BU researchers studying the link between the brain’s extracellular matrix and diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and schizophrenia

(Boston)—The extracellular matrix (ECM) of the brain is a large network of proteins and other molecules that surround, support and give structure to cells and tissues, while playing an important role in cell growth, movement and other functions. The ECM also is involved in the neuropathophysiology of disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD) and Schizophrenia (SZ), which impacts a growing proportion of the population.

In a new review article, researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM), provide comprehensive information on mass spectrometry-based studies on neurological disorders, including AD, PD and SZ, explicitly focusing on the expression of the brain’s ECM components opening avenues for treatment strategies and therapeutic options that will benefit patients with these disorders.

“ECM components in the brain are poorly regulated during disease and so we sought to describe commonalities among the studied disorders. The information compiled by this review will assist researchers in understanding the complex environment of the brain ECM, its role in neuropathophysiology and uncover therapeutic options,” explained corresponding author Manveen K. Sethi, PhD, research assistant professor of biochemistry at BUSM.

A literature review was conducted on studies using specific mass spectrometry methods to outline the expression of brain ECM in brain disorders. The researchers focused their review on AD, PD, and SZ, for which there are a number of studies describing differential expression of ECM components. They used specific search terms related to the brain ECM, AD, PD, and SZ on various platforms, including Google (and Google Scholar), PubMed and Web of Science.

According to the researchers, neurodegenerative disorders are associated with changes in the expression of ECM molecules, but specific structural and molecular alterations and their underlying pathways are not fully understood. “This review provides a hub of information benefitting brain and neuroscience researchers informing them about the mass spectrometry methods and findings related to brain ECM and providing fundamental knowledge to identify altered ECM that will assist in the diagnosis and treatment of these neurological disorders,” said Sethi.

This invited review will appear online as a part of a special issue for outstanding young investigators in the journal Mass Spectrometry Reviews.

Funding for this research was provided by the BrightFocus Foundation Research Fellowship Award A2020687F, NIH grant R01GM133963, and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH, through BU-CTSI Grant Number 1UL1TR001430. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH