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Cummings TH, Magagnoli J, Sikirzhytskaya A, Tyagin I, Safro I, Wyatt MD, Shtutman M, Sutton SS. Exposure to angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors that cross the blood-brain barrier and the risk of dementia among patients with human immunodeficiency virus. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2024.01.16.24301275. [PMID: 38293017 PMCID: PMC10827249 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.16.24301275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
More than one million people in the United States and over 38 million people worldwide are living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) greatly improves the health of people living with HIV (PLWH); however, the increased life longevity of PLWH has revealed consequences of HIV-associated comorbidities. HIV can enter the brain and cause inflammation even in individuals with well-controlled HIV infection. The quality of life for PLWH can be compromised by cognitive deficits and memory loss, termed HIV-associated neurological disorders (HAND). HIV-associated dementia is a related but distinct diagnosis. Common causes of dementia in PLWH are similar to the general population and can affect cognition. There is an urgent need to identify treatments for the aging PWLH population. We previously developed AI-based biomedical literature mining systems to uncover a potential novel connection between HAND the renin-angiotensin system (RAAS), which is a pharmacological target for hypertension. RAAS-targeting anti-hypertensives are gaining attention for their protective benefits in several neurocognitive disorders. To our knowledge, the effect of RAAS-targeting drugs on the cognition of PLWH development of dementia has not previously been analyzed. We hypothesized that exposure to angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) that cross the blood brain barrier (BBB) reduces the risk/occurrence of dementia in PLWH. We report a retrospective cohort study of electronic health records (EHRs) to examine the proposed hypothesis using data from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, in which a primary outcome of dementia was measured in controlled cohorts of patients exposed to BBB-penetrant ACEi versus those unexposed to BBB-penetrant ACEi. The results reveal a statistically significant reduction in dementia diagnosis for PLWH exposed to BBB-penetrant ACEi. These results suggest there is a potential protective effect of BBB ACE inhibitor exposure against dementia in PLWH that warrants further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tammy H Cummings
- Dorn Research Institute, Columbia Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Columbia, South Carolina
- College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Department of Clinical Pharmacy & Outcomes Sciences
| | - Joseph Magagnoli
- Dorn Research Institute, Columbia Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Columbia, South Carolina
- College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Department of Clinical Pharmacy & Outcomes Sciences
| | | | - Ilya Tyagin
- Department of Computer and Information Sciences, University of Delaware
| | - Ilya Safro
- Department of Computer and Information Sciences, University of Delaware
| | - Michael D Wyatt
- College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Department of Drug Discovery & Biomedical Sciences
| | - Michael Shtutman
- College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Department of Drug Discovery & Biomedical Sciences
| | - S Scott Sutton
- Dorn Research Institute, Columbia Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Columbia, South Carolina
- College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Department of Clinical Pharmacy & Outcomes Sciences
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2
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Xiang S, Lawrence PJ, Peng B, Chiang C, Kim D, Shen L, Ning X. Modeling Path Importance for Effective Alzheimer's Disease Drug Repurposing. PACIFIC SYMPOSIUM ON BIOCOMPUTING. PACIFIC SYMPOSIUM ON BIOCOMPUTING 2024; 29:306-321. [PMID: 38160288 PMCID: PMC11056095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Recently, drug repurposing has emerged as an effective and resource-efficient paradigm for AD drug discovery. Among various methods for drug repurposing, network-based methods have shown promising results as they are capable of leveraging complex networks that integrate multiple interaction types, such as protein-protein interactions, to more effectively identify candidate drugs. However, existing approaches typically assume paths of the same length in the network have equal importance in identifying the therapeutic effect of drugs. Other domains have found that same length paths do not necessarily have the same importance. Thus, relying on this assumption may be deleterious to drug repurposing attempts. In this work, we propose MPI (Modeling Path Importance), a novel network-based method for AD drug repurposing. MPI is unique in that it prioritizes important paths via learned node embeddings, which can effectively capture a network's rich structural information. Thus, leveraging learned embeddings allows MPI to effectively differentiate the importance among paths. We evaluate MPI against a commonly used baseline method that identifies anti-AD drug candidates primarily based on the shortest paths between drugs and AD in the network. We observe that among the top-50 ranked drugs, MPI prioritizes 20.0% more drugs with anti-AD evidence compared to the baseline. Finally, Cox proportional-hazard models produced from insurance claims data aid us in identifying the use of etodolac, nicotine, and BBB-crossing ACE-INHs as having a reduced risk of AD, suggesting such drugs may be viable candidates for repurposing and should be explored further in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunian Xiang
