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Gammaldi N, Doccini S, Bernardi S, Marchese M, Cecchini M, Ceravolo R, Rapposelli S, Ratto GM, Rocchiccioli S, Pezzini F, Santorelli FM. Dem-Aging: autophagy-related pathologies and the "two faces of dementia". Neurogenetics 2024; 25:39-46. [PMID: 38117343 DOI: 10.1007/s10048-023-00739-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL) is an umbrella term referring to the most frequent childhood-onset neurodegenerative diseases, which are also the main cause of childhood dementia. Although the molecular mechanisms underlying the NCLs remain elusive, evidence is increasingly pointing to shared disease pathways and common clinical features across the disease forms. The characterization of pathological mechanisms, disease modifiers, and biomarkers might facilitate the development of treatment strategies.The DEM-AGING project aims to define molecular signatures in NCL and expedite biomarker discovery with a view to identifying novel targets for monitoring disease status and progression and accelerating clinical trial readiness in this field. In this study, we fused multiomic assessments in established NCL models with similar data on the more common late-onset neurodegenerative conditions in order to test the hypothesis of shared molecular fingerprints critical to the underlying pathological mechanisms. Our aim, ultimately, is to combine data analysis, cell models, and omic strategies in an effort to trace new routes to therapies that might readily be applied in the most common forms of dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Gammaldi
- Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, Florence, Italy
- Molecular Medicine for Neurodegenerative and Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Pisa, Italy
| | - S Doccini
- Molecular Medicine for Neurodegenerative and Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Pisa, Italy.
| | - S Bernardi
- Molecular Medicine for Neurodegenerative and Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Pisa, Italy
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - M Marchese
- Molecular Medicine for Neurodegenerative and Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Pisa, Italy
| | - M Cecchini
- National Enterprise for nanoScience and nanoTechnology (NEST), Nanoscience Institute-National Research Council (CNR) and Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy
- Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy
| | - R Ceravolo
- Unit of Neurology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - S Rapposelli
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - G M Ratto
- National Enterprise for nanoScience and nanoTechnology (NEST), Nanoscience Institute-National Research Council (CNR) and Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy
| | - S Rocchiccioli
- Clinical Physiology-National Research Council (IFC-CNR), Pisa, Italy
| | - F Pezzini
- Department of Surgery, Dentistry, Pediatrics and Gynecology (Child Neurology and Psychiatry), University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - F M Santorelli
- Molecular Medicine for Neurodegenerative and Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Pisa, Italy
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Gammaldi N, Pezzini F, Michelucci E, Di Giorgi N, Simonati A, Rocchiccioli S, Santorelli FM, Doccini S. Integrative human and murine multi-omics: Highlighting shared biomarkers in the neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 189:106349. [PMID: 37952681 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL) is a group of neurodegenerative disorders whose molecular mechanisms remain largely unknown. Omics approaches are among the methods that generate new information on modifying factors and molecular signatures. Moreover, omics data integration can address the need to progressively expand knowledge around the disease and pinpoint specific proteins to promote as candidate biomarkers. In this work, we integrated a total of 62 proteomic and transcriptomic datasets originating from humans and mice, employing a new approach able to define dysregulated processes across species, stages and NCL forms. Moreover, we selected a pool of differentially expressed proteins and genes as species- and form-related biomarkers of disease status/progression and evaluated local and spatial differences in most affected brain regions. Our results offer promising targets for potential new therapeutic strategies and reinforce the hypothesis of a connection between NCLs and other forms of dementia, particularly Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Gammaldi
- Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, Florence, Italy; Molecular Medicine for Neurodegenerative and Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation - Pisa, Italy
| | - F Pezzini
- Department of Surgery, Dentistry, Paediatrics and Gynaecology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - E Michelucci
- Clinical Physiology-National Research Council (IFC-CNR), Pisa, Italy
| | - N Di Giorgi
- Clinical Physiology-National Research Council (IFC-CNR), Pisa, Italy
| | - A Simonati
- Department of Surgery, Dentistry, Paediatrics and Gynaecology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - S Rocchiccioli
- Clinical Physiology-National Research Council (IFC-CNR), Pisa, Italy
| | - F M Santorelli
- Molecular Medicine for Neurodegenerative and Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation - Pisa, Italy
| | - S Doccini
- Molecular Medicine for Neurodegenerative and Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation - Pisa, Italy.
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