1
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Xia Z, Prescott EE, Urbanek A, Wareing HE, King MC, Olerinyova A, Dakin H, Leah T, Barnes KA, Matuszyk MM, Dimou E, Hidari E, Zhang YP, Lam JYL, Danial JSH, Strickland MR, Jiang H, Thornton P, Crowther DC, Ohtonen S, Gómez-Budia M, Bell SM, Ferraiuolo L, Mortiboys H, Higginbottom A, Wharton SB, Holtzman DM, Malm T, Ranasinghe RT, Klenerman D, De S. Co-aggregation with Apolipoprotein E modulates the function of Amyloid-β in Alzheimer's disease. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4695. [PMID: 38824138 PMCID: PMC11144216 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49028-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Which isoforms of apolipoprotein E (apoE) we inherit determine our risk of developing late-onset Alzheimer's Disease (AD), but the mechanism underlying this link is poorly understood. In particular, the relevance of direct interactions between apoE and amyloid-β (Aβ) remains controversial. Here, single-molecule imaging shows that all isoforms of apoE associate with Aβ in the early stages of aggregation and then fall away as fibrillation happens. ApoE-Aβ co-aggregates account for ~50% of the mass of diffusible Aβ aggregates detected in the frontal cortices of homozygotes with the higher-risk APOE4 gene. We show how dynamic interactions between apoE and Aβ tune disease-related functions of Aβ aggregates throughout the course of aggregation. Our results connect inherited APOE genotype with the risk of developing AD by demonstrating how, in an isoform- and lipidation-specific way, apoE modulates the aggregation, clearance and toxicity of Aβ. Selectively removing non-lipidated apoE4-Aβ co-aggregates enhances clearance of toxic Aβ by glial cells, and reduces secretion of inflammatory markers and membrane damage, demonstrating a clear path to AD therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zengjie Xia
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute at University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Emily E Prescott
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, Division of Neurosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2HQ, UK
| | - Agnieszka Urbanek
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, Division of Neurosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2HQ, UK
| | - Hollie E Wareing
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, Division of Neurosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2HQ, UK
| | - Marianne C King
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, Division of Neurosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2HQ, UK
| | - Anna Olerinyova
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, Division of Neurosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2HQ, UK
| | - Helen Dakin
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute at University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Tom Leah
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, Division of Neurosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2HQ, UK
| | - Katy A Barnes
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, Division of Neurosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2HQ, UK
| | - Martyna M Matuszyk
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, Division of Neurosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2HQ, UK
| | - Eleni Dimou
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute at University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Eric Hidari
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute at University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Yu P Zhang
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute at University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jeff Y L Lam
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute at University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - John S H Danial
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute at University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- SUPA School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, KY16 9SS, UK
| | - Michael R Strickland
- Department of Neurology, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Knight ADRC, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Hong Jiang
- Department of Neurology, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Knight ADRC, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Peter Thornton
- Neuroscience, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Sohvi Ohtonen
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Mireia Gómez-Budia
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Simon M Bell
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, Division of Neurosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2HQ, UK
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Laura Ferraiuolo
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, Division of Neurosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2HQ, UK
| | - Heather Mortiboys
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, Division of Neurosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2HQ, UK
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
- Healthy Lifespan Institute (HELSI), University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Adrian Higginbottom
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, Division of Neurosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2HQ, UK
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Stephen B Wharton
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, Division of Neurosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2HQ, UK
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - David M Holtzman
- Department of Neurology, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Knight ADRC, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Tarja Malm
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Rohan T Ranasinghe
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- UK Dementia Research Institute at University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - David Klenerman
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- UK Dementia Research Institute at University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Suman De
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, Division of Neurosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2HQ, UK.
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK.
- Healthy Lifespan Institute (HELSI), University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK.
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2
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Waugh ML, Wolf LM, Moore KA, Servoss SL, Moss MA. Rationally Designed Peptoid Inhibitors of Amyloid-β Oligomerization. Chembiochem 2024:e202400060. [PMID: 38715149 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202400060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
While plaques comprised of fibrillar Aβ aggregates are hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease, soluble Aβ oligomers present higher neurotoxicity. Thus, one therapeutic approach is to prevent the formation of Aβ oligomers and reduce their associated harmful effects. We have proposed a peptoid mimic of the Aβ hydrophobic KLVFF core as an ideal candidate aggregation inhibitor due to its ability to evade proteolytic degradation via repositioning of the side chain from the α-carbon to the amide nitrogen. This peptoid, JPT1, utilizes chiral sidechains to achieve a helical structure, while C-terminal addition of two phenylalanine residues places aromatic groups on two sides of the helix with spacing designed to facilitate interaction with amyloid β-sheet structure. We have previously shown that JPT1 modulates Aβ fibril formation. Here, we demonstrate that JPT1 also modulates Aβ oligomerization, and we explore the role of the charge on the linker between the KLVFF mimic and the extended aromatic residues. Additionally, we demonstrate that peptoid-induced changes in Aβ oligomerization correlate with attenuation of oligomer-induced nuclear factor-κB activation in SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells. These findings support the therapeutic potential of peptoids to target early stages of Aβ aggregation and impact the associated Aβ-induced cellular response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mihyun Lim Waugh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of South Carolina, 3A46 Swearingen Engineering Center, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - Lauren M Wolf
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of South Carolina, 3A46 Swearingen Engineering Center, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - Kelly A Moore
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of South Carolina, 3A46 Swearingen Engineering Center, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - Shannon L Servoss
- Ralph E. Martin Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Arkansas, 3202 Bell Engineering Center, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Melissa A Moss
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of South Carolina, 3A46 Swearingen Engineering Center, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of South Carolina, 2C02 Swearingen Engineering Center, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
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3
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Ruttenberg SM, Nowick JS. A turn for the worse: Aβ β-hairpins in Alzheimer's disease. Bioorg Med Chem 2024; 105:117715. [PMID: 38615460 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2024.117715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Amyloid-β (Aβ) oligomers are a cause of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease (AD). These soluble aggregates of the Aβ peptide have proven difficult to study due to their inherent metastability and heterogeneity. Strategies to isolate and stabilize homogenous Aβ oligomer populations have emerged such as mutations, covalent cross-linking, and protein fusions. These strategies along with molecular dynamics simulations have provided a variety of proposed structures of Aβ oligomers, many of which consist of molecules of Aβ in β-hairpin conformations. β-Hairpins are intramolecular antiparallel β-sheets composed of two β-strands connected by a loop or turn. Three decades of research suggests that Aβ peptides form several different β-hairpin conformations, some of which are building blocks of toxic Aβ oligomers. The insights from these studies are currently being used to design anti-Aβ antibodies and vaccines to treat AD. Research suggests that antibody therapies designed to target oligomeric Aβ may be more successful at treating AD than antibodies designed to target linear epitopes of Aβ or fibrillar Aβ. Aβ β-hairpins are good epitopes to use in antibody development to selectively target oligomeric Aβ. This review summarizes the research on β-hairpins in Aβ peptides and discusses the relevance of this conformation in AD pathogenesis and drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M Ruttenberg
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-2025, United States
| | - James S Nowick
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-2025, United States.
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4
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Zoltowska KM, Das U, Lismont S, Enzlein T, Maesako M, Houser MCQ, Franco ML, Özcan B, Moreira DG, Karachentsev D, Becker A, Hopf C, Vilar M, Berezovska O, Mobley W, Chávez-Gutiérrez L. Alzheimer's disease linked Aβ42 exerts product feedback inhibition on γ-secretase impairing downstream cell signaling. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.08.02.551596. [PMID: 37577527 PMCID: PMC10418207 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.02.551596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Amyloid β (Aβ) peptides accumulating in the brain are proposed to trigger Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, molecular cascades underlying their toxicity are poorly defined. Here, we explored a novel hypothesis for Aβ42 toxicity that arises from its proven affinity for γ-secretases. We hypothesized that the reported increases in Aβ42, particularly in the endolysosomal compartment, promote the establishment of a product feedback inhibitory mechanism on γ-secretases, and thereby impair downstream signaling events. We show that human Aβ42 peptides, but neither murine Aβ42 nor human Aβ17-42 (p3), inhibit γ-secretases and trigger accumulation of unprocessed substrates in neurons, including C-terminal fragments (CTFs) of APP, p75 and pan-cadherin. Moreover, Aβ42 treatment dysregulated cellular -homeostasis, as shown by the induction of p75-dependent neuronal death in two distinct cellular systems. Our findings raise the possibility that pathological elevations in Aβ42 contribute to cellular toxicity via the γ-secretase inhibition, and provide a novel conceptual framework to address Aβ toxicity in the context of γ-secretase-dependent homeostatic signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Utpal Das
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Sam Lismont
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Thomas Enzlein
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
- Center for Mass Spectrometry and Optical Spectroscopy (CeMOS), Mannheim University of Applied Sciences, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Masato Maesako
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, United States of America
| | - Mei CQ Houser
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, United States of America
| | - María Luisa Franco
- Molecular Basis of Neurodegeneration Unit, Institute of Biomedicine of València (IBV-CSIC), València, Spain
| | - Burcu Özcan
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Dmitry Karachentsev
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Ann Becker
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Carsten Hopf
- Center for Mass Spectrometry and Optical Spectroscopy (CeMOS), Mannheim University of Applied Sciences, Mannheim, Germany
- Medical Faculty, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Mannheim Center for Translational Neuroscience (MCTN), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marçal Vilar
- Molecular Basis of Neurodegeneration Unit, Institute of Biomedicine of València (IBV-CSIC), València, Spain
| | - Oksana Berezovska
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, United States of America
| | - William Mobley
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
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5
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Chen A, Shea D, Daggett V. Performance of SOBA-AD blood test in discriminating Alzheimer's disease patients from cognitively unimpaired controls in two independent cohorts. Sci Rep 2024; 14:7946. [PMID: 38575622 PMCID: PMC10995183 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-57107-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyloid-beta (Aβ) toxic oligomers are critical early players in the molecular pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We have developed a Soluble Oligomer Binding Assay (SOBA-AD) for detection of these Aβ oligomers that contain α-sheet secondary structure that discriminates plasma samples from patients on the AD continuum from non-AD controls. We tested 265 plasma samples from two independent cohorts to investigate the performance of SOBA-AD. Testing was performed at two different sites, with different personnel, reagents, and instrumentation. Across two cohorts, SOBA-AD discriminated AD patients from cognitively unimpaired (CU) subjects with 100% sensitivity, > 95% specificity, and > 98% area under the curve (AUC) (95% CI 0.95-1.00). A SOBA-AD positive readout, reflecting α-sheet toxic oligomer burden, was found in AD patients, and not in controls, providing separation of the two populations, aside from 5 SOBA-AD positive controls. Based on an earlier SOBA-AD study, the Aβ oligomers detected in these CU subjects may represent preclinical cases of AD. The results presented here support the value of SOBA-AD as a promising blood-based tool for the detection and confirmation of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Chen
- AltPep Corporation, 1150 Eastlake Avenue N, Suite 800, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Dylan Shea
- AltPep Corporation, 1150 Eastlake Avenue N, Suite 800, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
- University of Washington, Box 355610, Seattle, WA, 98195-5610, USA
| | - Valerie Daggett
- AltPep Corporation, 1150 Eastlake Avenue N, Suite 800, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA.
- University of Washington, Box 355610, Seattle, WA, 98195-5610, USA.
