Browsing by Author "Laws, Simon M."

Now showing 1 - 8 of 8
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    An IL1RL1 genetic variant lowers soluble ST2 levels and the risk effects of APOE-ε4 in female patients with Alzheimer’s disease
    (Springer Nature, 2022) Jiang, Yuanbing; Zhou, Xiaopu; Wong, Hiu Yi; Ouyang, Li; Ip, Fanny C. F.; Chau, Vicky M. N.; Lau, Shun-Fat; Wu, Wei; Wong, Daniel Y. K.; Seo, Heukjin; Fu, Wing-Yu; Lai, Nicole C. H.; Chen, Yuewen; Chen, Yu; Tong, Estella P. S.; Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative; Mok, Vincent C. T.; Kwok, Timothy C. Y.; Mok, Kin Y.; Shoai, Maryam; Lehallier, Benoit; Morán Losada, Patricia; O'Brien, Eleanor; Porter, Tenielle; Laws, Simon M.; Hardy, John; Wyss-Coray, Tony; Masters, Colin L.; Fu, Amy K. Y.; Ip, Nancy Y.; Radiology and Imaging Sciences, School of Medicine
    Changes in the levels of circulating proteins are associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD), whereas their pathogenic roles in AD are unclear. Here, we identified soluble ST2 (sST2), a decoy receptor of interleukin-33-ST2 signaling, as a new disease-causing factor in AD. Increased circulating sST2 level is associated with more severe pathological changes in female individuals with AD. Genome-wide association analysis and CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing identified rs1921622 , a genetic variant in an enhancer element of IL1RL1, which downregulates gene and protein levels of sST2. Mendelian randomization analysis using genetic variants, including rs1921622 , demonstrated that decreased sST2 levels lower AD risk and related endophenotypes in females carrying the Apolipoprotein E (APOE)-ε4 genotype; the association is stronger in Chinese than in European-descent populations. Human and mouse transcriptome and immunohistochemical studies showed that rs1921622 /sST2 regulates amyloid-beta (Aβ) pathology through the modulation of microglial activation and Aβ clearance. These findings demonstrate how sST2 level is modulated by a genetic variation and plays a disease-causing role in females with AD.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    APOE ε2 resilience for Alzheimer's disease is mediated by plasma lipid species: Analysis of three independent cohort studies
    (Wiley, 2022) Wang, Tingting; Huynh, Kevin; Giles, Corey; Mellett, Natalie A.; Duong, Thy; Nguyen, Anh; Lim, Wei Ling Florence; Smith, Alex At; Olshansky, Gavriel; Cadby, Gemma; Hung, Joseph; Hui, Jennie; Beilby, John; Watts, Gerald F.; Chatterjee, Pratishtha; Martins, Ian; Laws, Simon M.; Bush, Ashley I.; Rowe, Christopher C.; Villemagne, Victor L.; Ames, David; Masters, Colin L.; Taddei, Kevin; Doré, Vincent; Fripp, Jürgen; Arnold, Matthias; Kastenmüller, Gabi; Nho, Kwangsik; Saykin, Andrew J.; Baillie, Rebecca; Han, Xianlin; Martins, Ralph N.; Moses, Eric K.; Kaddurah-Daouk, Rima; Meikle, Peter J.; Radiology and Imaging Sciences, School of Medicine
    Introduction: The apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype is the strongest genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's disease. However, its effect on lipid metabolic pathways, and their mediating effect on disease risk, is poorly understood. Methods: We performed lipidomic analysis on three independent cohorts (the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle [AIBL] flagship study, n = 1087; the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative [ADNI] 1 study, n = 819; and the Busselton Health Study [BHS], n = 4384), and we defined associations between APOE ε2 and ε4 and 569 plasma/serum lipid species. Mediation analysis defined the proportion of the treatment effect of the APOE genotype mediated by plasma/serum lipid species. Results: A total of 237 and 104 lipid species were associated with APOE ε2 and ε4, respectively. Of these 68 (ε2) and 24 (ε4) were associated with prevalent Alzheimer's disease. Individual lipid species or lipidomic models of APOE genotypes mediated up to 30% and 10% of APOE ε2 and ε4 treatment effect, respectively. Discussion: Plasma lipid species mediate the treatment effect of APOE genotypes on Alzheimer's disease and as such represent a potential therapeutic target.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Comprehensive analysis of epigenetic clocks reveals associations between disproportionate biological ageing and hippocampal volume
