Circadian control of heparan sulfate levels times phagocytosis of amyloid beta aggregates

PLoS Genet. 2022 Feb 10;18(2):e1009994. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009994. eCollection 2022 Feb.

Abstract

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a neuroinflammatory disease characterized partly by the inability to clear, and subsequent build-up, of amyloid-beta (Aβ). AD has a bi-directional relationship with circadian disruption (CD) with sleep disturbances starting years before disease onset. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the relationship of CD and AD has not been elucidated. Myeloid-based phagocytosis, a key component in the metabolism of Aβ, is circadianly-regulated, presenting a potential link between CD and AD. In this work, we revealed that the phagocytosis of Aβ42 undergoes a daily circadian oscillation. We found the circadian timing of global heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) biosynthesis was the molecular timer for the clock-controlled phagocytosis of Aβ and that both HSPG binding and aggregation may play a role in this oscillation. These data highlight that circadian regulation in immune cells may play a role in the intricate relationship between the circadian clock and AD.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Alzheimer Disease / metabolism
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / metabolism*
  • Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Circadian Clocks
  • Circadian Rhythm / physiology*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans / biosynthesis
  • Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Phagocytosis / physiology*
  • Protein Aggregation, Pathological / metabolism

Substances

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor
  • Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans