Exploring miRNAs' Based Modeling Approach for Predicting PIRA in Multiple Sclerosis: A Comprehensive Analysis.

The current hypothesis on the pathophysiology of multiple sclerosis (MS) suggests the involvement of both inflammatory and neurodegenerative mechanisms. Disease Modifying Therapies (DMTs) effectively decrease relapse rates, thus reducing relapse-associated disability in people with MS. In some patients, disability progression, however, is not solely linked to new lesions and clinical relapses but can manifest independently. Progression Independent of Relapse Activity (PIRA) significantly contributes to long-term disability, stressing the urge to unveil biomarkers to forecast disease progression. Twenty-five adult patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) were enrolled in a cohort study, according to the latest McDonald criteria, and tested before and after high-efficacy Disease Modifying Therapies (DMTs) (6-24 months). Through Agilent microarrays, we analyzed miRNA profiles from peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Multivariate logistic and linear models with interactions were generated. Robustness was assessed by randomization tests in R. A subset of miRNAs, correlated with PIRA, and the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), was selected. To refine the patient stratification connected to the disease trajectory, we computed a robust logistic classification model derived from baseline miRNA expression to predict PIRA status (AUC = 0.971). We built an optimal multilinear model by selecting four other miRNA predictors to describe EDSS changes compared to baseline. Multivariate modeling offers a promising avenue to uncover potential biomarkers essential for accurate prediction of disability progression in early MS stages. These models can provide valuable insights into developing personalized and effective treatment strategies.

miR-218-5p and doxorubicin combination enhances anticancer activity in breast cancer cells through Parkin-dependent mitophagy inhibition.

Breast Cancer (BC) is one of the most common tumours, and is known for its ability to develop resistance to chemotherapeutic treatments. Autophagy has been linked to chemotherapeutic response in several types of cancer, highlighting its contribution to this process. However, the role of mitophagy, a selective form of autophagy responsible for damaged mitochondria degradation, in the response to therapies in BC is still unclear. In order to address this point, we analysed the role of mitophagy in the treatment of the most common anticancer drug, doxorubicin (DXR), in different models of BC, such as a luminal A subtype-BC cell line MCF7 cells, cultured in 2-Dimension (2D) or in 3-Dimension (3D), and the triple negative BC (TNBC) cell line MDA-MB-231. Through a microarray analysis, we identified a relationship between mitophagy gene expressions related to the canonical PINK1/Parkin-mediated pathway and DXR treatment in BC cells. Afterwards, we demonstrated that the PINK1/Parkin-dependent mitophagy is indeed induced following DXR treatment and that exogenous expression of a small non-coding RNA, the miRNA-218-5p, known to target mRNA of Parkin, was sufficient to inhibit the DXR-mediated mitophagy in MCF7 and in MDA-MB-231 cells, thereby increasing their sensitivity to DXR. Considering the current challenges involved in BC refractory to treatment, our work could provide a promising approach to prevent tumour resistance and recurrence, potentially leading to the development of an innovative approach to combine mitophagy inhibition and chemotherapy.

Cladribine and ocrelizumab induce differential miRNA profiles in peripheral blood mononucleated cells from relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients.

Background and objectives: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, progressive neurological disease characterized by early-stage neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration, and demyelination that involves a spectrum of heterogeneous clinical manifestations in terms of disease course and response to therapy. Even though several disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) are available to prevent MS-related brain damage-acting on the peripheral immune system with an indirect effect on MS lesions-individualizing therapy according to disease characteristics and prognostic factors is still an unmet need. Given that deregulated miRNAs have been proposed as diagnostic tools in neurodegenerative/neuroinflammatory diseases such as MS, we aimed to explore miRNA profiles as potential classifiers of the relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) patients' prospects to gain a more effective DMT choice and achieve a preferential drug response. Methods: A total of 25 adult patients with RRMS were enrolled in a cohort study, according to the latest McDonald criteria before (pre-cladribine, pre-CLA; pre-ocrelizumab, pre-OCRE, time T0) and after high-efficacy DMTs, time T1, 6 months post-CLA (n = 10, 7 F and 3 M, age 39.0 ± 7.5) or post-OCRE (n = 15, 10 F and 5 M, age 40.5 ± 10.4) treatment. A total of 15 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects (9 F and 6 M, age 36.3 ± 3.0) were also selected. By using Agilent microarrays, we analyzed miRNA profiles from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). miRNA-target networks were obtained by miRTargetLink, and Pearson's correlation served to estimate the association between miRNAs and outcome clinical features. Results: First, the miRNA profiles of pre-CLA or pre-OCRE RRMS patients compared to healthy controls identified modulated miRNA patterns (40 and seven miRNAs, respectively). A direct comparison of the two pre-treatment groups at T0 and T1 revealed more pro-inflammatory patterns in the pre-CLA miRNA profiles. Moreover, both DMTs emerged as being capable of reverting some dysregulated miRNAs toward a protective phenotype. Both drug-dependent miRNA profiles and specific miRNAs, such as miR-199a-3p, miR-29b-3p, and miR-151a-3p, emerged as potentially involved in these drug-induced mechanisms. This enabled the selection of miRNAs correlated to clinical features and the related miRNA-mRNA network. Discussion: These data support the hypothesis of specific deregulated miRNAs as putative biomarkers in RRMS patients' stratification and DMT drug response.

