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PubMed2026

Astrocyte reactivity by alcohol dependence in the central amygdala.

Astrocytes play essential roles in maintaining brain homeostasis and in contributing to synaptic functions, but, in response to injury, infection, or disease, astrocytes can downregulate their homeostatic and physiological functions while increasing neuroinflammatory responses. The central amygdala (CeA) is important for stress responsivity and the development of alcohol (ethanol) dependence. Using a multi-omics approach in Aldh1l1-EGFP/Rpl10a mice and the chronic intermittent ethanol two-bottle choice (CIE-2BC) model, we have characterized the translational response of CeA astrocytes, as well as the proteomic and phosphoproteomic changes in ethanol dependent, non-dependent, and naïve mice. We identified astrocyte-specific alterations in neuroimmune functions and antioxidant/oxidative stress pathways in ethanol dependent mice as well as cytoskeletal plasticity related pathways in non-dependent mice. Proteomic analysis showed down-regulation of astrocyte physiological functions in dependent animals while phosphoproteomic analysis identified pathways associated with cytoskeleton remodeling in both dependent and non-dependent mice. Reconstructions of astrocyte morphologies demonstrated increased CeA astrocyte complexity in dependent and non-dependent groups compared to naïve mice. The astrocyte-specific activation of neuroimmune and antioxidant pathways, down-regulation of homeostatic functions, alteration in protein phosphorylation-mediated cytoskeleton remodeling, and increased astrocyte morphological complexity demonstrate that ethanol dependence induces astrocyte reactivity in the CeA consistent with both adaptive and maladaptive changes. These findings highlight the role of CeA astrocytes in the progression from alcohol intake to dependence and represent a first step toward identifying astrocyte-specific therapeutic strategies to treat Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) aimed at potentiating reactive astrocyte adaptive changes and inhibiting maladaptive responses.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

TNFα-induced endothelial extracellular vesicles regulate astrocyte function: an integrated transcriptomic and proteomic study.

Endothelial cells and astrocytes are critical structural and functional components of the blood-brain barrier. In many neuroinflammatory diseases, endothelial cells are among the first to respond to inflammatory stimuli and release extracellular vesicles (EVs). However, whether inflammatory stimulation alters EV RNA cargo and subsequently regulates astrocyte function remains unclear. In this study, we performed integrated RNA sequencing and proteomic analyses to investigate the effects of TNFα-stimulated endothelial EVs on astrocytes. RNA profiling revealed significant alterations in EV cargo after TNFα stimulation, including 867 upregulated and 577 downregulated mRNAs, 317 upregulated and 15 downregulated lncRNAs, and 88 upregulated and 62 downregulated miRNAs. The results of functional enrichment analysis suggested that altered EV RNAs may primarily promote inflammatory responses, cell migration, and RNA splicing in astrocytes while reducing their regulatory effects on neuronal projection and calcium homeostasis. Further integrative analysis of EV RNAs and astrocytic proteomics revealed key overlapping targets, including upregulated expression of ICAM1, SOD2, TFPI2, and TNFAIP8, whereas NFKBIA expression was consistently decreased. Network analysis revealed NF-κB as the central regulatory node. Reduced levels of EV-derived NFKBIA mRNA were associated with decreased IκBα protein levels in astrocytes, which promoted NF-κB activation and inflammatory cytokine release. Finally, overexpression of IκBα in astrocytes significantly attenuated TNFα EV-induced IL-1β and IL-6 secretion. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that TNFα-stimulated endothelial EVs coordinately regulate astrocyte function through mRNA, lncRNA, and miRNA cargo and that the IκBα/NF-κB axis may be a key mechanism underlying endothelial EV-mediated inflammatory disruption of the blood-brain barrier.

Astrocytes↗

PubMed2026

Cell type-dependent induction of type I interferon and PARP1 activation in astrocytes and neurons during chikungunya virus infection.

