NLRP3/1-mediated pyroptosis:beneficial clues for the development of novel therapies for Alzheimer’s disease

The inflammasome is a multiprotein complex involved in innate immunity that mediates the inflammatory response leading to pyroptosis,which is a lytic,inflammatory form of cell death.There is accumulating evidence that nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat pyrin domain containing 3(NLRP3)inflammasome-mediated microglial pyroptosis and NLRP1 inflammasome-mediated neuronal pyroptosis in the brain are closely associated with the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease.In this review,we summarize the possible pathogenic mechanisms of Alzheimer’s disease,focusing on neuroinflammation.We also describe the structures of NLRP3 and NLRP1 and the role their activation plays in Alzheimer’s disease.Finally,we examine the neuroprotective activity of small-molecule inhibitors,endogenous inhibitor proteins,microRNAs,and natural bioactive molecules that target NLRP3 and NLRP1,based on the rationale that inhibiting NLRP3 and NLRP1 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis can be an effective therapeutic strategy for Alzheimer’s disease.

Sorl1 knockout inhibits expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor:involvement in the development of late-onset Alzheimer's disease

Sortilin-related receptor 1(SORL1)is a critical gene associated with late-onset Alzheimer’s disease.SORL1 contributes to the development and progression of this neurodegenerative condition by affecting the transport and metabolism of intracellularβ-amyloid precursor protein.To better understand the underlying mechanisms of SORL1 in the pathogenesis of late-onset Alzheimer s disease,in this study,we established a mouse model of SorI1 gene knockout using cluste red regularly inters paced short palindro mic repeats-associated protein 9 technology.We found that Sorl1-knocko ut mice displayed deficits in learning and memory.Furthermore,the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor was significantly downregulated in the hippocampus and co rtex,and amyloidβ-protein deposits were observed in the brains of 5orl1-knockout mice.In vitro,hippocampal neuronal cell synapses from homozygous Sorl1-knockout mice were impaired.The expression of synaptic proteins,including Drebrin and NR2B,was significantly reduced,and also their colocalization.Additionally,by knocking out the Sorl1 gene in N2a cells,we found that expression of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor,NR2B,and cyclic adenosine monophosphate-response element binding protein was also inhibited.These findings suggest that SORL1 participates in the pathogenesis of late-onset Alzheimer s disease by regulating the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor NR2B/cyclic adenosine monophosphate-response element binding protein signaling axis.

Tanshinone ⅡA improves Alzheimer’s disease via RNA nuclearenriched abundant transcript 1/microRNA-291a-3p/member RAS oncogene family Rab22a axis

BACKGROUND Alzheimer’s disease(AD)is a neurodegenerative condition characterized by oxidative stress and neuroinflammation.Tanshinone ⅡA(Tan-ⅡA),a bioactive compound isolated from Salvia miltiorrhiza plants,has shown potential neuroprotective effects;however,the mechanisms underlying such a function remain unclear.AIM To investigate potential Tan-ⅡA neuroprotective effects in AD and to elucidate their underlying mechanisms.METHODS Hematoxylin and eosin staining was utilized to analyze structural brain tissue morphology.To assess changes in oxidative stress and neuroinflammation,we performed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and western blotting.Additionally,the effect of Tan-ⅡA on AD cell models was evaluated in vitro using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay.Genetic changes related to the long non-coding RNA(lncRNA)nuclear-enriched abundant transcript 1(NEAT1)/microRNA(miRNA,miR)-291a-3p/member RAS oncogene family Rab22a axis were assessed through reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction.RESULTS In vivo,Tan-ⅡA treatment improved neuronal morphology and attenuated oxidative stress and neuroinflammation in the brain tissue of AD mice.In vitro experiments showed that Tan-ⅡA dose-dependently ameliorated the amyloid-beta 1-42-induced reduction of neural stem cell viability,apoptosis,oxidative stress,and neuroinflammation.In this process,the lncRNA NEAT1-a potential therapeutic target-is highly expressed in AD mice and downregulated via Tan-ⅡA treatment.Mechanistically,NEAT1 promotes the transcription and translation of Rab22a via miR-291a-3p,which activates nuclear factor kappa-B(NF-κB)signaling,leading to activation of the pro-apoptotic B-cell lymphoma 2-associated X protein and inhibition of the anti-apoptotic B-cell lymphoma 2 protein,which exacerbates AD.Tan-ⅡA intervention effectively blocked this process by inhibiting the NEAT1/miR-291a-3p/Rab22a axis and NF-κB signaling.CONCLUSION This study demonstrates that Tan-ⅡA exerts neuroprotective effects in AD by modulating the NEAT1/miR-291a-3p/Rab22a/NF-κB signaling pathway,serving as a foundation for the development of innovative approaches for AD therapy.

