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Ducza L, Gaál B. The Neglected Sibling: NLRP2 Inflammasome in the Nervous System. Aging Dis 2024; 15:1006-1028. [PMID: 38722788 PMCID: PMC11081174 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2023.0926-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
While classical NOD-like receptor pyrin domain containing protein 1 (NLRP1) and NLRP3 inflammasomal proteins have been extensively investigated, the contribution of NLRP2 is still ill-defined in the nervous system. Given the putative significance of NLRP2 in orchestrating neuroinflammation, further inquiry is needed to gain a better understanding of its connectome, hence its specific targeting may hold a promising therapeutic implication. Therefore, bioinformatical approach for extracting information, specifically in the context of neuropathologies, is also undoubtedly preferred. To the best of our knowledge, there is no review study selectively targeting only NLRP2. Increasing, but still fragmentary evidence should encourage researchers to thoroughly investigate this inflammasome in various animal- and human models. Taken together, herein we aimed to review the current literature focusing on the role of NLRP2 inflammasome in the nervous system and more importantly, we provide an algorithm-based protein network of human NLRP2 for elucidating potentially valuable molecular partnerships that can be the beginning of a new discourse and future therapeutic considerations.
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Affiliation(s)
- László Ducza
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Hungary, Hungary
| | - Botond Gaál
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Hungary, Hungary
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2
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Heuer SE, Bloss EB, Howell GR. Strategies to dissect microglia-synaptic interactions during aging and in Alzheimer's disease. Neuropharmacology 2024; 254:109987. [PMID: 38705570 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2024.109987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Age is the largest risk factor for developing Alzheimer's disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disorder that causes a progressive and severe dementia. The underlying cause of cognitive deficits seen in AD is thought to be the disconnection of neural circuits that control memory and executive functions. Insight into the mechanisms by which AD diverges from normal aging will require identifying precisely which cellular events are driven by aging and which are impacted by AD-related pathologies. Since microglia, the brain-resident macrophages, are known to have critical roles in the formation and maintenance of neural circuits through synaptic pruning, they are well-positioned to modulate synaptic connectivity in circuits sensitive to aging or AD. In this review, we provide an overview of the current state of the field and on emerging technologies being employed to elucidate microglia-synaptic interactions in aging and AD. We also discuss the importance of leveraging genetic diversity to study how these interactions are shaped across more realistic contexts. We propose that these approaches will be essential to define specific aging- and disease-relevant trajectories for more personalized therapeutics aimed at reducing the effects of age or AD pathologies on the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Heuer
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME, 04609, USA; Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02111, USA
| | - Erik B Bloss
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME, 04609, USA; Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02111, USA; Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, ME, 04469, USA.
| | - Gareth R Howell
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME, 04609, USA; Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02111, USA; Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, ME, 04469, USA.
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3
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Özel F, Di Criscio M, Lupu DI, Sarkisyan D, Hlady RA, Robertson KD, Bakalkin G, Liu Y, Biernacka JM, Karpyak VM, Ekström TJ, Rüegg J. DNA methylation at DLGAP2 and risk for relapse in alcohol dependence during acamprosate treatment. Drug Alcohol Depend 2024; 256:111116. [PMID: 38364647 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2024.111116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alcohol use disorders are prevalent mental disorders with significant health implications. Epigenetic alterations may play a role in their pathogenesis, as DNA methylation at several genes has been associated with these disorders. We have previously shown that methylation in the DLGAP2 gene, coding for a synaptic density protein, is associated with alcohol dependence. In this study, we aimed to examine the association between DLGAP2 methylation and treatment response among patients undergoing acamprosate treatment. METHODS 102 patients under acamprosate treatment were included. DNA methylation analysis at DLGAP2 was performed by bisulfite pyrosequencing at the start and after 3-month treatment. Treatment outcomes were having a relapse during the treatment and severity of craving at the end of three months. Cox proportional hazard and linear regression models were performed. RESULTS Patients whose methylation levels were decreased during the treatment showed an increased risk for relapse within three months in comparison to the ones without methylation change (hazard ratio [HR]=2.44; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.04, 5.73; p=0.04). For the same group, a positive association for the severity of craving was observed, yet statistical significance was not reached (β=2.97; 95% CI=-0.41, 6.34; p=0.08). CONCLUSION We demonstrate that patients whose DLGAP2 methylation levels decrease during acamprosate treatment are more likely to relapse compared to the ones without changes. This is in line with our previous findings showing that DLGAP2 methylation is lower in alcohol dependent subjects compared to controls, and might suggest a role for changes in DLGAP2 methylation in treatment response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatih Özel
- Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden; Centre for Women's Mental Health during the Reproductive Lifespan - Womher, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | | | - Diana Ioana Lupu
- Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Daniil Sarkisyan
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ryan A Hlady
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Keith D Robertson
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Georgy Bakalkin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Yun Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Joanna M Biernacka
- Department of Psychiatry & Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Victor M Karpyak
- Department of Psychiatry & Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Tomas J Ekström
- Departments of Clinical Neuroscience and Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Joëlle Rüegg
- Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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4
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Heuer SE, Nickerson EW, Howell GR, Bloss EB. Genetic context drives age-related disparities in synaptic maintenance and structure across cortical and hippocampal neuronal circuits. Aging Cell 2024; 23:e14033. [PMID: 38130024 PMCID: PMC10861192 DOI: 10.1111/acel.14033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The disconnection of neuronal circuitry through synaptic loss is presumed to be a major driver of age-related cognitive decline. Age-related cognitive decline is heterogeneous, yet whether genetic mechanisms differentiate successful from unsuccessful cognitive decline through maintenance or vulnerability of synaptic connections remains unknown. Previous work using rodent and primate models leveraged various techniques to imply that age-related synaptic loss is widespread on pyramidal cells in prefrontal cortex (PFC) circuits but absent on those in area CA1 of the hippocampus. Here, we examined the effect of aging on synapses on projection neurons forming a hippocampal-cortico-thalamic circuit important for spatial working memory tasks from two genetically distinct mouse strains that exhibit susceptibility (C57BL/6J) or resistance (PWK/PhJ) to cognitive decline during aging. Across both strains, synapse density on CA1-to-PFC projection neurons appeared completely intact with age. In contrast, we found synapse loss on PFC-to-nucleus reuniens (RE) projection neurons from aged C57BL/6J but not PWK/PhJ mice. Moreover, synapses from aged PWK/PhJ mice but not from C57BL/6J exhibited altered morphologies that suggest increased efficiency to drive depolarization in the parent dendrite. Our findings suggest resistance to age-related cognitive decline results in part by age-related synaptic adaptations, and identification of these mechanisms in PWK/PhJ mice could uncover new therapeutic targets for promoting successful cognitive aging and extending human health span.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E. Heuer
- The Jackson LaboratoryBar HarborMaineUSA
- Tufts University Graduate School of Biomedical SciencesBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Emily W. Nickerson
- The Jackson LaboratoryBar HarborMaineUSA
- Tufts University Graduate School of Biomedical SciencesBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Gareth R. Howell
- The Jackson LaboratoryBar HarborMaineUSA
- Tufts University Graduate School of Biomedical SciencesBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and EngineeringUniversity of MaineOronoMaineUSA
| | - Erik B. Bloss
- The Jackson LaboratoryBar HarborMaineUSA
- Tufts University Graduate School of Biomedical SciencesBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and EngineeringUniversity of MaineOronoMaineUSA
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5
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Saul MC, Litkowski EM, Hadad N, Dunn AR, Boas SM, Wilcox JAL, Robbins JE, Wu Y, Philip VM, Merrihew GE, Park J, De Jager PL, Bridges DE, Menon V, Bennett DA, Hohman TJ, MacCoss MJ, Kaczorowski CC. Hippocampus Glutathione S Reductase Potentially Confers Genetic Resilience to Cognitive Decline in the AD-BXD Mouse Population. bioRxiv 2024:2024.01.09.574219. [PMID: 38260300 PMCID: PMC10802440 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.09.574219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a prevalent and costly age-related dementia. Heritable factors account for 58-79% of variation in late-onset AD, but substantial variation remains in age-of- onset, disease severity, and whether those with high-risk genotypes acquire AD. To emulate the diversity of human populations, we utilized the AD-BXD mouse panel. This genetically diverse resource combines AD genotypes with multiple BXD strains to discover new genetic drivers of AD resilience. Comparing AD-BXD carriers to noncarrier littermates, we computed a novel quantitative metric for resilience to cognitive decline in the AD-BXDs. Our quantitative AD resilience trait was heritable and genetic mapping identified a locus on chr8 associated with resilience to AD mutations that resulted in amyloid brain pathology. Using a hippocampus proteomics dataset, we nominated the mitochondrial glutathione S reductase protein (GR or GSHR) as a resilience factor, finding that the DBA/2J genotype was associated with substantially higher GR abundance. By mapping protein QTLs (pQTLs), we identified synaptic organization and mitochondrial proteins coregulated in trans with a cis-pQTL for GR. We found four coexpression modules correlated with the quantitative resilience score in aged 5XFAD mice using paracliques, which were related to cell structure, protein folding, and postsynaptic densities. Finally, we found significant positive associations between human GSR transcript abundance in the brain and better outcomes on AD-related cognitive and pathology traits in the Religious Orders Study/Memory and Aging project (ROSMAP). Taken together, these data support a framework for resilience in which neuronal antioxidant pathway activity provides for stability of synapses within the hippocampus.
