| 1. |
- Soscia, Stephanie J., et al.
(författare)
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The Alzheimer's Disease-Associated Amyloid beta-Protein Is an Antimicrobial Peptide
- 2010
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Ingår i: PLoS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 5:3, s. e9505-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The amyloid beta-protein (A beta) is believed to be the key mediator of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. A beta is most often characterized as an incidental catabolic byproduct that lacks a normal physiological role. However, A beta has been shown to be a specific ligand for a number of different receptors and other molecules, transported by complex trafficking pathways, modulated in response to a variety of environmental stressors, and able to induce pro-inflammatory activities. Methodology/Principal Findings: Here, we provide data supporting an in vivo function for A beta as an antimicrobial peptide (AMP). Experiments used established in vitro assays to compare antimicrobial activities of A beta and LL-37, an archetypical human AMP. Findings reveal that A beta exerts antimicrobial activity against eight common and clinically relevant microorganisms with a potency equivalent to, and in some cases greater than, LL-37. Furthermore, we show that AD whole brain homogenates have significantly higher antimicrobial activity than aged matched non-AD samples and that AMP action correlates with tissue A beta levels. Consistent with A beta-mediated activity, the increased antimicrobial action was ablated by immunodepletion of AD brain homogenates with anti-A beta antibodies. Conclusions/Significance: Our findings suggest A beta is a hitherto unrecognized AMP that may normally function in the innate immune system. This finding stands in stark contrast to current models of A beta-mediated pathology and has important implications for ongoing and future AD treatment strategies.
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| 2. |
- Faux, Noel G, et al.
(författare)
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PBT2 Rapidly Improves Cognition in Alzheimer's Disease : Additional Phase II Analyses
- 2010
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Ingår i: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. - 1387-2877 .- 1875-8908. ; 20:2, s. 509-516
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- PBT2 is a copper/zinc ionophore that rapidly restores cognition in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease (AD). A recent Phase IIa double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial found that the 250 mg dose of PBT2 was well-tolerated, significantly lowered cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of amyloid-beta_{42}, and significantly improved executive function on a Neuro-psychological Test Battery (NTB) within 12 weeks of treatment in patients with AD. In the post-hoc analysis reported here, the cognitive, blood marker, and CSF neurochemistry outcomes from the trial were subjected to further analysis. Ranking the responses to treatment after 12 weeks with placebo, PBT2 50 mg, and PBT2 250 mg revealed that the proportions of patients showing improvement on NTB Composite or Executive Factor z-scores were significantly greater in the PBT2 250 mg group than in the placebo group. Receiver-operator characteristic analyses revealed that the probability of an improver at any level coming from the PBT2 250 mg group was significantly greater, compared to placebo, for Composite z-scores (Area Under the Curve [AUC] =0.76, p=0.0007), Executive Factor z-scores (AUC =0.93, p=1.3 x 10;{-9}), and near-significant for the ADAS-cog (AUC =0.72, p=0.056). There were no correlations between changes in CSF amyloid-beta or tau species and cognitive changes. These findings further encourage larger-scale testing of PBT2 for AD.
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| 3. |
- Giedraitis, Vilmantas, et al.
(författare)
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CALHM1 P86L polymorphism does not alter amyloid-beta or tau in cerebrospinal fluid
- 2010
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Ingår i: Neuroscience Letters. - : Elsevier BV. - 0304-3940 .- 1872-7972. ; 469:2, s. 265-267
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Recently, the P86L alteration in CALHM1 (calcium homeostasis modulator-1) was reported to be associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Moreover, the risk allele increased amyloid-beta (A beta) levels in conditioned media from cultured cells. Therefore, we hypothesized that CALHM1 P86L may modulate A beta or tau levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Nearly 200 individuals with AD or other cognitive disorders were included for CSF analysis and CALHM1 genotyping. No significant differences in CSF levels of A beta 42, tau or phospho-tau were found across the various CALHM1 genotypes. In conclusion, we found no evidence that CALHM1 P86L is associated with altered CSF levels of the investigated AD biomarkers.
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| 4. |
- Lambert, Jean-Charles, et al.
(författare)
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The CALHM1 P86L Polymorphism is a Genetic Modifier of Age at Onset in Alzheimer's Disease : a Meta-Analysis Study
- 2010
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Ingår i: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. - 1387-2877 .- 1875-8908. ; 22:1, s. 247-255
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The only established genetic determinant of non-Mendelian forms of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the epsilon 4 allele of the apolipoprotein E gene (APOE). Recently, it has been reported that the P86L polymorphism of the calcium homeostasis modulator 1 gene (CALHM1) is associated with the risk of developing AD. In order to independently assess this association, we performed a meta-analysis of 7,873 AD cases and 13,274 controls of Caucasian origin (from a total of 24 centers in Belgium, Finland, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, the UK, and the USA). Our results indicate that the CALHM1 P86L polymorphism is likely not a genetic determinant of AD but may modulate age of onset by interacting with the effect of the epsilon 4 allele of the APOE gene.
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| 5. |
- Natunen, Teemu, et al.
(författare)
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Elucidation of the BACE1 Regulating Factor GGA3 in Alzheimer's Disease
- 2013
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Ingår i: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. - 1387-2877 .- 1875-8908. ; 37:1, s. 217-232
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Golgi-localized gamma-ear-containing ADP-ribosylation factor-binding protein (GGA3) is a central regulator of trafficking and degradation of BACE1 (beta-site A beta PP-cleaving enzyme), the rate-limiting enzyme in the production of amyloid-beta (A beta) in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here, we assessed the potential role of GGA3 in AD pathogenesis using independent neuropathological, case-control, and family-based human sample cohorts. Increased BACE1 levels coincided with decreased GGA3 levels and with elevated phosphorylation status of eIF2 alpha-Ser51 in the temporal cortex of AD patients as compared to age-matched controls. Severity of the disease did not alter mRNA or protein levels of GGA3 in the inferior temporal cortex of AD patients, while a positive correlation between GGA3 and the levels of total, but not phosphorylated, tau was observed. Genetically, we did not observe consistent evidence for association between AD risk and common GGA3 polymorphisms across a number of independent sample cohorts. However, a nominally significant association was observed with rs2242230 (p < 0.05) among the Finnish case-control cohort. Accordingly, mRNA and protein levels of GGA3 in the inferior temporal cortex of AD patients did not significantly correlate with rs2242230 genotype status. While the present study indicates that GGA3 is involved in the cellular processes relevant for AD pathogenesis, the genetic data do not support the idea that common GGA3 polymorphisms would contribute to AD risk.
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| 6. |
- Treusch, Sebastian, et al.
(författare)
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Functional links between Aβ toxicity, endocytic trafficking, and Alzheimer's disease risk factors in yeast
- 2011
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Ingår i: Science. - Washington : American association of advancement in science. - 0036-8075 .- 1095-9203. ; 334:6060, s. 1241-1245
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aβ (beta amyloid peptide) is an important contributor to Alzheimer's disease (AD). We modeled Aβ toxicity in yeast by directing the peptide to the secretory pathway. A genome-wide screen for toxicity modifiers identified the yeast homolog of phosphatidylinositol binding clathrin assembly protein (PICALM) and other endocytic factors connected to AD whose relationship to Aβ was previously unknown. The factors identified in yeast modified Aβ toxicity in glutamatergic neurons of Caenorhabditis elegans and in primary rat cortical neurons. In yeast, Aβ impaired the endocytic trafficking of a plasma membrane receptor, which was ameliorated by endocytic pathway factors identified in the yeast screen. Thus, links between Aβ, endocytosis, and human AD risk factors can be ascertained using yeast as a model system.
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