Person: Urdánoz Casado, Amaya
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Urdánoz Casado
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Amaya
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Ciencias de la Salud
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0000-0002-6312-8330
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123923
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Publication Open Access Profile of TREM2-derived circRNA and mRNA variants in the entorhinal cortex of Alzheimer's disease patients(MDPI, 2022) Urdánoz Casado, Amaya; Sánchez Ruiz de Gordoa, Javier; Robles, Maitane; Roldán, Miren; Zelaya Huerta, María Victoria; Blanco Luquin, Idoia; Mendióroz Iriarte, Maite; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako GobernuaGenetic variants in TREM2, a microglia-related gene, are well-known risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Here, we report that TREM2 originates from circular RNAs (circRNAs), a novel class of non-coding RNAs characterized by a covalent and stable closed-loop structure. First, divergent primers were designed to amplify circRNAs by RT-PCR, which were further assessed by Sanger sequencing. Then, additional primer sets were used to confirm back-splicing junctions. In addition, HMC3 cells were used to assess the microglial expression of circTREM2s. Three candidate circTREM2s were identified in control and AD human entorhinal samples. One of the circRNAs, circTREM2_1, was consistently amplified by all divergent primer sets in control and AD entorhinal cortex samples as well as in HMC3 cells. In AD cases, a moderate negative correlation (r = −0.434) was found between the global average area of Aβ deposits in the entorhinal cortex and circTREM2_1 expression level. In addition, by bioinformatics tools, a total of 16 miRNAs were predicted to join with circTREM2s. Finally, TREM2 mRNA corresponding to four isoforms was profiled by RTqPCR. TREM2 mRNA levels were found elevated in entorhinal samples of AD patients with low or intermediate ABC scores compared to controls. To sum up, a novel circRNA derived from the TREM2 gene, circTREM2_1, has been identified in the human entorhinal cortex and TREM2 mRNA expression has been detected to increase in AD compared to controls. Unraveling the molecular genetics of the TREM2 gene may help to better know the innate immune response in AD.Publication Open Access Gender-dependent deregulation of linear and circular RNA variants of homer1 in the entorhinal cortex of Alzheimer’s disease(MDPI, 2021) Urdánoz Casado, Amaya; Sánchez Ruiz de Gordoa, Javier; Robles Solano, Maitane; Acha Santamaría, Blanca; Roldán, Miren; Zelaya Huerta, María Victoria; Blanco Luquin, Idoia; Mendióroz Iriarte, Maite; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako GobernuaThe HOMER1 gene is involved in synaptic plasticity, learning and memory. Recent studies show that circular RNA derived from HOMER1 (circHOMER1) expression is altered in some Alzheimer’s disease (AD) brain regions. In addition, HOMER1 messenger (mRNA) levels have been associated with β-Amyloid (Aβ) deposits in brain cortical regions. Our aim was to measure the expression levels of HOMER1 circRNAs and their linear forms in the human AD entorhinal cortex. First, we showed downregulation of HOMER1B/C and HOMER1A mRNA and hsa_circ_0006916 and hsa_circ_0073127 levels in AD female cases compared to controls by RT-qPCR. A positive correlation was observed between HOMER1B/C, HOMER1A mRNA, and hsa_circ_0073128 with HOMER1B/C protein only in females. Global average area of Aβ deposits in entorhinal cortex samples was negatively correlated with HOMER1B/C, HOMER1A mRNA, and hsa_circ_0073127 in both genders. Furthermore, no differences in DNA methylation were found in two regions of HOMER1 promoter between AD cases and controls. To sum up, we demonstrate that linear and circular RNA variants of HOMER1 are downregulated in the entorhinal cortex of female patients with AD. These results add to the notion that HOMER1 and its circular forms could be playing a female-specific role in the pathogenesis of AD.Publication Open Access Liquid biopsy in alzheimer's disease patients reveals epigenetic changes in the PRLHR gene(MDPI, 2023) Macías, Mónica; Acha Santamaría, Blanca; Corroza, Jon; Urdánoz Casado, Amaya; Roldán, Miren; Robles, Maitane; Sánchez Ruiz de Gordoa, Javier; Erro Aguirre, María Elena; Jericó Pascual, Ivonne; Blanco Luquin, Idoia; Mendióroz Iriarte, Maite; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun ZientziakIn recent years, new DNA methylation variants have been reported in genes biologically relevant to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in human brain tissue. However, this AD-specific epigenetic information remains brain-locked and unreachable during patients’ lifetimes. In a previous methylome performed in the hippocampus of 26 AD patients and 12 