Biology subjects

Schaum, N.

Publications and source records attributed to Schaum, N..

9 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2023

APOE4/4 is linked to damaging lipid droplets in Alzheimer's microglia

Several genetic risk factors for Alzheimers Disease (AD) implicate genes involved in lipid metabolism and many of these lipid genes are highly expressed in glial cells. However, the relationship between lipid metabolism in glia and AD pathology remains poorly understood. Through single-nucleus RNA-sequencing of AD brain tissue, we have identified a microglial state defined by the expression of the lipid droplet (LD) associated enzyme ACSL1 with ACSL1-positive microglia most abundant in AD patients with the APOE4/4 genotype. In human iPSC-derived microglia (iMG) fibrillar A{beta} (fA{beta}) induces ACSL1 expression, triglyceride synthesis, and LD accumulation in an APOE-dependent manner. Additionally, conditioned media from LD-containing microglia leads to Tau phosphorylation and neurotoxicity in an APOE-dependent manner. Our findings suggest a link between genetic risk factors for AD with microglial LD accumulation and neurotoxic microglial-derived factors, potentially providing novel therapeutic strategies for AD.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2022

Cell type-specific aging clocks to quantify aging and rejuvenation in regenerative regions of the brain

Aging manifests as progressive dysfunction culminating in death. The diversity of cell types is a challenge to the precise quantification of aging and its reversal. Here we develop a suite of aging clocks based on single cell transcriptomic data to characterize cell type-specific aging and rejuvenation strategies. The subventricular zone (SVZ) neurogenic region contains many cell types and provides an excellent system to study cell-level tissue aging and regeneration. We generated 21,458 single-cell transcriptomes from the neurogenic regions of 28 mice, tiling ages from young to old. With these data, we trained a suite of single cell-based regression models (aging clocks) to predict both chronological age (passage of time) and biological age (fitness, in this case the proliferative capacity of the neurogenic region). Both types of clocks perform well on independent cohorts of mice. Genes underlying the single cell-based aging clocks are mostly cell-type specific, but also include a few shared genes in the interferon and lipid metabolism pathways. We used these single cell-based aging clocks to measure transcriptomic rejuvenation, by generating single cell RNA-seq datasets of SVZ neurogenic regions for two interventions - heterochronic parabiosis (young blood) and exercise. Interestingly, the use of aging clocks reveals that both heterochronic parabiosis and exercise reverse transcriptomic aging in the niche, but in different ways across cell types and genes. This study represents the first development of high-resolution aging clocks from single cell transcriptomic data and demonstrates their application to quantify transcriptomic rejuvenation.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2021

A human brain vascular atlas reveals diverse cell mediators of Alzheimer's disease risk

The human brain vasculature is of vast medical importance: its dysfunction causes disability and death, and the specialized structure it forms--the blood-brain barrier--impedes treatment of nearly all brain disorders. Yet, no molecular atlas of the human brain vasculature exists. Here, we develop Vessel Isolation and Nuclei Extraction for Sequencing (VINE-seq) to profile the major human brain vascular and perivascular cell types through 143,793 single-nucleus transcriptomes from 25 hippocampus and cortex samples of 17 control and Alzheimers disease (AD) patients. We identify brain region-enriched pathways and genes divergent between humans and mice, including those involved in disease. We describe the principles of human arteriovenous organization, recapitulating a gradual endothelial and punctuated mural cell continuum; but discover that many zonation and cell-type markers differ between species. We discover two subtypes of human pericytes, marked by solute transport and extracellular matrix (ECM) organization; and define perivascular versus meningeal fibroblast specialization. In AD, we observe a selective vulnerability of ECM-maintaining pericytes and gene expression patterns implicating dysregulated blood flow. With an expanded survey of brain cell types, we find that 30 of the top 45 AD GWAS genes are expressed in the human brain vasculature, confirmed in situ. Vascular GWAS genes map to endothelial protein transport, adaptive immune, and ECM pathways. Many are microglia-specific in mice, suggesting an evolutionary transfer of AD risk to human vascular cells. Our work unravels the molecular basis of the human brain vasculature, informing our understanding of overall brain health, disease, and therapy.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2020

