Laura Lombardero

Bio: Laura Lombardero is an academic researcher from University of the Basque Country. The author has contributed to research in topics: Cholinergic & Basal forebrain. The author has an hindex of 6, co-authored 14 publications receiving 251 citations. Previous affiliations of Laura Lombardero include Imperial College London.

Profiling and imaging of lipids on brain and liver tissue by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ ionization mass spectrometry using 2-mercaptobenzothiazole as a matrix.

Abstract: 2-Mercaptobenzothiazole (MBT) is employed for the first time as a matrix for the analysis of lipids from tissue extracts using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. We demonstrate that the performance of MBT is superior to that of the matrixes commonly employed for lipids, due to its low vapor pressure, its low acidity, and the formation of small crystals, although because of the strong background at low m/z, it precludes detection of species below approximately 500 Da. This inconvenience can be partly overcome with the formation of Cs adducts. Using a polymer-based dual calibration, a mass accuracy of approximately 10 ppm in lipid extracts and of approximately 80 ppm in tissues is achieved. We present spectra from liver and brain lipid extracts where a large amount of lipid species is identified, in both positive and negative ion modes, with high reproducibility. In addition, the above-mentioned special properties of MBT allow its employment for imaging mass spectrometry. In the present work, images of brain and liver tissues showing different lipid species are presented, demonstrating the advantages of the employment of MBT.

PPARγ-coactivator-1α gene transfer reduces neuronal loss and amyloid-β generation by reducing β-secretase in an Alzheimer's disease model.

Abstract: Current therapies for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are symptomatic and do not target the underlying Aβ pathology and other important hallmarks including neuronal loss. PPARγ-coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) is a cofactor for transcription factors including the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ), and it is involved in the regulation of metabolic genes, oxidative phosphorylation, and mitochondrial biogenesis. We previously reported that PGC-1α also regulates the transcription of β-APP cleaving enzyme (BACE1), the main enzyme involved in Aβ generation, and its expression is decreased in AD patients. We aimed to explore the potential therapeutic effect of PGC-1α by generating a lentiviral vector to express human PGC-1α and target it by stereotaxic delivery to hippocampus and cortex of APP23 transgenic mice at the preclinical stage of the disease. Four months after injection, APP23 mice treated with hPGC-1α showed improved spatial and recognition memory concomitant with a significant reduction in Aβ deposition, associated with a decrease in BACE1 expression. hPGC-1α overexpression attenuated the levels of proinflammatory cytokines and microglial activation. This effect was accompanied by a marked preservation of pyramidal neurons in the CA3 area and increased expression of neurotrophic factors. The neuroprotective effects were secondary to a reduction in Aβ pathology and neuroinflammation, because wild-type mice receiving the same treatment were unaffected. These results suggest that the selective induction of PGC-1α gene in specific areas of the brain is effective in targeting AD-related neurodegeneration and holds potential as therapeutic intervention for this disease.

Enzyme Therapy: Current Challenges and Future Perspectives.

Abstract: In recent years, enzymes have risen as promising therapeutic tools for different pathologies, from metabolic deficiencies, such as fibrosis conditions, ocular pathologies or joint problems, to cancer or cardiovascular diseases. Treatments based on the catalytic activity of enzymes are able to convert a wide range of target molecules to restore the correct physiological metabolism. These treatments present several advantages compared to established therapeutic approaches thanks to their affinity and specificity properties. However, enzymes present some challenges, such as short in vivo half-life, lack of targeted action and, in particular, patient immune system reaction against the enzyme. For this reason, it is important to monitor serum immune response during treatment. This can be achieved by conventional techniques (ELISA) but also by new promising tools such as microarrays. These assays have gained popularity due to their high-throughput analysis capacity, their simplicity, and their potential to monitor the immune response of patients during enzyme therapies. In this growing field, research is still ongoing to solve current health problems such as COVID-19. Currently, promising therapeutic alternatives using the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) are being studied to treat COVID-19.

Microarray and Mass Spectrometry-Based Methodology for Lipid Profiling of Tissues and Cell Cultures

Abstract: The recent developments in mass spectrometry have revealed the importance of lipids as biomarkers in the context of different diseases and as indicators of the cell's homeostasis. However, further advances are required to unveil the complex relationships between lipid classes and lipid species with proteins. Here, we present a new methodology that combines microarrays with mass spectrometry to obtain the lipid fingerprint of samples of a different nature in a standardized and fast way, with minimal sample consumption. As a proof of concept, we use the methodology to obtain the lipid fingerprint of 20 rat tissues and to create a lipid library for tissue classification. Then, we combine those results with immunohistochemistry and enzymatic assays to unveil the relationship between some lipid species and two enzymes. Finally, we demonstrate the performance of the methodology to explore changes in lipid composition of the nucleus accumbens from mice subjected to two lipid diets.

Sphingolipid and Glycosphingolipid Metabolic Pathways in the Era of Sphingolipidomics

Abstract: Much has been made about J. L. W. Thudichum’s colorful, and one could say clairvoyant, naming of sphingosine “in commemoration of the many enigmas which it presented to the inquirer” in his 1884 treatise The Chemistry of the Brain(1) because many of the riddles of sphingolipids (as the broader field was later named)(2) remained unanswered for the following century. This changed radically over the past several decades as researchers explored, and ultimately established, what seemed at the time to be radical concepts: that sphingolipids are not just structural elements of cells but also participate in intra- and extracellular signaling; that not only the complex glycan headgroups, but also the lipid backbones, are highly specified metabolically and have selective biochemical functions; and that even the longest known function of these lipids, as structural components of the “fluid mosaic” of cell membrane lipids, is not so simple, and often involves the dynamic clustering of sphingolipids in nontraditional microdomains referred to as rafts. We still know only a fraction of their secrets, but this enlightenment has defined models for thinking about these compounds that remove them from their enigmatic “black box.” Now, a major challenge is to keep up with the rapid growth in knowledge about the sphingolipidome, that is, the ensemble of all sphingolipids.(3) A major goal of the review is to help the reader more easily grasp the metabolic interrelationships that account for the tens of thousands of molecular subspecies (and perhaps more) that appear in nature, with a focus on mammals. The magnitude of this subject precludes the inclusion of all of the enzymes and metabolites, and the author apologizes for the omission of many interesting topics. To put this information in context, there is a brief background discussion of their structures and functions, which have been dealt with also in a recent Chemical Reviews article(4) on the chemicophysical features of sphingolipids and raft formation, and by excellent reviews on sphingolipid signaling5,6 and the biological functions of complex glycosphingolipids.7−10

Mitochondria dysfunction in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease: recent advances.

Abstract: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is one of the most prevalent neurodegenerative diseases, characterized by impaired cognitive function due to progressive loss of neurons in the brain. Under the microscope, neuronal accumulation of abnormal tau proteins and amyloid plaques are two pathological hallmarks in affected brain regions. Although the detailed mechanism of the pathogenesis of AD is still elusive, a large body of evidence suggests that damaged mitochondria likely play fundamental roles in the pathogenesis of AD. It is believed that a healthy pool of mitochondria not only supports neuronal activity by providing enough energy supply and other related mitochondrial functions to neurons, but also guards neurons by minimizing mitochondrial related oxidative damage. In this regard, exploration of the multitude of mitochondrial mechanisms altered in the pathogenesis of AD constitutes novel promising therapeutic targets for the disease. In this review, we will summarize recent progress that underscores the essential role of mitochondria dysfunction in the pathogenesis of AD and discuss mechanisms underlying mitochondrial dysfunction with a focus on the loss of mitochondrial structural and functional integrity in AD including mitochondrial biogenesis and dynamics, axonal transport, ER-mitochondria interaction, mitophagy and mitochondrial proteostasis.

Inflammation: the link between comorbidities, genetics, and Alzheimer’s disease

Abstract: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder, most cases of which lack a clear causative event. This has made the disease difficult to characterize and, thus, diagnose. Although some cases are genetically linked, there are many diseases and lifestyle factors that can lead to an increased risk of developing AD, including traumatic brain injury, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and other metabolic syndromes, in addition to aging. Identifying common factors and trends between these conditions could enhance our understanding of AD and lead to the development of more effective treatments. Although the immune system is one of the body’s key defense mechanisms, chronic inflammation has been increasingly linked with several age-related diseases. Moreover, it is now well accepted that chronic inflammation has an important role in the onset and progression of AD. In this review, the different inflammatory signals associated with AD and its risk factors will be outlined to demonstrate how chronic inflammation may be influencing individual susceptibility to AD. Our goal is to bring attention to potential shared signals presented by the immune system during different conditions that could lead to the development of successful treatments.