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6
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Liu Y, Reiken S, Dridi H, Yuan Q, Mohammad KS, Trivedi T, Miotto MC, Wedderburn-Pugh K, Sittenfeld L, Kerley Y, Meyer JA, Peters JS, Persohn SC, Bedwell AA, Figueiredo LL, Suresh S, She Y, Soni RK, Territo PR, Marks AR, Guise TA. Targeting ryanodine receptor type 2 to mitigate chemotherapy-induced neurocognitive impairments in mice. Sci Transl Med 2023; 15:eadf8977. [PMID: 37756377 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adf8977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Chemotherapy-induced cognitive dysfunction (chemobrain) is an important adverse sequela of chemotherapy. Chemobrain has been identified by the National Cancer Institute as a poorly understood problem for which current management or treatment strategies are limited or ineffective. Here, we show that chemotherapy treatment with doxorubicin (DOX) in a breast cancer mouse model induced protein kinase A (PKA) phosphorylation of the neuronal ryanodine receptor/calcium (Ca2+) channel type 2 (RyR2), RyR2 oxidation, RyR2 nitrosylation, RyR2 calstabin2 depletion, and subsequent RyR2 Ca2+ leakiness. Chemotherapy was furthermore associated with abnormalities in brain glucose metabolism and neurocognitive dysfunction in breast cancer mice. RyR2 leakiness and cognitive dysfunction could be ameliorated by treatment with a small molecule Rycal drug (S107). Chemobrain was also found in noncancer mice treated with DOX or methotrexate and 5-fluorouracil and could be prevented by treatment with S107. Genetic ablation of the RyR2 PKA phosphorylation site (RyR2-S2808A) also prevented the development of chemobrain. Chemotherapy increased brain concentrations of the tumor necrosis factor-α and transforming growth factor-β signaling, suggesting that increased inflammatory signaling might contribute to oxidation-driven biochemical remodeling of RyR2. Proteomics and Gene Ontology analysis indicated that the signaling downstream of chemotherapy-induced leaky RyR2 was linked to the dysregulation of synaptic structure-associated proteins that are involved in neurotransmission. Together, our study points to neuronal Ca2+ dyshomeostasis via leaky RyR2 channels as a potential mechanism contributing to chemobrain, warranting further translational studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Liu
- Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Clyde and Helen Wu Center for Molecular Cardiology, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Steven Reiken
- Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Clyde and Helen Wu Center for Molecular Cardiology, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Haikel Dridi
- Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Clyde and Helen Wu Center for Molecular Cardiology, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Qi Yuan
- Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Clyde and Helen Wu Center for Molecular Cardiology, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Khalid S Mohammad
- Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
- Present address: College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Box 50927, Riyadh 1153, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Trupti Trivedi
- Department of Endocrine Neoplasia and Hormonal Disorders, Division of Internal Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Marco C Miotto
- Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Clyde and Helen Wu Center for Molecular Cardiology, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Kaylee Wedderburn-Pugh
- Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Clyde and Helen Wu Center for Molecular Cardiology, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Leah Sittenfeld
- Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Clyde and Helen Wu Center for Molecular Cardiology, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Ynez Kerley
- Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Clyde and Helen Wu Center for Molecular Cardiology, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Jill A Meyer
- Stark Neuroscience Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Jonathan S Peters
- Stark Neuroscience Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Scott C Persohn
- Stark Neuroscience Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Amanda A Bedwell
- Stark Neuroscience Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Lucas L Figueiredo
- Stark Neuroscience Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Sukanya Suresh
- Department of Endocrine Neoplasia and Hormonal Disorders, Division of Internal Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yun She
- Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Rajesh Kumar Soni
- Proteomics and Macromolecular Crystallography Shared Resource, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Paul R Territo
- Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
- Stark Neuroscience Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Andrew R Marks
- Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Clyde and Helen Wu Center for Molecular Cardiology, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Theresa A Guise
- Department of Endocrine Neoplasia and Hormonal Disorders, Division of Internal Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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7
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Heuer SE, Nickerson EW, Howell GR, Bloss EB. Genetic context drives age-related disparities in synaptic maintenance and structure across cortical and hippocampal neuronal circuits. bioRxiv 2023:2023.07.27.550869. [PMID: 37546799 PMCID: PMC10402174 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.27.550869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
The disconnection of neuronal circuits through synaptic loss is presumed to be a major driver of age-related cognitive decline. Age-related cognitive decline is heterogeneous, yet whether genetic mechanisms differentiate successful from unsuccessful cognitive decline through synaptic structural mechanisms remains unknown. Previous work using rodent and primate models leveraged various techniques to suggest that age-related synaptic loss is widespread on pyramidal cells in prefrontal cortex (PFC) circuits but absent on those in area CA1 of the hippocampus. Here, we examined the effect of aging on synapses on projection neurons forming a hippocampal-cortico-thalamic circuit important for spatial working memory tasks from two genetically distinct mouse strains that exhibit susceptibility (C57BL/6J) or resistance (PWK/PhJ) to cognitive decline during aging. Across both strains, synapses on the CA1-to-PFC projection neurons appeared completely intact with age. In contrast, we found synapse loss on PFC-to-nucleus reuniens (RE) projection neurons from aged C57BL/6J but not PWK/PhJ mice. Moreover, synapses from aged PWK/PhJ mice but not from C57BL/6J exhibited morphological changes that suggest increased synaptic efficiency to depolarize the parent dendrite. Our findings suggest resistance to age-related cognitive decline results in part by age-related synaptic adaptations, and identification of these mechanisms in PWK/PhJ mice could uncover new therapeutic targets for promoting successful cognitive aging and extending human health span.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E. Heuer
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA
- Tufts University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Emily W. Nickerson
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA
- Tufts University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Gareth R. Howell
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA
- Tufts University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Boston, MA 02111, USA
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, Maine 04469, USA
| | - Erik B. Bloss
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA
- Tufts University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Boston, MA 02111, USA
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, Maine 04469, USA
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8
