miR-519a-3p, found to regulate cellular prion protein during Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis, as a biomarker of asymptomatic stages

Clinical relevance of miRNAs as biomarkers is growing due to their stability and detection in biofluids. In this, diagnosis at asymptomatic stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains a challenge since it can only be made at autopsy according to Braak NFT staging. Achieving the objective of detecting AD at early stages would allow possible therapies to be addressed before the onset of cognitive impairment. Many studies have determined that the expression pattern of some miRNAs is dysregulated in AD patients, but to date, none has been correlated with downregulated expression of cellular prion protein (PrPC) during disease progression. That is why, by means of cross studies of miRNAs up-regulated in AD with in silico identification of potential miRNAs-binding to 3'UTR of human PRNP gene, we selected miR-519a-3p for our study. Then, in vitro experiments were carried out in two ways. First, we validated miR-519a-3p target on 3'UTR-PRNP, and second, we analyzed the levels of PrPC expression after using of mimic technology on cell culture. In addition, RT-qPCR was performed to analyzed miR-519a-3p expression in human cerebral samples of AD at different stages of disease evolution. Additionally, samples of other neurodegenerative diseases such as other non-AD tauopathies and several synucleinopathies were included in the study. Our results showed that miR-519a-3p overlaps with PRNP 3'UTR in vitro and promotes downregulation of PrPC. Moreover, miR-519a-3p was found to be up-regulated exclusively in AD samples from stage I to VI, suggesting its potential use as a novel label of preclinical stages of the disease.

Glycogen accumulation modulates life span in a mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease characterized by the progressive loss of motor neurons in the spinal cord. Glial cells, including astrocytes and microglia, have been shown to contribute to neurodegeneration in ALS, and metabolic dysfunction plays an important role in the progression of the disease. Glycogen is a soluble polymer of glucose found at low levels in the central nervous system that plays an important role in memory formation, synaptic plasticity, and the prevention of seizures. However, its accumulation in astrocytes and/or neurons is associated with pathological conditions and aging. Importantly, glycogen accumulation has been reported in the spinal cord of human ALS patients and mouse models. In the present work, using the SOD1G93A mouse model of ALS, we show that glycogen accumulates in the spinal cord and brainstem during symptomatic and end stages of the disease and that the accumulated glycogen is associated with reactive astrocytes. To study the contribution of glycogen to ALS progression, we generated SOD1G93A mice with reduced glycogen synthesis (SOD1G93A GShet mice). SOD1G93A GShet mice had a significantly longer life span than SOD1G93A mice and showed lower levels of the astrocytic pro-inflammatory cytokine Cxcl10, suggesting that the accumulation of glycogen is associated with an inflammatory response. Supporting this, inducing an increase in glycogen synthesis reduced life span in SOD1G93A mice. Altogether, these results suggest that glycogen in reactive astrocytes contributes to neurotoxicity and disease progression in ALS.

Baseline serum neurofilament light chain levels differentiate aggressive from benign forms of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: a 20-year follow-up cohort

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Serum biomarkers are emerging as useful prognostic tools for multiple sclerosis (MS); however, long-term studies are lacking. We aimed to evaluate the long-term prognostic value of the serum levels of neurofilament light chain (NfL), total tau, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and chitinase 3-like-1 (CHI3L1) measured close to the time of MS onset.

METHODS

In this retrospective, exploratory, observational, case and controls study, patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) with available baseline serum samples and prospectively follow-up in our MS unit for a long time were selected based on their clinical evolution to form two groups: (1) a benign RRMS (bRRMS) group, defined as patients with an Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score of ≤ 3 at ≥ 10 years of follow-up; (2) an aggressive RRMS (aRRMS) group, defined as patients with an EDSS score of ≥ 6 at ≤ 15 years of follow-up. An age-matched healthy control (HC) group was selected. NfL, total tau, and GFAP serum levels were quantified using a single-molecule array (SIMOA), and CHI3L1 was quantified using ELISA.

RESULTS

Thirty-one patients with bRRMS, 19 with aRRMS, and 10 HC were included. The median follow-up time from sample collection was 17.74 years (interquartile range, 14.60-20.37). Bivariate and multivariate analyses revealed significantly higher NfL and GFAP levels in the aRRMS group than in the bRRMS group. A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis identified serum NfL level as the most efficient marker for distinguishing aRRMS from bRRMS.

DISCUSSION

This proof-of-concept study comparing benign and aggressive RRMS groups reinforces the potential role of baseline NfL serum levels as a promising long-term disability prognostic marker. In contrast, serum GFAP, total tau, and CHI3L1 levels demonstrated a lower or no ability to differentiate between the long-term outcomes of RRMS.

Neurodegeneration Biomarkers in Adult Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Patients Treated with Nusinersen

The objective of this study is to evaluate biomarkers for neurodegenerative disorders in adult SMA patients and their potential for monitoring the response to nusinersen. Biomarkers for neurodegenerative disorders were assessed in plasma and CSF samples obtained from a total of 30 healthy older adult controls and 31 patients with adult SMA type 2 and 3. The samples were collected before and during nusinersen treatment at various time points, approximately at 2, 6, 10, and 22 months. Using ELISA technology, the levels of total tau, pNF-H, NF-L, sAPPβ, Aβ40, Aβ42, and YKL-40 were evaluated in CSF samples. Additionally, plasma samples were used to measure NF-L and total tau levels using SIMOA technology. SMA patients showed improvements in clinical outcomes after nusinersen treatment, which were statistically significant only in walkers, in RULM (p = 0.04) and HFMSE (p = 0.05) at 24 months. A reduction in sAPPβ levels was found after nusinersen treatment, but these levels did not correlate with clinical outcomes. Other neurodegeneration biomarkers (NF-L, pNF-H, total tau, YKL-40, Aβ40, and Aβ42) were not found consistently changed with nusinersen treatment. The slow progression rate and mild treatment response of adult SMA types 2 and 3 may not lead to detectable changes in common markers of axonal degradation, inflammation, or neurodegeneration, since it does not involve large pools of damaged neurons as observed in pediatric forms. However, changes in biomarkers associated with the APP processing pathway might be linked to treatment administration. Further studies are warranted to better understand these findings.

Blocking IL-6 signaling prevents astrocyte-induced neurodegeneration in an iPSC-based model of Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease associated with progressive death of midbrain dopamine (DAn) neurons in the substantia nigra (SN). Since it has been proposed that patients with PD exhibit an overall proinflammatory state, and since astrocytes are key mediators of the inflammation response in the brain, here we sought to address whether astrocyte-mediated inflammatory signaling could contribute to PD neuropathology. For this purpose, we generated astrocytes from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) representing patients with PD and healthy controls. Transcriptomic analyses identified a unique inflammatory gene expression signature in PD astrocytes compared with controls. In particular, the proinflammatory cytokine IL-6 was found to be highly expressed and released by PD astrocytes and was found to induce toxicity in DAn. Mechanistically, neuronal cell death was mediated by IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) expressed in human PD neurons, leading to downstream activation of STAT3. Blockage of IL-6R by the addition of the FDA-approved anti-IL-6R antibody, Tocilizumab, prevented PD neuronal death. SN neurons overexpressing IL-6R and reactive astrocytes expressing IL-6 were detected in postmortem brain tissue of patients at early stages of PD. Our findings highlight the potential role of astrocyte-mediated inflammatory signaling in neuronal loss in PD and pave the way for the design of future therapeutics.