C9orf72 Toxic Species Affect ArfGAP-1 Function.

Compelling evidence indicates that defects in nucleocytoplasmic transport contribute to the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). In particular, hexanucleotide (G4C2) repeat expansions in C9orf72, the most common cause of genetic ALS, have a widespread impact on the transport machinery that regulates the nucleocytoplasmic distribution of proteins and RNAs. We previously reported that the expression of G4C2 hexanucleotide repeats in cultured human and mouse cells caused a marked accumulation of poly(A) mRNAs in the cell nuclei. To further characterize the process, we set out to systematically identify the specific mRNAs that are altered in their nucleocytoplasmic distribution in the presence of C9orf72-ALS RNA repeats. Interestingly, pathway analysis showed that the mRNAs involved in membrane trafficking are particularly enriched among the identified mRNAs. Most importantly, functional studies in cultured cells and Drosophila indicated that C9orf72 toxic species affect the membrane trafficking route regulated by ADP-Ribosylation Factor 1 GTPase Activating Protein (ArfGAP-1), which exerts its GTPase-activating function on the small GTPase ADP-ribosylation factor 1 to dissociate coat proteins from Golgi-derived vesicles. We demonstrate that the function of ArfGAP-1 is specifically affected by expanded C9orf72 RNA repeats, as well as by C9orf72-related dipeptide repeat proteins (C9-DPRs), indicating the retrograde Golgi-to-ER vesicle-mediated transport as a target of C9orf72 toxicity.

An ontology-based approach for modelling and querying Alzheimer's disease data.

BACKGROUND: The recent advances in biotechnology and computer science have led to an ever-increasing availability of public biomedical data distributed in large databases worldwide. However, these data collections are far from being "standardized" so to be harmonized or even integrated, making it impossible to fully exploit the latest machine learning technologies for the analysis of data themselves. Hence, facing this huge flow of biomedical data is a challenging task for researchers and clinicians due to their complexity and high heterogeneity. This is the case of neurodegenerative diseases and the Alzheimer's Disease (AD) in whose context specialized data collections such as the one by the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) are maintained. METHODS: Ontologies are controlled vocabularies that allow the semantics of data and their relationships in a given domain to be represented. They are often exploited to aid knowledge and data management in healthcare research. Computational Ontologies are the result of the combination of data management systems and traditional ontologies. Our approach is i) to define a computational ontology representing a logic-based formal conceptual model of the ADNI data collection and ii) to provide a means for populating the ontology with the actual data in the Alzheimer Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). These two components make it possible to semantically query the ADNI database in order to support data extraction in a more intuitive manner. RESULTS: We developed: i) a detailed computational ontology for clinical multimodal datasets from the ADNI repository in order to simplify the access to these data; ii) a means for populating this ontology with the actual ADNI data. Such computational ontology immediately makes it possible to facilitate complex queries to the ADNI files, obtaining new diagnostic knowledge about Alzheimer's disease. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed ontology will improve the access to the ADNI dataset, allowing queries to extract multivariate datasets to perform multidimensional and longitudinal statistical analyses. Moreover, the proposed ontology can be a candidate for supporting the design and implementation of new information systems for the collection and management of AD data and metadata, and for being a reference point for harmonizing or integrating data residing in different sources.