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Keele GR. Which mouse multiparental population is right for your study? The Collaborative Cross inbred strains, their F1 hybrids, or the Diversity Outbred population. G3 (Bethesda) 2023; 13:jkad027. [PMID: 36735601 PMCID: PMC10085760 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkad027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Multiparental populations (MPPs) encompass greater genetic diversity than traditional experimental crosses of two inbred strains, enabling broader surveys of genetic variation underlying complex traits. Two such mouse MPPs are the Collaborative Cross (CC) inbred panel and the Diversity Outbred (DO) population, which are descended from the same eight inbred strains. Additionally, the F1 intercrosses of CC strains (CC-RIX) have been used and enable study designs with replicate outbred mice. Genetic analyses commonly used by researchers to investigate complex traits in these populations include characterizing how heritable a trait is, i.e. its heritability, and mapping its underlying genetic loci, i.e. its quantitative trait loci (QTLs). Here we evaluate the relative merits of these populations for these tasks through simulation, as well as provide recommendations for performing the quantitative genetic analyses. We find that sample populations that include replicate animals, as possible with the CC and CC-RIX, provide more efficient and precise estimates of heritability. We report QTL mapping power curves for the CC, CC-RIX, and DO across a range of QTL effect sizes and polygenic backgrounds for samples of 174 and 500 mice. The utility of replicate animals in the CC and CC-RIX for mapping QTLs rapidly decreased as traits became more polygenic. Only large sample populations of 500 DO mice were well-powered to detect smaller effect loci (7.5-10%) for highly complex traits (80% polygenic background). All results were generated with our R package musppr, which we developed to simulate data from these MPPs and evaluate genetic analyses from user-provided genotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory R Keele
- The Jackson Laboratory, 600 Main Street, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA
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9
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Santarriaga S, Gerlovin K, Layadi Y, Karmacharya R. Human stem cell-based models to study synaptic dysfunction and cognition in schizophrenia: A narrative review. Schizophr Res 2023:S0920-9964(23)00084-1. [PMID: 36925354 PMCID: PMC10500041 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2023.02.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
Cognitive impairment is the strongest predictor of functional outcomes in schizophrenia and is hypothesized to result from synaptic dysfunction. However, targeting synaptic plasticity and cognitive deficits in patients remains a significant clinical challenge. A comprehensive understanding of synaptic plasticity and the molecular basis of learning and memory in a disease context can provide specific targets for the development of novel therapeutics targeting cognitive impairments in schizophrenia. Here, we describe the role of synaptic plasticity in cognition, summarize evidence for synaptic dysfunction in schizophrenia and demonstrate the use of patient derived induced-pluripotent stem cells for studying synaptic plasticity in vitro. Lastly, we discuss current advances and future technologies for bridging basic science research of synaptic dysfunction with clinical and translational research that can be used to predict treatment response and develop novel therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Santarriaga
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Chemical Biology and Therapeutic Science Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kaia Gerlovin
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Chemical Biology and Therapeutic Science Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Yasmine Layadi
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Chimie ParisTech, Université Paris Sciences et Lettres, Paris, France
| | - Rakesh Karmacharya
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Chemical Biology and Therapeutic Science Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder Program, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA.
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10
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Bai Y, Wang H, Li C. SAPAP Scaffold Proteins: From Synaptic Function to Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Cells 2022; 11:cells11233815. [PMID: 36497075 PMCID: PMC9740047 DOI: 10.3390/cells11233815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Excitatory (glutamatergic) synaptic transmission underlies many aspects of brain activity and the genesis of normal human behavior. The postsynaptic scaffolding proteins SAP90/PSD-95-associated proteins (SAPAPs), which are abundant components of the postsynaptic density (PSD) at excitatory synapses, play critical roles in synaptic structure, formation, development, plasticity, and signaling. The convergence of human genetic data with recent in vitro and in vivo animal model data indicates that mutations in the genes encoding SAPAP1-4 are associated with neurological and psychiatric disorders, and that dysfunction of SAPAP scaffolding proteins may contribute to the pathogenesis of various neuropsychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorders, obsessive compulsive disorders, Alzheimer's disease, and bipolar disorder. Here, we review recent major genetic, epigenetic, molecular, behavioral, electrophysiological, and circuitry studies that have advanced our knowledge by clarifying the roles of SAPAP proteins at the synapses, providing new insights into the mechanistic links to neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunxia Bai
- Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (STCSM & MOE), Affiliated Mental Health Center (ECNU), School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China
- Shanghai Changning Mental Health Center, Shanghai 200335, China
| | - Huimin Wang
- Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (STCSM & MOE), Affiliated Mental Health Center (ECNU), School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China
- Shanghai Changning Mental Health Center, Shanghai 200335, China
- NYU-ECNU Institute of Brain and Cognitive Science at NYU Shanghai, Shanghai 200062, China
| | - Chunxia Li
- Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (STCSM & MOE), Affiliated Mental Health Center (ECNU), School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China
- Shanghai Changning Mental Health Center, Shanghai 200335, China
- Correspondence:
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11
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Starling AP, Wood C, Liu C, Kechris K, Yang IV, Friedman C, Thomas DSK, Peel JL, Adgate JL, Magzamen S, Martenies SE, Allshouse WB, Dabelea D. Ambient air pollution during pregnancy and DNA methylation in umbilical cord blood, with potential mediation of associations with infant adiposity: The Healthy Start study. Environ Res 2022; 214:113881. [PMID: 35835166 PMCID: PMC10402394 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2021] [Revised: 06/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal exposure to ambient air pollution has been associated with adverse offspring health outcomes. Childhood health effects of prenatal exposures may be mediated through changes to DNA methylation detectable at birth. METHODS Among 429 non-smoking women in a cohort study of mother-infant pairs in Colorado, USA, we estimated associations between prenatal exposure to ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone (O3), and epigenome-wide DNA methylation of umbilical cord blood cells at delivery (2010-2014). We calculated average PM2.5 and O3 in each trimester of pregnancy and the full pregnancy using inverse-distance-weighted interpolation. We fit linear regression models adjusted for potential confounders and cell proportions to estimate associations between air pollutants and methylation at each of 432,943 CpGs. Differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were identified using comb-p. Previously in this cohort, we reported positive associations between 3rd trimester O3 exposure and infant adiposity at 5 months of age. Here, we quantified the potential for mediation of that association by changes in DNA methylation in cord blood. RESULTS We identified several DMRs for each pollutant and period of pregnancy. The greatest number of significant DMRs were associated with third trimester PM2.5 (21 DMRs). No single CpGs were associated with air pollutants at a false discovery rate <0.05. We found that up to 8% of the effect of 3rd trimester O3 on 5-month adiposity may be mediated by locus-specific methylation changes, but mediation estimates were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS Differentially methylated regions in cord blood were identified in association with maternal exposure to PM2.5 and O3. Genes annotated to the significant sites played roles in cardiometabolic disease, immune function and inflammation, and neurologic disorders. We found limited evidence of mediation by DNA methylation of associations between third trimester O3 exposure and 5-month infant adiposity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne P Starling