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6
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Ren Q, Wang S, Li J, Cao K, Zhuang M, Wu M, Geng J, Jia Z, Xie W, Liu A. Novel Social Stimulation Ameliorates Memory Deficit in Alzheimer's Disease Model through Activating α-Secretase. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e1689232024. [PMID: 38418221 PMCID: PMC10957211 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1689-23.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024] Open
Abstract
As the most common form of dementia in the world, Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurological disorder marked by cognitive and behavioral impairment. According to previous researches, abundant social connections shield against dementia. However, it is still unclear how exactly social interactions benefit cognitive abilities in people with AD and how this process is used to increase their general cognitive performance. In this study, we found that single novel social (SNS) stimulation promoted c-Fos expression and increased the protein levels of mature ADAM10/17 and sAPPα in the ventral hippocampus (vHPC) of wild-type (WT) mice, which are hippocampal dorsal CA2 (dCA2) neuron activity and vHPC NMDAR dependent. Additionally, we discovered that SNS caused similar changes in an AD model, FAD4T mice, and these alterations could be reversed by α-secretase inhibitor. Furthermore, we also found that multiple novel social (MNS) stimulation improved synaptic plasticity and memory impairments in both male and female FAD4T mice, accompanied by α-secretase activation and Aβ reduction. These findings provide insight into the process underpinning how social interaction helps AD patients who are experiencing cognitive decline, and we also imply that novel social interaction and activation of the α-secretase may be preventative and therapeutic in the early stages of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaoyun Ren
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Ministry of Education, The School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Susu Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Ministry of Education, The School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Junru Li
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Ministry of Education, The School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Kun Cao
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Ministry of Education, The School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Mei Zhuang
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Ministry of Education, The School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Miao Wu
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Ministry of Education, The School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Junhua Geng
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Ministry of Education, The School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Zhengping Jia
- Neurosciences & Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1X8, Canada
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Wei Xie
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Ministry of Education, The School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - An Liu
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Ministry of Education, The School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
- Neurosciences & Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1X8, Canada
- Shenzhen Research Institute, Southeast University, Shenzhen 518063, China
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7
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Gu X, Qi L, Qi Q, Zhou J, Chen S, Wang L. Monoclonal antibody therapy for Alzheimer's disease focusing on intracerebral targets. Biosci Trends 2024; 18:49-65. [PMID: 38382942 DOI: 10.5582/bst.2023.01288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases. Due to the complexity of the disorder and the presence of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), its drug discovery and development are facing enormous challenges, especially after several failures of monoclonal antibody (mAb) trials. Nevertheless, the Food and Drug Administration's approval of the mAb aducanumab has ushered in a new day. As we better understand the disease's pathogenesis and identify novel intracerebral therapeutic targets, antibody-based therapies have advanced over the past few years. The mAb drugs targeting β-amyloid or hyperphosphorylated tau protein are the focus of the current research. Massive neuronal loss and glial cell-mediated inflammation are also the vital pathological hallmarks of AD, signaling a new direction for research on mAb drugs. We have elucidated the mechanisms by which AD-specific mAbs cross the BBB to bind to targets. In order to investigate therapeutic approaches to treat AD, this review focuses on the promising mAbs targeting intracerebral dysfunction and related strategies to cross the BBB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolei Gu
- College of Acupuncture and Orthopedics, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Long Qi
- New Drug Screening Center, Jiangsu Center for Pharmacodynamics Research and Evaluation, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Qing Qi
- Laboratory for Reproductive Immunology, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- The Academy of Integrative Medicine of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine-related Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Jing Zhou
- Laboratory for Reproductive Immunology, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- The Academy of Integrative Medicine of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine-related Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Song Chen
- Postdoctoral Station of Xiamen University, Fujian, China
| | - Ling Wang
- Laboratory for Reproductive Immunology, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- The Academy of Integrative Medicine of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine-related Diseases, Shanghai, China
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8
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Lv Z, Chen L, Chen P, Peng H, Rong Y, Hong W, Zhou Q, Li N, Li B, Paolicelli RC, Zhan Y. Clearance of β-amyloid and synapses by the optogenetic depolarization of microglia is complement selective. Neuron 2024; 112:740-754.e7. [PMID: 38295790 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Microglia actively monitor the neighboring brain microenvironments and constantly contact synapses with their unique ramified processes. In neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), microglia undergo morphological and functional alterations. Whether the direct manipulation of microglia can selectively or concurrently modulate synaptic function and the response to disease-associated factors remains elusive. Here, we employ optogenetic methods to stimulate microglia in vitro and in vivo. Membrane depolarization rapidly changes microglia morphology and leads to enhanced phagocytosis. We found that the optogenetic stimulation of microglia can efficiently promote β-amyloid (Aβ) clearance in the brain parenchyma, but it can also enhance synapse elimination. Importantly, the inhibition of C1q selectively prevents synapse loss induced by microglia depolarization but does not affect Aβ clearance. Our data reveal independent microglia-mediated phagocytosis pathways toward Aβ and synapses. Our results also shed light on a synergistic strategy of depolarizing microglia and inhibiting complement functions for the clearance of Aβ while sparing synapses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zezhong Lv
- Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Lixi Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Neuroscience Program, Zhongshan School of Medicine and the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Ping Chen
- Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Huipai Peng
- Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, CAS Key Laboratory for Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yi Rong
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Wei Hong
- Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Qiang Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China; Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Nan Li
- Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, CAS Key Laboratory for Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Boxing Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Neuroscience Program, Zhongshan School of Medicine and the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Rosa C Paolicelli
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne 1005, Switzerland
| | - Yang Zhan
- Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China.
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9
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Tolar M, Hey JA, Power A, Abushakra S. The Single Toxin Origin of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Neurodegenerative Disorders Enables Targeted Approach to Treatment and Prevention. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2727. [PMID: 38473975 PMCID: PMC10932387 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
New data suggest that the aggregation of misfolded native proteins initiates and drives the pathogenic cascade that leads to Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other age-related neurodegenerative disorders. We propose a unifying single toxin theory of brain neurodegeneration that identifies new targets and approaches to the development of disease-modifying treatments. An extensive body of genetic evidence suggests soluble aggregates of beta-amyloid (Aβ) as the primary neurotoxin in the pathogenesis of AD. New insights from fluid biomarkers, imaging, and clinical studies provide further evidence for the decisive impact of toxic Aβ species in the initiation and progression of AD. Understanding the distinct roles of soluble and insoluble amyloid aggregates on AD pathogenesis has been the key missing piece of the Alzheimer's puzzle. Data from clinical trials with anti-amyloid agents and recent advances in the diagnosis of AD demonstrate that the driving insult in biologically defined AD is the neurotoxicity of soluble Aβ aggregates, called oligomers and protofibrils, rather than the relatively inert insoluble mature fibrils and amyloid plaques. Amyloid oligomers appear to be the primary factor causing the synaptic impairment, neuronal stress, spreading of tau pathology, and eventual cell death that lead to the clinical syndrome of AD dementia. All other biochemical effects and neurodegenerative changes in the brain that are observed in AD are a response to or a downstream effect of this initial toxic insult by oligomers. Other neurodegenerative disorders follow a similar pattern of pathogenesis, in which normal brain proteins with important biological functions become trapped in the aging brain due to impaired clearance and then misfold and aggregate into neurotoxic species that exhibit prion-like behavior. These aggregates then spread through the brain and cause disease-specific neurodegeneration. Targeting the inhibition of this initial step in neurodegeneration by blocking the misfolding and aggregation of healthy proteins has the potential to slow or arrest disease progression, and if treatment is administered early in the course of AD and other neurodegenerative disorders, it may delay or prevent the onset of clinical symptoms.
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10
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Rinauro DJ, Chiti F, Vendruscolo M, Limbocker R. Misfolded protein oligomers: mechanisms of formation, cytotoxic effects, and pharmacological approaches against protein misfolding diseases. Mol Neurodegener 2024; 19:20. [PMID: 38378578 PMCID: PMC10877934 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-023-00651-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The conversion of native peptides and proteins into amyloid aggregates is a hallmark of over 50 human disorders, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Increasing evidence implicates misfolded protein oligomers produced during the amyloid formation process as the primary cytotoxic agents in many of these devastating conditions. In this review, we analyze the processes by which oligomers are formed, their structures, physicochemical properties, population dynamics, and the mechanisms of their cytotoxicity. We then focus on drug discovery strategies that target the formation of oligomers and their ability to disrupt cell physiology and trigger degenerative processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dillon J Rinauro
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Fabrizio Chiti
- Section of Biochemistry, Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, 50134, Florence, Italy
| | - Michele Vendruscolo
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK.
| | - Ryan Limbocker
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, 10996, USA.
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11
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Colom-Cadena M, Toombs J, Simzer E, Holt K, McGeachan R, Tulloch J, Jackson RJ, Catterson JH, Spires-Jones MP, Rose J, Waybright L, Caggiano AO, King D, Gobbo F, Davies C, Hooley M, Dunnett S, Tempelaar R, Meftah S, Tzioras M, Hamby ME, Izzo NJ, Catalano SM, Durrant CS, Smith C, Dando O, Spires-Jones TL. Transmembrane protein 97 is a potential synaptic amyloid beta receptor in human Alzheimer's disease. Acta Neuropathol 2024; 147:32. [PMID: 38319380 PMCID: PMC10847197 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-023-02679-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 12/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
Synapse loss correlates with cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease, and soluble oligomeric amyloid beta (Aβ) is implicated in synaptic dysfunction and loss. An important knowledge gap is the lack of understanding of how Aβ leads to synapse degeneration. In particular, there has been difficulty in determining whether there is a synaptic receptor that binds Aβ and mediates toxicity. While many candidates have been observed in model systems, their relevance to human AD brain remains unknown. This is in part due to methodological limitations preventing visualization of Aβ binding at individual synapses. To overcome this limitation, we combined two high resolution microscopy techniques: array tomography and Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) to image over 1 million individual synaptic terminals in temporal cortex from AD (n = 11) and control cases (n = 9). Within presynapses and post-synaptic densities, oligomeric Aβ generates a FRET signal with transmembrane protein 97. Further, Aβ generates a FRET signal with cellular prion protein, and post-synaptic density 95 within post synapses. Transmembrane protein 97 is also present in a higher proportion of post synapses in Alzheimer's brain compared to controls. We inhibited Aβ/transmembrane protein 97 interaction in a mouse model of amyloidopathy by treating with the allosteric modulator CT1812. CT1812 drug concentration correlated negatively with synaptic FRET signal between transmembrane protein 97 and Aβ. In human-induced pluripotent stem cell derived neurons, transmembrane protein 97 is present in synapses and colocalizes with Aβ when neurons are challenged with human Alzheimer's brain homogenate. Transcriptional changes are induced by Aβ including changes in genes involved in neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation. CT1812 treatment of these neurons caused changes in gene sets involved in synaptic function. These data support a role for transmembrane protein 97 in the synaptic binding of Aβ in human Alzheimer's disease brain where it may mediate synaptotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martí Colom-Cadena
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, 1 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Jamie Toombs
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, 1 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Elizabeth Simzer
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, 1 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Kristjan Holt
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, 1 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Robert McGeachan
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, 1 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Jane Tulloch
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, 1 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Rosemary J Jackson
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, 1 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK
- MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02129, USA
| | - James H Catterson
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, 1 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Maxwell P Spires-Jones
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, 1 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Jamie Rose
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, 1 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK
| | | | | | - Declan King
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, 1 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Francesco Gobbo
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, 1 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Caitlin Davies
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, 1 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Monique Hooley
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, 1 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Sophie Dunnett
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, 1 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Robert Tempelaar
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, 1 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Soraya Meftah
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, 1 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Makis Tzioras
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, 1 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK
- Scottish Brain Sciences, Edinburgh, EH12 9DQ, UK
| | - Mary E Hamby
- Cognition Therapeutics Inc., Pittsburgh, PA, 15203, USA
| | | | | | - Claire S Durrant
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, 1 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Colin Smith
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences and Sudden Death Brain Bank, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH16 4HB, UK
| | - Owen Dando
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, 1 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Tara L Spires-Jones
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, 1 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK.
