Genome-wide meta-analysis identifies ancestry-specific loci for Alzheimer's disease.

INTRODUCTION: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a devastating neurological disease with complex genetic etiology. Yet most known loci have only identified from the late-onset type AD in populations of European ancestry. METHODS: We performed a two-stage genome-wide association study (GWAS) of AD totaling 6878 Chinese and 63,926 European individuals. RESULTS: In addition to the apolipoprotein E (APOE) locus, our GWAS of two independent Chinese samples uncovered three novel AD susceptibility loci (KIAA2013, SLC52A3, and TCN2) and a novel ancestry-specific variant within EGFR (rs1815157). More replicated variants were observed in the Chinese (31%) than in the European samples (15%). In combining genome-wide associations and functional annotations, EGFR and TCN2 were prioritized as two of the most biologically significant genes. Phenome-wide Mendelian randomization suggests that high mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration might protect against AD. DISCUSSION: The current study reveals novel AD susceptibility loci, emphasizes the importance of diverse populations in AD genetic research, and advances our understanding of disease etiology. HIGHLIGHTS: Loci KIAA2013, SLC52A3, and TCN2 were associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) in Chinese populations. rs1815157 within the EGFR locus was associated with AD in Chinese populations. The genetic architecture of AD varied between Chinese and European populations. EGFR and TCN2 were prioritized as two of the most biologically significant genes. High mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentrations might have protective effects against AD.

Tracking cognitive trajectories in older survivors of COVID-19 up to 2.5 years post-infection.

Emerging evidence suggests that neurological and other post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 can persist beyond or develop following SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, the long-term trajectories of cognitive change after a COVID-19 infection remain unclear. Here we investigated cognitive changes over a period of 2.5 years among 1,245 individuals aged 60 years or older who survived infection with the original SARS-CoV-2 strain in Wuhan, China, and 358 uninfected spouses. We show that the overall incidence of cognitive impairment among older COVID-19 survivors was 19.1% at 2.5 years after infection and hospitalization, evaluated using the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status-40. Cognitive decline primarily manifested in individuals with severe COVID-19 during the initial year of infection, after which the rate of decline decelerated. Severe COVID-19, cognitive impairment at 6 months and hypertension were associated with long-term cognitive decline. These findings reveal the long-term cognitive trajectory of the disease and underscore the importance of post-infection cognitive care for COVID-19 survivors.

Crosstalk between bone and brain in Alzheimer's disease: Mechanisms, applications, and perspectives.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that involves multiple systems in the body. Numerous recent studies have revealed bidirectional crosstalk between the brain and bone, but the interaction between bone and brain in AD remains unclear. In this review, we summarize human studies of the association between bone and brain and provide an overview of their interactions and the underlying mechanisms in AD. We review the effects of AD on bone from the aspects of AD pathogenic proteins, AD risk genes, neurohormones, neuropeptides, neurotransmitters, brain-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs), and the autonomic nervous system. Correspondingly, we elucidate the underlying mechanisms of the involvement of bone in the pathogenesis of AD, including bone-derived hormones, bone marrow-derived cells, bone-derived EVs, and inflammation. On the basis of the crosstalk between bone and the brain, we propose potential strategies for the management of AD with the hope of offering novel perspectives on its prevention and treatment. HIGHLIGHTS: The pathogenesis of AD, along with its consequent changes in the brain, may involve disturbing bone homeostasis. Degenerative bone disorders may influence the progression of AD through a series of pathophysiological mechanisms. Therefore, relevant bone intervention strategies may be beneficial for the comprehensive management of AD.

Rejuvenation of peripheral immune cells attenuates Alzheimer's disease-like pathologies and behavioral deficits in a mouse model.

Immunosenescence contributes to systematic aging and plays a role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the potential of immune rejuvenation as a therapeutic strategy for AD. To achieve this, the immune systems of aged APP/PS1 mice were rejuvenated through young bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed that young BMT restored the expression of aging- and AD-related genes in multiple cell types within blood immune cells. The level of circulating senescence-associated secretory phenotype proteins was decreased following young BMT. Notably, young BMT resulted in a significant reduction in cerebral Aß plaque burden, neuronal degeneration, neuroinflammation, and improvement of behavioral deficits in aged APP/PS1 mice. The ameliorated cerebral amyloidosis was associated with an enhanced Aß clearance of peripheral monocytes. In conclusion, our study provides evidence that immune system rejuvenation represents a promising therapeutic approach for AD.