- Biomedical Informatics Department, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Patrick J. Lawrence
- Biomedical Informatics Department, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Bo Peng
- Computer Science and Engineering Department, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - ChienWei Chiang
- Biomedical Informatics Department, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Dokyoon Kim
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
| | - Li Shen
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
| | - Xia Ning
- Biomedical Informatics Department, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Computer Science and Engineering Department, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Translational Data Analytics Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
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3
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Collu R, Giunti E, Daley S, Chen M, Xia W. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and statins therapies-induced changes in omics profiles in humans and transgenic tau mice. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 168:115756. [PMID: 37865996 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115756] [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: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hypertension and hyperlipidemia are considered risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other related dementias. Clinically approved medications typically prescribed to manage these conditions have shown an association with reduced risk of developing AD and could be explored as potential repurposed therapeutics. OBJECTIVE We aimed to explore the effects of the pharmacological treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) and statins (STAT) on AD-related neuropathology and the potential benefits of their concurrent use. METHODS We investigated the effect of ACEI, STAT or combination of both by exploring the transcriptomic, proteomic and tau pathology profiles after treatment in both human patients and in P301S transgenic mice (PS19) modeling tauopathies and AD. We performed bioinformatic analysis of enriched pathways after treatment. RESULTS Proteomics and transcriptomics analysis revealed proteins and genes whose expression is significantly changed in subjects receiving treatment with ACEI, STAT or combined drugs. In mice, treatment with the ACEI lisinopril significantly decreased brain levels of total tau (Tau) and phosphorylated tau (pTau)-181, while the STAT atorvastatin significantly reduced the levels of pTau-396. The combined therapy with lisinopril and atorvastatin significantly decreased Tau. Moreover, brain levels of lisinopril were negatively correlated with Tau. Among the others, CD200, ADAM22, BCAN and NCAM1 were significantly affected by treatments in both human subjects and transgenic mice. CONCLUSIONS Our findings provide significant information that may guide future investigation of the potential use of ACEI, STAT, or the combination of the two drug classes as repurposed therapies or preventive strategies for AD and other neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Collu
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Bedford VA Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, United States; Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Biophysics, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Elisa Giunti
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Bedford VA Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, United States; Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Biophysics, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Sarah Daley
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Bedford VA Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, United States; Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Biophysics, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Mei Chen
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Bedford VA Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, United States
| | - Weiming Xia
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Bedford VA Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, United States; Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Biophysics, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Massachusetts Kennedy College of Science, Lowell, MA, United States.