Netrin-1 signaling pathway mechanisms in neurodegenerative diseases

Netrin-1 and its receptors play crucial roles in inducing axonal growth and neuronal migration during neuronal development.Their profound impacts then extend into adulthood to encompass the maintenance of neuronal survival and synaptic function.Increasing amounts of evidence highlight several key points:(1)Diminished Netrin-1 levels exacerbate pathological progression in animal models of Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease,and potentially,similar alterations occur in humans.(2)Genetic mutations of Netrin-1 receptors increase an individuals’susceptibility to neurodegenerative disorders.(3)Therapeutic approaches targeting Netrin-1 and its receptors offer the benefits of enhancing memory and motor function.(4)Netrin-1 and its receptors show genetic and epigenetic alterations in a variety of cancers.These findings provide compelling evidence that Netrin-1 and its receptors are crucial targets in neurodegenerative diseases.Through a comprehensive review of Netrin-1 signaling pathways,our objective is to uncover potential therapeutic avenues for neurodegenerative disorders.

Does type 1 diabetes serve as a protective factor against inflammatory bowel disease:A Mendelian randomization study

BACKGROUND The impact of type 1 diabetes(T1D)on inflammatory bowel disease(IBD)remains unclear.AIM To analyze the causal relationship between T1D and IBD using Mendelian randomization(MR).METHODS Single nucleotide polymorphisms were sourced from FinnGen for T1D,IBD,ulcerative colitis(UC)and Crohn’s disease(CD).Inverse variance-weighted,MREgger,and weighted median tests were used to assess exposure-outcome causality.The MR-Egger intercept was used to assess horizontal pleiotropy.Cochran’s Q and leave-one-out method were used to analyze heterogeneity and sensitivity,respectively.RESULTS Our MR analysis indicated that T1D was associated with a reduced risk of IBD[odds ratio(OR):0.959;95%confidence interval(CI):0.938-0.980;P<0.001]and UC(OR:0.960;95%CI:0.929-0.992;P=0.015),with no significant association observed in terms of CD risk(OR:0.966;95%CI:0.913-1.022;P=0.227).The MR-Egger intercept showed no horizontal pleiotropy(P>0.05).Cochran’s Q and leave-one-out sensitivity analyses showed that the results were not heterogeneous(P>0.05)and were robust.CONCLUSION This MR analysis suggests that T1D serves as a potential protective factor against IBD and UC but is independent of CD.

Longitudinal assessment of peripheral organ metabolism and the gut microbiota in an APP/PS1 transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease not only affects the brain,but also induces metabolic dysfunction in peripheral organs and alters the gut microbiota.The aim of this study was to investigate systemic changes that occur in Alzheimer’s disease,in particular the association between changes in peripheral organ metabolism,changes in gut microbial composition,and Alzheimer’s disease development.To do this,we analyzed peripheral organ metabolism and the gut microbiota in amyloid precursor protein-presenilin 1(APP/PS1)transgenic and control mice at 3,6,9,and 12 months of age.Twelve-month-old APP/PS1 mice exhibited cognitive impairment,Alzheimer’s disease-related brain changes,distinctive metabolic disturbances in peripheral organs and fecal samples(as detected by untargeted metabolomics sequencing),and substantial changes in gut microbial composition compared with younger APP/PS1 mice.Notably,a strong correlation emerged between the gut microbiota and kidney metabolism in APP/PS1 mice.These findings suggest that alterations in peripheral organ metabolism and the gut microbiota are closely related to Alzheimer’s disease development,indicating potential new directions for therapeutic strategies.

