Publication
Title
Investigation of the role of matrix metalloproteinases in the genetic etiology of Alzheimer's disease
Author
Institution/Organisation
BELNEU Consortium
Abstract
Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a multigene family of proteinases regulating the functions of a large number of signaling and scaffolding molecules that are involved in neuro-inflammation, synaptic dysfunction and neuronal death. MMPs have been associated with neurological conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), through a sudden and massive upregulation of particular members of the MMP family. Evidence for this hypothesis can be found in the clinical observation of increased MMP1 and MMP3 expression levels in plasma of AD patients compared to control individuals and in the proamyloidogenic effects that have been described for additional MMP family members like MMP13, MT1-MMP, and MT5-MMP. Consequently, we investigated the role of MMP1, 3, 13, MT1-MMP, and MT5-MMP in the genetic etiology of AD. We performed full exonic resequencing of these 5 MMPs in 1278 AD patients (mean age at onset [AAO]: 74.88 I 9.10, range: 29-96) and 797 age-matched control individuals (mean age at inclusion [AAI]: 74.92 I 6.48, range: 65-100) from Flanders-Belgium and identified MMP13 as most promising candidate gene. We identified 6 ultra-rare (<= 0.01%) MMP13 missense mutations in 6 patients that were absent from the control cohort. We observed in one control individual a frameshift mutation (p.G269Qfs*2) leading to a premature termination codon. Based on previously described functional evidence, suggesting that MMP13 regulates BACE1 processing, and our genetic findings, we hypothesize a gain-of-function disease mechanism for the missense mutations found in patients. Functional experimental studies remain essential to assess the effect of these mutations on disease related processes and genetic replication studies are needed to corroborate our findings. (C) 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Neurobiology of aging. - Fayetteville, N.Y.
Publication
Fayetteville, N.Y. : 2021
ISSN
0197-4580
DOI
10.1016/J.NEUROBIOLAGING.2021.03.011
Volume/pages
104 (2021) , 6 p.
ISI
000663832600012
Pubmed ID
33892965
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 30.07.2021
Last edited 02.10.2024
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