Plasma Biomarker Profile and Clinical Correlations in Adult Patients With Tuberous Sclerosis Complex.

OBJECTIVES: Different pathophysiologic mechanisms, especially involving astrocytes, could contribute to tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). We assessed neurodegeneration and astrocytopathy plasma biomarkers in adult patients with TSC to define TSC biomarker profile and investigate clinical-radiologic correlations. METHODS: Patients with TSC aged 15 years or older followed at Policlinico "Umberto I" of Rome were consecutively enrolled (July 2021-June 2022). The plasma levels of the following biomarkers were compared between patients and age/sex-matched healthy controls (HCs): tTau, pTau181, Abeta40, Abeta42, neurofilament light chain, and glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP). RESULTS: Thirty-one patients (20 females/11 males; median age 30 years, interquartile range 24-47) and 38 HCs were enrolled. Only GFAP was significantly higher in the whole TSC population than in HCs (132.71 [86.14-231.06] vs 44.80 [32.87-66.76] pg/mL, p < 0.001), regardless of genotype. GFAP correlated with the disease clinical (ρ = 0.498, p = 0.005) and radiologic severity (ρ = 0.417, p = 0.001). It was significantly higher in patients with epileptic spasms (254.50 [137.54-432.96] vs 86.92 [47.09-112.76] pg/mL, p < 0.0001), moderate-severe intellectual disability (200.80 [78.40-427.6] vs 105.08 [46.80-152.58] pg/mL, p = 0.040), and autism spectrum disorder (306.26 [159.07-584.47] vs 109.34 [72.56-152.08] pg/mL, p = 0.021). DISCUSSION: Our exploratory study documented a significant increase of GFAP plasma concentration in adult patients with TSC, correlated with their neurologic severity, supporting the central role of astrocytopathy in TSC pathophysiology.

Lung microhaemorrhage drives oxidative/inflammatory damage in α1-antitrypsin deficiency.

Background: Animal models using intratracheal instillation show that elastase, unopposed by α1-antitrypsin (AAT), causes alveolar damage and haemorrhage associated with emphysematous changes. The aim of the present study was to characterise any relationship between alveolar haemorrhage and human AAT deficiency (AATD) using bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and lung explant samples from AATD subjects. Methods: BAL samples (17 patients, 15 controls) were evaluated for free haem (iron protoporphyrin IX) and total iron concentrations. Alveolar macrophage activation patterns were assessed using RNA sequencing and validated in vitro using haem-stimulated, monocyte-derived macrophages. Lung explants (seven patients, four controls) were assessed for iron sequestration protein expression patterns using Prussian blue stain and ferritin immunohistochemistry, as well as ferritin iron imaging and elemental analysis by transmission electron microscopy. Tissue oxidative damage was assessed using 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine immunohistochemistry. Results: BAL collected from AATD patients showed significantly elevated free haem and total iron concentrations. Alveolar and interstitial macrophages in AATD explants showed elevated iron and ferritin accumulation in large lysosomes packed by iron oxide cores with degraded ferritin protein cages. BAL macrophage RNA sequencing showed innate pro-inflammatory activation, replicated in vitro by haemin exposure, which also triggered reactive oxygen species generation. AATD explants showed massive oxidative DNA damage in both lung epithelial cells and macrophages. Conclusions: BAL and tissue markers of alveolar haemorrhage, together with molecular and cellular evidence of macrophage innate pro-inflammatory activation and oxidative damage, are consistent with free haem stimulation. Overall, this initial study provides evidence for a pathogenetic role of elastase-induced alveolar haemorrhage in AATD emphysema.

Reduced levels of NGF shift astrocytes toward a neurotoxic phenotype.