Mitophagy in neurodegenerative disease pathogenesis

Mitochondria are critical cellular energy resources and are central to the life of the neuron.Mitophagy selectively clears damaged or dysfunctional mitochondria through autophagic machinery to maintain mitochondrial quality control and homeostasis.Mature neurons are postmitotic and consume substantial energy,thus require highly efficient mitophagy pathways to turn over damaged or dysfunctional mitochondria.Recent evidence indicates that mitophagy is pivotal to the pathogenesis of neurological diseases.However,more work is needed to study mitophagy pathway components as potential therapeutic targets.In this review,we briefly discuss the characteristics of nonselective autophagy and selective autophagy,including ERphagy,aggrephagy,and mitophagy.We then introduce the mechanisms of Parkin-dependent and Parkin-independent mitophagy pathways under physiological conditions.Next,we summarize the diverse repertoire of mitochondrial membrane receptors and phospholipids that mediate mitophagy.Importantly,we review the critical role of mitophagy in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease,Parkinson’s disease,and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.Last,we discuss recent studies considering mitophagy as a potential therapeutic target for treating neurodegenerative diseases.Together,our review may provide novel views to better understand the roles of mitophagy in neurodegenerative disease pathogenesis.

A novel mechanism of PHB2-mediated mitophagy participating in the development of Parkinson's disease

Endoplasmic reticulum stress and mitochondrial dysfunction play important roles in Parkinson s disease,but the regulato ry mechanism remains elusive.Prohibitin-2(PHB2)is a newly discove red autophagy receptor in the mitochondrial inner membrane,and its role in Parkinson’s disease remains unclear.Protein kinase R(PKR)-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase(PERK)is a factor that regulates cell fate during endoplasmic reticulum stress.Parkin is regulated by PERK and is a target of the unfolded protein response.It is unclear whether PERK regulates PHB2-mediated mitophagy thro ugh Parkin.In this study,we established a 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine(MPTP)-induced mouse model of Parkinson’s disease.We used adeno-associated virus to knockdown PHB2 expression.Our res ults showed that loss of dopaminergic neurons and motor deficits were aggravated in the MPTP-induced mouse model of Parkinson’s disease.Ove rexpression of PHB2 inhibited these abnormalities.We also established a 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridine(MPP+)-induced SH-SY5Y cell model of Parkinson’s disease.We found that ove rexpression of Parkin increased co-localization of PHB2 and microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3,and promoted mitophagy.In addition,MPP+regulated Parkin involvement in PHB2-mediated mitophagy through phosphorylation of PERK.These findings suggest that PHB2 participates in the development of Parkinson’s disease by intera cting with endoplasmic reticulum stress and Parkin.

Neuroprotective effect of liraglutide and memantine in a rat model of Alzheimer’s disease

Objective:To assess the effect of memantine combined with liraglutide on aluminum chloride(AlCl_(3))and D-galactose(D-GAL)-induced neurotoxicity in rats.Methods:Male Wistar rats were divided into 5 groups of 5 animals each:the positive control,the negative control,the memantine-treated group,the liraglutide-treated group,and the combination group treated with memantine and liraglutide.AlCl_(3)and D-GAL were used to induce neurotoxicity.Behavioral tests,brain beta-amyloid protein,and oxidative stress biomarkers were evaluated.Results:The Morris water maze test indicated an enhanced memory in the combination group.Moreover,the combination treatment of liraglutide and memantine resulted in a remarkable reduction in the beta-amyloid protein level in the brain tissue.Neuronal inflammation and oxidative stress biomarkers were significantly reduced,and the levels of antioxidant parameters were enhanced.Conclusions:The combination of liraglutide and memantine exerts neuroprotective effects and enhances memory and cognitive functions in rats with Alzheimer’s disease.

