scholarly journals Low-Level Light in Combination with Metabolic Modulators for Effective Therapy of Injured Brain

2015 ◽  
Vol 35 (9) ◽  
pp. 1435-1444 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tingting Dong ◽  
Qi Zhang ◽  
Michael R Hamblin ◽  
Mei X Wu

Vascular damage occurs frequently at the injured brain causing hypoxia and is associated with poor outcomes in the clinics. We found high levels of glycolysis, reduced adenosine triphosphate generation, and increased formation of reactive oxygen species and apoptosis in neurons under hypoxia. Strikingly, these adverse events were reversed significantly by noninvasive exposure of injured brain to low-level light (LLL). Low-level light illumination sustained the mitochondrial membrane potential, constrained cytochrome c leakage in hypoxic cells, and protected them from apoptosis, underscoring a unique property of LLL. The effect of LLL was further bolstered by combination with metabolic substrates such as pyruvate or lactate both in vivo and in vitro. The combinational treatment retained memory and learning activities of injured mice to a normal level, whereas other treatment displayed partial or severe deficiency in these cognitive functions. In accordance with well-protected learning and memory function, the hippocampal region primarily responsible for learning and memory was completely protected by combination treatment, in marked contrast to the severe loss of hippocampal tissue because of secondary damage in control mice. These data clearly suggest that energy metabolic modulators can additively or synergistically enhance the therapeutic effect of LLL in energy-producing insufficient tissue–like injured brain.

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Kesevan Rajah Kumaran ◽  
Habibah Abdul Wahab ◽  
Zurina Hassan

Vascular dementia (VaD), is one of the most common types of dementia in the ageing population, initiated by chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH). At present, effective therapeutic approaches to cure VaD are still missing. Cholinergic system dysfunction in the central nervous system (CNS) has been recognised as one of the main reasons for learning and memory impairment in VaD patients. Therefore, medications that restore the level of acetylcholine (ACh) neurotransmitter by inhibiting cholinesterase activity were proposed as a potential candidate to treat VaD patients. Permanent occlusion of bilateral common carotid arteries (POBCCA) surgery method was performed to develop CCH model in rats. The present study evaluated the anti-cholinesterase activity of three Malaysian plant methanol leaf extracts in vitro and further validated its cognitive-enhancing effects in vivo using POBCCA rats. The selected plant extracts were Coccoloba uvifera (stems), Mimusops elengi (leaves) and Syzygium aqueum (leaves). The in vitro anti-cholinesterase activities of these plants were determined using Ellman's method. The effects of selected plant extracts (100 and 200 mg/kg, p.o.) on learning and memory functions were evaluated using a series of behavioural tests. All the selected plant extracts exhibited good anti-acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) activities in vitro, with IC50 ranging from 3.67 to 16.04 and 5.6 to 13.95 µg/mL, respectively. Extracts of S. aqueum (200 mg/kg) improve both short- and long-term recognition memories, whereas M. elengi and S. aqueum (200 mg/kg) extracts improve spatial learning. None of the extracts impaired motor and exploratory functions in POBCCA rats. In conclusion, methanol extracts of C. uvifera, M. elengi and S. aqueum showed good anti-cholinesterase activity in vitro. However, only M. elengi and S. aqueum improve learning and memory function in POBCCA rats.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Yanhu Ge ◽  
Duomao Lin ◽  
Boqun Cui ◽  
Liang Zhang ◽  
Shurong Li ◽  
...  

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Isoflurane (ISO) may cause neuronal apoptosis and synaptic disorder during development, and damage long-term learning and memory function. This observation aimed to study the function of H19 in vitro and in vivo tests and the further mechanism was identified. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> ISO cell models and rat models were established and reactive oxygen species (ROS) identified. The viability and apoptosis of HT22 cells were detected by the MTT and flow cytometer. Morris water maze test was conducted to analyze the neurotoxicity of ISO on spatial learning and memory ability. Quantitative PCR was the method to verify the expression of H19. The concentration of inflammatory indicators was identified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. <b><i>Results:</i></b> 1.5% and 2% ISO led to the neurotoxicity of HT22 cells and increased expression of H19. Silenced H19 meliorated these adverse impacts of ISO. Interference of H19 exerted neuroprotective roles by repressing modified neurological severity score, inhibiting escape latency, elevating distance and time of target area, and controlling ROS and inflammation. MiR-17-5p might be a promising competing endogenous RNA of H19. The expression of miR-17-5p was reduced in the ISO group and reversed by the absence of H19. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Our results of in vitro and in vivo assay indicated that the absence of HT22 is a neuroprotective regulator of cognition and inflammation by accumulating miR-17-5p.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 1729-1739 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongxia Che ◽  
Lingyu Zhang ◽  
Lin Ding ◽  
Wancui Xie ◽  
Xiaoming Jiang ◽  
...  