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4
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Xiang S, Lawrence PJ, Peng B, Chiang C, Kim D, Shen L, Ning X. Modeling Path Importance for Effective Alzheimer's Disease Drug Repurposing. ARXIV 2023:arXiv:2310.15211v2. [PMID: 37961739 PMCID: PMC10635281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Recently, drug repurposing has emerged as an effective and resource-efficient paradigm for AD drug discovery. Among various methods for drug repurposing, network-based methods have shown promising results as they are capable of leveraging complex networks that integrate multiple interaction types, such as protein-protein interactions, to more effectively identify candidate drugs. However, existing approaches typically assume paths of the same length in the network have equal importance in identifying the therapeutic effect of drugs. Other domains have found that same length paths do not necessarily have the same importance. Thus, relying on this assumption may be deleterious to drug repurposing attempts. In this work, we propose MPI (Modeling Path Importance), a novel network-based method for AD drug repurposing. MPI is unique in that it prioritizes important paths via learned node embeddings, which can effectively capture a network's rich structural information. Thus, leveraging learned embeddings allows MPI to effectively differentiate the importance among paths. We evaluate MPI against a commonly used baseline method that identifies anti-AD drug candidates primarily based on the shortest paths between drugs and AD in the network. We observe that among the top-50 ranked drugs, MPI prioritizes 20.0% more drugs with anti-AD evidence compared to the baseline. Finally, Cox proportional-hazard models produced from insurance claims data aid us in identifying the use of etodolac, nicotine, and BBB-crossing ACE-INHs as having a reduced risk of AD, suggesting such drugs may be viable candidates for repurposing and should be explored further in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunian Xiang
- Biomedical Informatics Department, The Ohio State University,
Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Patrick J. Lawrence
- Biomedical Informatics Department, The Ohio State University,
Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Bo Peng
- Computer Science and Engineering Department, The Ohio State
University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - ChienWei Chiang
- Biomedical Informatics Department, The Ohio State University,
Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Dokyoon Kim
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics,
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
| | - Li Shen
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics,
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
| | - Xia Ning
- Biomedical Informatics Department, The Ohio State University,
Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Computer Science and Engineering Department, The Ohio State
University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Translational Data Analytics Institute, The Ohio State
University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
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Ababei DC, Bild V, Macadan I, Vasincu A, Rusu RN, Blaj M, Stanciu GD, Lefter RM, Bild W. Therapeutic Implications of Renin-Angiotensin System Modulators in Alzheimer's Dementia. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:2290. [PMID: 37765259 PMCID: PMC10538010 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15092290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The Renin-Angiotensin System (RAS) has attracted considerable interest beyond its traditional cardiovascular role due to emerging data indicating its potential involvement in neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's dementia (AD). This review investigates the therapeutic implications of RAS modulators, specifically focusing on angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), and renin inhibitors in AD. ACEIs, commonly used for hypertension, show promise in AD by reducing angiotensin (Ang) II levels. This reduction is significant as Ang II contributes to neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and β-amyloid (Aβ) accumulation, all implicated in AD pathogenesis. ARBs, known for vasodilation, exhibit neuroprotection by blocking Ang II receptors, improving cerebral blood flow and cognitive decline in AD models. Renin inhibitors offer a novel approach by targeting the initial RAS step, displaying anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects that mitigate AD degeneration. Preclinical studies demonstrate RAS regulation's favorable impact on neuroinflammation, neuronal damage, cognitive function, and Aβ metabolism. Clinical trials on RAS modulators in AD are limited, but with promising results, ARBs being more effective that ACEIs in reducing cognitive decline. The varied roles of ACEIs, ARBs, and renin inhibitors in RAS modulation present a promising avenue for AD therapeutic intervention, requiring further research to potentially transform AD treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela-Carmen Ababei
- Department of Pharmacodynamics and Clinical Pharmacy, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 16 Universitatii Street, 700115 Iasi, Romania; (D.-C.A.); (A.V.); (R.-N.R.)
| | - Veronica Bild
- Department of Pharmacodynamics and Clinical Pharmacy, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 16 Universitatii Street, 700115 Iasi, Romania; (D.-C.A.); (A.V.); (R.-N.R.)
- Center of Biomedical Research, Romanian Academy, Iasi Branch, 8 Carol I Avenue, 700506 Iasi, Romania; (R.-M.L.); (W.B.)
| | - Ioana Macadan
- Department of Pharmacodynamics and Clinical Pharmacy, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 16 Universitatii Street, 700115 Iasi, Romania; (D.-C.A.); (A.V.); (R.-N.R.)
| | - Alexandru Vasincu
- Department of Pharmacodynamics and Clinical Pharmacy, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 16 Universitatii Street, 700115 Iasi, Romania; (D.-C.A.); (A.V.); (R.-N.R.)
| | - Răzvan-Nicolae Rusu
- Department of Pharmacodynamics and Clinical Pharmacy, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 16 Universitatii Street, 700115 Iasi, Romania; (D.-C.A.); (A.V.); (R.-N.R.)
| | - Mihaela Blaj
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Therapy, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 16 Universitatii Street, 700115 Iasi, Romania;
| | - Gabriela Dumitrița Stanciu
- Center for Advanced Research and Development in Experimental Medicine (CEMEX), “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 16 Universitatii Street, 700115 Iasi, Romania;
| | - Radu-Marian Lefter
- Center of Biomedical Research, Romanian Academy, Iasi Branch, 8 Carol I Avenue, 700506 Iasi, Romania; (R.-M.L.); (W.B.)
| | - Walther Bild
- Center of Biomedical Research, Romanian Academy, Iasi Branch, 8 Carol I Avenue, 700506 Iasi, Romania; (R.-M.L.); (W.B.)
- Department of Physiology, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 16 Universitatii Street, 700115 Iasi, Romania
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6
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Ding Y, Xiu H, Zhang Y, Ke M, Lin L, Yan H, Hu P, Xiao M, He X, Zhang T. Learning and Investigation of the Role of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme in Radiotherapy for Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma. Biomedicines 2023; 11:1581. [PMID: 37371679 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11061581] [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: 04/09/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Ionizing radiation (IR) is an important treatment for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) that mainly kills tumor cells by producing large amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Intracellular ROS levels affect the sensitivity of tumor cells to IR. Recently, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) have been found to affect the intracellular levels of ROS. Therefore, we performed a health informatics assessment of ACE in the TCGA database. We explored the effect of ACE in NPC cells. We found that either knockdown of ACE or inhibition of ACE by enalaprilat could decrease ROS levels in NPC cells. Furthermore, knockdown of ACE or inhibition of ACE by enalaprilat could reduce IR-induced ROS levels. ACE knockdown or inhibition reduced IR-induced DNA damage and apoptosis. ACE overexpression increased the level of ROS in NPC cells and further increased sensitivity to IR. These findings indicate that ACE influences the effect of IR by regulating the level of ROS in NPC cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanan Ding
- Department of Otolaryngology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - Huanhuan Xiu
- Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510062, China
| | - Yanling Zhang
- School of Laboratory Medicine and Biotechnology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Miaola Ke
- Department of Blood Transfusion, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Letao Lin
- Minimally Invasive Interventional Division, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Huzheng Yan
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - Pan Hu
- Minimally Invasive Interventional Division, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Meigui Xiao
- Minimally Invasive Interventional Division, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Xu He
- Interventional Medical Center, Zhuhai People's Hospital, Zhuhai 519050, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- Department of Otolaryngology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510630, China
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7
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Yao Q, Jiang K, Lin F, Zhu T, Khan NH, Jiang E. Pathophysiological Association of Alzheimer's Disease and Hypertension: A Clinical Concern for Elderly Population. Clin Interv Aging 2023; 18:713-728. [PMID: 37181536 PMCID: PMC10167960 DOI: 10.2147/cia.s400527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common cause of dementia and the fifth leading cause of death in the adult population has a complex pathophysiological link with hypertension (HTN). A growing volume of published literature on a parallel elevation of blood pressure (BP), amyloid plaques, and neurofibrillary tangles formation in post-middle of human brain cells has developed new, widely accepting foundations on this association. In particular, HTN in elderly life mediates cerebral blood flow dysfunction, neuronal dysfunction, and significant decline in cognitive impairment, primarily in the late-life populace, governing the onset of AD. Thus, HTN is an established risk factor for AD. Considering the impact of AD, 1.89 million deaths annually, and the failure of palliative therapies to cure AD, the scientific research community is looking to adopt integrated approaches to target early modified risk factors like HTN to reduce AD burden. The current review highlights the significance and impact of HTN-based prevention in lowering the AD burden in the elderly by providing a comprehensive overview of the physiological relationship between AD and HTN with an in-detail explanation of the role and applications of pathological biomarkers in this clinical association. The review will gain worth in presenting new insights and providing inclusive discussion on the correlation between HTN and cognitive impairment. It will increase across a wider scientific audience to expand understanding of this pathophysiological association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianqian Yao