Blood-based CNS regionally and neuronally enriched extracellular vesicles carrying pTau217 for Alzheimer's disease diagnosis and differential diagnosis.

Accurate differential diagnosis among various dementias is crucial for effective treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The study began with searching for novel blood-based neuronal extracellular vesicles (EVs) that are more enriched in the brain regions vulnerable to AD development and progression. With extensive proteomic profiling, GABRD and GPR162 were identified as novel brain regionally enriched plasma EVs markers. The performance of GABRD and GPR162, along with the AD molecule pTau217, was tested using the self-developed and optimized nanoflow cytometry-based technology, which not only detected the positive ratio of EVs but also concurrently presented the corresponding particle size of the EVs, in discovery (n = 310) and validation (n = 213) cohorts. Plasma GABRD+- or GPR162+-carrying pTau217-EVs were significantly reduced in AD compared with healthy control (HC). Additionally, the size distribution of GABRD+- and GPR162+-carrying pTau217-EVs were significantly different between AD and non-AD dementia (NAD). An integrative model, combining age, the number and corresponding size of the distribution of GABRD+- or GPR162+-carrying pTau217-EVs, accurately and sensitively discriminated AD from HC [discovery cohort, area under the curve (AUC) = 0.96; validation cohort, AUC = 0.93] and effectively differentiated AD from NAD (discovery cohort, AUC = 0.91; validation cohort, AUC = 0.90). This study showed that brain regionally enriched neuronal EVs carrying pTau217 in plasma may serve as a robust diagnostic and differential diagnostic tool in both clinical practice and trials for AD.

Therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases by targeting the gut microbiome: from bench to bedside.

The aetiologies and origins of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Huntington's disease (HD), are complex and multifaceted. A growing body of evidence suggests that the gut microbiome plays crucial roles in the development and progression of neurodegenerative diseases. Clinicians have come to realize that therapeutics targeting the gut microbiome have the potential to halt the progression of neurodegenerative diseases. This narrative review examines the alterations in the gut microbiome in AD, PD, ALS and HD, highlighting the close relationship between the gut microbiome and the brain in neurodegenerative diseases. Processes that mediate the gut microbiome-brain communication in neurodegenerative diseases, including the immunological, vagus nerve and circulatory pathways, are evaluated. Furthermore, we summarize potential therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases that modify the gut microbiome and its metabolites, including diets, probiotics and prebiotics, microbial metabolites, antibacterials and faecal microbiome transplantation. Finally, current challenges and future directions are discussed.

Disease trajectories in older adults with non-AD pathologic change and comparison with Alzheimer's disease pathophysiology: A longitudinal study.

Based on the 'AT(N)' system, individuals with normal amyloid biomarkers but abnormal tauopathy or neurodegeneration biomarkers are classified as non-Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathologic change. This study aimed to assess the long-term clinical and cognitive trajectories of individuals with non-AD pathologic change among older adults without dementia, comparing them to those with normal AD biomarkers and AD pathophysiology. Analyzing Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative data, we evaluated clinical outcomes and conversion risk longitudinally using mixed effects models and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models. We found that compared to individuals with A-T-N-, those with abnormal tauopathy or neurodegeneration biomarkers (A-T + N-, A-T-N + , and A-T + N + ) had a faster rate of cognitive decline and disease progression. Individuals with A-T + N + had a faster rate of decline than those with A-T + N-. Additionally, in individuals with the same baseline tauopathy and neurodegeneration biomarker status, the presence of baseline amyloid could accelerate cognitive decline and clinical progression. These findings provide a foundation for future studies on non-AD pathologic change and its comparison with AD pathophysiology.

Intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation Attenuates Cognitive Deficits and Alzheimer's Disease-Type Pathologies via ISCA1-Mediated Mitochondrial Modulation in APP/PS1 Mice.

Intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS), a time-saving and cost-effective repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation regime, has been shown to improve cognition in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the specific mechanism underlying iTBS-induced cognitive enhancement remains unknown. Previous studies suggested that mitochondrial functions are modulated by magnetic stimulation. Here, we showed that iTBS upregulates the expression of iron-sulfur cluster assembly 1 (ISCA1, an essential regulatory factor for mitochondrial respiration) in the brain of APP/PS1 mice. In vivo and in vitro studies revealed that iTBS modulates mitochondrial iron-sulfur cluster assembly to facilitate mitochondrial respiration and function, which is required for ISCA1. Moreover, iTBS rescues cognitive decline and attenuates AD-type pathologies in APP/PS1 mice. The present study uncovers a novel mechanism by which iTBS modulates mitochondrial respiration and function via ISCA1-mediated iron-sulfur cluster assembly to alleviate cognitive impairments and pathologies in AD. We provide the mechanistic target of iTBS that warrants its therapeutic potential for AD patients.

Clarity on the blazing trail: clearing the way for amyloid-removing therapies for Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with a complex pathogenesis. Senile plaques composed of the amyloid-ß (Aß) peptide in the brain are the core hallmarks of AD and a promising target for the development of disease-modifying therapies. However, over the past 20 years, the failures of clinical trials directed at Aß clearance have fueled a debate as to whether Aß is the principal pathogenic factor in AD and a valid therapeutic target. The success of the recent phase 3 trials of lecanemab (Clarity AD) and donanemab (Trailblazer Alz2), and lessons from previous Aß clearance trials provide critical evidence to support the role of Aß in AD pathogenesis and suggest that targeting Aß clearance is heading in the right direction for AD treatment. Here, we analyze key questions relating to the efficacy of Aß targeting therapies, and provide perspectives on early intervention, adequate Aß removal, sufficient treatment period, and combinatory therapeutics, which may be required to achieve the best cognitive benefits in future trials in the real world.

CHIT1-positive microglia drive motor neuron ageing in the primate spinal cord.

Ageing is a critical factor in spinal-cord-associated disorders1, yet the ageing-specific mechanisms underlying this relationship remain poorly understood. Here, to address this knowledge gap, we combined single-nucleus RNA-sequencing analysis with behavioural and neurophysiological analysis in non-human primates (NHPs). We identified motor neuron senescence and neuroinflammation with microglial hyperactivation as intertwined hallmarks of spinal cord ageing. As an underlying mechanism, we identified a neurotoxic microglial state demarcated by elevated expression of CHIT1 (a secreted mammalian chitinase) specific to the aged spinal cords in NHP and human biopsies. In the aged spinal cord, CHIT1-positive microglia preferentially localize around motor neurons, and they have the ability to trigger senescence, partly by activating SMAD signalling. We further validated the driving role of secreted CHIT1 on MN senescence using multimodal experiments both in vivo, using the NHP spinal cord as a model, and in vitro, using a sophisticated system modelling the human motor-neuron-microenvironment interplay. Moreover, we demonstrated that ascorbic acid, a geroprotective compound, counteracted the pro-senescent effect of CHIT1 and mitigated motor neuron senescence in aged monkeys. Our findings provide the single-cell resolution cellular and molecular landscape of the aged primate spinal cord and identify a new biomarker and intervention target for spinal cord degeneration.

Association of Adipokines with Alzheimer's Disease in a Chinese Cohort.

BACKGROUND: The correlation between plasma adipose factor levels and Alzheimer's patients is not entirely clear. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate associations between AD and plasma levels of three adipokines including plasma adiponectin, leptin, and resistin. METHODS: A single-center, cross-sectional study recruited AD patients (n = 148) and cognitively normal (CN) controls (n = 110). The multivariate logistic regression analysis was applied to determine associations of adiponectin, leptin, and resistin with the presence of AD. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was employed to determine the diagnostic power of adiponectin, leptin and resistin for AD. RESULTS: After adjusted for the conventional risk factors, plasma levels of leptin (OR = 0.417, 95% CI: 0.272-0.638, p < 0.0001) and adiponectin (OR = 1.249, 95% CI: 1.151-1.354, p < 0.0001) were associated with the presence of AD. In total participants, the plasma adiponectin level was negatively correlated with MMSE scores (p < 0.0001) and was positively with CDR scores (p < 0.0001) and age (p < 0.0001). The plasma level of leptin was negatively correlated with CDR scores (p < 0.0001) and positively correlated with MMSE scores (p < 0.0001). Both adiponectin (p < 0. 0001) and leptin (p < 0. 0001) featured higher AUC than the random chance. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma adiponectin and leptin were associated with the presence, symptomatic severity, and diagnostic power of AD, suggesting a potential role of adipokines in the pathogenesis of AD.