Primary Feline Tauopathy: Clinical, Morphological, Immunohistochemical, and Genetic Studies

Tauopathies are a group of neurodegenerative diseases characterized by the pathological aggregation of hyperphosphorylated tau in neurons and glia. Primary tauopathies are not uncommon in humans but exceptional in other species. We evaluate the clinical, neuropathological, and genetic alterations related to tau pathology in 16 cats aged from 1 to 21 years with different clinical backgrounds. Interestingly, a 10-year-old female cat presented a six-year progressive history of mental status and gait abnormalities. The imaging study revealed generalized cortical atrophy. Due to the poor prognosis, the cat was euthanatized at the age of ten. Neuropathological lesions were characterized by massive neuronal loss with marked spongiosis and associated moderate reactive gliosis in the parietal cortex, being less severe in other areas of the cerebral cortex, and the loss of Purkinje cells of the cerebellum. Immunohistochemical methods revealed a 4R-tauopathy with granular pre-tangles in neurons and coiled bodies in oligodendrocytes. Deposits were recognized with several phospho-site antibodies (4Rtau, tau5, AT8, PFH, tau-P Thr181, tau-P-Ser 262, tau-P Ser 422) and associated with increased granular expression of active tau kinases (p38-P Thr180/Tyr182 and SAPK/JNK-P Thr138/Thr185). The genetic study revealed well-preserved coding regions of MAPT. No similar alterations related to tau pathology were found in the other 15 cats processed in parallel. To our knowledge, this is the first case reporting a primary 4R-tauopathy with severe cerebral and Purkinje cell degeneration in an adult cat with neurological signs starting at a young age.

Erratum: PPARγ Agonist-Loaded PLGA-PEG Nanocarriers as a Potential Treatment for Alzheimer's Disease: In vitro and in vivo Studies [Corrigendum]

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.2147/IJN.S171490.].

Proteostatic modulation in brain aging without associated Alzheimer's disease-and age-related neuropathological changes

AIMS

(Phospho)proteomics of old-aged subjects without cognitive or behavioral symptoms, and without AD-neuropathological changes and lacking any other neurodegenerative alteration will increase understanding about the physiological state of human brain aging without associate neurological deficits and neuropathological lesions.

METHODS

(Phospho)proteomics using conventional label-free- and SWATH-MS (Sequential window acquisition of all theoretical fragment ion spectra mass spectrometry) has been assessed in the frontal cortex (FC) of individuals without NFTs, senile plaques (SPs) and age-related co-morbidities classified by age (years) in four groups; group 1 (young, 30-44); group 2 (middle-aged: MA, 45-52); group 3 (early-elderly, 64-70); and group 4 (late-elderly, 75-85).

RESULTS

Protein levels and deregulated protein phosphorylation linked to similar biological terms/functions, but involving different individual proteins, are found in FC with age. The modified expression occurs in cytoskeleton proteins, membranes, synapses, vesicles, myelin, membrane transport and ion channels, DNA and RNA metabolism, ubiquitin-proteasome-system (UPS), kinases and phosphatases, fatty acid metabolism, and mitochondria. Dysregulated phosphoproteins are associated with the cytoskeleton, including microfilaments, actin-binding proteins, intermediate filaments of neurons and glial cells, and microtubules; membrane proteins, synapses, and dense core vesicles; kinases and phosphatases; proteins linked to DNA and RNA; members of the UPS; GTPase regulation; inflammation; and lipid metabolism. Noteworthy, protein levels of large clusters of hierarchically-related protein expression levels are stable until 70. However, protein levels of components of cell membranes, vesicles and synapses, RNA modulation, and cellular structures (including tau and tubulin filaments) are markedly altered from the age of 75. Similarly, marked modifications occur in the larger phosphoprotein clusters involving cytoskeleton and neuronal structures, membrane stabilization, and kinase regulation in the late elderly.

CONCLUSIONS

Present findings may increase understanding of human brain proteostasis modifications in the elderly in the subpopulation of individuals not having AD neuropathological change and any other neurodegenerative change in any telencephalon region.

Deregulated Transcription and Proteostasis in Adult mapt Knockout Mouse

Transcriptomics and phosphoproteomics were carried out in the cerebral cortex of B6.Cg-Mapttm1(EGFP)Klt (tau knockout: tau-KO) and wild-type (WT) 12 month-old mice to learn about the effects of tau ablation. Compared with WT mice, tau-KO mice displayed reduced anxiety-like behavior and lower fear expression induced by aversive conditioning, whereas recognition memory remained unaltered. Cortical transcriptomic analysis revealed 69 downregulated and 105 upregulated genes in tau-KO mice, corresponding to synaptic structures, neuron cytoskeleton and transport, and extracellular matrix components. RT-qPCR validated increased mRNA levels of col6a4, gabrq, gad1, grm5, grip2, map2, rab8a, tubb3, wnt16, and an absence of map1a in tau-KO mice compared with WT mice. A few proteins were assessed with Western blotting to compare mRNA expression with corresponding protein levels. Map1a mRNA and protein levels decreased. However, β-tubulin III and GAD1 protein levels were reduced in tau-KO mice. Cortical phosphoproteomics revealed 121 hypophosphorylated and 98 hyperphosphorylated proteins in tau-KO mice. Deregulated phosphoproteins were categorized into cytoskeletal (n = 45) and membrane proteins, including proteins of the synapses and vesicles, myelin proteins, and proteins linked to membrane transport and ion channels (n = 84), proteins related to DNA and RNA metabolism (n = 36), proteins connected to the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) (n = 7), proteins with kinase or phosphatase activity (n = 21), and 22 other proteins related to variegated pathways such as metabolic pathways, growth factors, or mitochondrial function or structure. The present observations reveal a complex altered brain transcriptome and phosphoproteome in tau-KO mice with only mild behavioral alterations.

The motor neuron disease mouse model hSOD1-G93A shows a non-canonical profile of senescence biomarkers

To evaluate senescence mechanisms, including senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), in the motor-neuron disease model hSOD1-G93A, we quantified the expression of p16 and p21 and the senescence-associated β galactosidase (SA-β-gal) in nervous tissue. As SASP markers, we measured the mRNA levels of Il1a, Il6, Ifna, and Ifnb. Furthermore, we explored if an alteration of alternative splicing is associated with senescence by measuring the Adipor2 cryptic exon inclusion levels, a specific splicing variant repressed by TAR-DNA binding of 43 kDa (Tdp-43). Transgenic mice show an atypical senescence profile with high p16 and p21 mRNA and protein in glia, without the canonical increase in SA-β-gal activity. Consistent with SASP, there is an increase in Il1a and Il6 expression, associated with increased TNFR and M-CSF protein levels, with females being partially protected. TDP-43 splicing activity is compromised in this model. Senolytic drug Navitoclax does not alter the present 'model's disease progression. This lack of effect is reproduced in vitro, in contrast with Dasatinib and quercetin, which diminish p16 and p21. Our findings show a non-canonical profile of senescence biomarkers in the model hSOD1-G93A.

Dysregulated Protein Phosphorylation in a Mouse Model of FTLD-Tau

The neocortex of P301S mice, used as a model of fronto-temporal lobar degeneration linked to tau mutation (FTLD-tau), and wild-type mice, both aged 9 months, were analyzed with conventional label-free phosphoproteomics and SWATH-MS (sequential window acquisition of all theoretical fragment ion spectra mass spectrometry) to assess the (phospho)proteomes. The total number of identified dysregulated phosphoproteins was 328 corresponding to 524 phosphorylation sites. The majority of dysregulated phosphoproteins, most of them hyperphosphorylated, were proteins of the membranes, synapses, membrane trafficking, membrane vesicles linked to endo- and exocytosis, cytoplasmic vesicles, and cytoskeleton. Another group was composed of kinases. In contrast, proteins linked to DNA, RNA metabolism, RNA splicing, and protein synthesis were hypophosphorylated. Other pathways modulating energy metabolism, cell signaling, Golgi apparatus, carbohydrates, and lipids are also targets of dysregulated protein phosphorylation in P301S mice. The present results, together with accompanying immunohistochemical and Western-blotting studies, show widespread abnormal phosphorylation of proteins, in addition to protein tau, in P301S mice. These observations point to dysregulated protein phosphorylation as a relevant contributory pathogenic component of tauopathies.

