Biology subjects

Zago, S.

Publications and source records attributed to Zago, S..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Lymph-node transcriptomics define prognostic immune states in mucosal melanoma and reveal IBA1 as a practical biomarker for improved prognosis

Mucosal melanoma (MM) is a rare and aggressive cancer in humans with poor prognosis and limited response to immunotherapy or targeted therapy. Progress has been hindered by the lack of immune-competent, translational models. Dogs develop oral mucosal melanoma (OMM), a biologically equivalent disease, making them a valuable companion animal model that shares the human environment and immune context. In this study, we present the first transcriptomic analysis of regional lymph nodes in dogs with OMM, revealing that lymph nodes stratify into two distinct subgroups, independent of histopathological metastatic status at time of surgery, and which can be succinctly captured with a 35-gene signature. Notably, this stratification correlates with survival outcomes, providing unique early prognostic insights at the time of diagnosis. Furthermore, we explore the immune landscape of these subgroups and identify IBA1+ monocyte/macrophage infiltration as a key distinguishing biomarker. Using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and digital pathology, we demonstrate that higher IBA1 expression is associated with the transcriptomic subgroups associated with improved survival. These findings highlight IBA1 as a potential biomarker for risk stratification, offering a clinically relevant tool for refining prognosis and guiding treatment decisions in canine OMM. HighlightsO_LITranscriptomic profiling of canine OMM lymph nodes identifies two prognostic subgroups, independent of histopathological metastatic status. C_LIO_LILymph node transcriptomic stratification correlates with survival, providing prognostic insights beyond conventional histopathology at the time of diagnosis. C_LIO_LIIBA1+ monocyte/macrophage infiltration is associated with improved survival, and shows strong diagnostic potential via immunohistochemistry, supporting its use as a clinically feasible stratification tool. C_LI

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2025

Education Shapes the Link Between EEG Aperiodic Components and Cognitive Aging

Healthy aging brings widespread shifts in aperiodic (non-oscillatory) electroencephalographic (EEG) components, which may underlie physiological changes in cognitive performance. Education, a known protective factor against age-related decline in cognitive performance, has been largely overlooked in studies linking aperiodic EEG components to cognition. This study addresses this gap, hypothesizing that education moderates the interplay between age, aperiodic components, and cognitive performance, as measured by Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores. We reanalyzed an open-source EEG dataset of 714 healthy individuals aged 18-91 years using Generalized Additive Mixed Models. Aperiodic exponent and offset both declined with age, but higher education levels mitigated these declines. Notably, exponent and offset interacted with age and education in predicting MMSE performance in the bilateral cingulate, left hippocampus, bilateral parietal, right occipital, and left temporal regions. Among older adults, the relationship between the aperiodic components and cognitive performance diverged by education: those with lower education showed worse cognitive outcomes with lower exponents and offsets, whereas higher-educated individuals after 60 years showed a reverse pattern, with lower exponents and offsets predicting better MMSE performance. Our findings suggest that the link between aperiodic components and cognitive aging is not straightforward but depends on moderating factors such as education. These results underscore the importance of accounting for individual differences, like educational background, when exploring age-related changes in EEG aperiodic components and cognition.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2023

Aperiodic component of EEG power spectrum and cognitive performance in aging: the role of education

Aging is associated with changes in the oscillatory -periodic-brain activity in the alpha band (8-12 Hz), as measured with resting-state EEG (rsEEG); it is characterized by a significantly lower alpha frequency and power. Aging influences the aperiodic component of the power spectrum: at a higher age the slope flattens, which is related with lower cognitive efficiency. It is not known whether education, a cognitive reserve proxy recognized for its modulatory role on cognition, influences such relationship. N=179 healthy participants of the LEMON dataset (Babayan et al., 2019) were grouped based on age and education: young adults with high education and older adults with high and low education. Eyes-closed rsEEG power spectrum was parametrized at the occipital level. Lower IAPF, exponent, and offset in older adults were shown, compared to younger adults. Visual attention and working memory were differently predicted by the aperiodic component across education: in older adults with high education, higher exponent predicted slower processing speed and less working memory capacity, with an opposite trend in those with lower education. Further investigation is needed; the study shows the potential modulatory role of education in the relationship between the aperiodic component of the EEG power spectrum and aging cognition.

neuroscience↗