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA; Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
| | - Cheyret Wood
- Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Cuining Liu
- Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Katerina Kechris
- Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Ivana V Yang
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA; Division of Biomedical Informatics and Personalized Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA; Center for Genes, Environment and Health, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Chloe Friedman
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA; Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Deborah S K Thomas
- Department of Geography and Earth Sciences, University of North Carolina Charlotte, NC, USA
| | - Jennifer L Peel
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - John L Adgate
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Sheryl Magzamen
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Sheena E Martenies
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA; Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - William B Allshouse
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Dana Dabelea
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA; Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
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12
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Abstract
In 2021, the National Institutes of Health Advisory Committee to the Director (ACD) announced recommendations to improve the reproducibility of biomedical research using animals. In response, The Jackson Laboratory faculty and institutional leaders identified key strategies to further address this important issue. Taking inspiration from the evolution of clinical trials over recent decades in response to similar challenges, we identified opportunities for improvement, including establishment of common standards, use of genetically diverse populations, requirement for robust study design with appropriate statistical methods, and improvement in public databases to facilitate meta-analyses. In this Perspective, we share our response to ACD recommendations, with a specific focus on mouse models, with the aim of promoting continued active dialogue among researchers, using any animal system, worldwide. Such discussion will help to inform the biomedical community about these recommendations and further support their much-needed implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen L. Svenson
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA,Author for correspondence (; )
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13
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Ouellette AR, Hadad N, Deighan A, Robinson L, O'Connell K, Freund A, Churchill GA, Kaczorowski CC. Life-long dietary restrictions have negligible or damaging effects on late-life cognitive performance: A key role for genetics in outcomes. Neurobiol Aging 2022; 118:108-116. [PMID: 35914473 PMCID: PMC9583241 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2022.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Several studies report that caloric restriction (CR) or intermittent fasting (IF) can improve cognition, while others report limited or no cognitive benefits. Here, we compare the effects of 20% CR, 40% CR, 1-day IF, and 2-day IF feeding paradigms to ad libitum controls on Y-maze working memory (WM) and contextual fear memory (CFM) in a large population of Diversity Outbred mice that model the genetic diversity of humans. While CR and IF interventions improve lifespan, we observed no enhancement of working memory or CFM in mice on these feeding paradigms, and report 40% CR to be damaging to recall of CFM. Using Quantitative Trait Loci mapping, we identified the gene Slc16a7 to be associated with CFM outcomes in aged mice on lifespan promoting feeding paradigms. Limited utility of dieting and fasting on memory in mice that recapitulate genetic diversity in the human population highlights the need for anti-aging therapeutics that promote cognitive function, with the neuronal monocarboxylate transporter MCT2 encoded by Slc16a7 highlighted as novel target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew R Ouellette
- The University of Maine, Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Orono ME, USA; The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor ME, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Adam Freund
- Calico Life Sciences LLC, San Francisco CA, USA
| | | | - Catherine C Kaczorowski
- The University of Maine, Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Orono ME, USA; The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor ME, USA.
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14
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Hsieh MY, Tuan LH, Chang HC, Wang YC, Chen CH, Shy HT, Lee LJ, Gau SSF. Altered synaptic protein expression, aberrant spine morphology, and impaired spatial memory in Dlgap2 mutant mice, a genetic model of autism spectrum disorder. Cereb Cortex 2022; 33:4779-4793. [PMID: 36169576 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
A microdeletion of approximately 2.4 Mb at the 8p23 terminal region has been identified in a Taiwanese autistic boy. Among the products transcribed/translated from genes mapped in this region, the reduction of DLGAP2, a postsynaptic scaffold protein, might be involved in the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). DLGAP2 protein was detected in the hippocampus yet abolished in homozygous Dlgap2 knockout (Dlgap2 KO) mice. In this study, we characterized the hippocampal phenotypes in Dlgap2 mutant mice. Dlgap2 KO mice exhibited impaired spatial memory, indicating poor hippocampal function in the absence of DLGAP2. Aberrant expressions of postsynaptic proteins, including PSD95, SHANK3, HOMER1, GluN2A, GluR2, mGluR1, mGluR5, βCAMKII, ERK1/2, ARC, BDNF, were noticed in Dlgap2 mutant mice. Further, the spine density was increased in Dlgap2 KO mice, while the ratio of mushroom-type spines was decreased. We also observed a thinner postsynaptic density thickness in Dlgap2 KO mice at the ultrastructural level. These structural changes found in the hippocampus of Dlgap2 KO mice might be linked to impaired hippocampus-related cognitive functions such as spatial memory. Mice with Dlgap2 deficiency, showing signs of intellectual disability, a common co-occurring condition in patients with ASD, could be a promising animal model which may advance our understanding of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Yen Hsieh
- Graduate Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Li-Heng Tuan
- Graduate Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.,School of Medicine, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan.,Institute of Systems Neuroscience, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan.,Department of Medical Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Ho-Ching Chang
- Graduate Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chun Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Hsiang Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Horng-Tzer Shy
- Graduate Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Li-Jen Lee
- Graduate Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.,Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.,Neurobiology and Cognitive Science Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Susan Shur-Fen Gau
- Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.,Neurobiology and Cognitive Science Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
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15