Chikungunya virus, a mosquito-borne alphavirus, causes fever, rash, arthritis, and neurological disorders. Its non-structural protein 3 harbors a macrodomain, a key neurovirulence factor that removes adenosine diphosphate ribose from ADP-ribosylated substrates. Notably, chikungunya virus infection results in distinct ADP-ribosylation patterns and non-structural protein 3 macrodomain-mediated replication dynamics in astrocytes and neurons. Understanding the connection between ADP-ribosylation and the activation of innate immunity, particularly interferon release, is key to elucidating how the cellular immunological state influences ADP-ribosylation, an understudied post-translational modification during viral infection. Here, murine astrocytic (C8-D1A) and neuronal (NSC-34) cells were infected with chikungunya virus to profile transcript and protein expression of innate immune mediators and type I IFNs. The role of PARP1 in global ADP-ribosylation patterns was assessed using PARP-specific inhibitors and genetic depletion approaches. Our investigations revealed that neuronal chikungunya virus infection induces ADP-ribosylation through PARP1 activation, driven by caspase-3-mediated apoptosis, without transcriptionally activating PARPs. In contrast, astrocytic infections showed minimal ADP-ribosylation despite transcriptional activation of interferon-stimulated PARPs. Neurons exhibited limited innate immune response gene transcriptional activity, whereas astrocytes demonstrated strong upregulation of genes essential for pattern recognition receptor activation, thus enhancing double-stranded RNA sensing and increasing type I interferon production during infection. We posit that PARP1 activation and type I IFN response differentially regulate ADP-ribosylation in chikungunya virus-infected neural cells in a cell type-dependent manner.IMPORTANCEChikungunya virus is an emergent mosquito-borne alphavirus increasingly associated with neurological infection and subsequent long-term disabilities. Its continued global spread and recurrent outbreaks underscore its significant pandemic potential and the urgent need for effective countermeasures. Chikungunya virus showcases distinct, cell-type dependent replication dynamics within astrocytes and neurons, two major permissive cerebral cell types. However, understanding of the immunological basis of such cell type-specific infection dynamics remains limited, yet is necessary to elucidate virus pathogenesis within the brain and thus identification of downstream drug targets. Our study characterized two distinctly activated innate immunological pathways in chikungunya virus-infected astrocytes versus neurons, thus significantly contributing to molecular understanding cell type-specific chikungunya virus neurovirulence on a molecular level.

Animals↗

PubMed2025

AstroGreen transgenic mouse illuminates the trafficking of astrocyte-derived extracellular vesicles.

Astrocytes interact with neighboring cells by releasing extracellular vesicles (EVs). Tools to study astrocyte EV-mediated communication with other brain cells in vivo are essential. In this study, we crossed the Exomap1 transgenic mouse expressing Cre-activated human-specific CD81 (HsCD81) fused to the fluorescent protein mNeonGreen (HsCD81mNG), to a transgenic mouse expressing Cre under the astrocyte-expressing GFAP promoter resulting in Exomap1::Gfap-Cre mice, referred to here as AstroGreen. We characterized HsCD81mNG-expressing astrocytes and shedded EVs loaded with HsCD81mNG and Cre, both in vitro and in mouse brains. Using this model, we show that HsCD81mNG can be used to track EV content, production, and functional Cre transfer in vitro and in the brain, allowing evaluation of the interaction of astrocytes with neighboring cells mediated by EVs. We anticipate that this model will improve our understanding of astrocytes transferring EVs within their surroundings during normal physiological processes and in the context of neuropathological conditions.

Animals↗

PubMed2025

Molecular signature of primate astrocytes reveals pathways and regulatory changes contributing to human brain evolution.

Astrocytes contribute to the development and regulation of the higher-level functions of the brain, the critical targets of evolution. However, how astrocytes evolve in primates is unsettled. Here, we obtain human, chimpanzee, and macaque induced pluripotent stem-cell-derived astrocytes (iAstrocytes). Human iAstrocytes are bigger and more complex than the non-human primate iAstrocytes. We identify new loci contributing to the increased human astrocyte. We show that genes and pathways implicated in long-range intercellular signaling are activated in the human iAstrocytes and partake in controlling iAstrocyte complexity. Genes downregulated in human iAstrocytes frequently relate to neurological disorders and were decreased in adult brain samples. Through regulome analysis and machine learning, we uncover that functional activation of enhancers coincides with a previously unappreciated, pervasive gain of "stripe" transcription factor binding sites. Altogether, we reveal the transcriptomic signature of primate astrocyte evolution and a mechanism driving the acquisition of the regulatory potential of enhancers.

