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Gião T, Teixeira T, Almeida MR, Cardoso I. Choroid Plexus in Alzheimer’s Disease—The Current State of Knowledge. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10020224. [PMID: 35203434 PMCID: PMC8869376 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10020224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The choroid plexus (CP), located in each of the four ventricles of the brain, is formed by a monolayer of epithelial cells that surrounds a highly vascularized connective tissue with permeable capillaries. These cells are joined by tight junctions forming the blood–cerebrospinal fluid barrier (BCSFB), which strictly regulates the exchange of substances between the blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The primary purpose of the CP is to secrete CSF, but it also plays a role in the immune surveillance of the central nervous system (CNS) and in the removal of neurotoxic compounds from the CSF. According to recent findings, the CP is also involved in the modulation of the circadian cycle and neurogenesis. In diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the function of the CP is impaired, resulting in an altered secretory, barrier, transport, and immune function. This review describes the current state of knowledge concerning the roles of the CP and BCSFB in the pathophysiology of AD and summarizes recently proposed therapies that aim to restore CP and BCSFB functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiago Gião
- Molecular Neurobiology Group, i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (T.T.); (M.R.A.)
- IBMC—Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia Molecular, ICBAS—Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, 4050-013 Porto, Portugal
- Correspondence: (T.G.); (I.C.)
| | - Tiago Teixeira
- Molecular Neurobiology Group, i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (T.T.); (M.R.A.)
- IBMC—Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria Rosário Almeida
- Molecular Neurobiology Group, i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (T.T.); (M.R.A.)
- IBMC—Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia Molecular, ICBAS—Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, 4050-013 Porto, Portugal
| | - Isabel Cardoso
- Molecular Neurobiology Group, i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (T.T.); (M.R.A.)
- IBMC—Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia Molecular, ICBAS—Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, 4050-013 Porto, Portugal
- Correspondence: (T.G.); (I.C.)
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Rejc L, Gómez-Vallejo V, Rios X, Cossío U, Baz Z, Mujica E, Gião T, Cotrina EY, Jiménez-Barbero J, Quintana J, Arsequell G, Cardoso I, Llop J. Oral Treatment with Iododiflunisal Delays Hippocampal Amyloid-β Formation in a Transgenic Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease: A Longitudinal in vivo Molecular Imaging Study1. J Alzheimers Dis 2021; 77:99-112. [PMID: 32804152 DOI: 10.3233/jad-200570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transthyretin (TTR) is a tetrameric, amyloid-β (Aβ)-binding protein, which reduces Aβ toxicity. The TTR/Aβ interaction can be enhanced by a series of small molecules that stabilize its tetrameric form. Hence, TTR stabilizers might act as disease-modifying drugs in Alzheimer's disease. OBJECTIVE We monitored the therapeutic efficacy of two TTR stabilizers, iododiflunisal (IDIF), which acts as small-molecule chaperone of the TTR/Aβ interaction, and tolcapone, which does not behave as a small-molecule chaperone, in an animal model of Alzheimer's disease using positron emission tomography (PET). METHODS Female mice (AβPPswe/PS1A246E/TTR+/-) were divided into 3 groups (n = 7 per group): IDIF-treated, tolcapone-treated, and non-treated. The oral treatment (100 mg/Kg/day) was started at 5 months of age. Treatment efficacy assessment was based on changes in longitudinal deposition of Aβ in the hippocampus (HIP) and the cortex (CTX) and determined using PET-[18F]florbetaben. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed at age = 14 months. RESULTS Standard uptake values relative to the cerebellum (SUVr) of [18F]florbetaben in CTX and HIP of non-treated animals progressively increased from age = 5 to 11 months and stabilized afterwards. In contrast, [18F]florbetaben uptake in HIP of IDIF-treated animals remained constant between ages = 5 and 11 months and significantly increased at 14 months. In the tolcapone-treated group, SUVr progressively increased with time, but at lower rate than in the non-treated group. No significant treatment effect was observed in CTX. Results from immunohistochemistry matched the in vivo data at age = 14 months. CONCLUSION Our work provides encouraging preliminary results on the ability of small-molecule chaperones to ameliorate Aβ deposition in certain brain regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luka Rejc
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Vanessa Gómez-Vallejo
- CIC biomaGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), San Sebastián, Guipúzcoa, Spain
| | - Xabier Rios
- CIC biomaGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), San Sebastián, Guipúzcoa, Spain
| | - Unai Cossío
- CIC biomaGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), San Sebastián, Guipúzcoa, Spain