Unveiling DNA methylation in Alzheimer’s disease:a review of array-based human brain studies

The intricacies of Alzheimer’s disease pathogenesis are being increasingly illuminated by the exploration of epigenetic mechanisms,particularly DNA methylation.This review comprehensively surveys recent human-centered studies that investigate whole genome DNA methylation in Alzheimer’s disease neuropathology.The examination of various brain regions reveals distinctive DNA methylation patterns that associate with the Braak stage and Alzheimer’s disease progression.The entorhinal cortex emerges as a focal point due to its early histological alterations and subsequent impact on downstream regions like the hippocampus.Notably,ANK1 hypermethylation,a protein implicated in neurofibrillary tangle formation,was recurrently identified in the entorhinal cortex.Further,the middle temporal gyrus and prefrontal cortex were shown to exhibit significant hypermethylation of genes like HOXA3,RHBDF2,and MCF2L,potentially influencing neuroinflammatory processes.The complex role of BIN1 in late-onset Alzheimer’s disease is underscored by its association with altered methylation patterns.Despite the disparities across studies,these findings highlight the intricate interplay between epigenetic modifications and Alzheimer’s disease pathology.Future research efforts should address methodological variations,incorporate diverse cohorts,and consider environmental factors to unravel the nuanced epigenetic landscape underlying Alzheimer’s disease progression.

Neural stem cell-derived exosomes promote mitochondrial biogenesis and restore abnormal protein distribution in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease

Mitochondrial dysfunction is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease.We previously showed that neural stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles improved mitochondrial function in the cortex of AP P/PS1 mice.Because Alzheimer’s disease affects the entire brain,further research is needed to elucidate alterations in mitochondrial metabolism in the brain as a whole.Here,we investigated the expression of several important mitochondrial biogenesis-related cytokines in multiple brain regions after treatment with neural stem cell-derived exosomes and used a combination of whole brain clearing,immunostaining,and lightsheet imaging to clarify their spatial distribution.Additionally,to clarify whether the sirtuin 1(SIRT1)-related pathway plays a regulatory role in neural stem cell-de rived exosomes interfering with mitochondrial functional changes,we generated a novel nervous system-SIRT1 conditional knoc kout AP P/PS1mouse model.Our findings demonstrate that neural stem cell-de rived exosomes significantly increase SIRT1 levels,enhance the production of mitochondrial biogenesis-related fa ctors,and inhibit astrocyte activation,but do not suppress amyloid-βproduction.Thus,neural stem cell-derived exosomes may be a useful therapeutic strategy for Alzheimer’s disease that activates the SIRT1-PGC1αsignaling pathway and increases NRF1 and COXIV synthesis to improve mitochondrial biogenesis.In addition,we showed that the spatial distribution of mitochondrial biogenesis-related factors is disrupted in Alzheimer’s disease,and that neural stem cell-derived exosome treatment can reverse this effect,indicating that neural stem cell-derived exosomes promote mitochondrial biogenesis.