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Meng X, Wei Q, Meng L, Liu J, Wu Y, Liu W. Feature Fusion and Detection in Alzheimer’s Disease Using a Novel Genetic Multi-Kernel SVM Based on MRI Imaging and Gene Data. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:837. [PMID: 35627222 PMCID: PMC9140721 DOI: 10.3390/genes13050837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2022] [Revised: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Voxel-based morphometry provides an opportunity to study Alzheimer’s disease (AD) at a subtle level. Therefore, identifying the important brain voxels that can classify AD, early mild cognitive impairment (EMCI) and healthy control (HC) and studying the role of these voxels in AD will be crucial to improve our understanding of the neurobiological mechanism of AD. Combining magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) imaging and gene information, we proposed a novel feature construction method and a novel genetic multi-kernel support vector machine (SVM) method to mine important features for AD detection. Specifically, to amplify the differences among AD, EMCI and HC groups, we used the eigenvalues of the top 24 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in a p-value matrix of 24 genes associated with AD for feature construction. Furthermore, a genetic multi-kernel SVM was established with the resulting features. The genetic algorithm was used to detect the optimal weights of 3 kernels and the multi-kernel SVM was used after training to explore the significant features. By analyzing the significance of the features, we identified some brain regions affected by AD, such as the right superior frontal gyrus, right inferior temporal gyrus and right superior temporal gyrus. The findings proved the good performance and generalization of the proposed model. Particularly, significant susceptibility genes associated with AD were identified, such as CSMD1, RBFOX1, PTPRD, CDH13 and WWOX. Some significant pathways were further explored, such as the calcium signaling pathway (corrected p-value = 1.35 × 10−6) and cell adhesion molecules (corrected p-value = 5.44 × 10−4). The findings offer new candidate abnormal brain features and demonstrate the contribution of these features to AD.
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16
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Neuner SM, Telpoukhovskaia M, Menon V, O'Connell KMS, Hohman TJ, Kaczorowski CC. Translational approaches to understanding resilience to Alzheimer's disease. Trends Neurosci 2022; 45:369-383. [PMID: 35307206 PMCID: PMC9035083 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2022.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Individuals who maintain cognitive function despite high levels of Alzheimer's disease (AD)-associated pathology are said to be 'resilient' to AD. Identifying mechanisms underlying resilience represents an exciting therapeutic opportunity. Human studies have identified a number of molecular and genetic factors associated with resilience, but the complexity of these cohorts prohibits a complete understanding of which factors are causal or simply correlated with resilience. Genetically and phenotypically diverse mouse models of AD provide new and translationally relevant opportunities to identify and prioritize new resilience mechanisms for further cross-species investigation. This review will discuss insights into resilience gained from both human and animal studies and highlight future approaches that may help translate these insights into therapeutics designed to prevent or delay AD-related dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M Neuner
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | | | - Vilas Menon
- Center for Translational and Computational Neuroimmunology, Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Kristen M S O'Connell
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA; Tufts University, School of Medicine, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Boston, MA 02111, USA; The University of Maine, Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Orono, ME 04469, USA
| | - Timothy J Hohman
- Vanderbilt Memory and Alzheimer's Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Catherine C Kaczorowski
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA; Tufts University, School of Medicine, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Boston, MA 02111, USA; The University of Maine, Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Orono, ME 04469, USA.
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17
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Yang K, Chen C, Yan Q, Shen X, Jiang L, Ma R, Lu L, Zhu J, Tian Y, Cai W, D'Alton ME, Zhang J, Kahe K. Combined association of early exposure to long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, mercury and selenium with cognitive performance in 1-year-old infants. Environ Res 2022; 207:112186. [PMID: 34627802 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 09/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies on long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCn3PUFAs) and infant neurodevelopment did not consider effect modifications of mercury (Hg) and selenium (Se). OBJECTIVES To examine the joint association of prenatal LCn3PUFAs, Hg and Se with infant cognitive performance, and to explore whether DNA methylation may explain this potential association. METHODS A total of 484 newborns were enrolled from the Shanghai Birth Cohort with available data on cord blood LCn3PUFA, nail Hg and Se during 2015-2016. Cord blood LCn3PUFA concentrations were assessed by gas chromatography, and nail Hg and Se concentrations were measured using clippings collected within 6 months of birth by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Five aspects of infant neurodevelopment (communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem-solving, and personal-social skills) were assessed using the Age and Stage Questionnaire (ASQ) at ages 6 and 12 months. Multivariable-adjusted generalized estimating equations models were performed to examine the associations between cord blood LCn3PUFA concentrations and ASQ test scores, and these associations were stratified by nail Hg and Se levels. Epigenome-wide DNA methylation in cord blood was compared in a random subgroup consisting of 19 infants from the highest and 21 from the lowest decile of LCn3PUFA concentrations. RESULTS LCn3PUFAs were not significantly associated with any ASQ test scores. However, in the subgroup with lower Hg (<median 0.13 ppm) and higher Se (≥median 0.87 ppm) levels, infants with higher LCn3PUFA concentrations had higher ASQ scores indicating better performance in gross motor skills [quartile 4 vs. 1: mean difference = 7.78; 95% confidence interval=(3.47, 12.09); Ptrend<0.01; Pinteraction = 0.03]. Additionally, twenty CpG sites were differentially methylated when comparing high to low LCn3PUFA groups. CONCLUSION The association of prenatal LCn3PUFA concentrations with infant neurodevelopment, particularly gross motor skills, may be observed among infants with high Se and low Hg levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kefeng Yang
- Department of Nutrition, Xin Hua Hospital Affiliated to School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Shanghai, China
| | - Cheng Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, USA
| | - Qi Yan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, USA
| | - Xiuhua Shen
- Department of Nutrition, Xin Hua Hospital Affiliated to School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Shanghai, China
| | - Linlei Jiang
- Instrumental Analysis Platform, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Rui Ma
- MOE-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xin Hua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Liping Lu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, USA
| | - Jie Zhu
- Nutrition and Foods Program, School of Family and Consumer Sciences, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, USA
| | - Ying Tian
- MOE-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xin Hua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Cai
- Department of Nutrition, Xin Hua Hospital Affiliated to School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Shanghai, China
| | - Mary E D'Alton
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, USA
| | - Jun Zhang
- MOE-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xin Hua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ka Kahe
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, USA.