| | - Zuriñe Baz
- CIC biomaGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), San Sebastián, Guipúzcoa, Spain
| | - Edurne Mujica
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, EHU-UPV, Leioa, Spain
| | - Tiago Gião
- IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Porto, Portugal.,i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Ellen Y Cotrina
- Institut de Química Avançada de Catalunya (I.Q.A.C.-C.S.I.C.), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jesús Jiménez-Barbero
- CIC bioGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Bizkaia Technology Park, Derio, Bizkaia, Spain.,Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain.,Department Organic Chemistry II, Faculty Science & Technology, EHU-UPV, Leioa, Spain
| | - Jordi Quintana
- Plataforma Drug Discovery, Parc Científic de Barcelona (PCB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gemma Arsequell
- Institut de Química Avançada de Catalunya (I.Q.A.C.-C.S.I.C.), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Isabel Cardoso
- IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Porto, Portugal.,i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Jordi Llop
- CIC biomaGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), San Sebastián, Guipúzcoa, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red - Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES)
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Gião T, Saavedra J, Vieira JR, Pinto MT, Arsequell G, Cardoso I. Neuroprotection in early stages of Alzheimer's disease is promoted by transthyretin angiogenic properties. Alzheimers Res Ther 2021; 13:143. [PMID: 34429155 PMCID: PMC8385857 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-021-00883-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Background While still controversial, it has been demonstrated that vascular defects can precede the onset of other AD hallmarks features, making it an important therapeutic target. Given that the protein transthyretin (TTR) has been established as neuroprotective in AD, here we investigated the influence of TTR in the vasculature. Methods We evaluated the thickness of the basement membrane and the length of brain microvessels, by immunohistochemistry, in AβPPswe/PS1A246E (AD) transgenic mice and non-transgenic mice (NT) bearing one (TTR+/−) or two (TTR+/+) copies of the TTR gene. The angiogenic potential of TTR was evaluated in vitro using the tube formation assay, and in vivo using the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay. Results AD transgenic mice with TTR genetic reduction, AD/TTR+/−, exhibited a thicker BM in brain microvessels and decreased vessel length than animals with normal TTR levels, AD/TTR+/+. Further in vivo investigation, using the CAM assay, revealed that TTR is a pro-angiogenic molecule, and the neovessels formed are functional. Also, TTR increased the expression of key angiogenic molecules such as proteins interleukins 6 and 8, angiopoietin 2, and vascular endothelial growth factor, by endothelial cells, in vitro, under tube formation conditions. We showed that while TTR reduction also leads to a thicker BM in NT mice, this effect is more pronounced in AD mice than in NT animals, strengthening the idea that TTR is a neuroprotective protein. We also studied the effect of TTR tetrameric stabilization on BM thickness, showing that AD mice treated with the TTR tetrameric stabilizer iododiflunisal (IDIF) displayed a significant reduction of BM thickness and increased vessel length, when compared to non-treated littermates. Conclusion Our in vivo results demonstrate the involvement of TTR in angiogenesis, particularly as a modulator of vascular alterations occurring in AD. Since TTR is decreased early in AD, its tetrameric stabilization can represent a therapeutic avenue for the early treatment of AD through the maintenance of the vascular structure. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13195-021-00883-8.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiago Gião
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.,IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.,Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS), 4050-013, Porto, Portugal
| | - Joana Saavedra
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.,IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
| | - José Ricardo Vieira
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.,IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.,Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Alameda Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319, Porto, Portugal
| | - Marta Teixeira Pinto
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.,IPATIMUP - Instituto de Patologia e Imunologia Molecular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Júlio Amaral de Carvalho,45-, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
| | - Gemma Arsequell
- Institut de Química Avançada de Catalunya (I.Q.A.C.-C.S.I.C.), 08034, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Isabel Cardoso
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal. .,IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal. .,Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS), 4050-013, Porto, Portugal.
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