Association of variants in HTRA1 and NOTCH3 with MRI-defined extremes of cerebral small vessel disease in older subjects

Combined impact of neutrophil-to-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (NHR) and cognitive function on all-cause mortality in older adults: a population-based study

BACKGROUND

The neutrophil-to-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (NHR) has emerged as a potential biomarker for chronic disease outcomes. Cognitive impairment is a major contributor to mortality in older adults. However, the combined effect of NHR and cognitive function on all-cause mortality remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the joint impact of NHR and cognitive impairment on all-cause mortality in this population.

METHODS

We analyzed participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2011 and 2014. Participants were grouped according to NHR levels, DSST scores, and the combined NHR and DSST. Weighted Cox regression models assessed the association between NHR, cognitive impairment, and all-cause mortality. Weighted Kaplan-Meier curves estimated survival probabilities.

RESULTS

The study involved 1,486 participants (weighted sample was 54,078,084) aged 60 years and older, of whom 81.76% (n = 1,180) survived and 18.24% (n = 306) died by the end of follow-up. The median follow-up time was 78 months (IQR: 68-94). Weighted multivariable Cox regression revealed that high NHR (HR = 1.82, 95% CI: 1.21-2.74; P = 0.004), cognitive impairment (HR = 1.87, 95% CI: 1.25-2.79; P = 0.002), and the combination of high NHR and cognitive impairment (HR = 2.98, 95% CI: 1.45-6.14; P = 0.003) were independently associated with higher all-cause mortality, after full adjustment in model 3. Kaplan-Meier curves revealed significant survival differences, with the highest survival rate in the NHR Low & Normal cognition and the lowest in the NHR High & Cognitive impairment (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

High NHR and cognitive impairment in aged 60 years and older have an increased risk of all-cause mortality. These findings underscore the importance of integrating both NHR and cognitive assessments in mortality risk evaluations, offering a potential strategy for early intervention in aging populations.

Diffusion imaging genomics provides novel insight into early mechanisms of cerebral small vessel disease

Cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD) is a leading cause of stroke and dementia. Genetic risk loci for white matter hyperintensities (WMH), the most common MRI-marker of cSVD in older age, were recently shown to be significantly associated with white matter (WM) microstructure on diffusion tensor imaging (signal-based) in young adults. To provide new insights into these early changes in WM microstructure and their relation with cSVD, we sought to explore the genetic underpinnings of cutting-edge tissue-based diffusion imaging markers across the adult lifespan. We conducted a genome-wide association study of neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) markers in young adults (i-Share study: N = 1 758, (mean[range]) 22.1[18-35] years), with follow-up in young middle-aged (Rhineland Study: N = 714, 35.2[30-40] years) and late middle-aged to older individuals (UK Biobank: N = 33 224, 64.3[45-82] years). We identified 21 loci associated with NODDI markers across brain regions in young adults. The most robust association, replicated in both follow-up cohorts, was with Neurite Density Index (NDI) at chr5q14.3, a known WMH locus in VCAN. Two additional loci were replicated in UK Biobank, at chr17q21.2 with NDI, and chr19q13.12 with Orientation Dispersion Index (ODI). Transcriptome-wide association studies showed associations of STAT3 expression in arterial and adipose tissue (chr17q21.2) with NDI, and of several genes at chr19q13.12 with ODI. Genetic susceptibility to larger WMH volume, but not to vascular risk factors, was significantly associated with decreased NDI in young adults, especially in regions known to harbor WMH in older age. Individually, seven of 25 known WMH risk loci were associated with NDI in young adults. In conclusion, we identified multiple novel genetic risk loci associated with NODDI markers, particularly NDI, in early adulthood. These point to possible early-life mechanisms underlying cSVD and to processes involving remyelination, neurodevelopment and neurodegeneration, with a potential for novel approaches to prevention.

Contributions of Germline and Somatic Mosaic Genetics to Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms in Nonsyndromic Individuals

BACKGROUND

Thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Although individuals with family histories of TAA often undergo clinical molecular genetic testing, adults with nonsyndromic TAA are not typically evaluated for genetic causes. We sought to understand the genetic contribution of both germline and somatic mosaic variants in a cohort of adult individuals with nonsyndromic TAA at a single center.

METHODS AND RESULTS

One hundred eighty-one consecutive patients <60 years who presented with nonsyndromic TAA at the Massachusetts General Hospital underwent deep (>500×) targeted sequencing across 114 candidate genes associated with TAA and its related functional pathways. Samples from 354 age- and sex-matched individuals without TAA were also sequenced, with a 2:1 matching. We found significant enrichments for germline (odds ratio [OR], 2.44, P=4.6×10-6 [95% CI, 1.67-3.58]) and also somatic mosaic variants (OR, 4.71, P=0.026 [95% CI, 1.20-18.43]) between individuals with and without TAA. Likely genetic causes were present in 24% with nonsyndromic TAA, of which 21% arose from germline variants and 3% from somatic mosaic alleles. The 3 most frequently mutated genes in our cohort were FLNA (encoding Filamin A), NOTCH3 (encoding Notch receptor 3), and FBN1 (encoding Fibrillin-1). There was increased frequency of both missense and loss of function variants in TAA individuals.

CONCLUSIONS

Likely contributory dominant acting genetic variants were found in almost one quarter of nonsyndromic adults with TAA. Our findings suggest a more extensive genetic architecture to TAA than expected and that genetic testing may improve the care and clinical management of adults with nonsyndromic TAA.

Proteogenomics in cerebrospinal fluid and plasma reveals new biological fingerprint of cerebral small vessel disease

Cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD) is a leading cause of stroke and dementia with no specific mechanism-based treatment. We used Mendelian randomization to combine a unique cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma pQTL resource with the latest European-ancestry GWAS of MRI-markers of cSVD (white matter hyperintensities, perivascular spaces). We describe a new biological fingerprint of 49 protein-cSVD associations, predominantly in the CSF. We implemented a multipronged follow-up, across fluids, platforms, and ancestries (Europeans and East-Asian), including testing associations of direct plasma protein measurements with MRI-cSVD. We highlight 16 proteins robustly associated in both CSF and plasma, with 24/4 proteins identified in CSF/plasma only. cSVD-proteins were enriched in extracellular matrix and immune response pathways, and in genes enriched in microglia and specific microglial states (integration with single-nucleus RNA sequencing). Immune-related proteins were associated with MRI-cSVD already at age twenty. Half of cSVD-proteins were associated with stroke, dementia, or both, and seven cSVD-proteins are targets for known drugs (used for other indications in directions compatible with beneficial therapeutic effects. This first cSVD proteogenomic signature opens new avenues for biomarker and therapeutic developments.

A Bidirectional Mendelian Randomization Study of Gut Microbiota and Cerebral Small Vessel Disease

BACKGROUND

The causal nature of gut microbiota and cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is still obscure regardless of evidence supporting their observational correlations.

OBJECTIVES

The primary objective of this research is to investigate the potentially pathogenic or protective causal impacts of specific gut microbiota on various neuroimaging subtypes of CSVD.

METHODS

We obtained the latest summary-level genome-wide databases for gut microbiota and 9 CSVD traits. The univariable and multivariable Mendelian randomization (MR) studies were conducted to examine the possible causal link between exposure and outcome. Meanwhile, we conducted sensitivity analyses sequentially, containing the heterogeneity, pleiotropy, and leave-one-out analysis. Additionally, to clarify the potential bidirectional causality, the causality from CSVD traits to the identified gut microbiota was implemented through reverse MR analysis.

