06974, Republic of Korea
| | - Joonhong Kwon
- Department of Life Science, Chung-Ang University, 84 Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul 06974, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyo Jung Kang
- Department of Life Science, Chung-Ang University, 84 Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul 06974, Republic of Korea,Corresponding author
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Altered cell and RNA isoform diversity in aging Down syndrome brains. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2114326118. [PMID: 34795060 PMCID: PMC8617492 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2114326118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Down syndrome (DS) neurocognitive disabilities associated with trisomy 21 are known; however, gene changes within individual brain cells occurring with age are unknown. Here, we interrogated >170,000 cells from 29 aging DS and control brains using single-nucleus RNA sequencing. We observed increases in inhibitory-over-excitatory neurons, microglial activation in the youngest DS brains coinciding with overexpression of genes associated with microglial-mediated synaptic pruning, and overexpression of the chromosome 21 gene RUNX1 that may be a potential driving factor in microglial activation. Single-nucleus long-read sequencing revealed hundreds of thousands of unannotated RNA transcripts. These included diverse species for the Alzheimer’s disease gene—amyloid precursor protein—that contained intra-exonic junctions previously associated with somatic gene recombination, which was also identified in ∼8,000 other genes. Down syndrome (DS), trisomy of human chromosome 21 (HSA21), is characterized by lifelong cognitive impairments and the development of the neuropathological hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The cellular and molecular modifications responsible for these effects are not understood. Here we performed single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) employing both short- (Illumina) and long-read (Pacific Biosciences) sequencing technologies on a total of 29 DS and non-DS control prefrontal cortex samples. In DS, the ratio of inhibitory-to-excitatory neurons was significantly increased, which was not observed in previous reports examining sporadic AD. DS microglial transcriptomes displayed AD-related aging and activation signatures in advance of AD neuropathology, with increased microglial expression of C1q complement genes (associated with dendritic pruning) and the HSA21 transcription factor gene RUNX1. Long-read sequencing detected vast RNA isoform diversity within and among specific cell types, including numerous sequences that differed between DS and control brains. Notably, over 8,000 genes produced RNAs containing intra-exonic junctions, including amyloid precursor protein (APP) that had previously been associated with somatic gene recombination. These and related results illuminate large-scale cellular and transcriptomic alterations as features of the aging DS brain.
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Ghibaudi M, Boido M, Green D, Signorino E, Berto GE, Pourshayesteh S, Singh A, Di Cunto F, Dalmay T, Vercelli A. miR-7b-3p Exerts a Dual Role After Spinal Cord Injury, by Supporting Plasticity and Neuroprotection at Cortical Level. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:618869. [PMID: 33869277 PMCID: PMC8044879 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.618869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Spinal cord injury (SCI) affects 6 million people worldwide with no available treatment. Despite research advances, the inherent poor regeneration potential of the central nervous system remains a major hurdle. Small RNAs (sRNAs) 19-33 nucleotides in length are a set of non-coding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression and have emerged as key players in regulating cellular events occurring after SCI. Here we profiled a class of sRNA known as microRNAs (miRNAs) following SCI in the cortex where the cell bodies of corticospinal motor neurons are located. We identified miR-7b-3p as a candidate target given its significant upregulation after SCI in vivo and we screened by miRWalk PTM the genes predicted to be targets of miR-7b-3p (among which we identified Wipf2, a gene regulating neurite extension). Moreover, 16 genes, involved in neural regeneration and potential miR-7b-3p targets, were found to be downregulated in the cortex following SCI. We also analysed miR-7b-3p function during cortical neuron development in vitro: we observed that the overexpression of miR-7b-3p was important (1) to maintain neurons in a more immature and, likely, plastic neuronal developmental phase and (2) to contrast the apoptotic pathway; however, in normal conditions it did not affect the Wipf2 expression. On the contrary, the overexpression of miR-7b-3p upon in vitro oxidative stress condition (mimicking the SCI environment) significantly reduced the expression level of Wipf2, as observed in vivo, confirming it as a direct miR-7b-3p target. Overall, these data suggest a dual role of miR-7b-3p: (i) the induction of a more plastic neuronal condition/phase, possibly at the expense of the axon growth, (ii) the neuroprotective role exerted through the inhibition of the apoptotic cascade. Increasing the miR-7b-3p levels in case of SCI could reactivate in adult neurons silenced developmental programmes, supporting at the same time the survival of the axotomised neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matilde Ghibaudi