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12
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Gao H, Chen J, Huang Y, Zhao R. Advances in targeted tracking and detection of soluble amyloid-β aggregates as a biomarker of Alzheimer's disease. Talanta 2024; 268:125311. [PMID: 37857110 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2023.125311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Misfolding and aggregation of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides are key hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD). With accumulating evidence suggesting that different Aβ species have varied neurotoxicity and implications in AD development, the discovery of affinity ligands and analytical approaches to selective distinguish, detect, and monitor Aβ becomes an active research area. Remarkable advances have been achieved, which not only promote our understanding of the biophysical chemistry of the protein aggregation during neurodegeneration, but also provide promising tools for early detection of the disease. In view of this, we summarize the recent progress in selective and sensitive approaches for tracking and detection of Aβ species. Specific attentions are given to soluble Aβ oligomers, due to their crucial roles in AD development and occurrence at early stages. The design principle, performance of targeting units, and their cooperative effects with signal reporters for Aβ analysis are discussed. The applications of the novel targeting probes and sensing systems for dynamic monitoring oligomerization, measuring Aβ in biosamples and in vivo imaging in brain are summarized. Finally, the perspective and challenges are discussed regarding the future development of Aβ-targeting analytical tools to explore the unknown field to contribute to the early diagnosis and treatment of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Gao
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Living Biosystems, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China; School of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jian Chen
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Living Biosystems, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China; School of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yanyan Huang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Living Biosystems, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China; School of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Rui Zhao
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Living Biosystems, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China; School of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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13
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Kreutzer AG, Parrocha CMT, Haerianardakani S, Guaglianone G, Nguyen JT, Diab MN, Yong W, Perez-Rosendahl M, Head E, Nowick JS. Antibodies Raised Against an Aβ Oligomer Mimic Recognize Pathological Features in Alzheimer's Disease and Associated Amyloid-Disease Brain Tissue. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2024; 10:104-121. [PMID: 38292607 PMCID: PMC10823522 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.3c00592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Antibodies that target the β-amyloid peptide (Aβ) and its associated assemblies are important tools in Alzheimer's disease research and have emerged as promising Alzheimer's disease therapies. This paper reports the creation and characterization of a triangular Aβ trimer mimic composed of Aβ17-36 β-hairpins and the generation and study of polyclonal antibodies raised against the Aβ trimer mimic. The Aβ trimer mimic is covalently stabilized by three disulfide bonds at the corners of the triangular trimer to create a homogeneous oligomer. Structural, biophysical, and cell-based studies demonstrate that the Aβ trimer mimic shares characteristics with oligomers of full-length Aβ. X-ray crystallography elucidates the structure of the trimer and reveals that four copies of the trimer assemble to form a dodecamer. SDS-PAGE, size exclusion chromatography, and dynamic light scattering reveal that the trimer also forms higher-order assemblies in solution. Cell-based toxicity assays show that the trimer elicits LDH release, decreases ATP levels, and activates caspase-3/7 mediated apoptosis. Immunostaining studies on brain slices from people who lived with Alzheimer's disease and people who lived with Down syndrome reveal that the polyclonal antibodies raised against the Aβ trimer mimic recognize pathological features including different types of Aβ plaques and cerebral amyloid angiopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam G. Kreutzer
- Department
of Chemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Chelsea Marie T. Parrocha
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of
California Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Sepehr Haerianardakani
- Department
of Chemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Gretchen Guaglianone
- Department
of Chemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Jennifer T. Nguyen
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of
California Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Michelle N. Diab
- Department
of Chemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - William Yong
- Department
of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University
of California Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Mari Perez-Rosendahl
- Department
of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University
of California Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Elizabeth Head
- Department
of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University
of California Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - James S. Nowick
- Department
of Chemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of
California Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
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14
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de Gea P, Benkeder S, Bouvet P, Aimard M, Chounlamountri N, Honnorat J, Do LD, Meissirel C. VEGF controls microglial phagocytic response to amyloid-β. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1264402. [PMID: 38162003 PMCID: PMC10757340 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1264402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Microglial cells are well known to be implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), due to the impaired clearance of amyloid-β (Aβ) protein. In AD, Aβ accumulates in the brain parenchyma as soluble oligomers and protofibrils, and its aggregation process further give rise to amyloid plaques. Compelling evidence now indicate that Aβ oligomers (Aβo) are the most toxic forms responsible for neuronal and synaptic alterations. Recently, we showed that the Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) counteracts Aβo-induced synaptic alterations and that a peptide derived from VEGF is able to inhibit Aβ aggregation process. Moreover, VEGF has been reported to promote microglial chemotaxis to Aβ brain deposits. We therefore investigated whether VEGF could influence microglial phagocytic response to Aβ, using in vitro and ex vivo models of amyloid accumulation. We report here that VEGF increases Aβo phagocytosis by microglial cells and further characterized the molecular basis of the VEGF effect. VEGF is able to control α-secretase activity in microglial cells, resulting in the increased cleavage of the Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid cells 2 (TREM2), a major microglial Aβ receptor. Consistently, the soluble form sTREM2 also increases Aβo phagocytosis by microglial cells. Taken together, these findings propose VEGF as a new regulator of Aβ clearance and suggest its potential role in rescuing compromised microglial function in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priscille de Gea
- Laboratory MeLIS, Institut Neuromyogène, Synaptopathies and Autoantibodies, INSERM U1314, CNRS UMR 5284, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France
| | - Sarah Benkeder
- Laboratory MeLIS, Institut Neuromyogène, Synaptopathies and Autoantibodies, INSERM U1314, CNRS UMR 5284, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France
| | - Pauline Bouvet
- Laboratory MeLIS, Institut Neuromyogène, Synaptopathies and Autoantibodies, INSERM U1314, CNRS UMR 5284, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France
| | - Mélanie Aimard
- Laboratory MeLIS, Institut Neuromyogène, Synaptopathies and Autoantibodies, INSERM U1314, CNRS UMR 5284, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France
| | - Naura Chounlamountri
- Laboratory MeLIS, Institut Neuromyogène, Synaptopathies and Autoantibodies, INSERM U1314, CNRS UMR 5284, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France
| | - Jérôme Honnorat
- Laboratory MeLIS, Institut Neuromyogène, Synaptopathies and Autoantibodies, INSERM U1314, CNRS UMR 5284, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France
- French Reference Center for Paraneoplastic Neurological Syndromes and Autoimmune Encephalitis, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Hôpital Neurologique Pierre Wertheimer, Bron, France
| | - Le Duy Do
- Laboratory MeLIS, Institut Neuromyogène, Synaptopathies and Autoantibodies, INSERM U1314, CNRS UMR 5284, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France
- French Reference Center for Paraneoplastic Neurological Syndromes and Autoimmune Encephalitis, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Hôpital Neurologique Pierre Wertheimer, Bron, France
| | - Claire Meissirel
- Laboratory MeLIS, Institut Neuromyogène, Synaptopathies and Autoantibodies, INSERM U1314, CNRS UMR 5284, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France
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15
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Yu H, Morihara R, Ota-Elliott R, Bian Z, Bian Y, Hu X, Sun H, Fukui Y, Abe K, Ishiura H, Yamashita T. Injection of exogenous amyloid-β oligomers aggravated cognitive deficits, and activated necroptosis, in APP23 transgenic mice. Brain Res 2023; 1821:148565. [PMID: 37683777 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2023.148565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that is characterized by the loss of synapses and neurons in the brain, and the accumulation of amyloid plaques. Aβ oligomers (AβO) play a critical role in the pathogenesis of AD. Although there is increasing evidence to support the involvement of necroptosis in the pathogenesis of AD, the exact mechanism remains elusive. In the present study, we explored the effect of exogenous AβO injection on cell necroptosis and cognitive deficits in APP23 transgenic mice. We found that intrahippocampal injection of AβO accelerated the development of AD pathology and caused cognitive impairment in APP23 mice. Specifically, AβO injection significantly accelerated the accumulation of AβO and increased the expression level of phosphorylated-tau, and also induced necroptosis. Behavioral tests showed that AβO injection was associated with cognitive impairment. Furthermore, necroptosis induced by AβO injection occurred predominantly in microglia of the AD brain. We speculate that AβO increased necroptosis by activating microglia, resulting in cognitive deficits. Our results may aid in an understanding of the role played by AβO in AD from an alternative perspective and provide new ideas and evidence for necroptosis as a potential intervention and therapeutic target for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haibo Yu
- Department of Neurology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan
| | - Ryuta Morihara
- Department of Neurology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan
| | - Ricardo Ota-Elliott
- Department of Neurology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan
| | - Zhihong Bian
- Department of Neurology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan
| | - Yuting Bian
- Department of Neurology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan
| | - Xinran Hu
- Department of Neurology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan
| | - Hongming Sun
- Department of Neurology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan
| | - Yusuke Fukui
- Department of Neurology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan
| | - Koji Abe
- National Center Hospital, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira-shi, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Ishiura
- Department of Neurology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan
| | - Toru Yamashita
- Department of Neurology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan.
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16
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Purro SA, Farmer M, Noble E, Sarell CJ, Powell M, Yip D, Giggins L, Zakka L, Thomas DX, Farrow M, Nicoll AJ, Walsh D, Collinge J. Two mouse models of Alzheimer's disease accumulate amyloid at different rates and have distinct Aβ oligomer profiles unaltered by ablation of cellular prion protein. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0294465. [PMID: 37976283 PMCID: PMC10655998 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0294465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Oligomers formed from monomers of the amyloid β-protein (Aβ) are thought to be central to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Unsurprisingly for a complex disease, current mouse models of AD fail to fully mimic the clinical disease in humans. Moreover, results obtained in a given mouse model are not always reproduced in a different model. Cellular prion protein (PrPC) is now an established receptor for Aβ oligomers. However, studies of the Aβ-PrPC interaction in different mouse models have yielded contradictory results. Here we performed a longitudinal study assessing a range of biochemical and histological features in the commonly used J20 and APP-PS1 mouse models. Our analysis demonstrated that PrPC ablation had no effect on amyloid accumulation or oligomer production. However, we found that APP-PS1 mice had higher levels of oligomers, that these could bind to recombinant PrPC, and were recognised by the OC antibody which distinguishes parallel, in register fibrils. On the other hand, J20 mice had a lower level of Aβ oligomers, which did not interact with PrPC when tested in vitro and were OC-negative. These results suggest the two mouse models produce diverse Aβ assemblies that could interact with different targets, highlighting the necessity to characterise the conformation of the Aβ oligomers concomitantly with the toxic cascade elicited by them. Our results provide an explanation for the apparent contradictory results found in APP-PS1 mice and the J20 mouse line in regards to Aβ toxicity mediated by PrPC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia A. Purro
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, Institute of Prion diseases, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Farmer
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, Institute of Prion diseases, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Elizabeth Noble
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, Institute of Prion diseases, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Claire J. Sarell
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, Institute of Prion diseases, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Megan Powell
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, Institute of Prion diseases, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel Yip
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, Institute of Prion diseases, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Lauren Giggins
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, Institute of Prion diseases, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Leila Zakka
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, Institute of Prion diseases, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - David X. Thomas
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, Institute of Prion diseases, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mark Farrow
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, Institute of Prion diseases, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew J. Nicoll
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, Institute of Prion diseases, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Dominic Walsh
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, Institute of Prion diseases, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Research, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - John Collinge
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, Institute of Prion diseases, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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17
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Mo L, Chen J, Cai C, Guo Y, Zeng LH, Li S, Tan J. The Amphiphilic Property and Structure of β-Amyloid Peptide Contribute to Its Impacts on the Activities of Horseradish Peroxidase and Alkaline Phosphatase. ACS Chem Neurosci 2023; 14:3019-3024. [PMID: 37607046 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have found that β-amyloid (Aβ) oligomers may play much more important roles than amyloid plaques in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, due to the complexity of Aβ, studying the structural basis of Aβ oligomer toxicity is challenging. Here, we assessed the amphiphilic property and β-hairpin structure of Aβ monomer. The potential impacts of Aβ oligomers and three sequence-modifying peptides on the enzyme activities of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were further evaluated. We demonstrated that Aβ oligomer possesses the ability to alter the activity of two enzymes. Moreover, modifications on the hydrophobic region and β-turn structure of Aβ monomer significantly alter its impacts on the enzyme activities. In addition, these modifications also change the bonding modes of Aβ monomers or oligomers binding to HRP, as assessed by molecular docking. All of these findings provide direct experimental evidence to reveal the critical roles of the amphiphilic property and β-sheet structure of Aβ monomer in its impacts on protein activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Mo
- Key Laboratory of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, China
| | - Jiang Chen
- Key Laboratory of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, China
| | - Chuanbin Cai
- Key Laboratory of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, China
| | - Yi Guo
- Key Laboratory of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, China
| | - Ling-Hui Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Novel Targets and Drug Study for Neural Repair of Zhejiang Province, School of Medicine, Hangzhou City University, Hangzhou 310015, China
| | - Song Li
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116021, China
| | - Jun Tan
- Key Laboratory of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, China
- Key Laboratory of Novel Targets and Drug Study for Neural Repair of Zhejiang Province, School of Medicine, Hangzhou City University, Hangzhou 310015, China
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18
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Saha J, Ford BJ, Wang X, Boyd S, Morgan SE, Rangachari V. Sugar distributions on gangliosides guide the formation and stability of amyloid-β oligomers. Biophys Chem 2023; 300:107073. [PMID: 37413816 PMCID: PMC10529042 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2023.107073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
Aggregation of Aβ peptides is a key contributor to the etiology of Alzheimer's disease. Being intrinsically disordered, monomeric Aβ is susceptible to conformational excursions, especially in the presence of important interacting partners such as membrane lipids, to adopt specific aggregation pathways. Furthermore, components such as gangliosides in membranes and lipid rafts are known to play important roles in the adoption of pathways and the generation of discrete neurotoxic oligomers. Yet, what roles do carbohydrates on gangliosides play in this process remains unknown. Here, using GM1, GM3, and GD3 ganglioside micelles as models, we show that the sugar distributions and cationic amino acids within Aβ N-terminal region modulate oligomerization of Aβ temporally, and dictate the stability and maturation of oligomers. These results demonstrate the selectivity of sugar distributions on the membrane surface toward oligomerization of Aβ and thus implicate cell-selective enrichment of oligomers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jhinuk Saha
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, 118, College Dr Hattiesburg, MS 39402, USA
| | - Brea J Ford
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, 118, College Dr Hattiesburg, MS 39402, USA
| | | | - Sydney Boyd
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, 118, College Dr Hattiesburg, MS 39402, USA
| | | | - Vijayaraghavan Rangachari
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, 118, College Dr Hattiesburg, MS 39402, USA; Center for Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA.
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19
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Yang Y, Ondrejcak T, Hu NW, Islam S, O'Rourke E, Reilly RB, Cunningham C, Rowan MJ, Klyubin I. Gamma-patterned sensory stimulation reverses synaptic plasticity deficits in rat models of early Alzheimer's disease. Eur J Neurosci 2023; 58:3402-3411. [PMID: 37655756 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Non-invasive sensory stimulation in the range of the brain's gamma rhythm (30-100 Hz) is emerging as a new potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here, we investigated the effect of repeated combined exposure to 40 Hz synchronized sound and light stimuli on hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) in vivo in three rat models of early AD. We employed a very complete model of AD amyloidosis, amyloid precursor protein (APP)-overexpressing transgenic McGill-R-Thy1-APP rats at an early pre-plaque stage, systemic treatment of transgenic APP rats with corticosterone modelling certain environmental AD risk factors and, importantly, intracerebral injection of highly disease-relevant AD patient-derived synaptotoxic beta-amyloid and tau in wild-type animals. We found that daily treatment with 40 Hz sensory stimulation for 2 weeks fully abrogated the inhibition of LTP in all three models. Moreover, there was a negative correlation between the magnitude of LTP and the level of active caspase-1 in the hippocampus of transgenic APP animals, which suggests that the beneficial effect of 40 Hz stimulation was dependent on modulation of pro-inflammatory mechanisms. Our findings support ongoing clinical trials of gamma-patterned sensory stimulation in early AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yin Yang
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Tomas Ondrejcak
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Neng-Wei Hu
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Sadia Islam
- School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Eugene O'Rourke
- Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Richard B Reilly
- School of Medicine, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Colm Cunningham
- School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Michael J Rowan
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Igor Klyubin
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
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20
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Meyer N, Bentin J, Janot JM, Abrao-Nemeir I, Charles-Achille S, Pratlong M, Aquilina A, Trinquet E, Perrier V, Picaud F, Torrent J, Balme S. Ultrasensitive Detection of Aβ42 Seeds in Cerebrospinal Fluid with a Nanopipette-Based Real-Time Fast Amyloid Seeding and Translocation Assay. Anal Chem 2023; 95:12623-12630. [PMID: 37587130 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c00017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
In this work, early-stage Aβ42 aggregates were detected using a real-time fast amyloid seeding and translocation (RT-FAST) assay. Specifically, Aβ42 monomers were incubated in buffer solution with and without preformed Aβ42 seeds in a quartz nanopipette coated with L-DOPA. Then, formed Aβ42 aggregates were analyzed on flyby resistive pulse sensing at various incubation time points. Aβ42 aggregates were detected only in the sample with Aβ42 seeds after 180 min of incubation, giving an on/off readout of the presence of preformed seeds. Moreover, this RT-FAST assay could detect preformed seeds spiked in 4% cerebrospinal fluid/buffer solution. However, in this condition, the time to detect the first aggregates was increased. Analysis of Cy3-labeled Aβ42 monomer adsorption on a quartz substrate after L-DOPA coating by confocal fluorescence spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulation showed the huge influence of Aβ42 adsorption on the aggregation process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Meyer
- Institut Européen des Membranes, UMR5635 UM ENCSM CNRS, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier cedex 5, France
- INM UM, CNRS, INSERM, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier cedex 5, France
| | - Jeremy Bentin
- Laboratoire de Nanomédecine, Imagerie et Thérapeutique, EA4662, Université Bourgogne-Franche-Comté (UFR Sciences et Techniques), Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Besançon, 16 route de Gray, 25030 Besançon, France
| | - Jean-Marc Janot
- Institut Européen des Membranes, UMR5635 UM ENCSM CNRS, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier cedex 5, France
| | - Imad Abrao-Nemeir
- Institut Européen des Membranes, UMR5635 UM ENCSM CNRS, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier cedex 5, France
| | - Saly Charles-Achille
- Institut Européen des Membranes, UMR5635 UM ENCSM CNRS, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier cedex 5, France
| | - Maud Pratlong
- PerkinElmer, Parc Marcel Boiteux, 30200 Codolet, France
| | | | - Eric Trinquet
- PerkinElmer, Parc Marcel Boiteux, 30200 Codolet, France
| | - Veronique Perrier
- INM UM, CNRS, INSERM, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier cedex 5, France
| | - Fabien Picaud
- Laboratoire de Nanomédecine, Imagerie et Thérapeutique, EA4662, Université Bourgogne-Franche-Comté (UFR Sciences et Techniques), Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Besançon, 16 route de Gray, 25030 Besançon, France
| | - Joan Torrent
- INM UM, CNRS, INSERM, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier cedex 5, France
| | - Sebastien Balme
- Institut Européen des Membranes, UMR5635 UM ENCSM CNRS, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier cedex 5, France
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21
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Ondrejcak T, Klyubin I, Hu NW, O'Malley TT, Corbett GT, Winters R, Perkinton MS, Billinton A, Prenderville JA, Walsh DM, Rowan MJ. Tau and Amyloid β Protein in Patient-Derived Aqueous Brain Extracts Act Concomitantly to Disrupt Long-Term Potentiation in Vivo. J Neurosci 2023; 43:5870-5879. [PMID: 37491315 PMCID: PMC10423043 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0082-23.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyloid β protein (Aβ) and tau, the two main proteins implicated in causing Alzheimer's disease (AD), are posited to trigger synaptic dysfunction long before significant synaptic loss occurs in vulnerable circuits. Whereas soluble Aβ aggregates from AD brain are well recognized potent synaptotoxins, less is known about the synaptotoxicity of soluble tau from AD or other tauopathy patient brains. Minimally manipulated patient-derived aqueous brain extracts contain the more diffusible native forms of these proteins. Here, we explore how intracerebral injection of Aβ and tau present in such aqueous extracts of patient brain contribute to disruption of synaptic plasticity in the CA1 area of the male rat hippocampus. Aqueous extracts of certain AD brains acutely inhibited long-term potentiation (LTP) of synaptic transmission in a manner that required both Aβ and tau. Tau-containing aqueous extracts of a brain from a patient with Pick's disease (PiD) also impaired LTP, and diffusible tau from either AD or PiD brain lowered the threshold for AD brain Aβ to inhibit LTP. Remarkably, the disruption of LTP persisted for at least 2 weeks after a single injection. These findings support a critical role for diffusible tau in causing rapid onset, persistent synaptic plasticity deficits, and promoting Aβ-mediated synaptic dysfunction.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The microtubule-associated protein tau forms relatively insoluble fibrillar deposits in the brains of people with neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's and Pick's diseases. More soluble aggregates of disease-associated tau may diffuse between cells and could cause damage to synapses in vulnerable circuits. We prepared aqueous extracts of diseased cerebral cortex and tested their ability to interfere with synaptic function in the brains of live rats. Tau in these extracts rapidly and persistently disrupted synaptic plasticity and facilitated impairments caused by amyloid β protein, the other major pathologic protein in Alzheimer's disease. These findings show that certain diffusible forms of tau can mediate synaptic dysfunction and may be a target for therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomas Ondrejcak
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, School of Medicine and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Igor Klyubin
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, School of Medicine and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Neng-Wei Hu
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, School of Medicine and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Tiernan T O'Malley
- Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Research, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Hale Building for Transformative Medicine, 60 Fenwood Road, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
| | - Grant T Corbett
- Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Research, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Hale Building for Transformative Medicine, 60 Fenwood Road, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
| | - Róisín Winters
- Transpharmation Ireland, Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Michael S Perkinton
- Neuroscience, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca UK, Cambridge, CB21 6GH, United Kingdom
| | - Andy Billinton
- Neuroscience, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca UK, Cambridge, CB21 6GH, United Kingdom
| | - Jack A Prenderville
- Transpharmation Ireland, Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Dominic M Walsh
- Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Research, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Hale Building for Transformative Medicine, 60 Fenwood Road, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
| | - Michael J Rowan
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, School of Medicine and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
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22
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Stern AM, Yang Y, Jin S, Yamashita K, Meunier AL, Liu W, Cai Y, Ericsson M, Liu L, Goedert M, Scheres SHW, Selkoe DJ. Abundant Aβ fibrils in ultracentrifugal supernatants of aqueous extracts from Alzheimer's disease brains. Neuron 2023; 111:2012-2020.e4. [PMID: 37167969 PMCID: PMC10330525 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Soluble oligomers of amyloid β-protein (Aβ) have been defined as aggregates in supernatants following ultracentrifugation of aqueous extracts from Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains and are believed to be upstream initiators of synaptic dysfunction, but little is known about their structures. We now report the unexpected presence of Aβ fibrils in synaptotoxic high-speed supernatants from AD brains extracted by soaking in an aqueous buffer. The fibrils did not appear to form during preparation, and their counts by EM correlated with Aβ ELISA quantification. Cryo-EM structures of aqueous Aβ fibrils were identical to those from sarkosyl-insoluble homogenates. The fibrils in aqueous extracts were labeled by lecanemab, an Aβ aggregate-directed antibody reported to improve AD cognitive outcomes. Lecanemab provided protection against aqueous fibril synaptotoxicity. We conclude that fibrils are abundant in aqueous extracts from AD brains and have the same structures as those from plaques. These findings have implications for AD pathogenesis and drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew M Stern
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Yang Yang
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Shanxue Jin
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Keitaro Yamashita
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Angela L Meunier
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Wen Liu
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Yuqi Cai
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Maria Ericsson
- Harvard Medical School Electron Microscopy Facility, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Lei Liu
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Michel Goedert
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Sjors H W Scheres
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Dennis J Selkoe
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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23
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Mohd Nor Ihsan NS, Abdul Sani SF, Looi LM, Cheah PL, Chiew SF, Pathmanathan D, Bradley DA. A review: Exploring the metabolic and structural characterisation of beta pleated amyloid fibril in human tissue using Raman spectrometry and SAXS. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023:S0079-6107(23)00059-7. [PMID: 37307955 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2023.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Amyloidosis is a deleterious condition caused by abnormal amyloid fibril build-up in living tissues. To date, 42 proteins that are linked to amyloid fibrils have been discovered. Amyloid fibril structure variation can affect the severity, progression rate, or clinical symptoms of amyloidosis. Since amyloid fibril build-up is the primary pathological basis for various neurodegenerative illnesses, characterization of these deadly proteins, particularly utilising optical techniques have been a focus. Spectroscopy techniques provide significant non-invasive platforms for the investigation of the structure and conformation of amyloid fibrils, offering a wide spectrum of analyses ranging from nanometric to micrometric size scales. Even though this area of study has been intensively explored, there still remain aspects of amyloid fibrillization that are not fully known, a matter hindering progress in treating and curing amyloidosis. This review aims to provide recent updates and comprehensive information on optical techniques for metabolic and proteomic characterization of β-pleated amyloid fibrils found in human tissue with thorough literature analysis of publications. Raman spectroscopy and SAXS are well established experimental methods for study of structural properties of biomaterials. With suitable models, they offer extended information for valid proteomic analysis under physiologically relevant conditions. This review points to evidence that despite limitations, these techniques are able to provide for the necessary output and proteomics indication in order to extrapolate the aetiology of amyloid fibrils for reliable diagnostic purposes. Our metabolic database may also contribute to elucidating the nature and function of the amyloid proteome in development and clearance of amyloid diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- N S Mohd Nor Ihsan
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - S F Abdul Sani
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
| | - L M Looi
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - P L Cheah
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - S F Chiew
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Dharini Pathmanathan
- Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - D A Bradley
- Centre for Applied Physics and Radiation Technologies, Sunway University, 46150 PJ, Malaysia; Department of Physics, School of Mathematics & Physics, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH, UK
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24
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King D, Holt K, Toombs J, He X, Dando O, Okely JA, Tzioras M, Rose J, Gunn C, Correia A, Montero C, McAlister H, Tulloch J, Lamont D, Taylor AM, Harris SE, Redmond P, Cox SR, Henstridge CM, Deary IJ, Smith C, Spires-Jones TL. Synaptic resilience is associated with maintained cognition during ageing. Alzheimers Dement 2023; 19:2560-2574. [PMID: 36547260 DOI: 10.1002/alz.12894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION It remains unclear why age increases risk of Alzheimer's disease and why some people experience age-related cognitive decline in the absence of dementia. Here we test the hypothesis that resilience to molecular changes in synapses contribute to healthy cognitive ageing. METHODS We examined post-mortem brain tissue from people in mid-life (n = 15), healthy ageing with either maintained cognition (n = 9) or lifetime cognitive decline (n = 8), and Alzheimer's disease (n = 13). Synapses were examined with high resolution imaging, proteomics, and RNA sequencing. Stem cell-derived neurons were challenged with Alzheimer's brain homogenate. RESULTS Synaptic pathology increased, and expression of genes involved in synaptic signaling decreased between mid-life, healthy ageing and Alzheimer's. In contrast, brain tissue and neurons from people with maintained cognition during ageing exhibited decreases in synaptic signaling genes compared to people with cognitive decline. DISCUSSION Efficient synaptic networks without pathological protein accumulation may contribute to maintained cognition during ageing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Declan King
- UK Dementia Research Institute and Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Kris Holt
- UK Dementia Research Institute and Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Jamie Toombs
- UK Dementia Research Institute and Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Xin He
- UK Dementia Research Institute and Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Owen Dando
- UK Dementia Research Institute and Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Judith A Okely
- Lothian Birth Cohorts, Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Makis Tzioras
- UK Dementia Research Institute and Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Jamie Rose
- UK Dementia Research Institute and Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Ciaran Gunn
- UK Dementia Research Institute and Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Adele Correia
- UK Dementia Research Institute and Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Carmen Montero
- UK Dementia Research Institute and Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Hannah McAlister
- UK Dementia Research Institute and Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Jane Tulloch
- UK Dementia Research Institute and Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Douglas Lamont
- FingerPrints Proteomics Facility, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Adele M Taylor
- Lothian Birth Cohorts, Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Sarah E Harris
- Lothian Birth Cohorts, Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Paul Redmond
- Lothian Birth Cohorts, Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Simon R Cox
- Lothian Birth Cohorts, Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | | | - Ian J Deary
- Lothian Birth Cohorts, Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Colin Smith
- Neuropathology, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Tara L Spires-Jones
- UK Dementia Research Institute and Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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25
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Kreutzer AG, Guaglianone G, Yoo S, Parrocha CMT, Ruttenberg SM, Malonis RJ, Tong K, Lin YF, Nguyen JT, Howitz WJ, Diab MN, Hamza IL, Lai JR, Wysocki VH, Nowick JS. Probing differences among Aβ oligomers with two triangular trimers derived from Aβ. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2219216120. [PMID: 37216514 PMCID: PMC10235986 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2219216120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The assembly of the β-amyloid peptide (Aβ) to form oligomers and fibrils is closely associated with the pathogenesis and progression of Alzheimer's disease. Aβ is a shape-shifting peptide capable of adopting many conformations and folds within the multitude of oligomers and fibrils the peptide forms. These properties have precluded detailed structural elucidation and biological characterization of homogeneous, well-defined Aβ oligomers. In this paper, we compare the structural, biophysical, and biological characteristics of two different covalently stabilized isomorphic trimers derived from the central and C-terminal regions Aβ. X-ray crystallography reveals the structures of the trimers and shows that each trimer forms a ball-shaped dodecamer. Solution-phase and cell-based studies demonstrate that the two trimers exhibit markedly different assembly and biological properties. One trimer forms small soluble oligomers that enter cells through endocytosis and activate capase-3/7-mediated apoptosis, while the other trimer forms large insoluble aggregates that accumulate on the outer plasma membrane and elicit cellular toxicity through an apoptosis-independent mechanism. The two trimers also exhibit different effects on the aggregation, toxicity, and cellular interaction of full-length Aβ, with one trimer showing a greater propensity to interact with Aβ than the other. The studies described in this paper indicate that the two trimers share structural, biophysical, and biological characteristics with oligomers of full-length Aβ. The varying structural, assembly, and biological characteristics of the two trimers provide a working model for how different Aβ trimers can assemble and lead to different biological effects, which may help shed light on the differences among Aβ oligomers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam G. Kreutzer
- Department of Chemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA92697
| | | | - Stan Yoo
- Department of Chemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA92697
| | | | | | - Ryan J. Malonis
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY10461
| | - Karen Tong
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY10461
| | - Yu-Fu Lin
- Resource for Native Mass Spectrometry Guided Structural Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH43210
| | - Jennifer T. Nguyen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA92697
| | - William J. Howitz
- Department of Chemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA92697
| | - Michelle N. Diab
- Department of Chemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA92697
| | - Imane L. Hamza
- Department of Chemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA92697
| | - Jonathan R. Lai
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY10461
| | - Vicki H. Wysocki
- Resource for Native Mass Spectrometry Guided Structural Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH43210
| | - James S. Nowick
- Department of Chemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA92697
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA92697
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26
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Liu Y, Shi X, Tian Y, Zhai S, Liu Y, Xiong Z, Chu S. An insight into novel therapeutic potentials of taxifolin. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1173855. [PMID: 37261284 PMCID: PMC10227600 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1173855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Taxifolin is a flavonoid compound, originally isolated from the bark of Douglas fir trees, which is often found in foods such as onions and olive oil, and is also used in commercial preparations, and has attracted the interest of nutritionists and medicinal chemists due to its broad range of health-promoting effects. It is a powerful antioxidant with excellent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and other pharmacological activities. This review focuses on the breakthroughs in taxifolin for the treatment of diseases from 2019 to 2022 according to various systems of the human body, such as the nervous system, immune system, and digestive system, and on the basis of this review, we summarize the problems of current research and try to suggest solutions and future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Liu
- Department of Implantology, Hospital of Stomatology, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xiaolu Shi
- Department of Implantology, Hospital of Stomatology, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Ye Tian
- Department of Implantology, Hospital of Stomatology, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Shaobo Zhai
- Department of Implantology, Hospital of Stomatology, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yuyan Liu
- Department of Endodontics, Hospital of Stomatology, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Zhengrong Xiong
- Polymer Composites Engineering Laboratory, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Changchun, China
| | - Shunli Chu
- Department of Implantology, Hospital of Stomatology, Jilin University, Changchun, China
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Saha J, Ford BJ, Boyd S, Rangachari V. Sugar distributions on gangliosides guide the formation and stability of amyloid-β oligomers. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.09.540003. [PMID: 37214891 PMCID: PMC10197704 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.09.540003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Aggregation of Aβ peptides has been known as a key contributor to the etiology of Alzheimer's disease. Being intrinsically disordered, the monomeric Aβ is susceptible to conformational excursions, especially in the presence of key interacting partners such as membrane lipids, to adopt specific aggregation pathways. Furthermore, key components such as gangliosides in membranes and lipid rafts are known to play important roles in the adoption of pathways and the generation of discrete neurotoxic oligomers. Yet, what roles the carbohydrates on gangliosides play in this process remains unknown. Here, using GM1, GM3, and GD3 ganglioside micelles as models, we show that the sugar distributions and cationic amino acids within Aβ N-terminal region modulate oligomerization of Aβ temporally, and dictate the stability and maturation of oligomers.
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Zott B, Konnerth A. Impairments of glutamatergic synaptic transmission in Alzheimer's disease. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2023; 139:24-34. [PMID: 35337739 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
One of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is structural cell damage and neuronal death in the brains of affected individuals. As these changes are irreversible, it is important to understand their origins and precursors in order to develop treatment strategies against AD. Here, we review evidence for AD-specific impairments of glutamatergic synaptic transmission by relating evidence from human AD subjects to functional studies in animal models of AD. The emerging picture is that early in the disease, the accumulation of toxic β-amyloid aggregates, particularly dimers and low molecular weight oligomers, disrupts glutamate reuptake, which leads to its extracellular accumulation causing neuronal depolarization. This drives the hyperactivation of neurons and might facilitate neuronal damage and degeneration through glutamate neurotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedikt Zott
- Institute of Neuroscience, Technical University of Munich, 80802 Munich, Germany; Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology, Technical University of Munich, 80802 Munich, Germany; Department of Neuroradiology, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany.
| | - Arthur Konnerth
- Institute of Neuroscience, Technical University of Munich, 80802 Munich, Germany; Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology, Technical University of Munich, 80802 Munich, Germany
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29
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Wang Z, Jin M, Hong W, Liu W, Reczek D, Lagomarsino VN, Hu Y, Weeden T, Frosch MP, Young-Pearse TL, Pradier L, Selkoe D, Walsh DM. Learnings about Aβ from human brain recommend the use of a live-neuron bioassay for the discovery of next generation Alzheimer's disease immunotherapeutics. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2023; 11:39. [PMID: 36899414 PMCID: PMC10007750 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-023-01511-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite ongoing debate, the amyloid β-protein (Aβ) remains the prime therapeutic target for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, rational drug design has been hampered by a lack of knowledge about neuroactive Aβ. To help address this deficit, we developed live-cell imaging of iPSC-derived human neurons (iNs) to study the effects of the most disease relevant form of Aβ-oligomeric assemblies (oAβ) extracted from AD brain. Of ten brains studied, extracts from nine caused neuritotoxicity, and in eight cases this was abrogated by Aβ immunodepletion. Here we show that activity in this bioassay agrees relatively well with disruption of hippocampal long-term potentiation, a correlate of learning and memory, and that measurement of neurotoxic oAβ can be obscured by more abundant non-toxic forms of Aβ. These findings indicate that the development of novel Aβ targeting therapeutics may benefit from unbiased activity-based discovery. To test this principle, we directly compared 5 clinical antibodies (aducanumab, bapineuzumab, BAN2401, gantenerumab, and SAR228810) together with an in-house aggregate-preferring antibody (1C22) and established relative EC50s in protecting human neurons from human Aβ. The results yielded objective numerical data on the potency of each antibody in neutralizing human oAβ neuritotoxicity. Their relative efficacies in this morphological assay were paralleled by their functional ability to rescue oAβ-induced inhibition of hippocampal synaptic plasticity. This novel paradigm provides an unbiased, all-human system for selecting candidate antibodies for advancement to human immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zemin Wang
- Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Research, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Hale Building for Transformative Medicine, 60 Fenwood Road, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Ming Jin
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Wei Hong
- Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Research, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Hale Building for Transformative Medicine, 60 Fenwood Road, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Wen Liu
- Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Research, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Hale Building for Transformative Medicine, 60 Fenwood Road, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - David Reczek
- Sanofi-Genzyme Corporation, Framingham, MA, 01701, USA
| | - Valentina N Lagomarsino
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Yuan Hu
- Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Research, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Hale Building for Transformative Medicine, 60 Fenwood Road, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Tim Weeden
- Sanofi-Genzyme Corporation, Framingham, MA, 01701, USA
| | - Matthew P Frosch
- Massachusetts General Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Tracy L Young-Pearse
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | | | - Dennis Selkoe
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Dominic M Walsh
- Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Research, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Hale Building for Transformative Medicine, 60 Fenwood Road, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
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30
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Hong W, Liu W, Desousa AO, Young-Pearse T, Walsh DM. Methods for the isolation and analysis of Aβ from postmortem brain. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1108715. [PMID: 36777642 PMCID: PMC9909698 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1108715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyloid β-protein (Aβ) plays an initiating role in Alzheimer's disease (AD), but only a small number of groups have studied Aβ extracted from human brain. Most prior studies have utilized synthetic Aβ peptides, but the relevance of these test tube experiments to the conditions that prevail in AD is uncertain. Here, we describe three distinct methods for studying Aβ from cortical tissue. Each method allows the analysis of different ranges of species thus enabling the examination of different questions. The first method allows the study of readily diffusible Aβ with a relatively high specific activity. The second enables the analysis of readily solubilized forms of Aβ the majority of which are inactive. The third details the isolation of true Aβ dimers which have disease-related activity. We also describe a bioassay to study the effects of Aβ on the neuritic integrity of iPSC-derived human neurons. The combined use of this bioassay and the described extraction procedures provides a platform to investigate the activity of different forms and mixtures of Aβ species, and offers a tractable system to identify strategies to mitigate Aβ mediated neurotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Hong
- Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Research, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States,The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Wen Liu
- Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Research, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Alexandra O. Desousa
- Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Research, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Tracy Young-Pearse
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Dominic M. Walsh
- Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Research, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States,*Correspondence: Dominic M. Walsh,
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31
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Tzioras M, McGeachan RI, Durrant CS, Spires-Jones TL. Synaptic degeneration in Alzheimer disease. Nat Rev Neurol 2023; 19:19-38. [PMID: 36513730 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-022-00749-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 87.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer disease (AD) is characterized by progressive cognitive decline in older individuals accompanied by the presence of two pathological protein aggregates - amyloid-β and phosphorylated tau - in the brain. The disease results in brain atrophy caused by neuronal loss and synapse degeneration. Synaptic loss strongly correlates with cognitive decline in both humans and animal models of AD. Indeed, evidence suggests that soluble forms of amyloid-β and tau can cause synaptotoxicity and spread through neural circuits. These pathological changes are accompanied by an altered phenotype in the glial cells of the brain - one hypothesis is that glia excessively ingest synapses and modulate the trans-synaptic spread of pathology. To date, effective therapies for the treatment or prevention of AD are lacking, but understanding how synaptic degeneration occurs will be essential for the development of new interventions. Here, we highlight the mechanisms through which synapses degenerate in the AD brain, and discuss key questions that still need to be answered. We also cover the ways in which our understanding of the mechanisms of synaptic degeneration is leading to new therapeutic approaches for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makis Tzioras