Molecular hallmarks of heterochronic parabiosis at single cell resolution

Slowing or reversing biological ageing would have major implications for mitigating disease risk and maintaining vitality. While an increasing number of interventions show promise for rejuvenation, the effectiveness on disparate cell types across the body and the molecular pathways susceptible to rejuvenation remain largely unexplored. We performed single-cell RNA-sequencing on 13 organs to reveal cell type specific responses to young or aged blood in heterochronic parabiosis. Adipose mesenchymal stromal cells, hematopoietic stem cells, hepatocytes, and endothelial cells from multiple tissues appear especially responsive. On the pathway level, young blood invokes novel gene sets in addition to reversing established ageing patterns, with the global rescue of genes encoding electron transport chain subunits pinpointing a prominent role of mitochondrial function in parabiosis-mediated rejuvenation. Intriguingly, we observed an almost universal loss of gene expression with age that is largely mimicked by parabiosis: aged blood reduces global gene expression, and young blood restores it. Altogether, these data lay the groundwork for a systemic understanding of the interplay between blood-borne factors and cellular integrity.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2020

Broad transcriptional dysregulation of brain and choroid plexus cell types with COVID-19

Though SARS-CoV-2 primarily targets the respiratory system, it is increasingly appreciated that patients may suffer neurological symptoms of varied severity1-3. However, an unbiased understanding of the molecular processes across brain cell types that could contribute to these symptoms in COVID-19 patients is still missing. Here, we profile 47,678 droplet-based single-nucleus transcriptomes from the frontal cortex and choroid plexus across 10 non-viral, 4 COVID-19, and 1 influenza patient. We complement transcriptomic data with immunohistochemical staining for the presence of SARS-CoV-2. We find that all major cortex parenchymal and choroid plexus cell types are affected transcriptionally with COVID-19. This arises, in part, from SARS-CoV-2 infection of the cortical brain vasculature, meninges, and choroid plexus, stimulating increased inflammatory signaling into the brain. In parallel, peripheral immune cells infiltrate the brain, microglia activate programs mediating the phagocytosis of live neurons, and astrocytes dysregulate genes involved in neurotransmitter homeostasis. Among neurons, layer 2/3 excitatory neurons--evolutionarily expanded in humans4--show a specific downregulation of genes encoding major SNARE and synaptic vesicle components, predicting compromised synaptic transmission. These perturbations are not observed in terminal influenza. Many COVID-19 gene expression changes are shared with those in chronic brain disorders and reside in genetic variants associated with cognitive function, schizophrenia, and depression. Our findings and public dataset provide a molecular framework and new opportunities to understand COVID-19 related neurological disease.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2019

Undulating changes in human plasma proteome across lifespan are linked to disease

Aging is the predominant risk factor for numerous chronic diseases that limit healthspan. Mechanisms of aging are thus increasingly recognized as therapeutic targets. Blood from young mice reverses aspects of aging and disease across multiple tissues, pointing to the intriguing possibility that age-related molecular changes in blood can provide novel insight into disease biology. We measured 2,925 plasma proteins from 4,331 young adults to nonagenarians and developed a novel bioinformatics approach which uncovered profound non-linear alterations in the human plasma proteome with age. Waves of changes in the proteome in the fourth, seventh, and eighth decades of life reflected distinct biological pathways, and revealed differential associations with the genome and proteome of age-related diseases and phenotypic traits. This new approach to the study of aging led to the identification of unexpected signatures and pathways of aging and disease and offers potential pathways for aging interventions.