    (Springer, 2022) Milicic, Lidija; Vacher, Michael; Porter, Tenielle; Doré, Vincent; Burnham, Samantha C.; Bourgeat, Pierrick; Shishegar, Rosita; Doecke, James; Armstrong, Nicola J.; Tankard, Rick; Maruff, Paul; Masters, Colin L.; Rowe, Christopher C.; Villemagne, Victor L.; Laws, Simon M.; Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI); Australian Imaging Biomarkers and Lifestyle (AIBL) Study; Medical and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine
    The concept of age acceleration, the difference between biological age and chronological age, is of growing interest, particularly with respect to age-related disorders, such as Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Whilst studies have reported associations with AD risk and related phenotypes, there remains a lack of consensus on these associations. Here we aimed to comprehensively investigate the relationship between five recognised measures of age acceleration, based on DNA methylation patterns (DNAm age), and cross-sectional and longitudinal cognition and AD-related neuroimaging phenotypes (volumetric MRI and Amyloid-β PET) in the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle (AIBL) and the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). Significant associations were observed between age acceleration using the Hannum epigenetic clock and cross-sectional hippocampal volume in AIBL and replicated in ADNI. In AIBL, several other findings were observed cross-sectionally, including a significant association between hippocampal volume and the Hannum and Phenoage epigenetic clocks. Further, significant associations were also observed between hippocampal volume and the Zhang and Phenoage epigenetic clocks within Amyloid-β positive individuals. However, these were not validated within the ADNI cohort. No associations between age acceleration and other Alzheimer's disease-related phenotypes, including measures of cognition or brain Amyloid-β burden, were observed, and there was no association with longitudinal change in any phenotype. This study presents a link between age acceleration, as determined using DNA methylation, and hippocampal volume that was statistically significant across two highly characterised cohorts. The results presented in this study contribute to a growing literature that supports the role of epigenetic modifications in ageing and AD-related phenotypes.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Comprehensive genetic analysis of the human lipidome identifies loci associated with lipid homeostasis with links to coronary artery disease
    (Springer Nature, 2022-06-06) Cadby, Gemma; Giles, Corey; Melton, Phillip E.; Huynh, Kevin; Mellett, Natalie A.; Duong, Thy; Nguyen, Anh; Cinel, Michelle; Smith, Alex; Olshansky, Gavriel; Wang, Tingting; Brozynska, Marta; Inouye, Mike; McCarthy, Nina S.; Ariff, Amir; Hung, Joseph; Hui, Jennie; Beilby, John; Dubé, Marie-Pierre; Watts, Gerald F.; Shah, Sonia; Wray, Naomi R.; Lim, Wei Ling Florence; Chatterjee, Pratishtha; Martins, Ian; Laws, Simon M.; Porter, Tenielle; Vacher, Michael; Bush, Ashley I.; Rowe, Christopher C.; Villemagne, Victor L.; Ames, David; Masters, Colin L.; Taddei, Kevin; Arnold, Matthias; Kastenmüller, Gabi; Nho, Kwangsik; Saykin, Andrew J.; Han, Xianlin; Kaddurah-Daouk, Rima; Martins, Ralph N.; Blangero, John; Meikle, Peter J.; Moses, Eric K.; Radiology and Imaging Sciences, School of Medicine
    We integrated lipidomics and genomics to unravel the genetic architecture of lipid metabolism and identify genetic variants associated with lipid species putatively in the mechanistic pathway for coronary artery disease (CAD). We quantified 596 lipid species in serum from 4,492 individuals from the Busselton Health Study. The discovery GWAS identified 3,361 independent lipid-loci associations, involving 667 genomic regions (479 previously unreported), with validation in two independent cohorts. A meta-analysis revealed an additional 70 independent genomic regions associated with lipid species. We identified 134 lipid endophenotypes for CAD associated with 186 genomic loci. Associations between independent lipid-loci with coronary atherosclerosis were assessed in ∼456,000 individuals from the UK Biobank. Of the 53 lipid-loci that showed evidence of association (P < 1 × 10-3), 43 loci were associated with at least one lipid endophenotype. These findings illustrate the value of integrative biology to investigate the aetiology of atherosclerosis and CAD, with implications for other complex diseases.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Concordant peripheral lipidome signatures in two large clinical studies of Alzheimer’s disease