Our previous study showed that EPA-enriched ethanolamine plasmalogen (EPA-pPE) exerted more significant effects than EPA-enriched phosphatidylethanolamine (EPA-PE) in improving learning and memory deficit.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pengfei Liu ◽  
Jing Yuan ◽  
Yetong Feng ◽  
Xin Chen ◽  
Guangsuo Wang ◽  
...  

AbstractFerroptosis is a novel type of programmed cell death, which is different from apoptosis and autophagic cell death. Recently, ferroptosis has been indicated to contribute to the in vitro neurotoxicity induced by isoflurane, which is one of the most common anesthetics in clinic. However, the in vivo position of ferroptosis in isoflurane-induced neurotoxicity as well as learning and memory impairment remains unclear. In this study, we mainly explored the relationship between ferroptosis and isoflurane-induced learning and memory, as well as the therapeutic methods in mouse model. Our results indicated that isoflurane induced the ferroptosis in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner in hippocampus, the organ related with learning and memory ability. In addition, the activity of cytochrome c oxidase/Complex IV in mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) was increased by isoflurane, which might further contributed to cysteine deprivation-induced ferroptosis caused by isoflurane exposure. More importantly, isoflurane-induced ferroptosis could be rescued by both ferroptosis inhibitor (ferrostatin-1) and mitochondria activator (dimethyl fumarate), which also showed effective therapeutic action against isoflurane-induced learning and memory impairment. Taken together, our data indicate the close association among ferroptosis, mitochondria and isoflurane, and provide a novel insight into the therapy mode against isoflurane-induced learning and memory impairment.


2012 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 101-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanyong Liu ◽  
Haji Akber Aisa ◽  
Chao Ji ◽  
Nan Yang ◽  
Haibo Zhu ◽  
...  

Aging-associated cognitive impairment is an important health care issue since individuals with mild cognitive impairment are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. In the present study, the protective effect of Gossypium herbaceam extracts (GHE) on learning and memory impairment associated with aging were examined in vivo using Morris water maze and step through task. Furthermore, the antioxidant activity and neuroprotective effect of GHE was investigated with methods of histochemistry and biochemistry. These data showed that oral administration with GHE at the doses of 35, 70, and 140 mg/kg exerted an improved effect on the learning and memory impairment in aged rats. Subsequently, GHE afforded a beneficial action on eradication of free radicals without influence on the activity of glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase. GHE treatment enhanced the expression levels of nerve growth factor. Meanwhile, proliferation of neural progenitor cells was elevated in hippocampus after treatment with GHE. Taken together, neurogenic niche improvement could be involved in the mechanism underlying neuroprotection of GHE against aging-associated cognitive impairment. These findings suggested that GHE might be a potential agent as cognitive-enhancing drugs that delay or halt mild cognitive impairment progression to Alzheimer’s disease or treatment of aging-associated cognitive impairment.


2019 ◽  
Vol 159 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prabakaran Paulraj ◽  
Michelle Bosworth ◽  
Maria Longhurst ◽  
Callie Hornbuckle ◽  
Garrett Gotway ◽  
...  

The role of autosomal recessive (AR) variants in clinically heterogeneous conditions such as intellectual disability and developmental delay (ID/DD) has been difficult to uncover. Implication of causative pathogenic AR variants often requires investigation within large and consanguineous families, and/or identifying rare biallelic variants in affected individuals. Furthermore, detection of homozygous gene-level copy number variants during first-line genomic microarray testing in the pediatric population is a rare finding. We describe a 6.7-year-old male patient with ID/DD and a novel homozygous deletion involving the FRY gene identified by genomic SNP microarray. This deletion was observed within a large region of homozygosity on the long arm of chromosome 13 and in a background of increased low-level (2.6%) autosomal homozygosity, consistent with a reported common ancestry in the family. FRY encodes a protein that regulates cell cytoskeletal dynamics, functions in chromosomal alignment in mitosis in vitro, and has been shown to function in the nervous system in vivo. Homozygous mutation of FRY has been previously reported in 2 consanguineous families from studies of autosomal recessive ID in Middle Eastern and Northern African populations. This report provides additional supportive evidence that deleterious biallelic mutation of FRY is associated with ID/DD and illustrates the utility of genomic SNP microarray detection of low-level homozygosity.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kui Chen ◽  
Liang Zhu ◽  
Lin Guo ◽  
Yuan-Bo Pan ◽  
Dong-Fu Feng