Astrocytes↗

PubMed2025

Astrocytic glutamate regulation is shaped by adversity and glucocorticoid signalling.

Astrocytes are a brain cell type vulnerable to the effects of stress and the development of psychiatric-like phenotypes in animals, yet how this translates to humans is unclear. Here, we probed the diversity of ~145,000 total human cortical astrocytes with single nucleus and spatial transcriptomics, showing that human astrocytes comprise a molecularly and anatomically diverse cell population. In individuals with psychiatric disorders and high adversity exposure, we identified distinct alterations to glutamate-related synaptic functions, supported by histological quantification of >20,000 astrocytes. Early-life adversity exposure produced more pronounced cellular changes than adversity experienced later in life, and female cases displayed stronger transcriptomic associations than males with adversity exposure. Human pluripotent stem cell-derived astrocytes from both two- and three-dimensional models confirmed that glutamate signalling is directly impacted by glucocorticoid activation. Our findings highlight astrocytes as crucial players in how exposure to severe adversity raises risk to psychopathology and position them as strategic pharmacological targets for future intervention strategies.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2026

Pathogenic Variants in HEPACAM Alter Protein Localization and Interactome in Astrocytes of the Developing Mouse Cortex.

Megalencephalic leukoencephalopathy with subcortical cysts (MLC) is a rare leukodystrophy characterized by early-onset macrocephaly, white matter edema, seizures, and motor and cognitive decline. Approximately 25% of MLC patients carry HEPACAM pathogenic variants, many of which are dominant missense variants causing remitting MLC Type 2b. HEPACAM encodes hepatic and glial cell adhesion molecule (hepaCAM), also known as GlialCAM, an astrocyte-enriched transmembrane protein with important roles in astrocyte territory establishment, gap junction coupling, branching organization, synaptic function, and development of the gliovascular unit. The molecular mechanisms through which pathogenic variants in HEPACAM alter hepaCAM protein function in vivo and facilitate MLC pathogenesis during brain development remain largely unknown. Here, we used new viral tools and proximity-based proteomics to examine how three different dominant pathogenic variants alter hepaCAM subcellular localization and protein interactome in astrocytes of the developing mouse cortex. We found dramatic changes in hepaCAM distribution throughout the astrocyte, which were common to all mutants tested. We also observed significant changes in protein interactome between wild type and mutant hepaCAM, including decreased association with previously described hepaCAM-interacting proteins Connexin 43 and CLC-2. Moreover, we identified the epilepsy-associate potassium channel KCNQ2 as a novel hepaCAM interaction partner and found reduced association between KCNQ2 and pathogenic variants. Collectively, our data provide new insights into hepaCAM protein function in astrocytes during brain development, reveal altered protein dynamics of pathogenic variants, and provide a new resource to explore the molecular underpinnings of MLC pathogenesis.

Animals↗

PubMed2022

CRISPRi screens in human iPSC-derived astrocytes elucidate regulators of distinct inflammatory reactive states.

Astrocytes become reactive in response to insults to the central nervous system by adopting context-specific cellular signatures and outputs, but a systematic understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms is lacking. In this study, we developed CRISPR interference screening in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived astrocytes coupled to single-cell transcriptomics to systematically interrogate cytokine-induced inflammatory astrocyte reactivity. We found that autocrine-paracrine IL-6 and interferon signaling downstream of canonical NF-κB activation drove two distinct inflammatory reactive signatures, one promoted by STAT3 and the other inhibited by STAT3. These signatures overlapped with those observed in other experimental contexts, including mouse models, and their markers were upregulated in human brains in Alzheimer's disease and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. Furthermore, we validated that markers of these signatures were regulated by STAT3 in vivo using a mouse model of neuroinflammation. These results and the platform that we established have the potential to guide the development of therapeutics to selectively modulate different aspects of inflammatory astrocyte reactivity.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Cholesterol dysregulation in APOE4 astrocytes promotes α-synuclein pathology in miBrains.