- Institute of Nursing and Health, Henan University, Kaifeng, People’s Republic of China
| | - Kexin Jiang
- Institute of Nursing and Health, Henan University, Kaifeng, People’s Republic of China
| | - Fei Lin
- School of Medicine, Shangqiu Institute of Technology, Shangqiu, People’s Republic of China
| | - Tao Zhu
- Department of Geriatrics, Kaifeng Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Kaifeng, People’s Republic of China
| | - Nazeer Hussain Khan
- Institute of Nursing and Health, Henan University, Kaifeng, People’s Republic of China
- Henan International Joint Laboratory for Nuclear Protein Regulation, Henan University, Kaifeng, People’s Republic of China
| | - Enshe Jiang
- Institute of Nursing and Health, Henan University, Kaifeng, People’s Republic of China
- Henan International Joint Laboratory for Nuclear Protein Regulation, Henan University, Kaifeng, People’s Republic of China
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8
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Walker SG, Langland CJ, Viles J, Hecker LA, Wallrath LL. Drosophila Models Reveal Properties of Mutant Lamins That Give Rise to Distinct Diseases. Cells 2023; 12:cells12081142. [PMID: 37190051 DOI: 10.3390/cells12081142] [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: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the LMNA gene cause a collection of diseases known as laminopathies, including muscular dystrophies, lipodystrophies, and early-onset aging syndromes. The LMNA gene encodes A-type lamins, lamins A/C, intermediate filaments that form a meshwork underlying the inner nuclear membrane. Lamins have a conserved domain structure consisting of a head, coiled-coil rod, and C-terminal tail domain possessing an Ig-like fold. This study identified differences between two mutant lamins that cause distinct clinical diseases. One of the LMNA mutations encodes lamin A/C p.R527P and the other codes lamin A/C p.R482W, which are typically associated with muscular dystrophy and lipodystrophy, respectively. To determine how these mutations differentially affect muscle, we generated the equivalent mutations in the Drosophila Lamin C (LamC) gene, an orthologue of human LMNA. The muscle-specific expression of the R527P equivalent showed cytoplasmic aggregation of LamC, a reduced larval muscle size, decreased larval motility, and cardiac defects resulting in a reduced adult lifespan. By contrast, the muscle-specific expression of the R482W equivalent caused an abnormal nuclear shape without a change in larval muscle size, larval motility, and adult lifespan compared to controls. Collectively, these studies identified fundamental differences in the properties of mutant lamins that cause clinically distinct phenotypes, providing insights into disease mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sydney G Walker
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Christopher J Langland
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Jill Viles
- Independent Researcher, Gowrie, IA 50543, USA
| | - Laura A Hecker
- Department of Biology, Clarke University, Dubuque, IA 52001, USA
| | - Lori L Wallrath
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
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9
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Carey A, Fossati S. Hypertension and hyperhomocysteinemia as modifiable risk factors for Alzheimer's disease and dementia: New evidence, potential therapeutic strategies, and biomarkers. Alzheimers Dement 2023; 19:671-695. [PMID: 36401868 PMCID: PMC9931659 DOI: 10.1002/alz.12871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
This review summarizes recent evidence on how mid-life hypertension, hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) and blood pressure variability, as well as late-life hypotension, exacerbate Alzheimer's disease (AD) and dementia risk. Intriguingly, HHcy also increases the risk for hypertension, revealing the importance of understanding the relationship between comorbid cardiovascular risk factors. Hypertension-induced dementia presents more evidently in women, highlighting the relevance of sex differences in the impact of cardiovascular risk. We summarize each major antihypertensive drug class's effects on cognitive impairment and AD pathology, revealing how carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, diuretics modulating cerebral blood flow, have recently gained preclinical evidence as promising treatment against AD. We also report novel vascular biomarkers for AD and dementia risk, highlighting those associated with hypertension and HHcy. Importantly, we propose that future studies should consider hypertension and HHcy as potential contributors to cognitive impairment, and that uncovering the underlying molecular mechanisms and biomarkers would aid in the identification of preventive strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Carey
