Evaluation of Cell-Specific Alterations in Alzheimer’s Disease and Relevance of In Vitro Models

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder classically characterized by two neuropathological hallmarks: β-amyloid plaques and tau tangles in the brain. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in AD are still elusive, which dampens the possibility of finding new and mor...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Giorgio Guido, Katia Mangano, Lyubka Tancheva, Reni Kalfin, Gian Marco Leone, Andrea Saraceno, Paolo Fagone, Ferdinando Nicoletti, Maria Cristina Petralia
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-12-01
Series:Genes
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4425/14/12/2187
_version_ 1797380894124670976
author Giorgio Guido
Katia Mangano
Lyubka Tancheva
Reni Kalfin
Gian Marco Leone
Andrea Saraceno
Paolo Fagone
Ferdinando Nicoletti
Maria Cristina Petralia
author_facet Giorgio Guido
Katia Mangano
Lyubka Tancheva
Reni Kalfin
Gian Marco Leone
Andrea Saraceno
Paolo Fagone
Ferdinando Nicoletti
Maria Cristina Petralia
author_sort Giorgio Guido
collection DOAJ
description Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder classically characterized by two neuropathological hallmarks: β-amyloid plaques and tau tangles in the brain. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in AD are still elusive, which dampens the possibility of finding new and more effective therapeutic interventions. Current in vitro models are limited in modelling the complexity of AD pathogenesis. In this study, we aimed to characterize the AD expression signature upon a meta-analysis of multiple human datasets, including different cell populations from various brain regions, and compare cell-specific alterations in AD patients and in vitro models to highlight the appropriateness and the limitations of the currently available models in recapitulating AD pathology. The meta-analysis showed consistent enrichment of the Rho GTPases signaling pathway among different cell populations and in the models. The accuracy of in vitro models was higher for neurons and lowest for astrocytes. Our study underscores the particularly low fidelity in modelling down-regulated genes across all cell populations. The top enriched pathways arising from meta-analysis of human data differ from the enriched pathways arising from the overlap. We hope that our data will prove useful in indicating a starting point in the development of future, more complex, 3D in vitro models.
first_indexed 2024-03-08T20:44:33Z
format Article
id doaj.art-2c87dcc796e747a58168b74aedc2dbe3
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2073-4425
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-08T20:44:33Z
publishDate 2023-12-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Genes
spelling doaj.art-2c87dcc796e747a58168b74aedc2dbe32023-12-22T14:11:13ZengMDPI AGGenes2073-44252023-12-011412218710.3390/genes14122187Evaluation of Cell-Specific Alterations in Alzheimer’s Disease and Relevance of In Vitro ModelsGiorgio Guido0Katia Mangano1Lyubka Tancheva2Reni Kalfin3Gian Marco Leone4Andrea Saraceno5Paolo Fagone6Ferdinando Nicoletti7Maria Cristina Petralia8Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, ItalyDepartment of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, ItalyDepartment of Biological Effects of Natural and Synthetic Substances, Institute of Neurobiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. Georgi Bonchev Str. Block 23, 1113 Sofia, BulgariaDepartment of Biological Effects of Natural and Synthetic Substances, Institute of Neurobiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. Georgi Bonchev Str. Block 23, 1113 Sofia, BulgariaDepartment of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, ItalyDepartment of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, ItalyDepartment of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, ItalyDepartment of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, ItalyDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, ItalyAlzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder classically characterized by two neuropathological hallmarks: β-amyloid plaques and tau tangles in the brain. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in AD are still elusive, which dampens the possibility of finding new and more effective therapeutic interventions. Current in vitro models are limited in modelling the complexity of AD pathogenesis. In this study, we aimed to characterize the AD expression signature upon a meta-analysis of multiple human datasets, including different cell populations from various brain regions, and compare cell-specific alterations in AD patients and in vitro models to highlight the appropriateness and the limitations of the currently available models in recapitulating AD pathology. The meta-analysis showed consistent enrichment of the Rho GTPases signaling pathway among different cell populations and in the models. The accuracy of in vitro models was higher for neurons and lowest for astrocytes. Our study underscores the particularly low fidelity in modelling down-regulated genes across all cell populations. The top enriched pathways arising from meta-analysis of human data differ from the enriched pathways arising from the overlap. We hope that our data will prove useful in indicating a starting point in the development of future, more complex, 3D in vitro models.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4425/14/12/2187Alzheimer’s diseaseneurodegenerationin vitro models
spellingShingle Giorgio Guido
Katia Mangano
Lyubka Tancheva
Reni Kalfin
Gian Marco Leone
Andrea Saraceno
Paolo Fagone
Ferdinando Nicoletti
Maria Cristina Petralia
Evaluation of Cell-Specific Alterations in Alzheimer’s Disease and Relevance of In Vitro Models
Genes
Alzheimer’s disease
neurodegeneration
in vitro models
title Evaluation of Cell-Specific Alterations in Alzheimer’s Disease and Relevance of In Vitro Models
title_full Evaluation of Cell-Specific Alterations in Alzheimer’s Disease and Relevance of In Vitro Models
title_fullStr Evaluation of Cell-Specific Alterations in Alzheimer’s Disease and Relevance of In Vitro Models
title_full_unstemmed Evaluation of Cell-Specific Alterations in Alzheimer’s Disease and Relevance of In Vitro Models
title_short Evaluation of Cell-Specific Alterations in Alzheimer’s Disease and Relevance of In Vitro Models
title_sort evaluation of cell specific alterations in alzheimer s disease and relevance of in vitro models
topic Alzheimer’s disease
neurodegeneration
in vitro models
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4425/14/12/2187
work_keys_str_mv AT giorgioguido evaluationofcellspecificalterationsinalzheimersdiseaseandrelevanceofinvitromodels
AT katiamangano evaluationofcellspecificalterationsinalzheimersdiseaseandrelevanceofinvitromodels
AT lyubkatancheva evaluationofcellspecificalterationsinalzheimersdiseaseandrelevanceofinvitromodels
AT renikalfin evaluationofcellspecificalterationsinalzheimersdiseaseandrelevanceofinvitromodels
AT gianmarcoleone evaluationofcellspecificalterationsinalzheimersdiseaseandrelevanceofinvitromodels
AT andreasaraceno evaluationofcellspecificalterationsinalzheimersdiseaseandrelevanceofinvitromodels
AT paolofagone evaluationofcellspecificalterationsinalzheimersdiseaseandrelevanceofinvitromodels
AT ferdinandonicoletti evaluationofcellspecificalterationsinalzheimersdiseaseandrelevanceofinvitromodels
AT mariacristinapetralia evaluationofcellspecificalterationsinalzheimersdiseaseandrelevanceofinvitromodels