Browsing by Author "Soni, Disha"

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    In vivo validation of late-onset Alzheimer's disease genetic risk factors
    (bioRxiv, 2023-12-24) Sasner, Michael; Preuss, Christoph; Pandey, Ravi S.; Uyar, Asli; Garceau, Dylan; Kotredes, Kevin P.; Williams, Harriet; Oblak, Adrian L.; Lin, Peter Bor-Chian; Perkins, Bridget; Soni, Disha; Ingraham, Cindy; Lee-Gosselin, Audrey; Lamb, Bruce T.; Howell, Gareth R.; Carter, Gregory W.; Radiology and Imaging Sciences, School of Medicine
    Introduction: Genome-wide association studies have identified over 70 genetic loci associated with late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD), but few candidate polymorphisms have been functionally assessed for disease relevance and mechanism of action. Methods: Candidate genetic risk variants were informatically prioritized and individually engineered into a LOAD-sensitized mouse model that carries the AD risk variants APOE4 and Trem2*R47H. Potential disease relevance of each model was assessed by comparing brain transcriptomes measured with the Nanostring Mouse AD Panel at 4 and 12 months of age with human study cohorts. Results: We created new models for 11 coding and loss-of-function risk variants. Transcriptomic effects from multiple genetic variants recapitulated a variety of human gene expression patterns observed in LOAD study cohorts. Specific models matched to emerging molecular LOAD subtypes. Discussion: These results provide an initial functionalization of 11 candidate risk variants and identify potential preclinical models for testing targeted therapeutics.
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    INPP5D deficiency attenuates amyloid pathology in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease
    (Wiley, 2023) Lin, Peter Bor-Chian; Tsai, Andy Po-Yi; Soni, Disha; Lee-Gosselin, Audrey; Moutinho, Miguel; Puntambekar, Shweta S.; Landreth, Gary E.; Lamb, Bruce T.; Oblak, Adrian L.; Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiology, School of Medicine
    Introduction: Inositol polyphosphate-5-phosphatase (INPP5D) is a microglia-enriched lipid phosphatase in the central nervous system. A non-coding variant (rs35349669) in INPP5D increases the risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD), and elevated INPP5D expression is associated with increased plaque deposition. INPP5D negatively regulates signaling via several microglial cell surface receptors, including triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2); however, the impact of INPP5D inhibition on AD pathology remains unclear. Methods: We used the 5xFAD mouse model of amyloidosis to assess how Inpp5d haplodeficiency regulates amyloid pathogenesis. Results: Inpp5d haplodeficiency perturbs the microglial intracellular signaling pathways regulating the immune response, including phagocytosis and clearing of amyloid beta (Aβ). It is important to note that Inpp5d haploinsufficiency leads to the preservation of cognitive function. Spatial transcriptomic analysis revealed that pathways altered by Inpp5d haploinsufficiency are related to synaptic regulation and immune cell activation. Conclusion: These data demonstrate that Inpp5d haplodeficiency enhances microglial functions by increasing plaque clearance and preserves cognitive abilities in 5xFAD mice. Inhibition of INPP5D is a potential therapeutic strategy for AD.
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    Optimization of SHIP1 Inhibitors for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease
    (Wiley, 2025-01-09) Jesudason, Cynthia D.; Lin, Peter Bor-Chian; Soni, Disha; Perkins, Bridget M.; Lee-Gosselin, Audrey; Ingraham, Cynthia M.; Hamilton, Will; Mason, Emily R.; El Jordi, Omar; Souza, Sarah; Jacobson, Marlene; Di Salvo, Jerry; Clayton, Brent; Chu, Shaoyou; Dage, Jeffrey L.; Oblak, Adrian L.; Richardson, Timothy I.; Neurology, School of Medicine
    Background: SHIP1 is a phosphatidyl inositol phosphatase encoded by INPP5D, which has been identified as a risk gene for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). SHIP1 is expressed in microglia, the resident macrophage in brain. It is a complex, multidomain protein that acts as a negative regulator downstream from TREM2. SHIP1 possesses a phosphatase (Ptase) domain flanked by a pleckstrin‐homology (PH) domain that binds phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5)‐trisphosphate[PI(3,4,5)P3] and a C2 domain that binds phosphatidylinositol (3,4)‐bisphosphate [PI(3,4)P2]. The Ptase domain converts PI(3,4,5)P3 to PI(3,4)P2. SHIP1 also has an SH2 domain that binds to ITIMs and ITAMs where it competes with kinases. Inhibiting SHIP1 is hypothesized to have potential therapeutic benefits, as it may improve TREM2‐mediated microglial responses to neurotoxins and promote an overall neuroprotective microglial phenotype to maintain a more resilient brain and slow the rate of cognitive decline in AD patients. Method: The IUSM Purdue TREAT‐AD Center recently evaluated SHIP1 inhibitors and proposed 3‐((2,4‐Dichlorobenzyl)oxy)‐5‐(1‐(piperidin‐4‐yl)‐1H‐pyrazol‐4‐yl)pyridine for target validation studies. Structurally related analogs were synthesized and tested for SHIP1 enzyme inhibition, AKT signaling, and microglia activation in a high‐content imaging assay using HMC3 and BV2 microglia‐like cell lines. Primary microglia were treated with an optimized SHIP1 inhibitor, and subsequent changes in fibril Aβ uptake and cell viability were assessed. The NanoString nCounter Neuroinflammation assay was used to measure transcriptomic profiles. For comparison primary microglial derived from both wild‐type and Inpp5d‐haploinsufficient mice were assessed. Result: Novel SHIP1 inhibitors have been discovered and preliminary Structure Activity Relationship (SAR) studies have been completed. These compounds have shown positive results for biochemical activity, target engagement and cellular pharmacology. Both Inpp5d deficiency and pharmacological inhibition increase amyloid uptake and cell viability in primary microglia. Elevated ERK and AKT phosphorylation, after amyloid exposure, were decreased by Inpp5d deficiency. Functional pathways associated with phagocytosis, apoptosis, cytokine production, and complement system activity were altered. Conclusion: These data demonstrate that SHIP1 inhibition promotes amyloid uptake through the complement system. SHIP1 inhibition also enhances cell survival and homeostasis in primary microglia. Further studies of SHIP1 inhibition and INPP5D knockdown in animal models may provide a potential therapeutic strategy for Alzheimer’s disease.
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    TREM2-Deficient Microglia Attenuate Tau Spreading In Vivo
    (MDPI, 2023-06-10) Lee-Gosselin, Audrey; Jury-Garfe, Nur; You, Yanwen; Dabin, Luke; Soni, Disha; Dutta, Sayan; Rochet, Jean-Christophe; Kim, Jungsu; Oblak, Adrian L.; Lasagna-Reeves, Cristian A.; Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiology, School of Medicine
    The role of TREM2 in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is not fully understood. Previous studies investigating the effect of TREM2 deletion on tauopathy mouse models without the contribution of b-amyloid have focused only on tau overexpression models. Herein, we investigated the effects of TREM2 deficiency on tau spreading using a mouse model in which endogenous tau is seeded to produce AD-like tau features. We found that Trem2-/- mice exhibit attenuated tau pathology in multiple brain regions concomitant with a decreased microglial density. The neuroinflammatory profile in TREM2-deficient mice did not induce an activated inflammatory response to tau pathology. These findings suggest that reduced TREM2 signaling may alter the response of microglia to pathological tau aggregates, impairing their activation and decreasing their capacity to contribute to tau spreading. However, caution should be exercised when targeting TREM2 as a therapeutic entry point for AD until its involvement in tau aggregation and propagation is better understood.