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Alkhazaali-Ali Z, Sahab-Negah S, Boroumand AR, Tavakol-Afshari J. MicroRNA (miRNA) as a biomarker for diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutics molecules in neurodegenerative disease. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 177:116899. [PMID: 38889636 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2024] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases that include Alzheimer's disease (AD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), and multiple sclerosis (MS) that arise due to numerous causes like protein accumulation and autoimmunity characterized by neurologic depletion which lead to incapacity in normal physiological function such as thinking and movement in these patients. Glial cells perform an important role in protective neuronal function; in the case of neuroinflammation, glial cell dysfunction can promote the development of neurodegenerative diseases. miRNA that participates in gene regulation and plays a vital role in many biological processes in the body; in the central nervous system (CNS), it can play an essential part in neural maturation and differentiation. In neurodegenerative diseases, miRNA dysregulation occurs, enhancing the development of these diseases. In this review, we discuss neurodegenerative disease (Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and multiple sclerosis (MS)) and how miRNA is preserved as a diagnostic biomarker or therapeutic agent in these disorders. Finally, we highlight miRNA as therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahraa Alkhazaali-Ali
- Department of Immunology, Immunology Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Sajad Sahab-Negah
- Neuroscience Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Shefa Neuroscience Research Center, Khatam Alanbia Hospital, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amir Reza Boroumand
- Neuroscience Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Jalil Tavakol-Afshari
- Department of Immunology, Immunology Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
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Caldi Gomes L, Hänzelmann S, Hausmann F, Khatri R, Oller S, Parvaz M, Tzeplaeff L, Pasetto L, Gebelin M, Ebbing M, Holzapfel C, Columbro SF, Scozzari S, Knöferle J, Cordts I, Demleitner AF, Deschauer M, Dufke C, Sturm M, Zhou Q, Zelina P, Sudria-Lopez E, Haack TB, Streb S, Kuzma-Kozakiewicz M, Edbauer D, Pasterkamp RJ, Laczko E, Rehrauer H, Schlapbach R, Carapito C, Bonetto V, Bonn S, Lingor P. Multiomic ALS signatures highlight subclusters and sex differences suggesting the MAPK pathway as therapeutic target. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4893. [PMID: 38849340 PMCID: PMC11161513 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49196-y] [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: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a debilitating motor neuron disease and lacks effective disease-modifying treatments. This study utilizes a comprehensive multiomic approach to investigate the early and sex-specific molecular mechanisms underlying ALS. By analyzing the prefrontal cortex of 51 patients with sporadic ALS and 50 control subjects, alongside four transgenic mouse models (C9orf72-, SOD1-, TDP-43-, and FUS-ALS), we have uncovered significant molecular alterations associated with the disease. Here, we show that males exhibit more pronounced changes in molecular pathways compared to females. Our integrated analysis of transcriptomes, (phospho)proteomes, and miRNAomes also identified distinct ALS subclusters in humans, characterized by variations in immune response, extracellular matrix composition, mitochondrial function, and RNA processing. The molecular signatures of human subclusters were reflected in specific mouse models. Our study highlighted the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway as an early disease mechanism. We further demonstrate that trametinib, a MAPK inhibitor, has potential therapeutic benefits in vitro and in vivo, particularly in females, suggesting a direction for developing targeted ALS treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Caldi Gomes
- Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, rechts der Isar Hospital, Clinical Department of Neurology, Munich, Germany
| | - Sonja Hänzelmann
- III. Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Center for Biomedical AI, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Medical Systems Biology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Fabian Hausmann
- Center for Biomedical AI, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Medical Systems Biology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Robin Khatri
- Center for Biomedical AI, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Medical Systems Biology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sergio Oller
- Center for Biomedical AI, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Medical Systems Biology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Mojan Parvaz
- Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, rechts der Isar Hospital, Clinical Department of Neurology, Munich, Germany
| | - Laura Tzeplaeff
- Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, rechts der Isar Hospital, Clinical Department of Neurology, Munich, Germany
| | - Laura Pasetto
- Research Center for ALS, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Marie Gebelin
- Laboratoire de Spectrométrie de Masse Bio-Organique, Université de Strasbourg, Infrastructure Nationale de Protéomique, Strasbourg, France
| | - Melanie Ebbing
- Center for Biomedical AI, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Medical Systems Biology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Constantin Holzapfel
- Center for Biomedical AI, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Medical Systems Biology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Serena Scozzari
- Research Center for ALS, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Johanna Knöferle
- Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, rechts der Isar Hospital, Clinical Department of Neurology, Munich, Germany
| | - Isabell Cordts
- Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, rechts der Isar Hospital, Clinical Department of Neurology, Munich, Germany
| | - Antonia F Demleitner
- Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, rechts der Isar Hospital, Clinical Department of Neurology, Munich, Germany
| | - Marcus Deschauer
- Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, rechts der Isar Hospital, Clinical Department of Neurology, Munich, Germany
| | - Claudia Dufke
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Marc Sturm
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Qihui Zhou
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), München, Germany
- Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany
| | - Pavol Zelina
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Emma Sudria-Lopez
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Tobias B Haack
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Center for Rare Diseases, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Sebastian Streb
- Functional Genomics Center Zürich, ETH Zürich and University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | - Dieter Edbauer
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), München, Germany
- Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany
| | - R Jeroen Pasterkamp
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Endre Laczko
- Functional Genomics Center Zürich, ETH Zürich and University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Hubert Rehrauer
- Functional Genomics Center Zürich, ETH Zürich and University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Ralph Schlapbach
- Functional Genomics Center Zürich, ETH Zürich and University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Christine Carapito
- Laboratoire de Spectrométrie de Masse Bio-Organique, Université de Strasbourg, Infrastructure Nationale de Protéomique, Strasbourg, France
| | - Valentina Bonetto
- Research Center for ALS, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Stefan Bonn
- Center for Biomedical AI, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
- Institute of Medical Systems Biology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Paul Lingor
- Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, rechts der Isar Hospital, Clinical Department of Neurology, Munich, Germany.
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), München, Germany.
- Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany.
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Li X, Bedlack R. Evaluating emerging drugs in phase II & III for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Expert Opin Emerg Drugs 2024; 29:93-102. [PMID: 38516735 DOI: 10.1080/14728214.2024.2333420] [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: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is a rapidly progressive motor neuron disorder causing severe disability and premature death. Owing to the advances in uncovering ALS pathophysiology, efficient clinical trial design and research advocacy program, several disease-modifying drugs have been approved for treating ALS. Despite this progress, ALS remains a rapidly disabling and life shortening condition. There is a critical need for more effective therapies. AREAS COVERED Here, we reviewed the emerging ALS therapeutics undergoing phase II & III clinical trials. To identify the investigational drugs, we searched ALS and phase II/III trials that are active and recruiting or not yet recruiting on clinicaltrials.gov and Pharmaprojects database. EXPERT OPINION The current pipeline is larger and more diverse than ever, with drugs targeting potential genetic and retroviral causes of ALS and drugs targeting a wide array of downstream pathways, including RNA metabolism, protein aggregation, integrated stress response and neuroinflammation.We remain most excited about those that target direct causes of ALS, e.g. antisense oligonucleotides targeting causative genes. Drugs that eliminate abnormal protein aggregates are also up-and-coming. Eventually, because of the heterogeneity of ALS pathophysiology, biomarkers that determine which biological events are most important for an individual ALS patient are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyan Li
- Department of Neurology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
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Kaul S, Nair V, Gcanga L, Lakshmanan V, Kalamuddin M, Anang V, Rathore S, Dhawan S, Alam T, Khanna V, Lohiya S, Ali S, Mannan S, Rade K, Parihar SP, Khanna A, Malhotra P, Brombacher F, Dasaradhi PV, Guler R, Mohmmed A. Identifying quantitative sncRNAs signature using global sequencing as a potential biomarker for tuberculosis diagnosis and their role in regulating host response. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 271:132714. [PMID: 38815937 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.132714] [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: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The study aimed to identify a quantitative signature of circulating small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) as a biomarker for pulmonary tuberculosis disease (active-TB/ATB) and explore their regulatory roles in host-pathogen interactions and disease progression. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional study recruiting subjects diagnosed with active-TB (drug-sensitive and drug-resistant) and healthy controls. Sera samples were collected and utilized for preparing small RNA libraries. Quantitative patterns of circulating sncRNAs (miRNAs, piRNAs and tRFs) were identified via high-throughput sequencing and DeSeq2 analysis and validated in independent active-TB cohorts. Functional knockdown for two selected miRNAs were also performed. RESULTS A diagnostic signature of four sncRNAs for both drug-sensitive and drug-resistant active-TB cases was validated, exhibiting an AUC of 0.96 (95% CI: 0.937-0.996, p < 0.001) with 86.7% sensitivity (95% CI: 0.775-0.932) and 91.7% specificity (95% CI: 0.730-0.990) in ROC analysis. Functional knockdown demonstrated regulatory roles of hsa-miR-223-5p and hsa-miR-10b-5p in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) growth and pro-inflammatory cytokine expression (IL-6 and IL-8). CONCLUSION The study identified a diagnostic tool utilizing a signature of four sncRNAs with high specificity and sensitivity, enhancing our understanding of sncRNAs as ATB diagnostic biomarker. Additionally, hsa-miR-223-5p and hsa-miR-10b-5p demonstrated potential roles in Mtb pathogenesis and host-response to infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheetal Kaul
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, India; Department of Biochemistry, School of Chemical and Life Sciences, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India
| | - Vivek Nair
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, India
| | - Lorna Gcanga
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cape Town Component, Cape Town, South Africa; Division of Immunology, Department of Pathology, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine (IDM), Immunology of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Health Sciences, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Africa, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine (IDM), Department of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | - M Kalamuddin
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, India
| | - Vandana Anang
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, India
| | - Sumit Rathore
- All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Shikha Dhawan
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, India
| | - Tanvir Alam
- College of Science and Engineering, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha 34110, Qatar
| | - Vishal Khanna
- Chest Clinic (Tuberculosis), Lok Nayak Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Sheelu Lohiya
- Chest Clinic (Tuberculosis), Lok Nayak Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Shakir Ali
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Chemical and Life Sciences, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India
| | | | | | - Suraj P Parihar
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cape Town Component, Cape Town, South Africa; Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Africa, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine (IDM), Department of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Ashwani Khanna
- Chest Clinic (Tuberculosis), Lok Nayak Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Pawan Malhotra
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, India
| | - Frank Brombacher
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cape Town Component, Cape Town, South Africa; Division of Immunology, Department of Pathology, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine (IDM), Immunology of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Health Sciences, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Africa, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine (IDM), Department of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | - Reto Guler
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cape Town Component, Cape Town, South Africa; Division of Immunology, Department of Pathology, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine (IDM), Immunology of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Health Sciences, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Africa, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine (IDM), Department of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Asif Mohmmed
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, India.