Differences in Tau Seeding in Newborn and Adult Wild-Type Mice

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other tauopathies are common neurodegenerative diseases in older adults; in contrast, abnormal tau deposition in neurons and glial cells occurs only exceptionally in children. Sarkosyl-insoluble fractions from sporadic AD (sAD) containing paired helical filaments (PHFs) were inoculated unilaterally into the thalamus in newborn and three-month-old wild-type C57BL/6 mice, which were killed at different intervals from 24 h to six months after inoculation. Tau-positive cells were scanty and practically disappeared at three months in mice inoculated at the age of a newborn. In contrast, large numbers of tau-positive cells, including neurons and oligodendrocytes, were found in the thalamus of mice inoculated at three months and killed at the ages of six months and nine months. Mice inoculated at the age of newborn and re-inoculated at the age of three months showed similar numbers and distribution of positive cells in the thalamus at six months and nine months. This study shows that (a) differences in tau seeding between newborn and young adults may be related to the ratios between 3Rtau and 4Rtau, and the shift to 4Rtau predominance in adults, together with the immaturity of connections in newborn mice, and (b) intracerebral inoculation of sAD PHFs in newborn mice does not protect from tau seeding following intracerebral inoculation of sAD PHFs in young/adult mice.

Selective brain regional changes in lipid profile with human aging

Fatty acids are key components in the structural diversity of lipids and play a strategic role in the functional properties of lipids which determine the integrity of neuronal and glial cell membranes, the generation of lipid signaling mediators, and the chemical reactivity of acyl chains. The present study analyzes using gas chromatography the fatty acid profiles of 13 regions of the human central nervous system in healthy individuals ranging from 40 to 80 years old. The outcomes suggest the existence of general traits in fatty acid composition such as an average chain length of 18 carbon atoms, high monounsaturated fatty acid content, and predominance in polyunsaturated fatty acids of those of series n-6 over series n-3 which are shared by all brain regions regardless of age. Our results also show a general sustained and relatively well-preserved lipid profile throughout the adult lifespan in most studied regions (olive, upper vermis, substantia nigra, thalamus, hippocampus, putamen, caudate, occipital cortex, parietal cortex, entorhinal cortex, and frontal cortex) with minor changes that are region-dependent. In contrast, of particular relevance is the involvement of the inferior temporal cortex and cingulate cortex. It is proposed that during normal human brain aging, the lipid profile is resistant to changes with age in most human brain regions to ensure cell survival and function, but some particular regions involved in specific memory domains are greatly affected.

Host Tau Genotype Specifically Designs and Regulates Tau Seeding and Spreading and Host Tau Transformation Following Intrahippocampal Injection of Identical Tau AD Inoculum

Several studies have demonstrated the different characteristics of tau seeding and spreading following intracerebral inoculation in murine models of tau-enriched fractions of brain homogenates from AD and other tauopathies. The present study is centered on the importance of host tau in tau seeding and the molecular changes associated with the transformation of host tau into abnormal tau. The brains of three adult murine genotypes expressing different forms of tau—WT (murine 4Rtau), hTau (homozygous transgenic mice knock-out for murine tau protein and heterozygous expressing human forms of 3Rtau and 4Rtau proteins), and mtWT (homozygous transgenic mice knock-out for murine tau protein)—were analyzed following unilateral hippocampal inoculation of sarkosyl-insoluble tau fractions from the same AD and control cases. The present study reveals that (a) host tau is mandatory for tau seeding and spreading following tau inoculation from sarkosyl-insoluble fractions obtained from AD brains; (b) tau seeding does not occur following intracerebral inoculation of sarkosyl-insoluble fractions from controls; (c) tau seeding and spreading are characterized by variable genotype-dependent tau phosphorylation and tau nitration, MAP2 phosphorylation, and variable activation of kinases that co-localize with abnormal tau deposits; (d) transformation of host tau into abnormal tau is an active process associated with the activation of specific kinases; (e) tau seeding is accompanied by modifications in tau splicing, resulting in the expression of new 3Rtau and 4Rtau isoforms, thus indicating that inoculated tau seeds have the capacity to model exon 10 splicing of the host mapt or MAPT with a genotype-dependent pattern; (e) selective regional and cellular vulnerabilities, and different molecular compositions of the deposits, are dependent on the host tau of mice injected with identical AD tau inocula.

Dysregulated Protein Phosphorylation as Main Contributor of Granulovacuolar Degeneration at the First Stages of Neurofibrillary Tangles Pathology

The hippocampus of cases with neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) pathology classified as stages I-II, III-IV, and V-VI without comorbidities, and middle-aged (MA) individuals with no NFT pathology, were examined to learn about the composition of granulovacuolar degeneration (GVD). Our results confirm the presence of CK1-δ, p38-P Thr180/Tyr182, SAPK/JNK-P Thr183/Thr185, GSK-3α/β-P Tyr279/Tyr216, and GSK-3β Ser9 in the cytoplasmic granules in a subset of neurons of the CA1 and CA2 subfields of the hippocampus. Also, we identify the presence of PKA α/β-P Thr197, SRC-P Tyr416, PAK1-P Ser199/Ser204, CAMK2A-P Tyr197, and PKCG-P Thr655 in cytoplasmic granules in cases with NFT pathology, but not in MA cases. Our results also confirm the presence of β-catenin-P Ser45/Thr41, IREα-P Ser274, eIF2α-P Ser51, TDP-43-P Ser403-404 (but absent TDP-43), and ubiquitin in cytoplasmic granules. Other components of the cytoplasmic granules are MAP2-P Thr1620/1623, MAP1B-P Thr1265, ADD1-P Ser726, and ADD1/ADD1-P Ser726/Ser713, in addition to several tau species including 3Rtau, 4Rtau, and tau-P Ser262. The analysis of GVD at progressive stages of NFT pathology reveals the early appearance of phosphorylated kinases and proteins in cytoplasmic granules at stages I-II, before the appearance of pre-tangles and NFTs. Most of these granules are not surrounded by LAMP1-positive membranes. Markers of impaired ubiquitin-protesome system, abnormal reticulum stress response, and altered endocytic and autophagic pathways occur in a subpopulation of neurons containing cytoplasmic granules, and they appear later. These observations suggest early phosphorylation of kinases leading to their activation, and resulting in the abnormal phosphorylation of various substrates, including tau, as a main alteration at the first stages of GVD.

Differential astrocyte and oligodendrocyte vulnerability in murine Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

Glial vulnerability to prions is assessed in murine Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) using the tg340 mouse line expressing four-fold human PrP M129 levels on a mouse PrP null background at different days following intracerebral inoculation of sCJD MM1 brain tissues homogenates. The mRNA expression of several astrocyte markers, including glial fibrillary acidic protein (gfap), aquaporin-4 (aqp4), solute carrier family 16, member 4 (mct4), mitochondrial pyruvate carrier 1 (mpc1) and solute carrier family 1, member 2 (glial high-affinity glutamate transporter, slc1a2) increases at 120 and 180 dpi. In contrast, the mRNA expression of oligodendrocyte and myelin markers oligodendrocyte transcription factor 1 (olig1), olig2, neural/glial antigen 2 (cspg), solute carrier family 16, member 1 (mct1), myelin basic protein (mbp), myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (mog) and proteolipid protein 1 (plp1) is preserved. Yet, myelin regulatory factor (myrf) mRNA is increased at 180 dpi. In the striatum, a non-significant increase in the number of GFAP-positive astrocytes and Iba1-immunoreactive microglia occurs at 160 dpi; a significant increase in the number of astrocytes and microglia, and a significant reduction in the number of Olig2-immunoreactive oligodendrocytes occur at 180 dpi. A decrease of MBP, but not PLP1, immunoreactivity is also observed in the striatal fascicles. These observations confirm the vulnerability and the reactive responses of astrocytes, together with the microgliosis at middle stages of prion diseases. More importantly, these findings show oligodendrocyte vulnerability and myelin alterations at advanced stages of murine CJD. They confirm oligodendrocyte involvement in the pathogenesis of CJD.