RESULTS

The univariable MR analysis identified 22 genetically predicted bacterial abundances that were correlated with CSVD traits. Although conditioning on macronutrient dietary compositions, 2 suggestive relationships were retained using the multivariable MR analysis. Specifically, the class Negativicutes and order Selenomonadales exhibited a negative causal association with strictly lobar cerebral microbleeds, one neuroimaging trait of CSVD. There is insufficient evidence indicating the presence of heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy. Furthermore, the identified causal relationship was not driven by any single nucleotide polymorphism. The results of the reverse MR analysis did not reveal any statistically significant causality from CSVD traits to the identified gut microbiota.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study indicated several suggestive causal effects from gut microbiota to different neuroimaging subtypes of CSVD. These findings provided a latent understanding of the pathogenesis of CSVD from the perspective of the gut-brain axis.

Pathophysiology of cerebral small vessel disease: a journey through recent discoveries

Cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD) encompasses a heterogeneous group of age-related small vessel pathologies that affect multiple regions. Disease manifestations range from lesions incidentally detected on neuroimaging (white matter hyperintensities, small deep infarcts, microbleeds, or enlarged perivascular spaces) to severe disability and cognitive impairment. cSVD accounts for approximately 25% of ischemic strokes and the vast majority of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage and is also the most important vascular contributor to dementia. Despite its high prevalence and potentially long therapeutic window, there are still no mechanism-based treatments. Here, we provide an overview of the recent advances in this field. We summarize recent data highlighting the remarkable continuum between monogenic and multifactorial cSVDs involving NOTCH3, HTRA1, and COL4A1/A2 genes. Taking a vessel-centric view, we discuss possible cause-and-effect relationships between risk factors, structural and functional vessel changes, and disease manifestations, underscoring some major knowledge gaps. Although endothelial dysfunction is rightly considered a central feature of cSVD, the contributions of smooth muscle cells, pericytes, and other perivascular cells warrant continued investigation.

Association of Rare NOTCH3 Variants With Prevalent and Incident Stroke and Dementia in the General Population

BACKGROUND

It is uncertain whether rare NOTCH3 variants are associated with stroke and dementia in the general population and whether they lead to alterations in cognitive function. This study aims to determine the associations of rare NOTCH3 variants with prevalent and incident stroke and dementia, as well as cognitive function changes.

METHODS AND RESULTS

In the prospective community-based Shunyi Study, a total of 1007 participants were included in the baseline analysis. For the follow-up analysis, 1007 participants were included in the stroke analysis, and 870 participants in the dementia analysis. All participants underwent baseline brain magnetic resonance imaging, carotid ultrasound, and whole exome sequencing. Rare NOTCH3 variants were defined as variants with minor allele frequency <1%. A total of 137 rare NOTCH3 carriers were enrolled in the baseline study. At baseline, rare NOTCH3 variant carriers had higher rates of stroke (8.8% versus 5.6%) and dementia (2.9% versus 0.8%) compared with noncarriers. After adjustment for associated risk factors, the epidermal growth factor-like repeats (EGFr)-involving rare NOTCH3 variants were associated with a higher risk of prevalent stroke (odds ratio [OR], 2.697 [95% CI, 1.266-5.745]; P=0.040) and dementia (OR, 8.498 [95% CI, 1.727-41.812]; P=0.032). After 5 years of follow-up, we did not find that the rare NOTCH3 variants increased the risk of incident stroke and dementia. There was no statistical difference in the change in longitudinal cognitive scale scores.

CONCLUSIONS

Rare NOTCH3 EGFr-involving variants are genetic risk factors for stroke and dementia in the general Chinese population.

Pattern of Brain Parenchymal Damage Related to Cerebral Small Vessel Disease in Carriers of Rare NOTCH3 Variants

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Previous studies reported that carriers of rare NOTCH3 variants comprised more than 10% of the general population and are susceptible to a heavy overall burden of cerebral small vessel disease while the injury patterns remain uncovered. This study aimed to investigate the imaging features in relation to rare NOTCH3 variants and the interaction between cortical atrophy and white matter lesions from a longitudinal view, with respect to spatial and dynamic patterns.

METHODS

As part of a community-based cohort, we included participants with complete whole-exome sequencing and brain MRI in the baseline analysis. All participants were invited for a 5-year follow-up MRI, and those who did not complete the follow-up were excluded from the longitudinal analysis. NOTCH3 variants with minor allele frequency <1% in all 4 public population databases were defined as rare variants. We used general linear models to compare the volume of white matter hyperintensity (WMH) volume and brain parenchymal fraction between rare NOTCH3 variant carriers and noncarriers. In addition, we compared the WMH probability map and vertex-wise cortex maps at a voxel/vertex-wise level.

RESULTS

A total of 1,054 participants were included in baseline analysis (13.56% carried rare NOTCH3 variants), among whom 661 had a follow-up brain MRI (13.76% carried rare NOTCH3 variants). Rare NOTCH3 variant carriers had a heavier white matter hyperintensity burden (1.65 vs 0.85 mL, p = 0.025) and had more extensive WMH distributed in the periventricular areas. We also found that rare NOTCH3 variant carriers were susceptible to worse cortical atrophy (β = -0.004, SE = 0.002, p = 0.057, adjusted for age and sex). Cortical atrophy of multiple regions in the frontal and parietal lobes was related to white matter hyperintensity progression.

DISCUSSION

Individuals with rare NOTCH3 variants have a distinct pattern of brain parenchymal damage related to CSVD. Our findings uncover the important genetic predisposition in age-related cerebral small vessel disease in the general population.

Immunosenescence as a convergence pathway in neurodegeneration

Immunity refers to the body's defense mechanism to protect itself against illness or to produce antibodies against pathogens. Senescence is a cellular phenomenon that integrates a sustainable growth restriction, other phenotypic abnormalities and including a pro-inflammatory secretome. It is highly involved in regulating developmental stages, tissue homeostasis, and tumor proliferation monitoring. Contemporary experimental reports imply that abolition of senescent cells employing evolved genetic and therapeutic approaches augment the chances of survival and boosts the health span of an individual. Immunosenescence is considered as a process in which dysfunction of the immune system occurs with aging and greatly includes remodeling of lymphoid organs. This in turn causes fluctuations in the immune function of the elderly that has strict relation with the expansion of autoimmune diseases, infections, malignant tumors and neurodegenerative disorders. The interaction of the nervous and immune systems during aging is marked by bi-directional influence and mutual correlation of variations. The enhanced systemic inflammatory condition in the elderly, and the neuronal immune cell activity can be modulated by inflamm-aging and peripheral immunosenescence resulting in chronic low-grade inflammatory processes in the central Nervous system known as neuro-inflammaging. For example, glia excitation by cytokines and glia pro-inflammatory productions contribute significantly to memory injury as well as in acute systemic inflammation, which is associated with high levels of Tumor necrosis factor -α and a rise in cognitive decline. In recent years its role in the pathology of Alzheimer's disease has caught research interest to a large extent. This article reviews the connection concerning the immune and nervous systems and highlights how immunosenescence and inflamm-aging can affect neurodegenerative disorders.

