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Detection of fungal sequences in human brain: rDNA locus amplification and deep sequencing
Rodrigo Leitao1, Iam Ut Wan2, Harry Chown2
1MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, W12 0BZ, UK. r.monteirinho-leitao@imperial.ac.uk.
Abstract:
The aetiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) are unknown and tend to manifest at a late stage in life; even though these neurodegenerative diseases are caused by different affected proteins, they are both characterized by neuroinflammation. Links between bacterial and viral infection and AD/PD has been suggested in several studies, however, few have attempted to establish a link between fungal infection and AD/PD. In this study we adopted a nanopore-based sequencing approach to characterise the presence or absence of fungal genera in both human brain tissue and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). We observed the presence of small fungal burden DNA in two AD brains and a control case (extensive amyloid angiopathy). This approach would be well-placed to investigate potential links between microbial infection and neurodegenerative disease.
Insights
Fungal infections may play a role in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). Researchers used nanopore sequencing to detect fungal DNA in brain tissue and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Infectious Diseases
- Genomics
Background:
- Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) are neurodegenerative disorders of unknown etiology, characterized by neuroinflammation.
- While bacterial and viral links are explored, fungal infection's role in AD/PD remains under-investigated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence of fungal genera in human brain tissue and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from patients with neurodegenerative diseases.
- To explore a potential link between fungal infections and the pathogenesis of AD and PD.
Main Methods:
- Utilized nanopore-based sequencing for high-throughput characterization of microbial DNA.
- Analyzed human brain tissue and CSF samples.
Main Results:
- Detected small fungal DNA burdens in two Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains.
- Identified fungal DNA in one control case with extensive amyloid angiopathy.
Conclusions:
- The nanopore sequencing approach is suitable for detecting fungal presence in neurological samples.
- Further research is warranted to establish a definitive link between fungal infections and neurodegenerative diseases like AD and PD.