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Robert I McGeachan
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,The Hospital for Small Animals, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Claire S Durrant
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Tara L Spires-Jones
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK. .,UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
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32
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Sandberg A, Berenjeno-Correa E, Rodriguez RC, Axenhus M, Weiss SS, Batenburg K, Hoozemans JJM, Tjernberg LO, Scheper W. Aβ42 oligomer-specific antibody ALZ-201 reduces the neurotoxicity of Alzheimer's disease brain extracts. Alzheimers Res Ther 2022; 14:196. [PMID: 36578089 PMCID: PMC9798723 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-022-01141-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In Alzheimer's disease (AD), amyloid-β 1-42 (Aβ42) neurotoxicity stems mostly from its soluble oligomeric aggregates. Studies of such aggregates have been hampered by the lack of oligomer-specific research tools and their intrinsic instability and heterogeneity. Here, we developed a monoclonal antibody with a unique oligomer-specific binding profile (ALZ-201) using oligomer-stabilising technology. Subsequently, we assessed the etiological relevance of the Aβ targeted by ALZ-201 on physiologically derived, toxic Aβ using extracts from post-mortem brains of AD patients and controls in primary mouse neuron cultures. METHODS Mice were immunised with stable oligomers derived from the Aβ42 peptide with A21C/A30C mutations (AβCC), and ALZ-201 was developed using hybridoma technology. Specificity for the oligomeric form of the Aβ42CC antigen and Aβ42 was confirmed using ELISA, and non-reactivity against plaques by immunohistochemistry (IHC). The antibody's potential for cross-protective activity against pathological Aβ was evaluated in brain tissue samples from 10 individuals confirmed as AD (n=7) and non-AD (n=3) with IHC staining for Aβ and phosphorylated tau (p-Tau) aggregates. Brain extracts were prepared and immunodepleted using the positive control 4G8 antibody, ALZ-201 or an isotype control to ALZ-201. Fractions were biochemically characterised, and toxicity assays were performed in primary mouse neuronal cultures using automated high-content microscopy. RESULTS AD brain extracts proved to be more toxic than controls as demonstrated by neuronal loss and morphological determinants (e.g. synapse density and measures of neurite complexity). Immunodepletion using 4G8 reduced Aβ levels in both AD and control samples compared to ALZ-201 or the isotype control, which showed no significant difference. Importantly, despite the differential effect on the total Aβ content, the neuroprotective effects of 4G8 and ALZ-201 immunodepletion were similar, whereas the isotype control showed no effect. CONCLUSIONS ALZ-201 depletes a toxic species in post-mortem AD brain extracts causing a positive physiological and protective impact on the integrity and morphology of mouse neurons. Its unique specificity indicates that a low-abundant, soluble Aβ42 oligomer may account for much of the neurotoxicity in AD. This critical attribute identifies the potential of ALZ-201 as a novel drug candidate for achieving a true, clinical therapeutic effect in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anders Sandberg
- grid.451585.8Alzinova AB, Pepparedsleden 1, SE-431 83, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Ernesto Berenjeno-Correa
- grid.509540.d0000 0004 6880 3010Department of Human Genetics, Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Netherlands ,grid.12380.380000 0004 1754 9227Department of Functional Genomics, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Rosa Crespo Rodriguez
- grid.509540.d0000 0004 6880 3010Department of Neurochemistry, Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Michael Axenhus
- grid.4714.60000 0004 1937 0626Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sophia Schedin Weiss
- grid.4714.60000 0004 1937 0626Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Kevin Batenburg
- grid.509540.d0000 0004 6880 3010Department of Human Genetics, Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Netherlands ,grid.12380.380000 0004 1754 9227Department of Functional Genomics, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Jeroen J. M. Hoozemans
- grid.509540.d0000 0004 6880 3010Department of Neuropathology, Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Lars O. Tjernberg
- grid.4714.60000 0004 1937 0626Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Wiep Scheper
- grid.509540.d0000 0004 6880 3010Department of Human Genetics, Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Netherlands ,grid.12380.380000 0004 1754 9227Department of Functional Genomics, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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SOBA: Development and testing of a soluble oligomer binding assay for detection of amyloidogenic toxic oligomers. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2213157119. [PMID: 36490316 PMCID: PMC9897489 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2213157119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The formation of toxic Amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) oligomers is one of the earliest events in the molecular pathology of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). These oligomers lead to a variety of downstream effects, including impaired neuronal signaling, neuroinflammation, tau phosphorylation, and neurodegeneration, and it is estimated that these events begin 10 to 20 y before the presentation of symptoms. Toxic Aβ oligomers contain a nonstandard protein structure, termed α-sheet, and designed α-sheet peptides target this main-chain structure in toxic oligomers independent of sequence. Here we show that a designed α-sheet peptide inhibits the deleterious effects on neuronal signaling and also serves as a capture agent in our soluble oligomer binding assay (SOBA). Pre-incubated synthetic α-sheet-containing Aβ oligomers produce strong SOBA signals, while monomeric and β-sheet protofibrillar Aβ do not. α-sheet containing oligomers were also present in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from an AD patient versus a noncognitively impaired control. For the detection of toxic oligomers in plasma, we developed a plate coating to increase the density of the capture peptide. The proof of concept was achieved by testing 379 banked human plasma samples. SOBA detected Aβ oligomers in patients on the AD continuum, including controls who later progressed to mild cognitive impairment. In addition, SOBA discriminated AD from other forms of dementia, yielding sensitivity and specificity of 99% relative to clinical and neuropathological diagnoses. To explore the broader potential of SOBA, we adapted the assay for a-synuclein oligomers and confirmed their presence in CSF from patients with Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia.
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Development of Alkaline Phosphatase-Fused Mouse Prion Protein and Its Application in Toxic Aβ Oligomer Detection. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232314588. [PMID: 36498917 PMCID: PMC9738830 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232314588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyloid β (Aβ) oligomers play a key role in the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Multiple forms of Aβ assemblies have been identified by in vitro and in vivo analyses; however, it is uncertain which oligomer is highly neurotoxic. Thus, understanding the pathogenesis of AD by detecting toxic Aβ oligomers is crucial. In this study, we report a fusion protein of cellular prion protein (PrPc) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) from Escherichia coli as a sensing element for toxic Aβ oligomers. Since the N-terminus domain of PrPc (residue 23-111) derived from mice is known to bind to toxic Aβ oligomers in vitro, we genetically fused PrPc23-111 to ALP. The developed fusion protein, PrP-ALP, retained both the binding ability of PrPc and enzymatic activity of ALP. We showed that PrP-ALP strongly bound to high molecular weight (HMW) oligomers but showed little or no affinity toward monomers. The observation that PrP-ALP neutralized the toxic effect of Aβ oligomers indicated an interaction between PrP-ALP and toxic HMW oligomers. Based on ALP activity, we succeeded in detecting Aβ oligomers. PrP-ALP may serve as a powerful tool for detecting toxic Aβ oligomers that may be related to AD progression.
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Saha J, Bose P, Dhakal S, Ghosh P, Rangachari V. Ganglioside-Enriched Phospholipid Vesicles Induce Cooperative Aβ Oligomerization and Membrane Disruption. Biochemistry 2022; 61:2206-2220. [PMID: 36173882 PMCID: PMC9840156 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.2c00495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
A major hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the accumulation of extracellular aggregates of amyloid-β (Aβ). Structural polymorphism observed among Aβ fibrils in AD brains seem to correlate with the clinical subtypes suggesting a link between fibril polymorphism and pathology. Since fibrils emerge from a templated growth of low-molecular-weight oligomers, understanding the factors affecting oligomer generation is important. Membrane lipids are key factors to influence early stages of Aβ aggregation and oligomer generation, which cause membrane disruption. We have previously demonstrated that conformationally discrete Aβ oligomers can be generated by modulating the charge, composition, and chain length of lipids and surfactants. Here, we extend our studies into liposomal models by investigating Aβ oligomerization on large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs) of total brain extracts (TBE), reconstituted lipid rafts (LRs), or 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC). Varying the vesicle composition by specifically increasing the amount of GM1 gangliosides as a constituent, we found that only GM1-enriched liposomes induce the formation of toxic, low-molecular-weight oligomers. Furthermore, we found that the aggregation on liposome surface and membrane disruption are highly cooperative and sensitive to membrane surface characteristics. Numerical simulations confirm such a cooperativity and reveal that GM1-enriched liposomes form twice as many pores as those formed in the absence GM1. Overall, this study uncovers mechanisms of cooperativity between oligomerization and membrane disruption under controlled lipid compositional bias, and refocuses the significance of the early stages of Aβ aggregation in polymorphism, propagation, and toxicity in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jhinuk Saha
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406, United States
| | - Priyankar Bose
- Department of Computer Science, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia 23220, United States
| | - Shailendra Dhakal
- Center for Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406, United States
| | - Preetam Ghosh
- Department of Computer Science, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia 23220, United States
| | - Vijayaraghavan Rangachari
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406, United States; Center for Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406, United States
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Quantitative super-resolution imaging of pathological aggregates reveals distinct toxicity profiles in different synucleinopathies. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2205591119. [PMID: 36206368 PMCID: PMC9573094 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2205591119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein aggregation is a hallmark of major neurodegenerative disorders. Increasing data suggest that smaller aggregates cause higher toxic response than filamentous aggregates (fibrils). However, the size of small aggregates has challenged their detection within biologically relevant environments. Here, we report approaches to quantitatively super-resolve aggregates in live cells and ex vivo brain tissues. We show that Amytracker 630 (AT630), a commercial aggregate-activated fluorophore, has outstanding photophysical properties that enable super-resolution imaging of α-synuclein, tau, and amyloid-β aggregates, achieving ∼4 nm precision. Applying AT630 to AppNL-G-F mouse brain tissues or aggregates extracted from a Parkinson's disease donor, we demonstrate excellent agreement with antibodies specific for amyloid-β or α-synuclein, respectively, confirming the specificity of AT630. Subsequently, we use AT630 to reveal a linear relationship between α-synuclein aggregate size and cellular toxicity and discovered that aggregates smaller than 450 ± 60 nm (aggregate450nm) readily penetrated the plasma membrane. We determine aggregate450nm concentrations in six Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies donor samples and show that aggregates in different synucleinopathies demonstrate distinct potency in toxicity. We further show that cell-penetrating aggregates are surrounded by proteasomes, which assemble into foci to gradually process aggregates. Our results suggest that the plasma membrane effectively filters out fibrils but is vulnerable to penetration by aggregates of 450 ± 60 nm. Together, our findings present an exciting strategy to determine specificity of aggregate toxicity within heterogeneous samples. Our approach to quantitatively measure these toxic aggregates in biological environments opens possibilities to molecular examinations of disease mechanisms under physiological conditions.
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Jin SX, Liu L, Li S, Meunier AL, Selkoe DJ. Aβ oligomers from human brain impair mossy fiber LTP in CA3 of hippocampus, but activating cAMP-PKA and cGMP-PKG prevents this. Neurobiol Dis 2022; 172:105816. [PMID: 35820646 PMCID: PMC9809147 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2022.105816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Early cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease may result in part from synaptic dysfunction caused by the accumulation oligomeric assemblies of amyloid β-protein (Aβ). Changes in hippocampal function seem critical for cognitive impairment in early Alzheimer's disease (AD). Diffusible oligomers of Aβ (oAβ) have been shown to block canonical long-term potentiation (LTP) in the CA1 area of hippocampus, but whether there is also a direct effect of oAβ on synaptic transmission and plasticity at synapses between mossy fibers (axons) from the dentate gyrus granule cells and CA3 pyramidal neurons (mf-CA3 synapses) is unknown. Studies in APP transgenic mice have suggested an age-dependent impairment of mossy fiber LTP. Here we report that although endogenous AD brain-derived soluble oAβ had no effect on mossy-fiber basal transmission, it strongly impaired paired-pulse facilitation in the mossy fiber pathway and presynaptic mossy fiber LTP (mf-LTP). Selective activation of both β1 and β2 adrenergic receptors and their downstream cAMP/PKA signaling pathway prevented oAβ-mediated inhibition of mf-LTP. Unexpectedly, activation of the cGMP/PKG signaling pathway also prevented oAβ-impaired mf-LTP. Our results reveal certain specific pharmacological targets to ameliorate human oAβ-mediated impairment at the mf-CA3 synapse.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Dennis J. Selkoe
- Corresponding author at: Hale Building for Transformative Medicine, Rm 10002Q, 60 Fenwood Road, Boston, MA 02115, United States of America. (D.J. Selkoe)
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Small soluble α-synuclein aggregates are the toxic species in Parkinson's disease. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5512. [PMID: 36127374 PMCID: PMC9489799 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33252-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Soluble α-synuclein aggregates varying in size, structure, and morphology have been closely linked to neuronal death in Parkinson's disease. However, the heterogeneity of different co-existing aggregate species makes it hard to isolate and study their individual toxic properties. Here, we show a reliable non-perturbative method to separate a heterogeneous mixture of protein aggregates by size. We find that aggregates of wild-type α-synuclein smaller than 200 nm in length, formed during an in vitro aggregation reaction, cause inflammation and permeabilization of single-liposome membranes and that larger aggregates are less toxic. Studying soluble aggregates extracted from post-mortem human brains also reveals that these aggregates are similar in size and structure to the smaller aggregates formed in aggregation reactions in the test tube. Furthermore, we find that the soluble aggregates present in Parkinson's disease brains are smaller, largely less than 100 nm, and more inflammatory compared to the larger aggregates present in control brains. This study suggests that the small non-fibrillar α-synuclein aggregates are the critical species driving neuroinflammation and disease progression.