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Casado Gama H, Amorós MA, Andrade de Araújo M, Sha CM, Vieira MP, Torres RG, Souza GF, Junkes JA, Dokholyan NV, Leite Góes Gitaí D, Duzzioni M. Systematic review and meta-analysis of dysregulated microRNAs derived from liquid biopsies as biomarkers for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Noncoding RNA Res 2024; 9:523-535. [PMID: 38511059 PMCID: PMC10950706 DOI: 10.1016/j.ncrna.2024.02.006] [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: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The discovery of disease-specific biomarkers, such as microRNAs (miRNAs), holds the potential to transform the landscape of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) by facilitating timely diagnosis, monitoring treatment response, and accelerating drug discovery. Such advancement could ultimately improve the quality of life and survival rates for ALS patients. Despite more than a decade of research, no miRNA biomarker candidate has been translated into clinical practice. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to quantitatively synthesize data from original studies that analyzed miRNA expression from liquid biopsies via PCR and compared them to healthy controls. Our analysis encompasses 807 miRNA observations from 31 studies, stratified according to their source tissue. We identified consistently dysregulated miRNAs in serum (hsa-miR-3665, -4530, -4745-5p, -206); blood (hsa-miR-338-3p, -183-5p); cerebrospinal fluid (hsa-miR-34a-3p); plasma (hsa-miR-206); and neural-enriched extracellular vesicles from plasma (hsa-miR-146a-5p, -151a-5p, -10b-5p, -29b-3p, and -4454). The meta-analyses provided further support for the upregulation of hsa-miR-206, hsa-miR-338-3p, hsa-miR-146a-5p and hsa-miR-151a-5p, and downregulation of hsa-miR-183-5p, hsa-miR-10b-5p, hsa-miR-29b-3p, and hsa-miR-4454 as consistent indicators of ALS across independent studies. Our findings provide valuable insights into the current understanding of miRNAs' dysregulated expression in ALS patients and on the researchers' choices of methodology. This work contributes to the ongoing efforts towards discovering disease-specific biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hemerson Casado Gama
- Laboratory of Pharmacological Innovation, Institute of Biological Sciences and Health, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Alagoas -AL, 57072-900, Brazil
| | - Mariana A. Amorós
- Laboratory of Pharmacological Innovation, Institute of Biological Sciences and Health, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Alagoas -AL, 57072-900, Brazil
| | - Mykaella Andrade de Araújo
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences and Health, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Alagoas -AL, 57072-900, Brazil
| | - Congzhou M. Sha
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033, United States
| | - Mirella P.S. Vieira
- Laboratory of Pharmacological Innovation, Institute of Biological Sciences and Health, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Alagoas -AL, 57072-900, Brazil
| | - Rayssa G.D. Torres
- Laboratory of Pharmacological Innovation, Institute of Biological Sciences and Health, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Alagoas -AL, 57072-900, Brazil
| | - Gabriela F. Souza
- Laboratory of Pharmacological Innovation, Institute of Biological Sciences and Health, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Alagoas -AL, 57072-900, Brazil
| | - Janaína A. Junkes
- Postgraduate Program in Society, Technologies and Public Policies, Tiradentes University Centre, AL, 57038-000, Brazil
| | - Nikolay V. Dokholyan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033, United States
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033, United States
| | - Daniel Leite Góes Gitaí
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences and Health, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Alagoas -AL, 57072-900, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Duzzioni
- Laboratory of Pharmacological Innovation, Institute of Biological Sciences and Health, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Alagoas -AL, 57072-900, Brazil
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Malaspina A. Use of biomarkers in clinical trials and future developments that will help identify novel biomarkers. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2024; 176:171-207. [PMID: 38802175 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2024.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Engineering new solutions for therapeutic benefit in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) has proved a difficult task to accomplish. This is largely the reflection of complexities at multiple levels, that require solutions to improve cost-effectiveness and outcomes. The main obstacle related to the condition's clinical heterogeneity, chiefly the broad difference in survival observed among ALS patients, imposes large populations studies and long follow-up to evaluate any efficacy. The emerging solution is composite clinical and biological parameters enabling prognostic stratification into homogeneous phenotypes for more affordable studies. From a therapeutic development perspective, the choice of a medicinal product requires the availability of treatment-specific biomarkers of target engagement to identify off-target effects based on the compound's putative modality of action. More importantly, there are no established biomarkers of treatment response that can complement clinical outcome measures and support futility and end of treatment analyses of efficacy. Ultimately the onus rests on the development of biomarkers encompassing the unmet needs of clinical trial design, from inclusion to efficacy. These readouts of the pathological process may be used in combination with clinical and paraclinical outcome measured, significantly reducing the time and financial burden of clinical studies. Progress towards a biomarker-driven clinical trial design in ALS has been possible thanks to the accurate detection of neurofilaments and of other immunological mediators in biological fluids with the disease progression, a step change enabling the testing of novel therapeutic agents in a new clinical trial setting. However, further progress remains to be made to find treatment specific target engagement biomarkers along with readouts of treatment response that can be reliably applied to all emerging therapies and clinical studies. Here we will cover the basic notions of biomarker development in ALS clinical trials, the most crucial unanswered questions and the unmet needs in the ALS biomarkers space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Malaspina
- Professor of Neurology, Queen Square MND Centre, Instute of Neurology, London, United Kingdom.
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Agnello L, Gambino CM, Ciaccio AM, Masucci A, Vassallo R, Tamburello M, Scazzone C, Lo Sasso B, Ciaccio M. Molecular Biomarkers of Neurodegenerative Disorders: A Practical Guide to Their Appropriate Use and Interpretation in Clinical Practice. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4323. [PMID: 38673907 PMCID: PMC11049959 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25084323] [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: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative disorders (NDs) represent a group of different diseases characterized by the progressive degeneration and death of the nervous system's cells. The diagnosis is challenging, especially in the early stages, due to no specific clinical signs and symptoms. In this context, laboratory medicine could support clinicians in detecting and differentiating NDs. Indeed, biomarkers could indicate the pathological mechanisms underpinning NDs. The ideal biofluid for detecting the biomarkers of NDs is cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which has limitations, hampering its widespread use in clinical practice. However, intensive efforts are underway to introduce high-sensitivity analytical methods to detect ND biomarkers in alternative nonivasive biofluid, such as blood or saliva. This study presents an overview of the ND molecular biomarkers currently used in clinical practice. For some diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease or multiple sclerosis, biomarkers are well established and recommended by guidelines. However, for most NDs, intensive research is ongoing to identify reliable and specific biomarkers, and no consensus has yet been achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Agnello
- Institute of Clinical Biochemistry, Clinical Molecular Medicine, and Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy; (L.A.); (C.M.G.); (A.M.); (R.V.); (M.T.); (C.S.); (B.L.S.)
| | - Caterina Maria Gambino
- Institute of Clinical Biochemistry, Clinical Molecular Medicine, and Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy; (L.A.); (C.M.G.); (A.M.); (R.V.); (M.T.); (C.S.); (B.L.S.)
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital “P. Giaccone”, 90127 Palermo, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Ciaccio
- Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties “G. D’Alessandro”, Department of Health Promotion, Maternal and Infant Care, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy;
| | - Anna Masucci
- Institute of Clinical Biochemistry, Clinical Molecular Medicine, and Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy; (L.A.); (C.M.G.); (A.M.); (R.V.); (M.T.); (C.S.); (B.L.S.)
| | - Roberta Vassallo
- Institute of Clinical Biochemistry, Clinical Molecular Medicine, and Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy; (L.A.); (C.M.G.); (A.M.); (R.V.); (M.T.); (C.S.); (B.L.S.)
| | - Martina Tamburello
- Institute of Clinical Biochemistry, Clinical Molecular Medicine, and Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy; (L.A.); (C.M.G.); (A.M.); (R.V.); (M.T.); (C.S.); (B.L.S.)
| | - Concetta Scazzone
- Institute of Clinical Biochemistry, Clinical Molecular Medicine, and Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy; (L.A.); (C.M.G.); (A.M.); (R.V.); (M.T.); (C.S.); (B.L.S.)
| | - Bruna Lo Sasso
- Institute of Clinical Biochemistry, Clinical Molecular Medicine, and Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy; (L.A.); (C.M.G.); (A.M.); (R.V.); (M.T.); (C.S.); (B.L.S.)
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital “P. Giaccone”, 90127 Palermo, Italy
| | - Marcello Ciaccio
- Institute of Clinical Biochemistry, Clinical Molecular Medicine, and Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy; (L.A.); (C.M.G.); (A.M.); (R.V.); (M.T.); (C.S.); (B.L.S.)
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital “P. Giaccone”, 90127 Palermo, Italy
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Caggiano C, Morselli M, Qian X, Celona B, Thompson M, Wani S, Tosevska A, Taraszka K, Heuer G, Ngo S, Steyn F, Nestor P, Wallace L, McCombe P, Heggie S, Thorpe K, McElligott C, English G, Henders A, Henderson R, Lomen-Hoerth C, Wray N, McRae A, Pellegrini M, Garton F, Zaitlen N. Tissue informative cell-free DNA methylation sites in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2024.04.08.24305503. [PMID: 38645132 PMCID: PMC11030489 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.08.24305503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is increasingly recognized as a promising biomarker candidate for disease monitoring. However, its utility in neurodegenerative diseases, like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), remains underexplored. Existing biomarker discovery approaches are tailored to a specific disease context or are too expensive to be clinically practical. Here, we address these challenges through a new approach combining advances in molecular and computational technologies. First, we develop statistical tools to select tissue-informative DNA methylation sites relevant to a disease process of interest. We then employ a capture protocol to select these sites and perform targeted methylation sequencing. Multi-modal information about the DNA methylation patterns are then utilized in machine learning algorithms trained to predict disease status and disease progression. We applied our method to two independent cohorts of ALS patients and controls (n=192). Overall, we found that the targeted sites accurately predicted ALS status and replicated between cohorts. Additionally, we identified epigenetic features associated with ALS phenotypes, including disease severity. These findings highlight the potential of cfDNA as a non-invasive biomarker for ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Caggiano
- Department of Neurology, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
- Institute of Genomic Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mt Sinai, New York, New York
| | - M Morselli
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, UCLA; Los Angeles, California
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - X Qian
- Institute for Molecular Biology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - B Celona
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, UCSF, San Francisco, California
| | - M Thompson
- Department of Neurology, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
- Systems and Synthetic Biology, Centre for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona, Spain
| | - S Wani
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, UCSF, San Francisco, California
| | - A Tosevska
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, UCLA; Los Angeles, California
- Department of Internal Medicine III, Division of Rheumatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - K Taraszka
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - G Heuer
- Computational and Systems Biology Interdepartmental Program, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
| | - S Ngo
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- Department of Neurology, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - F Steyn
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - P Nestor
- Queensland Brain Institute, Unviversity of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- Mater Public Hospital, Brisbane, Australia
| | - L Wallace
- Institute for Molecular Biology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - P McCombe
- Department of Neurology, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - S Heggie
- Department of Neurology, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - K Thorpe
- Department of Neurology, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | | | - G English
- Institute for Molecular Biology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - A Henders
- Institute for Molecular Biology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - R Henderson
- Department of Neurology, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - C Lomen-Hoerth
- Department of Neurology, UCSF, San Francisco, California
| | - N Wray
- Institute for Molecular Biology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - A McRae
- Institute for Molecular Biology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - M Pellegrini
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - F Garton
- Institute for Molecular Biology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - N Zaitlen
- Department of Neurology, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
- Department of Human Genetics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
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9
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Xu H, Zheng Y, Xie J, Duan W, Yu L, Lin R, Li CC, Jia L. Imaging mRNA in vitro and in vivo with nanofirecracker probes via intramolecular hybridization chain reaction. Biosens Bioelectron 2024; 248:115973. [PMID: 38150797 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2023.115973] [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: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
Hybridization chain reaction (HCR) based enzyme-free amplification techniques have recently been developed for the visualization of intracellular messenger RNA (mRNA). However, the slow kinetics and potential interference with the intricate biological environments hinder its application in the clinic and in vivo. Herein, we designed a nanofirecracker probe-based strategy using intramolecular hybridization chain reaction (IHCR) amplifier for rapid, efficient, sensitive, specific detection and imaging of survivin mRNA both in vitro and vivo. Two probes, HP1 and HP2, in IHCR were simultaneously incorporated into a DNA nanowire scaffolds to bring HP1 and HP2 to close proximity on the assembled nanowire scaffolds. Empowered by the DNA nanowire scaffolds and spatial confinement effect, the nanofirecracker probe-based IHCR sensing system exhibited improved biostability, accelerated reaction kinetics, and enhanced signal amplification. This new strategy has been successfully applied to imaging mRNA in both cultured cells and in mice. Importantly, this novel sensing method was capable of detecting survivin mRNA in clinical blood samples from subjects with colorectal cancer. Thus, this novel nanofirecracker probe-based IHCR strategy holds great potential in advancing both biomedical research and in molecular diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huo Xu
- College of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Minjiang University, Fuzhou, 350108, Fujian, China.
| | - Yanhui Zheng
- College of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Minjiang University, Fuzhou, 350108, Fujian, China
| | - Jingjing Xie
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, Fujian, China
| | - Wei Duan
- School of Medicine, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Victoria, 3216, Australia
| | - Lixue Yu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, Fujian, China
| | - Ruimiao Lin
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, Fujian, China
| | - Chen-Chen Li
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Biochemical Analysis, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, Shangdong, 266042, China
| | - Lee Jia
- College of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Minjiang University, Fuzhou, 350108, Fujian, China
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10
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Zhu L, Yuan F, Wang X, Zhu R, Guo W. Cuproptosis-related gene-located DNA methylation in lower-grade glioma: Prognosis and tumor microenvironment. Cancer Biomark 2024:CBM230341. [PMID: 38578883 DOI: 10.3233/cbm-230341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
Cuproptosis a novel copper-dependent cell death modality, plays a crucial part in the oncogenesis, progression and prognosis of tumors. However, the relationships among DNA-methylation located in cuproptosis-related genes (CRGs), overall survival (OS) and the tumor microenvironment remain undefined. In this study, we systematically assessed the prognostic value of CRG-located DNA-methylation for lower-grade glioma (LGG). Clinical and molecular data were sourced from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. We employed Cox hazard regression to examine the associations between CRG-located DNA-methylation and OS, leading to the development of a prognostic signature. Kaplan-Meier survival and time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were utilized to gauge the accuracy of the signature. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) was applied to uncover potential biological functions of differentially expressed genes between high- and low-risk groups. A three CRG-located DNA-methylation prognostic signature was established based on TCGA database and validated in GEO dataset. The 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year area under the curve (AUC) of ROC curves in the TCGA dataset were 0.884, 0.888, and 0.859 while those in the GEO dataset were 0.943, 0.761 and 0.725, respectively. Cox-regression-analyses revealed the risk signature as an independent risk factor for LGG patients. Immunogenomic profiling suggested that the signature was associated with immune infiltration level and immune checkpoints. Functional enrichment analysis indicated differential enrichment in cell differentiation in the hindbrain, ECM receptor interactions, glycolysis and reactive oxygen species pathway across different groups. We developed and verified a novel CRG-located DNA-methylation signature to predict the prognosis in LGG patients. Our findings emphasize the potential clinical implications of CRG-located DNA-methylation indicating that it may serve as a promising therapeutic target for LGG patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liucun Zhu
- School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Fa Yuan
- School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xue Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Rui Zhu
- School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital of Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenna Guo
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
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11
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Wang Q, Zhou T, Xue D, Yang H, Sui Z, Yuan X, Xu J. An allosteric palindromic hairpin probe based dual-mode interactive strand displacement amplification enables robust miRNA biosensing. Chem Commun (Camb) 2024; 60:2910-2913. [PMID: 38363200 DOI: 10.1039/d3cc06265a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
This study introduces an allosteric palindromic hairpin probe (APHP)-based dual-mode interactive strand displacement amplification (DMI-SDA) system for ultrasensitive detection of microRNA-155. The system achieves exceptional signal amplification and improved signal preservation using dimeric G-triplexes as signal reporters, enabling robust detection of miRNA-155, representing a promising avenue in molecular diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Wang
- College of Biological, Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Jiaxing University, Zhejiang, Jiaxing, 314001, P. R. China.