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18
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Song H, Yang J, Yu W. Promoter Hypomethylation of TGFBR3 as a Risk Factor of Alzheimer’s Disease: An Integrated Epigenomic-Transcriptomic Analysis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 9:825729. [PMID: 35310542 PMCID: PMC8924075 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.825729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by the abnormal deposition of amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques and tau tangles in the brain and accompanied with cognitive impairment. However, the fundamental cause of this disease remains elusive. To elucidate the molecular processes related to AD, we carried out an integrated analysis utilizing gene expression microarrays (GSE36980 and GSE5281) and DNA methylation microarray (GSE66351) in temporal cortex of AD patients from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. We totally discovered 409 aberrantly methylated and differentially expressed genes. These dysregulated genes were significantly enriched in biological processes including cell part morphogenesis, chemical synaptic transmission and regulation of Aβ formation. Through convergent functional genomic (CFG) analysis, expression cross-validation and clinicopathological correlation analysis, higher TGFBR3 level was observed in AD and positively correlated with Aβ accumulation. Meanwhile, the promoter methylation level of TGFBR3 was reduced in AD and negatively associated with Aβ level and advanced Braak stage. Mechanically, TGFBR3 might promote Aβ production by enhancing β- and γ-secretase activities. Further investigation revealed that TGFBR3 may exert its functions via Synaptic vesicle cycle, Calcium signaling pathway and MAPK signal pathway by regulating hub genes GNB1, GNG3, CDC5L, DYNC1H1 and FBXW7. Overall, our findings highlighted TGFBR3 as an AD risk gene and might be used as a diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target for AD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Song
- Key Laboratory of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Ministry of Education and Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology of Guizhou Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Jue Yang
- The State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- The Key Laboratory of Chemistry for Natural Products of Guizhou Province and Chinese Academic of Sciences, Guiyang, China
| | - Wenfeng Yu
- Key Laboratory of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Ministry of Education and Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology of Guizhou Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- *Correspondence: Wenfeng Yu,
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19
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Abstract
With the expected rise in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) in the coming decades due to the aging population and a lack of effective disease-modifying treatments, there is a need for preventive strategies that may tap into resilience parameters. A wide array of resilience strategies has been proposed including genetics, socioeconomic status, lifestyle modifications, behavioral changes, and management of comorbid disease. These different strategies can be broadly classified as distinguishing between modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors, some of which can be quantified so that their clinical intervention can be effectively accomplished. A clear shift in research focus from dementia risk to addressing disease resistance and resilience is emerging that has provided new potential therapeutic targets. Here we review and summarize the latest investigations of resilience mechanisms and methods of quantifying resilience for clinical research. These approaches include identifying genetic variants that may help identify novel pathways (e.g., lipid metabolism, cellular trafficking, synaptic function, inflammation) for therapeutic treatments and biomarkers for use in a precision medicine-like regimen. In addition, innovative structural and molecular neuroimaging analyses may assist in detecting and quantifying pathological changes well before the onset of clinical symptoms setting up the possibility of primary and secondary prevention trials. Lastly, we summarize recent studies demonstrating the study of resilience in caregivers of persons living with dementia may have direct and indirect impact on the quality of care and patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahesh S. Joshi
- Comprehensive Center for Brain Health, Department of Neurology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Boca Raton, FL, USA
| | - James E. Galvin
- Comprehensive Center for Brain Health, Department of Neurology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Boca Raton, FL, USA
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20
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Korstanje R, Peters LL, Robinson LL, Krasinski SD, Churchill GA. The Jackson Laboratory Nathan Shock Center: impact of genetic diversity on aging. GeroScience 2021. [PMID: 34297313 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-021-00421-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Healthspan is a complex trait, influenced by many genes and environmental factors that accelerate or delay aging, reduce or increase disease risk, and extend or reduce lifespan. Thus, assessing the role of genetic variation in aging requires an experimental strategy capable of modeling the genetic and biological complexity of human populations. The goal of the The Jackson Laboratory Nathan Shock Center (JAX NSC) is to provide research resources and training for geroscience investigators that seek to understand the role of genetics and genetic diversity on the fundamental process of aging and diseases of human aging using the laboratory mouse as a model system. The JAX NSC has available novel, deeply characterized populations of aged mice, performs state-of-the-art phenotyping of age-relevant traits, provides systems genetics analysis of complex data sets, and provides all of these resources to the geroscience community. The aged animal resources, phenotyping capacity, and genetic expertise available through the JAX NSC benefit the geroscience community by fostering cutting-edge, novel lines of research that otherwise would not be possible. Over the past 15 years, the JAX NSC has transformed aging research across the geroscience community, providing aging mouse resources and tissues to researchers. All JAX NSC data and tools are publicly disseminated on the Mouse Phenome Database and the JAX NSC website, thus ensuring that the resources generated and expertise acquired through the Center are readily available to the aging research community. The JAX NSC will continue to enhance its ability to perform innovative research using a mammalian model to illuminate novel genotype-phenotype relationships and provide a rational basis for designing effective risk assessments and therapeutic interventions to boost longevity and disease-free healthspan.