The cGAS-STING-interferon regulatory factor 7 pathway regulates neuroinflammation in Parkinson's disease

Interferon regulatory factor 7 plays a crucial role in the innate immune response.However,whether interferon regulatory factor 7-mediated signaling contributes to Parkinson's disease remains unknown.Here we report that interferon regulatory factor 7 is markedly up-regulated in a 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-induced mouse model of Parkinson's disease and co-localizes with microglial cells.Both the selective cyclic guanosine monophosphate adenosine monophosphate synthase inhibitor RU.521 and the stimulator of interferon genes inhibitor H151 effectively suppressed interferon regulatory factor 7 activation in BV2 microglia exposed to 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium and inhibited transformation of mouse BV2 microglia into the neurotoxic M1 phenotype.In addition,si RNA-mediated knockdown of interferon regulatory factor 7 expression in BV2 microglia reduced the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase,tumor necrosis factorα,CD16,CD32,and CD86 and increased the expression of the anti-inflammatory markers ARG1 and YM1.Taken together,our findings indicate that the cyclic guanosine monophosphate adenosine monophosphate synthase-stimulator of interferon genes-interferon regulatory factor 7 pathway plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease.

Outlook of PINK1/Parkin signaling in molecular etiology of Parkinson's disease,with insights into Pink1 knockout models

Parkinson’s disease(PD)relates to defective mitochondrial quality control in the dopaminergic motor network.Genetic studies have revealed that PINK1 and Parkin mutations are indicative of a heightened propensity to PD onset,pinpointing mitophagy and inflammation as the culprit pathways involved in neuronal loss in the substantia nigra(SNpc).In a reciprocal manner,LRRK2 functions in the regulation of basal flux and inflammatory responses responsible for PINK1/Parkin-dependent mitophagy activation.Pharmacological intervention in these diseasemodifying pathways may facilitate the development of novel PD therapeutics,despite the current lack of an established drug evaluation model.As such,we reviewed the feasibility of employing the versatile global Pink1knockout(KO)rat model as a self-sufficient,spontaneous PD model for investigating both disease etiology and drug pharmacology.These rats retain clinical features encompassing basal mitophagic flux changes with PD progression.We demonstrate the versatility of this PD rat model based on the incorporation of additional experimental insults to recapitulate the proinflammatory responses observed in PD patients.

The selective 5-HTIA receptor antagonist WAY-100635 inhibits neuronal activity of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex in a rodent model of Parkinson's disease

Objective The ventral part of the medial prefrontal cortex（mPFC）plays an important role in initiation and control of voluntary movement,mood and cognition.However,after the degeneration of the nigrostriatal pathway,the neuronal activity of the ventral mPFC and the role of serotonin1A（5-hydroxytryptamine,5-HT1A）receptors in the firing of the neurons are still unknown.The present study is to investigate the change of neuronal activity in the ventral mPFC and the effect of systemic administration of the selective 5-HT1Areceptor antagonist WAY-100635 on the activity of the neurons in normal and 6-hydroxydopamine（6-OHDA）-lesioned rats.Methods Single unit responses were recorded extracellularly with glass microelectrodes from ventral mPFC neurons in normal rats and 6-OHDA unilaterally lesiond rats in vivo.Results 6-OHDA lesion of the substantia nigra pars compacta（SNc）significantly increased the firing rate with no change in the firing pattern of neurons of the ventral mPFC in rats.Systemic administration of WAY-100635（0.1 mg/kg,i.v.）did not change the mean firing rate and firing pattern of ventral mPFC neurons in normal rats.In contrast,WAY-100635 signifi- cantly decreased the mean firing rate of the neurons in rats with 6-OHDA lesion of the SNc.Conclusion These data suggest that the degeneration of the nigrostriatal pathway results in an increase of neuronal activity of ventral mPFC and dysfunction of 5-HT1Areceptor.

