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Retinal pathological features and proteome signatures of Alzheimer's disease
Koronyo Y, Rentsendorj A, Mirzaei N, Regis GC, Sheyn J, Shi H, Barron E, Cook-Wiens G et al.. Acta neuropathologica, 2023-02-11
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathologies were discovered in the accessible neurosensory retina. However, their exact nature and topographical distribution, particularly in the early stages of functional impairment, and how they relate to disease progression in the brain remain largely unknown. To better understand the pathological features of AD in the retina, we conducted an extensive histopathological and biochemical investigation of postmortem retina and brain tissues from 86 human donors. Quantitative examination of superior and inferior temporal retinas from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and AD patients compared to those with normal cognition (NC) revealed significant increases in amyloid β-protein (Aβ 42 ) forms and novel intraneuronal Aβ oligomers (AβOi), which were closely associated with exacerbated retinal macrogliosis, microgliosis, and tissue atrophy. These pathologies were unevenly distributed across retinal layers and geometrical areas, with the inner layers and peripheral subregions exhibiting most pronounced accumulations in the MCI and AD versus NC retinas. While microgliosis was increased in the retina of these patients, the proportion of microglial cells engaging in Aβ uptake was reduced. Female AD patients exhibited higher levels of retinal microgliosis than males. Notably, retinal Aβ 42 , S100 calcium-binding protein B + macrogliosis, and atrophy correlated with severity of brain Aβ pathology, tauopathy, and atrophy, and most retinal pathologies reflected Braak staging. All retinal biomarkers correlated with the cognitive scores, with retinal Aβ 42 , far-peripheral AβOi and microgliosis displaying the strongest correlations. Proteomic analysis of AD retinas revealed activation of specific inflammatory and neurodegenerative processes and inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation/mitochondrial, and photoreceptor-related pathways. This study identifies and maps retinopathy in MCI and AD patients, demonstrating the quantitative relationship with brain pathology and cognition, and may lead to reliable retinal biomarkers for noninvasive retinal screening and monitoring of AD.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Koronyo, Y., Rentsendorj, A., Mirzaei, N., Regis, G. C., Sheyn, J., Shi, H., et al. (2023). Retinal pathological features and proteome signatures of Alzheimer's disease. Acta neuropathologica. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00401-023-02548-2
Vancouver
Koronyo Y, Rentsendorj A, Mirzaei N, Regis GC, Sheyn J, Shi H, et al. Retinal pathological features and proteome signatures of Alzheimer's disease. Acta neuropathologica. 2023. doi:10.1007/s00401-023-02548-2. PMID: 36773106.
BibTeX
@article{koronyo2023-36773106,
author = {Koronyo, Y. and Rentsendorj, A. and Mirzaei, N. and Regis, G. C. and Sheyn, J. and Shi, H. and Barron, E. and Cook-Wiens, G. and others},
title = {{Retinal pathological features and proteome signatures of Alzheimer's disease}},
journal = {Acta neuropathologica},
year = {2023},
doi = {10.1007/s00401-023-02548-2},
pmid = {36773106},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s00401-023-02548-2}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Quantitative examination of superior and inferior temporal retinas from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and AD patients compared to those with normal cognition (NC) revealed significant increases in amyloid β-protein (Aβ 42 ) forms and novel intraneuronal Aβ oligomers (AβOi), which were closely associated with exacerbated retinal macrogliosis, microgliosis, and tissue atrophy.
- These pathologies were unevenly distributed across retinal layers and geometrical areas, with the inner layers and peripheral subregions exhibiting most pronounced accumulations in the MCI and AD versus NC retinas.
- Proteomic analysis of AD retinas revealed activation of specific inflammatory and neurodegenerative processes and inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation/mitochondrial, and photoreceptor-related pathways.
Why it matters
In this study of postmortem retina and brain tissue from 86 donors, mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease retinas showed increases in amyloid β-protein forms and intraneuronal Aβ oligomers associated with retinal inflammation and atrophy. These retinal changes correlated with brain measures, but the work is on donated tissue and does not test treatment or prevention.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 57/100
Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Acta neuropathologica) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Acta Neuropathologica: journal h-index 287 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 3 / 5 | 2023 — within 6 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 152 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 30.4 citations a year over 5 year(s) since 2023 |
| Impact for its field and year | 5 / 6 | Cited 22.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 6 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 136 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Maya Koronyo‐Hamaoui: h-index 42 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | Harvard University: institution h-index 3,235 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 3 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 14 institution(s) in 3 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 36773106) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 57 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1007/s00401-023-02548-2
- PubMed: 36773106
- Original source →
- Free full text: Acta Neuropathologica →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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