1
|
Ataei B, Hokmabadi M, Asadi S, Asadifard E, Aghaei Zarch SM, Najafi S, Bagheri-Mohammadi S. A review of the advances, insights, and prospects of gene therapy for Alzheimer's disease: A novel target for therapeutic medicine. Gene 2024; 912:148368. [PMID: 38485038 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2024.148368] [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: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 02/24/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) are still an important issue for scientists because it is difficult to cure with the available molecular medications and conventional treatments. Due to the complex nature of the brain structures and heterogeneous morphological and physiological properties of neuronal cells, interventions for cerebral-related disorders using surgical approaches, and classical and ongoing treatments remain hard for physicians. Furthermore, the development of newly designed medications attempts to target AD are not successful in improving AD, because abnormalities of tau protein, aggregation of amyloid β (Aβ) peptide, inflammatory responses, etc lead to advanced neurodegeneration processes that conventional treatments cannot stop them. In recent years, novel diagnostic strategies and therapeutic approaches have been developed to identify and cure early pathological events of AD. Accordingly, many gene-based therapies have been developed and introduce the therapeutic potential to prevent and cure AD. On the other hand, genetic investigations and postmortem assessments have detected a large number of factors associated with AD pathology. Also, genetically diverse animal models of AD help us to detect and prioritize novel resilience mechanisms. Hence, gene therapy can be considered an effective and powerful tool to identify and treat human diseases. Ultimately, gene study and gene-based therapy with a critical role in the detection and cure of various human disorders will have a fundamental role in our lives forever. This scientific review paper discusses the present status of different therapeutic strategies, particularly gene-based therapy in treating AD, along with its challenges.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bahar Ataei
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Basic Science, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran
| | - Mahsa Hokmabadi
- Department of Molecular Diagnosis, Armin Pathobiology and Medical Genetics Laboratory, Tehran, Iran; Medical Genomics Research Center, Tehran Medical Sciences Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sahar Asadi
- Department of Community and Family Medicine, School of Medicine, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran
| | - Elnaz Asadifard
- Medical Genomics Research Center, Tehran Medical Sciences Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed Mohsen Aghaei Zarch
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Sajad Najafi
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Saeid Bagheri-Mohammadi
- Department of Paramedicine, Amol School of Paramedical Sciences, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran; Immunogenetics Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Vanova T, Sedmik J, Raska J, Amruz Cerna K, Taus P, Pospisilova V, Nezvedova M, Fedorova V, Kadakova S, Klimova H, Capandova M, Orviska P, Fojtik P, Bartova S, Plevova K, Spacil Z, Hribkova H, Bohaciakova D. Cerebral organoids derived from patients with Alzheimer's disease with PSEN1/2 mutations have defective tissue patterning and altered development. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113310. [PMID: 37864790 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113310] [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: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023] Open
Abstract
During the past two decades, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have been widely used to study human neural development and disease. Especially in the field of Alzheimer's disease (AD), remarkable effort has been put into investigating molecular mechanisms behind this disease. Then, with the advent of 3D neuronal cultures and cerebral organoids (COs), several studies have demonstrated that this model can adequately mimic familial and sporadic AD. Therefore, we created an AD-CO model using iPSCs derived from patients with familial AD forms and explored early events and the progression of AD pathogenesis. Our study demonstrated that COs derived from three AD-iPSC lines with PSEN1(A246E) or PSEN2(N141I) mutations developed the AD-specific markers in vitro, yet they also uncover tissue patterning defects and altered development. These findings are complemented by single-cell sequencing data confirming this observation and uncovering that neurons in AD-COs likely differentiate prematurely.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tereza Vanova
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic; International Clinical Research Center (ICRC), St. Anne's University Hospital, 60200 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiri Sedmik
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Raska
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic; International Clinical Research Center (ICRC), St. Anne's University Hospital, 60200 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Katerina Amruz Cerna
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Taus
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Veronika Pospisilova
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Marketa Nezvedova
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Veronika Fedorova
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Sona Kadakova
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Hana Klimova
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Michaela Capandova
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Petra Orviska
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Fojtik
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic; International Clinical Research Center (ICRC), St. Anne's University Hospital, 60200 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Simona Bartova
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Karla Plevova
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic; Institute of Medical Genetics and Genomics, University Hospital Brno and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, 61300 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Zdenek Spacil
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Hana Hribkova
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Dasa Bohaciakova