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Baerends E, Soud K, Folke J, Pedersen AK, Henmar S, Konrad L, Lycas MD, Mori Y, Pakkenberg B, Woldbye DPD, Dmytriyeva O, Pankratova S. Modeling the early stages of Alzheimer's disease by administering intracerebroventricular injections of human native Aβ oligomers to rats. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2022; 10:113. [PMID: 35974377 PMCID: PMC9380371 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-022-01417-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive and irreversible neurodegenerative disease characterized by the accumulation of aggregated amyloid beta (Aβ) and hyperphosphorylated tau along with a slow decline in cognitive functions. Unlike advanced AD, the initial steps of AD pathophysiology have been poorly investigated, partially due to limited availability of animal models focused on the early, plaque-free stages of the disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the early behavioral, anatomical and molecular alterations in wild-type rats following intracerebroventricular injections of human Aβ oligomers (AβOs). Bioactive human AD and nondemented control brain tissue extracts were characterized using ELISA and proteomics approaches. Following a bilateral infusion, rats underwent behavioral testing, including the elevated plus maze, social recognition test, Morris water maze and Y-maze within 6 weeks postinjection. An analysis of brain structure was performed with manganese-enhanced MRI. Collected brain tissues were analyzed using stereology, immunohistochemistry, ELISA and qPCR. No sensorimotor deficits affecting motor performance on different maze tasks were observed, nor was spatial memory disturbed in AD rats. In contrast, a significant impairment of social memory became evident at 21 days postinjection. This deficit was associated with a significantly decreased volume of the lateral entorhinal cortex and a tendency toward a decrease in the total brain volume. Significant increase of cleaved caspase-3-positive cells, microglial activation and proinflammatory responses accompanied by altered expression of synaptic markers were observed in the hippocampus of AD rats with immunohistochemical and qPCR approaches at 6 weeks postinjection. Our data suggest that the social memory impairment observed in AβO-injected rats might be determined by neuroinflammatory responses and synaptopathy. An infusion of native oligomeric Aβ in the rat brain represents a feasible tool to model early plaque-free events associated with AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Baerends
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Katia Soud
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jonas Folke
- Centre for Neuroscience and Stereology, Department of Neurology,, Bispebjerg-Frederiksberg Hospital, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Copenhagen Center for Translational Research, Bispebjerg-Frederiksberg Hospital, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Anna-Kathrine Pedersen
- Proteomics Program, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Simon Henmar
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lisa Konrad
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Matthew D Lycas
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Yuki Mori
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Bente Pakkenberg
- Centre for Neuroscience and Stereology, Department of Neurology,, Bispebjerg-Frederiksberg Hospital, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - David P D Woldbye
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Oksana Dmytriyeva
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Stanislava Pankratova
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark. .,Comparative Pediatrics and Nutrition, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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40
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Bioactive human Alzheimer brain soluble Aβ: pathophysiology and therapeutic opportunities. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:3182-3191. [PMID: 35484241 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01589-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The accumulation of amyloid-β protein (Aβ) plays an early role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The precise mechanism of how Aβ accumulation leads to synaptic dysfunction and cognitive impairment remains unclear but is likely due to small soluble oligomers of Aβ (oAβ). Most studies have used chemical synthetic or cell-secreted Aβ oligomers to study their pathogenic mechanisms, but the Aβ derived from human AD brain tissue is less well characterized. Here we review updated knowledge on the extraction and characterization of bioactive human AD brain oAβ and the mechanisms by which they cause hippocampal synaptic dysfunction. Human AD brain-derived oAβ can impair hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) and enhance long-term depression (LTD). Many studies suggest that oAβ may directly disrupt neuronal NMDA receptors, AMPA receptors and metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs). oAβ also impairs astrocytic synaptic functions, including glutamate uptake, D-serine release, and NMDA receptor function. We also discuss oAβ-induced neuronal hyperexcitation. These results may suggest a multi-target approach for the treatment of AD, including both oAβ neutralization and reversal of glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity.
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41
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Meisl G, Knowles TPJ, Klenerman D. Mechanistic Models of Protein Aggregation Across Length-Scales and Time-Scales: From the Test Tube to Neurodegenerative Disease. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:909861. [PMID: 35844223 PMCID: PMC9281552 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.909861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Through advances in the past decades, the central role of aberrant protein aggregation has been established in many neurodegenerative diseases. Crucially, however, the molecular mechanisms that underlie aggregate proliferation in the brains of affected individuals are still only poorly understood. Under controlled in vitro conditions, significant progress has been made in elucidating the molecular mechanisms that take place during the assembly of purified protein molecules, through advances in both experimental methods and the theories used to analyse the resulting data. The determination of the aggregation mechanism for a variety of proteins revealed the importance of intermediate oligomeric species and of the interactions with promotors and inhibitors. Such mechanistic insights, if they can be achieved in a disease-relevant system, provide invaluable information to guide the design of potential cures to these devastating disorders. However, as experimental systems approach the situation present in real disease, their complexity increases substantially. Timescales increase from hours an aggregation reaction takes in vitro, to decades over which the process takes place in disease, and length-scales increase to the dimension of a human brain. Thus, molecular level mechanistic studies, like those that successfully determined mechanisms in vitro, have only been applied in a handful of living systems to date. If their application can be extended to further systems, including patient data, they promise powerful new insights. Here we present a review of the existing strategies to gain mechanistic insights into the molecular steps driving protein aggregation and discuss the obstacles and potential paths to achieving their application in disease. First, we review the experimental approaches and analysis techniques that are used to establish the aggregation mechanisms in vitro and the insights that have been gained from them. We then discuss how these approaches must be modified and adapted to be applicable in vivo and review the existing works that have successfully applied mechanistic analysis of protein aggregation in living systems. Finally, we present a broad mechanistic classification of in vivo systems and discuss what will be required to further our understanding of aggregate formation in living systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georg Meisl
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Tuomas P. J. Knowles
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Cavendish Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - David Klenerman
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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Kass B, Schemmert S, Zafiu C, Pils M, Bannach O, Kutzsche J, Bujnicki T, Willbold D. Aβ oligomer concentration in mouse and human brain and its drug-induced reduction ex vivo. Cell Rep Med 2022; 3:100630. [PMID: 35584626 PMCID: PMC9133466 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
The elimination of amyloid beta (Aβ) oligomers is a promising strategy for therapeutic drug development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). AD mouse models that develop Aβ pathology have been used to demonstrate in vivo efficacy of compounds that later failed in clinical development. Here, we analyze the concentration and size distribution of Aβ oligomers in different transgenic mouse models of AD and in human brain samples by surface-based fluorescence intensity distribution analysis (sFIDA), a highly sensitive method for detecting and quantitating protein aggregates. We demonstrate dose- and time-dependent oligomer elimination by the compound RD2 in mouse and human AD brain homogenates as sources of native Aβ oligomers. Such ex vivo target engagement analyses with mouse- and human-brain-derived oligomers have the potential to enhance the translational value from pre-clinical proof-of-concept studies to clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bettina Kass
- Institute of Biological Information Processing, Structural Biochemistry (IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich 52428, Germany
| | - Sarah Schemmert
- Institute of Biological Information Processing, Structural Biochemistry (IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich 52428, Germany
| | - Christian Zafiu
- Institute of Biological Information Processing, Structural Biochemistry (IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich 52428, Germany; attyloid GmbH, Düsseldorf, 40225, Germany
| | - Marlene Pils
- Institute of Biological Information Processing, Structural Biochemistry (IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich 52428, Germany; Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf 40225, Germany; attyloid GmbH, Düsseldorf, 40225, Germany
| | - Oliver Bannach
- Institute of Biological Information Processing, Structural Biochemistry (IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich 52428, Germany; Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf 40225, Germany; attyloid GmbH, Düsseldorf, 40225, Germany
| | - Janine Kutzsche
- Institute of Biological Information Processing, Structural Biochemistry (IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich 52428, Germany
| | - Tuyen Bujnicki
- Institute of Biological Information Processing, Structural Biochemistry (IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich 52428, Germany
| | - Dieter Willbold
- Institute of Biological Information Processing, Structural Biochemistry (IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich 52428, Germany; Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf 40225, Germany; attyloid GmbH, Düsseldorf, 40225, Germany; Priavoid GmbH, Düsseldorf, 40225, Germany.
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43
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Pupyshev AB, Belichenko VM, Tenditnik MV, Bashirzade AA, Dubrovina NI, Ovsyukova MV, Akopyan AA, Fedoseeva LA, Korolenko TA, Amstislavskaya TG, Tikhonova MA. Combined induction of mTOR-dependent and mTOR-independent pathways of autophagy activation as an experimental therapy for Alzheimer's disease-like pathology in a mouse model. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2022; 217:173406. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2022.173406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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Krafft GA, Jerecic J, Siemers E, Cline EN. ACU193: An Immunotherapeutic Poised to Test the Amyloid β Oligomer Hypothesis of Alzheimer’s Disease. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:848215. [PMID: 35557606 PMCID: PMC9088393 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.848215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disease that affects 50 million people worldwide, with 10 million new cases occurring each year. The emotional and economic impacts of AD on patients and families are devastating. Approved treatments confer modest improvement in symptoms, and recently one treatment obtained accelerated approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and may have modest disease modifying benefit. Research over the past three decades has established a clear causal linkage between AD and elevated brain levels of amyloid β (Aβ) peptide, and substantial evidence now implicates soluble, non-fibrillar Aβ oligomers (AβOs) as the molecular assemblies directly responsible for AD-associated memory and cognitive failure and accompanying progressive neurodegeneration. The widely recognized linkage of elevated Aβ and AD spawned a comprehensive 20-year therapeutic campaign that focused primarily on two strategies – inhibition of the secretase enzymes responsible for Aβ production and clearance of Aβ peptide or amyloid plaques with Aβ-directed immunotherapeutics. Unfortunately, all clinical trials of secretase inhibitors were unsuccessful. Of the completed phase 3 immunotherapy programs, bapineuzumab (targeting amyloid plaque) and solanezumab (targeting Aβ monomers) were negative, and the crenezumab program (targeting Aβ monomers and to a small extent oligomers) was stopped for futility. Aducanumab (targeting amyloid plaques), which recently received FDA accelerated approval, had one positive and one negative phase 3 trial. More than 25 negative randomized clinical trials (RCTs) have evaluated Aβ-targeting therapeutics, yet none has directly evaluated whether selective blockage of disease-relevant AβOs can stop or reverse AD-associated cognitive decline. Here, we briefly summarize studies that establish the AD therapeutic rationale to target AβOs selectively, and we describe ACU193, the first AβO-selective immunotherapeutic to enter human clinical trials and the first positioned to test the AβO hypothesis of AD.
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45
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Pomilio AB, Vitale AA, Lazarowski AJ. Neuroproteomics Chip-Based Mass Spectrometry and Other Techniques for Alzheimer´S Disease Biomarkers – Update. Curr Pharm Des 2022; 28:1124-1151. [DOI: 10.2174/1381612828666220413094918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Background:
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease of growing interest given that there is cognitive damage and symptom onset acceleration. Therefore, it is important to find AD biomarkers for early diagnosis, disease progression, and discrimination of AD and other diseases.
Objective:
To update the relevance of mass spectrometry for the identification of peptides and proteins involved in AD useful as discriminating biomarkers.