TMEM16F may be a new therapeutic target for Alzheimer's disease

TMEM16F is involved in many physiological processes such as blood coagulation,cell membrane fusion and bone mineralization.Activation of TMEM16F has been studied in various central nervous system diseases.High TMEM16F level has been also found to participate in microglial phagocytosis and transformation.Microglia-mediated neuroinflammation is a key factor in promoting the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.However,few studies have examined the effects of TMEM16F on neuroinflammation in Alzheimer’s disease.In this study,we established TMEM16F-knockdown AD model in vitro and in vivo to investigate the underlying regulatory mechanism about TMEM16F-mediated neuroinflammation in AD.We performed a Morris water maze test to evaluate the spatial memory ability of animals and detected markers for the microglia M1/M2 phenotype and NLRP3 inflammasome.Our results showed that TMEM16F was elevated in 9-month-old APP/PS1 mice.After TMEM16F knockdown in mice,spatial memory ability was improved,microglia polarization to the M2 phenotype was promoted,NLRP3 inflammasome activation was inhibited,cell apoptosis and Aβplaque deposition in brain tissue were reduced,and brain injury was alleviated.We used amyloid-beta(Aβ_(25-35))to stimulate human microglia to construct microglia models of Alzheimer’s disease.The levels of TMEM16F,inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS),proinflammatory cytokines and NLRP3 inflammasome-associated biomarkers were higher in Aβ_(25-35) treated group compared with that in the control group.TMEM16F knockdown enhanced the expression of the M2 phenotype biomarkers Arg1 and Socs3,reduced the release of proinflammatory factors interleukin-1,interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α,and inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome activation through reducing downstream proinflammatory factors interleukin-1βand interleukin-18.This inhibitory effect of TMEM16F knockdown on M1 microglia was partially reversed by the NLRP3 agonist Nigericin.Our findings suggest that TMEM16F participates in neuroinflammation in Alzheimer’s disease through participating in polarization of microglia and activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome.These results indicate that TMEM16F inhibition may be a potential therapeutic approach for Alzheimer’s disease treatment.

Single-nuclei RNA sequencing uncovers heterogenous transcriptional signatures in Parkinson's disease associated with nuclear receptor-related factor 1 defect

Previous studies have found that deficiency in nuclear receptor-related factor 1(Nurr1),which participates in the development,differentiation,survival,and degeneration of dopaminergic neurons,is associated with Parkinson s disease,but the mechanism of action is perplexing.Here,we first asce rtained the repercussion of knocking down Nurr1 by pe rforming liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry.We found that 231 genes were highly expressed in dopaminergic neurons with Nurr1 deficiency,14 of which were linked to the Parkinson’s disease pathway based on Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis.To better understand how Nurr1 deficiency autonomously invokes the decline of dopaminergic neurons and elicits Parkinson’s disease symptoms,we performed single-nuclei RNA sequencing in a Nurr1 LV-shRNA mouse model.The results revealed cellular heterogeneity in the substantia nigra and a number of activated genes,the preponderance of which encode components of the major histocompatibility Ⅱ complex.Cd74,H2-Ab1,H2-Aα,H2-Eb1,Lyz2,Mrc1,Slc6α3,Slc47α1,Ms4α4b,and Ptprc2 were the top 10 diffe rentially expressed genes.Immunofluorescence staining showed that,after Nurr1knockdown,the number of CD74-immunoreactive cells in mouse brain tissue was markedly increased.In addition,Cd74 expression was increased in a mouse model of Parkinson’s disease induced by treatment with 6-hydroxydopamine.Ta ken togethe r,our res ults suggest that Nurr1 deficiency results in an increase in Cd74 expression,thereby leading to the destruction of dopaminergic neuro ns.These findings provide a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease.

Location-based prediction model for Crohn’s disease regarding a novel serological marker,anti-chitinase 3-like 1 autoantibodies