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic; International Clinical Research Center (ICRC), St. Anne's University Hospital, 60200 Brno, Czech Republic.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Sharma H, Chang KA, Hulme J, An SSA. Mammalian Models in Alzheimer's Research: An Update. Cells 2023; 12:2459. [PMID: 37887303 PMCID: PMC10605533 DOI: 10.3390/cells12202459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
A form of dementia distinct from healthy cognitive aging, Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex multi-stage disease that currently afflicts over 50 million people worldwide. Unfortunately, previous therapeutic strategies developed from murine models emulating different aspects of AD pathogenesis were limited. Consequently, researchers are now developing models that express several aspects of pathogenesis that better reflect the clinical situation in humans. As such, this review seeks to provide insight regarding current applications of mammalian models in AD research by addressing recent developments and characterizations of prominent transgenic models and their contributions to pathogenesis as well as discuss the advantages, limitations, and application of emerging models that better capture genetic heterogeneity and mixed pathologies observed in the clinical situation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Himadri Sharma
- Department of Bionano Technology, Gachon Bionano Research Institute, Gachon University, 1342 Seongnam-daero, Sujeong-gu, Seongnam-si 461-701, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Keun-A Chang
- Neuroscience Research Institute, Gachon University, Incheon 21565, Republic of Korea
| | - John Hulme
- Department of Bionano Technology, Gachon Bionano Research Institute, Gachon University, 1342 Seongnam-daero, Sujeong-gu, Seongnam-si 461-701, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong Soo A. An
- Department of Bionano Technology, Gachon Bionano Research Institute, Gachon University, 1342 Seongnam-daero, Sujeong-gu, Seongnam-si 461-701, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Uras I, Karayel-Basar M, Sahin B, Baykal AT. Detection of early proteomic alterations in 5xFAD Alzheimer's disease neonatal mouse model via MALDI-MSI. Alzheimers Dement 2023; 19:4572-4589. [PMID: 36934297 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 03/20/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a debilitating neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by memory deficit and dementia. AD is considered a multifactorial disorder where multiple processes like amyloid-beta and tau accumulation, axonal degeneration, synaptic plasticity, and autophagic processes plays an important role. In this study, the spatial proteomic differences in the neonatal 5xFAD brain tissue were investigated using MALDI-MSI coupled to LC-MS/MS, and the statistically significantly altered proteins were associated with AD. Thirty-five differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) between the brain tissues of neonatal 5xFAD and their littermate mice were detected via MALDI-MSI technique. Among the 35 proteins identified, 26 of them were directly associated with AD. Our results indicated a remarkable resemblance in the protein expression profiles of neonatal 5xFAD brain when compared to AD patient specimens or AD mouse models. These findings showed that the molecular alterations in the AD brain existed even at birth and that some proteins are neurodegenerative presages in neonatal AD brain. HIGHLIGHTS: Spatial proteomic alterations in the 5xFAD mouse brain compared to the littermate. 26 out of 35 differentially expressed proteins associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Molecular alterations and neurodegenerative presages in neonatal AD brain. Alterations in the synaptic function an early and common neurobiological thread.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Irep Uras
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Health Sciences, Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Merve Karayel-Basar
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Health Sciences, Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Betul Sahin
- Acibadem Labmed Clinical Laboratories, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Ahmet Tarik Baykal
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University, Istanbul, Turkey
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Zou Y, Li L, Guan L, Ma C, Yu S, Ma X, Mao C, Gao J, Qiu L. Research trends and hotspots of glial fibrillary acidic protein within the area of Alzheimer's disease: a bibliometric analysis. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1196272. [PMID: 37829140 PMCID: PMC10565806 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1196272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective Our aim was to analyze the trends and hotspots on glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) within the area of Alzheimer's disease (AD) by using a bibliometric method, which is currently missing. Methods All articles and reviews on GFAP within the area of AD from inception to December 31, 2022, were searched from the Web of Science Core Collection. Full records were derived, imported into Microsoft Excel, and analyzed by BIBLIOMETRC, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace. Results In total, 2,269 publications, including 2,166 articles, were ultimately included. The number of publications from 81 countries/regions and 527 academic journals increased annually. The top three prolific countries and institutions were the USA, China, and England, the University of Gothenburg (Sweden), Universidade Federal Rio Grande do Sul (Brasilia), and UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology (England). Henrik Zetterberg from the University of Gothenburg, Kaj Blennow from the University of Gothenburg, and Alexei Verkhratsky from the University of Manchester were the top three prolific and cited authors; Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, Brain Research, and Neuroscience contributed the most publications. The top key areas of research included "molecular, biology, and genetics" and "molecular, biology, and immunology," and the top published and linked meaningful keywords included oxidative stress, inflammation/neuroinflammation, microglia, hippocampus, amyloid, cognitive impairment, tau, and dysfunction. Conclusion Based on the bibliometric analysis, the number of publications on GFAP within the area of AD has been rapidly increasing, especially in the past several years. Oxidative stress and inflammation are research hotspots, and GFAP in body fluids, especially blood, could be used for large-scale screening for AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yutong Zou
