scholarly journals The Complexity of Sporadic Alzheimer’s Disease Pathogenesis: The Role of RAGE as Therapeutic Target to Promote Neuroprotection by Inhibiting Neurovascular Dysfunction

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorena Perrone ◽  
Oualid Sbai ◽  
Peter P. Nawroth ◽  
Angelika Bierhaus

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia. Amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles are prominent pathological features of AD. Aging and age-dependent oxidative stress are the major nongenetic risk factors for AD. The beta-amyloid peptide (Aβ), the major component of plaques, and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are key activators of plaque-associated cellular dysfunction. Aβ and AGEs bind to the receptor for AGEs (RAGE), which transmits the signal from RAGE via redox-sensitive pathways to nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB). RAGE-mediated signaling is an important contributor to neurodegeneration in AD. We will summarize the current knowledge and ongoing studies on RAGE function in AD. We will also present evidence for a novel pathway induced by RAGE in AD, which leads to the expression of thioredoxin interacting protein (TXNIP), providing further evidence that pharmacological inhibition of RAGE will promote neuroprotection by blocking neurovascular dysfunction in AD.

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick Süß ◽  
Johannes C.M. Schlachetzki

: Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is the most frequent neurodegenerative disorder. Although proteinaceous aggregates of extracellular Amyloid-β (Aβ) and intracellular hyperphosphorylated microtubule- associated tau have long been identified as characteristic neuropathological hallmarks of AD, a disease- modifying therapy against these targets has not been successful. An emerging concept is that microglia, the innate immune cells of the brain, are major players in AD pathogenesis. Microglia are longlived tissue-resident professional phagocytes that survey and rapidly respond to changes in their microenvironment. Subpopulations of microglia cluster around Aβ plaques and adopt a transcriptomic signature specifically linked to neurodegeneration. A plethora of molecules and pathways associated with microglia function and dysfunction has been identified as important players in mediating neurodegeneration. However, whether microglia exert either beneficial or detrimental effects in AD pathology may depend on the disease stage. : In this review, we summarize the current knowledge about the stage-dependent role of microglia in AD, including recent insights from genetic and gene expression profiling studies as well as novel imaging techniques focusing on microglia in human AD pathology and AD mouse models.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel A. Bórquez ◽  
Christian González-Billault

Since its proposal in 1994, the amyloid cascade hypothesis has prevailed as the mainstream research subject on the molecular mechanisms leading to the Alzheimer's disease (AD). Most of the field had been historically based on the role of the different forms of aggregation ofβ-amyloid peptide (Aβ). However, a soluble intracellular fragment termed amyloid precursor protein (APP) intracellular domain (AICD) is produced in conjunction with Aβfragments. This peptide had been shown to be highly toxic in both culture neurons and transgenic mice models. With the advent of this new toxic fragment, the centerpiece for the ethiology of the disease may be changed. This paper discusses the potential role of multiprotein complexes between the AICD and its adapter protein Fe65 and how this could be a potentially important new agent in the neurodegeneration observed in the AD.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (22) ◽  
pp. 8767
Author(s):  
Nicole Jacqueline Jensen ◽  
Helena Zander Wodschow ◽  
Malin Nilsson ◽  
Jørgen Rungby

Under normal physiological conditions the brain primarily utilizes glucose for ATP generation. However, in situations where glucose is sparse, e.g., during prolonged fasting, ketone bodies become an important energy source for the brain. The brain’s utilization of ketones seems to depend mainly on the concentration in the blood, thus many dietary approaches such as ketogenic diets, ingestion of ketogenic medium-chain fatty acids or exogenous ketones, facilitate significant changes in the brain’s metabolism. Therefore, these approaches may ameliorate the energy crisis in neurodegenerative diseases, which are characterized by a deterioration of the brain’s glucose metabolism, providing a therapeutic advantage in these diseases. Most clinical studies examining the neuroprotective role of ketone bodies have been conducted in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, where brain imaging studies support the notion of enhancing brain energy metabolism with ketones. Likewise, a few studies show modest functional improvements in patients with Parkinson’s disease and cognitive benefits in patients with—or at risk of—Alzheimer’s disease after ketogenic interventions. Here, we summarize current knowledge on how ketogenic interventions support brain metabolism and discuss the therapeutic role of ketones in neurodegenerative disease, emphasizing clinical data.


2000 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
pp. 23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alon Monsonego ◽  
Ruth Maron ◽  
Amit Bar-Or ◽  
Jeff I. Krieger ◽  
Dennis Selkoe ◽  
...  

Biomolecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 195
Author(s):  
Matea Nikolac Perkovic ◽  
Alja Videtic Paska ◽  
Marcela Konjevod ◽  
Katarina Kouter ◽  
Dubravka Svob Strac ◽  
...  

There are currently no validated biomarkers which can be used to accurately diagnose Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or to distinguish it from other dementia-causing neuropathologies. Moreover, to date, only symptomatic treatments exist for this progressive neurodegenerative disorder. In the search for new, more reliable biomarkers and potential therapeutic options, epigenetic modifications have emerged as important players in the pathogenesis of AD. The aim of the article was to provide a brief overview of the current knowledge regarding the role of epigenetics (including mitoepigenetics) in AD, and the possibility of applying these advances for future AD therapy. Extensive research has suggested an important role of DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation, histone posttranslational modifications, and non-coding RNA regulation (with the emphasis on microRNAs) in the course and development of AD. Recent studies also indicated mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) as an interesting biomarker of AD, since dysfunctions in the mitochondria and lower mtDNA copy number have been associated with AD pathophysiology. The current evidence suggests that epigenetic changes can be successfully detected, not only in the central nervous system, but also in the cerebrospinal fluid and on the periphery, contributing further to their potential as both biomarkers and therapeutic targets in AD.


Author(s):  
Cinzia Severini ◽  
Christian Barbato ◽  
Maria Grazia Di Certo ◽  
Francesca Gabanella ◽  
Carla Petrella ◽  
...  

: Alzheimer’s disease (AD), recognized as the most common neurodegenerative disorder, is clinically characterized by the presence of extracellular beta amyloid (Aβ) plaques and by intracellular neurofibrillary tau tangles, accompanied by glial activation and neuroinflammation. Increasing evidence suggests that self-misfolded proteins stimulate an immune response mediated by glial cells, inducing release of inflammatory mediators and the recruitment of peripheral macrophages into the brain, which in turn aggravate AD pathology. Aim of the present review is to update the current knowledge on the role of autoimmunity and neuroinflammation in the pathogenesis of the disease, indicating new target for therapeutic intervention. We mainly focused on the NLRP3 microglial inflammasome as a critical factor in stimulating innate immune responses, thus sustaining chronic inflammation. Additionally, we discussed the involvement of the NLRP3 inflammasome in the gut-brain axis. Direct targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome and the associated receptors could be a potential pharmacological strategy, since its inhibition would selectively reduce AD neuroinflammation.


2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 155-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Zhao ◽  
Deren Hou ◽  
Xialu Feng ◽  
Fangbo Lin ◽  
Jing Luo

AbstractThe ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter superfamily is a large family of proteins that transport specific molecules across membranes. These proteins are associated with both cholesterol metabolism and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Cholesterol homeostasis has a key role in AD, and ABC transporters are important mediators of lipid transportation. Emerging evidence suggests that decreased expression and hypofunction of ABC transporters are crucial to the occurrence and development of AD. In the present article, we review the current knowledge regarding ABC transporters and speculate on their role in the pathogenesis of AD.


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