scholarly journals Oral berberine improves brain dopa/dopamine levels to ameliorate Parkinson’s disease by regulating gut microbiota

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Wang ◽  
Qian Tong ◽  
Shu-Rong Ma ◽  
Zhen-Xiong Zhao ◽  
Li-Bin Pan ◽  
...  

AbstractThe phenylalanine–tyrosine–dopa–dopamine pathway provides dopamine to the brain. In this process, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) is the rate-limiting enzyme that hydroxylates tyrosine and generates levodopa (l-dopa) with tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) as a coenzyme. Here, we show that oral berberine (BBR) might supply H• through dihydroberberine (reduced BBR produced by bacterial nitroreductase) and promote the production of BH4 from dihydrobiopterin; the increased BH4 enhances TH activity, which accelerates the production of l-dopa by the gut bacteria. Oral BBR acts in a way similar to vitamins. The l-dopa produced by the intestinal bacteria enters the brain through the circulation and is transformed to dopamine. To verify the gut–brain dialog activated by BBR’s effect, Enterococcus faecalis or Enterococcus faecium was transplanted into Parkinson’s disease (PD) mice. The bacteria significantly increased brain dopamine and ameliorated PD manifestation in mice; additionally, combination of BBR with bacteria showed better therapeutic effect than that with bacteria alone. Moreover, 2,4,6-trimethyl-pyranylium tetrafluoroborate (TMP-TFB)-derivatized matrix-assisted laser desorption mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) imaging of dopamine identified elevated striatal dopamine levels in mouse brains with oral Enterococcus, and BBR strengthened the imaging intensity of brain dopamine. These results demonstrated that BBR was an agonist of TH in Enterococcus and could lead to the production of l-dopa in the gut. Furthermore, a study of 28 patients with hyperlipidemia confirmed that oral BBR increased blood/fecal l-dopa by the intestinal bacteria. Hence, BBR might improve the brain function by upregulating the biosynthesis of l-dopa in the gut microbiota through a vitamin-like effect.

Author(s):  
J. Eric Ahlskog

In Chapters 1 and 4, we briefly summarized the symptoms of parkinsonism. Parkinsonism implies movement problems that are typical of Parkinson’s disease. They remain treatment issues during the lifetime of people with Parkinson’s disease, even if dementia develops. Similarly, parkinsonism also typically occurs in DLB, although to variable degrees. In these disorders parkinsonism primarily reflects low brain dopamine levels and improves with dopamine replacement therapy, often markedly. Parkinsonism occurs when a region of the brain called the basal ganglia ceases to work properly (see Figure 4.2 in Chapter 4). As discussed in Chapter 4, the substantia nigra is a crucial regulator of basal ganglia activity, which is mediated by dopamine release in the striatum. The substantia nigra degenerates in these Lewy disorders and, as a result, brain dopamine declines. With a decline in dopamine, movement slows. Bradykinesia is the medical term for such slowness. This manifests as not only slowed movement but also less movement and smaller than normal movements. Unconscious automatic movements, such as blinking or arm swing, diminish. A unique tremor of the hands (sometimes legs) often develops when these limbs are in a relaxed position (rest tremor). For unknown reasons, the brain is not affected symmetrically, hence, neither is the body. Typically, one side of the body is much more impaired than the other. The extent to which these symptoms develop differs from person to person and includes various combinations of the following components. The slowness may be apparent on one or both sides of the body. For example, one leg may lag behind when walking. The overall appearance is characterized by moving much slower than expected for one’s age. The person feels as if they are moving in molasses—everything slows down. Many of our daily activities involve repeated small movements, such as writing or brushing teeth. In the Lewy conditions of DLB and PDD, the size (amplitude) of repetitive movements diminishes, impairing the activity. This is exemplified by the small handwriting of someone with parkinsonism, termed micrographia. Clinicians assess repetitive motor function by asking the patient to repetitively tap the thumb and index finger.