Nerve growth factor (NGF) is critical for neuronal physiology during development and adulthood. Despite the well-recognized effect of NGF on neurons, less is known about whether NGF can actually affect other cell types in the central nervous system (CNS). In this work, we show that astrocytes are susceptible to changes in ambient levels of NGF. First, we observe that interfering with NGF signaling in vivo via the constitutive expression of an antiNGF antibody induces astrocytic atrophy. A similar asthenic phenotype is encountered in an uncleavable proNGF transgenic mouse model (TgproNGF#72), effectively increasing the brain proNGF levels. To examine whether this effect on astrocytes is cell-autonomous, we cultured wild-type primary astrocytes in the presence of antiNGF antibodies, uncovering that a short incubation period is sufficient to potently and rapidly trigger calcium oscillations. Acute induction of calcium oscillations by antiNGF antibodies is followed by progressive morphological changes similar to those observed in antiNGF AD11 mice. Conversely, incubation with mature NGF has no effect on either calcium activity nor on astrocytic morphology. At longer timescales, transcriptomic analysis revealed that NGF-deprived astrocytes acquire a proinflammatory profile. In particular, antiNGF-treated astrocytes show upregulation of neurotoxic transcripts and downregulation of neuroprotective mRNAs. Consistent with that data, culturing wild-type neurons in the presence of NGF-deprived astrocytes leads to neuronal cell death. Finally, we report that in both awake and anesthetized mice, astrocytes in layer I of the motor cortex respond with an increase in calcium activity to acute NGF inhibition using either NGF-neutralizing antibodies or a TrkA-Fc NGF scavenger. Moreover, in vivo calcium imaging in the cortex of the 5xFAD neurodegeneration mouse model shows an increased level of spontaneous calcium activity in astrocytes, which is significantly reduced after acute administration of NGF. In conclusion, we unveil a novel neurotoxic mechanism driven by astrocytes, triggered by their sensing and reacting to changes in the levels of ambient NGF.

Gene Expression Profiling as a New Real-Time Assay in Human Biomonitoring of Waste-to-Energy Plant Workers.

Exposure to heavy metals represents one of the most important risk factors for the health of incinerator workers. Indeed, heavy metals can determine increased generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this work, we introduced the use of transcription profiling of detoxifying genes, involved in redox balance and genome integrity, as a highly sensitive assay of heavy metal exposure and subsequent oxidative stress. For this purpose, blood mRNA levels of OGG1, ST13, NQO1 and MT1A genes, as well as urinary concentrations of nine heavy metals and the oxidized base 8-OHdG of 49 subjects (26 controls and 23 employees in the waste-to-energy plant of San Zeno, Arezzo, Italy) were determined. No significant difference between the two populations was observed, thus highlighting, as far as the biomarkers analysed are concerned, the absence of occupational exposure to heavy metals and systemic oxidative stress induction in the workers of the waste-to-energy plant of San Zeno. Correlation analyses underline a close association between heavy metals exposure and changes in expression levels of a number of genes, even at low exposure doses, thus remarking the greater capacity of detection of transcription profiling compared to other biomarkers and the importance of its introduction in future human biomonitoring programs.

Cerebrospinal fluid level of proNGF as potential diagnostic biomarker in patients with frontotemporal dementia.

Introduction: Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is an extremely heterogeneous and complex neurodegenerative disease, exhibiting different phenotypes, genetic backgrounds, and pathological states. Due to these characteristics, and to the fact that clinical symptoms overlap with those of other neurodegenerative diseases or psychiatric disorders, the diagnosis based only on the clinical evaluation is very difficult. The currently used biomarkers help in the clinical diagnosis, but are insufficient and do not cover all the clinical needs. Methods: By the means of a new immunoassay, we have measured and analyzed the proNGF levels in 43 cerebrospinal fluids (CSF) from FTD patients, and compared the results to those obtained in CSF from 84 Alzheimer's disease (AD), 15 subjective memory complaints (SMC) and 13 control subjects. Results: A statistically significant difference between proNGF levels in FTD compared to AD, SMC and controls subjects was found. The statistical models reveal that proNGF determination increases the accuracy of FTD diagnosis, if added to the clinically validated CSF biomarkers. Discussion: These results suggest that proNGF could be included in a panel of biomarkers to improve the FTD diagnosis.

Leukocyte Telomere Length as Potential Biomarker of HD Progression: A Follow-Up Study.