The emerging role of the HTRA1 protease in brain microvascular disease

Pathologies of the brain microvasculature, often referred to as cerebral small-vessel disease, are important contributors to vascular dementia, the second most common form of dementia in aging societies. In addition to their role in acute ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, they have emerged as major cause of age-related cognitive decline in asymptomatic individuals. A central histological finding in these pathologies is the disruption of the vessel architecture including thickening of the vessel wall, narrowing of the vessel lumen and massive expansion of the mural extracellular matrix. The underlying molecular mechanisms are largely unknown, but from the investigation of several disease forms with defined etiology, high temperature requirement protein A1 (HTRA1), a secreted serine protease degrading primarily matrisomal substrates, has emerged as critical factor and potential therapeutic target. A genetically induced loss of HTRA1 function in humans is associated with cerebral autosomal-recessive arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CARASIL), a rare, hereditary form of brain microvascular disease. Recently, proteomic studies on cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), a common cause of age-related dementia, and cerebral autosomal-dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL), the most prevalent monogenic small-vessel disease, have provided evidence for an impairment of HTRA1 activity through sequestration into pathological protein deposits, suggesting an alternative mechanism of HTRA1 inactivation and expanding the range of diseases with HTRA1 involvement. Further investigations of the mechanisms of HTRA1 regulation in the brain microvasculature might spawn novel strategies for the treatment of small-vessel pathologies.

Epigenetic and integrative cross-omics analyses of cerebral white matter hyperintensities on MRI

Cerebral white matter hyperintensities on MRI are markers of cerebral small vessel disease, a major risk factor for dementia and stroke. Despite the successful identification of multiple genetic variants associated with this highly heritable condition, its genetic architecture remains incompletely understood. More specifically, the role of DNA methylation has received little attention. We investigated the association between white matter hyperintensity burden and DNA methylation in blood at ∼450 000 cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) sites in 9732 middle-aged to older adults from 14 community-based studies. Single CpG and region-based association analyses were carried out. Functional annotation and integrative cross-omics analyses were performed to identify novel genes underlying the relationship between DNA methylation and white matter hyperintensities. We identified 12 single CpG and 46 region-based DNA methylation associations with white matter hyperintensity burden. Our top discovery single CpG, cg24202936 (P = 7.6 × 10-8), was associated with F2 expression in blood (P = 6.4 × 10-5) and co-localized with FOLH1 expression in brain (posterior probability = 0.75). Our top differentially methylated regions were in PRMT1 and in CCDC144NL-AS1, which were also represented in single CpG associations (cg17417856 and cg06809326, respectively). Through Mendelian randomization analyses cg06809326 was putatively associated with white matter hyperintensity burden (P = 0.03) and expression of CCDC144NL-AS1 possibly mediated this association. Differentially methylated region analysis, joint epigenetic association analysis and multi-omics co-localization analysis consistently identified a role of DNA methylation near SH3PXD2A, a locus previously identified in genome-wide association studies of white matter hyperintensities. Gene set enrichment analyses revealed functions of the identified DNA methylation loci in the blood-brain barrier and in the immune response. Integrative cross-omics analysis identified 19 key regulatory genes in two networks related to extracellular matrix organization, and lipid and lipoprotein metabolism. A drug-repositioning analysis indicated antihyperlipidaemic agents, more specifically peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha, as possible target drugs for white matter hyperintensities. Our epigenome-wide association study and integrative cross-omics analyses implicate novel genes influencing white matter hyperintensity burden, which converged on pathways related to the immune response and to a compromised blood-brain barrier possibly due to disrupted cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix interactions. The results also suggest that antihyperlipidaemic therapy may contribute to lowering risk for white matter hyperintensities possibly through protection against blood-brain barrier disruption.

Segmentation of incident lacunes during the course of ischemic cerebral small vessel diseases

Background

Lacunes represent key imaging markers of cerebral small vessel diseases (cSVDs). During their progression, incident lacunes are related to stroke manifestations and contribute to progressive cognitive and/or motor decline. Assessing new lesions has become crucial but remains time-consuming and error-prone, even for an expert. We, thus, sought to develop and validate an automatic segmentation method of incident lacunes in CADASIL caused by cysteine mutation in the EGFr domains of the NOTCH3 gene, a severe and progressive monogenic form of cSVD.

Methods

Incident lacunes were identified based on difference maps of 3D T1-weighted MRIs obtained at the baseline and 2 years later. These maps were thresholded using clustering analysis and compared with results obtained by expert visual analysis, which is considered the gold standard approach.

Results

The median number of lacunes at the baseline in 30 randomly selected patients was 7 (IQR = [2, 11]). The median number of incident lacunes was 2 (IQR = [0, 3]) using the automatic method (mean time-processing: 25 s/patient) and 0.5 (IQR = [0, 2]) using the standard visual approach (mean time-processing: 8 min/patient). The complementary analysis of segmentation results is enabled to quickly remove false positives detected in specific locations and to identify true incident lesions not previously detected by the standard analysis (2 min/case). A combined approach based on automatic segmentation of incident lacunes followed by quick corrections of false positives allowed to reach high individual sensitivity (median at 0.66, IQR = [0.21, 1.00]) and global specificity scores (0.80).

Conclusion

The automatic segmentation of incident lacunes followed by quick corrections of false positives appears promising for properly and rapidly quantifying incident lacunes in large cohorts of cSVDs.

HTRA1 methylation in peripheral blood as a potential marker for the preclinical detection of stroke: a case-control study and a prospective nested case-control study

BACKGROUND

Stroke is the leading cause of mortality in China. DNA methylation has essential roles in multiple diseases, but its association with stroke was barely studied. We hereby explored the association between blood-based HTRA serine protease 1 (HTRA1) methylation and the risk of stroke.

RESULTS

The association was discovered in a hospital-based case-control study (cases/controls = 190:190) and further validated in a prospective nested case-control study including 139 cases who developed stroke within 2 years after recruitment and 144 matched stroke-free controls. We observed stroke-related altered HTRA1 methylation and expression in both case-control study and prospective study. This blood-based HTRA1 methylation was associated with stroke independently from the known risk factors and mostly affected the older population. The prospective results further showed that the altered HTRA1 methylation was detectable 2 years before the clinical determination of stroke and became more robust with increased discriminatory power for stroke along with time when combined with other known stroke-related variables [onset time ≤ 1 year: area under the curve (AUC) = 0.76].

CONCLUSIONS

In our study, altered HTRA1 methylation was associated with stroke at clinical and preclinical stages and thus may provide a potential biomarker in the blood for the risk evaluation and preclinical detection of stroke.