- School of Chemistry and Materials Engineering, Fuyang Normal University, Anhui, Fuyang, 236037, P. R. China
| | - Tong Zhou
- School of Chemistry and Materials Engineering, Fuyang Normal University, Anhui, Fuyang, 236037, P. R. China
| | - Danni Xue
- School of Chemistry and Materials Engineering, Fuyang Normal University, Anhui, Fuyang, 236037, P. R. China
| | - Haidong Yang
- College of Biological, Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Jiaxing University, Zhejiang, Jiaxing, 314001, P. R. China.
| | - Zhuqi Sui
- College of Biological, Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Jiaxing University, Zhejiang, Jiaxing, 314001, P. R. China.
| | - Xinyue Yuan
- College of Biological, Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Jiaxing University, Zhejiang, Jiaxing, 314001, P. R. China.
| | - Jianguo Xu
- College of Biological, Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Jiaxing University, Zhejiang, Jiaxing, 314001, P. R. China.
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12
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Nemeth K, Bayraktar R, Ferracin M, Calin GA. Non-coding RNAs in disease: from mechanisms to therapeutics. Nat Rev Genet 2024; 25:211-232. [PMID: 37968332 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-023-00662-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are a heterogeneous group of transcripts that, by definition, are not translated into proteins. Since their discovery, ncRNAs have emerged as important regulators of multiple biological functions across a range of cell types and tissues, and their dysregulation has been implicated in disease. Notably, much research has focused on the link between microRNAs (miRNAs) and human cancers, although other ncRNAs, such as long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs), are also emerging as relevant contributors to human disease. In this Review, we summarize our current understanding of the roles of miRNAs, lncRNAs and circRNAs in cancer and other major human diseases, notably cardiovascular, neurological and infectious diseases. Further, we discuss the potential use of ncRNAs as biomarkers of disease and as therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kinga Nemeth
- Translational Molecular Pathology Department, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Recep Bayraktar
- Translational Molecular Pathology Department, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Manuela Ferracin
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences (DIMEC), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
- IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
| | - George A Calin
- Translational Molecular Pathology Department, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
- The RNA Interference and Non-coding RNA Center, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
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13
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Bruni F. Human mtDNA-Encoded Long ncRNAs: Knotty Molecules and Complex Functions. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1502. [PMID: 38338781 PMCID: PMC10855489 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031502] [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: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Until a few decades ago, most of our knowledge of RNA transcription products was focused on protein-coding sequences, which were later determined to make up the smallest portion of the mammalian genome. Since 2002, we have learnt a great deal about the intriguing world of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), mainly due to the rapid development of bioinformatic tools and next-generation sequencing (NGS) platforms. Moreover, interest in non-human ncRNAs and their functions has increased as a result of these technologies and the accessibility of complete genome sequences of species ranging from Archaea to primates. Despite not producing proteins, ncRNAs constitute a vast family of RNA molecules that serve a number of regulatory roles and are essential for cellular physiology and pathology. This review focuses on a subgroup of human ncRNAs, namely mtDNA-encoded long non-coding RNAs (mt-lncRNAs), which are transcribed from the mitochondrial genome and whose disparate localisations and functions are linked as much to mitochondrial metabolism as to cellular physiology and pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Bruni
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70125 Bari, Italy
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14
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Bellanti R, Keddie S, Lunn MP, Rinaldi S. Ultrasensitive assay technology and fluid biomarkers for the evaluation of peripheral nerve disease. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2024; 95:114-124. [PMID: 37821222 DOI: 10.1136/jnnp-2023-332031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
The field of biomarker discovery is rapidly expanding. The introduction of ultrasensitive immunoassays and the growing precision of genetic technologies are poised to revolutionise the assessment and monitoring of many diseases. Given the difficulties in imaging and tissue diagnosis, there is mounting interest in serum and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers of peripheral neuropathy. Realised and potential fluid biomarkers of peripheral nerve disease include neuronal biomarkers of axonal degeneration, glial biomarkers for peripheral demyelinating disorders, immunopathogenic biomarkers (such as the presence and titre of antibodies or the levels of cytokines) and genetic biomarkers. Several are already starting to inform clinical practice, whereas others remain under evaluation as potential indicators of disease activity and treatment response. As more biomarkers become available for clinical use, it has become increasingly difficult for clinicians and researchers to keep up-to-date with the most recent discovery and interpretation. In this review, we aim to inform practising neurologists, neuroscientists and other clinicians about recent advances in fluid biomarker technology, with a focus on single molecule arrays (Simoa), chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassays (CLEIA), electrochemiluminescence (ECL), proximity extension assays (PEA), and microfluidic technology. We discuss established and emerging fluid biomarkers of peripheral neuropathy, their clinical applications, limitations and potential future developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Bellanti
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Stephen Keddie
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, The Royal London Hospital, London, UK
| | - Michael P Lunn
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Neuroinflammation, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK
| | - Simon Rinaldi
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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15
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Lauria G, Curcio R, Tucci P. A Machine Learning Approach for Highlighting microRNAs as Biomarkers Linked to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Diagnosis and Progression. Biomolecules 2023; 14:47. [PMID: 38254647 PMCID: PMC10813207 DOI: 10.3390/biom14010047] [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: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by the progressive loss of motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. The early diagnosis of ALS can be challenging, as it usually depends on clinical examination and the exclusion of other possible causes. In this regard, the analysis of miRNA expression profiles in biofluids makes miRNAs promising non-invasive clinical biomarkers. Due to the increasing amount of scientific literature that often provides controversial results, this work aims to deepen the understanding of the current state of the art on this topic using a machine-learning-based approach. A systematic literature search was conducted to analyze a set of 308 scientific articles using the MySLR digital platform and the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) algorithm. Two relevant topics were identified, and the articles clustered in each of them were analyzed and discussed in terms of biomolecular mechanisms, as well as in translational and clinical settings. Several miRNAs detected in the tissues and biofluids of ALS patients, including blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), have been linked to ALS diagnosis and progression. Some of them may represent promising non-invasive clinical biomarkers. In this context, future scientific priorities and goals have been proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rosita Curcio
- Correspondence: (R.C.); (P.T.); Tel.: +39-0984493046 (R.C.); +39-0984493185 (P.T.)
| | - Paola Tucci
- Correspondence: (R.C.); (P.T.); Tel.: +39-0984493046 (R.C.); +39-0984493185 (P.T.)
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16
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Huang J, Yu Y, Pang D, Li C, Wei Q, Cheng Y, Cui Y, Ou R, Shang H. Lnc-HIBADH-4 Regulates Autophagy-Lysosome Pathway in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis by Targeting Cathepsin D. Mol Neurobiol 2023:10.1007/s12035-023-03835-5. [PMID: 38135852 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03835-5] [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: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most prevalent and lethal class of severe motor neuron diseases (MND) with no efficacious treatment. The pathogenic mechanisms underlying ALS remain unclear. Nearly 90% of patients exhibit sporadic onset (sALS). Therefore, elucidating the pathophysiology of ALS is imperative. Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) is a large class of non-coding RNAs that regulate transcription, translation, and post-translational processes. LncRNAs contribute to the pathogenesis of diverse neurodegenerative disorders and hold promise as targets for interference in the realm of neurodegeneration. However, the mechanisms of which lncRNAs are involved in ALS have not been thoroughly investigated. We identified and validated a downregulated lncRNA, lnc-HIBADH-4, in ALS which correlated with disease severity and overall survival. Lnc-HIBADH-4 acted as a "molecular sponge" regulating lysosomal function through the lnc-HIBADH-4/miR-326/CTSD pathway, thereby impacting autophagy-lysosome dynamics and the levels of cell proliferation and apoptosis. Therefore, this study discovered and revealed the role of lnc-HIBADH-4 in the pathogenesis of ALS. With further research, lnc-HIBADH-4 is expected to provide a new biomarker in the diagnosis and treatment of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingxuan Huang
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare Diseases Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No.37, Guoxue Lane, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Yujiao Yu
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare Diseases Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No.37, Guoxue Lane, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Dejiang Pang
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare Diseases Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No.37, Guoxue Lane, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Chunyu Li
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare Diseases Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No.37, Guoxue Lane, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Qianqian Wei
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare Diseases Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No.37, Guoxue Lane, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Yangfan Cheng
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare Diseases Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No.37, Guoxue Lane, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Yiyuan Cui
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare Diseases Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No.37, Guoxue Lane, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Ruwei Ou
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare Diseases Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No.37, Guoxue Lane, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Huifang Shang
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare Diseases Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No.37, Guoxue Lane, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
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17
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Waller R, Bury JJ, Appleby-Mallinder C, Wyles M, Loxley G, Babel A, Shekari S, Kazoka M, Wollff H, Al-Chalabi A, Heath PR, Shaw PJ, Kirby J. Establishing mRNA and microRNA interactions driving disease heterogeneity in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patient survival. Brain Commun 2023; 6:fcad331. [PMID: 38162899 PMCID: PMC10754318 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcad331] [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: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a fatal neurodegenerative disease, associated with the degeneration of both upper and lower motor neurons of the motor cortex, brainstem and spinal cord. Death in most patients results from respiratory failure within 3-4 years from symptom onset. However, due to disease heterogeneity some individuals survive only months from symptom onset while others live for several years. Identifying specific biomarkers that aid in establishing disease prognosis, particularly in terms of predicting disease progression, will help our understanding of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis pathophysiology and could be used to monitor a patient's response to drugs and therapeutic agents. Transcriptomic profiling technologies are continually evolving, enabling us to identify key gene changes in biological processes associated with disease. MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNAs typically associated with regulating gene expression, by degrading mRNA or reducing levels of gene expression. Being able to associate gene expression changes with corresponding microRNA changes would help to distinguish a more complex biomarker signature enabling us to address key challenges associated with complex diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The present study aimed to investigate the transcriptomic profile (mRNA and microRNA) of lymphoblastoid cell lines from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients to identify key signatures that are distinguishable in those patients who suffered a short disease duration (<12 months) (n = 22) compared with those that had a longer disease duration (>6 years) (n = 20). Transcriptional profiling of microRNA-mRNA interactions from lymphoblastoid cell lines in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients revealed differential expression of genes involved in cell cycle, DNA damage and RNA processing in patients with longer survival from disease onset compared with those with short survival. Understanding these particular microRNA-mRNA interactions and the pathways in which they are involved may help to distinguish potential therapeutic targets that could exert neuroprotective effects to prolong the life expectancy of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Waller
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2HQ, UK
- Neuroscience Institute, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Joanna J Bury
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2HQ, UK
| | - Charlie Appleby-Mallinder
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2HQ, UK
| | - Matthew Wyles
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2HQ, UK
| | - George Loxley
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2HQ, UK
| | - Aditi Babel
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2HQ, UK
| | - Saleh Shekari
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2HQ, UK
| | - Mbombe Kazoka
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2HQ, UK
| | - Helen Wollff
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2HQ, UK
| | - Ammar Al-Chalabi
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, SE5 9RX, UK
- Department of Neurology, King’s College Hospital, London, SE5 9RS, UK
| | - Paul R Heath
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2HQ, UK
| | - Pamela J Shaw
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2HQ, UK
- Neuroscience Institute, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Janine Kirby
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2HQ, UK
- Neuroscience Institute, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
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18
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McMackin R, Bede P, Ingre C, Malaspina A, Hardiman O. Biomarkers in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: current status and future prospects. Nat Rev Neurol 2023; 19:754-768. [PMID: 37949994 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-023-00891-2] [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] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Disease heterogeneity in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis poses a substantial challenge in drug development. Categorization based on clinical features alone can help us predict the disease course and survival, but quantitative measures are also needed that can enhance the sensitivity of the clinical categorization. In this Review, we describe the emerging landscape of diagnostic, categorical and pharmacodynamic biomarkers in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and their place in the rapidly evolving landscape of new therapeutics. Fluid-based markers from cerebrospinal fluid, blood and urine are emerging as useful diagnostic, pharmacodynamic and predictive biomarkers. Combinations of imaging measures have the potential to provide important diagnostic and prognostic information, and neurophysiological methods, including various electromyography-based measures and quantitative EEG-magnetoencephalography-evoked responses and corticomuscular coherence, are generating useful diagnostic, categorical and prognostic markers. Although none of these biomarker technologies has been fully incorporated into clinical practice or clinical trials as a primary outcome measure, strong evidence is accumulating to support their clinical utility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roisin McMackin
- Discipline of Physiology, School of Medicine, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Academic Unit of Neurology, School of Medicine, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Peter Bede
- Academic Unit of Neurology, School of Medicine, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Computational Neuroimaging Group, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Department of Neurology, St James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Caroline Ingre
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Neurology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andrea Malaspina
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Orla Hardiman
- Academic Unit of Neurology, School of Medicine, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
- Department of Neurology, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
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19
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Gomes BC, Peixinho N, Pisco R, Gromicho M, Pronto-Laborinho AC, Rueff J, de Carvalho M, Rodrigues AS. Differential Expression of miRNAs in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Patients. Mol Neurobiol 2023; 60:7104-7117. [PMID: 37531027 PMCID: PMC10657797 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03520-7] [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: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive motor neuron disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing loss of muscle control, muscle atrophy and in later stages, death. Diagnosis has an average delay of 1 year after symptoms onset, which impairs early management. The identification of a specific disease biomarker could help decrease the diagnostic delay. MicroRNA (miRNA) expression levels have been proposed as ALS biomarkers, and altered function has been reported in ALS pathogenesis. The aim of this study was to assess the differential expression of plasma miRNAs in ALS patients and two control populations (healthy controls and ALS-mimic disorders). For that, 16 samples from each group were pooled, and then 1008 miRNAs were assessed through reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). From these, ten candidate miRNAs were selected and validated in 35 ALS patients, 16 ALS-mimic disorders controls and 15 healthy controls. We also assessed the same miRNAs in two different time points of disease progression. Although we were unable to determine a miRNA signature to use as disease or condition marker, we found that miR-7-2-3p, miR-26a-1-3p, miR-224-5p and miR-206 are good study candidates to understand the pathophysiology of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Costa Gomes
- Instituto de Fisiologia, Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.