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing, China
| | - Lihua Guan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing, China
| | - Chaochao Ma
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing, China
| | - Songlin Yu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoli Ma
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing, China
- Medical Science Research Center (MRC), Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chenhui Mao
- Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Gao
- Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ling Qiu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Yang M, Zinkgraf M, Fitzgerald-Cook C, Harrison BR, Putzier A, Promislow DEL, Wang AM. Using Drosophila to identify naturally occurring genetic modifiers of amyloid beta 42- and tau-induced toxicity. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2023; 13:jkad132. [PMID: 37311212 PMCID: PMC10468303 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkad132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease is characterized by 2 pathological proteins, amyloid beta 42 and tau. The majority of Alzheimer's disease cases in the population are sporadic and late-onset Alzheimer's disease, which exhibits high levels of heritability. While several genetic risk factors for late-onset Alzheimer's disease have been identified and replicated in independent studies, including the ApoE ε4 allele, the great majority of the heritability of late-onset Alzheimer's disease remains unexplained, likely due to the aggregate effects of a very large number of genes with small effect size, as well as to biases in sample collection and statistical approaches. Here, we present an unbiased forward genetic screen in Drosophila looking for naturally occurring modifiers of amyloid beta 42- and tau-induced ommatidial degeneration. Our results identify 14 significant SNPs, which map to 12 potential genes in 8 unique genomic regions. Our hits that are significant after genome-wide correction identify genes involved in neuronal development, signal transduction, and organismal development. Looking more broadly at suggestive hits (P < 10-5), we see significant enrichment in genes associated with neurogenesis, development, and growth as well as significant enrichment in genes whose orthologs have been identified as significantly or suggestively associated with Alzheimer's disease in human GWAS studies. These latter genes include ones whose orthologs are in close proximity to regions in the human genome that are associated with Alzheimer's disease, but where a causal gene has not been identified. Together, our results illustrate the potential for complementary and convergent evidence provided through multitrait GWAS in Drosophila to supplement and inform human studies, helping to identify the remaining heritability and novel modifiers of complex diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ming Yang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Matthew Zinkgraf
- Department of Biology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225, USA
| | - Cecilia Fitzgerald-Cook
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Benjamin R Harrison
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Alexandra Putzier
- Department of Biology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225, USA
| | - Daniel E L Promislow
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Adrienne M Wang
- Department of Biology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Kim KY, Shin KY, Chang KA. GFAP as a Potential Biomarker for Alzheimer's Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Cells 2023; 12:cells12091309. [PMID: 37174709 PMCID: PMC10177296 DOI: 10.3390/cells12091309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Blood biomarkers have been considered tools for the diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Although amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) and tau are primarily blood biomarkers, recent studies have identified other reliable candidates that can serve as measurable indicators of pathological conditions. One such candidate is the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), an astrocytic cytoskeletal protein that can be detected in blood samples. Increasing evidence suggests that blood GFAP levels can be used to detect early-stage AD. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to evaluate GFAP in peripheral blood as a biomarker for AD and provide an overview of the evidence regarding its utility. Our analysis revealed that the GFAP level in the blood was higher in the Aβ-positive group than in the negative groups, and in individuals with AD or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) compared to the healthy controls. Therefore, we believe that the clinical use of blood GFAP measurements has the potential to accelerate the diagnosis and improve the prognosis of AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ka Young Kim
- Department of Nursing, College of Nursing, Gachon University, Incheon 21936, Republic of Korea
- Neuroscience Research Institute, Gachon University, Incheon 21565, Republic of Korea
| | - Ki Young Shin
- Bio-MAX Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Keun-A Chang
- Neuroscience Research Institute, Gachon University, Incheon 21565, Republic of Korea
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Gachon University, Incheon 21936, Republic of Korea
- Bio-Medical Sciences, Gachon Advanced Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, Gachon University, Incheon 21936, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Yin C, Harms AC, Hankemeier T, Kindt A, de Lange ECM. Status of Metabolomic Measurement for Insights in Alzheimer's Disease Progression-What Is Missing? Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24054960. [PMID: 36902391 PMCID: PMC10003384 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an aging-related neurodegenerative disease, leading to the progressive loss of memory and other cognitive functions. As there is still no cure for AD, the growth in the number of susceptible individuals represents a major emerging threat to public health. Currently, the pathogenesis and etiology of AD remain poorly understood, while no efficient treatments are available to slow down the degenerative effects of AD. Metabolomics allows the study of biochemical alterations in pathological processes which may be involved in AD progression and to discover new therapeutic targets. In this review, we summarized and analyzed the results from studies on metabolomics analysis performed in biological samples of AD subjects and AD animal models. Then this information was analyzed by using MetaboAnalyst to find the disturbed pathways among different sample types in human and animal models at different disease stages. We discuss the underlying biochemical mechanisms involved, and the extent to which they could impact the specific hallmarks of AD. Then we identify gaps and challenges and provide recommendations for future metabolomics approaches to better understand AD pathogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chunyuan Yin