Monogenic Causes in Familial Stroke Across Intracerebral Hemorrhage and Ischemic Stroke Subtypes Identified by Whole-Exome Sequencing

Whole exome sequencing (WES) has been used to detect rare causative variants in neurological diseases. However, the efficacy of WES in genetic diagnosis of clinically heterogeneous familial stroke remains inconclusive. We prospectively searched for disease-causing variants in unrelated probands with defined familial stroke by candidate gene/hotspot screening and/or WES, depending on stroke subtypes and neuroimaging features at a referral center. The clinical significance of each variant was determined according to the American College of Medical Genetics guidelines. Among 161 probands (mean age at onset 53.2 ± 13.7 years; male 63.4%), 33 participants (20.5%) had been identified with 19 pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants (PVs; WES applied 152/161 = 94.4%). Across subtypes, the highest hit rate (HR) was intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH, 7/18 = 38.9%), particularly with the etiological subtype of structural vasculopathy (4/4 = 100%, PVs in ENG, KRIT1, PKD1, RNF213); followed by ischemic small vessel disease (SVD, 15/48 = 31.3%; PVs in NOTCH3, HTRA1, HBB). In contrast, large artery atherosclerosis (LAA, 4/44 = 9.1%) and cardioembolism (0/11 = 0%) had the lowest HR. NOTCH3 was the most common causative gene (16/161 = 9.9%), presenting with multiple subtypes of SVD (n = 13), ICH (n = 2), or LAA (n = 1). Importantly, we disclosed two previously unreported PVs, KRIT1 p.E379* in a familial cerebral cavernous malformation, and F2 p.F382L in a familial cerebral venous sinus thrombosis. The contribution of monogenic etiologies was particularly high in familial ICH and SVD subtypes in our Taiwanese cohort. Utilizing subtype-guided hotspot screening and/or subsequent WES, we unraveled monogenic causes in 20.5% familial stroke probands, including 1.2% novel PVs. Genetic diagnosis may enable early diagnosis, management and lifestyle modification. Among 161 familial stroke probands, 33 (20.5%) had been identified pathogenic or likely pathogenic monogenic variants related to stroke. The positive hit rate among all subtypes was high in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and ischemic small vessel disease (SVD). Notably, two previously unreported variants, KRIT1 p.E379* in a familial cerebral cavernous malformation and F2 p.F382L in familial cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, were disclosed. CVT cerebral venous thrombosis; HTN Hypertensive subtype; LAA large artery atherosclerosis; SV structural vasculopathy; U Undetermined.

Report of two pedigrees with heterozygous HTRA1 variants-related cerebral small vessel disease and literature review

BACKGROUND

Biallelic HTRA1 pathogenic variants are associated with autosomal recessive cerebral arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CARASIL). Recent studies have indicated that heterozygous HTRA1 variants are related to autosomal dominant hereditary cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD). However, few studies have assessed heterozygous HTRA1 carriers or the genotype-phenotype correlation.

METHODS

The clinical data of two unrelated Chinese Han families with CSVD were collected. Panel sequencing was used to search for pathogenic genes, Sanger sequencing was used for verification, three-dimensional protein models were constructed, and pathogenicity was analyzed. Published HTRA1-related phenotypes included in PubMed up to September 2021 were extensively reviewed, and the patients' genetic and clinical characteristics were summarized.

RESULTS

We report a novel heterozygous variant c.920T>C p.L307P in the HTRA1, whose main clinical and neuroimaging phenotypes are stroke and gait disturbance. We report another patient with the previously reported pathogenic variant HTRA1 c.589C>T p.R197X characterized by early cognitive decline. A literature review indicated that compared with CARASIL, HTRA1-related autosomal dominant hereditary CSVD has a later onset age, milder clinical symptoms, fewer extraneurological symptoms, and slower progression, indicating a milder CARASIL phenotype. In addition, HTRA1 heterozygous variants were related to a higher proportion of vascular risk factors (p < .001) and male sex (p = .022).

CONCLUSION

These findings broaden the known mutational spectrum and possible clinical phenotype of HTRA1. Considering the semidominant characteristics of HTRA1-related phenotypes, we recommend that all members of HTRA1 variant families undergo genetic screening and clinical follow-up if carrying pathogenic variants.

Gene-mapping study of extremes of cerebral small vessel disease reveals TRIM47 as a strong candidate

Cerebral small vessel disease is a leading cause of stroke and a major contributor to cognitive decline and dementia, but our understanding of specific genes underlying the cause of sporadic cerebral small vessel disease is limited. We report a genome-wide association study and a whole-exome association study on a composite extreme phenotype of cerebral small vessel disease derived from its most common MRI features: white matter hyperintensities and lacunes. Seventeen population-based cohorts of older persons with MRI measurements and genome-wide genotyping (n = 41 326), whole-exome sequencing (n = 15 965), or exome chip (n = 5249) data contributed 13 776 and 7079 extreme small vessel disease samples for the genome-wide association study and whole-exome association study, respectively. The genome-wide association study identified significant association of common variants in 11 loci with extreme small vessel disease, of which the chr12q24.11 locus was not previously reported to be associated with any MRI marker of cerebral small vessel disease. The whole-exome association study identified significant associations of extreme small vessel disease with common variants in the 5' UTR region of EFEMP1 (chr2p16.1) and one probably damaging common missense variant in TRIM47 (chr17q25.1). Mendelian randomization supports the causal association of extensive small vessel disease severity with increased risk of stroke and Alzheimer's disease. Combined evidence from summary-based Mendelian randomization studies and profiling of human loss-of-function allele carriers showed an inverse relation between TRIM47 expression in the brain and blood vessels and extensive small vessel disease severity. We observed significant enrichment of Trim47 in isolated brain vessel preparations compared to total brain fraction in mice, in line with the literature showing Trim47 enrichment in brain endothelial cells at single cell level. Functional evaluation of TRIM47 by small interfering RNAs-mediated knockdown in human brain endothelial cells showed increased endothelial permeability, an important hallmark of cerebral small vessel disease pathology. Overall, our comprehensive gene-mapping study and preliminary functional evaluation suggests a putative role of TRIM47 in the pathophysiology of cerebral small vessel disease, making it an important candidate for extensive in vivo explorations and future translational work.

The Role of Immunosenescence in Cerebral Small Vessel Disease: A Review

Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is one of the most important causes of vascular dementia. Immunosenescence and inflammatory response, with the involvement of the cerebrovascular system, constitute the basis of this disease. Immunosenescence identifies a condition of deterioration of the immune organs and consequent dysregulation of the immune response caused by cellular senescence, which exposes older adults to a greater vulnerability. A low-grade chronic inflammation status also accompanies it without overt infections, an "inflammaging" condition. The correlation between immunosenescence and inflammaging is fundamental in understanding the pathogenesis of age-related CSVD (ArCSVD). The production of inflammatory mediators caused by inflammaging promotes cellular senescence and the decrease of the adaptive immune response. Vice versa, the depletion of the adaptive immune mechanisms favours the stimulation of the innate immune system and the production of inflammatory mediators leading to inflammaging. Furthermore, endothelial dysfunction, chronic inflammation promoted by senescent innate immune cells, oxidative stress and impairment of microglia functions constitute, therefore, the framework within which small vessel disease develops: it is a concatenation of molecular events that promotes the decline of the central nervous system and cognitive functions slowly and progressively. Because the causative molecular mechanisms have not yet been fully elucidated, the road of scientific research is stretched in this direction, seeking to discover other aberrant processes and ensure therapeutic tools able to enhance the life expectancy of people affected by ArCSVD. Although the concept of CSVD is broader, this manuscript focuses on describing the neurobiological basis and immune system alterations behind cerebral aging. Furthermore, the purpose of our work is to detect patients with CSVD at an early stage, through the evaluation of precocious MRI changes and serum markers of inflammation, to treat untimely risk factors that influence the burden and the worsening of the cerebral disease.