- Alzheimer’s Center at Temple, Department of Neural Sciences, Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Philadelphia
| | - Silvia Fossati
- Alzheimer’s Center at Temple, Department of Neural Sciences, Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Philadelphia
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10
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Ghalayini J, Boulianne GL. Deciphering mechanisms of action of ACE inhibitors in neurodegeneration using Drosophila models of Alzheimer's disease. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1166973. [PMID: 37113150 PMCID: PMC10126366 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1166973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder for which there is no cure. Recently, several studies have reported a significant reduction in the incidence and progression of dementia among some patients receiving antihypertensive medications such as angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-Is) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs). Why these drugs are beneficial in some AD patients and not others is unclear although it has been shown to be independent of their role in regulating blood pressure. Given the enormous and immediate potential of ACE-Is and ARBs for AD therapeutics it is imperative that we understand how they function. Recently, studies have shown that ACE-Is and ARBs, which target the renin angiotensin system in mammals, are also effective in suppressing neuronal cell death and memory defects in Drosophila models of AD despite the fact that this pathway is not conserved in flies. This suggests that the beneficial effects of these drugs may be mediated by distinct and as yet, identified mechanisms. Here, we discuss how the short lifespan and ease of genetic manipulations available in Drosophila provide us with a unique and unparalleled opportunity to rapidly identify the targets of ACE-Is and ARBs and evaluate their therapeutic effectiveness in robust models of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judy Ghalayini
- Program in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Peter Gilgin Center for Research and Learning, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Gabrielle L. Boulianne
- Program in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Peter Gilgin Center for Research and Learning, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- *Correspondence: Gabrielle L. Boulianne,
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11
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Zhuravlev AV, Shchegolev BF, Zakharov GA, Ivanova PN, Nikitina EA, Savvateeva-Popova EV. 3-Hydroxykynurenine as a Potential Ligand for Hsp70 Proteins and Its Effects on Drosophila Memory After Heat Shock. Mol Neurobiol 2022; 59:1862-1871. [PMID: 35029786 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-021-02704-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Kynurenine products of tryptophan metabolism are modifiers of the nervous activity and oxidative processes in mammals and invertebrates. 3-Hydroxykynurenine (3HOK) in moderate concentrations is a lipid peroxidation inhibitor. However, its accumulation and oxidative auto-dimerization lead to oxidative stress development manifested in age-related neurodegenerative diseases (NDD) and neurological disorders provoked by acute stress. Different forms of stress, the mostly studied being heat shock response, rely on functioning of heat shock proteins of the Hsp70 superfamily. Since kynurenines are called "kids of stress," we performed computational estimation of affinity of 3HOK and other kynurenines binding to predicted ATP site of Drosophila melanogaster Hsp cognate 71 protein (Dhsp71) using AutoDock Vina. The binding energy of 3HOK dimer is - 9.4 kcal/mol; its orientation within the active site is close to that of ATP. This might be a new mechanism of producing a competitive inhibitor of Hsp70 chaperones that decreases organism ability to adapt to heat shock. We also showed that the Drosophila cardinal (cd1) mutant with 3HOK excess, serving as a model for Huntington's disease (HD), manifests severe defects of short-term memory after heat shock applied either in adults or at the prepupal stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandr V Zhuravlev
- Neurogenetics Laboratory, Pavlov Institute of Physiology RAS, St. Petersburg, Russia.
| | - Boris F Shchegolev
- Neurogenetics Laboratory, Pavlov Institute of Physiology RAS, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Gennadii A Zakharov
- Neurogenetics Laboratory, Pavlov Institute of Physiology RAS, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Polina N Ivanova
- Neurogenetics Laboratory, Pavlov Institute of Physiology RAS, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Ekaterina A Nikitina
- Neurogenetics Laboratory, Pavlov Institute of Physiology RAS, St. Petersburg, Russia
- Department of Human and Animal Anatomy and Physiology, Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, St. Petersburg, Russia
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