- ToxOmics, NOVA Medical School, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NMS, FCM, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Nuno Peixinho
- ToxOmics, NOVA Medical School, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NMS, FCM, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Rita Pisco
- ToxOmics, NOVA Medical School, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NMS, FCM, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Marta Gromicho
- Instituto de Fisiologia, Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Ana Catarina Pronto-Laborinho
- Instituto de Fisiologia, Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - José Rueff
- ToxOmics, NOVA Medical School, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NMS, FCM, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Mamede de Carvalho
- Instituto de Fisiologia, Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Hospital de Santa Maria CHULN, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - António Sebastião Rodrigues
- ToxOmics, NOVA Medical School, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NMS, FCM, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
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20
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Lu XJ, Gao WW, Li JC, Qin SF. miRNA-381 regulates renal cancer stem cell properties and sunitinib resistance via targeting SOX4. Biochem Biophys Rep 2023; 36:101566. [PMID: 37965067 PMCID: PMC10641571 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrep.2023.101566] [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: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are crucial in the pathogenesis of human cancers. Existing studies reported that microRNA (miRNA) modulates the stemness of CSCs. We discovered that renal cell CSCs have suppressed miR-381. Suppression of miR-381 promotes renal cell tumorigenesis and CSC-like properties. Furthermore, the forced expression of miR-381 prevents the renal cell tumorigenesis and CSC-like properties. Mechanistically, renal cell CSCs have been found to interact with SOX4 through miR-381 directly. miR-381 inhibits renal cell CSC-like properties and tumorigenesis via downregulating SOX4. Examination of the patient-derived xenografts (PDX) and patient cohorts reveals that miR-381 may be able to forecast the advantages of Sunitinib in RCC patients. Moreover, the introduction of SOX4 could reverse the sensitivity of miR-381 overexpression RCC cells to Sunitinib-induced cell apoptosis. These results indicated that miR-381 is critical in renal cell CSC-like properties and tumorigenesis, making it the ideal therapeutic target for RCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-jun Lu
- Department of Urology, Shanghai FourthPeople's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200434, China
| | - Wen-wen Gao
- Department of Oncology, Shidong Hospital, Affiliated to University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Jia-cheng Li
- Department of Urology, Shanghai FourthPeople's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200434, China
| | - Sheng-Fei Qin
- Department of Urology, Shanghai FourthPeople's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200434, China
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21
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Abstract
Although the past two decades have produced exciting discoveries in the genetics and pathology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), progress in developing an effective therapy remains slow. This review summarizes the critical discoveries and outlines the advances in disease characterization, diagnosis, imaging, and biomarkers, along with the current status of approaches to ALS care and treatment. Additional knowledge of the factors driving disease progression and heterogeneity will hopefully soon transform the care for patients with ALS into an individualized, multi-prong approach able to prevent disease progression sufficiently to allow for a dignified life with limited disability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hristelina Ilieva
- Jefferson Weinberg ALS Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Justin Kwan
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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22
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Gerovska D, Noer JB, Qin Y, Ain Q, Januzi D, Schwab M, Witte OW, Araúzo-Bravo MJ, Kretz A. A distinct circular DNA profile intersects with proteome changes in the genotoxic stress-related hSOD1 G93A model of ALS. Cell Biosci 2023; 13:170. [PMID: 37705092 PMCID: PMC10498603 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-023-01116-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Numerous genes, including SOD1, mutated in familial and sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (f/sALS) share a role in DNA damage and repair, emphasizing genome disintegration in ALS. One possible outcome of chromosomal instability and repair processes is extrachromosomal circular DNA (eccDNA) formation. Therefore, eccDNA might accumulate in f/sALS with yet unknown function. METHODS We combined rolling circle amplification with linear DNA digestion to purify eccDNA from the cervical spinal cord of 9 co-isogenic symptomatic hSOD1G93A mutants and 10 controls, followed by deep short-read sequencing. We mapped the eccDNAs and performed differential analysis based on the split read signal of the eccDNAs, referred as DifCir, between the ALS and control specimens, to find differentially produced per gene circles (DPpGC) in the two groups. Compared were eccDNA abundances, length distributions and genic profiles. We further assessed proteome alterations in ALS by mass spectrometry, and matched the DPpGCs with differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in ALS. Additionally, we aligned the ALS-specific DPpGCs to ALS risk gene databases. RESULTS We found a six-fold enrichment in the number of unique eccDNAs in the genotoxic ALS-model relative to controls. We uncovered a distinct genic circulome profile characterized by 225 up-DPpGCs, i.e., genes that produced more eccDNAs from distinct gene sequences in ALS than under control conditions. The inter-sample recurrence rate was at least 89% for the top 6 up-DPpGCs. ALS proteome analyses revealed 42 corresponding DEPs, of which 19 underlying genes were itemized for an ALS risk in GWAS databases. The up-DPpGCs and their DEP tandems mainly impart neuron-specific functions, and gene set enrichment analyses indicated an overrepresentation of the adenylate cyclase modulating G protein pathway. CONCLUSIONS We prove, for the first time, a significant enrichment of eccDNA in the ALS-affected spinal cord. Our triple circulome, proteome and genome approach provide indication for a potential importance of certain eccDNAs in ALS neurodegeneration and a yet unconsidered role as ALS biomarkers. The related functional pathways might open up new targets for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Gerovska
- Computational Biology and Systems Biomedicine, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, 20014, San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Julie B Noer
- Department of Biology, Section for Ecology and Evolution, University of Copenhagen, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Yating Qin
- Department of Biology, Section for Ecology and Evolution, University of Copenhagen, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Quratul Ain
- Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, 07747, Jena, Thuringia, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine IV, Hepatology, Jena University Hospital, 07747, Jena, Thuringia, Germany
| | - Donjetë Januzi
- Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, 07747, Jena, Thuringia, Germany
| | - Matthias Schwab
- Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, 07747, Jena, Thuringia, Germany
| | - Otto W Witte
- Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, 07747, Jena, Thuringia, Germany
- Jena Center for Healthy Ageing, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Thuringia, Germany
| | - Marcos J Araúzo-Bravo
- Computational Biology and Systems Biomedicine, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, 20014, San Sebastian, Spain.
- Basque Foundation for Science, IKERBASQUE, 48013, Bilbao, Spain.
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Computational Biology and Bioinformatics Group, 48149, Münster, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
- Department of Cell Biology and Histology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48940, Leioa, Spain.
| | - Alexandra Kretz
- Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, 07747, Jena, Thuringia, Germany.
- Jena Center for Healthy Ageing, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Thuringia, Germany.
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23
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Cheng J, Ho WK, Wu BT, Liu HP, Lin WY. miRNA profiling as a complementary diagnostic tool for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Sci Rep 2023; 13:13805. [PMID: 37612427 PMCID: PMC10447559 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40879-y] [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: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the most prevalent motor neuron disease characterized by its complex genetic structure, lacks a single diagnostic test capable of providing a conclusive diagnosis. In order to demonstrate the potential for genetic diagnosis and shed light on the pathogenic role of miRNAs in ALS, we developed an ALS diagnostic rule by training the model using 80% of a miRNA profiling dataset consisting of 253 ALS samples and 103 control samples. Subsequently, we validated the diagnostic rule using the remaining 20% of unseen samples. The diagnostic rule we developed includes miR-205-5p, miR-206, miR-376a-5p, miR-412-5p, miR-3927-3p, miR-4701-3p, miR-6763-5p, and miR-6801-3p. Remarkably, the rule achieved an 82% true positive rate and a 73% true negative rate when predicting the unseen samples. Furthermore, the identified miRNAs target 21 genes in the PI3K-Akt pathway and 27 genes in the ALS pathway, including notable genes such as BCL2, NEFH, and OPTN. We propose that miRNA profiling may serve as a complementary diagnostic tool to supplement the clinical presentation and aid in the early recognition of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack Cheng
- Graduate Institute of Integrated Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, 40447, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Kuang Ho
- Graduate Institute of Integrated Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan
| | - Bor-Tsang Wu
- Department of Senior Citizen Service Management, National Taichung University of Science and Technology, Taichung City, 40343, Taiwan
| | - Hsin-Ping Liu
- Graduate Institute of Acupuncture Science, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan.
| | - Wei-Yong Lin
- Graduate Institute of Integrated Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan.
- Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, 40447, Taiwan.