The pathological hallmarks of neurodegeneration are the aberrant post-translational modification and aggregation of proteins. Genetic factors, like APOE4, increase the prevalence and severity of tau, amyloid, and α-synuclein pathologies. However, the human brain is largely inaccessible during this process, limiting mechanistic understanding. Here, we developed an iPSC-based 3D model that integrates neurons, glia, myelin, and cerebrovascular cells into a human brain-like tissue ("miBrain"). Single-nucleus RNA sequencing of miBrains confirmed the presence of diverse cell populations and revealed transcriptional responses to α-synuclein pathology. Like the human brain, pathogenic α-synuclein is increased in APOE4/4 miBrains. Combinatorial experiments revealed that endolysosomal dysfunction caused by cholesterol accumulation in APOE4/4 astrocytes impairs the degradation of soluble α-synuclein leading to a pathogenic transformation that seeds α-synuclein inclusions in neurons. Collectively, this study establishes a robust model for investigating protein inclusions in human iPSC-derived brain tissue and highlights the role of astrocytes and cholesterol in APOE4-mediated pathologies.

alpha-Synuclein↗

PubMed2008

Intravascular AAV9 preferentially targets neonatal neurons and adult astrocytes.

Delivery of genes to the brain and spinal cord across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) has not yet been achieved. Here we show that adeno-associated virus (AAV) 9 injected intravenously bypasses the BBB and efficiently targets cells of the central nervous system (CNS). Injection of AAV9-GFP into neonatal mice through the facial vein results in extensive transduction of dorsal root ganglia and motor neurons throughout the spinal cord and widespread transduction of neurons throughout the brain, including the neocortex, hippocampus and cerebellum. In adult mice, tail vein injection of AAV9-GFP leads to robust transduction of astrocytes throughout the entire CNS, with limited neuronal transduction. This approach may enable the development of gene therapies for a range of neurodegenerative diseases, such as spinal muscular atrophy, through targeting of motor neurons, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, through targeting of astrocytes. It may also be useful for rapid postnatal genetic manipulations in basic neuroscience studies.

Animals↗

PubMed2025

MicroRNA-122 overexpression suppresses the colon cancer cell proliferation by downregulating the astrocyte elevated gene-1/metadherin oncoprotein.

BACKGROUND: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate essential cellular functions, such as cell adhesion, proliferation, migration, invasion, and programmed cell death, and therefore, alterations in miRNAs can contribute to carcinogenesis. Previous studies have shown that miRNA-122 is abundant in the liver and regulates cell proliferation, migration, and apoptosis. However, the expression pattern and mechanism of actions of miR-122 remain primarily unknown in colon cancer. METHODS: In this study, we analyzed The Cancer Genome Atlas Colon Adenocarcinoma (TCGA-COAD) database to assess the clinical significance of astrocyte elevated gene-1 (AEG-1)/metadherin (MTDH) and miR-122 in colon cancer. MiR-122 overexpression studies were performed in HCT116, SW480, and SW620 cell lines. Dual-luciferase assay was carried out to confirm the interaction between AEG-1 and miR-122. In vivo-JetPEI-transfection reagent was used for in-vivo transient transfection of miR-122 in the AOM/DSS-induced colon tumor mouse model. RESULTS: Our results demonstrate that miR-122 was downregulated in colon cancer cells, and it influences the expressions of apoptotic factors and inflammatory cytokines. MiR-122 overexpression in HCT116, SW480, and SW620 cells showed upregulation of Caspase 3, Caspase 9, and BAX and decreased expression of BCL2, which are pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic members that maintain a ratio between cellular survival and cell death. In vivo transient transfection of miR-122 mimic in AOM/DSS induced colon tumor mouse model showed less inflammation and disease activity. The TCGA-COAD data indicated that AEG-1 expression was higher in patients with low expression of miR-122 and lower AEG-1 expression in patients with higher expression miR-122. CONCLUSION: Our findings highlight the key role of miR-122 in the high grade of colonic inflammation, and possibly in colon cancer, and the use of miR-122 mimic might be a therapeutic option.

