scholarly journals Postnatal activation of TLR4 in astrocytes promotes excitatory synaptogenesis in hippocampal neurons

2016 ◽  
Vol 215 (5) ◽  
pp. 719-734 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi Shen ◽  
Huaping Qin ◽  
Juan Chen ◽  
Lingyan Mou ◽  
Yang He ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Brain Development ◽  
Hippocampal Neurons ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Primary Response ◽  
Synapse Development ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Developmental Abnormalities ◽  
Extracellular Signal ◽  
Immune Challenges ◽  
Tlr4 Activation

Astrocytes are critical in synapse development, and their dysfunction in crucial developmental stages leads to serious neurodevelopmental diseases, including seizures and epilepsy. Immune challenges not only affect brain development, but also promote seizure generation and epileptogenesis, implying immune activation is one of the key factors linking seizures and epilepsy to abnormal brain development. In this study, we report that activating astrocytes by systemic lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenges in the second postnatal week promotes excitatory synapse development, leading to enhanced seizure susceptibility in mice. Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) activation in astrocytes increased astrocytic extracellular signal–related kinase 1/2 (Erk1/2) and phospho-Erk1/2 levels in a myeloid differentiation primary response protein 88 (MyD88)–dependent manner. Constitutively activating Erk1/2 in astrocytes was sufficient to enhance excitatory synaptogenesis without activating TLR4. Deleting MyD88 or suppressing Erk1/2 in astrocytes rescued LPS-induced developmental abnormalities of excitatory synapses and restored the enhanced seizure sensitivity. Thus, we provide direct evidence for a developmental role of astrocytes in shaping a predisposition to seizure generation.

scholarly journals Di(isononyl) cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylate (DINCH) Alters Transcriptional Profiles, Lipid Metabolism and Behavior in Zebrafish Larvae

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noha Saad ◽  
Ceyhun Bereketoglu ◽  
Ajay Pradhan
Keyword(s):  
Lipid Metabolism ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Cholesterol Biosynthesis ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Aquatic Organisms ◽  
Acid Synthesis ◽  
Hatching Rate ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Developmental Abnormalities ◽  
Expression Of Genes

Plasticizers are commonly used in different consumer goods and personal care products to provide flexibility, durability and elasticity to polymers. Due to their reported toxicity, the use of several plasticizers including phthalates has been regulated and/or banned from the market. Di(isononyl) cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylate (DINCH) is an alternative plasticizer that was introduced to replace toxic plasticizers. Increasing global demand and lack of information regarding toxicity and safety assessment of DINCH have raised the concern to human and animal health. Hence, in the present study, we investigated the adverse effects of DINCH (at concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 10 μM) in early developmental stages of zebrafish using different endpoints such as hatching rate, developmental abnormalities, lipid metabolism, behavior analysis and gene expression. We found that DINCH caused hatching delay in a dose-dependent manner and altered the expression of genes involved in stress response. Lipid staining using Oil Red O stain showed a slight lipid accumulation around the yolk, brain, eye and neck with increasing concentration. Genes associated with lipid metabolism such as fatty acid synthesis, β-oxidation, elongation, lipid transport were significantly altered by DINCH. Behavioral analysis of larvae demonstrated a distinct locomotor activity including distance and acceleration upon exposure to DINCH both in light and dark. Genes involved in cholesterol biosynthesis and homeostasis were also affected by DINCH indicating possible developmental neurotoxicity. The present data shows that DINCH could induce physiological and metabolic toxicity to aquatic organisms. Hence, further analyses and environmental monitoring on DINCH should be conducted to determine its safety and toxicity levels.

scholarly journals Myocyte TLR4 enhances enteric and systemic inflammation driving late murine endotoxic ileus

2015 ◽  
Vol 308 (10) ◽  
pp. G852-G862 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bettina M. Buchholz ◽  
Richard A. Shapiro ◽  
Yoram Vodovotz ◽  
Timothy R. Billiar ◽  
Chhinder P. Sodhi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systemic Inflammation ◽  
Rapid Onset ◽  
Primary Response ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Tlr4 Signaling ◽  
Mrna Induction ◽  
Tlr4 Activation

