1
|
Stanescu LS, Ghemigian A, Ciobica ML, Nistor C, Ciuche A, Radu AM, Sandru F, Carsote M. Thyroid Malignancy and Cutaneous Lichen Amyloidosis: Key Points Amid RET Pathogenic Variants in Medullary Thyroid Cancer/Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 2 (MEN2). Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:9765. [PMID: 39337252 PMCID: PMC11431960 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25189765] [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: 08/05/2024] [Revised: 08/28/2024] [Accepted: 09/05/2024] [Indexed: 09/30/2024] Open
Abstract
We aimed to provide an updated narrative review with respect to the RET pathogenic variants and their implications at the clinical and molecular level in the diagnosis of medullary thyroid cancer (MTC)/multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) type 2, particularly with respect to the presence of cutaneous lichen amyloidosis (CLA). We searched English-language, in extenso original articles with no timeline nor study design restriction that were published on PubMed. A traditional interplay stands for CLA and MTC in MEN2 (not MEN3) confirmation. While the connection has been reported for more than three decades, there is still a large gap in understanding and addressing it. The majority of patients with MEN2A-CLA have RET pathogenic variants at codon 634; hence, it suggests an involvement of this specific cysteine residue in both disorders (most data agree that one-third of C634-positive subjects have CLA, but the ranges are between 9% and 50%). Females seem more prone to MEN2-CLA than males. Non-C634 germline RET pathogenic variants included (at a low level of statistical evidence) the following: RET V804M mutation in exon 14 for MTC-CLA (CLA at upper back); RET S891A mutation in exon 15 binding OSMR variant G513D (familial MTC and CLA comprising the lower legs to thighs, upper back, shoulders, arms, and forearms); and C611Y (CLA at interscapular region), respectively. Typically, CLA is detected at an early age (from childhood until young adulthood) before the actual MTC identification unless RET screening protocols are already applied. The time frame between CLA diagnosis and the identification of RET pathogenic variants was between 5 and 60 years according to one study. The same RET mutation in one family is not necessarily associated with the same CLA presentation. In MTC/MEN2 subjects, the most affected CLA area was the scapular region of the upper back. Alternatively, another hypothesis highlighted the fact that CLA is secondary to long-term prurit/notalgia paresthetica (NP) in MTC/MEN2. OSMR p. G513D may play a role in modifying the evolutionary processes of CLA in subjects co-harboring RET mutations (further studies are necessary to sustain this aspect). Awareness in CLA-positive patients is essential, including the decision of RET testing in selected cases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura-Semonia Stanescu
- PhD Doctoral School, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 0505474 Bucharest, Romania
- Department of Clinical Endocrinology V, C.I. Parhon National Institute of Endocrinology, 011863 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Adina Ghemigian
- Department of Clinical Endocrinology V, C.I. Parhon National Institute of Endocrinology, 011863 Bucharest, Romania
- Department of Endocrinology, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 020021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Mihai-Lucian Ciobica
- Department of Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 020021 Bucharest, Romania
- Department of Internal Medicine I and Rheumatology, "Dr. Carol Davila" Central Military University Emergency Hospital, 010825 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Claudiu Nistor
- Department 4-Cardio-Thoracic Pathology, Thoracic Surgery II Discipline, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 0505474 Bucharest, Romania
- Thoracic Surgery Department, "Dr. Carol Davila" Central Emergency University Military Hospital, 010825 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Adrian Ciuche
- Department 4-Cardio-Thoracic Pathology, Thoracic Surgery II Discipline, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 0505474 Bucharest, Romania
- Thoracic Surgery Department, "Dr. Carol Davila" Central Emergency University Military Hospital, 010825 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Andreea-Maria Radu
- Department of Dermatovenerology, Elias University Emergency Hospital, 011461 Bucharest, Romania
- Department of Dermatovenerology, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 020021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Florica Sandru
- Department of Dermatovenerology, Elias University Emergency Hospital, 011461 Bucharest, Romania
- Department of Dermatovenerology, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 020021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Mara Carsote
- Department of Clinical Endocrinology V, C.I. Parhon National Institute of Endocrinology, 011863 Bucharest, Romania
- Department of Endocrinology, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 020021 Bucharest, Romania