Systematic Review of Cerebral Phenotypes Associated With Monogenic Cerebral Small-Vessel Disease

Background Cerebral small-vessel disease (cSVD) is an important cause of stroke and vascular dementia. Most cases are multifactorial, but an emerging minority have a monogenic cause. While NOTCH3 is the best-known gene, several others have been reported. We aimed to summarize the cerebral phenotypes associated with these more recent cSVD genes. Methods and Results We performed a systematic review (PROSPERO [International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews]: CRD42020196720), searching Medline/Embase (conception to July 2020) for any language publications describing COL4A1/2, TREX1, HTRA1, ADA2, or CTSA pathogenic variant carriers. We extracted data about individuals' characteristics and clinical and vascular radiological cerebral phenotypes. We summarized phenotype frequencies per gene, comparing patterns across genes. We screened 6485 publications including 402, and extracted data on 390 individuals with COL4A1, 123 with TREX1, 44 with HTRA1 homozygous, 41 with COL4A2, 346 with ADA2, 82 with HTRA1 heterozygous, and 14 with CTSA. Mean age ranged from 15 (ADA2) to 59 years (HTRA1 heterozygotes). Clinical phenotype frequencies varied widely: stroke, 9% (TREX1) to 52% (HTRA1 heterozygotes); cognitive features, 0% (ADA2) to 64% (HTRA1 homozygotes); and psychiatric features, 0% (COL4A2; ADA2) to 57% (CTSA). Among individuals with neuroimaging, vascular radiological phenotypes appeared common, ranging from 62% (ADA2) to 100% (HTRA1 homozygotes; CTSA). White matter lesions were the most common pathology, except in ADA2 and COL4A2 cases, where ischemic and hemorrhagic lesions dominated, respectively. Conclusions There appear to be differences in cerebral manifestations across cSVD genes. Vascular radiological changes were more common than clinical neurological phenotypes, and present in the majority of individuals with reported neuroimaging. However, these results may be affected by age and biases inherent to case reports. In the future, better characterization of associated phenotypes, as well as insights from population-based studies, should improve our understanding of monogenic cSVD to inform genetic testing, guide clinical management, and help unravel underlying disease mechanisms.

Stroke Genetics: Discovery, Insight Into Mechanisms, and Clinical Perspectives

Stroke is the second leading cause of death worldwide and a complex, heterogeneous condition. In this review, we provide an overview of the current knowledge on monogenic and multifactorial forms of stroke, highlighting recent insight into the continuum between these. We describe how, in recent years, large-scale genome-wide association studies have enabled major progress in deciphering the genetic basis for stroke and its subtypes, although more research is needed to interpret these findings. We cover the potential of stroke genetics to reveal novel pathophysiological processes underlying stroke, to accelerate the discovery of new therapeutic approaches, and to identify individuals in the population who are at high risk of stroke and could be targeted for tailored preventative interventions.

Genomic legacy of migration in endangered caribou

Wide-ranging animals, including migratory species, are significantly threatened by the effects of habitat fragmentation and habitat loss. In the case of terrestrial mammals, this results in nearly a quarter of species being at risk of extinction. Caribou are one such example of a wide-ranging, migratory, terrestrial, and endangered mammal. In populations of caribou, the proportion of individuals considered as "migrants" can vary dramatically. There is therefore a possibility that, under the condition that migratory behavior is genetically determined, those individuals or populations that are migratory will be further impacted by humans, and this impact could result in the permanent loss of the migratory trait in some populations. However, genetic determination of migration has not previously been studied in an endangered terrestrial mammal. We examined migratory behavior of 139 GPS-collared endangered caribou in western North America and carried out genomic scans for the same individuals. Here we determine a genetic subdivision of caribou into a Northern and a Southern genetic cluster. We also detect >50 SNPs associated with migratory behavior, which are in genes with hypothesized roles in determining migration in other organisms. Furthermore, we determine that propensity to migrate depends upon the proportion of ancestry in individual caribou, and thus on the evolutionary history of its migratory and sedentary subspecies. If, as we report, migratory behavior is influenced by genes, caribou could be further impacted by the loss of the migratory trait in some isolated populations already at low numbers. Our results indicating an ancestral genetic component also suggest that the migratory trait and their associated genetic mutations could not be easily re-established when lost in a population.

Genetics of common cerebral small vessel disease

Cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD) is a leading cause of ischaemic and haemorrhagic stroke and a major contributor to dementia. Covert cSVD, which is detectable with brain MRI but does not manifest as clinical stroke, is highly prevalent in the general population, particularly with increasing age. Advances in technologies and collaborative work have led to substantial progress in the identification of common genetic variants that are associated with cSVD-related stroke (ischaemic and haemorrhagic) and MRI-defined covert cSVD. In this Review, we provide an overview of collaborative studies - mostly genome-wide association studies (GWAS) - that have identified >50 independent genetic loci associated with the risk of cSVD. We describe how these associations have provided novel insights into the biological mechanisms involved in cSVD, revealed patterns of shared genetic variation across cSVD traits, and shed new light on the continuum between rare, monogenic and common, multifactorial cSVD. We consider how GWAS summary statistics have been leveraged for Mendelian randomization studies to explore causal pathways in cSVD and provide genetic evidence for drug effects, and how the combination of findings from GWAS with gene expression resources and drug target databases has enabled identification of putative causal genes and provided proof-of-concept for drug repositioning potential. We also discuss opportunities for polygenic risk prediction, multi-ancestry approaches and integration with other omics data.

Sex Differences in Cerebral Small Vessel Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) is a common cause of stroke, mild cognitive impairment, dementia and physical impairments. Differences in SVD incidence or severity between males and females are unknown. We assessed sex differences in SVD by assessing the male-to-female ratio (M:F) of recruited participants and incidence of SVD, risk factor presence, distribution, and severity of SVD features. Methods: We assessed four recent systematic reviews on SVD and performed a supplementary search of MEDLINE to identify studies reporting M:F ratio in covert, stroke, or cognitive SVD presentations (registered protocol: CRD42020193995). We meta-analyzed differences in sex ratios across time, countries, SVD severity and presentations, age and risk factors for SVD. Results: Amongst 123 relevant studies (n = 36,910 participants) including 53 community-based, 67 hospital-based and three mixed studies published between 1989 and 2020, more males were recruited in hospital-based than in community-based studies [M:F = 1.16 (0.70) vs. M:F = 0.79 (0.35), respectively; p < 0.001]. More males had moderate to severe SVD [M:F = 1.08 (0.81) vs. M:F = 0.82 (0.47) in healthy to mild SVD; p < 0.001], and stroke presentations where M:F was 1.67 (0.53). M:F did not differ for recent (2015-2020) vs. pre-2015 publications, by geographical region, or age. There were insufficient sex-stratified data to explore M:F and risk factors for SVD. Conclusions: Our results highlight differences in male-to-female ratios in SVD severity and amongst those presenting with stroke that have important clinical and translational implications. Future SVD research should report participant demographics, risk factors and outcomes separately for males and females. Systematic Review Registration: [PROSPERO], identifier [CRD42020193995].