Dysregulated protein phosphorylation: A determining condition in the continuum of brain aging and Alzheimer's disease

Tau hyperphosphorylation is the first step of neurofibrillary tangle (NFT) formation. In the present study, samples of the entorhinal cortex (EC) and frontal cortex area 8 (FC) of cases with NFT pathology classified as stages I-II, III-IV, and V-VI without comorbidities, and of middle-aged (MA) individuals with no NFT pathology, were analyzed by conventional label-free and SWATH-MS (sequential window acquisition of all theoretical fragment ion spectra mass spectrometry) to assess the (phospho)proteomes. The total number of identified dysregulated phosphoproteins was 214 in the EC, 65 of which were dysregulated at the first stages (I-II) of NFT pathology; 167 phosphoproteins were dysregulated in the FC, 81 of them at stages I-II of NFT pathology. A large percentage of dysregulated phosphoproteins were identified in the two regions and at different stages of NFT progression. The main group of dysregulated phosphoproteins was made up of components of the membranes, cytoskeleton, synapses, proteins linked to membrane transport and ion channels, and kinases. The present results show abnormal phosphorylation of proteins at the first stages of NFT pathology in the elderly (in individuals clinically considered representative of normal aging) and sporadic Alzheimer's disease (sAD). Dysregulated protein phosphorylation in the FC precedes the formation of NFTs and SPs. The most active period of dysregulated phosphorylation is at stages III-IV when a subpopulation of individuals might be clinically categorized as suffering from mild cognitive impairment which is a preceding determinant stage in the progression to dementia. Altered phosphorylation of selected proteins, carried out by activation of several kinases, may alter membrane and cytoskeletal functions, among them synaptic transmission and membrane/cytoskeleton signaling. Besides their implications in sAD, the present observations suggest a molecular substrate for "benign" cognitive deterioration in "normal" brain aging.

TREM2 expression in the brain and biological fluids in prion diseases

Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) is an innate immune cell surface receptor that regulates microglial function and is involved in the pathophysiology of several neurodegenerative diseases. Its soluble form (sTREM2) results from shedding of the TREM2 ectodomain. The role of TREM2 in prion diseases, a group of rapidly progressive dementias remains to be elucidated. In the present study, we analysed the expression of TREM2 and its main sheddase ADAM10 in the brain of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD) patients and evaluated the role of CSF and plasma sTREM2 as a potential diagnostic marker of prion disease. Our data indicate that, compared to controls, TREM2 is increased in sCJD patient brains at the mRNA and protein levels in a regional and subtype dependent fashion, and expressed in a subpopulation of microglia. In contrast, ADAM10 is increased at the protein, but not the mRNA level, with a restricted neuronal expression. Elevated CSF sTREM2 is found in sCJD, genetic CJD with mutations E200K and V210I in the prion protein gene (PRNP), and iatrogenic CJD, as compared to healthy controls (HC) (AUC = 0.78–0.90) and neurological controls (AUC = 0.73–0.85), while CSF sTREM2 is unchanged in fatal familial insomnia. sTREM2 in the CSF of cases with Alzheimer’s disease, and multiple sclerosis was not significantly altered in our series. CSF sTREM2 concentrations in sCJD are PRNP codon 129 and subtype-related, correlate with CSF 14-3-3 positivity, total-tau and YKL-40, and increase with disease progression. In plasma, sTREM2 is increased in sCJD compared with HC (AUC = 0.80), displaying positive correlations with plasma total-tau, neurofilament light, and YKL-40. We conclude that comparative study of TREM2 in brain and biological fluids of prion diseases reveals TREM2 to be altered in human prion diseases with a potential value in target engagement, patient stratification, and disease monitoring.

Nuclear lipidome is altered in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A pilot study

Nucleocytosolic transport, a membrane process, is impaired in motor neurons in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This study analyzes the nuclear lipidome in motor neurons in ALS and examines molecular pathways linked to the major lipid alterations. Nuclei were obtained from the frozen anterior horn of the lumbar spinal cord of ALS patients and age-matched controls. Lipidomic profiles of this subcellular fraction were obtained using liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. We validated the mechanisms behind presumable lipidomic changes by exploring ALS surrogate models including human motor neurons (derived from ALS lines and controls) subjected to oxidative stress, the hSOD-G93A transgenic mice, and samples from an independent cohort of ALS patients. Among the differential lipid species, we noted 41 potential identities, mostly belonging to phospholipids (particularly ether phospholipids, as plasmalogens), as well as diacylglycerols and triacylglycerides. Decreased expression of alkyldihydroxyacetonephosphate synthase (AGPS)-a critical peroxisomal enzyme in plasmalogen synthesis-is found in motor neuron disease models; this occurs in parallel with an increase in the expression of sterol carrier protein 2 (SCP2) mRNA in ALS and Scp2 levels in G93A transgenic mice. Further, we identified diminished expression of diacylglycerol-related enzymes, such as phospholipase C βI (PLCβI) and protein kinase CβII (PKCβII), linked to diacylglycerol metabolism. Finally, lipid droplets were recognized in the nuclei, supporting the identification of triacylglycerides as differential lipids. Our results point to the potentially pathogenic role of altered composition of nuclear membrane lipids and lipids in the nucleoplasm in the anterior horn of the spinal cord in ALS. Overall, these data support the usefulness of subcellular lipidomics applied to neurodegenerative diseases.

Dual Role of Lysophosphatidic Acid Receptor 2 (LPA2) in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a pleiotropic extracellular lipid mediator with many physiological functions that signal through six known G protein-coupled receptors (LPA1-6). In the central nervous system (CNS), LPA mediates a wide range of effects including neural progenitor cell physiology, neuronal cell death, axonal retraction, and inflammation. Since inflammation is a hallmark of most neurological conditions, we hypothesized that LPA could be involved in the physiopathology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We found that LPA2 RNA was upregulated in post-mortem spinal cord samples of ALS patients and in the sciatic nerve and skeletal muscle of SOD1G93A mouse, the most widely used ALS mouse model. To assess the contribution of LPA2 to ALS, we generated a SOD1G93A mouse that was deficient in Lpar2. This animal revealed that LPA2 signaling accelerates disease onset and neurological decline but, unexpectedly, extended the lifespan. To gain insights into the early harmful actions of LPA2 in ALS, we studied the effects of this receptor in the spinal cord, peripheral nerve, and skeletal muscle of ALS mice. We found that LPA2 gene deletion increased microglial activation but did not contribute to motoneuron death, astrogliosis, degeneration, and demyelination of motor axons. However, we observed that Lpar2 deficiency protected against muscle atrophy. Moreover, we also found the deletion of Lpar2 reduced the invasion of macrophages into the skeletal muscle of SOD1G93A mice, linking LPA2 signaling with muscle inflammation and atrophy in ALS. Overall, these results suggest for the first time that LPA2 contributes to ALS, and its genetic deletion results in protective actions at the early stages of the disease but shortens survival thereafter.

TDP-43 Vasculopathy in the Spinal Cord in Sporadic Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (sALS) and Frontal Cortex in sALS/FTLD-TDP

Sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (sALS) and FTLD-TDP are neurodegenerative diseases within the spectrum of TDP-43 proteinopathies. Since abnormal blood vessels and altered blood-brain barrier have been described in sALS, we wanted to know whether TDP-43 pathology also occurs in blood vessels in sALS/FTLD-TDP. TDP-43 deposits were identified in association with small blood vessels of the spinal cord in 7 of 14 cases of sALS and in small blood vessels of frontal cortex area 8 in 6 of 11 FTLD-TDP and sALS cases, one of them carrying a GRN mutation. This was achieved using single and double-labeling immunohistochemistry, and double-labeling immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy. In the sALS spinal cord, P-TDP43 Ser403-404 deposits were elongated and parallel to the lumen, whereas others were granular, seldom forming clusters. In the frontal cortex, the inclusions were granular, or elongated and parallel to the lumen, or forming small globules within or in the external surface of the blood vessel wall. Other deposits were localized in the perivascular space. The present findings are in line with previous observations of TDP-43 vasculopathy in a subset of FTLD-TDP cases and identify this pathology in the spinal cord and frontal cortex in a subset of cases within the sALS/FTLD-TDP spectrum.