MicroRNAs↗

PubMed2026

Quantitative proteomic profiling of neural cells-specific metabolic reprogramming in response to mitochondrial dysfunction using iMPAQT2.

Age-related mitochondrial dysfunction is increasingly recognized as a key contributor to neurodegenerative disease pathogenesis. In the central nervous system, neurons, oligodendrocytes, and astrocytes which derived from neural stem cells, fulfill distinct metabolic and functional roles. However, the specific vulnerabilities of these cell types to mitochondrial impairment remain unclear. In this study, we employed the iMPAQT2 proteomics platform to systematically compare the metabolic profiles of neurons, oligodendrocytes, and astrocytes, and to elucidate the molecular consequences of mitochondrial dysfunction induced by chloramphenicol and oligomycin. Our findings indicate that neurons and oligodendrocytes primarily rely on oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) for ATP production, whereas astrocytes predominantly utilize glycolysis. It is noteworthy that oligodendrocytes exhibited enriched pathways for cholesterol synthesis, fatty acid degradation, and heme catabolism-processes that are critical for myelin maintenance. Treatment with the mitochondrial function inhibitors chloramphenicol or oligomycin reduced the expression of OXPHOS enzymes in all cell types. This reduction was particularly pronounced in oligodendrocytes for glycolysis, cholesterol synthesis, heme degradation, and fatty acid degradation. These results suggest that oligodendrocytes are particularly vulnerable to mitochondrial dysfunction, which may play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of age-related neurodegenerative disorders.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Spindle Cell Predominant Anaplastic Pleomorphic Xanthoastrocytoma (WHO Grade 3) With Focal Piloid Features: A Rare Case Study With Comprehensive Molecular Profiling.

Pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma (PXA) is a rare astrocytic tumor of the central nervous system. The typical form demonstrates relatively low-grade histologic features, whereas an anaplastic variant shows more aggressive behavior, including increased mitotic activity and necrotic changes. These tumors are often associated with alterations involving key growth signaling pathways and cell cycle regulatory genes, with molecular features that may resemble those seen in other high-grade astrocytic neoplasms. We describe an unusual example of an anaplastic pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma showing focal piloid differentiation. The patient presented with acute neurologic symptoms, and imaging demonstrated a large, enhancing, well-circumscribed cerebral lesion with limited surrounding edema. Histologic evaluation revealed a highly cellular astrocytic neoplasm composed of spindle-shaped cells with marked pleomorphism, including scattered multinucleated forms, brisk mitotic activity, and necrotic areas. At the periphery, regions with elongated bipolar glial cells and occasional cytoplasmic inclusions suggestive of piloid morphology were identified. Molecular analysis demonstrated an activating alteration in the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway along with additional genomic abnormalities, while mutations commonly associated with diffuse gliomas were not detected. The presence of piloid features within an otherwise anaplastic tumor is rare and may be relevant to the relatively favorable outcome observed during extended follow-up.

anaplastic↗

PubMed2024

Maternal COVID-19 infection associated with offspring neurodevelopmental disorders.

Maternal COVID-19 infection increases the incidence of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) in offspring, although the underlying mechanisms have not been elucidated. This study demonstrated that COVID-19 infection during pregnancy disrupted the balance of maternal and fetal immune environments, driving alterations in astrocytes, endothelial cells, and excitatory neurons. A risk score was established using 47 unique genes in the single-cell transcriptome of gestational mothers. The high risk score in CD4 proliferating T cell level served as an indicator for increased risk of offspring NDDs. Summary-based Mendelian randomization and phenome-wide association study analyses were conducted to identify the causal association of the transcriptional changes with the increased risk of offspring NDDs. Additionally, 10 drugs were identified as potential therapeutic candidates. Our findings support a model where the maternal COVID-19 infection changed the levels of CD4 proliferating T cells, leading to the alterations of astrocytes, endothelial cells, and excitatory neurons in offspring, contributing to the increased risk of NDDs in these individuals.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

FPR2/ALX stimulation modulates microglia and natural killer cells to restrict autoimmune astrocytopathy.