Whole-exome sequencing reveals a role of HTRA1 and EGFL8 in brain white matter hyperintensities

White matter hyperintensities (WMH) are among the most common radiological abnormalities in the ageing population and an established risk factor for stroke and dementia. While common variant association studies have revealed multiple genetic loci with an influence on their volume, the contribution of rare variants to the WMH burden in the general population remains largely unexplored. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of this burden in the UK Biobank using publicly available whole-exome sequencing data (n up to 17 830) and found a splice-site variant in GBE1, encoding 1,4-alpha-glucan branching enzyme 1, to be associated with lower white matter burden on an exome-wide level [c.691+2T>C, β = -0.74, standard error (SE) = 0.13, P = 9.7 × 10-9]. Applying whole-exome gene-based burden tests, we found damaging missense and loss-of-function variants in HTRA1 (frequency of 1 in 275 in the UK Biobank population) to associate with an increased WMH volume (P = 5.5 × 10-6, false discovery rate = 0.04). HTRA1 encodes a secreted serine protease implicated in familial forms of small vessel disease. Domain-specific burden tests revealed that the association with WMH volume was restricted to rare variants in the protease domain (amino acids 204-364; β = 0.79, SE = 0.14, P = 9.4 × 10-8). The frequency of such variants in the UK Biobank population was 1 in 450. The WMH volume was brought forward by ∼11 years in carriers of a rare protease domain variant. A comparison with the effect size of established risk factors for WMH burden revealed that the presence of a rare variant in the HTRA1 protease domain corresponded to a larger effect than meeting the criteria for hypertension (β = 0.26, SE = 0.02, P = 2.9 × 10-59) or being in the upper 99.8% percentile of the distribution of a polygenic risk score based on common genetic variants (β = 0.44, SE = 0.14, P = 0.002). In biochemical experiments, most (6/9) of the identified protease domain variants resulted in markedly reduced protease activity. We further found EGFL8, which showed suggestive evidence for association with WMH volume (P = 1.5 × 10-4, false discovery rate = 0.22) in gene burden tests, to be a direct substrate of HTRA1 and to be preferentially expressed in cerebral arterioles and arteries. In a phenome-wide association study mapping ICD-10 diagnoses to 741 standardized Phecodes, rare variants in the HTRA1 protease domain were associated with multiple neurological and non-neurological conditions including migraine with aura (odds ratio = 12.24, 95%CI: 2.54-35.25; P = 8.3 × 10-5]. Collectively, these findings highlight an important role of rare genetic variation and the HTRA1 protease in determining WMH burden in the general population.

The role of vascular dementia associated genes in patients with Alzheimer's disease: A large case-control study in the Chinese population

Aim

The role of vascular dementia (VaD)‐associated genes in Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains elusive despite similar clinical and pathological features. We aimed to explore the relationship between these genes and AD in the Chinese population.

Methods

Eight VaD‐associated genes were screened by a targeted sequencing panel in a sample of 3604 individuals comprising 1192 AD patients and 2412 cognitively normal controls. Variants were categorized into common variants and rare variants according to minor allele frequency (MAF). Common variant (MAF ≥ 0.01)‐based association analysis was conducted by PLINK 1.9. Rare variant (MAF < 0.01) association study and gene‐based aggregation testing of rare variants were performed by PLINK 1.9 and Sequence Kernel Association Test‐Optimal (SKAT‐O test), respectively. Age at onset (AAO) and Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE) association studies were performed with PLINK 1.9. Analyses were adjusted for age, gender, and APOE ε4 status.

Results

Four common COL4A1 variants, including rs874203, rs874204, rs16975492, and rs1373744, exhibited suggestive associations with AD. Five rare variants, NOTCH3 rs201436750, COL4A1 rs747972545, COL4A1 rs201481886, CST3 rs765692764, and CST3 rs140837441, showed nominal association with AD risk. Gene‐based aggregation testing revealed that HTRA1 was nominally associated with AD. In the AAO and MMSE association studies, variants in GSN, ITM2B, and COL4A1 reached suggestive significance.

Conclusion

Common variants in COL4A1 and rare variants in HTRA1, NOTCH3, COL4A1, and CST3 may be implicated in AD pathogenesis. Besides, GSN, ITM2B, and COL4A1 are probably involved in the development of AD endophenotypes.

Notch3 Mutation Detection in Stroke Patients and Selective Nanoliposome in Stroke Alleviation in a Mouse Model

This study analyzed the correlation between the Notch3 mutation and stroke by testing an effective nanoparticle-loaded aspirin in stroke therapy. Fifty patients with ischemic stroke were followed for two years, and fifty healthy persons served as the control group. By RT-PCR, this study revealed that the Notch3 mutation existed in ischemic stroke patients who were more likely to have a family history, small vessel lesions, relatively frequent cerebral hemorrhage, and poor long-term prognosis. Liposome-aspirin-chitosan nanoparticle (LACN) was constructed as a nano-composite for stroke treatment. Notch3 Arg170Cys knock-in mice were prepared as a mutant Notch3 mouse model to test the LACN infiltration efficiency and observe the anti-stroke capacity. We found that LACN could better transport aspirin into brain vessels than the Polyethyleneimine (PEI) delivery system. However, in the Notch3 mutation mouse model, cerebral infarction and hemorrhage often occurred after being treated with aspirin. Still, LACN better prolongs the half-life of aspirin, rescues the pathological alteration of stroke in the brain, and reduces inflammatory reaction and oxidative stress response. In conclusion, the Notch3 mutation is closely related to stroke occurrence, and LACN may be a better choice for stroke therapy in the future.

Rare NOTCH3 Variants in a Chinese Population-Based Cohort and Its Relationship With Cerebral Small Vessel Disease

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Researches on rare variants of NOTCH3 in the general Chinese population are lacking. This study aims to describe the spectrum of rare NOTCH3 variants by whole-exome sequencing in a Chinese community-based cohort and to investigate the association between rare NOTCH3 variants and age-related cerebral small vessel disease.

METHODS

The cross-sectional study comprised 1065 participants who underwent whole-exome sequencing and brain magnetic resonance imaging. NOTCH3 variants with minor allele frequency<1% in all 4 public population databases (1000 Genomes, ESP6500siv2_ALL, GnomAD_ALL, and GnomAD_EAS) were defined as rare variants. Multivariable linear and logistic regressions were used to investigate the associations between rare NOTCH3 variants and volume of white matter hyperintensities and cerebral small vessel disease burden. Clinical and imaging characteristics of rare NOTCH3 variant carriers were summarized.

RESULTS

Sixty-five rare NOTCH3 variants were identified in 147 of 1065 (13.8%) participants, including 57 missense single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), 5 SNPs in splice branching sites, and 3 frameshift deletions. A significantly higher volume of white matter hyperintensities and heavier burden of cerebral small vessel disease was found in carriers of rare NOTCH3 EGFr (epidermal growth factor-like repeats)-involving variants, but not in carriers of EGFr-sparing variants. The carrying rate of rare EGFr-involving NOTCH3 variants in participants with dementia or stroke was significantly higher than those without dementia or stroke (12.4% versus 6.6%, P=0.041). Magnetic resonance imaging signs suggestive of CADASIL were found in 3.4% (5/145) rare EGFr cysteine-sparing NOTCH3 variant carriers but not in 2 cysteine-altering NOTCH3 variant carriers.

CONCLUSIONS

Carriers of rare NOTCH3 variants involving the EGFr domain may be genetically predisposed to age-related cerebral small vessel disease in the general Chinese population.