Increased C-X-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 12 Levels in Cerebrospinal Fluid as a Candidate Biomarker in Sporadic Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (sALS) is a fatal progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting upper and lower motor neurons. Biomarkers are useful to facilitate the diagnosis and/or prognosis of patients and to reveal possible mechanistic clues about the disease. This study aimed to identify and validate selected putative biomarkers in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of sALS patients at early disease stages compared with age-matched controls and with other neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer disease (AD), spinal muscular atrophy type III (SMA), frontotemporal dementia behavioral variant (FTD), and multiple sclerosis (MS). SWATH acquisition on liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for protein quantitation, and ELISA for validation, were used in CSF samples of sALS cases at early stages of the disease. Analysis of mRNA and protein expression was carried out in the anterior horn of the lumbar spinal cord in post-mortem tissue of sALS cases (terminal stage) and controls using RTq-PCR, and Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry, respectively. SWATH acquisition on liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) revealed 51 differentially expressed proteins in the CSF in sALS. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves showed CXCL12 to be the most valuable candidate biomarker. We validated the values of CXCL12 in CSF with ELISA in two different cohorts. Besides sALS, increased CXCL12 levels were found in MS but were not altered in AD, SMA, and FTD. Therefore, increased CXCL12 levels in the CSF can be useful in the diagnoses of MS and sALS in the context of the clinical settings. CXCL12 immunoreactivity was localized in motor neurons in control and sALS, and in a few glial cells in sALS at the terminal stage; CXCR4 was in a subset of oligodendroglial-like cells and axonal ballooning of motor neurons in sALS; and CXCR7 in motor neurons in control and sALS, and reactive astrocytes in the pyramidal tracts in terminal sALS. CXCL12/CXCR4/CXCR7 axis in the spinal cord probably plays a complex role in inflammation, oligodendroglial and astrocyte signaling, and neuronal and axonal preservation in sALS.

The Presence of Human Herpesvirus 6 in the Brain in Health and Disease

The human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) -A and -B are two dsDNA beta-herpesviruses infectingalmost the entire worldwide population. These viruses have been implicated in multipleneurological conditions in individuals of various ages and immunological status, includingencephalitis, epilepsy, and febrile seizures. HHV-6s have also been suggested as playing a role inthe etiology of neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease. Theapparent robustness of these suggested associations is contingent on the accuracy of HHV-6detection in the nervous system. The effort of more than three decades of researching HHV-6 in thebrain has yielded numerous observations, albeit using variable technical approaches in terms oftissue preservation, detection techniques, sample sizes, brain regions, and comorbidities. In thisreview, we aimed to summarize current knowledge about the entry routes and direct presence ofHHV-6 in the brain parenchyma at the level of DNA, RNA, proteins, and specific cell types, inhealthy subjects and in those with neurological conditions. We also discuss recent findings relatedto the presence of HHV-6 in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease in light of availableevidence.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Is Accompanied by Protein Derangements in the Olfactory Bulb-Tract Axis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal disease characterized by progressive muscle paralysis due to the degeneration of upper and lower motor neurons. Recent studies point out an involvement of the non-motor axis during disease progression. Despite smell impairment being considered a potential non-motor finding in ALS, the pathobiochemistry at the olfactory level remains unknown. Here, we applied an olfactory quantitative proteotyping approach to analyze the magnitude of the olfactory bulb (OB) proteostatic imbalance in ALS subjects (n = 12) with respect to controls (n = 8). Around 3% of the quantified OB proteome was differentially expressed, pinpointing aberrant protein expression involved in vesicle-mediated transport, macroautophagy, axon development and gliogenesis in ALS subjects. The overproduction of olfactory marker protein (OMP) points out an imbalance in the olfactory signal transduction in ALS. Accompanying the specific overexpression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and Bcl-xL in the olfactory tract (OT), a tangled disruption of signaling routes was evidenced across the OB–OT axis in ALS. In particular, the OB survival signaling dynamics clearly differ between ALS and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD), two faces of TDP-43 proteinopathy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on high-throughput molecular characterization of the olfactory proteostasis in ALS.

Capacity for Seeding and Spreading of Argyrophilic Grain Disease in a Wild-Type Murine Model; Comparisons With Primary Age-Related Tauopathy

Argyrophilic grain disease (AGD) is a common 4R-tauopathy, causing or contributing to cognitive impairment in the elderly. AGD is characterized neuropathologically by pre-tangles in neurons, dendritic swellings called grains, threads, thorn-shaped astrocytes, and coiled bodies in oligodendrocytes in the limbic system. AGD has a characteristic pattern progressively involving the entorhinal cortex, amygdala, hippocampus, dentate gyrus, presubiculum, subiculum, hypothalamic nuclei, temporal cortex, and neocortex and brainstem, thus suggesting that argyrophilic grain pathology is a natural model of tau propagation. One series of WT mice was unilaterally inoculated in the hippocampus with sarkosyl-insoluble and sarkosyl-soluble fractions from “pure” AGD at the age of 3 or 7/12 months and killed 3 or 7 months later. Abnormal hyper-phosphorylated tau deposits were found in ipsilateral hippocampal neurons, grains (dots) in the hippocampus, and threads, dots and coiled bodies in the fimbria, as well as the ipsilateral and contralateral corpus callosum. The extension of lesions was wider in animals surviving 7 months compared with those surviving 3 months. Astrocytic inclusions were not observed at any time. Tau deposits were mainly composed of 4Rtau, but also 3Rtau. For comparative purposes, another series of WT mice was inoculated with sarkosyl-insoluble fractions from primary age-related tauopathy (PART), a pure neuronal neurofibrillary tangle 3Rtau + 4Rtau tauopathy involving the deep temporal cortex and limbic system. Abnormal hyper-phosphorylated tau deposits were found in neurons in the ipsilateral hippocampus, coiled bodies and threads in the fimbria, and the ipsilateral and contralateral corpus callosum, which extended with time along the anterior-posterior axis and distant regions such as hypothalamic nuclei and nuclei of the septum when comparing mice surviving 7 months with mice surviving 3 months. Astrocytic inclusions were not observed. Tau deposits were mainly composed of 4Rtau and 3Rtau. These results show the capacity for seeding and spreading of AGD tau and PART tau in the brain of WT mouse, and suggest that characteristics of host tau, in addition to those of inoculated tau, are key to identifying commonalities and differences between human tauopathies and corresponding murine models.

Altered Dynein Axonemal Assembly Factor 1 Expression in C-Boutons in Bulbar and Spinal Cord Motor-Neurons in Sporadic Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Dyneins are major components of microtubules. Dynein assembly is modulated by a heterogeneous group of dynein axonemal assembly factors (DNAAFs). The present study analyzes dynein axonemal assembly factor 1 (DNAAF1) and leucine-rich repeat-containing protein 50 (LRRC50), the corresponding encoded protein, in lower motor neurons in spinal cord of sALS postmortem samples and hSOD1-G93A transgenic mice compared with controls. DNAAF1 mRNA is significantly reduced in the anterior horn in sALS, and LRRC50 immunoreactivity is significantly reduced in C-boutons of the remaining motor neurons of the anterior horn, dorsal nucleus of the vagus nerve, and hypoglossal nuclei at terminal stages of ALS. LRRC50 immunoreactivity has a perinuclear distribution in motor neurons in sALS thus suggesting a disorder of transport. The number of LRRC50-/S1R-immunoreactive structures is also significantly decreased in hSOD1-G93A transgenic mice at the age of 90 days (preclinical stages), and the number of motor neurons with LRRC50-immunoreactive structures is significantly reduced in animals aged 150 days (clinical stages). These observations suggest cholinergic denervation of motor neurons as a pathogenic factor in motor neuron disease. LRRC50 protein levels were not detected in human CSF.