BACKGROUND Defective neutrophil regulation in inflammatory bowel disease(IBD)is thought to play an important role in the onset or manifestation of IBD,as it could lead to damage of the intestinal mucosal barrier by the infiltration of neutrophils in the inflamed mucosa and the accumulation of pathogens.Like neutrophils in the context of innate immune responses,immunoglobulin A(IgA)as an acquired immune response partakes in the defense of the intestinal epithelium.Under normal conditions,IgA contributes to the elimination of microbes,but in connection with the loss of tolerance to chitinase 3-like 1(CHI3L1)in IBD,IgA could participate in CHI3L1-mediated improved adhesion and invasion of potentially pathogenic microorganisms.The tolerance brake to CHI3L1 and the occurrence of IgA autoantibodies to this particular target,the exact role and underlying mechanisms of CHI3L1 in the pathogenesis of IBD are still unclear.AIM To determine the predictive potential of Ig subtypes of a novel serological marker,anti-CHI3L1 autoantibodies(aCHI3L1)in determining the disease phenotype,therapeutic strategy and long-term disease course in a prospective referral cohort of adult IBD patients.METHODS Sera of 257 Crohn’s disease(CD)and 180 ulcerative colitis(UC)patients from a tertiary IBD referral center of Hungary(Division of Gastroenterology,Department of Internal Medicine,Faculty of Medicine,University of Debrecen)were assayed for IgG,IgA,and secretory IgA(sIgA)type aCHI3L1 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using recombinant CHI3L1,along with 86 healthy controls(HCONT).RESULTS The IgA type was more prevalent in CD than in UC(29.2%vs 11.1%)or HCONT(2.83%;P<0.0001 for both).However,sIgA subtype aCHI3L1 positivity was higher in both CD and UC patients than in HCONT(39.3%and 32.8%vs 4.65%,respectively;P<0.0001).The presence of both IgA and sIgA aCHI3L1 antibodies was associated with colonic involvement(P<0.0001 and P=0.038,respectively)in patients with CD.Complicated disease behavior at sample procurement was associated with aCHI3L1 sIgA positivity(57.1%vs 36.0%,P=0.009).IgA type aCH3L1 was more prevalent in patients with frequent relapse during the disease course in the CD group(46.9%vs 25.7%,P=0.005).In a group of patients with concomitant presence of pure inflammatory luminal disease and colon involvement at the time of diagnosis,positivity for IgA or sIgA type aCH3L1 predicted faster progression towards a complicated disease course in time-dependent models.This association disappeared after merging subgroups of different disease locations.CONCLUSION CHI3L1 is a novel neutrophil autoantigenic target in IBD.The consideration of antibody classes along with location-based prediction may transform the future of serology in IBD.

Bushen Yizhi Formula regulates the IRE1αpathway to alleviate endoplasmic reticulum stress in an Alzheimer’s disease rat model

While the Bushen Yizhi Formula can treat Alzheimer’s disease(AD),the yet to be ascertained specific mechanism of action was explored in this work.Methods:Different concentrations of the Bushen Yizhi Formula and amyloid-beta peptide(Aβ)were used to treat rat pheochromocytoma cells(P12)and human neuroblastoma cells(SH-SY5Y).Cell morphological changes were observed to determine the in vitro cell damage.Cell Counting Kit(CCK)-8 assay and flow cytometry were employed to identify cell viability and apoptosis/cell cycle,respectively.Western blotting and immunohistochemistry were employed to measure the expressions of endoplasmic reticulum stress(ERS)-related proteins(GRP78 and CHOP),p-IRE1α,IRE1α,ASK1,p-JNK,JNK,Bax,Bcl-2,XBP-1,and Bim.Fura 2-acetoxymethyl ester(Fura-2/AM)was used to determine the intracellular calcium(Ca^(2+))concentration.Also,an AD model was constructed by injecting Aβinto the CA1 area of the hippocampus in Sprague Dawley rats.AD model rats were gavaged with different concentrations of Bushen Yizhi Formula for 14 consecutive days.The Morris water maze experiment was conducted to test the learning and memory of rats.Hematoxylin&Eosin(H&E)and Terminal-deoxynucleotidyl Transferase(TdT)-mediated dUTP Nick-End Labeling(TUNEL)staining were done to determine histopathological changes in the brain.Results:Bushen Yizhi Formula relieved the Aβ-induced effects including cell injury,decreased viability,increased apoptosis,G0/G1 phase cell cycle arrest,upregulation of GRP78,CHOP,p-IRE1α,p-JNK,Bax,XBP-1 and Bim,as well as down-regulation of Bcl-2.These results were also seen with IRE1αsilencing.While Aβsuppressed the learning and memory abilities of rats,the Bushen Yizhi Formula alleviated these effects of Aβ.Brain nerve cell injury induced by Aβcould also be treated with Bushen Yizhi Formula.Conclusion:Bushen Yizhi Formula could influence ERS through the IRE1αsignaling pathway to achieve its therapeutic effects on AD.

