ANA TEREZA DI LORENZO ALHO
Projetos de Pesquisa
Unidades Organizacionais
LIM/44 - Laboratório de Ressonância Magnética em Neurorradiologia, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina
8 resultados
Resultados de Busca
Agora exibindo 1 - 8 de 8
- Prevalence of transactive response DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) proteinopathy in cognitively normal older adults: systematic review and meta-analysis(2018) NASCIMENTO, C.; ALHO, A. T. Di Lorenzo; AMARAL, C. Bazan Conceicao; LEITE, R. E. P.; NITRINI, R.; JACOB-FILHO, W.; PASQUALUCCI, C. A.; HOKKANEN, S. R. K.; HUNTER, S.; KEAGE, H.; KOVACS, G. G.; GRINBERG, L. T.; SUEMOTO, C. K.ObjectiveTo perform a systematic review and meta-analysis on the prevalence of transactive response DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) proteinopathy in cognitively normal older adults. MethodsWe systematically reviewed and performed a meta-analysis on the prevalence of TDP-43 proteinopathy in older adults with normal cognition, evaluated by the Mini-Mental State Examination or the Clinical Dementia Rating. We estimated the overall prevalence of TDP-43 using random-effect models, and stratified by age, sex, sample size, study quality, antibody used to assess TDP-43 aggregates, analysed brain regions, Braak stage, Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease score, hippocampal sclerosis and geographic location. ResultsA total of 505 articles were identified in the systematic review, and 7 were included in the meta-analysis with 1196 cognitively normal older adults. We found an overall prevalence of TDP-43 proteinopathy of 24%. Prevalence of TDP-43 proteinopathy varied widely across geographic location (North America: 37%, Asia: 29%, Europe: 14%, and Latin America: 11%). Estimated prevalence of TDP-43 proteinopathy also varied according to study quality (quality score >7: 22% vs. quality score <7: 42%), antibody used to assess TDP-43 proteinopathy (native: 18% vs. hyperphosphorylated: 24%) and presence of hippocampal sclerosis (without 24% vs. with hippocampal sclerosis: 48%). Other stratified analyses by age, sex, analysed brain regions, sample size and severity of AD neuropathology showed similar pooled TDP-43 prevalence. ConclusionsDifferent methodology to access TDP-43, and also differences in lifestyle and genetic factors across different populations could explain our results. Standardization of TDP-43 measurement, and future studies about the impact of genetic and lifestyle characteristics on the development of neurodegenerative diseases are needed.
- The influence of age and sex on the absolute cell numbers of the human brain cerebral cortex(2023) CASTRO-FONSECA, Emily; MORAIS, Viviane; SILVA, Camila G. da; WOLLNER, Juliana; FREITAS, Jaqueline; MELLO-NETO, Arthur F.; OLIVEIRA, Luiz E.; OLIVEIRA, Vilson C. de; LEITE, Renata E. P.; ALHO, Ana T.; RODRIGUEZ, Roberta D.; FERRETTI-REBUSTINI, Renata E. L.; SUEMOTO, Claudia K.; JACOB-FILHO, Wilson; NITRINI, Ricardo; PASQUALUCCI, Carlos A.; GRINBERG, Lea T.; TOVAR-MOLL, Fernanda; LENT, RobertoThe human cerebral cortex is one of the most evolved regions of the brain, responsible for most higher-order neural functions. Since nerve cells (together with synapses) are the processing units underlying cortical physiology and morphology, we studied how the human neocortex is composed regarding the number of cells as a function of sex and age. We used the isotropic fractionator for cell quantification of immunocytochemically labeled nuclei from the cerebral cortex donated by 43 cognitively healthy subjects aged 25-87 years old. In addition to previously reported sexual dimorphism in the medial temporal lobe, we found more neurons in the occipital lobe of men, higher neuronal density in women's frontal lobe, but no sex differences in the number and density of cells in the other lobes and the whole neocortex. On average, the neocortex has similar to 10.2 billion neurons, 34% in the frontal lobe and the remaining 66% uniformly distributed among the other 3 lobes. Along typical aging, there is a loss of non-neuronal cells in the frontal lobe and the preservation of the number of neurons in the cortex. Our study made possible to determine the different degrees of modulation that sex and age evoke on cortical cellularity.