systems biology↗

bioRxiv2019

A Single Cell Transcriptomic Atlas Characterizes Aging Tissues in the Mouse

Aging is characterized by a progressive loss of physiological integrity, leading to impaired function and increased vulnerability to death1. Despite rapid advances over recent years, many of the molecular and cellular processes which underlie progressive loss of healthy physiology are poorly understood2. To gain a better insight into these processes we have created a single cell transcriptomic atlas across the life span of Mus musculus which includes data from 23 tissues and organs. We discovered cell-specific changes occurring across multiple cell types and organs, as well as age related changes in the cellular composition of different organs. Using single-cell transcriptomic data we were able to assess cell type specific manifestations of different hallmarks of aging, such as senescence3, genomic instability4 and changes in the organisms immune system2. This Tabula Muris Senis provides a wealth of new molecular information about how the most significant hallmarks of aging are reflected in a broad range of tissues and cell types.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2019

The murine transcriptome reveals global aging nodes with organ-specific phase and amplitude

Aging is the single greatest cause of disease and death worldwide, and so understanding the associated processes could vastly improve quality of life. While the field has identified major categories of aging damage such as altered intercellular communication, loss of proteostasis, and eroded mitochondrial function1, these deleterious processes interact with extraordinary complexity within and between organs. Yet, a comprehensive analysis of aging dynamics organism-wide is lacking. Here we performed RNA-sequencing of 17 organs and plasma proteomics at 10 ages across the mouse lifespan. We uncover previously unknown linear and non-linear expression shifts during aging, which cluster in strikingly consistent trajectory groups with coherent biological functions, including extracellular matrix regulation, unfolded protein binding, mitochondrial function, and inflammatory and immune response. Remarkably, these gene sets are expressed similarly across tissues, differing merely in age of onset and amplitude. Especially pronounced is widespread immune cell activation, detectable first in white adipose depots in middle age. Single-cell RNA-sequencing confirms the accumulation of adipose T and B cells, including immunoglobulin J-expressing plasma cells, which also accrue concurrently across diverse organs. Finally, we show how expression shifts in distinct tissues are highly correlated with corresponding protein levels in plasma, thus potentially contributing to aging of the systemic circulation. Together, these data demonstrate a similar yet asynchronous inter- and intra-organ progression of aging, thereby providing a foundation to track systemic sources of declining health at old age.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2019

Brain endothelial cells are exquisite sensors of age-related circulatory cues

Brain endothelial cells (BECs) are key elements of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), protecting the brain from pathogens and restricting access to circulatory factors. Recent studies have demonstrated that the circulatory environment can modulate brain aging, yet, the underlying processes remain largely unknown. Given the BBBs intermediary position, we hypothesized that BECs sense, adapt to, and relay signals between the aging blood and brain. We sequenced single endothelial cells from the hippocampus--a brain region key to learning, memory, and neurogenesis-- of healthy young and aged mice as well as post-exposure to inflammatory and age-related circulatory factors. We discovered that aged capillary BECs, compared with arterial and venous cells, exhibit the greatest transcriptional changes, upregulating innate immunity, antigen presentation, TGF-{beta} signaling and oxidative stress response pathways. Remarkably, short-term infusions of aged plasma into young mice recapitulated key aspects of this aging transcriptome, while infusions of young plasma into aged mice reversed select aging signatures, essentially rejuvenating the BBB endothelium transcriptome. We identify candidate pathways mediating blood-borne brain rejuvenation by comparing age-upregulated genes with those modulated by plasma exposure. Together, these findings suggest that the transcriptional age of BECs is exquisitely sensitive to age-related circulatory cues and pinpoint the BBB itself as a promising therapeutic target to treat brain disease.\n\nHighlightsO_LISingle-cell RNA sequencing of brain endothelial cells (BECs) reveals transcriptional segmentation into distinct arterial, capillary, and venous identities with age and experimental interventions\nC_LIO_LIChanges with age are heterogenous across vessel segments, with aged capillaries enriched in signatures of innate immunity, TGF-{beta} and VEGF signaling, hypoxia and oxidative stress\nC_LIO_LIBECs sense and respond transcriptionally to diverse circulatory cues: inflammatory, proaging, or rejuvenating\nC_LIO_LIAged plasma exposure recapitulates--and young plasma reverses--key transcriptomic signatures of normal BEC aging\nC_LIO_LIBEC response to aged and young plasma reveals cell non-autonomous mechanisms of blood-brain-barrier aging\nC_LI

neuroscience↗