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24
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Bagyinszky E, Hulme J, An SSA. Studies of Genetic and Proteomic Risk Factors of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Inspire Biomarker Development and Gene Therapy. Cells 2023; 12:1948. [PMID: 37566027 PMCID: PMC10417729 DOI: 10.3390/cells12151948] [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: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an incurable neurodegenerative disease affecting the upper and lower motor neurons, leading to muscle weakness, motor impairments, disabilities and death. Approximately 5-10% of ALS cases are associated with positive family history (familial ALS or fALS), whilst the remainder are sporadic (sporadic ALS, sALS). At least 50 genes have been identified as causative or risk factors for ALS. Established pathogenic variants include superoxide dismutase type 1 (SOD1), chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 (c9orf72), TAR DNA Binding Protein (TARDBP), and Fused In Sarcoma (FUS); additional ALS-related genes including Charged Multivesicular Body Protein 2B (CHMP2B), Senataxin (SETX), Sequestosome 1 (SQSTM1), TANK Binding Kinase 1 (TBK1) and NIMA Related Kinase 1 (NEK1), have been identified. Mutations in these genes could impair different mechanisms, including vesicle transport, autophagy, and cytoskeletal or mitochondrial functions. So far, there is no effective therapy against ALS. Thus, early diagnosis and disease risk predictions remain one of the best options against ALS symptomologies. Proteomic biomarkers, microRNAs, and extracellular vehicles (EVs) serve as promising tools for disease diagnosis or progression assessment. These markers are relatively easy to obtain from blood or cerebrospinal fluids and can be used to identify potential genetic causative and risk factors even in the preclinical stage before symptoms appear. In addition, antisense oligonucleotides and RNA gene therapies have successfully been employed against other diseases, such as childhood-onset spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), which could also give hope to ALS patients. Therefore, an effective gene and biomarker panel should be generated for potentially "at risk" individuals to provide timely interventions and better treatment outcomes for ALS patients as soon as possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Bagyinszky
- Graduate School of Environment Department of Industrial and Environmental Engineering, Gachon University, Seongnam-si 13120, Republic of Korea;
| | - John Hulme
- Graduate School of Environment Department of Industrial and Environmental Engineering, Gachon University, Seongnam-si 13120, Republic of Korea;
| | - Seong Soo A. An
- Department of Bionano Technology, Gachon University, Seongnam-si 13120, Republic of Korea
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25
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Joilin G, Hafezparast M. A case for non-coding RNA as a suitable biomarker of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Expert Rev Mol Diagn 2023; 23:1049-1051. [PMID: 37961916 DOI: 10.1080/14737159.2023.2283522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Greig Joilin
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK
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26
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de Gonzalo-Calvo D, Molinero M, Benítez ID, Perez-Pons M, García-Mateo N, Ortega A, Postigo T, García-Hidalgo MC, Belmonte T, Rodríguez-Muñoz C, González J, Torres G, Gort-Paniello C, Moncusí-Moix A, Estella Á, Tamayo Lomas L, Martínez de la Gándara A, Socias L, Peñasco Y, de la Torre MDC, Bustamante-Munguira E, Gallego Curto E, Martínez Varela I, Martin Delgado MC, Vidal-Cortés P, López Messa J, Pérez-García F, Caballero J, Añón JM, Loza-Vázquez A, Carbonell N, Marin-Corral J, Jorge García RN, Barberà C, Ceccato A, Fernández-Barat L, Ferrer R, Garcia-Gasulla D, Lorente-Balanza JÁ, Menéndez R, Motos A, Peñuelas O, Riera J, Bermejo-Martin JF, Torres A, Barbé F. A blood microRNA classifier for the prediction of ICU mortality in COVID-19 patients: a multicenter validation study. Respir Res 2023; 24:159. [PMID: 37328754 DOI: 10.1186/s12931-023-02462-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The identification of critically ill COVID-19 patients at risk of fatal outcomes remains a challenge. Here, we first validated candidate microRNAs (miRNAs) as biomarkers for clinical decision-making in critically ill patients. Second, we constructed a blood miRNA classifier for the early prediction of adverse outcomes in the ICU. METHODS This was a multicenter, observational and retrospective/prospective study including 503 critically ill patients admitted to the ICU from 19 hospitals. qPCR assays were performed in plasma samples collected within the first 48 h upon admission. A 16-miRNA panel was designed based on recently published data from our group. RESULTS Nine miRNAs were validated as biomarkers of all-cause in-ICU mortality in the independent cohort of critically ill patients (FDR < 0.05). Cox regression analysis revealed that low expression levels of eight miRNAs were associated with a higher risk of death (HR from 1.56 to 2.61). LASSO regression for variable selection was used to construct a miRNA classifier. A 4-blood miRNA signature composed of miR-16-5p, miR-192-5p, miR-323a-3p and miR-451a predicts the risk of all-cause in-ICU mortality (HR 2.5). Kaplan‒Meier analysis confirmed these findings. The miRNA signature provides a significant increase in the prognostic capacity of conventional scores, APACHE-II (C-index 0.71, DeLong test p-value 0.055) and SOFA (C-index 0.67, DeLong test p-value 0.001), and a risk model based on clinical predictors (C-index 0.74, DeLong test-p-value 0.035). For 28-day and 90-day mortality, the classifier also improved the prognostic value of APACHE-II, SOFA and the clinical model. The association between the classifier and mortality persisted even after multivariable adjustment. The functional analysis reported biological pathways involved in SARS-CoV infection and inflammatory, fibrotic and transcriptional pathways. CONCLUSIONS A blood miRNA classifier improves the early prediction of fatal outcomes in critically ill COVID-19 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- David de Gonzalo-Calvo
- Translational Research in Respiratory Medicine, University Hospital Arnau de Vilanova and Santa Maria, IRBLleida, Lleida, Spain
- CIBER of Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Molinero
- Translational Research in Respiratory Medicine, University Hospital Arnau de Vilanova and Santa Maria, IRBLleida, Lleida, Spain
- CIBER of Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Iván D Benítez
- Translational Research in Respiratory Medicine, University Hospital Arnau de Vilanova and Santa Maria, IRBLleida, Lleida, Spain
- CIBER of Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Manel Perez-Pons
- Translational Research in Respiratory Medicine, University Hospital Arnau de Vilanova and Santa Maria, IRBLleida, Lleida, Spain
- CIBER of Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Nadia García-Mateo
- Group for Biomedical Research in Sepsis (BioSepsis), Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca, (IBSAL), Gerencia Regional de Salud de Castilla y León, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Alicia Ortega
- CIBER of Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Group for Biomedical Research in Sepsis (BioSepsis), Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca, (IBSAL), Gerencia Regional de Salud de Castilla y León, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Tamara Postigo
- CIBER of Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Group for Biomedical Research in Sepsis (BioSepsis), Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca, (IBSAL), Gerencia Regional de Salud de Castilla y León, Salamanca, Spain
| | - María C García-Hidalgo
- Translational Research in Respiratory Medicine, University Hospital Arnau de Vilanova and Santa Maria, IRBLleida, Lleida, Spain
- CIBER of Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Thalia Belmonte
- Translational Research in Respiratory Medicine, University Hospital Arnau de Vilanova and Santa Maria, IRBLleida, Lleida, Spain
- CIBER of Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carlos Rodríguez-Muñoz
- Translational Research in Respiratory Medicine, University Hospital Arnau de Vilanova and Santa Maria, IRBLleida, Lleida, Spain
- CIBER of Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jessica González
- Translational Research in Respiratory Medicine, University Hospital Arnau de Vilanova and Santa Maria, IRBLleida, Lleida, Spain
- CIBER of Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Gerard Torres
- Translational Research in Respiratory Medicine, University Hospital Arnau de Vilanova and Santa Maria, IRBLleida, Lleida, Spain
- CIBER of Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Clara Gort-Paniello
- Translational Research in Respiratory Medicine, University Hospital Arnau de Vilanova and Santa Maria, IRBLleida, Lleida, Spain
- CIBER of Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Anna Moncusí-Moix
- Translational Research in Respiratory Medicine, University Hospital Arnau de Vilanova and Santa Maria, IRBLleida, Lleida, Spain
- CIBER of Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ángel Estella
- Department of Medicine, Intensive Care Unit University Hospital of Jerez, University of Cádiz, INIBiCA, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Luis Tamayo Lomas
- CIBER of Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Critical Care Department, Hospital Universitario Río Hortega de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | | | - Lorenzo Socias
- Intensive Care Unit, Hospital Son Llàtzer, Palma de Mallorca, Illes Balears, Spain
| | - Yhivian Peñasco
- Servicio de Medicina Intensiva, Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, Santander, Spain
| | - Maria Del Carmen de la Torre
- CIBER of Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Servei de Medicina Intensiva, Hospital de Mataró (Consorci Sanitari del Maresme), Mataró, Spain
| | - Elena Bustamante-Munguira
- CIBER of Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Hospital Clínico Universitario Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Elena Gallego Curto
- CIBER of Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos, Hospital Universitario San Pedro de Alcántara, Cáceres, Spain
| | | | | | - Pablo Vidal-Cortés
- Intensive Care Unit, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Ourense, Ourense, Spain
| | | | - Felipe Pérez-García
- Servicio de Microbiología Clínica, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Biomedicina y Biotecnología, Hospital Universitario Príncipe de Asturias - Universidad de Alcalá, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jesús Caballero
- Grup de Recerca Medicina Intensiva, Intensive Care Department Hospital, Universitari Arnau de Vilanova, Lleida, Spain
| | - José M Añón
- CIBER of Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Servicio de Medicina Intensiva. Hospital Universitario La Paz, IdiPAZ, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Loza-Vázquez
- Unidad de Medicina Intensiva, Hospital Universitario Virgen de Valme, Seville, Spain
| | - Nieves Carbonell
- Intensive Care Unit, Hospital Clínico y Universitario de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | | | | | - Carmen Barberà
- Intensive Care Department, University Hospital Santa María, IRBLleida, Lleida, Spain
| | - Adrián Ceccato
- CIBER of Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Laia Fernández-Barat
- CIBER of Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Servei de Pneumologia, Hospital Clinic, Universitat de Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ricard Ferrer
- CIBER of Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Intensive Care Department, SODIR Research Group, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Jose Ángel Lorente-Balanza
- CIBER of Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Hospital Universitario de Getafe, Madrid, Spain
- Dep. of Medicine, Universidad Europea, Madrid, Spain
- Dep. of Bioengineering, Universidad Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rosario Menéndez
- CIBER of Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Pulmonology Service, University and Polytechnic Hospital La Fe, Valencia, Spain
| | - Ana Motos
- CIBER of Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Servei de Pneumologia, Hospital Clinic, Universitat de Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Oscar Peñuelas
- CIBER of Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Hospital Universitario de Getafe, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jordi Riera
- CIBER of Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Intensive Care Department, SODIR Research Group, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jesús F Bermejo-Martin
- CIBER of Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Group for Biomedical Research in Sepsis (BioSepsis), Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca, (IBSAL), Gerencia Regional de Salud de Castilla y León, Salamanca, Spain
- Hospital Universitario Río Hortega de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Antoni Torres
- CIBER of Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Servei de Pneumologia, Hospital Clinic, Universitat de Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ferran Barbé
- Translational Research in Respiratory Medicine, University Hospital Arnau de Vilanova and Santa Maria, IRBLleida, Lleida, Spain.
- CIBER of Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
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Saikia BJ, Bhardwaj J, Paul S, Sharma S, Neog A, Paul SR, Binukumar BK. Understanding the Roles and Regulation of Mitochondrial microRNAs (MitomiRs) in Neurodegenerative Diseases: Current Status and Advances. Mech Ageing Dev 2023:111838. [PMID: 37329989 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2023.111838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNA) are a class of small non-coding RNA, roughly 21 - 22 nucleotides in length, which are master gene regulators. These miRNAs bind to the mRNA's 3' - untranslated region and regulate post-transcriptional gene regulation, thereby influencing various physiological and cellular processes. Another class of miRNAs known as mitochondrial miRNA (MitomiRs) has been found to either originate from the mitochondrial genome or be translocated directly into the mitochondria. Although the role of nuclear DNA encoded miRNA in the progression of various neurological diseases such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, etc. is well known, accumulating evidence suggests the possible role of deregulated mitomiRs in the progression of various neurodegenerative diseases with unknown mechanism. We have attempted to outline the current state of mitomiRs role in controlling mitochondrial gene expression and function through this review, paying particular attention to their contribution to neurological processes, their etiology, and their potential therapeutic use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhaskar Jyoti Saikia
- CSIR Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Mall Road, New Delhi - 110007; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh 201002, India
| | - Juhi Bhardwaj
- CSIR Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Mall Road, New Delhi - 110007; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh 201002, India
| | - Sangita Paul
- CSIR Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Mall Road, New Delhi - 110007; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh 201002, India
| | - Srishti Sharma
- CSIR Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Mall Road, New Delhi - 110007; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh 201002, India
| | - Anindita Neog
- CSIR Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Mall Road, New Delhi - 110007
| | - Swaraj Ranjan Paul
- CSIR Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Mall Road, New Delhi - 110007
| | - B K Binukumar
- CSIR Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Mall Road, New Delhi - 110007; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh 201002, India.
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Tzeplaeff L, Wilfling S, Requardt MV, Herdick M. Current State and Future Directions in the Therapy of ALS. Cells 2023; 12:1523. [PMID: 37296644 PMCID: PMC10252394 DOI: 10.3390/cells12111523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rapidly progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting upper and lower motor neurons, with death resulting mainly from respiratory failure three to five years after symptom onset. As the exact underlying causative pathological pathway is unclear and potentially diverse, finding a suitable therapy to slow down or possibly stop disease progression remains challenging. Varying by country Riluzole, Edaravone, and Sodium phenylbutyrate/Taurursodiol are the only drugs currently approved in ALS treatment for their moderate effect on disease progression. Even though curative treatment options, able to prevent or stop disease progression, are still unknown, recent breakthroughs, especially in the field of targeting genetic disease forms, raise hope for improved care and therapy for ALS patients. In this review, we aim to summarize the current state of ALS therapy, including medication as well as supportive therapy, and discuss the ongoing developments and prospects in the field. Furthermore, we highlight the rationale behind the intense research on biomarkers and genetic testing as a feasible way to improve the classification of ALS patients towards personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Tzeplaeff
- Department of Neurology, Rechts der Isar Hospital, Technical University of Munich, 81675 München, Germany
| | - Sibylle Wilfling
- Department of Neurology, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany;
- Center for Human Genetics Regensburg, 93059 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Maria Viktoria Requardt
- Formerly: Department of Neurology with Institute of Translational Neurology, Münster University Hospital (UKM), 48149 Münster, Germany;
| | - Meret Herdick
- Precision Neurology, University of Lübeck, 23562 Luebeck, Germany
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29
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Spinetti G, Mutoli M, Greco S, Riccio F, Ben-Aicha S, Kenneweg F, Jusic A, de Gonzalo-Calvo D, Nossent AY, Novella S, Kararigas G, Thum T, Emanueli C, Devaux Y, Martelli F. Cardiovascular complications of diabetes: role of non-coding RNAs in the crosstalk between immune and cardiovascular systems. Cardiovasc Diabetol 2023; 22:122. [PMID: 37226245 PMCID: PMC10206598 DOI: 10.1186/s12933-023-01842-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Diabetes mellitus, a group of metabolic disorders characterized by high levels of blood glucose caused by insulin defect or impairment, is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and related mortality. Patients with diabetes experience a state of chronic or intermittent hyperglycemia resulting in damage to the vasculature, leading to micro- and macro-vascular diseases. These conditions are associated with low-grade chronic inflammation and accelerated atherosclerosis. Several classes of leukocytes have been implicated in diabetic cardiovascular impairment. Although the molecular pathways through which diabetes elicits an inflammatory response have attracted significant attention, how they contribute to altering cardiovascular homeostasis is still incompletely understood. In this respect, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are a still largely under-investigated class of transcripts that may play a fundamental role. This review article gathers the current knowledge on the function of ncRNAs in the crosstalk between immune and cardiovascular cells in the context of diabetic complications, highlighting the influence of biological sex in such mechanisms and exploring the potential role of ncRNAs as biomarkers and targets for treatments. The discussion closes by offering an overview of the ncRNAs involved in the increased cardiovascular risk suffered by patients with diabetes facing Sars-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaia Spinetti
- Laboratory of Cardiovascular Pathophysiology and Regenerative Medicine, IRCCS MultiMedica, Milan, Italy.
| | - Martina Mutoli
- Laboratory of Cardiovascular Pathophysiology and Regenerative Medicine, IRCCS MultiMedica, Milan, Italy
| | - Simona Greco
- Molecular Cardiology Laboratory, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Milan, Italy
| | - Federica Riccio
- Laboratory of Cardiovascular Pathophysiology and Regenerative Medicine, IRCCS MultiMedica, Milan, Italy
| | - Soumaya Ben-Aicha
- National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Franziska Kenneweg
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Therapeutic Strategies (IMTTS), Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | | | - David de Gonzalo-Calvo
- Translational Research in Respiratory Medicine, University Hospital Arnau de Vilanova and Santa Maria, IRBLleida, Lleida, Spain
- CIBER of Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Anne Yaël Nossent
- Department of Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Susana Novella
- Department of Physiology, University of Valencia - INCLIVA Biomedical Research Institute, Valencia, Spain
| | - Georgios Kararigas
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Thomas Thum
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Therapeutic Strategies (IMTTS), Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Costanza Emanueli
- National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Yvan Devaux
- Cardiovascular Research Unit, Department of Precision Health, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Strassen, Luxembourg
| | - Fabio Martelli
- Molecular Cardiology Laboratory, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Milan, Italy.