Cannabidiol-Enriched Extract Reduced the Cognitive Impairment but Not the Epileptic Seizures in a Lafora Disease Animal Model

Introduction: Lafora disease (LD) is a rare form of progressive infantile epilepsy in which rapid neurological deterioration occurs as the disease advances, leading the patients to a vegetative state and then death, usually within the first decade of disease onset. Based on the capacity of the endogenous cannabinoid system (ECS) to modulate several cellular processes commonly altered in many neurodegenerative processes, as well as the antiepileptic properties of certain natural cannabinoids, the aim of this study was to evaluate the role of the ECS in LD progression. Materials and Methods: We tested whether a natural cannabis extract highly enriched in cannabidiol (CBD) might be effective in curbing the pathological phenotype of malin knockout (KO) mice as an animal model of LD. Results: Our results reveal for the first time that alterations in the ECS occur during the evolution of LD, mainly at the level of CB₁, CB₂, and G protein-coupled receptor 55 (GPR55) receptor expression, and that a CBD-enriched extract (CBDext) is able to reduce the cognitive impairment exhibited by malin KO mice. However, in contrast to what has previously been reported for other kinds of refractory epilepsy in childhood, the CBD-enriched extract does not reduce the severity of the epileptic seizures induced in this animal model of LD. Conclusions: In summary, this study reveals that the ECS might play a role in LD and that a CBD-enriched extract partially reduces the dementia-like phenotype, but not the increased vulnerability to epileptic seizures, exhibited by an animal model of such a life-threatening disease.

White matter alterations in Alzheimer's disease without concomitant pathologies

Aims

Most individuals with AD neuropathological changes have co‐morbidities which have an impact on the integrity of the WM. This study analyses oligodendrocyte and myelin markers in the frontal WM in a series of AD cases without clinical or pathological co‐morbidities.

Methods

From a consecutive autopsy series, 206 cases had neuropathological changes of AD; among them, only 33 were AD without co‐morbidities. WM alterations were first evaluated in coronal sections of the frontal lobe in every case. Then, RT‐qPCR and immunohistochemistry were carried out in the frontal WM of AD cases without co‐morbidities to analyse the expression of selected oligodendrocyte and myelin markers.

Results

WM demyelination was more marked in AD with co‐morbidities when compared with AD cases without co‐morbidities. Regarding the later, mRNA expression levels of MBP, PLP1, CNP, MAG, MAL, MOG and MOBP were preserved at stages I–II/0–A when compared with middle‐aged (MA) individuals, but significantly decreased at stages III–IV/0–C. This was accompanied by reduced expression of NG2 and PDGFRA mRNA, reduced numbers of NG2‐, Olig2‐ and HDAC2‐immunoreactive cells and reduced glucose transporter immunoreactivity. Partial recovery of some of these markers occurred at stages V–VI/B–C.

Conclusions

The present observations demonstrate that co‐morbidities have an impact on WM integrity in the elderly and in AD, and that early alterations in oligodendrocytes and transcription of genes linked to myelin proteins in WM occur in AD cases without co‐morbidities. These are followed by partial recovery attempts at advanced stages. These observations suggest that oligodendrocytopathy is part of AD.

Familial globular glial tauopathy linked to MAPT mutations: molecular neuropathology and seeding capacity of a prototypical mixed neuronal and glial tauopathy

Globular glial tauopathy (GGT) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease involving the grey matter and white matter (WM) and characterized by neuronal deposition of hyper-phosphorylated, abnormally conformed, truncated, oligomeric 4Rtau in neurons and in glial cells forming typical globular astrocyte and oligodendrocyte inclusions (GAIs and GOIs, respectively) and coiled bodies. Present studies centre on four genetic GGT cases from two unrelated families bearing the P301T mutation in MAPT and one case of sporadic GGT (sGGT) and one case of GGT linked to MAPT K317M mutation, for comparative purposes. Clinical and neuropathological manifestations and biochemical profiles of phospho-tau are subjected to individual variations in patients carrying the same mutation, even in carriers of the same family, independently of the age of onset, gender, and duration of the disease. Immunohistochemistry, western blotting, transcriptomic, proteomics and phosphoproteomics, and intra-cerebral inoculation of brain homogenates to wild-type (WT) mice were the methods employed. In GGT cases linked to MAPT P301T mutation, astrocyte markers GFAP, ALDH1L1, YKL40 mRNA and protein, GJA1 mRNA, and AQ4 protein are significantly increased; glutamate transporter GLT1 (EAAT2) and glucose transporter (SLC2A1) decreased; mitochondrial pyruvate carrier 1 (MPC1) increased, and mitochondrial uncoupling protein 5 (UCP5) almost absent in GAIs in frontal cortex (FC). Expression of oligodendrocyte markers OLIG1 and OLIG2mRNA, and myelin-related genes MBP, PLP1, CNP, MAG, MAL, MOG, and MOBP are significantly decreased in WM; CNPase, PLP1, and MBP antibodies reveal reduction and disruption of myelinated fibres; and SMI31 antibodies mark axonal damage in the WM. Altered expression of AQ4, GLUC-t, and GLT-1 is also observed in sGGT and in GGT linked to MAPT K317M mutation. These alterations point to primary astrogliopathy and oligodendrogliopathy in GGT. In addition, GGT linked to MAPT P301T mutation proteotypes unveil a proteostatic imbalance due to widespread (phospho)proteomic dearrangement in the FC and WM, triggering a disruption of neuron projection morphogenesis and synaptic transmission. Identification of hyper-phosphorylation of variegated proteins calls into question the concept of phospho-tau-only alteration in the pathogenesis of GGT. Finally, unilateral inoculation of sarkosyl-insoluble fractions of GGT homogenates from GGT linked to MAPT P301T, sGGT, and GGT linked to MAPT K317M mutation in the hippocampus, corpus callosum, or caudate/putamen in wild-type mice produces seeding, and time- and region-dependent spreading of phosphorylated, non-oligomeric, and non-truncated 4Rtau and 3Rtau, without GAIs and GOIs but only of coiled bodies. These experiments prove that host tau strains are important in the modulation of cellular vulnerability and phenotypes of phospho-tau aggregates.

Brain pyrimidine nucleotide synthesis and Alzheimer disease

Many patients suffering late-onset Alzheimer disease show a deficit in respiratory complex IV activity. The de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis pathway connects with the mitochondrial respiratory chain upstream from respiratory complex IV. We hypothesized that these patients would have decreased pyrimidine nucleotide levels. Then, different cell processes for which these compounds are essential, such as neuronal membrane generation and maintenance and synapses production, would be compromised. Using a cell model, we show that inhibiting oxidative phosphorylation function reduces neuronal differentiation. Linking these processes to pyrimidine nucleotides, uridine treatment recovers neuronal differentiation. To unmask the importance of these pathways in Alzheimer disease, we firstly confirm the existence of the de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis pathway in adult human brain. Then, we report altered mRNA levels for genes from both de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis and pyrimidine salvage pathways in brain from patients with Alzheimer disease. Thus, uridine supplementation might be used as a therapy for those Alzheimer disease patients with low respiratory complex IV activity.

Relevance of host tau in tau seeding and spreading in tauopathies

Human tau seeding and spreading occur following intracerebral inoculation of brain homogenates obtained from tauopathies in transgenic mice expressing natural or mutant tau, and in wild-type (WT) mice. The present study was geared to learning about the patterns of tau seeding, the cells involved and the characteristics of tau following intracerebral inoculation of homogenates from primary age-related tauopathy (PART: neuronal 4Rtau and 3Rtau), aging-related tau astrogliopathy (ARTAG: astrocytic 4Rtau) and globular glial tauopathy (GGT: 4Rtau with neuronal deposits and specific tau inclusions in astrocytes and oligodendrocytes). For this purpose, young and adult WT mice were inoculated unilaterally in the hippocampus or in the lateral corpus callosum with sarkosyl-insoluble fractions from PART, ARTAG and GGT cases, and were killed at variable periods of three to seven months. Brains were processed for immunohistochemistry in paraffin sections. Tau seeding occurred in the ipsilateral hippocampus and corpus callosum and spread to the septal nuclei, periventricular hypothalamus and contralateral corpus callosum, respectively. Tau deposits were mainly found in neurons, oligodendrocytes and threads; the deposits were diffuse or granular, composed of phosphorylated tau, tau with abnormal conformation and 3Rtau and 4Rtau independently of the type of tauopathy. Truncated tau at the aspartic acid 421 and ubiquitination were absent. Tau deposits had the characteristics of pre-tangles. A percentage of intracellular tau deposits co-localized with active (phosphorylated) tau kinases p38 and ERK 1/2. Present study shows that seeding and spreading of human tau into the brain of WT mice involves neurons and glial cells, mainly oligodendrocytes, thereby supporting the idea of a primary role of oligodendrogliopathy, together with neuronopathy, in the progression of tauopathies. In addition, it suggests that human tau inoculation modifies murine tau metabolism with the production and deposition of 3Rtau and 4Rtau, and by activation of specific tau kinases in affected cells.