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Jiang Y, Neal J, Sompol P, Yener G, Arakaki X, Norris CM, Farina FR, Ibanez A, Lopez S, Al-Ezzi A, Kavcic V, Güntekin B, Babiloni C, Hajós M. Parallel electrophysiological abnormalities due to COVID-19 infection and to Alzheimer's disease and related dementia. Alzheimers Dement 2024. [PMID: 39206795 DOI: 10.1002/alz.14089] [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: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Many coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) positive individuals exhibit abnormal electroencephalographic (EEG) activity reflecting "brain fog" and mild cognitive impairments even months after the acute phase of infection. Resting-state EEG abnormalities include EEG slowing (reduced alpha rhythm; increased slow waves) and epileptiform activity. An expert panel conducted a systematic review to present compelling evidence that cognitive deficits due to COVID-19 and to Alzheimer's disease and related dementia (ADRD) are driven by overlapping pathologies and neurophysiological abnormalities. EEG abnormalities seen in COVID-19 patients resemble those observed in early stages of neurodegenerative diseases, particularly ADRD. It is proposed that similar EEG abnormalities in Long COVID and ADRD are due to parallel neuroinflammation, astrocyte reactivity, hypoxia, and neurovascular injury. These neurophysiological abnormalities underpinning cognitive decline in COVID-19 can be detected by routine EEG exams. Future research will explore the value of EEG monitoring of COVID-19 patients for predicting long-term outcomes and monitoring efficacy of therapeutic interventions. HIGHLIGHTS: Abnormal intrinsic electrophysiological brain activity, such as slowing of EEG, reduced alpha wave, and epileptiform are characteristic findings in COVID-19 patients. EEG abnormalities have the potential as neural biomarkers to identify neurological complications at the early stage of the disease, to assist clinical assessment, and to assess cognitive decline risk in Long COVID patients. Similar slowing of intrinsic brain activity to that of COVID-19 patients is typically seen in patients with mild cognitive impairments, ADRD. Evidence presented supports the idea that cognitive deficits in Long COVID and ADRD are driven by overlapping neurophysiological abnormalities resulting, at least in part, from neuroinflammatory mechanisms and astrocyte reactivity. Identifying common biological mechanisms in Long COVID-19 and ADRD can highlight critical pathologies underlying brain disorders and cognitive decline. It elucidates research questions regarding cognitive EEG and mild cognitive impairment in Long COVID that have not yet been adequately investigated.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yang Jiang
- Aging Brain and Cognition Laboratory, Department of Behavioral Science, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
- Sanders Brown Center on Aging, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Jennifer Neal
- Aging Brain and Cognition Laboratory, Department of Behavioral Science, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Pradoldej Sompol
- Sanders Brown Center on Aging, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Görsev Yener
- Faculty of Medicine, Dept of Neurology, İzmir University of Economics, İzmir, Turkey
- IBG: International Biomedicine and Genome Center, İzmir, Turkey
| | - Xianghong Arakaki
- Cognition and Brain Integration Laboratory, Department of Neurosciences, Huntington Medical Research Institutes, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Christopher M Norris
- Sanders Brown Center on Aging, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | | | - Agustin Ibanez
- BrainLat: Latin American Brain Health Institute, Universidad Adolfo Ibañez, Santiago, Chile
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Universidad de San Andrés, Victoria, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- GBHI: Global Brain Health Institute, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Susanna Lopez
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "V. Erspamer,", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Abdulhakim Al-Ezzi
- Cognition and Brain Integration Laboratory, Department of Neurosciences, Huntington Medical Research Institutes, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Voyko Kavcic
- Institute of Gerontology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Bahar Güntekin
- Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technologies (SABITA), Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey
- Department of Biophysics, School of Medicine, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Claudio Babiloni
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "V. Erspamer,", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Hospital San Raffaele Cassino, Cassino, Frosinone, Italy
| | - Mihály Hajós