Myocytes are nonhemopoietic in origin and functionally essential in generating gastrointestinal motility. In endotoxemia, a rapid-onset nonhemopoietic mechanism potently triggers early ileus in a Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88 (MyD88)-dependent manner. Moreover, synergistically with hemopoietic cells, nonhemopoietic cells escalate late ileus via an IL-6 receptor-dependent inflammation-driven pathway. We therefore specifically investigated the role of myocytes in TLR4-triggered inflammation and ileus. TLR4+/+, TLR4−/−, bmTLR4+/+/TLR4−/− chimera, SM22-Cre−/−TLR4flox/flox, and selective myocyte TLR4-deficient (SM22-Cre+/−TLR4flox/flox) mice were injected intraperitoneally with purified lipopolysaccharide. SM22-driven Cre recombinase activity was selectively detected in cardiac, gastrointestinal, skeletal, and vascular myocytes, of small-sized vessels in a two-color fluorescent Cre reporter mouse. In contrast to nonhemopoietic TLR4 deficiency, deletion of myocyte TLR4 signaling prevented neither endotoxin-induced suppression of spontaneous jejunal contractility in vitro nor early ileus in vivo at 6 h. Circulating plasma colony-stimulating factor 3 was greatly elevated during endotoxemia, independent of myocyte TLR4 signaling or time. TLR4 activation of myocytes contributed significantly to an early enteric IL-6 mRNA induction and systemic IL-6 release, as well as to a late increase in circulating chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1 (CXCL1) and IL-17. Consequently, inhibition of myocyte TLR4 signaling allowed functional recovery of motility by preventing inflammation-driven late ileus at 24 h. Direct TLR4 activation of myocytes is not responsible for nonhemopoietic-mediated early ileus. However, myocytes are proinflammatory cells that potently drive enteric and systemic inflammation, subsequently fueling late mediator-triggered ileus. Specifically, the myocyte TLR4-dependent inflammatory signature of elevated plasma IL-6, CXCL1, and IL-17 is strongly associated with late rodent ileus.

scholarly journals VEGF Mediates Retinal Müller Cell Viability and Neuroprotection through BDNF in Diabetes

Biomolecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 712
Author(s):  
Yun-Zheng Le ◽  
Bei Xu ◽  
Ana J. Chucair-Elliott ◽  
Huiru Zhang ◽  
Meili Zhu
Keyword(s):  
Specific Protein ◽  
Müller Cell ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Vascular Abnormalities ◽  
Extracellular Signal ◽  
Muller Cell ◽  
Protein Kinase Akt ◽  
Sirna Knockdown ◽  
Endothelial Growth Factor ◽  
Dose Dependent

To investigate the mechanism of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in Müller cell (MC) viability and neuroprotection in diabetic retinopathy (DR), we examined the role of VEGF in MC viability and BDNF production, and the effect of BDNF on MC viability under diabetic conditions. Mouse primary MCs and cells of a rat MC line, rMC1, were used in investigating MC viability and BDNF production under diabetic conditions. VEGF-stimulated BDNF production was confirmed in mice. The mechanism of BDNF-mediated MC viability was examined using siRNA knockdown. Under diabetic conditions, recombinant VEGF (rVEGF) stimulated MC viability and BDNF production in a dose-dependent manner. rBDNF also supported MC viability in a dose-dependent manner. Targeting BDNF receptor tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TRK-B) with siRNA knockdown substantially downregulated the activated (phosphorylated) form of serine/threonine-specific protein kinase (AKT) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), classical survival and proliferation mediators. Finally, the loss of MC viability in TrkB siRNA transfected cells under diabetic conditions was rescued by rBDNF. Our results provide direct evidence that VEGF is a positive regulator for BDNF production in diabetes for the first time. This information is essential for developing BDNF-mediated neuroprotection in DR and hypoxic retinal diseases, and for improving anti-VEGF treatment for these blood–retina barrier disorders, in which VEGF is a major therapeutic target for vascular abnormalities.

scholarly journals Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase Binds to TFII-I and Regulates Its Activation of the c-fosPromoter

2000 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 1140-1148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dae-Won Kim ◽  
Brent H. Cochran
Keyword(s):  
Map Kinase ◽  
Transcriptional Activation ◽  
Dominant Negative ◽  
Binding Motif ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Consensus Map ◽  
Interaction Domain ◽  
Extracellular Signal