controls, we found higher methylation levels in AD patients in the promoter region of PRLHR, a gene involved in energy balance regulation. Our aim was to further characterize PRLHR’s role in AD and to evaluate if the liquid biopsy technique would provide life access to this brain information in a non-invasive way. First, we extended the methylation mapping of PRLHR and validated previous methylome results via bisulfite cloning sequencing. Next, we observed a positive correlation between PRLHR methylation levels and AD-related neuropathological changes and a decreased expression of PRLHR in AD hippocampus. Then, we managed to replicate the hippocampal methylation differences in plasma cfDNA from an additional cohort of 35 AD patients and 35 controls. The isolation of cfDNA from the plasma of AD patients may constitute a source of potential epigenetic biomarkers to aid AD clinical management.Publication Open Access Identificación de circRNAs como biomarcadores epigenéticos candidatos en la enfermedad de Alzheimer(2022) Urdánoz Casado, Amaya; Blanco Luquin, Idoia; Mendióroz Iriarte, Maite; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako GobernuaLa enfermedad de Alzheimer (EA) es una enfermedad neurodegenerativa, crónica y, por el momento, irreversible que representa la primera causa de demencia relacionada con la edad. Su diagnóstico sigue siendo un reto. En los últimos años, se han identificado diferentes biomarcadores diagnósticos pero, debido a su coste o dificultad de acceso, se ha limitado su implantación de rutina en muchos centros sanitarios. Por ello se están investigando nuevos biomarcadores no invasivos en sangre, como los biomarcadores epigenéticos, entre los que se encuentran los RNAs circulares (circRNAs), una clase de RNAs no codificantes. El objetivo de esta tesis es identificar circRNAs con una expresión diferencial en la corteza entorrinal (CE) humana, una región cerebral especialmente vulnerable a la EA, en pacientes con EA respecto a controles.Publication Open Access Association of blood-based DNA methylation markers with late-onset alzheimer disease: a potential diagnostic approach(Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2023) Acha Santamaría, Blanca; Corroza, Jon; Sánchez Ruiz de Gordoa, Javier; Cabello, Carolina; Robles Solano, Maitane; Méndez López, Iván; Macías, Mónica; Zueco, Sara; Roldán, Miren; Urdánoz Casado, Amaya; Jericó Pascual, Ivonne; Erro Aguirre, María Elena; Alcolea, Daniel; Lleo, Alberto; Blanco Luquin, Idoia; Mendióroz Iriarte, Maite; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun ZientziakBackground and Objectives: There is an urgent need to identify novel noninvasive biomarkers for Alzheimer disease (AD) diagnosis. Recent advances in blood-based measurements of phosphorylated tau (pTau) species are promising but still insufficient to address clinical needs. Epigenetics has been shown to be helpful to better understand AD pathogenesis. Epigenetic biomarkers have been successfully implemented in other medical disciplines, such as oncology. The objective of this study was to explore the diagnostic accuracy of a blood-based DNA methylation marker panel as a noninvasive tool to identify patients with late-onset Alzheimer compared with age-matched controls. Methods: A case-control study was performed. Blood DNA methylation levels at 46 cytosine-guanine sites (21 genes selected after a comprehensive literature search) were measured by bisulfite pyrosequencing in patients with “probable AD dementia” following National Institute on Aging and the Alzheimer's Association guidelines (2011) and age-matched and sex-matched controls recruited at Neurology Department-University Hospital of Navarre, Spain, selected by convenience sampling. Plasma pTau181 levels were determined by Simoa technology. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to explore the optimal model to discriminate patients with AD from controls. Furthermore, we performed a stratified analysis by sex. Results: The final study cohort consisted of 80 patients with AD (age: median [interquartile range] 79 [11] years; 58.8% female) and 100 cognitively healthy controls (age 77 [10] years; 58% female). A panel including DNA methylation levels at NXN, ABCA7, and HOXA3 genes and plasma pTau181 significantly improved (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0.93, 95% CI 0.89–0.97) the diagnostic performance of a single pTau181-based model, adjusted for age, sex, and APOE ɛ4 genotype. The sensitivity and specificity of this panel were 83.30% and 90.00%, respectively. After sex-stratified analysis, HOXA3 DNA methylation levels showed consistent association with AD. Discussion: These results highlight the potential translational value of blood-based DNA methylation biomarkers for noninvasive diagnosis of AD. Registration Information: Research Ethics Committee of the University Hospital of Navarre (PI17/02218).