- Metabolomics and Analytics Centre, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands
- Division of Systems Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Amy C. Harms
- Metabolomics and Analytics Centre, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Thomas Hankemeier
- Metabolomics and Analytics Centre, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Alida Kindt
- Metabolomics and Analytics Centre, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Elizabeth C. M. de Lange
- Division of Systems Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Biose IJ, Ismael S, Ouvrier B, White AL, Bix GJ. The Potential Role of Integrin Signaling in Memory and Cognitive Impairment. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13010108. [PMID: 36671492 PMCID: PMC9855855 DOI: 10.3390/biom13010108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Dementia currently has no cure and, due to the increased prevalence and associated economic and personal burden of this condition, current research efforts for the development of potential therapies have intensified. Recently, targeting integrins as a strategy to ameliorate dementia and other forms of cognitive impairment has begun to gain traction. Integrins are major bidirectional signaling receptors in mammalian cells, mediating various physiological processes such as cell-cell interaction and cell adhesion, and are also known to bind to the extracellular matrix. In particular, integrins play a critical role in the synaptic transmission of signals, hence their potential contribution to memory formation and significance in cognitive impairment. In this review, we describe the physiological roles that integrins play in the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and in the formation of memories. We also provide a clear overview of how integrins are implicated in BBB disruption following cerebral pathology. Given that vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia and Alzheimer's' disease are prominent forms of dementia that involve BBB disruption, as well as chronic inflammation, we present current approaches shown to improve dementia-like conditions with integrins as a central focus. We conclude that integrins are vital in memory formation and that their disruption could lead to various forms of cognitive impairment. While further research to understand the relationships between integrins and memory is needed, we propose that the translational relevance of research efforts in this area could be improved through the use of appropriately aged, comorbid, male and female animals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ifechukwude Joachim Biose
- Clinical Neuroscience Research Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Saifudeen Ismael
- Clinical Neuroscience Research Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Blake Ouvrier
- Clinical Neuroscience Research Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Amanda Louise White
- Clinical Neuroscience Research Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Gregory Jaye Bix
- Clinical Neuroscience Research Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Department of Neurology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70122, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-504-988-3564
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Vidal-Palencia L, Ramon-Duaso C, González-Parra JA, Busquets-Garcia A. Gene Expression Analysis of the Endocannabinoid System in Presymptomatic APP/PS1 Mice. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:864591. [PMID: 35370697 PMCID: PMC8971609 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.864591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia and neurodegeneration. The actual cause of AD progression is still unknown and no curative treatment is available. Recently, findings in human samples and animal models pointed to the endocannabinoid system (ECS) as a promising therapeutic approach against AD. However, the specific mechanisms by which cannabinoid drugs induce potential beneficial effects are still undefined. For this reason, it is required a full characterization of the ECS at different time points of AD progression considering important factors such as sex or the analysis of different brain regions to improve future cannabinoid-dependent therapies in AD. Thus, the main aim of the present study is to expand our knowledge of the status of the ECS in a presymptomatic period (3 months of age) using the AD mouse model APP/PS1 mice. First, we evaluated different behavioral domains including anxiety, cognitive functions, and social interactions in male and female APP/PS1 mice at 4 months of age. Although a mild working memory impairment was observed in male APP/PS1 mice, in most of the behaviors assessed we found no differences between genotypes. At 3 months of age, we performed a characterization of the ECS in different brain regions of the APP/PS1 mice considering the sex variable. We assessed the expression of the ECS components by quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction in the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, hypothalamus, olfactory bulb, and cerebellum. Interestingly, gene expression levels of the type-1 and type-2 cannabinoid receptors and the anabolic and catabolic enzymes, differed depending on the brain region and the sex analyzed. For example, CB1R expression levels decreased in both hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of male APP/PS1 mice but increased in female mice. In contrast, CB2R expression was decreased in females, whereas males tended to have higher levels. Overall, our data indicated that the ECS is already altered in APP/PS1 mice at the presymptomatic stage, suggesting that it could be an early event contributing to the pathophysiology of AD or being a potential predictive biomarker.
Collapse
|
11
|
Cacabelos R, Carrera I, Martínez-Iglesias O, Cacabelos N, Naidoo V. What is the gold standard model for Alzheimer's disease drug discovery and development? Expert Opin Drug Discov 2021; 16:1415-1440. [PMID: 34330186 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2021.1960502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: Alzheimer's disease models (ADMs) are currently used for drug development (DD). More than 20,000 molecules were screened for AD treatment over decades, with only one drug (Aducanumab)FDA-approved over the past 18 years. A revision of pathogenic concepts and ADMs are needed.Areas covered: The authors discuss herein preclinical models including: (i) in vitro models (cell lines, primary neuron cell cultures, iPSC-derived brain cells), (ii) ex vivo models, and (iii) in vivo models (artificial, transgenic, non-transgenic and induced).Expert opinion: The following types of ADMs have been reported: Mouse models (45.08%), Rat models (15.04%), Non-human Primate models (0.76%), Rabbit models (0.46%), Cat models (0.53%), Pig models (0.30%), Guinea pig models (0.15%), Octodon degu models (0.02%), Dog models (0.54%), Drosophila melanogaster models (1.79%), Zebrafish models (0.50%), Caenorhabditis elegans (1.21%), Cell culture models (3.31%), Cholinergic models (8.26%), Neurotoxic models (6.79%), Neuroinflammation models (6.92%), Neurovascular models (7.88%), and Microbiome models (0.45%).No single ADM faithfully reproduces all the pathogenic events in the human AD phenotype spectrum. ADMs should be different for (i) pathogenic studies vs basic DD, and (ii) preventive interventions vs symptomatic treatments. There cannot be an ideal ADM for DD, because AD is a spectrum of syndromes. DD can integrate pathogenic, mechanistic, metabolic, transporter and pleiotropic genes in a multisystem model.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ramón Cacabelos
- Departments of Genomic Medicine, International Center of Neuroscience and Genomic Medicine, EuroEspes Biomedical Research Center, Bergondo, Spain
| | - Iván Carrera
- Health Biotechnology, International Center of Neuroscience and Genomic Medicine, EuroEspes Biomedical Research Center, Bergondo, Spain
| | - Olaia Martínez-Iglesias
- Medical Epigenetics, International Center of Neuroscience and Genomic Medicine, EuroEspes Biomedical Research Center, Bergondo, Spain
| | - Natalia Cacabelos
- Medical Documentation, International Center of Neuroscience and Genomic Medicine, EuroEspes Biomedical Research Center, Bergondo, Spain
| | - Vinogran Naidoo
- Basic Neuroscience, International Center of Neuroscience and Genomic Medicine, EuroEspes Biomedical Research Center, Bergondo, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Past, present and future role of retinal imaging in neurodegenerative disease. Prog Retin Eye Res 2021; 83:100938. [PMID: 33460813 PMCID: PMC8280255 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2020.100938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Retinal imaging technology is rapidly advancing and can provide ever-increasing amounts of information about the structure, function and molecular composition of retinal tissue in humans in vivo. Most importantly, this information can be obtained rapidly, non-invasively and in many cases using Food and Drug Administration-approved devices that are commercially available. Technologies such as optical coherence tomography have dramatically changed our understanding of retinal disease and in many cases have significantly improved their clinical management. Since the retina is an extension of the brain and shares a common embryological origin with the central nervous system, there has also been intense interest in leveraging the expanding armamentarium of retinal imaging technology to understand, diagnose and monitor neurological diseases. This is particularly appealing because of the high spatial resolution, relatively low-cost and wide availability of retinal imaging modalities such as fundus photography or OCT compared to brain imaging modalities such as magnetic resonance imaging or positron emission tomography. The purpose of this article is to review and synthesize current research about retinal imaging in neurodegenerative disease by providing examples from the literature and elaborating on limitations, challenges and future directions. We begin by providing a general background of the most relevant retinal imaging modalities to ensure that the reader has a foundation on which to understand the clinical studies that are subsequently discussed. We then review the application and results of retinal imaging methodologies to several prevalent neurodegenerative diseases where extensive work has been done including sporadic late onset Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease and Huntington's Disease. We also discuss Autosomal Dominant Alzheimer's Disease and cerebrovascular small vessel disease, where the application of retinal imaging holds promise but data is currently scarce. Although cerebrovascular disease is not generally considered a neurodegenerative process, it is both a confounder and contributor to neurodegenerative disease processes that requires more attention. Finally, we discuss ongoing efforts to overcome the limitations in the field and unmet clinical and scientific needs.
Collapse
|