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21
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Seto M, Weiner RL, Dumitrescu L, Hohman TJ. Protective genes and pathways in Alzheimer's disease: moving towards precision interventions. Mol Neurodegener 2021; 16:29. [PMID: 33926499 PMCID: PMC8086309 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-021-00452-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive, neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by neurodegeneration, cognitive impairment, and an eventual inability to perform daily tasks. The etiology of Alzheimer's is complex, with numerous environmental and genetic factors contributing to the disease. Late-onset AD is highly heritable (60 to 80%), and over 40 risk loci for AD have been identified via large genome-wide association studies, most of which are common variants with small effect sizes. Although these discoveries have provided novel insight on biological contributors to AD, disease-modifying treatments remain elusive. Recently, the concepts of resistance to pathology and resilience against the downstream consequences of pathology have been of particular interest in the Alzheimer's field as studies continue to identify individuals who evade the pathology of the disease even into late life and individuals who have all of the neuropathological features of AD but evade downstream neurodegeneration and cognitive impairment. It has been hypothesized that a shift in focus from Alzheimer's risk to resilience presents an opportunity to uncover novel biological mechanisms of AD and to identify promising therapeutic targets for the disease. This review will highlight a selection of genes and variants that have been reported to confer protection from AD within the literature and will also discuss evidence for the biological underpinnings behind their protective effect with a focus on genes involved in lipid metabolism, cellular trafficking, endosomal and lysosomal function, synaptic function, and inflammation. Finally, we offer some recommendations in areas where the field can rapidly advance towards precision interventions that leverage the ideas of protection and resilience for the development of novel therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mabel Seto
- Vanderbilt Memory and Alzheimer’s Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 1207 17th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37212 USA
- Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN USA
| | - Rebecca L. Weiner
- Vanderbilt Memory and Alzheimer’s Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 1207 17th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37212 USA
- Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN USA
| | - Logan Dumitrescu
- Vanderbilt Memory and Alzheimer’s Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 1207 17th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37212 USA
- Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN USA
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN USA
| | - Timothy J. Hohman
- Vanderbilt Memory and Alzheimer’s Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 1207 17th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37212 USA
- Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN USA
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN USA
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Tang S, Buchman AS, De Jager PL, Bennett DA, Epstein MP, Yang J. Novel Variance-Component TWAS method for studying complex human diseases with applications to Alzheimer's dementia. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009482. [PMID: 33798195 PMCID: PMC8046351 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcriptome-wide association studies (TWAS) have been widely used to integrate transcriptomic and genetic data to study complex human diseases. Within a test dataset lacking transcriptomic data, traditional two-stage TWAS methods first impute gene expression by creating a weighted sum that aggregates SNPs with their corresponding cis-eQTL effects on reference transcriptome. Traditional TWAS methods then employ a linear regression model to assess the association between imputed gene expression and test phenotype, thereby assuming the effect of a cis-eQTL SNP on test phenotype is a linear function of the eQTL's estimated effect on reference transcriptome. To increase TWAS robustness to this assumption, we propose a novel Variance-Component TWAS procedure (VC-TWAS) that assumes the effects of cis-eQTL SNPs on phenotype are random (with variance proportional to corresponding reference cis-eQTL effects) rather than fixed. VC-TWAS is applicable to both continuous and dichotomous phenotypes, as well as individual-level and summary-level GWAS data. Using simulated data, we show VC-TWAS is more powerful than traditional TWAS methods based on a two-stage Burden test, especially when eQTL genetic effects on test phenotype are no longer a linear function of their eQTL genetic effects on reference transcriptome. We further applied VC-TWAS to both individual-level (N = ~3.4K) and summary-level (N = ~54K) GWAS data to study Alzheimer's dementia (AD). With the individual-level data, we detected 13 significant risk genes including 6 known GWAS risk genes such as TOMM40 that were missed by traditional TWAS methods. With the summary-level data, we detected 57 significant risk genes considering only cis-SNPs and 71 significant genes considering both cis- and trans- SNPs, which also validated our findings with the individual-level GWAS data. Our VC-TWAS method is implemented in the TIGAR tool for public use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shizhen Tang
- Center for Computational and Quantitative Genetics, Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Emory University School of Public Health, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Aron S. Buchman
- Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Philip L. De Jager
- Center for Translational and Computational Neuroimmunology, Department of Neurology and Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - David A. Bennett
- Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Michael P. Epstein
- Center for Computational and Quantitative Genetics, Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Jingjing Yang
- Center for Computational and Quantitative Genetics, Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
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