Cerebral microbleeds in vascular dementia from clinical aspects to host-microbial interaction

Vascular dementia is the second leading cause of dementia after Alzheimer's disease in the elderly population worldwide. Cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) are frequently observed in MRI of elderly subjects and considered as a possible surrogate marker. The number and location of CMBs reflect the severity of diseases and the underlying pathologies may involve cerebral amyloid angiopathy or hypertensive vasculopathy. Accumulating evidence demonstrated the clinicopathological discrepancies of CMBs, the clinical significance of CMBs associated with other MRI markers of cerebral small vessel disease, cognitive impairments, serum, and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers. Moreover, emerging evidence has shown that genetic factors and gene-environmental interactions might shed light on the underlying etiologies of CMBs, focusing on blood-brain-barrier and inflammation. In this review, we introduce recent genetic and microbiome studies as a cutting-edge approach to figure out the etiology of CMBs through the "microbe-brain-oral axis" and "microbiome-brain-gut axis." Finally, we propose novel concepts, "microvascular matrisome" and "imbalanced proteostasis," which may provide better perspectives for elucidating the pathophysiology of CMBs and future development of therapeutics for vascular dementia using CMBs as a surrogate marker.

Association Between the Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme I/D Polymorphism and Risk of Cerebral Small Vessel Disease: A Meta-Analysis Based on 7186 Subjects

INTRODUCTION

Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) causes a quarter of all strokes and is the most common pathology underlying vascular dementia. However, the mechanism of CSVD remains unclear. Numerous studies have investigated whether the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) intersection/deletion (I/D) polymorphism influences the risk of CSVD, but the results are controversial.

METHODS

We searched English and Chinese databases and calculated the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) to examine the existence of genetic associations between the ACE I/D polymorphism and the risk of CSVD. All relevant studies were screened and meta-analyzed using Review Manager 5.4.

RESULTS

A total of 27 studies involving 7,186 subjects were identified for the meta-analysis. The results of five genetic models showed a significantly increased risk of CSVD (allelic, OR=1.30; recessive, OR=1.41; dominant, OR=1.34; homozygous, OR=1.55 and heterozygous OR=1.22) in the overall analysis. Furthermore, in subgroup analysis, increased CSVD risks were also observed in Asian and Caucasian populations. We also found no relationship between ACE I/D and leukoaraiosis (LA) in patients with lacunar infarction (LI).

CONCLUSION

The ACE I/D polymorphism was positively associated with CSVD in both populations. However, this polymorphism did not increase the risk of LA in LI patients.

Brain arteriolosclerosis

Brain arteriolosclerosis (B-ASC), characterized by pathologic arteriolar wall thickening, is a common finding at autopsy in aged persons and is associated with cognitive impairment. Hypertension and diabetes are widely recognized as risk factors for B-ASC. Recent research indicates other and more complex risk factors and pathogenetic mechanisms. Here, we describe aspects of the unique architecture of brain arterioles, histomorphologic features of B-ASC, relevant neuroimaging findings, epidemiology and association with aging, established genetic risk factors, and the co-occurrence of B-ASC with other neuropathologic conditions such as Alzheimer's disease and limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy (LATE). There may also be complex physiologic interactions between metabolic syndrome (e.g., hypertension and inflammation) and brain arteriolar pathology. Although there is no universally applied diagnostic methodology, several classification schemes and neuroimaging techniques are used to diagnose and categorize cerebral small vessel disease pathologies that include B-ASC, microinfarcts, microbleeds, lacunar infarcts, and cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA). In clinical-pathologic studies that factored in comorbid diseases, B-ASC was independently associated with impairments of global cognition, episodic memory, working memory, and perceptual speed, and has been linked to autonomic dysfunction and motor symptoms including parkinsonism. We conclude by discussing critical knowledge gaps related to B-ASC and suggest that there are probably subcategories of B-ASC that differ in pathogenesis. Observed in over 80% of autopsied individuals beyond 80 years of age, B-ASC is a complex and under-studied contributor to neurologic disability.

Gut microbiota from patients with arteriosclerotic CSVD induces higher IL-17A production in neutrophils via activating RORγt

The intestinal microbiota shape the host immune system and influence the outcomes of various neurological disorders. Arteriosclerotic cerebral small vessel disease (aCSVD) is highly prevalent among the elderly with its pathological mechanisms yet is incompletely understood. The current study investigated the ecology of gut microbiota in patients with aCSVD, particularly its impact on the host immune system. We reported that the altered composition of gut microbiota was associated with undesirable disease outcomes and exacerbated inflammaging status. When exposed to the fecal bacterial extracts from a patient with aCSVD, human and mouse neutrophils were activated, and capacity of interleukin-17A (IL-17A) production was increased. Mechanistically, RORγt signaling in neutrophils was activated by aCSVD-associated gut bacterial extracts to up-regulate IL-17A production. Our findings revealed a previously unrecognized implication of the gut-immune-brain axis in aCSVD pathophysiology, with therapeutic implications.

Update of Immunosenescence in Cerebral Small Vessel Disease

Aging of the central nervous system (CNS) is closely associated with chronic sterile low-grade inflammation in older organisms and related immune response. As an amplifier for neuro-inflammaging, immunosenescence remodels and deteriorates immune systems gradually with the passage of time, and finally contributes to severe outcomes like stroke, dementia and neurodegeneration in elderly adults. Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD), one of the major causes of vascular dementia, has an intensive connection with the inflammatory response and immunosenescence plays a crucial role in the pathology of this disorder. In this review, we discuss the impact of immunosenescence on the development of CSVD and its underlying mechanism. Furthermore, the clinical practice significance of immunosenescence management and the diagnosis and treatment of CSVD will be also discussed.

Assessing the effectiveness of statin therapy for alleviating cerebral small vessel disease progression in people ≥75 years of age

BACKGROUND

Statins have been recommended by several guidelines as the primary prevention medication for cardiovascular diseases. However, the benefits of statin therapy for cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD), particularly in adults ≥75 years of age, have not been fully evaluated.

METHODS

We analyzed the data from a prospective population-based cohort study and a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial to determine whether statin therapy might aid in slowing the progression of CSVD in adults ≥75 years of age. For the cohort study, 827 participants were considered eligible and were included in the baseline analysis. Subsequently, 781 participants were included in follow-up analysis. For the clinical trial, 227 participants were considered eligible and were used in the baseline and follow-up analyses.

RESULTS

The white matter hyperintensities (WMH) volume, the WMH-to-intracranial volume (ICV) ratio, the prevalence of a Fazekas scale score ≥ 2, lacunes, enlarged perivascular spaces (EPVS), and microbleeds were significantly lower in the statin group than the non-statin group at baseline in the cohort study (all P < 0.05). During the follow-up period, in both the cohort and clinical trial studies, the WMH volume and WMH-to-ICV ratio were significantly lower in the statin/rosuvastatin group than the non-statin/placebo group (all P < 0.001). Statin therapy was associated with lower risk of WMH, lacunes, and EPVS progression than the non-statin therapy group after adjustment for confounders (all P < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the risk of microbleeds between the statin and non-statin therapy groups (all, P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicated that statin therapy alleviated the progression of WMH, lacunes, and EPVS without elevating the risk of microbleeds. On the basis of the observed results, we concluded that statin therapy is an efficient and safe intervention for CSVD in adults ≥75 years of age.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Chictr.org.cn: ChiCTR-IOR-17013557 , date of trial retrospective registration November 27, 2017 and ChiCTR-EOC-017013598 , date of trial retrospective registration November 29, 2017.