SLEEP ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 43 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. A437-A438
Author(s):  
J F Chandler ◽  
M M Bullock ◽  
N G Chandler ◽  
S M Nelson ◽  
S P Hoyle ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction Early non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease (PD) include sleep and digestive disturbances that share a common pathology via alpha-synuclein (AS) deposition in the central nervous system (CNS) and formation in the enteric (ENS). The concept of prodromal PD as expressed by the brain-gut-microbiota axis continues to gain credibility across multiple literatures; yet, no unified treatment plan has been suggested. Disconnected, symptomatic treatment of prodromal PD may unintentionally hasten its development via compromise of REM sleep quality and reciprocal gut health. A more connected, comprehensive approach is needed. We conducted a systematic literature review to hypothesize next steps in treatment research for prodromal PD. Methods A systematic literature review using the Boolean combinations of “ALPHA-SYNUCLEIN” & - “SLEEP”, “GUT MICROBIOME”, and “EXERCISE” in all fields, restricted to the last 5 years, focusing on specification of prodromal PD, was conducted. Results were combined with an examination of current treatment practices in PD. Results 38 articles met inclusion criteria. Results were categorized through a presupposed primacy of sleep. Conclusion Due to the emerging nature of the prodromal PD idea, current treatment practice is myopic and may contribute to the progression of PD. Specifically, 1) sedative-hypnotic sleep interventions suppress REM, where clearing of CNS alpha-synuclein occurs, and 2) proton-pump inhibitors (PPI) cause significant gut dysbiosis, which may contribute to initial AS misfolding in the gut. Early identification of prodromal PD symptoms via cross-referenced clinical interview may allow for early behavioral interventions that underlie healthy brain-gut-microbiota axis functioning. Results outline specific measures that may slow PD-related synucleinopothies. The highest impact practices in this regard are REM-focused sleep hygiene and cardiovascular conditioning in a reciprocal relationship, highlighting the necessity of an early-intervention, preventative health model for conquering PD. Support This work was made possible in part by a donation from Drs. Shane Pitts and Michelle Hilgeman in support of Birmingham-Southern College’s Southern Sleep Laboratory.


1998 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 316-331 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chara Malapani ◽  
Brian Rakitin ◽  
R. Levy ◽  
Warren H. Meck ◽  
Bernard Deweer ◽  
...  

Dysfunction of the basal ganglia and the brain nuclei interconnected with them leads to disturbances of movement and cognition, including disordered timing of movement and perceptual timing deflcits. Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) were studied in temporal reproduction tasks. We examined PD patients when brain dopamine (DA) transmission was impaired (OFF state) and when DA transmission was reestablished, at the time of maximal clinical beneflt following administration of levodopa + apomorphine (ON state). Patients reproduced target times of 8 and 21 sec trained in blocked trials with the peak interval procedure, which were veridical in the ON state, comparable to normative performance by healthy young and aged controls (Experiment 1). In the OFF state, temporal reproduction was impaired in both accuracy and precision (variance). The 8-sec signal was reproduced as longer and the 21-sec signal was reproduced as shorter than they actually were (Experiment 1). This fimigrationfl effect was dependent upon training of two different durations. When PD patients were trained on 21 sec only (Experiment 2), they showed a reproduction error in the long direction, opposite to the error produced under the dual training condition of Experiment 1. The results are discussed as a mutual attraction between temporal processing systems, in memory and clock stages, when dopaminergic regulation in the striatum is dysfunctional.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amaryllis E. Hill ◽  
Richard Wade-Martins ◽  
Philip W. J. Burnet

Microbiota have increasingly become implicated in predisposition to human diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease (PD). Traditionally, a central nervous system (CNS)-centric approach to understanding PD has predominated; however, an association of the gut with PD has existed since Parkinson himself reported the disease. The gut–brain axis refers to the bidirectional communication between the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and the brain. Gut microbiota dysbiosis, reported in PD patients, may extend this to a microbiota–gut–brain axis. To date, mainly the bacteriome has been investigated. The change in abundance of bacterial products which accompanies dysbiosis is hypothesised to influence PD pathophysiology via multiple mechanisms which broadly centre on inflammation, a cause of alpha-synuclein (a-syn) misfolding. Two main routes are hypothesised by which gut microbiota can influence PD pathophysiology, the neural and humoral routes. The neural route involves a-syn misfolding peripherally in the enteric nerves which can then be transported to the brain via the vagus nerve. The humoral route involves transportation of bacterial products and proinflammatory cytokines from the gut via the circulation which can cause central a-syn misfolding by inducing neuroinflammation. This article will assess whether the current literature supports gut bacteria influencing PD pathophysiology via both routes.


Author(s):  
М.М. Руденок ◽  
А.Х. Алиева ◽  
А.А. Колачева ◽  
М.В. Угрюмов ◽  
П.А. Сломинский ◽  
...  