Autoantibody- and complement-mediated cytotoxicity can cause autoimmune astrocytopathy that leads to CNS inflammatory demyelination. Formyl peptide receptor 2 (FPR2/ALX) governs the activation and propagation of immune response. However, the precise role of FPR2/ALX in neuroinflammation and the effect of FPR2/ALX stimulation on autoimmune astrocytopathy are poorly understood. Using a mouse model of autoimmune astrocytopathy induced by AQP4-IgG- and complement-mediated cytotoxicity, we found that the stimulation of FPR2/ALX with the small-molecule agonist Quin-C1 led to reduced brain lesion volume, astrocyte loss and demyelination. This was accompanied by enhanced anti-inflammatory activity of microglia and reduced infiltration of lymphocytes in the brain. FPR2/ALX stimulation also led to increased phosphorylation of SYK and AKT in mice with autoimmune astrocytopathy. Notably, the benefits of FPR2/ALX stimulation were attenuated in mice with autoimmune astrocytopathy after microglial depletion using the CSF1R inhibitor PLX5622 or natural killer (NK) cell depletion using an anti-NK1.1 monoclonal antibody. Additionally, the protective effects of FPR2/ALX stimulation were diminished in mice with autoimmune astrocytopathy that received the SYK inhibitor R406. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that FPR2/ALX stimulation may represent a promising therapeutic strategy to attenuate detrimental neuroinflammation in autoimmune astrocytopathy by modulating microglia and NK cells. FPR2/ALX stimulation suppresses autoimmune astrocytopathy: Using a mouse model of autoimmune astrocytopathy, we demonstrated that FPR2/ALX stimulation with the small molecule Quin-C1 reduces the CNS infiltration of lymphocytes and augments the anti-inflammatory activity of microglia, leading to attenuated astrocyte pathology induced by AQP4-IgG and complement-mediated attacks. Mechanistically, the benefits of FPR2/ALX stimulation using Quin-C1 involve microglia, natural killer (NK) cells, and SYK-AKT signaling.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Cell-type signatures of Alzheimer's disease shared across population groups.

Genomic studies at single-cell resolution have identified several cell types associated with clinical and pathological traits in Alzheimer's disease1-9, but have not examined associations that are shared across populations. To bridge this gap, here we use single-nucleus RNA sequencing and assay for transposase-accessible chromatin with sequencing to profile cortical and subcortical regions in post-mortem brain-tissue samples from Latin, white (excluding Latin) and African American (excluding Latin) individuals. Using discrete and continuous dissections of molecular programs, we identify cell-type-specific clusters associated with Alzheimer's disease in a region-specific manner across all three population groups, including microglial (GPNMB+ and CD74+ subgroups), astrocytic (SERPINH1+, CD44+ and WIF1+ subgroups) and neuronal (SST+ GABAergic and superficial-layer glutamatergic) signatures. We also report continuous gene-expression factors in astrocytes and oligodendrocytes that are not captured by discrete cluster assignments, but which show strong associations with disease phenotypes; these factors are enriched for genes associated with annotated functions such as lipid processing and neurotransmitter reuptake. Finally, we find that molecular programs reveal six distinct subgroups of individuals with cognitive impairment that span all three populations, are not captured by neuropathology, and are instead distinguished by molecular signatures that are not universally present but are nonetheless associated with ante-mortem impairment. Overall, our study identifies key cell types and gene programs implicated in Alzheimer's disease that are shared across population groups, and underscores how representative sampling can capture both shared signatures and disease heterogeneity, thereby enabling better prioritization of key cell types for further investigation.

