Computational analysis of peripheral blood RNA sequencing data unravels disrupted immune patterns in Alzheimer's disease

Dimitra Anatolou; Marios G. Krokidis; Dimitra Anatolou; Marios G. Krokidis

doi:10.3934/Neuroscience.2024007

AIMS Neuroscience

2024, Volume 11, Issue 2: 103-117. doi: 10.3934/Neuroscience.2024007

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Computational analysis of peripheral blood RNA sequencing data unravels disrupted immune patterns in Alzheimer's disease

Dimitra Anatolou ¹,
Marios G. Krokidis ^{2
,
,}

1.
Bioinformatics and Neuroinformatics MSc Program, Hellenic Open University, Patras, Greece
2.
Bioinformatics and Human Electrophysiology Laboratory, Department of Informatics, Ionian University, Corfu, Greece

Received: 31 December 2023 Revised: 08 April 2024 Accepted: 15 April 2024 Published: 19 April 2024

The central nervous system (CNS) and the immune system collectively coordinate cellular functionalities, sharing common developmental mechanisms. Immunity-related molecules exert an influence on brain development, challenging the conventional view of the brain as immune-privileged. Chronic inflammation emerges as a key player in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD), with increased stress contributing to the disease progression and potentially exacerbating existing symptoms. In this study, the most significant gene signatures from selected RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) data from AD patients and healthy individuals were obtained and a functional analysis and biological interpretation was conducted, including network and pathway enrichment analysis. Important evidence was reported, such as enrichment in immune system responses and antigen processes, as well as positive regulation of T-cell mediated cytotoxicity and endogenous and exogenous peptide antigen, thus indicating neuroinflammation and immune response participation in disease progression. These findings suggest a disturbance in the immune infiltration of the peripheral immune environment, providing new challenges to explore key biological processes from a molecular perspective that strongly participate in AD development.
- immune response,
- Alzheimer's Disease,
- RNA-sequencing data,
- enrichment analysis,
- neuroinflammation
Citation: Dimitra Anatolou, Marios G. Krokidis. Computational analysis of peripheral blood RNA sequencing data unravels disrupted immune patterns in Alzheimer's disease[J]. AIMS Neuroscience, 2024, 11(2): 103-117. doi: 10.3934/Neuroscience.2024007

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Abstract

The central nervous system (CNS) and the immune system collectively coordinate cellular functionalities, sharing common developmental mechanisms. Immunity-related molecules exert an influence on brain development, challenging the conventional view of the brain as immune-privileged. Chronic inflammation emerges as a key player in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD), with increased stress contributing to the disease progression and potentially exacerbating existing symptoms. In this study, the most significant gene signatures from selected RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) data from AD patients and healthy individuals were obtained and a functional analysis and biological interpretation was conducted, including network and pathway enrichment analysis. Important evidence was reported, such as enrichment in immune system responses and antigen processes, as well as positive regulation of T-cell mediated cytotoxicity and endogenous and exogenous peptide antigen, thus indicating neuroinflammation and immune response participation in disease progression. These findings suggest a disturbance in the immune infiltration of the peripheral immune environment, providing new challenges to explore key biological processes from a molecular perspective that strongly participate in AD development.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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