Несмотря на очевидный прогресс, достигнутый в изучении молекулярно-генетических факторов и механизмов патогенеза болезни Паркинсона (БП), в настоящее время стало ясно, что нарушения в структуре ДНК не описывают весь спектр патологических изменений, наблюдаемых при развитии заболевания. В настоящее время показано, что существенное влияние на патогенез БП могут оказывать изменения на уровне транскриптома. В работе были использованы мышиные модели досимптомной стадии БП, поздней досимптомной и ранней симптомной (РСС) стадиями БП. Для полнотранскриптомного анализа пулов РНК тканей черной субстанции и стриатума мозга мышей использовались микрочипы MouseRef-8 v2.0 Expression BeadChip Kit («Illumina», США). Полученные данные указывают на последовательное вовлечение транскриптома в патогенез БП, а также на то, что изменения на транскриптомном уровне процессов транспорта и митохондриального биогенеза могут играть важную роль в нейродегенерации при БП уже на самых ранних этапах. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a complex systemic disease, mainly associated with the death of dopaminergic neurons. Despite the obvious progress made in the study of molecular genetic factors and mechanisms of PD pathogenesis, it has now become clear that violations in the DNA structure do not describe the entire spectrum of pathological changes observed during the development of the disease. It has now been shown that changes at the transcriptome level can have a significant effect on the pathogenesis of PD. The authors used models of the presymptomatic stage of PD with mice decapitation after 6 hours (6 h-PSS), presymptomatic stage with decapitation after 24 hours (24 h-PSS), advanced presymptomatic (Adv-PSS) and early symptomatic (ESS) stages of PD. For whole transcriptome analysis of RNA pools of the substantia nigra and mouse striatum, the MouseRef-8 v2.0 Expression BeadChip Kit microchips (Illumina, USA) were used. As a result of the analysis of whole transcriptome data, it was shown that, there are a greater number of statistically significant changes in the tissues of the brain and peripheral blood of mice with Adv-PSS and ESS models of PD compared to 6 h-PSS and 24 h-PSS models. In general, the obtained data indicate the sequential involvement of the transcriptome in the pathogenesis of PD, as well as the fact that changes at the transcriptome level of the processes of transport and mitochondrial biogenesis can play an important role in neurodegeneration in PD at an early stage.


2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (37) ◽  
pp. 4721-4737 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bhumika Kumar ◽  
Mukesh Pandey ◽  
Faheem H. Pottoo ◽  
Faizana Fayaz ◽  
Anjali Sharma ◽  
...  

Parkinson’s disease is one of the most severe progressive neurodegenerative disorders, having a mortifying effect on the health of millions of people around the globe. The neural cells producing dopamine in the substantia nigra of the brain die out. This leads to symptoms like hypokinesia, rigidity, bradykinesia, and rest tremor. Parkinsonism cannot be cured, but the symptoms can be reduced with the intervention of medicinal drugs, surgical treatments, and physical therapies. Delivering drugs to the brain for treating Parkinson’s disease is very challenging. The blood-brain barrier acts as a highly selective semi-permeable barrier, which refrains the drug from reaching the brain. Conventional drug delivery systems used for Parkinson’s disease do not readily cross the blood barrier and further lead to several side-effects. Recent advancements in drug delivery technologies have facilitated drug delivery to the brain without flooding the bloodstream and by directly targeting the neurons. In the era of Nanotherapeutics, liposomes are an efficient drug delivery option for brain targeting. Liposomes facilitate the passage of drugs across the blood-brain barrier, enhances the efficacy of the drugs, and minimize the side effects related to it. The review aims at providing a broad updated view of the liposomes, which can be used for targeting Parkinson’s disease.


2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (42) ◽  
pp. 4510-4522 ◽  
Author(s):  
Biancamaria Longoni ◽  
Irene Fasciani ◽  
Shivakumar Kolachalam ◽  
Ilaria Pietrantoni ◽  
Francesco Marampon ◽  
...  

: Exosomes are extracellular vesicles produced by eukaryotic cells that are also found in most biological fluids and tissues. While they were initially thought to act as compartments for removal of cellular debris, they are now recognized as important tools for cell-to-cell communication and for the transfer of pathogens between the cells. They have attracted particular interest in neurodegenerative diseases for their potential role in transferring prion-like proteins between neurons, and in Parkinson’s disease (PD), they have been shown to spread oligomers of α-synuclein in the brain accelerating the progression of this pathology. A potential neuroprotective role of exosomes has also been equally proposed in PD as they could limit the toxicity of α-synuclein by clearing them out of the cells. Exosomes have also attracted considerable attention for use as drug vehicles. Being nonimmunogenic in nature, they provide an unprecedented opportunity to enhance the delivery of incorporated drugs to target cells. In this review, we discuss current knowledge about the potential neurotoxic and neuroprotective role of exosomes and their potential application as drug delivery systems in PD.


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 90-93
Author(s):  
Carmen E. Iriarte ◽  
Ian G. Macreadie

Background: Parkinson's Disease results from a loss of dopaminergic neurons, and reduced levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Parkinson's Disease treatments involve increasing dopamine levels through administration of L-DOPA, which can cross the blood brain barrier and be converted to dopamine in the brain. The toxicity of dopamine has previously studied but there has been little study of L-DOPA toxicity. Methods: We have compared the toxicity of dopamine and L-DOPA in the yeasts, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida glabrata by cell viability assays, measuring colony forming units. Results: L-DOPA and dopamine caused time-dependent cell killing in Candida glabrata while only dopamine caused such effects in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The toxicity of L-DOPA is much lower than dopamine. Conclusion: Candida glabrata exhibits high sensitivity to L-DOPA and may have advantages for studying the cytotoxicity of L-DOPA.


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