The identification of biomarkers for neurodegenerative disorders such as Huntington's disease (HD) is crucial for monitoring disease progression and therapeutic trial outcomes, especially in the pre-manifest disease stage (pre-HD). In a previous study, we observed that leukocyte telomere length (LTL) was strongly correlated with the estimated time to clinical onset in pre-HD subjects. To validate this hypothesis, we designed a follow-up study in which we analyzed LTL in 45 pre-HD stage subjects at baseline (T0) and then again after clinical onset at follow-up (T1); the follow-up interval was about 3 years, and the CAG range was 39-51 repeats; 90 peripheral blood mononuclear cell samples (PBMCs) were obtained from the Enroll-HD biorepository. In pre-HD subjects at T0, LTL was significantly reduced by 22% compared to the controls and by 14% from T0 at T1. No relationship was observed between the LTL and CAG numbers in subjects carrying different CAG repeats at T0 and at T1, suggesting that LTL reduction occurs independently of CAG number in pre-HD subjects. ROC curve analysis was used to test the validity of LTL as a potential biomarker of HD progression and showed that LTL measurement is extremely accurate in discriminating pre-HD subjects from the controls and even pre-HD from manifest HD, thus yielding a robust prognostic value in pre-HD subjects.

Apple Polyphenol Diet Extends Lifespan, Slows down Mitotic Rate and Reduces Morphometric Parameters in Drosophila Melanogaster: A Comparison between Three Different Apple Cultivars.

Plant-derived polyphenols exhibit beneficial effects on physiological and pathological processes, including cancer and neurodegenerative disorders, mainly because of their antioxidant activity. Apples are highly enriched in these compounds, mainly in their peel. The Tuscia Red (TR) apple variety exhibits the peculiar characteristic of depositing high quantities of polyphenols in the pulp, the edible part of the fruit. Since polyphenols, as any natural product, cannot be considered a panacea per se, in this paper, we propose to assess the biological effects of TR flesh extracts, in comparison with two commercial varieties, in a model system, the insect Drosophila melanogaster, largely recognized as a reliable system to test the in vivo effects of natural and synthetic compounds. We performed a comparative, qualitative and quantitative analysis of the polyphenol compositions of the three cultivars and found that TR flesh shows the highest content of polyphenols, and markedly, anthocyanins. Then, we focused on their effects on a panel of physiological, morphometrical, cellular and behavioral phenotypes in wild-type D. melanogaster. We found that all the apple polyphenol extracts showed dose-dependent effects on most of the phenotypes we considered. Remarkably, all the varieties induced a strong relenting of the cell division rate.

Targeting the Cation-Chloride Co-Transporter NKCC1 to Re-Establish GABAergic Inhibition and an Appropriate Excitatory/Inhibitory Balance in Selective Neuronal Circuits: A Novel Approach for the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease.

GABA, the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the adult brain, depolarizes and excites immature neurons because of an initially higher intracellular chloride concentration [Cl-]i due to the delayed expression of the chloride exporter KCC2 at birth. Depolarization-induced calcium rise via NMDA receptors and voltage-dependent calcium channels is instrumental in shaping neuronal circuits and in controlling the excitatory (E)/inhibitory (I) balance in selective brain areas. An E/I imbalance accounts for cognitive impairment observed in several neuropsychiatric disorders. The aim of this review is to summarize recent data on the mechanisms by which alterations of GABAergic signaling alter the E/I balance in cortical and hippocampal neurons in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and the role of cation-chloride co-transporters in this process. In particular, we discuss the NGF and AD relationship and how mice engineered to express recombinant neutralizing anti-NGF antibodies (AD11 mice), which develop a neurodegenerative pathology reminiscent of that observed in AD patients, exhibit a depolarizing action of GABA due to KCC2 impairment. Treating AD and other forms of dementia with bumetanide, a selective KCC2 antagonist, contributes to re-establishing a proper E/I balance in selective brain areas, leading to amelioration of AD symptoms and the slowing down of disease progression.

Brain Proteome and Behavioural Analysis in Wild Type, BDNF+/- and BDNF-/- Adult Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Exposed to Two Different Temperatures.

Experimental evidence suggests that environmental stress conditions can alter the expression of BDNF and that the expression of this neurotrophin influences behavioural responses in mammalian models. It has been recently demonstrated that exposure to 34 °C for 21 days alters the brain proteome and behaviour in zebrafish. The aim of this work was to investigate the role of BDNF in the nervous system of adult zebrafish under control and heat treatment conditions. For this purpose, zebrafish from three different genotypes (wild type, heterozygous BDNF+/- and knock out BDNF-/-) were kept for 21 days at 26 °C or 34 °C and then euthanized for brain molecular analyses or subjected to behavioural tests (Y-maze test, novel tank test, light and dark test, social preference test, mirror biting test) for assessing behavioural aspects such as boldness, anxiety, social preference, aggressive behaviour, interest for the novel environment and exploration. qRT-PCR analysis showed the reduction of gene expression of BDNF and its receptors after heat treatment in wild type zebrafish. Moreover, proteomic analysis and behavioural tests showed genotype- and temperature-dependent effects on brain proteome and behavioural responding. Overall, the absent expression of BDNF in KO alters (1) the brain proteome by reducing the expression of proteins involved in synapse functioning and neurotransmitter-mediated transduction; (2) the behaviour, which can be interpreted as bolder and less anxious and (3) the cellular and behavioural response to thermal treatment.

