New Insights into the Molecular Interplay between Human Herpesviruses and Alzheimer’s Disease—A Narrative Review
Human herpesviruses (HHVs) have been implicated as possible risk factors in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathogenesis. Persistent lifelong HHVs infections may directly or indirectly contribute to the generation of AD hallmarks: amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques, neurofibrillary tangles composed of hyperphosphor...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-07-01
|
| Series: | Brain Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/12/8/1010 |
| _version_ | 1797432338702925824 |
|---|---|
| author | Evita Athanasiou Antonios N. Gargalionis Cleo Anastassopoulou Athanassios Tsakris Fotini Boufidou |
| author_facet | Evita Athanasiou Antonios N. Gargalionis Cleo Anastassopoulou Athanassios Tsakris Fotini Boufidou |
| author_sort | Evita Athanasiou |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Human herpesviruses (HHVs) have been implicated as possible risk factors in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathogenesis. Persistent lifelong HHVs infections may directly or indirectly contribute to the generation of AD hallmarks: amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques, neurofibrillary tangles composed of hyperphosphorylated tau proteins, and synaptic loss. The present review focuses on summarizing current knowledge on the molecular mechanistic links between HHVs and AD that include processes involved in Aβ accumulation, tau protein hyperphosphorylation, autophagy, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation. A PubMed search was performed to collect all the available research data regarding the above mentioned mechanistic links between HHVs and AD pathology. The vast majority of research articles referred to the different pathways exploited by Herpes Simplex Virus 1 that could lead to AD pathology, while a few studies highlighted the emerging role of HHV 6, cytomegalovirus, and Epstein–Barr Virus. The elucidation of such potential links may guide the development of novel diagnostics and therapeutics to counter this devastating neurological disorder that until now remains incurable. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T09:58:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-07f3e9fea2d441238e8aea7f8ed76ef4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3425 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T09:58:57Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Brain Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-07f3e9fea2d441238e8aea7f8ed76ef42023-12-01T23:30:58ZengMDPI AGBrain Sciences2076-34252022-07-01128101010.3390/brainsci12081010New Insights into the Molecular Interplay between Human Herpesviruses and Alzheimer’s Disease—A Narrative ReviewEvita Athanasiou0Antonios N. Gargalionis1Cleo Anastassopoulou2Athanassios Tsakris3Fotini Boufidou4Department of Biopathology, Primary Healthfund, Bank of Greece, 105 64 Athens, GreeceDepartment of Biopathology, Eginition Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 28 Athens, GreeceDepartment of Microbiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 27 Athens, GreeceDepartment of Microbiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 27 Athens, GreeceNeurochemistry and Biological Markers Unit, 1st Department of Neurology, Eginition Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 28 Athens, GreeceHuman herpesviruses (HHVs) have been implicated as possible risk factors in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathogenesis. Persistent lifelong HHVs infections may directly or indirectly contribute to the generation of AD hallmarks: amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques, neurofibrillary tangles composed of hyperphosphorylated tau proteins, and synaptic loss. The present review focuses on summarizing current knowledge on the molecular mechanistic links between HHVs and AD that include processes involved in Aβ accumulation, tau protein hyperphosphorylation, autophagy, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation. A PubMed search was performed to collect all the available research data regarding the above mentioned mechanistic links between HHVs and AD pathology. The vast majority of research articles referred to the different pathways exploited by Herpes Simplex Virus 1 that could lead to AD pathology, while a few studies highlighted the emerging role of HHV 6, cytomegalovirus, and Epstein–Barr Virus. The elucidation of such potential links may guide the development of novel diagnostics and therapeutics to counter this devastating neurological disorder that until now remains incurable.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/12/8/1010Alzheimer’s disease viral hypothesishuman herpesvirusesamyloid beta (Aβ)tau proteinneuroinflammation |
| spellingShingle | Evita Athanasiou Antonios N. Gargalionis Cleo Anastassopoulou Athanassios Tsakris Fotini Boufidou New Insights into the Molecular Interplay between Human Herpesviruses and Alzheimer’s Disease—A Narrative Review Brain Sciences Alzheimer’s disease viral hypothesis human herpesviruses amyloid beta (Aβ) tau protein neuroinflammation |
| title | New Insights into the Molecular Interplay between Human Herpesviruses and Alzheimer’s Disease—A Narrative Review |
| title_full | New Insights into the Molecular Interplay between Human Herpesviruses and Alzheimer’s Disease—A Narrative Review |
| title_fullStr | New Insights into the Molecular Interplay between Human Herpesviruses and Alzheimer’s Disease—A Narrative Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | New Insights into the Molecular Interplay between Human Herpesviruses and Alzheimer’s Disease—A Narrative Review |
| title_short | New Insights into the Molecular Interplay between Human Herpesviruses and Alzheimer’s Disease—A Narrative Review |
| title_sort | new insights into the molecular interplay between human herpesviruses and alzheimer s disease a narrative review |
| topic | Alzheimer’s disease viral hypothesis human herpesviruses amyloid beta (Aβ) tau protein neuroinflammation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/12/8/1010 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT evitaathanasiou newinsightsintothemolecularinterplaybetweenhumanherpesvirusesandalzheimersdiseaseanarrativereview AT antoniosngargalionis newinsightsintothemolecularinterplaybetweenhumanherpesvirusesandalzheimersdiseaseanarrativereview AT cleoanastassopoulou newinsightsintothemolecularinterplaybetweenhumanherpesvirusesandalzheimersdiseaseanarrativereview AT athanassiostsakris newinsightsintothemolecularinterplaybetweenhumanherpesvirusesandalzheimersdiseaseanarrativereview AT fotiniboufidou newinsightsintothemolecularinterplaybetweenhumanherpesvirusesandalzheimersdiseaseanarrativereview |