Gene Expression Profile in Frontal Cortex in Sporadic Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration-TDP

Molecular alterations compromising key metabolic pathways are poorly understood in sporadic frontotemporal lobar degeneration with TDP-43 pathology (sFTLD-TDP). Whole-transcriptome array, RT-qPCR validation, gel electrophoresis, and Western blotting, and mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) activity were comparatively examined in frontal cortex (area 8) of 16 sFTLD-TDP cases and 14 controls. Assessment of 111 genes by RT-qPCR showed deregulation of 81 genes linked to neurotransmission and synapses, neuronal architecture, cytoskeleton of axons and dendrites, vesicle trafficking, purines, mitochondria, and energy metabolism in sFTLD-TDP. Western blotting studies disclosed downregulation of several mitochondrial subunits encoded by genomic DNA and MT-CO1 encoded by the mitochondrial DNA. Mitochondrial ETC activity of complexes I, IV, and V was decreased in sFTLD-TDP. These findings provide robust information about downregulation of genes involved in vital biochemical pathways and in synaptic neurotransmission which may help to increase understanding about the biochemical substrates of clinical manifestations in sFTLD-TDP.

Involvement of Oligodendrocytes in Tau Seeding and Spreading in Tauopathies

Introduction: Human tau seeding and spreading occur following intracerebral inoculation into different gray matter regions of brain homogenates obtained from tauopathies in transgenic mice expressing wild or mutant tau, and in wild-type (WT) mice. However, little is known about tau propagation following inoculation in the white matter. Objectives: The present study is geared to learning about the patterns of tau seeding and cells involved following unilateral inoculation in the corpus callosum of homogenates from sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD), primary age-related tauopathy (PART: neuronal 4Rtau and 3Rtau), pure aging-related tau astrogliopathy (ARTAG: astroglial 4Rtau with thorn-shaped astrocytes TSAs), globular glial tauopathy (GGT: 4Rtau with neuronal tau and specific tau inclusions in astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, GAIs and GOIs, respectively), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP: 4Rtau with neuronal inclusions, tufted astrocytes and coiled bodies), Pick's disease (PiD: 3Rtau with characteristic Pick bodies in neurons and tau containing fibrillar astrocytes), and frontotemporal lobar degeneration linked to P301L mutation (FTLD-P301L: 4Rtau familial tauopathy). Methods: Adult WT mice were inoculated unilaterally in the lateral corpus callosum with sarkosyl-insoluble fractions or with sarkosyl-soluble fractions from the mentioned tauopathies; mice were killed from 4 to 7 months after inoculation. Brains were fixed in paraformaldehyde, embedded in paraffin and processed for immunohistochemistry. Results: Tau seeding occurred in the ipsilateral corpus callosum and was also detected in the contralateral corpus callosum. Phospho-tau deposits were found in oligodendrocytes similar to coiled bodies and in threads. Moreover, tau deposits co-localized with active (phosphorylated) tau kinases p38 and ERK 1/2, suggesting active tau phosphorylation of murine tau. TSAs, GAIs, GOIs, tufted astrocytes, and tau-containing fibrillar astrocytes were not seen in any case. Tau deposits were often associated with slight myelin disruption and the presence of small PLP1-immunoreactive globules and dots in the ipsilateral corpus callosum 6 months after inoculation of sarkosyl-insoluble fractions from every tauopathy. Conclusions: Seeding and spreading of human tau in the corpus callosum of WT mice occurs in oligodendrocytes, thereby supporting the idea of a role of oligodendrogliopathy in tau seeding and spreading in the white matter in tauopathies. Slight differences in the predominance of threads or oligodendroglial deposits suggest disease differences in the capacity of tau seeding and spreading among tauopathies.

PPARγ agonist-loaded PLGA-PEG nanocarriers as a potential treatment for Alzheimer's disease: in vitro and in vivo studies

OBJECTIVE

The first aim of this study was to develop a nanocarrier that could transport the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor agonist, pioglitazone (PGZ) across brain endothelium and examine the mechanism of nanoparticle transcytosis. The second aim was to determine whether these nanocarriers could successfully treat a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (AD).

METHODS

PGZ-loaded nanoparticles (PGZ-NPs) were synthesized by the solvent displacement technique, following a factorial design using poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) polyethylene glycol (PLGA-PEG). The transport of the carriers was assessed in vitro, using a human brain endothelial cell line, cytotoxicity assays, fluorescence-tagged nanocarriers, fluorescence-activated cell sorting, confocal and transmission electron microscopy. The effectiveness of the treatment was assessed in APP/PS1 mice in a behavioral assay and by measuring the cortical deposition of β-amyloid.

RESULTS

Incorporation of PGZ into the carriers promoted a 50x greater uptake into brain endothelium compared with the free drug and the carriers showed a delayed release profile of PGZ in vitro. In the doses used, the nanocarriers were not toxic for the endothelial cells, nor did they alter the permeability of the blood-brain barrier model. Electron microscopy indicated that the nanocarriers were transported from the apical to the basal surface of the endothelium by vesicular transcytosis. An efficacy test carried out in APP/PS1 transgenic mice showed a reduction of memory deficit in mice chronically treated with PGZ-NPs. Deposition of β-amyloid in the cerebral cortex, measured by immunohistochemistry and image analysis, was correspondingly reduced.

CONCLUSION

PLGA-PEG nanocarriers cross brain endothelium by transcytosis and can be loaded with a pharmaceutical agent to effectively treat a mouse model of AD.

YKL40 in sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: cerebrospinal fluid levels as a prognosis marker of disease progression

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has variable clinical course and fatal outcome. Since inflammation plays a role in the pathogenesis of ALS, chitinase-3-like protein 1 or YKL40 has been assessed as putative biomarker of disease progression. YKL40 mRNA levels are increased in anterior horn of the spinal cord (P=0.004) in sporadic ALS (sALS) cases when compared with age-matched controls. These correlate with increased mRNA expression of microglial markers AIF1 and CD68 in the spinal cord in sALS (P=0.044 and P=0.000, respectively). YKL40 mRNA and protein expression had a tendency to increase in post-mortem frontal cortex area 8 (P=0.06 and P=0.08, respectively). Yet YKL40 immunoreactivity is restricted to a subpopulation of astrocytes in these regions. YKL40 protein levels, as revealed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), are significantly increased in the CSF in sALS (n=86) compared with age-matched controls (n=21) (P=0.045). Higher levels are found in patients with fast progression when compared with patients with slow and normal progression (P=0.008 and P=0.004, respectively), and correlates with ALS-FRS-R slope (P=0.000). Additionally, increased protein levels of neurofilament light chain (NF-L) are also found in sALS (P=0.000); highest values are found in patients with fast progression when compared with cases with slow and normal progression (P=0.005 and P=0.000, respectively), and also correlate with ALS-FRS-R slope (P=0.000). Pearson's correlation test linked positively the increased levels of YKL40 with increased NF-L levels (P=0.013). These data point to YKL40 and NF-L protein levels in the CSF as a good biomarker combination of disease progression in sALS.

Altered Regulation of KIAA0566, and Katanin Signaling Expression in the Locus Coeruleus With Neurofibrillary Tangle Pathology

The locus coeruleus (LC), which contains the largest group of noradrenergic neurons in the central nervous system innervating the telencephalon, is an early and constantly vulnerable region to neurofibrillary tangle (NFT) pathology in aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD). The present study using whole genome bisulfite sequencing and Infinium Human Methylation 450 BeadChip was designed to learn about DNA methylation profiles in LC with age and NFT pathology. This method identified decreased DNA methylation of Katanin-Interacting Protein gene (KIAA0566) linked to age and presence of NFT pathology. KIAA0566 mRNA expression demonstrated with RT-qPCR significantly decreased in cases with NFT pathology. Importantly, KIAA0566 immunoreactivity was significantly decreased only in LC neurons with NFTs, but not in neurons without tau pathology when compared with neurons of middle-aged individuals. These changes were accompanied by a similar pattern of selective p80-katanin reduced protein expression in neurons with NFTs. In contrast, p60-katanin subunit expression levels in the neuropil were similar in MA cases and cases with NFT pathology. Since katanin is a major microtubule-severing protein and KIAA0566 binds and interacts with katanin, de-regulation of the katanin-signaling pathway may have implications in the regulation of microtubule homeostasis in LC neurons with NFTs, thereby potentially interfering with maintenance of the cytoskeleton and transport.