ITCH E3 ubiquitin ligase downregulation compromises hepatic degradation of branched-chain amino acids.

OBJECTIVE: Metabolic syndrome, obesity, and steatosis are characterized by a range of dysregulations including defects in ubiquitin ligase tagging proteins for degradation. The identification of novel hepatic genes associated with fatty liver disease and metabolic dysregulation may be relevant to unravelling new mechanisms involved in liver disease progression METHODS: Through integrative analysis of liver transcriptomic and metabolomic obtained from obese subjects with steatosis, we identified itchy E ubiquitin protein ligase (ITCH) as a gene downregulated in human hepatic tissue in relation to steatosis grade. Wild-type or ITCH knockout mouse models of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and obesity-related hepatocellular carcinoma were analyzed to dissect the causal role of ITCH in steatosis RESULTS: We show that ITCH regulation of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) degradation enzymes is impaired in obese women with grade 3 compared with grade 0 steatosis, and that ITCH acts as a gatekeeper whose loss results in elevation of circulating BCAAs associated with hepatic steatosis. When ITCH expression was specifically restored in the liver of ITCH knockout mice, ACADSB mRNA and protein are restored, and BCAA levels are normalized both in liver and plasma CONCLUSIONS: Our data support a novel functional role for ITCH in the hepatic regulation of BCAA metabolism and suggest that targeting ITCH in a liver-specific manner might help delay the progression of metabolic hepatic diseases and insulin resistance.

Clinical reporting following the quantification of cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers in Alzheimer's disease: An international overview.

INTRODUCTION: The current practice of quantifying cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers as an aid in the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) varies from center to center. For a same biochemical profile, interpretation and reporting of results may differ, which can lead to misunderstandings and raises questions about the commutability of tests. METHODS: We obtained a description of (pre-)analytical protocols and sample reports from 40 centers worldwide. A consensus approach allowed us to propose harmonized comments corresponding to the different CSF biomarker profiles observed in patients. RESULTS: The (pre-)analytical procedures were similar between centers. There was considerable heterogeneity in cutoff definitions and report comments. We therefore identified and selected by consensus the most accurate and informative comments regarding the interpretation of CSF biomarkers in the context of AD diagnosis. DISCUSSION: This is the first time that harmonized reports are proposed across worldwide specialized laboratories involved in the biochemical diagnosis of AD.

proNGF Measurement in Cerebrospinal Fluid Samples of a Large Cohort of Living Patients With Alzheimer's Disease by a New Automated Immunoassay.

The discovery of new biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease (AD) is essential for an accurate diagnosis, to conceive new strategies of treatments, and for monitoring the efficacy of potential disease-modifying therapies in clinical trials. proNGF levels in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) represent a promising diagnostic biomarker for AD, but its validation was hampered by the absence of a reliable immunoassay. In the literature, proNGF is currently measured in postmortem brain tissue by semiquantitative immunoblot. Here we describe the development and validation of a new method to measure proNGF in the CSF of living patients. This method, based on molecular size separation by capillary electrophoresis, is automated and shows a 40-fold increase in sensitivity with respect to the proNGF immunoblot, largely used in literature, and is robust, specific, and scalable to high-throughput. We have measured proNGF in the cerebrospinal fluid of 84 living patients with AD, 13 controls, and 15 subjective memory complaints (SMC) subjects. By comparing the proNGF levels in the three groups, we found a very significant difference between proNGF levels in AD samples compared with both controls and SMC subjects, while no significant difference was found between SMC and controls. Because of the development of this new immunoassay, we are ready to explore the potentiality of proNGF as a new biomarker for AD or subgroups thereof, as well as for other neurodegenerative diseases.