Abstract Maf1, a general transcriptional regulator and mTOR downstream effector, is highly expressed in the hippocampus and cortex, but the function of Maf1 in neurons is not well elucidated. Here, we first demonstrate that Maf1 plays a central role in the inhibition of dendritic morphogenesis and the growth of dendritic spines both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, Maf1 downregulation paradoxically leads to activation of AKT-mTOR signaling, which is mediated by decreased PTEN expression. Moreover, we confirmed that Maf1 could regulate the activity of PTEN promoter by luciferase reporter assay, and proved that Maf1 could bind to the promoter of PTEN by ChIP-PCR experiment. We also demonstrate that expression of Maf1 in the hippocampus affects learning and memory in mice. Taken together, we show for the first time that Maf1 inhibits dendritic morphogenesis and the growth of dendritic spines through AKT-mTOR signaling by increasing PTEN expression.


2015 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 2383-2401 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoqin Zhou ◽  
Jialu Gu ◽  
Yan Gu ◽  
Mulan He ◽  
Yang Bi ◽  
...  

Background: MSCs are a promising therapeutic resource. Paracrine effects and the induction of differentiation patterns are thought to represent the two primary mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation in vivo. However, it is unclear which mechanism is involved in the therapeutic effects of human umbilical cord-derived MSC (hUC-MSC) transplantation. Methods and Results: Based on flow cytometry analysis, hUC-MSCs exhibited the morphological characteristics and surface markers of MSCs. Following directed neural induction, these cells displayed a neuron-like morphology and expressed high levels of neural markers. All types of hUC-MSCs, including differentiated and redifferentiated cells, promoted learning and memory function recovery in hypoxic-ischemic brain damaged (HIBD) rats. The hUC-MSCs secreted IL-8, which enhanced angiogenesis in the hippocampus via the JNK pathway. However, the differentiated and redifferentiated cells did not exert significantly greater therapeutic effects than the undifferentiated hUC-MSCs. Conclusion: hUC-MSCs display the biological properties and neural differentiation potential of MSCs and provide therapeutic advantages by secreting IL-8, which participates in angiogenesis in the rat HIBD model. These data suggest that hUC-MSC transplantation improves the recovery of neuronal function via an IL-8-mediated secretion mechanism, whereas differentiation pattern induction was limited.


2018 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 1151-1167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuhang Sun ◽  
Zixuan Liu ◽  
Dandan Liu ◽  
Jin Chen ◽  
Fang Gan ◽  
...  

Background/Aims: Swine influenza virus (SIV) is a major pathogen of both animals and humans. Afatoxin B1 (AFB1) is one of the most common mycotoxins in feed and food. However, the central contribution of AFB1 to SIV infection remains unclear. Methods: Here, TCID50 assays, fluorescence-based quantitative real-time PCR, western blotting, immunofluorescence staining, histopathological examination, flow cytometry and scanning electron microscopy were performed to investigate the involvement and underlying mechanism of AFB1 in SIV infection in vivo and in vitro using mouse models and porcine alveolar macrophage (PAM) models, respectively. Results: The in vivo study showed that low levels of AFB1 promoted SIV infection and increased its severity, as demonstrated by the increased mRNA expression of viral matrix protein (M); by the increased protein expression of nucleoprotein (NP), matrix protein 1 and ion channel protein; and by animal weight loss, lung index and lung histologic damage. In addition, the increased occurrence of SIV infection accompanied by increases in the level of IL-10 in sera and lungs, in the spleen index and in the number of CD206-positive mouse alveolar macrophages but decreases in the level of TNF-α in sera and lungs, in the thymus index and in the number of CD80-positive mouse alveolar macrophages was observed in SIV-infected mice after low-level AFB1 exposure. The in vitro study showed that low concentrations of AFB1 promoted SIV infection, as demonstrated by the increases in viral titers and viral M mRNA and NP expression levels in SIV-infected PAMs as well as by the number of cells positive for NP protein expression. Furthermore, AFB1 promoted the polarization of SIV-infected PAMs to the M1 phenotype at 8 hpi and to the M2 phenotype at 24 hpi, as measured by the increases in IL-10 expression and in the number of CD206-positive PAMs as well as by the morphological changes observed by scanning electron microscopy. The administration of the immune stimulant lipopolysaccharide (LPS) reversed the switch in PAM polarization from M2 to M1 and thereby counteracted the promotion of influenza virus infection induced by AFB1. Conclusion: Our results are the first to confirm that low-level exposure to AFB1 promotes SIV infection and modulates a switch in macrophage polarization from M1 to M2. The work reported here provides important data that point to a role for AFB1 in SIV infection, and it opens a new field of study.


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