Increased serum levels of cyclophilin a and matrix metalloproteinase-9 are associated with cognitive impairment in patients with obstructive sleep apnea

Differential Expression of Neurodegeneration-Related Genes in SH-SY5Y Neuroblastoma Cells Under the Influence of Cyclophilin A: Could the Enzyme be a Likely Trigger and Therapeutic Target for Alzheimer's Disease?

The function and mechanism of Cyclophilin A (CypA) in modulating gene expression associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) remain unclear. This multifunctional protein is found to be elevated in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of individuals at risk for AD. The cytotoxic effects of CypA, including both wild-type and the mutant R55A, were assessed using the MTT assay. Prior to this evaluation, the purified recombinant protein was validated through enzymatic activity assays and western blot analysis. Following treatment with CypA and transient transfection using the CypA construct, real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blotting were conducted to analyze the expression of factors involved in various signaling pathways, with an emphasis on inflammation, cell death, and intercellular communication. The findings indicate that CypA has a significant impact on the gene expression of factors associated with inflammation and the progression of AD in SH-SY5Y cells. It can be concluded that CypA is capable of regulating gene expression in SH-SY5Y cells, either in a manner dependent on or independent of its enzymatic activity. Additionally, the influence of this multifunctional protein on gene expression is contingent upon the specific site of action, as well as the dosage and duration of exposure to the cells.

Alteration and clinical potential in gut microbiota in patients with cerebral small vessel disease

Background

Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is a cluster of microvascular disorders with unclear pathological mechanisms. The microbiota-gut-brain axis is an essential regulatory mechanism between gut microbes and their host. Therefore, the compositional and functional gut microbiota alterations lead to cerebrovascular disease pathogenesis. The current study aims to determine the alteration and clinical value of the gut microbiota in CSVD patients.

Methods

Sixty-four CSVD patients and 18 matched healthy controls (HCs) were included in our study. All the participants underwent neuropsychological tests, and the multi-modal magnetic resonance imaging depicted the changes in brain structure and function. Plasma samples were collected, and the fecal samples were analyzed with 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

Results

Based on the alpha diversity analysis, the CSVD group had significantly decreased Shannon and enhanced Simpson compared to the HC group. At the genus level, there was a significant increase in the relative abundances of Parasutterella, Anaeroglobus, Megasphaera, Akkermansia, Collinsella, and Veillonella in the CSVD group. Moreover, these genera with significant differences in CSVD patients revealed significant correlations with cognitive assessments, plasma levels of the blood-brain barrier-/inflammation-related indexes, and structural/functional magnetic resonance imaging changes. Functional prediction demonstrated that lipoic acid metabolism was significantly higher in CSVD patients than HCs. Additionally, a composite biomarker depending on six gut microbiota at the genus level displayed an area under the curve of 0.834 to distinguish CSVD patients from HCs using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) algorithm.

Conclusion

The evident changes in gut microbiota composition in CSVD patients were correlated with clinical features and pathological changes of CSVD. Combining these gut microbiota using the LASSO algorithm helped identify CSVD accurately.

Alzheimer's Disease Biomarkers and Complement Proteins Mediate the Impact of Sleep Fragmentation on Cognitive Impairment in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients Without Dementia

BACKGROUND

Cognitive impairment is common in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Previous studies indicated that intermittent hypoxia, sleep fragmentation, and depressive symptoms were associated with cognitive impairment in OSA patients.

OBJECTIVE

The study aimed to investigate whether sleep characteristics and depressive symptoms affected cognitive abilities mediated by Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers and complement proteins in OSA patients without dementia.

METHODS

A total of 317 subjects without dementia who had undergone polysomnography, cognitive and neuropsychological evaluations, were recruited. Neuronal-derived exosomes (NDEs) levels for amyloid-β (Aβ), total tau (T-tau), and tau phosphorylated 62 at threonine 181 (P-T181-tau) and astrocyte-derived exosomes (ADEs) levels for complement proteins were measured. Mediation analysis were performed to explore the mediation effects of AD biomarkers (Aβ42, T-tau, P-T181-tau) and complement proteins (C3b and C5b-9) on cognition.

RESULTS

The findings revealed that the association between sleep fragmentation and cognition was mediated by Aβ42 (the percentage varied from 18.25% to 30.6%), P-T181-tau (the percentage varied from 24.36% to 32.3%), and C5b-9 (the percentage varied from 30.88% to 60.7%). The influence of depressive symptoms on cognition was only mediated via C3b (the percentage varied from 24.1% to 36.6%).

CONCLUSIONS

In OSA patients without dementia, Aβ42 and P-T181-tau levels in NDEs, and C5b-9 levels in ADEs mediated the impact of sleep fragmentation on cognitive impairment, and C3b levels in ADEs mediated the impact of depressive symptoms on cognitive impairment.

Paroxysmal slow wave events are associated with cognitive impairment in patients with obstructive sleep apnea

BACKGROUND

Increasing evidence has supported a link between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and cognition, and blood-brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction which can be reflected by paroxysmal slow wave events (PSWEs) may be a potential mechanism. The purpose of our study was to investigate the correlation between the PSWEs and cognitive impairment in patients with OSA, with a focus on the possible mechanism.