The Diagnostic Potential of Circulating Autoantibodies to Amyloid-ß in Alzheimer's Disease.

BACKGROUND: The profile of naturally occurring antibodies to amyloid-ß (NAbs-Aß) is altered in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the diagnostic potential of NAbs-Aß for AD is not clear yet. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the diagnostic capacities of NAbs-Aß for AD. METHODS: A total of 40 AD patients and 40 cognitively normal (CN) controls were enrolled in this study. Levels of NAbs-Aß were detected by ELISA. The correlations of NAbs-Aß levels with cognitive function and AD-associated biomarkers were examined by Spearman correlation analysis. Diagnostic abilities of NAbs-Aß were evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses. The integrative diagnostic models were established by logistic regression models. RESULTS: We found that NAbs-Aß7-18 had the highest diagnostic capability (AUC = 0.72) among all single NAbs-Aß. The combined model (NAbs-Aß7-18, NAbs-Aß19-30, and NAbs-Aß25-36) had a noticeable improvement (AUC = 0.84) in the diagnostic capacity compared with each single NAbs-Aß. CONCLUSION: NAbs-Aßs are promising in the diagnosis of AD. Further investigations are needed to confirm the translational potential of this diagnostic strategy.

Improving Blood Monocyte Energy Metabolism Enhances Its Ability to Phagocytose Amyloid-ß and Prevents Alzheimer's Disease-Type Pathology and Cognitive Deficits.

Deficiencies in the clearance of peripheral amyloid ß (Aß) play a crucial role in the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Previous studies have shown that the ability of blood monocytes to phagocytose Aß is decreased in AD. However, the exact mechanism of Aß clearance dysfunction in AD monocytes remains unclear. In the present study, we found that blood monocytes in AD mice exhibited decreases in energy metabolism, which was accompanied by cellular senescence, a senescence-associated secretory phenotype, and dysfunctional phagocytosis of Aß. Improving energy metabolism rejuvenated monocytes and enhanced their ability to phagocytose Aß in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, enhancing blood monocyte Aß phagocytosis by improving energy metabolism alleviated brain Aß deposition and neuroinflammation and eventually improved cognitive function in AD mice. This study reveals a new mechanism of impaired Aß phagocytosis in monocytes and provides evidence that restoring their energy metabolism may be a novel therapeutic strategy for AD.

ß2-Microglobulin coaggregates with Aß and contributes to amyloid pathology and cognitive deficits in Alzheimer's disease model mice.

Extensive studies indicate that ß-amyloid (Aß) aggregation is pivotal for Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression; however, cumulative evidence suggests that Aß itself is not sufficient to trigger AD-associated degeneration, and whether other additional pathological factors drive AD pathogenesis remains unclear. Here, we characterize pathogenic aggregates composed of ß2-microglobulin (ß2M) and Aß that trigger neurodegeneration in AD. ß2M, a component of major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC class I), is upregulated in the brains of individuals with AD and constitutes the amyloid plaque core. Elevation of ß2M aggravates amyloid pathology independent of MHC class I, and coaggregation with ß2M is essential for Aß neurotoxicity. B2m genetic ablation abrogates amyloid spreading and cognitive deficits in AD mice. Antisense oligonucleotide- or monoclonal antibody-mediated ß2M depletion mitigates AD-associated neuropathology, and inhibition of ß2M-Aß coaggregation with a ß2M-based blocking peptide ameliorates amyloid pathology and cognitive deficits in AD mice. Our findings identify ß2M as an essential factor for Aß neurotoxicity and a potential target for treating AD.

Associations of Blood and Cerebrospinal Fluid Aß and tau Levels with Renal Function.