    (Nature, 2020-11-10) Huynh, Kevin; Lim, Wei Ling Florence; Giles, Corey; Jayawardana, Kaushala S.; Salim, Agus; Mellett, Natalie A.; Smith, Adam Alexander T.; Olshansky, Gavriel; Drew, Brian G.; Chatterjee, Pratishtha; Martins, Ian; Laws, Simon M.; Bush, Ashley I.; Rowe, Christopher C.; Villemagne, Victor L.; Ames, David; Masters, Colin L.; Arnold, Matthias; Nho, Kwangsik; Saykin, Andrew J.; Baillie, Rebecca; Han, Xianlin; Kaddurah-Daouk, Rima; Martins, Ralph N.; Meikle, Peter J.; BioHealth Informatics, School of Informatics and Computing
    Changes to lipid metabolism are tightly associated with the onset and pathology of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Lipids are complex molecules comprising many isomeric and isobaric species, necessitating detailed analysis to enable interpretation of biological significance. Our expanded targeted lipidomics platform (569 species across 32 classes) allows for detailed lipid separation and characterisation. In this study we examined peripheral samples of two cohorts (AIBL, n = 1112 and ADNI, n = 800). We are able to identify concordant peripheral signatures associated with prevalent AD arising from lipid pathways including; ether lipids, sphingolipids (notably GM3 gangliosides) and lipid classes previously associated with cardiometabolic disease (phosphatidylethanolamine and triglycerides). We subsequently identified similar lipid signatures in both cohorts with future disease. Lastly, we developed multivariate lipid models that improved classification and prediction. Our results provide a holistic view between the lipidome and AD using a comprehensive approach, providing targets for further mechanistic investigation., The onset and pathology of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is associated with changes to lipid metabolism. Here, the authors analysed 569 lipids from 32 classes and subclasses in two independent patient cohorts to identify key lipid pathways to link the plasma lipidome with AD and the future onset of AD.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    CYP1B1-RMDN2 Alzheimer's disease endophenotype locus identified for cerebral tau PET
    (Springer Nature, 2024-09-20) Nho, Kwangsik; Risacher, Shannon L.; Apostolova, Liana G.; Bice, Paula J.; Brosch, Jared R.; Deardorff, Rachael; Faber, Kelley; Farlow, Martin R.; Foroud, Tatiana; Gao, Sujuan; Rosewood, Thea; Kim, Jun Pyo; Nudelman, Kelly; Yu, Meichen; Aisen, Paul; Sperling, Reisa; Hooli, Basavaraj; Shcherbinin, Sergey; Svaldi, Diana; Jack, Clifford R., Jr.; Jagust, William J.; Landau, Susan; Vasanthakumar, Aparna; Waring, Jeffrey F.; Doré, Vincent; Laws, Simon M.; Masters, Colin L.; Porter, Tenielle; Rowe, Christopher C.; Villemagne, Victor L.; Dumitrescu, Logan; Hohman, Timothy J.; Libby, Julia B.; Mormino, Elizabeth; Buckley, Rachel F.; Johnson, Keith; Yang, Hyun-Sik; Petersen, Ronald C.; Ramanan, Vijay K.; Ertekin-Taner, Nilüfer; Vemuri, Prashanthi; Cohen, Ann D.; Fan, Kang-Hsien; Kamboh, M. Ilyas; Lopez, Oscar L.; Bennett, David A.; Ali, Muhammad; Benzinger, Tammie; Cruchaga, Carlos; Hobbs, Diana; De Jager, Philip L.; Fujita, Masashi; Jadhav, Vaishnavi; Lamb, Bruce T.; Tsai, Andy P.; Castanho, Isabel; Mill, Jonathan; Weiner, Michael W.; Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI); Department of Defense Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (DoD-ADNI); Anti-Amyloid Treatment in Asymptomatic Alzheimer’s Study (A4 Study) and Longitudinal Evaluation of Amyloid Risk and Neurodegeneration (LEARN); Australian Imaging, Biomarker & Lifestyle Study (AIBL); Saykin, Andrew J.; Radiology and Imaging Sciences, School of Medicine
    Determining the genetic architecture of Alzheimer's disease pathologies can enhance mechanistic understanding and inform precision medicine strategies. Here, we perform a genome-wide association study of cortical tau quantified by positron emission tomography in 3046 participants from 12 independent studies. The CYP1B1-RMDN2 locus is associated with tau deposition. The most significant signal is at rs2113389, explaining 4.3% of the variation in cortical tau, while APOE4 rs429358 accounts for 3.6%. rs2113389 is associated with higher tau and faster cognitive decline. Additive effects, but no interactions, are observed between rs2113389 and diagnosis, APOE4, and amyloid beta positivity. CYP1B1 expression is upregulated in AD. rs2113389 is associated with higher CYP1B1 expression and methylation levels. Mouse model studies provide additional functional evidence for a relationship between CYP1B1 and tau deposition but not amyloid beta. These results provide insight into the genetic basis of cerebral tau deposition and support novel pathways for therapeutic development in AD.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Dose-response effects of exercise on mental health in community-dwelling older adults: Exploration of genetic moderators