METHODS

In total, 339 subjects with subjective snoring complaints from the Sleep Medicine Center underwent magnetic resonance imaging and whole-night polysomnography. OSA was defined as apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) ≥ 5 events/h. MCI was defined as the MoCA < 26 and met the criteria: (1) subjective cognitive impairment; (2) objective impairment in one or more cognitive domains; (3) slightly impaired complex instrumental daily abilities, but independent daily living abilities; and (4) no dementia. The PSWEs calculated by self-developed Python scripts were defined for EEG recordings as a median power frequency of < 6 Hz for more than five consecutive seconds. Serum cyclophilin A (CyPA) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) levels and amyloid-β 42 levels in neuron-derived exosomes were determined. The participants who received continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) were followed up and their PSWEs were recalculated after 1 year of treatment.

RESULTS

A total of 339 participants were divided into the OSA+MCI group (n = 157), OSA-MCI group (n = 118), and controls (normal cognitive state without OSA) (n = 64). The total PSWEs and the occurrence per minute of PSWEs at stage REM in the OSA+MCI group were higher than those in the OSA-MCI and control groups. The duration ratio of PSWEs at stage REM in the OSA+MCI group significantly increased. The total PSWEs and PSWEs at the F4-M1, O1-M2, and O2-M1 channels in stage REM were independently associated with cognitive impairment in OSA patients. There were positive correlations between the PSWEs and serum CyPA and MMP-9 levels in patients with OSA. The mediation analysis showed that the relationship between mean SaO₂ and percentage of sleep time spent with oxygen saturation <90% with MoCA scores was mediated by the total PSWEs (proportion of mediation 77.89% and 82.89%). The PSWEs were negatively correlated with global cognitive performance and cognitive subdomains. After 1 year of CPAP treatment, the total PSWEs, PSWEs in stage REM, and serum CyPA and MMP-9 levels decreased significantly, and MoCA scores were improved compared with baseline.

CONCLUSIONS

The PSWEs were implicated in cognitive impairment in patients with OSA, and the mechanisms of cognitive impairment due to hypoxia in OSA patients could be BBB dysfunction. The PSWEs can be used as a marker of cognitive impairment in patients with OSA.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This trial is registered on the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, number ChiCTR1900021544. The trial was registered on February 27, 2019.

Biomarkers involved in the pathogenesis of cerebral small-vessel disease

Cerebral small-vessel disease (CSVD) has been found to have a strong association with vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) and functional loss in elderly patients. At present, the diagnosis of CSVD mainly relies on brain neuroimaging markers, but they cannot fully reflect the overall picture of the disease. Currently, some biomarkers were found to be related to CSVD, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We aimed to systematically review and summarize studies on the progress of biomarkers related to the pathogenesis of CSVD, which is mainly the relationship between these indicators and neuroimaging markers of CSVD. Concerning the pathophysiological mechanism of CSVD, the biomarkers of CSVD have been described as several categories related to sporadic and genetic factors. Monitoring of biomarkers might contribute to the early diagnosis and progression prediction of CSVD, thus providing ideas for better diagnosis and treatment of CSVD.

Contribution of blood-brain barrier-related blood-borne factors for Alzheimer’s disease vs. vascular dementia diagnosis: A pilot study

Background

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VaD) are the two most common types of neurodegenerative dementia among the elderly with similar symptoms of cognitive decline and overlapping neuropsychological profiles. Biological markers to distinguish patients with VaD from AD would be very useful. We aimed to investigate the expression of blood-brain barrier (BBB)-related blood-borne factors of soluble low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (sLRP1), cyclophilin A (CyPA), and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) and its correlation with cognitive function between patients with AD and VaD.

Materials and methods

Plasma levels of sLRP1, CyPA, and MMP9 were analyzed in 26 patients with AD, 27 patients with VaD, and 27 normal controls (NCs). Spearman’s rank correlation analysis was used to explore the relationships among biomarker levels, cognitive function, and imaging references. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to discriminate the diagnosis of AD and VaD.

Results

Among these BBB-related factors, plasma CyPA levels in the VaD group were significantly higher than that in the AD group (p < 0.05). Plasma sLRP1 levels presented an increasing trend in VaD while maintaining slightly low levels in patients with AD (p > 0.05). Plasma MMP9 in different diagnostic groups displayed the following trend: VaD group > AD group > NC group, but the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Furthermore, plasma sLRP1 levels were positively related to MoCA scores, and plasma CyPA levels were significantly correlated with MTA scores (p < 0.05) in the AD group. Plasma MMP9 levels were negatively correlated with MoCA scores (p < 0.05) in the VaD groups. No significant correlation was detected between the other factors and different cognitive scores (p > 0.05). ROC analysis showed a good preference of plasma CyPA [AUC = 0.725, 95% CI (0.586–0.865); p = 0.0064] in diagnosis.

Conclusion

The plasma CyPA level is a reference index when distinguishing between an AD and subcortical ischemic vascular dementia (SIVD) diagnosis. Blood-derived factors associated with the BBB may provide new insights into the differential diagnosis of neurodegenerative dementia and warrant further investigation.