| 1. |
- Björkqvist, Maria, et al.
(författare)
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A novel pathogenic pathway of immune activation detectable before clinical onset in Huntington's disease.
- 2008
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Ingår i: Journal of Experimental Medicine. - : Rockefeller University Press. - 1540-9538 .- 0022-1007. ; 205, s. 1869-1877
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder characterized by both neurological and systemic abnormalities. We examined the peripheral immune system and found widespread evidence of innate immune activation detectable in plasma throughout the course of HD. Interleukin 6 levels were increased in HD gene carriers with a mean of 16 years before the predicted onset of clinical symptoms. To our knowledge, this is the earliest plasma abnormality identified in HD. Monocytes from HD subjects expressed mutant huntingtin and were pathologically hyperactive in response to stimulation, suggesting that the mutant protein triggers a cell-autonomous immune activation. A similar pattern was seen in macrophages and microglia from HD mouse models, and the cerebrospinal fluid and striatum of HD patients exhibited abnormal immune activation, suggesting that immune dysfunction plays a role in brain pathology. Collectively, our data suggest parallel central nervous system and peripheral pathogenic pathways of immune activation in HD.
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| 2. |
- Björkqvist, Maria, et al.
(författare)
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Harnessing immune alterations in neurodegenerative diseases.
- 2009
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Ingår i: Neuron. - : Elsevier BV. - 0896-6273. ; 64:1, s. 21-24
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Immune dysfunction, a well-established feature of neuroinflammatory disease, is increasingly recognized in neurodegenerative conditions. Its role is emerging as an early and active participant in neuropathology. Inflammation could be modified, with disease-slowing effects, by targeted interventions; it is also readily detectable and could serve as a source of valuable biomarkers.
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| 3. |
- Dalrymple, Annette, et al.
(författare)
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Proteomic profiling of plasma in Huntington's disease reveals neuroinflammatory activation and biomarker candidates
- 2007
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Ingår i: Journal of Proteome Research. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1535-3893 .- 1535-3907. ; 6:7, s. 2833-2840
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Huntington's disease (HD) causes widespread CNS changes and systemic abnormalities including endocrine and immune dysfunction. HD biomarkers are needed to power clinical trials of potential treatments. We used multiplatform proteomic profiling to reveal plasma changes with HD progression. Proteins of interest were evaluated using immunoblotting and ELISA in plasma from 2 populations, CSF and R6/2 mice. The identified proteins demonstrate neuroinflammation in HD and warrant further investigation as possible biomarkers.
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| 4. |
- Wood, Nigel I., et al.
(författare)
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Increased thirst and drinking in Huntington's disease and the R6/2 mouse
- 2008
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Ingår i: Brain Research Bulletin. - : Elsevier BV. - 0361-9230. ; 76:1-2, s. 70-79
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- While Huntington's disease (HD) is a condition that primarily involves the basal ganglia, there is evidence to suggest that the hypothalamus is also affected. Because the osmoreceptors regulating thirst are situated in the circumventricular region of the hypothalamus, we were interested in whether altered thirst is a part of the HD phenotype. We used the LABORAS behavioural monitoring system and water consumption to show that drinking behaviour was abnormal in R6/2 mice. By 10 weeks of age, R6/2 mice spent significantly more time drinking and drank a greater volume than their wild-type (WT) littermates. The numbers of immunoreactive vasopressin neurons in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus in R6/2 mice were significantly decreased from 8 weeks of age, suggesting that the change in drinking behaviour may be the result of hypothalamic dysfunction. We gave a xerostomia (dry mouth) questionnaire to HD patients and control subjects, and also measured their urine osmolality and serum vasopressin. The mean total xerostomia score was significantly higher in HD patients than in controls, indicating greater thirst in HD patients. Urine osmolality was unaffected in HD patients up to clinical stage 111, and none of the patients had diabetes. However, serum vasopressin was increased, suggesting a dysregulation in the control of hypothalamic vasopressin release. A dry mouth can affect taste, mastication and swallowing, all of which may contribute to the significant weight loss seen in both HD patients and R6/2 mice, as can dehydration. We suggest that increased thirst may be an important and clinically relevant biomarker for the study of disease progression in HD.
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