- Cognito Therapeutics, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Zargan S, Jalili H, Dabirmanesh B, Mesdaghinia S, Khajeh K. Amyloidogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 delta plus and omicron variants receptor-binding domain (RBD): impact of SUMO fusion tag. Biotechnol Lett 2024:10.1007/s10529-024-03525-9. [PMID: 39182215 DOI: 10.1007/s10529-024-03525-9] [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: 04/13/2024] [Revised: 07/16/2024] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE The RBD of SARS-CoV-2 mediates viral entry into host cells by binding to the host receptor ACE2. SARS-CoV-2 infection is linked to various health issues resembling amyloid-related problems, persuading us to investigate the amyloidogenicity of the SARS-CoV-2 spike RBD. METHODS The FoldAmyloid program was used to assess the amyloidogenic propensities in the RBD of Delta Plus and RBD of the Omicron variant, with and without the SUMO tag. After the expression of RBDs, purification, and dialysis steps were performed, subsequently the ThT assay, FTIR, and TEM were employed to check the RBD ability to form fibrils. RESULTS The ThT assay, TEM, and FTIR revealed the ability of RBD to self-assemble into β-sheet-rich aggregates (48.4% β-sheet content). Additionally, the presence of the SUMO tag reduced the formation of RBD amyloid-like fibrils. The amyloidogenic potential of Omicron RBD was higher than Delta Plus, according to both in silico and experimental analyses. CONCLUSIONS The SARS-CoV-2 RBD can assemble itself by forming aggregates containing amyloid-like fibrils and the presence of a SUMO tag can significantly decrease the formation of RBD amyloid-like fibrils. In silico analysis suggested that variation in the ThT fluorescence intensity of amyloid accumulations in the two SARS-CoV-2 strains arises from specific mutations in their RBD regions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sadegh Zargan
- Department of Life Science Engineering, Faculty of New Sciences and Technologies, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hasan Jalili
- Department of Life Science Engineering, Faculty of New Sciences and Technologies, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Bahareh Dabirmanesh
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Saba Mesdaghinia
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Khosro Khajeh
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Navolokin N, Adushkina V, Zlatogorskaya D, Telnova V, Evsiukova A, Vodovozova E, Eroshova A, Dosadina E, Diduk S, Semyachkina-Glushkovskaya O. Promising Strategies to Reduce the SARS-CoV-2 Amyloid Deposition in the Brain and Prevent COVID-19-Exacerbated Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2024; 17:788. [PMID: 38931455 PMCID: PMC11206883 DOI: 10.3390/ph17060788] [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: 04/29/2024] [Revised: 06/02/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, is associated with cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression. Once it enters the brain, the SARS-CoV-2 virus stimulates accumulation of amyloids in the brain that are highly toxic to neural cells. These amyloids may trigger neurological symptoms in COVID-19. The meningeal lymphatic vessels (MLVs) play an important role in removal of toxins and mediate viral drainage from the brain. MLVs are considered a promising target to prevent COVID-19-exacerbated dementia. However, there are limited methods for augmentation of MLV function. This review highlights new discoveries in the field of COVID-19-mediated amyloid accumulation in the brain associated with the neurological symptoms and the development of promising strategies to stimulate clearance of amyloids from the brain through lymphatic and other pathways. These strategies are based on innovative methods of treating brain dysfunction induced by COVID-19 infection, including the use of photobiomodulation, plasmalogens, and medicinal herbs, which offer hope for addressing the challenges posed by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nikita Navolokin
- Department of Pathological Anatomy, Saratov Medical State University, Bolshaya Kazachaya Str. 112, 410012 Saratov, Russia;
- Department of Biology, Saratov State University, Astrakhanskaya 82, 410012 Saratov, Russia; (V.A.); (D.Z.); (V.T.); (A.E.)
| | - Viktoria Adushkina
- Department of Biology, Saratov State University, Astrakhanskaya 82, 410012 Saratov, Russia; (V.A.); (D.Z.); (V.T.); (A.E.)
| | - Daria Zlatogorskaya
- Department of Biology, Saratov State University, Astrakhanskaya 82, 410012 Saratov, Russia; (V.A.); (D.Z.); (V.T.); (A.E.)
| | - Valeria Telnova
- Department of Biology, Saratov State University, Astrakhanskaya 82, 410012 Saratov, Russia; (V.A.); (D.Z.); (V.T.); (A.E.)
| | - Arina Evsiukova
- Department of Biology, Saratov State University, Astrakhanskaya 82, 410012 Saratov, Russia; (V.A.); (D.Z.); (V.T.); (A.E.)
| | - Elena Vodovozova
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Anna Eroshova
- Department of Biotechnology, Leeners LLC, Nagornyi Proezd 3a, 117105 Moscow, Russia; (A.E.); (E.D.); (S.D.)
| | - Elina Dosadina
- Department of Biotechnology, Leeners LLC, Nagornyi Proezd 3a, 117105 Moscow, Russia; (A.E.); (E.D.); (S.D.)
| | - Sergey Diduk
- Department of Biotechnology, Leeners LLC, Nagornyi Proezd 3a, 117105 Moscow, Russia; (A.E.); (E.D.); (S.D.)
- Research Institute of Carcinogenesis of the N.N. Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology, Ministry of Health of Russia, Kashirskoe Shosse 24, 115522 Moscow, Russia
| | | |
Collapse
|