Inflammatory Gene Expression in Whole Peripheral Blood at Early Stages of Sporadic Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

OBJECTIVE

Characterization of altered expression of selected transcripts linked to inflammation in the peripheral blood of sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (sALS) patients at early stage of disease to increase knowledge about peripheral inflammatory response in sALS.

METHODS

RNA expression levels of 45 genes were assessed by RT-qPCR in 22 sALS cases in parallel with 13 age-matched controls. Clinical and serum parameters were assessed at the same time.

RESULTS

Upregulation of genes coding for factors involved in leukocyte extravasation (ITGB2, INPP5D, SELL, and ICAM1) and extracellular matrix remodeling (MMP9 and TIMP2), as well as downregulation of certain chemokines (CCL5 and CXC5R), anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL10, TGFB2, and IL10RA), pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6), and T-cell regulators (CD2 and TRBC1) was found in sALS cases independently of gender, clinical symptoms at onset (spinal, respiratory, or bulbar), progression, peripheral leukocyte number, and integrity of RNA. MMP9 levels positively correlated with age, whereas CCR5, CCL5, and TRBC1 negatively correlated with age in sALS but not in controls. Relatively higher TNFA expression levels correlate with higher creatinine kinase protein levels in plasma.

CONCLUSION

Present findings show early inflammatory responses characterized by upregulation of factors enabling extravasation of leukocytes and extracellular matrix remodeling in blood in sALS cases, in addition to increased TNFA levels paralleling skeletal muscle damage.

MicroRNA Expression in the Locus Coeruleus, Entorhinal Cortex, and Hippocampus at Early and Middle Stages of Braak Neurofibrillary Tangle Pathology

The present study analyzes by RT-qPCR the expression of microRNA (miRNA)-27a-3p, miRNA-124-3p, miRNA-132-3p, and miRNA-143-3p in the locus coeruleus (LC), entorhinal cortex (EC), CA1 region of the hippocampus (CA1), and dentate gyrus (DG) of middle-aged (MA) individuals with no brain lesions and of cases at Braak and Braak stages I-II and II-IV of neurofibrillary tangle (NFT) pathology. The most affected region is the LC in which miRNA-27a-3p, miRNA-124-3p, and miRNA-143-3p show a trend to increase at stages I-II and are significantly up-regulated at stages III-IV when compared with MA. Only miRNA-143-3p is up-regulated in the EC at stages III-IV when compared with MA and with stages I-II. No modifications in the expression levels of miRNA-27a-3p, miRNA-124-3p, miRNA-132-3p, and miRNA-143-3p are found in CA1 at any stage, whereas miRNA-124-3p is significantly down-regulated in DG at stages I-II. Accompanying in situ hybridization reveals miRNA-27a-3p, miRNA-124-3p, and miRNA-143-3 localization in neurons, indicating that changes in miRNA expression are not a direct effect of changes in the numbers of neurons and glial cells. Present observations show for the first time important miRNA de-regulation in the LC at the first stages of NFT. Since the LC is the main noradrenergic input to the cerebral cortex, key regulator of mood and depression, and one of the first nuclei affected in aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD), these findings provide insights for additional study of the LC in aging and AD.

Locus coeruleus at asymptomatic early and middle Braak stages of neurofibrillary tangle pathology

AIMS

The present study analyses molecular characteristics of the locus coeruleus (LC) and projections to the amygdala and hippocampus at asymptomatic early and middle Braak stages of neurofibrillary tangle (NFT) pathology.

METHODS

Immunohistochemistry, whole-transcriptome arrays and RT-qPCR in LC and western blotting in hippocampus and amygdala in a cohort of asymptomatic individuals at stages I-IV of NFT pathology were used.

RESULTS

NFTs in the LC increased in parallel with colocalized expression of tau kinases, increased neuroketal adducts and decreased superoxide dismutase 1 in neurons with hyperphosphorylated tau and decreased voltage-dependent anion channel in neurons containing truncated tau were found. These were accompanied by increased microglia and AIF1, CD68, PTGS2, IL1β, IL6 and TNF-α gene expression. Whole-transcriptome arrays revealed upregulation of genes coding for proteins associated with heat shock protein binding and genes associated with ATP metabolism and downregulation of genes coding for DNA-binding proteins and members of the small nucleolar RNAs family, at stage IV when compared with stage I. Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunoreactivity was preserved in neurons of the LC, but decreased TH and increased α_2A adrenergic receptor protein levels were found in the hippocampus and the amygdala.

CONCLUSIONS

Complex alteration of several metabolic pathways occurs in the LC accompanying NFT formation at early and middle asymptomatic stages of NFT pathology. Dopaminergic/noradrenergic denervation and increased expression of α_2A adrenergic receptor in the hippocampus and amygdala occur at first stage of NFT pathology, suggesting compensatory activation in the face of decreased adrenergic input occurring before clinical evidence of cognitive impairment and depression.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, gene deregulation in the anterior horn of the spinal cord and frontal cortex area 8: implications in frontotemporal lobar degeneration

Transcriptome arrays identifies 747 genes differentially expressed in the anterior horn of the spinal cord and 2,300 genes differentially expressed in frontal cortex area 8 in a single group of typical sALS cases without frontotemporal dementia compared with age-matched controls. Main up-regulated clusters in the anterior horn are related to inflammation and apoptosis; down-regulated clusters are linked to axoneme structures and protein synthesis. In contrast, up-regulated gene clusters in frontal cortex area 8 involve neurotransmission, synaptic proteins and vesicle trafficking, whereas main down-regulated genes cluster into oligodendrocyte function and myelin-related proteins. RT-qPCR validates the expression of 58 of 66 assessed genes from different clusters. The present results: a. reveal regional differences in de-regulated gene expression between the anterior horn of the spinal cord and frontal cortex area 8 in the same individuals suffering from sALS; b. validate and extend our knowledge about the complexity of the inflammatory response in the anterior horn of the spinal cord; and c. identify for the first time extensive gene up-regulation of neurotransmission and synaptic-related genes, together with significant down-regulation of oligodendrocyte- and myelin-related genes, as important contributors to the pathogenesis of frontal cortex alterations in the sALS/frontotemporal lobar degeneration spectrum complex at stages with no apparent cognitive impairment.

Amyloid and tau pathology of familial Alzheimer's disease APP/PS1 mouse model in a senescence phenotype background (SAMP8)

The amyloid precursor protein/presenilin 1 (APP/PS1) mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has provided robust neuropathological hallmarks of familial AD-like pattern at early ages, whereas senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8) has a remarkable early senescence phenotype with pathological similarities to AD. The aim of this study was the investigation and characterization of cognitive and neuropathological AD markers in a novel mouse model that combines the characteristics of the APP/PS1 transgenic mouse model with a senescence-accelerated background of SAMP8 mice. Initially, significant differences were found regarding amyloid plaque formation and cognitive abnormalities. Bearing these facts in mind, we determined a general characterization of the main AD brain molecular markers, such as alterations in amyloid pathway, neuroinflammation, and hyperphosphorylation of tau in these mice along their lifetimes. Results from this analysis revealed that APP/PS1 in SAMP8 background mice showed alterations in the pathways studied in comparison with SAMP8 and APP/PS1, demonstrating that a senescence-accelerated background exacerbated the amyloid pathology and maintained the cognitive dysfunction present in APP/PS1 mice. Changes in tau pathology, including the activity of cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) and glycogen synthase kinase 3 β (GSK3β), differs, but not in a parallel manner, with amyloid disturbances.