Female↗

PubMed2026

Hypothesis-free evaluation of circulating metabolome provides cell-specific insights regarding the role of energy substrate availability in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease with limited therapeutic options. The circulating metabolome comprises small molecules present in plasma/serum which are the intermediates and end-products of cellular metabolism, and is linked to ALS pathogenesis. METHODS: We conducted hypothesis-free two-sample Mendelian randomisation (MR) analysis of the concentration of 575 plasma/serum metabolites, to determine which are causally linked to risk of ALS. Significant metabolites were validated in an independent GWAS of plasma/serum metabolite concentrations and evaluated for sex-specific effects. Correlations between directly measured patient biofluid metabolite concentrations and ALS risk/severity were examined in 94 ALS patients and 40 controls. We experimentally assessed metabolic function in a murine neurons and human astrocytes carrying an ALS-associated G4C2-repeat expansion within C9orf72. RESULTS: MR causally associated five metabolites with ALS risk after multiple-testing correction. Higher serum concentration of glycoprotein acetyls (P = 9.7e - 9, β = 0.21) and the peptide DSGEGDFXAEGGGVR (P = 8.0e - 6, β = 0.22) was associated with increased ALS risk, whereas higher plasma concentration of phenylalanylserine, isobutyrylcarnitine, and acetylcarnitine was protective (P < 5e - 5, β = - 0.29 to - 0.72). DSGEGDFXAEGGGVR has been linked to glucose metabolism but we have used genetic fine-mapping to link DSGEGDFXAEGGGVR, neuronal glucose uptake through GLUT3, and ALS risk. Direct measurement of metabolite concentrations in patient biofluids revealed elevated acetylcarnitine levels in patients with ALS, which were associated with delayed symptom onset (Cox regression, P = 0.02, HR = 0.4). Similarly, lactate is elevated in ALS patient CSF (ANOVA, P = 1.3e - 3) and in patients with longer survival time (Cox regression, P = 0.03, HR = 0.3). Plasma fructose is elevated in ALS patients with shorter survival time (Cox regression, P = 0.02, HR = 1.1). In vitro, neurons and astrocytes carrying an ALS-associated G4C2-repeat expansion within C9orf72 demonstrated reduced metabolic flexibility. CONCLUSIONS: We provide evidence that impaired energy substrate availability contributes to ALS risk and severity. CNS cell types differ in their use of energy substrates and therefore we postulate the relative importance of different cell types for different stages of disease. Our findings support further investigation of metabolic interventions to treat or prevent ALS.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis↗

PubMed2026

Integrative multi-omics identifies DOC2A as a novel pharmacological target for bipolar disorder.

BACKGROUND: Current bipolar disorder (BD) therapies suffer from limited efficacy and adverse effects, necessitating mechanistically grounded targets. METHODS: We integrated BD genome-wide association study data (158,036 cases; 2,796,499 controls) with brain proteomics (ROSMAP and Banner dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, n = 376 and 152) to perform proteome-wide association studies (PWAS). Bayesian colocalization and summary-data-based Mendelian randomization (SMR) prioritized causal genes. Cell-type-specific transcriptomics validated dysregulation in iPSC-derived neurons, astrocytes, and postmortem hippocampus/prefrontal cortex. Weighted gene co-expression networks (WGCNAs), functional enrichment, and molecular docking assessed functional pathways and druggability. RESULTS: PWAS identified eight BD-associated genes (false discovery rate < 0.05), with DOC2A emerging as the top candidate. Colocalization (H4 > 0.8) and SMR supported a causal association of DOC2A with BD, with no pleiotropy (heterogeneity in dependent instruments P > 0.01); DOC2A expression decreased in BD across neurons (P = 4.26 × 10-2), astrocytes (P = 2.09 × 10-2), hippocampus (P = 9.80 × 10-3, t = -2.738), and prefrontal cortex (P = 1.44 × 10-2, t = -2.580); WGCNA positioned DOC2A as a key regulator (module membership/gene significance P < 0.05) of co-expression networks enriched for BD-associated processes including neurotransmitter secretion and postsynaptic actin cytoskeleton organization (P < 0.05); molecular docking revealed favorable-affinity binding (ΔG < -4 kcal/mol) between DOC2A and BD-related drugs and neuroprotective compounds. CONCLUSIONS: Our convergent multi-omics framework highlights DOC2A dysregulation as a key contributor to synaptic dysfunction in BD and nominates it as a promising therapeutic target. The demonstrated interaction with existing neuroactive compounds provides immediate translational avenues.

Bipolar Disorder↗