Role of Lamin A/C as Candidate Biomarker of Aggressiveness and Tumorigenicity in Glioblastoma Multiforme.

Nuclear lamina components have long been regarded as scaffolding proteins, forming a dense fibrillar structure necessary for the maintenance of the nucleus shape in all the animal kingdom. More recently, mutations, aberrant localisation and deregulation of these proteins have been linked to several diseases, including cancer. Using publicly available data we found that the increased expression levels of the nuclear protein Lamin A/C correlate with a reduced overall survival in The Cancer Genome Atlas Research Network (TCGA) patients affected by glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). We show that the expression of the LMNA gene is linked to the enrichment of cancer-related pathways, particularly pathways related to cell adhesion and cell migration. Mimicking the modulation of LMNA in a GBM preclinical cancer model, we confirmed both in vitro and in vivo that the increased expression of LMNA is associated with an increased aggressiveness and tumorigenicity. In addition, delving into the possible mechanism behind LMNA-induced GBM aggressiveness and tumorigenicity, we found that the mTORC2 component, Rictor, plays a central role in mediating these effects.

Nerve Growth Factor Neutralization Promotes Oligodendrogenesis by Increasing miR-219a-5p Levels.

In the brain, the neurotrophin Nerve growth factor (NGF) regulates not only neuronal survival and differentiation, but also glial and microglial functions and neuroinflammation. NGF is known to regulate oligodendrogenesis, reducing myelination in the central nervous system (CNS). In this study, we found that NGF controls oligodendrogenesis by modulating the levels of miR-219a-5p, a well-known positive regulator of oligodendrocyte differentiation. We exploited an NGF-deprivation mouse model, the AD11 mice, in which the postnatal expression of an anti-NGF antibody leads to NGF neutralization and progressive neurodegeneration. Notably, we found that these mice also display increased myelination. A microRNA profiling of AD11 brain samples and qRT-PCR analyses revealed that NGF deprivation leads to an increase of miR-219a-5p levels in hippocampus and cortex and a corresponding down-regulation of its predicted targets. Neurospheres isolated from the hippocampus of AD11 mice give rise to more oligodendrocytes and this process is dependent on miR-219a-5p, as shown by decoy-mediated inhibition of this microRNA. Moreover, treatment of AD11 neurospheres with NGF inhibits miR-219a-5p up-regulation and, consequently, oligodendrocyte differentiation, while anti-NGF treatment of wild type (WT) oligodendrocyte progenitors increases miR-219a-5p expression and the number of mature cells. Overall, this study indicates that NGF inhibits oligodendrogenesis and myelination by down-regulating miR-219a-5p levels, suggesting a novel molecular circuitry that can be exploited for the discovery of new effectors for remyelination in human demyelinating diseases, such as Multiple Sclerosis.

Biomarkers and phenotypic expression in Alzheimer's disease: exploring the contribution of frailty in the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative.

The present study aimed at investigating if the main biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease (AD) neuropathology and their association with cognitive disturbances and dementia are modified by the individual's frailty status. We performed a cross-sectional analysis of data from participants with normal cognition, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and AD dementia enrolled in the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative 2 (ADNI2) study. Frailty was operationalized by computing a 40-item Frailty Index (FI). The following AD biomarkers were considered and analyzed according to the participants' frailty status: CSF Aß1-42, 181P-tau, and T-tau; MRI-based hippocampus volume; cortical glucose metabolism at the FDG PET imaging; amyloid deposition at the 18F-AV-45 PET imaging. Logistic regression models, adjusted for age, sex, and education, were performed to explore the association of biomarkers with cognitive status at different FI levels. Subjects with higher FI scores had lower CSF levels of Aß1-42, hippocampus volumes at the MRI, and glucose metabolism at the FDG PET imaging, and a higher amyloid deposition at the 18F-AV-45 PET. No significant differences were observed among the two frailty groups concerning ApoE genotype, CSF T-tau, and P-tau. Increasing frailty levels were associated with a weakened relationship between dementia and 18F-AV-45 uptake and hippocampus volume and with a stronger relationship of dementia with FDG PET. Frailty contributes to the discrepancies between AD pathology and clinical manifestations and influences the association of AD pathological modifications with cognitive changes. AD and dementia should increasingly be conceived as "complex diseases of aging," determined by multiple, simultaneous, and interacting pathophysiological processes.