- Department of Neuroscience “Rita Levi Montalcini,” Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, University of Turin, Orbassano, Italy
- Polymers and Biomaterials, Italian Institute of Technology, Genova, Italy
| | - Marina Boido
- Department of Neuroscience “Rita Levi Montalcini,” Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, University of Turin, Orbassano, Italy
| | - Darrell Green
- Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Elena Signorino
- Department of Neuroscience “Rita Levi Montalcini,” Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, University of Turin, Orbassano, Italy
| | - Gaia Elena Berto
- Department of Neuroscience “Rita Levi Montalcini,” Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, University of Turin, Orbassano, Italy
| | - Soraya Pourshayesteh
- Department of Neuroscience “Rita Levi Montalcini,” Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, University of Turin, Orbassano, Italy
| | - Archana Singh
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Ferdinando Di Cunto
- Department of Neuroscience “Rita Levi Montalcini,” Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, University of Turin, Orbassano, Italy
| | - Tamas Dalmay
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Alessandro Vercelli
- Department of Neuroscience “Rita Levi Montalcini,” Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, University of Turin, Orbassano, Italy
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Uguagliati B, Al-Absi AR, Stagni F, Emili M, Giacomini A, Guidi S, Nyengaard JR, Bartesaghi R. Early appearance of developmental alterations in the dendritic tree of the hippocampal granule cells in the Ts65Dn model of Down syndrome. Hippocampus 2021; 31:435-447. [PMID: 33464704 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Down syndrome (DS), a genetic condition caused by triplication of chromosome 21, is characterized by alterations in various cognitive domains, including hippocampus-dependent memory functions, starting from early life stages. The major causes of intellectual disability in DS are prenatal neurogenesis alterations followed by impairment of dendritic development in early infancy. While there is evidence that the Ts65Dn mouse, the most widely used model of DS, exhibits dendritic alterations in adulthood, no studies are available regarding the onset of dendritic pathology. The goal of the current study was to establish whether this model exhibits early dendritic alterations in the hippocampus, a region whose function is severely damaged in DS. To this purpose, in Golgi-stained brains, we evaluated the dendritic arborization and dendritic spines of the granule cells of the hippocampal dentate gyrus in Ts65Dn mice aged 8 (P8) and 15 (P15) days. While P15 Ts65Dn mice exhibited a notably hypotrophic dendritic arbor and a reduced spine density, P8 mice exhibited a moderate reduction in the number of dendritic ramifications and no differences in spine density in comparison with their euploid counterparts. Both in P8 and P15 mice, spines were longer and had a longer neck, suggesting possible alterations in synaptic function. Moreover, P8 and P15 Ts65Dn mice had more thin spines and fewer stubby spines in comparison with euploid mice. Our study provides novel evidence on the onset of dendritic pathology, one of the causes of intellectual disability in DS, showing that it is already detectable in the dentate gyrus of Ts65Dn pups. This evidence strengthens the suitability of this model of DS as a tool to study dendritic pathology in DS and to test the efficacy of early therapeutic interventions aimed at ameliorating hippocampal development and, therefore, memory functions in children with DS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice Uguagliati
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Abdel-Rahman Al-Absi
- Core Centre for Molecular Morphology, Section for Stereology and Microscopy, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Fiorenza Stagni
- Department for Life Quality Studies, University of Bologna, Rimini, Italy
| | - Marco Emili
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Andrea Giacomini
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Sandra Guidi
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Jens Randel Nyengaard
- Core Centre for Molecular Morphology, Section for Stereology and Microscopy, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Renata Bartesaghi
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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