Research progress of sphingosine 1-phosphate and its signal transduction in central nervous system diseases

Sphingosine 1-phosphate(S1P),as a sphingolipid metabolite,has become a key substance in regulating various physiological processes,involved in differentiation,proliferation,migration,morphogenesis,cytoskeleton formation,adhesion,apoptosis,etc.process.Sphingosine 1-phosphate can not only activate the S1P-S1PR signaling pathway by binding to the corresponding receptors on the cell membrane,but also play a role in the cell.In recent years,studies have found that there is a certain relationship between its level changes and the occurrence and development of central nervous system diseases.This article reviews the latest knowledge of sphingosine-1-phosphate in the occurrence and treatment of nervous system diseases,and further clarifies its molecular mechanism in the treatment and development of central nervous system diseases.

IFIH1 and DDX58 gene variants in pediatric rheumatic diseases

BACKGROUND The IFIH1 gene codes the MDA5 protein and the DDX58 gene codes the RIG-I receptor.Both proteins are parts of the interferon(IFN)I signaling pathway and are responsible for antiviral defense and innate immune response.IFIH1 and DDX58 polymorphisms are associated with a spectrum of autoimmune diseases.Rare gain-of-function IFIH1 mutations have been found in Singleton-Merten and Aicardi-Goutières syndrome,while DDX58 mutation can cause atypical Singleton-Merten syndrome.AIM To characterize children with pediatric rheumatic diseases(PRD)carrying DDX58 or IFIH1 variants.METHODS Clinical exome sequencing was performed on 92 children with different PRD.IFIH1 and DDX58 variants have been detected in 14 children.IFN-I score has been analyzed and the clinical characteristics of patients have been studied.RESULTS A total of seven patients with systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE)(n=2),myelodysplastic syndrome with SLE features at the onset of the disease(n=1),mixed connective tissue disease(MCTD)(n=1),undifferentiated systemic autoinflammatory disease(uSAID)(n=3)have 5 different variants of the DDX58 gene.A common non-pathogenic variant p.D580E has been found in five children.A rare variant of uncertain significance(VUS)p.N354S was found in one patient with uSAID,a rare likely non-pathogenic variant p.E37K in one patient with uSAID,and a rare likely pathogenic variant p.Cys864fs in a patient with SLE.Elevated IFN-I score was detected in 6 of 7 patients with DDX58 variants.Seven patients had six different IFIH1 variants.They were presented with uSAID(n=2),juvenile dermatomyositis(JDM)(n=1),SLElike disease(n=1),Periodic fever with aphthous stomatitis,pharyngitis,and adenitis syndrome(n=1),and systemic onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis(n=1).Three patients have VUS p.E627X,one patient has benign variant p.I923V.Rare VUS p.R595H was detected in the JDM patient.Another rare VUS p.L679Ifs*2 and previously not reported variant p.V599Ffs*5 were detected in the patient with uSAID.One patient with uSAID has rare VUS p.T520A.All patients had elevated IFN-I scores.CONCLUSION Rare compound-heterozygous IFIH1 variant(p.L679Ifs*2 and p.V599Ffs*5),heterozygous IFIH1 variant(p.T520A)and heterozygous DDX58 variant(p.Cys864fs)are probably disease causative for uSAID and SLE.The majority of patients with different DDX58 and IFI1 variants had hyperactivation of the IFN I signaling pathway.