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30
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Soutschek M, Schratt G. Non-coding RNA in the wiring and remodeling of neural circuits. Neuron 2023:S0896-6273(23)00341-0. [PMID: 37230080 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.04.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The brain constantly adapts to changes in the environment, a capability that underlies memory and behavior. Long-term adaptations require the remodeling of neural circuits that are mediated by activity-dependent alterations in gene expression. Over the last two decades, it has been shown that the expression of protein-coding genes is significantly regulated by a complex layer of non-coding RNA (ncRNA) interactions. The aim of this review is to summarize recent discoveries regarding the functional involvement of ncRNAs during different stages of neural circuit development, activity-dependent circuit remodeling, and circuit maladapations underlying neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. In addition to the intensively studied microRNA (miRNA) family, we focus on more recently added ncRNA classes, such as long ncRNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs), and discuss the complex regulatory interactions between these different RNAs. We conclude by discussing the potential relevance of ncRNAs for cell-type and -state-specific regulation in the context of memory formation, the evolution of human cognitive abilities, and the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic tools in brain disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Soutschek
- Laboratory of Systems Neuroscience, Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Health Science and Technology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Gerhard Schratt
- Laboratory of Systems Neuroscience, Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Health Science and Technology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
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31
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Fisher EM, Greensmith L, Malaspina A, Fratta P, Hanna MG, Schiavo G, Isaacs AM, Orrell RW, Cunningham TJ, Arozena AA. Opinion: more mouse models and more translation needed for ALS. Mol Neurodegener 2023; 18:30. [PMID: 37143081 PMCID: PMC10161557 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-023-00619-2] [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: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a complex disorder most of which is 'sporadic' of unknown origin but approximately 10% is familial, arising from single mutations in any of more than 30 genes. Thus, there are more than 30 familial ALS subtypes, with different, often unknown, molecular pathologies leading to a complex constellation of clinical phenotypes. We have mouse models for many genetic forms of the disorder, but these do not, on their own, necessarily show us the key pathological pathways at work in human patients. To date, we have no models for the 90% of ALS that is 'sporadic'. Potential therapies have been developed mainly using a limited set of mouse models, and through lack of alternatives, in the past these have been tested on patients regardless of aetiology. Cancer researchers have undertaken therapy development with similar challenges; they have responded by producing complex mouse models that have transformed understanding of pathological processes, and they have implemented patient stratification in multi-centre trials, leading to the effective translation of basic research findings to the clinic. ALS researchers have successfully adopted this combined approach, and now to increase our understanding of key disease pathologies, and our rate of progress for moving from mouse models to mechanism to ALS therapies we need more, innovative, complex mouse models to address specific questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M.C. Fisher
- UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG UK
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG UK
| | - Linda Greensmith
- UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG UK
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG UK
| | - Andrea Malaspina
- UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG UK
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG UK
| | - Pietro Fratta
- UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG UK
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG UK
| | - Michael G. Hanna
- UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG UK
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG UK
| | - Giampietro Schiavo
- UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG UK
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London, WC1E 6BT UK
| | - Adrian M. Isaacs
- UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London, WC1E 6BT UK
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG UK
| | - Richard W. Orrell
- UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG UK
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG UK
| | - Thomas J. Cunningham
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, Courtauld Building, 33 Cleveland Street, London, W1W 7FF UK
| | - Abraham Acevedo Arozena
- Research Unit, Hospital Universitario de Canarias, ITB-ULL and CIBERNED, La Laguna, 38320 Spain
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32
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Sanchez-Tejerina D, Llaurado A, Sotoca J, Lopez-Diego V, Vidal Taboada JM, Salvado M, Juntas-Morales R. Biofluid Biomarkers in the Prognosis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Recent Developments and Therapeutic Applications. Cells 2023; 12:cells12081180. [PMID: 37190090 DOI: 10.3390/cells12081180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the degeneration of motor neurons for which effective therapies are lacking. One of the most explored areas of research in ALS is the discovery and validation of biomarkers that can be applied to clinical practice and incorporated into the development of innovative therapies. The study of biomarkers requires an adequate theoretical and operational framework, highlighting the "fit-for-purpose" concept and distinguishing different types of biomarkers based on common terminology. In this review, we aim to discuss the current status of fluid-based prognostic and predictive biomarkers in ALS, with particular emphasis on those that are the most promising ones for clinical trial design and routine clinical practice. Neurofilaments in cerebrospinal fluid and blood are the main prognostic and pharmacodynamic biomarkers. Furthermore, several candidates exist covering various pathological aspects of the disease, such as immune, metabolic and muscle damage markers. Urine has been studied less often and should be explored for its possible advantages. New advances in the knowledge of cryptic exons introduce the possibility of discovering new biomarkers. Collaborative efforts, prospective studies and standardized procedures are needed to validate candidate biomarkers. A combined biomarkers panel can provide a more detailed disease status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Sanchez-Tejerina
- Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, Neurology Department, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- Peripheral Nervous System Group, Vall d'Hebron Research Institut (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- European Reference Network on Rare Neuromuscular Diseases (ERN EURO-NMD), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- Medicine Department, Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona, 08035 Barcelon, Spain
| | - Arnau Llaurado
- Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, Neurology Department, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- Peripheral Nervous System Group, Vall d'Hebron Research Institut (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- European Reference Network on Rare Neuromuscular Diseases (ERN EURO-NMD), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Javier Sotoca
- Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, Neurology Department, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- Peripheral Nervous System Group, Vall d'Hebron Research Institut (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- European Reference Network on Rare Neuromuscular Diseases (ERN EURO-NMD), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Veronica Lopez-Diego
- Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, Neurology Department, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- Peripheral Nervous System Group, Vall d'Hebron Research Institut (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- European Reference Network on Rare Neuromuscular Diseases (ERN EURO-NMD), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jose M Vidal Taboada
- Peripheral Nervous System Group, Vall d'Hebron Research Institut (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- Medicine Department, Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona, 08035 Barcelon, Spain
| | - Maria Salvado
- Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, Neurology Department, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- Peripheral Nervous System Group, Vall d'Hebron Research Institut (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- European Reference Network on Rare Neuromuscular Diseases (ERN EURO-NMD), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Raul Juntas-Morales
- Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, Neurology Department, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- Peripheral Nervous System Group, Vall d'Hebron Research Institut (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- European Reference Network on Rare Neuromuscular Diseases (ERN EURO-NMD), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- Medicine Department, Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona, 08035 Barcelon, Spain
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33
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Mead RJ, Shan N, Reiser HJ, Marshall F, Shaw PJ. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a neurodegenerative disorder poised for successful therapeutic translation. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2023; 22:185-212. [PMID: 36543887 PMCID: PMC9768794 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-022-00612-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 88.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating disease caused by degeneration of motor neurons. As with all major neurodegenerative disorders, development of disease-modifying therapies has proven challenging for multiple reasons. Nevertheless, ALS is one of the few neurodegenerative diseases for which disease-modifying therapies are approved. Significant discoveries and advances have been made in ALS preclinical models, genetics, pathology, biomarkers, imaging and clinical readouts over the last 10-15 years. At the same time, novel therapeutic paradigms are being applied in areas of high unmet medical need, including neurodegenerative disorders. These developments have evolved our knowledge base, allowing identification of targeted candidate therapies for ALS with diverse mechanisms of action. In this Review, we discuss how this advanced knowledge, aligned with new approaches, can enable effective translation of therapeutic agents from preclinical studies through to clinical benefit for patients with ALS. We anticipate that this approach in ALS will also positively impact the field of drug discovery for neurodegenerative disorders more broadly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Mead
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Keapstone Therapeutics, The Innovation Centre, Broomhall, Sheffield, UK
| | - Ning Shan
- Aclipse Therapeutics, Radnor, PA, US
| | | | - Fiona Marshall
- MSD UK Discovery Centre, Merck, Sharp and Dohme (UK) Limited, London, UK
| | - Pamela J Shaw
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
- Keapstone Therapeutics, The Innovation Centre, Broomhall, Sheffield, UK.
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34
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Suzuki N, Nishiyama A, Warita H, Aoki M. Genetics of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: seeking therapeutic targets in the era of gene therapy. J Hum Genet 2023; 68:131-152. [PMID: 35691950 PMCID: PMC9968660 DOI: 10.1038/s10038-022-01055-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an intractable disease that causes respiratory failure leading to mortality. The main locus of ALS is motor neurons. The success of antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) therapy in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a motor neuron disease, has triggered a paradigm shift in developing ALS therapies. The causative genes of ALS and disease-modifying genes, including those of sporadic ALS, have been identified one after another. Thus, the freedom of target choice for gene therapy has expanded by ASO strategy, leading to new avenues for therapeutic development. Tofersen for superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) was a pioneer in developing ASO for ALS. Improving protocols and devising early interventions for the disease are vital. In this review, we updated the knowledge of causative genes in ALS. We summarized the genetic mutations identified in familial ALS and their clinical features, focusing on SOD1, fused in sarcoma (FUS), and transacting response DNA-binding protein. The frequency of the C9ORF72 mutation is low in Japan, unlike in Europe and the United States, while SOD1 and FUS are more common, indicating that the target mutations for gene therapy vary by ethnicity. A genome-wide association study has revealed disease-modifying genes, which could be the novel target of gene therapy. The current status and prospects of gene therapy development were discussed, including ethical issues. Furthermore, we discussed the potential of axonal pathology as new therapeutic targets of ALS from the perspective of early intervention, including intra-axonal transcription factors, neuromuscular junction disconnection, dysregulated local translation, abnormal protein degradation, mitochondrial pathology, impaired axonal transport, aberrant cytoskeleton, and axon branching. We simultaneously discuss important pathological states of cell bodies: persistent stress granules, disrupted nucleocytoplasmic transport, and cryptic splicing. The development of gene therapy based on the elucidation of disease-modifying genes and early intervention in molecular pathology is expected to become an important therapeutic strategy in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Suzuki
- Department of Neurology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Japan.
| | - Ayumi Nishiyama
- Department of Neurology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Warita
- Department of Neurology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Japan
| | - Masashi Aoki
- Department of Neurology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Japan.
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35
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Zhang HC, Du Y, Chen L, Yuan ZQ, Cheng Y. MicroRNA schizophrenia: Etiology, biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 146:105064. [PMID: 36707012 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105064] [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: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
The three sets of symptoms associated with schizophrenia-positive, negative, and cognitive-are burdensome and have serious effects on public health, which affects up to 1% of the population. It is now commonly believed that in addition to the traditional dopaminergic mesolimbic pathway, the etiology of schizophrenia also includes neuronal networks, such as glutamate, GABA, serotonin, BDNF, oxidative stress, inflammation and the immune system. Small noncoding RNA molecules called microRNAs (miRNAs) have come to light as possible participants in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia in recent years by having an impact on these systems. These small RNAs regulate the stability and translation of hundreds of target transcripts, which has an impact on the entire gene network. There may be improved approaches to treat and diagnose schizophrenia if it is understood how these changes in miRNAs alter the critical related signaling pathways that drive the development and progression of the illness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heng-Chang Zhang
- Center on Translational Neuroscience, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Minzu University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Du
- Key Laboratory of Ethnomedicine of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Minzu University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Chen
- Key Laboratory of Ethnomedicine of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Minzu University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Zeng-Qiang Yuan
- Center on Translational Neuroscience, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Minzu University of China, Beijing, China; Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Yong Cheng
- Center on Translational Neuroscience, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Minzu University of China, Beijing, China; Key Laboratory of Ethnomedicine of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Minzu University of China, Beijing, China; Institute of National Security, Minzu University of China, Beijing, China.