Amyloid ß (Aß) and tau play pivotal roles in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Previous studies have shown that brain-derived Aß and tau can be cleared through transport into the periphery, and the kidneys may be vital organs involved in the clearance of Aß and tau. However, the effects of deficiency in the clearance of Aß and tau by the kidneys on brain AD-type pathologies in humans remain largely unknown. In this study, we first recruited 41 patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and 40 age- and sex-matched controls with normal renal function to analyze the associations of the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) with plasma Aß and tau levels. To analyze the associations of eGFR with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) AD biomarkers, we recruited 42 cognitively normal CKD patients and 150 cognitively normal controls with CSF samples. Compared with controls with normal renal function, CKD patients had higher plasma levels of Aß40, Aß42 and total tau (T-tau), lower CSF levels of Aß40 and Aß42 and higher levels of CSF T-tau/Aß42 and phosphorylated tau (P-tau)/Aß42. Plasma Aß40, Aß42, and T-tau levels were negatively correlated with eGFR. In addition, eGFR was negatively correlated with CSF levels of T-tau, T-tau/Aß42, and P-tau/Aß42 but positively correlated with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores. Thus, this study showed that the decline in renal function was correlated with abnormal AD biomarkers and cognitive decline, which provides human evidence that renal function may be involved in the pathogenesis of AD.

Nuclear lamina erosion-induced resurrection of endogenous retroviruses underlies neuronal aging.

The primate frontal lobe (FL) is sensitive to aging-related neurocognitive decline. However, the aging-associated molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Here, using physiologically aged non-human primates (NHPs), we depicted a comprehensive landscape of FL aging with multidimensional profiling encompassing bulk and single-nucleus transcriptomes, quantitative proteome, and DNA methylome. Conjoint analysis across these molecular and neuropathological layers underscores nuclear lamina and heterochromatin erosion, resurrection of endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), activated pro-inflammatory cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) signaling, and cellular senescence in post-mitotic neurons of aged NHP and human FL. Using human embryonic stem-cell-derived neurons recapitulating cellular aging in vitro, we verified the loss of B-type lamins inducing resurrection of ERVs as an initiating event of the aging-bound cascade in post-mitotic neurons. Of significance, these aging-related cellular and molecular changes can be alleviated by abacavir, a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, either through direct treatment of senescent human neurons in vitro or oral administration to aged mice.

Translating blood biomarkers into clinical practice for Alzheimer's disease: Challenges and perspectives.

Early and accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in clinical practice is urgent with advances in AD treatment. Blood biomarker assays are preferential diagnostic tools for widespread clinical use with the advantages of being less invasive, cost effective, and easily accessible, and they have shown good performance in research cohorts. However, in community-based populations with maximum heterogeneity, great challenges are still faced in diagnosing AD based on blood biomarkers in terms of accuracy and robustness. Here, we analyze these challenges, including the confounding impact of systemic and biological factors, small changes in blood biomarkers, and difficulty in detecting early changes. Furthermore, we provide perspectives on several potential strategies to overcome these challenges for blood biomarkers to bridge the gap from research to clinical practice.

Time-dependent impact of type 2 diabetes mellitus on incident prodromal Alzheimer disease: A longitudinal study in 1395 participants.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to investigate the longitudinal impact of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) on the prodromal and dementia stages of Alzheimer disease (AD), focusing on diabetes duration and other comorbidities. METHODS: A total of 1395 dementia-free individuals aged 55-90 years with maximum 15-year follow-up data were enrolled from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative database. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) of the incidence of prodromal or dementia stages of AD. RESULTS: Longer T2DM duration (≥5 years; multiadjusted HR = 2.19, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.05-4.58), but not shorter T2DM duration (<5 years), was associated with a significantly increased risk of incident prodromal AD over a mean follow-up of 4.8 years. APOE ε4 allele (HR = 3.32, 95% CI = 1.41-7.79) and comorbid coronary artery disease (CAD; HR = 3.20, 95% CI = 1.29-7.95) further increased the risk of incident prodromal AD in patients with T2DM. No significant association was observed between T2DM and the risk of progression from prodromal AD to AD dementia. CONCLUSIONS: T2DM, which is characterized by a longer duration, increases the incidence risk of prodromal AD but not AD dementia. APOE ε4 allele and comorbid CAD strengthen the relationship between T2DM and prodromal AD. These findings highlight T2DM characteristics and its comorbidities as predictors for accurate prediction of AD and screening of at-risk populations.