    (Elsevier, 2024) Gujral, Swathi; Burns, Marcia; Erickson, Kirk I.; Rofey, Dana; Peiffer, Jeremiah J.; Laws, Simon M.; Brown, Belinda; Psychology, School of Science
    Background/objective: (1) Examine the role of exercise intensity on mental health symptoms in a community-based sample of older adults. (2) Explore the moderating role of genetic variation in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and apolipoprotein E (APOE) on the effects of exercise on mental health symptoms. Method: This study is a secondary analysis of a three-arm randomized controlled trial, comparing the effects of 6 months of high-intensity aerobic training vs. moderate-intensity aerobic training vs. a no-contact control group on mental health symptoms assessed using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS). The BDNF Val66Met polymorphism and APOE ε4 carrier status were explored as genetic moderators of exercise effects on mental health symptoms. Results: The exercise intervention did not influence mental health symptoms. The BDNF Val66Met polymorphism did not moderate intervention effects on mental health symptoms. APOE ε4 carrier status moderated the effect of intervention group on perceived stress over 6 months, such that APOE ε4 carriers, but not non-carriers, in the high-intensity aerobic training group showed a decline in perceived stress over 6 months. Conclusions: APOE ε4 carrier status may modify the benefits of high-intensity exercise on perceived stress such that APOE ε4 carriers show a greater decline in stress as a result of exercise relative to non-APOE ε4 carriers.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Polygenic scores for Alzheimer’s disease risk and resilience predict age at onset of amyloid‐β
    (Wiley, 2025-01-03) O’Brien, Eleanor K.; Porter, Tenielle; Fernandez, Shane; Cox, Timothy; Dore, Vincent; Bourgeat, Pierrick; Goudey, Benjamin; Doecke, James D.; Masters, Colin L.; Rowe, Christopher C.; Villemagne, Victor L.; Cruchaga, Carlos; Saykin, Andrew J.; Laws, Simon M.; ADOPIC Consortium (AIBL, ADNI, OASIS); Radiology and Imaging Sciences, School of Medicine
    Background: Genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) have identified numerous genetic variants associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) risk, but genetic variation in the onset and progression of AD pathology is less understood. Accumulation of amyloid‐β (Aβ) in the brain is a key pathological hallmark of AD beginning 10 – 20 years prior to cognitive symptoms. We investigated the genetic basis of variation in age at onset (AAO) of brain Aβ by comparing the performance of polygenic scores (PGSs) based on AD risk and resilience with a Aβ‐AAO trait‐specific PGS. Method: 1122 participants from the Alzheimer’s Dementia Onset and Progression in International Cohorts (ADOPIC) study underwent genome‐wide SNP genotyping and assessment of brain Aβ using positron emission tomography (PET) imaging at two or more timepoints. AAO was the age at which participants were estimated to have crossed the 20 centiloid (CL) threshold for high Aβ. We utilised AD risk and resilience GWAS summary statistics and conducted a GWAS for AAO using a cross‐validation approach (10 test‐validation folds). We used PRSice to identify optimal PGSs for Aβ‐AAO for risk (PGSRisk), resilience (PGSResilience) and Aβ‐AAO (PGSAAO). Result: PGSRisk and PGSResilience were both significantly associated with Aβ‐AAO, such that higher PGSRisk and lower PGSResilience were associated with an earlier Aβ‐AAO. PGSRisk showed the strongest association and explained more variance in Aβ‐AAO than did PGSAAO. When stratified by APOE ε4 carriage, the strongest genetic risk factor for AD, the association of PGSRisk with Aβ‐AAO was stronger among ε4 non‐carriers, whilst PGSResilience, was more strongly associated with Aβ‐AAO in ε4 carriers. Conclusion: PGS based on genetic risk and resilience for AD are both significant predictors of the age at which people are estimated to cross the threshold for high brain Aβ burden. Predicting the age at which a person will pass this threshold would enable treatment at an earlier stage, when it may more effectively delay or prevent symptom onset.