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Vidovic M, Müschen LH, Brakemeier S, Machetanz G, Naumann M, Castro-Gomez S. Current State and Future Directions in the Diagnosis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Cells 2023; 12:cells12050736. [PMID: 36899872 PMCID: PMC10000757 DOI: 10.3390/cells12050736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by loss of upper and lower motor neurons, resulting in progressive weakness of all voluntary muscles and eventual respiratory failure. Non-motor symptoms, such as cognitive and behavioral changes, frequently occur over the course of the disease. Considering its poor prognosis with a median survival time of 2 to 4 years and limited causal treatment options, an early diagnosis of ALS plays an essential role. In the past, diagnosis has primarily been determined by clinical findings supported by electrophysiological and laboratory measurements. To increase diagnostic accuracy, reduce diagnostic delay, optimize stratification in clinical trials and provide quantitative monitoring of disease progression and treatment responsivity, research on disease-specific and feasible fluid biomarkers, such as neurofilaments, has been intensely pursued. Advances in imaging techniques have additionally yielded diagnostic benefits. Growing perception and greater availability of genetic testing facilitate early identification of pathogenic ALS-related gene mutations, predictive testing and access to novel therapeutic agents in clinical trials addressing disease-modified therapies before the advent of the first clinical symptoms. Lately, personalized survival prediction models have been proposed to offer a more detailed disclosure of the prognosis for the patient. In this review, the established procedures and future directions in the diagnostics of ALS are summarized to serve as a practical guideline and to improve the diagnostic pathway of this burdensome disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Vidovic
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Correspondence: (M.V.); (S.C.-G.)
| | | | - Svenja Brakemeier
- Department of Neurology and Center for Translational Neuro and Behavioral Sciences (C-TNBS), University Hospital Essen, 45147 Essen, Germany
| | - Gerrit Machetanz
- Department of Neurology, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Marcel Naumann
- Translational Neurodegeneration Section “Albrecht Kossel”, Department of Neurology, University Medical Center, University of Rostock, 18147 Rostock, Germany
| | - Sergio Castro-Gomez
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and Geriatric Psychiatry/Neurology, University Hospital Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
- Institute of Physiology II, University Hospital Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
- Department of Neuroimmunology, Institute of Innate Immunity, University Hospital Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
- Correspondence: (M.V.); (S.C.-G.)
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Koike Y, Onodera O. Implications of miRNAs dysregulation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Challenging for clinical applications. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1131758. [PMID: 36895420 PMCID: PMC9989161 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1131758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by the selective degeneration of upper and lower motor neurons. Currently, there are no effective biomarkers and fundamental therapies for this disease. Dysregulation in RNA metabolism plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of ALS. With the contribution of Next Generation Sequencing, the functions of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have gained increasing interests. Especially, micro RNAs (miRNAs), which are tissue-specific small ncRNAs of about 18-25 nucleotides, have emerged as key regulators of gene expression to target multiple molecules and pathways in the central nervous system (CNS). Despite intensive recent research in this field, the crucial links between ALS pathogenesis and miRNAs remain unclear. Many studies have revealed that ALS-related RNA binding proteins (RBPs), such as TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) and fused in sarcoma/translocated in liposarcoma (FUS), regulate miRNAs processing in both the nucleus and cytoplasm. Of interest, Cu2+/Zn2+ superoxide dismutase (SOD1), a non-RBP associated with familial ALS, shows partially similar properties to these RBPs via the dysregulation of miRNAs in the cellular pathway related to ALS. The identification and validation of miRNAs are important to understand the physiological gene regulation in the CNS, and the pathological implications in ALS, leading to a new avenue for early diagnosis and gene therapies. Here, we offer a recent overview regarding the mechanism underlying the functions of multiple miRNAs across TDP-43, FUS, and SOD1 with the context of cell biology, and challenging for clinical applications in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuka Koike
- Department of Neurology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Osamu Onodera
- Department of Neurology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
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Wang H, Wang Q, Xiao X, Luo X, Gao L. Clinical Trials of Non-Coding RNAs as Diagnostic and Therapeutic Biomarkers for Central Nervous System Injuries. Curr Neuropharmacol 2023; 21:2237-2246. [PMID: 36443964 PMCID: PMC10556392 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x21666221128090025] [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: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Huiqing Wang
- Medical Simulation Centre, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, P.R. China
| | - Qiang Wang
- Laboratory of Molecular Translational Medicine, Center for Translational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, NHC Key Laboratory of Chronobiology, Sichuan University, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, P.R. China
| | - Xiao Xiao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, West China Second University Hospital of Sichuan University and the Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Xiaolei Luo
- Laboratory of Molecular Translational Medicine, Center for Translational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, NHC Key Laboratory of Chronobiology, Sichuan University, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, P.R. China
| | - Linbo Gao
- Laboratory of Molecular Translational Medicine, Center for Translational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, NHC Key Laboratory of Chronobiology, Sichuan University, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, P.R. China
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Wei C, Zhu Y, Li S, Chen W, Li C, Jiang S, Xu R. Identification of an immune-related gene prognostic index for predicting prognosis, immunotherapeutic efficacy, and candidate drugs in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:993424. [PMID: 36589282 PMCID: PMC9798295 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.993424] [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: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Rationale and objectives Considering the great insufficiency in the survival prediction and therapy of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), it is fundamental to determine an accurate survival prediction for both the clinical practices and the design of treatment trials. Therefore, there is a need for more accurate biomarkers that can be used to identify the subtype of ALS which carries a high risk of progression to guide further treatment. Methods The transcriptome profiles and clinical parameters of a total of 561 ALS patients in this study were analyzed retrospectively by analysis of four public microarray datasets. Based on the results from a series of analyses using bioinformatics and machine learning, immune signatures are able to be used to predict overall survival (OS) and immunotherapeutic response in ALS patients. Apart from other comprehensive analyses, the decision tree and the nomogram, based on the immune signatures, were applied to guide individual risk stratification. In addition, molecular docking methodology was employed to screen potential small molecular to which the immune signatures might response. Results Immune was determined as a major risk factor contributing to OS among various biomarkers of ALS patients. As compared with traditional clinical features, the immune-related gene prognostic index (IRGPI) had a significantly higher capacity for survival prediction. The determination of risk stratification and assessment was optimized by integrating the decision tree and the nomogram. Moreover, the IRGPI may be used to guide preventative immunotherapy for patients at high risks for mortality. The administration of 2MIU IL2 injection in the short-term was likely to be beneficial for the prolongment of survival time, whose dosage should be reduced to 1MIU if the long-term therapy was required. Besides, a useful clinical application for the IRGPI was to screen potential compounds by the structure-based molecular docking methodology. Conclusion Ultimately, the immune-derived signatures in ALS patients were favorable biomarkers for the prediction of survival probabilities and immunotherapeutic responses, and the promotion of drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caihui Wei
- Department of Neurology, Jiangxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Yu Zhu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Shu Li
- Department of Neurology, Jiangxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Wenzhi Chen
- Department of Neurology, Jiangxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Cheng Li
- Department of Neurology, Jiangxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China,Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Shishi Jiang
- Department of Neurology, Jiangxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Renshi Xu
- Department of Neurology, Jiangxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China,Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China,*Correspondence: Renshi Xu, ;
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Brusati A, Ratti A, Pensato V, Peverelli S, Gentilini D, Dalla Bella E, Sorce MN, Meneri M, Gagliardi D, Corti S, Gellera C, Lauria Pinter G, Ticozzi N, Silani V. Analysis of miRNA rare variants in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and in silico prediction of their biological effects. Front Genet 2022; 13:1055313. [PMID: 36568378 PMCID: PMC9768194 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1055313] [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: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease affecting upper and/or lower motor neurons and characterized by complex etiology. Familial cases show high genetic heterogeneity and sporadic cases (90%) are associated with several genetic and environmental risk factors. Among the genetic risk factors, the contribution of non-coding elements, such as microRNAs (miRNAs), to ALS disease susceptibility remains largely unexplored. Aim: This work aims to identify rare variants in miRNA genes in sporadic ALS (sALS) patients which may cause a defective miRNA maturation or altered target gene recognition by changing miRNA secondary structure or seed sequence, respectively. Methods: Rare variants located in miRNA loci with a minor allele frequency (MAF) < 0.01 were extracted from whole genome sequencing (WGS) data of 100 sALS patients. The secondary pre-miRNA structures were predicted using MiRVas to evaluate the impact of the variants on RNA folding process. Human TargetScan was used to retrieve all the potential target genes of miRNAs with variants in the seed region. Over Representation Analysis (ORA) was conducted to compare the lists of target genes for the reference and mutated miRNAs in the seed sequence. Results: Our analysis identified 86 rare variants in 77 distinct miRNAs and distributed in different parts of the miRNA precursors. The presence of these variants changed miRNA secondary structures in ∼70% of MiRVas predictions. By focusing on the 6 rare variants mapping within the seed sequence, the predicted target genes increased in number compared to the reference miRNA and included novel targets in a proportion ranging from 30 to 82%. Interestingly, ORA revealed significant changes in gene set enrichment only for mutated miR-509-1 and miR-941-3 for which the Gene Ontology term related to "nervous system development" was absent and present, respectively, compared to target lists of the reference miRNA. Conclusion: We here developed a workflow to study miRNA rare variants from WGS data and to predict their biological effects on miRNA folding, maturation and target gene recognition. Although this in silico approach certainly needs functional validation in vitro and in vivo, it may help define the role of miRNA variability in ALS and complex diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Brusati
- Department of Neurology and Laboratory of Neuroscience, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy,Department Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Antonia Ratti
- Department of Neurology and Laboratory of Neuroscience, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy,Department Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, Milan, Italy,*Correspondence: Antonia Ratti,
| | - Viviana Pensato
- Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milano, Italy
| | - Silvia Peverelli
- Department of Neurology and Laboratory of Neuroscience, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
| | - Davide Gentilini
- Department Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy,Bioinformatics and Statistical Genomics Unit,IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano,Milan,Italy
| | | | - Marta Nice Sorce
- Department of Neurology and Laboratory of Neuroscience, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
| | - Megi Meneri
- Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milano, Italy,Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Dino Ferrari Center, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Delia Gagliardi
- Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milano, Italy
| | - Stefania Corti
- Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milano, Italy,Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Dino Ferrari Center, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Cinzia Gellera
- Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milano, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Lauria Pinter
- Department Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, Milan, Italy,Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milano, Italy
| | - Nicola Ticozzi
- Department of Neurology and Laboratory of Neuroscience, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy,Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Dino Ferrari Center, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Silani
- Department of Neurology and Laboratory of Neuroscience, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy,Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Dino Ferrari Center, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
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Li S, Zhang Q, Li J, Weng L. Comprehensive analysis of autoimmune-related genes in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis from the perspective of 3P medicine. EPMA J 2022; 13:699-723. [PMID: 36505891 PMCID: PMC9727070 DOI: 10.1007/s13167-022-00299-w] [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: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Background Although growing evidence suggests close correlations between autoimmunity and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), no studies have reported on autoimmune-related genes (ARGs) from the perspective of the prognostic assessment of ALS. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the circulating ARD signature could be identified as a reliable biomarker for ALS survival for predictive, preventive, and personalized medicine. Methods The whole blood transcriptional profiles and clinical characteristics of 454 ALS patients were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. A total of 4371 ARGs were obtained from GAAD and DisGeNET databases. Wilcoxon test and multivariate Cox regression were applied to identify the differentially expressed and prognostic ARGs. Then, unsupervised clustering was performed to classify patients into two distinct autoimmune-related clusters. PCA method was used to calculate the autoimmune index. LASSO and multivariate Cox regression was performed to establish risk model to predict overall survival for ALS patients. A ceRNA regulatory network was then constructed for regulating the model genes. Finally, we performed single-cell analysis to explore the expression of model genes in mutant SOD1 mice and methylation analysis in ALS patients. Results Based on the expressions of 85 prognostic ARGs, two autoimmune-related clusters with various biological features, immune characteristics, and survival outcome were determined. Cluster 1 with a worsen prognosis was more active in immune-related biological pathways and immune infiltration than Cluster 2. A higher autoimmune index was associated with a better prognosis than a lower autoimmune index, and there were significant adverse correlations between the autoimmune index and immune infiltrating cells and immune responses. Nine model genes (KIF17, CD248, ENG, BTNL2, CLEC5A, ADORA3, PRDX5, AIM2, and XKR8) were selected to construct prognostic risk signature, indicating potent potential for survival prediction in ALS. Nomogram integrating risk model and clinical characteristics could predict the prognosis more accurately than other clinicopathological features. We constructed a ceRNA regulatory network for the model genes, including five lncRNAs, four miRNAs, and five mRNAs. Conclusion Expression of ARGs is correlated with immune characteristics of ALS, and seven ARG signatures may have practical application as an independent prognostic factor in patients with ALS, which may serve as target for the future prognostic assessment, targeted prevention, patient stratification, and personalization of medical services in ALS. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13167-022-00299-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shifu Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 87 Xiangya Street, Changsha, 410008 Hunan China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Central South University, 87 Xiangya Street, Changsha, 410008 Hunan China
| | - Qian Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 87 Xiangya Street, Changsha, 410008 Hunan China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Central South University, 87 Xiangya Street, Changsha, 410008 Hunan China
| | - Jian Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 87 Xiangya Street, Changsha, 410008 Hunan China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Central South University, 87 Xiangya Street, Changsha, 410008 Hunan China
- Hydrocephalus Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 87 Xiangya Street, Changsha, 410008 Hunan China
| | - Ling Weng
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Central South University, 87 Xiangya Street, Changsha, 410008 Hunan China
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 87 Xiangya Street, Changsha, 410008 Hunan China
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Zhang L, Liu Y, Lu Y, Wang G. Targeting epigenetics as a promising therapeutic strategy for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Biochem Pharmacol 2022; 206:115295. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2022.115295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Zhang J, Chen Z, Chen H, Deng Y, Li S, Jin L. Recent Advances in the Roles of MicroRNA and MicroRNA-Based Diagnosis in Neurodegenerative Diseases. BIOSENSORS 2022; 12:1074. [PMID: 36551041 PMCID: PMC9776063 DOI: 10.3390/bios12121074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases manifest as progressive loss of neuronal structures and their myelin sheaths and lead to substantial morbidity and mortality, especially in the elderly. Despite extensive research, there are few effective treatment options for the diseases. MicroRNAs have been shown to be involved in the developmental processes of the central nervous system. Mounting evidence suggest they play an important role in the development of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. However, there are few reviews regarding the roles of miRNAs in neurodegenerative diseases. This review summarizes the recent developments in the roles of microRNAs in neurodegenerative diseases and presents the application of microRNA-based methods in the early diagnosis of these diseases.