Methods:
Proteomics and peptidomics technologies that show the highest possible specificity and selectivity for AD biomarkers are analyzed, together with the biological fluids used. In addition to positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry is widely used to identify proteins and peptides involved in AD. The use of protein chips in SELDI technology and electroblotting chips for peptides makes feasible small amounts (L) of samples for analysis.
Results:
Suitable biomarkers are related to AD pathology, such as intracellular neurofibrillary tangles; extraneuronal senile plaques; neuronal and axonal degeneration; inflammation and oxidative stress. Recently, peptides were added to the candidate list, which are not amyloid-b or tau fragments, but are related to coagulation, brain plasticity, and complement/neuroinflammation systems involving the neurovascular unit.
Conclusion:
The progress made in the application of mass spectrometry and recent chip techniques is promising for discriminating between AD, mild cognitive impairment, and matched healthy controls. The application of this technique to blood samples from patients with AD has shown to be less invasive and fast enough to determine the diagnosis, stage of the disease, prognosis, and follow-up of the therapeutic response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia B. Pomilio
- Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica, Área Hematología, Hospital de Clínicas “José de San Martín”, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Av. Córdoba 2351, C1120AAF Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Arturo A. Vitale
- Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica, Área Hematología, Hospital de Clínicas “José de San Martín”, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Av. Córdoba 2351, C1120AAF Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alberto J. Lazarowski
- Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Instituto de Fisiopatología y Bioquímica Clínica (INFIBIOC), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Córdoba 2351, C1120AAF Buenos Aires, Argentina
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46
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Karran E, De Strooper B. The amyloid hypothesis in Alzheimer disease: new insights from new therapeutics. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2022; 21:306-318. [PMID: 35177833 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-022-00391-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 248] [Impact Index Per Article: 124.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Many drugs that target amyloid-β (Aβ) in Alzheimer disease (AD) have failed to demonstrate clinical efficacy. However, four anti-Aβ antibodies have been shown to mediate the removal of amyloid plaque from brains of patients with AD, and the FDA has recently granted accelerated approval to one of these, aducanumab, using reduction of amyloid plaque as a surrogate end point. The rationale for approval and the extent of the clinical benefit from these antibodies are under intense debate. With the aim of informing this debate, we review clinical trial data for drugs that target Aβ from the perspective of the temporal interplay between the two pathognomonic protein aggregates in AD - Aβ plaques and tau neurofibrillary tangles - and their relationship to cognitive impairment, highlighting differences in drug properties that could affect their clinical performance. On this basis, we propose that Aβ pathology drives tau pathology, that amyloid plaque would need to be reduced to a low level (~20 centiloids) to reveal significant clinical benefit and that there will be a lag between the removal of amyloid and the potential to observe a clinical benefit. We conclude that the speed of amyloid removal from the brain by a potential therapy will be important in demonstrating clinical benefit in the context of a clinical trial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Karran
- Cambridge Research Center, AbbVie, Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Bart De Strooper
- VIB Centre for Brain Disease Research, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, UK
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Stern AM, Liu L, Jin S, Liu W, Meunier AL, Ericsson M, Miller MB, Batson M, Sun T, Kathuria S, Reczek D, Pradier L, Selkoe DJ. OUP accepted manuscript. Brain 2022; 145:2528-2540. [PMID: 35084489 PMCID: PMC9337809 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awac023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Aqueously soluble oligomers of amyloid-β peptide may be the principal neurotoxic forms of amyloid-β in Alzheimer’s disease, initiating downstream events that include tau hyperphosphorylation, neuritic/synaptic injury, microgliosis and neuron loss. Synthetic oligomeric amyloid-β has been studied extensively, but little is known about the biochemistry of natural oligomeric amyloid-β in human brain, even though it is more potent than simple synthetic peptides and comprises truncated and modified amyloid-β monomers. We hypothesized that monoclonal antibodies specific to neurotoxic oligomeric amyloid-β could be used to isolate it for further study. Here we report a unique human monoclonal antibody (B24) raised against synthetic oligomeric amyloid-β that potently prevents Alzheimer’s disease brain oligomeric amyloid-β-induced impairment of hippocampal long-term potentiation. B24 binds natural and synthetic oligomeric amyloid-β and a subset of amyloid plaques, but only in the presence of Ca2+. The amyloid-β N terminus is required for B24 binding. Hydroxyapatite chromatography revealed that natural oligomeric amyloid-β is highly avid for Ca2+. We took advantage of the reversible Ca2+-dependence of B24 binding to perform non-denaturing immunoaffinity isolation of oligomeric amyloid-β from Alzheimer’s disease brain-soluble extracts. Unexpectedly, the immunopurified material contained amyloid fibrils visualized by electron microscopy and amenable to further structural characterization. B24-purified human oligomeric amyloid-β inhibited mouse hippocampal long-term potentiation. These findings identify a calcium-dependent method for purifying bioactive brain oligomeric amyloid-β, at least some of which appears fibrillar.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew M Stern
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, 60 Fenwood Road Rm 10002Q, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Lei Liu
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, 60 Fenwood Road Rm 10002Q, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Shanxue Jin
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, 60 Fenwood Road Rm 10002Q, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Wen Liu
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, 60 Fenwood Road Rm 10002Q, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Angela L Meunier
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, 60 Fenwood Road Rm 10002Q, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Maria Ericsson
- Harvard Medical School Electron Microscopy Facility, Goldenson Building 323, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Michael B Miller
- Division of Neuropathology, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, 75 Francis St, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Megan Batson
- Sanofi Corporation, 49 New York Avenue, Framingham, MA 01701, USA
| | - Tingwan Sun
- Sanofi Corporation, 49 New York Avenue, Framingham, MA 01701, USA
| | - Sagar Kathuria
- Sanofi Corporation, 49 New York Avenue, Framingham, MA 01701, USA
| | - David Reczek
- Sanofi Corporation, 49 New York Avenue, Framingham, MA 01701, USA
| | - Laurent Pradier
- Sanofi Corporation, 49 New York Avenue, Framingham, MA 01701, USA
| | - Dennis J Selkoe
- Correspondence to: Dennis J. Selkoe Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital 60 Fenwood Road Rm 10002Q Boston, MA 02115, USA E-mail:
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Yeap J, Sathyaprakash C, Toombs J, Tulloch J, Scutariu C, Rose J, Burr K, Davies C, Colom-Cadena M, Chandran S, Large CH, Rowan MJM, Gunthorpe MJ, Spires-Jones TL. Reducing voltage-dependent potassium channel Kv3.4 levels ameliorates synapse loss in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Brain Neurosci Adv 2022; 6:23982128221086464. [PMID: 35359460 PMCID: PMC8961358 DOI: 10.1177/23982128221086464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Synapse loss is associated with cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease, and owing to their plastic nature, synapses are an ideal target for therapeutic intervention. Oligomeric amyloid beta around amyloid plaques is known to contribute to synapse loss in mouse models and is associated with synapse loss in human Alzheimer's disease brain tissue, but the mechanisms leading from Aβ to synapse loss remain unclear. Recent data suggest that the fast-activating and -inactivating voltage-gated potassium channel subtype 3.4 (Kv3.4) may play a role in Aβ-mediated neurotoxicity. Here, we tested whether this channel could also be involved in Aβ synaptotoxicity. Using adeno-associated virus and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats technology, we reduced Kv3.4 expression in neurons of the somatosensory cortex of APP/PS1 mice. These mice express human familial Alzheimer's disease-associated mutations in amyloid precursor protein and presenilin-1 and develop amyloid plaques and plaque-associated synapse loss similar to that observed in Alzheimer's disease brain. We observe that reducing Kv3.4 levels ameliorates dendritic spine loss and changes spine morphology compared to control virus. In support of translational relevance, Kv3.4 protein was observed in human Alzheimer's disease and control brain and is associated with synapses in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cortical neurons. We also noted morphological changes in induced pluripotent stem cell neurones challenged with human Alzheimer's disease-derived brain homogenate containing Aβ but, in this in vitro model, total mRNA levels of Kv3.4 were found to be reduced, perhaps as an early compensatory mechanism for Aβ-induced damage. Overall, our results suggest that approaches to reduce Kv3.4 expression and/or function in the Alzheimer's disease brain could be protective against Aβ-induced synaptic alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Yeap
- UK Dementia Research Institute and Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Chaitra Sathyaprakash
- UK Dementia Research Institute and Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Jamie Toombs
- UK Dementia Research Institute and Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Jane Tulloch
- UK Dementia Research Institute and Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Cristina Scutariu
- UK Dementia Research Institute and Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Jamie Rose
- UK Dementia Research Institute and Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Karen Burr
- UK Dementia Research Institute and Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Caitlin Davies
- UK Dementia Research Institute and Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Marti Colom-Cadena
- UK Dementia Research Institute and Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Siddharthan Chandran
- UK Dementia Research Institute and Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Charles H Large
- Autifony Therapeutics Limited, Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst, Stevenage, UK
| | | | - Martin J Gunthorpe
- Autifony Therapeutics Limited, Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst, Stevenage, UK
| | - Tara L Spires-Jones
- UK Dementia Research Institute and Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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49
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Jiang H, Esparza TJ, Kummer TT, Brody DL. Unbiased high-content screening reveals Aβ- and tau-independent synaptotoxic activities in human brain homogenates from Alzheimer's patients and high-pathology controls. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0259335. [PMID: 34748596 PMCID: PMC8575250 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0259335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is tightly correlated with synapse loss in vulnerable brain regions. It is assumed that specific molecular entities such as Aβ and tau cause synapse loss in AD, yet unbiased screens for synaptotoxic activities have not been performed. Here, we performed size exclusion chromatography on soluble human brain homogenates from AD cases, high pathology non-demented controls, and low pathology age-matched controls using our novel high content primary cultured neuron-based screening assay. Both presynaptic and postsynaptic toxicities were elevated in homogenates from AD cases and high pathology non-demented controls to a similar extent, with more modest synaptotoxic activities in homogenates from low pathology normal controls. Surprisingly, synaptotoxic activities were found in size fractions peaking between the 17–44 kDa size standards that did not match well with Aβ and tau immunoreactive species in these homogenates. The fractions containing previously identified high molecular weight soluble amyloid beta aggregates/”oligomers” were non-toxic in this assay. Furthermore, immunodepletion of Aβ and tau did not reduce synaptotoxic activity. This result contrasts with previous findings involving the same methods applied to 3xTg-AD mouse brain extracts. The nature of the synaptotoxic species has not been identified. Overall, our data indicates one or more potential Aβ and tau independent synaptotoxic activities in human AD brain homogenates. This result aligns well with the key role of synaptic loss in the early cognitive decline and may provide new insight into AD pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Jiang
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Thomas J. Esparza
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri, United States of America
- Henry M Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Terrance T. Kummer
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - David L. Brody
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri, United States of America
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Neurology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Ayubcha C, Rigney G, Borja AJ, Werner T, Alavi A. Tau-PET imaging as a molecular modality for Alzheimer's disease. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MEDICINE AND MOLECULAR IMAGING 2021; 11:374-386. [PMID: 34754608 PMCID: PMC8569333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative condition. The definitive diagnosis of AD remains a post-mortem neuropathological study of the brain. Unfortunately, there are no established diagnostic criteria to achieve an accurate diagnosis of AD in a similarly objective fashion among living patients. Molecular imaging provides one way of enhancing clinical criteria where objective measures of AD correlate to the presence and progression of disease. In this article, the amyloid and tau hypotheses are considered with respect to pathological, imaging, and therapeutic studies. The value of beta-amyloid (Aβ) PET and tau PET are ascertained. Subsequently, the binding characteristics and quality of Aβ and tau tracers are explored. Finally, the value of Aβ and tau imaging in AD can be determined relevant from in-vivo studies of AD patients. Considering the evolving literature in AD and PET imaging, it has become clear that PET can play a role in the diagnosis and prognosis of AD. The use of Aβ imaging has been extensively studied with mixed results suggesting a limited clinical utility. Conversely, tau-PET has shown early success in similar applications as Aβ imaging. Specifically, we find that there is value in FDG-PET and prospective utility in tau-PET. Ultimately, the community must acknowledge that the role of Aβ imaging for diagnosing and managing AD is very limited and that FDG-PET will remain the study of choice at this time. Moreover, research efforts must continue to determine the prospective value of tau imaging to the assessment of this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Grant Rigney
- Department of Psychiatry, University of OxfordEngland OX1 2JD, UK
| | - Austin J Borja
- Department of Radiology, Hospital of The University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia 19104, PA, USA
| | - Thomas Werner
- Department of Radiology, Hospital of The University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia 19104, PA, USA
| | - Abass Alavi
- Department of Radiology, Hospital of The University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia 19104, PA, USA
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