- High thickness histological sections as alternative to study the three-dimensional microscopic human sub-cortical neuroanatomy(2018) ALHO, Eduardo Joaquim Lopes; ALHO, Ana Tereza Di Lorenzo; GRINBERG, Lea; AMARO JR., Edson; SANTOS, Glaucia Aparecida Bento dos; SILVA, Rafael Emidio da; NEVES, Ricardo Caires; ALEGRO, Maryana; COELHO, Daniel Boari; TEIXEIRA, Manoel Jacobsen; FONOFF, Erich Talamoni; HEINSEN, HelmutStereotaxy is based on the precise image-guided spatial localization of targets within the human brain. Even with the recent advances in MRI technology, histological examination renders different (and complementary) information of the nervous tissue. Although several maps have been selected as a basis for correlating imaging results with the anatomical locations of sub-cortical structures, technical limitations interfere in a point-to-point correlation between imaging and anatomy due to the lack of precise correction for post-mortem tissue deformations caused by tissue fixation and processing. We present an alternative method to parcellate human brain cytoarchitectural regions, minimizing deformations caused by post-mortem and tissue-processing artifacts and enhancing segmentation by means of modified high thickness histological techniques and registration with MRI of the same specimen and into MNI space (ICBM152). A three-dimensional (3D) histological atlas of the human thalamus, basal ganglia, and basal forebrain cholinergic system is displayed. Structure's segmentations were performed in high-resolution dark-field and light-field microscopy. Bidimensional non-linear registration of the histological slices was followed by 3D registration with in situ MRI of the same subject. Manual and automated registration procedures were adopted and compared. To evaluate the quality of the registration procedures, Dice similarity coefficient and normalized weighted spectral distance were calculated and the results indicate good overlap between registered volumes and a small shape difference between them in both manual and automated registration methods. High thickness high-resolution histological slices in combination with registration to in situ MRI of the same subject provide an effective alternative method to study nuclear boundaries in the human brain, enhancing segmentation and demanding less resources and time for tissue processing than traditional methods.
- Do age and sex impact on the absolute cell numbers of human brain regions?(2016) OLIVEIRA-PINTO, Ana V.; ANDRADE-MORAES, Carlos H.; OLIVEIRA, Lays M.; PARENTE-BRUNO, Danielle R.; SANTOS, Raquel M.; COUTINHO, Renan A.; ALHO, Ana T. L.; LEITE, Renata E. P.; SUEMOTO, Claudia K.; GRINBERG, Lea T.; PASQUALUCCI, Carlos A.; JACOB-FILHO, Wilson; LENT, RobertoWhat is the influence of sex and age on the quantitative cell composition of the human brain? By using the isotropic fractionator to estimate absolute cell numbers in selected brain regions, we looked for sex- and age-related differences in 32 medial temporal lobes (comprised basically by the hippocampal formation, amygdala and parahippocampal gyrus), sixteen male (29-92 years) and sixteen female (25-82); and 31 cerebella, seventeen male (29-92 years) and fourteen female (25-82). These regions were dissected from the brain, fixed and homogenized, and then labeled with a DNA-marker (to count all nuclei) and with a neuron-specific nuclear marker (to estimate neuron number). Total number of cells in the medial temporal lobe was found to be 1.91 billion in men, and 1.47 billion in women, a difference of 23 %. This region showed 34 % more neurons in men than in women: 525.1 million against 347.4 million. In contrast, no sex differences were found in the cerebellum. Regarding the influence of age, a quadratic correlation was found between neuronal numbers and age in the female medial temporal lobe, suggesting an early increase followed by slight decline after age 50. The cerebellum showed numerical stability along aging for both neurons and non-neuronal cells. In sum, results indicate a sex-related regional difference in total and neuronal cell numbers in the medial temporal lobe, but not in the cerebellum. On the other hand, aging was found to impact on cell numbers in the medial temporal lobe, while the cerebellum proved resilient to neuronal losses in the course of life.
- Automatic isotropic fractionation for large-scale quantitative cell analysis of nervous tissue(2013) AZEVEDO, Frederico A. C.; ANDRADE-MORAES, Carlos H.; CURADO, Marco R.; OLIVEIRA-PINTO, Ana V.; GUIMARAES, Daniel M.; SZCZUPAK, Diego; GOMES, Bruna V.; ALHO, Ana T. L.; POLICHISO, Livia; TAMPELLINI, Edilaine; LIMA, Luzia; LIMA, Daniel Oliveira de; SILVA, Hudson Alves da; LENT, RobertoIsotropic fractionation is a quantitative technique that allows reliable estimates of absolute numbers of neuronal and non-neuronal brain cells. However, being fast for single small brains, it requires a long time for processing large brains or many small ones, if done manually. To solve this problem, we developed a machine to automate the method, and tested its efficiency, consistency, and reliability as compared with manual processing. The machine consists of a set of electronically controlled rotation and translation motors coupled to tissue grinders, which automatically transform fixed tissue into homogeneous nuclei suspensions. Speed and torque of the motors can be independently regulated by electronic circuits, according to the volume of tissue being processed and its mechanical resistance to fractionation. To test the machine, twelve paraformaldehyde-fixed rat brains and eight human cerebella were separated into two groups, respectively: one processed automatically and the other, manually. Both pairs of groups (rat and human tissue) followed the same, published protocol of the method. We compared the groups according to nuclei morphology, degree of clustering and number of cells. The machine proved superior for yielding faster results due to simultaneous processing in multiple grinders. Quantitative analysis of machine-processed tissue resulted in similar average numbers of total brain cells, neurons, and non-neuronal cells, statistically similar to the manually processed tissue and equivalent to previously published data. We concluded that the machine is more efficient because it utilizes many homogenizers simultaneously, equally consistent in producing high quality material for counting, and quantitatively reliable as compared to manual processing.