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Xia J, Liu Z, Gao S, Wang Q, Xu J, Wu H. Intermolecular and Intramolecular Priming Co-directed Synergistic Multi-strand Displacement Amplification Empowers Ultrasensitive Determination of microRNAs. Anal Chem 2022; 94:16132-16141. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c03466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Juan Xia
- Key Laboratory of Embryo Development and Reproductive Regulation, Key Laboratory of Environmental Hormone and Reproduction, School of Chemistry and Materials Engineering, Fuyang Normal University, Anhui Fuyang 236037, P. R. China
| | - Zhaoqiang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Embryo Development and Reproductive Regulation, Key Laboratory of Environmental Hormone and Reproduction, School of Biological and Food Engineering, Fuyang Normal University, Anhui, Fuyang 236037, P. R. China
| | - Shulin Gao
- Key Laboratory of Embryo Development and Reproductive Regulation, Key Laboratory of Environmental Hormone and Reproduction, School of Biological and Food Engineering, Fuyang Normal University, Anhui, Fuyang 236037, P. R. China
| | - Qi Wang
- Information Materials and Intelligent Sensing Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Anhui, Hefei 230601, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Embryo Development and Reproductive Regulation, Key Laboratory of Environmental Hormone and Reproduction, School of Biological and Food Engineering, Fuyang Normal University, Anhui, Fuyang 236037, P. R. China
| | - Jianguo Xu
- Engineering Research Center of Bio-process, Ministry of Education, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, P. R. China
| | - Hai Wu
- Key Laboratory of Embryo Development and Reproductive Regulation, Key Laboratory of Environmental Hormone and Reproduction, School of Chemistry and Materials Engineering, Fuyang Normal University, Anhui Fuyang 236037, P. R. China
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Ding Y, Zhang Y, Liu X. Combinational treatments of RNA interference and extracellular vesicles in the spinocerebellar ataxia. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:1043947. [PMID: 36311034 PMCID: PMC9606576 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.1043947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease (ND) with a high mortality rate. Symptomatic treatment is the only clinically adopted treatment. However, it has poor effect and serious complications. Traditional diagnostic methods [such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)] have drawbacks. Presently, the superiority of RNA interference (RNAi) and extracellular vesicles (EVs) in improving SCA has attracted extensive attention. Both can serve as the potential biomarkers for the diagnosing and monitoring disease progression. Herein, we analyzed the basis and prospect of therapies for SCA. Meanwhile, we elaborated the development and application of miRNAs, siRNAs, shRNAs, and EVs in the diagnosis and treatment of SCA. We propose the combination of RNAi and EVs to avoid the adverse factors of their respective treatment and maximize the benefits of treatment through the technology of EVs loaded with RNA. Obviously, the combinational therapy of RNAi and EVs may more accurately diagnose and cure SCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingying Ding
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Medical College, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yong Zhang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Medical College, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xuehong Liu
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Medical College, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China
- *Correspondence: Xuehong Liu,
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Rossor AM, Reilly MM. Blood biomarkers of peripheral neuropathy. Acta Neurol Scand 2022; 146:325-331. [PMID: 35611606 PMCID: PMC9796925 DOI: 10.1111/ane.13650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Traditionally, neurophysiology is the primary diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in peripheral neuropathy clinical practice; however, it may lack responsiveness in the context of slowly progressive neuropathies and where there is significant axonal damage. The development of ultrasensitive platforms for measuring serum proteins at the lower limit of detection of traditional ELISA techniques has transformed the field of blood biomarkers of peripheral neuropathy. A variety of blood biomarkers have been identified from inflammatory cytokines and apokines in diabetic neuropathy through to neuron-specific proteins such as neurofilament light chain, Schwann cell-specific proteins such as TMPRSS5 and microRNAs in other acquired and hereditary neuropathies. In this article, we review blood biomarkers of disease activity for the common subtypes of peripheral neuropathy including inflammatory demyelinating neuropathies, vasculitic neuropathy, diabetic neuropathy, chemotherapy-induced neuropathy and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and related disorders including TTR amyloidosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander M. Rossor
- Department of Neuromuscular DiseaseQueen Square UCL Institute of Neurology and the National Hospital of Neurology and NeurosurgeryLondonUK
| | - Mary M. Reilly
- Department of Neuromuscular DiseaseQueen Square UCL Institute of Neurology and the National Hospital of Neurology and NeurosurgeryLondonUK
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Song Y, Jia Q, Guan X, Kazuo S, Liu J, Duan W, Feng L, Zhang C, Gao Y. Herbal medicine for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:946548. [PMID: 36120351 PMCID: PMC9473725 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.946548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The effect of herbal medicine (HM) on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is controversial. Clinical trials investigating HMs continue; however, the use of HM is still questioned. We aimed to systematically review the literature pertaining to the effects and safety of HM in ALS. Methods: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that investigated the efficacy of HMs in ALS patients compared to any types of controls were identified. Nine databases and six registers were searched from their inception dates to 25 March 2022. Per the PRISMA guidelines, trials were identified and extracted. The risk of bias was evaluated using the Cochrane’s tool. Certainty of evidence was assessed as per the GRADE criteria. Forest plots were constructed to assess the effect size and corresponding 95% CIs using fixed-effect models, and random-effect models were employed when required. The primary outcome was the activity limitation measured by validated tools, such as the revised ALS Functional Rating Scale. Results: Twenty studies (N = 1,218) were eligible. Of these, only five studies were double-blinded, and two were placebo-controlled. Fourteen HMs (fifty-one single botanicals) were involved; Astragalus mongholicus Bunge, Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz., and Glycyrrhiza glabra L. were commonly used in nine, eight, and six trials, respectively. For delaying activity limitation, Jiweiling injection (MD, 2.84; 95% CI, 1.21 to 4.46; p = 0.0006) and Shenmai injection (SMD, 1.07; 0.69 to 1.45; p < 0.00001) were significantly more efficacious than Riluzole, but the evidence was low quality. For ameliorating motor neuron loss, Jiweiling injection [right abductor pollicis brevis (APB): MD, 32.42; 7.91 to 56.93; p = 0.01 and left APB: MD, 34.44; 12.85 to 56.03; p = 0.002] was favoured, but the evidence was very low quality. Nine studies reported one hundred and twenty-three adverse events, twenty-six of which occurred in the treatment groups and ninety-seven in the control groups. Conclusion: Very low to low quality of evidence suggests that HMs seem to produce superior treatment responses for ALS without increased risk of adverse events. Additional studies with homogeneous participants, reduced methodological issues, and more efficient outcome measures are required to provide confirmatory evidence. Systematic Review Registration:https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD42021277443.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuebo Song
- Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
- Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Qiuyang Jia
- Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
- Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaorui Guan
- Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
- Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Sugimoto Kazuo
- Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
- Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Chinese Internal Medicine of Ministry of Education and Beijing, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Jia Liu
- Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
- Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Weisong Duan
- Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
- Neurological Laboratory of Hebei Province, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Luda Feng
- Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
- Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Chi Zhang
- Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Ying Gao, ; Chi Zhang,
| | - Ying Gao
- Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
- Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Ying Gao, ; Chi Zhang,
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48
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Cortical and subcortical grey matter atrophy in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis correlates with measures of disease accumulation independent of disease aggressiveness. Neuroimage Clin 2022; 36:103162. [PMID: 36067613 PMCID: PMC9460837 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2022.103162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
There is a growing demand for reliable biomarkers to monitor disease progression in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) that also take the heterogeneity of ALS into account. In this study, we explored the association between Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)-derived measures of cortical thickness (CT) and subcortical grey matter (GM) volume with D50 model parameters. T1-weighted MRI images of 72 Healthy Controls (HC) and 100 patients with ALS were analyzed using Surface-based Morphometry for cortical structures and Voxel-based Morphometry for subcortical Region-Of-Interest analyses using the Computational Anatomy Toolbox (CAT12). In Inter-group contrasts, these parameters were compared between patients and HC. Further, the D50 model was used to conduct subgroup-analyses, dividing patients by a) Phase of disease covered at the time of MRI-scan and b) individual overall disease aggressiveness. Finally, correlations between GM and D50 model-derived parameters were examined. Inter-group analyses revealed ALS-related cortical thinning compared to HC located mainly in frontotemporal regions and a decrease in GM volume in the left hippocampus and amygdala. A comparison of patients in different phases showed further cortical and subcortical GM atrophy along with disease progression. Correspondingly, regression analyses identified negative correlations between cortical thickness and individual disease covered. However, there were no differences in CT and subcortical GM between patients with low and high disease aggressiveness. By application of the D50 model, we identified correlations between cortical and subcortical GM atrophy and ALS-related functional disability, but not with disease aggressiveness. This qualifies CT and subcortical GM volume as biomarkers representing individual disease covered to monitor therapeutic interventions in ALS.
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49
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Sun X, Ren X, Zhang J, Nie Y, Hu S, Yang X, Jiang S. Discovering miRNAs Associated With Multiple Sclerosis Based on Network Representation Learning and Deep Learning Methods. Front Genet 2022; 13:899340. [PMID: 35656318 PMCID: PMC9152287 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.899340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Identifying biomarkers of Multiple Sclerosis is important for the diagnosis and treatment of Multiple Sclerosis. The existing study has shown that miRNA is one of the most important biomarkers for diseases. However, few existing methods are designed for predicting Multiple Sclerosis-related miRNAs. To fill this gap, we proposed a novel computation framework for predicting Multiple Sclerosis-associated miRNAs. The proposed framework uses a network representation model to learn the feature representation of miRNA and uses a deep learning-based model to predict the miRNAs associated with Multiple Sclerosis. The evaluation result shows that the proposed model can predict the miRNAs associated with Multiple Sclerosis precisely. In addition, the proposed model can outperform several existing methods in a large margin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoping Sun
- Department of Neurology, Zhenhai People's Hospital, Ningbo, China
| | - Xingshuai Ren
- Department of Respiratory, Zouping People's Hospital, Binzhou, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Zouping People's Hospital, Binzhou, China
| | - Yunzhi Nie
- Department of Neurology, Zhenhai People's Hospital, Ningbo, China
| | - Shan Hu
- Nursing Department, Second Sanatorium of Air Force Healthcare Center for Special Services, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiao Yang
- The Center of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Zhejiang Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shoufeng Jiang
- Department of Neurology, Shulan Hangzhou Hospital, Hangzhou, China
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50
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Alvia M, Aytan N, Spencer KR, Foster ZW, Rauf NA, Guilderson L, Robey I, Averill JG, Walker SE, Alvarez VE, Huber BR, Mathais R, Cormier KA, Nicks R, Pothast M, Labadorf A, Agus F, Alosco ML, Mez J, Kowall NW, McKee AC, Brady CB, Stein TD. MicroRNA Alterations in Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:855096. [PMID: 35663558 PMCID: PMC9160996 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.855096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Repetitive head impacts (RHI) and traumatic brain injuries are risk factors for the neurodegenerative diseases chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). ALS and CTE are distinct disorders, yet in some instances, share pathology, affect similar brain regions, and occur together. The pathways involved and biomarkers for diagnosis of both diseases are largely unknown. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) involved in gene regulation may be altered in neurodegeneration and be useful as stable biomarkers. Thus, we set out to determine associations between miRNA levels and disease state within the prefrontal cortex in a group of brain donors with CTE, ALS, CTE + ALS and controls. Of 47 miRNAs previously implicated in neurological disease and tested here, 28 (60%) were significantly different between pathology groups. Of these, 21 (75%) were upregulated in both ALS and CTE, including miRNAs involved in inflammatory, apoptotic, and cell growth/differentiation pathways. The most significant change occurred in miR-10b, which was significantly increased in ALS, but not CTE or CTE + ALS. Overall, we found patterns of miRNA expression that are common and unique to CTE and ALS and that suggest shared and distinct mechanisms of pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcela Alvia
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Boston University CTE Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Nurgul Aytan
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Boston University CTE Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | | | | | | | | | - Ian Robey
- Southern Arizona VA Healthcare System, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - James G. Averill
- Southern Arizona VA Healthcare System, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Sean E. Walker
- Southern Arizona VA Healthcare System, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Victor E. Alvarez
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Boston University CTE Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bedford, MA, United States
| | - Bertrand R. Huber
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Boston University CTE Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Rebecca Mathais
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Boston University CTE Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Kerry A. Cormier
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Boston University CTE Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bedford, MA, United States
| | - Raymond Nicks
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Boston University CTE Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Morgan Pothast
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Boston University CTE Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Adam Labadorf
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Filisia Agus
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Michael L. Alosco
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Boston University CTE Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jesse Mez
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Boston University CTE Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Neil W. Kowall
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Boston University CTE Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Ann C. McKee
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Boston University CTE Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bedford, MA, United States
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Christopher B. Brady
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bedford, MA, United States
| | - Thor D. Stein
- Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Boston University CTE Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bedford, MA, United States
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
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