HTRA1-Related Cerebral Small Vessel Disease: A Review of the Literature

Cerebral autosomal recessive arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CARASIL) is clinically characterized by early-onset dementia, stroke, spondylosis deformans, and alopecia. In CARASIL cases, brain magnetic resonance imaging reveals severe white matter hyperintensities (WMHs), lacunar infarctions, and microbleeds. CARASIL is caused by a homozygous mutation in high-temperature requirement A serine peptidase 1 (HTRA1). Recently, it was reported that several heterozygous mutations in HTRA1 also cause cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD). Although patients with heterozygous HTRA1-related CSVD (symptomatic carriers) are reported to have a milder form of CARASIL, little is known about the clinical and genetic differences between the two diseases. Given this gap in the literature, we collected clinical information on HTRA1-related CSVD from a review of the literature to help clarify the differences between symptomatic carriers and CARASIL and the features of both diseases. Forty-six symptomatic carriers and 28 patients with CARASIL were investigated. Twenty-eight mutations in symptomatic carriers and 22 mutations in CARASIL were identified. Missense mutations in symptomatic carriers are more frequently identified in the linker or loop 3 (L3)/loop D (LD) domains, which are critical sites in activating protease activity. The ages at onset of neurological symptoms/signs were significantly higher in symptomatic carriers than in CARASIL, and the frequency of characteristic extraneurological findings and confluent WMHs were significantly higher in CARASIL than in symptomatic carriers. As previously reported, heterozygous HTRA1-related CSVD has a milder clinical presentation of CARASIL. It seems that haploinsufficiency can cause CSVD among symptomatic carriers according to the several patients with heterozygous nonsense/frameshift mutations. However, the differing locations of mutations found in the two diseases indicate that distinct molecular mechanisms influence the development of CSVD in patients with HTRA1-related CSVD. These findings further support continued careful examination of the pathogenicity of mutations located outside the linker or LD/L3 domain in symptomatic carriers.

Multilevel omics for the discovery of biomarkers and therapeutic targets for stroke

Despite many years of research, no biomarkers for stroke are available to use in clinical practice. Progress in high-throughput technologies has provided new opportunities to understand the pathophysiology of this complex disease, and these studies have generated large amounts of data and information at different molecular levels. The integration of these multi-omics data means that thousands of proteins (proteomics), genes (genomics), RNAs (transcriptomics) and metabolites (metabolomics) can be studied simultaneously, revealing interaction networks between the molecular levels. Integrated analysis of multi-omics data will provide useful insight into stroke pathogenesis, identification of therapeutic targets and biomarker discovery. In this Review, we detail current knowledge on the pathology of stroke and the current status of biomarker research in stroke. We summarize how proteomics, metabolomics, transcriptomics and genomics are all contributing to the identification of new candidate biomarkers that could be developed and used in clinical stroke management.

Global Assessment of Mendelian Stroke Genetic Prevalence in 101 635 Individuals From 7 Ethnic Groups

Background and Purpose- Mendelian stroke confers a high lifetime risk for mutation carriers; however, ethnicity-specific prevalence estimates have been difficult to establish. Methods- Eighteen genes responsible for Mendelian stroke were investigated using the Genome Aggregation Database. Genome Aggregation Database participants belonged to 1 of 7 populations: African/African-American, Latino/Admixed American, Ashkenazi Jewish, East Asian, Finnish European, non-Finnish European, and South Asian. Rare nonsynonymous variants from 101 635 participants free of neurological disease were examined for each ethnicity. Mutations were categorized according to 3 nested classes: pathogenic clinical variants, likely damaging variants based on in silico prediction, and all nonsynonymous variants. Results- ABCC6, KRIT1, CECR1, COL3A1, COL4A1, COL4A2, COLGALT1, GLA, HTRA1, NOTCH3, RNF213, and TREX1 harbored pathogenic clinical variants in Genome Aggregation Database. Across all 18 genes, total nonsynonymous carrier frequency was found to be high in 5 ethnicities (African/African-American, Latino/Admixed American, East Asian, non-Finnish European, and South Asian; 28.5%-37.5%) while lower total frequencies were estimated for in silico-predicted likely damaging variants (14.9%-19.7%) and pathogenic clinical variants (0.7%-2.8%). Overall, East Asian exhibited the highest total pathogenic clinical mutation carrier frequency (2.8%). ABCC6 pathogenic clinical variants were most prevalent among East Asian (0.8%). Pathogenic NOTCH3 variants, causal for cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy, were most frequent among East Asian (1.1%) and South Asian (1.2%). East Asian also demonstrated the highest carrier rate for RNF213 (0.8%). Finnish European exhibited the greatest HTRA1 frequency (0.2%), while COL4A1 pathogenic variants were most prevalent in African/African-American (0.3%). Conclusions- Especially, among pathogenic clinical variants, Mendelian stroke genetic prevalence differed significantly between populations. These prevalence estimates may serve as guides for screening and risk profiling in patients worldwide, particularly for understudied non-European populations.

Prospects for Diminishing the Impact of Nonamyloid Small-Vessel Diseases of the Brain

Small-vessel diseases (SVDs) of the brain are involved in about one-fourth of ischemic strokes and a vast majority of intracerebral hemorrhages and are responsible for nearly half of dementia cases in the elderly. SVDs are a heavy burden for society, a burden that is expected to increase further in the absence of significant therapeutic advances, given the aging population. Here, we provide a critical appraisal of currently available therapeutic approaches for nonamyloid sporadic SVDs that are largely based on targeting modifiable risk factors. We review what is known about the pathogenic mechanisms of vascular risk factor-related SVDs and cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL), the most frequent hereditary SVD, and elaborate on two mechanism-based therapeutic approaches worth exploring in sporadic SVD and CADASIL. We conclude by discussing opportunities and challenges that need to be tackled if efforts to achieve significant therapeutic advances for these diseases are to be successful.

Top ten discoveries of the year: Neurovascular disease

The aim of this review is to highlight novel findings in 2019 in the area of neurovascular disease. Experimental studies have provided insight into disease development, molecular determinants of pathology, and putative novel therapeutic targets. Studies in genetic experimental models as well as monogenic forms of human cerebrovascular diseases identified pathogenic molecules that may also be relevant to sporadic cases. There have been advances in understanding the development of cerebral cavernous angiomas and arteriovenous malformations, and putative curative treatments have been suggested from experimental models. Key pathogenic pathways involved in vessel calcification and stiffness have also been identified. At the cellular level, studies showed that proper function of endothelial and mural cells, particularly pericytes, is crucial to ensure full endothelial differentiation and blood-brain barrier integrity. Moreover, recent discoveries support the existence of a homeostatic crosstalk between vascular cells and other neural cells, including neurons. Cerebrovascular diseases are strongly associated with inflammation. Beyond pathogenic roles of specific components of the inflammatory response, new discoveries showed interesting interactions between inflammatory molecules and regulators of vascular function. Clinical investigation on cerebrovascular diseases has progressed by combining advanced imaging and genome-wide association studies. Finally, vascular cognitive impairment and dementia are receiving increasing attention. Recent findings suggest that high-salt intake may cause cerebrovascular dysfunction and cognitive impairment independent of hypoperfusion and hypertension. These and other recent reports will surely inspire further research in the field of cerebrovascular disease that will hopefully contribute to improved prevention and treatment.