- A novel approach for integrative studies on neurodegenerative diseases in human brains(2014) THEOFILAS, Panos; POLICHISO, Livia; WANG, Xuehua; LIMA, Luzia C.; ALHO, Ana T. L.; LEITE, Renata E. P.; SUEMOTO, Claudia K.; PASQUALUCCI, Carlos A.; JACOB-FILHO, Wilson; HEINSEN, Helmut; GRINBERG, Lea T.Despite a massive research effort to elucidate Alzheimer's disease (AD) in recent decades, effective treatment remains elusive. This failure may relate to an oversimplification of the pathogenic processes underlying AD and also lack of understanding of AD progression during its long latent stages. Although evidence shows that the two specific neuropathological hallmarks in AD (neuronal loss and protein accumulation), which are opposite in nature, do not progress in parallel, the great majority of studies have focused on only one of these aspects. Furthermore, research focusing on single structures is likely to render an incomplete picture of AD pathogenesis because as AD involves complete brain networks, potential compensatory mechanisms within the network may ameliorate impairment of the system to a certain extent. Here, we describe an approach for enabling integrative analysis of the dual-nature lesions, simultaneously, in all components of one of the brain networks most vulnerable to AD. This approach is based on significant development of methods previously described mainly by our group that were optimized and complemented for this study. It combines unbiased stereology with immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence, making use of advanced graphics computing for three-dimensional (3D) volume reconstructions. Although this study was performed in human brainstem and focused in AD, it may be applied to the study of any neurological disease characterized by dual-nature lesions, in humans and animal models. This approach does not require a high level of investment in new equipment and a significant number of specimens can be processed and analyzed within a funding cycle.
- Enrichment of single neurons and defined brain regions from human brain tissue samples for subsequent proteome analysis(2015) MOLINA, Mariana; STEINBACH, Simone; PARK, Young Mok; YUN, Su Yeong; ALHO, Ana Tereza Di Lorenzo; HEINSEN, Helmut; GRINBERG, Lea. T.; MARCUS, Katrin; LEITE, Renata E. Paraizo; MAY, CarolineBrain function in normal aging and neurological diseases has long been a subject of interest. With current technology, it is possible to go beyond descriptive analyses to characterize brain cell populations at the molecular level. However, the brain comprises over 100 billion highly specialized cells, and it is a challenge to discriminate different cell groups for analyses. Isolating intact neurons is not feasible with traditional methods, such as tissue homogenization techniques. The advent of laser microdissection techniques promises to overcome previous limitations in the isolation of specific cells. Here, we provide a detailed protocol for isolating and analyzing neurons from postmortem human brain tissue samples. We describe a workflow for successfully freezing, sectioning and staining tissue for laser microdissection. This protocol was validated by mass spectrometric analysis. Isolated neurons can also be employed for western blotting or PCR. This protocol will enable further examinations of brain cell-specific molecular pathways and aid in elucidating distinct brain functions.
- Higher Prevalence of TDP-43 Proteinopathy in Cognitively Normal Asians: A Clinicopathological Study on a Multiethnic Sample(2016) NASCIMENTO, Camila; SUEMOTO, Claudia K.; RODRIGUEZ, Roberta D.; ALHO, Ana Tereza Di Lorenzo; LEITE, Renata P.; FARFEL, Jose Marcelo; PASQUALUCCI, Carlos Augusto Goncalves; JACOB-FILHO, Wilson; GRINBERG, Lea T.Transactive response DNA binding protein 43 (TDP-43) proteinopathy is the major hallmark of frontotemporal lobar degeneration and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. It is also present in a subset of Alzheimer's disease cases. Recently, few reports showed TDP-43 changes in cognitively normal elderly. In Caucasians, TDP-43 proteinopathy independently correlate with cognitive decline. However, it is challenging to establish direct links between cognitive and/or neuropsychiatric symptoms and protein inclusions in neurodegenerative diseases because individual cognitive reserves modify the threshold for clinical disease expression. Cognitive reserve is influenced by demographic, environmental and genetic factors. We investigated the relationships between demographic, clinical and neuropathological variables and TDP-43 proteinopathy in a large multiethnic sample of cognitively normal elderly. TDP-43 proteinopathy was identified in 10.5%, independently associated with older age (P=0.03) and Asian ethnicity (P=0.002). Asians showed a higher prevalence of TDP-43 proteinopathy than Caucasians, even after adjustment for sex, age, Braak stage and schooling (odds ratio=3.50, confidence interval 1.41-8.69, P=0.007). These findings suggested that Asian older adults may be protected from the clinical manifestation of brain TDP-43 proteinopathy. Future studies are needed to identify possible race-related protective factors against clinical expression of TDP-43 proteinopathies.