ABSTRACT We have previously shown that TFII-I enhances transcriptional activation of the c-fos promoter through interactions with upstream elements in a signal-dependent manner. Here we demonstrate that activated Ras and RhoA synergize with TFII-I for c-fospromoter activation, whereas dominant-negative Ras and RhoA inhibit these effects of TFII-I. The Mek1 inhibitor, PD98059 abrogates the enhancement of the c-fos promoter by TFII-I, indicating that TFII-I function is dependent on an active mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathway. Analysis of the TFII-I protein sequence revealed that TFII-I contains a consensus MAP kinase interaction domain (D box). Consistent with this, we have found that TFII-I forms an in vivo complex with extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK). Point mutations within the consensus MAP kinase binding motif of TFII-I inhibit its ability to bind ERK and its ability to enhance the c-fos promoter. Therefore, the D box of TFII-I is required for its activity on the c-fos promoter. Moreover, the interaction between TFII-I and ERK can be regulated. Serum stimulation enhances complex formation between TFII-I and ERK, and dominant-negative Ras abrogates this interaction. In addition, TFII-I can be phosphorylated in vitro by ERK and mutation of consensus MAP kinase substrate sites at serines 627 and 633 impairs the phosphorylation of TFII-I by ERK and its activity on the c-fos promoter. These results suggest that ERK regulates the activity of TFII-I by direct phosphorylation.

scholarly journals WD40-repeat 47, a microtubule-associated protein, is essential for brain development and autophagy

2017 ◽  
Vol 114 (44) ◽  
pp. E9308-E9317 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meghna Kannan ◽  
Efil Bayam ◽  
Christel Wagner ◽  
Bruno Rinaldi ◽  
Perrine F. Kretz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Corpus Callosum ◽  
Brain Development ◽  
Brain Connectivity ◽  
Neuronal Morphology ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Wd40 Repeat ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Neuronal Regulation ◽  
The Family ◽  
Cervical Ganglion

The family of WD40-repeat (WDR) proteins is one of the largest in eukaryotes, but little is known about their function in brain development. Among 26 WDR genes assessed, we found 7 displaying a major impact in neuronal morphology when inactivated in mice. Remarkably, all seven genes showed corpus callosum defects, including thicker (Atg16l1, Coro1c, Dmxl2, and Herc1), thinner (Kif21b and Wdr89), or absent corpus callosum (Wdr47), revealing a common role for WDR genes in brain connectivity. We focused on the poorly studied WDR47 protein sharing structural homology with LIS1, which causes lissencephaly. In a dosage-dependent manner, mice lacking Wdr47 showed lethality, extensive fiber defects, microcephaly, thinner cortices, and sensory motor gating abnormalities. We showed that WDR47 shares functional characteristics with LIS1 and participates in key microtubule-mediated processes, including neural stem cell proliferation, radial migration, and growth cone dynamics. In absence of WDR47, the exhaustion of late cortical progenitors and the consequent decrease of neurogenesis together with the impaired survival of late-born neurons are likely yielding to the worsening of the microcephaly phenotype postnatally. Interestingly, the WDR47-specific C-terminal to LisH (CTLH) domain was associated with functions in autophagy described in mammals. Silencing WDR47 in hypothalamic GT1-7 neuronal cells and yeast models independently recapitulated these findings, showing conserved mechanisms. Finally, our data identified superior cervical ganglion-10 (SCG10) as an interacting partner of WDR47. Taken together, these results provide a starting point for studying the implications of WDR proteins in neuronal regulation of microtubules and autophagy.

Mitochondrial extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2) are modulated during brain development

2004 ◽  
Vol 89 (1) ◽  
pp. 248-256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariana Alonso ◽  
Mariana Melani ◽  
Daniela Converso ◽  
Ariel Jaitovich ◽  
Cristina Paz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Brain Development ◽  
Extracellular Signal

scholarly journals Phospholipid flippases enable precursor B cells to flee engulfment by macrophages

2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (48) ◽  
pp. 12212-12217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katsumori Segawa ◽  
Yuichi Yanagihashi ◽  
Kyoko Yamada ◽  
Chigure Suzuki ◽  
Yasuo Uchiyama ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
B Cells ◽  
B Cell ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Peritoneal Macrophages ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Immature B Cells ◽  
T Lymphoma ◽  
Precursor B Cells

ATP11A and ATP11C, members of the P4-ATPases, are flippases that translocate phosphatidylserine (PtdSer) from the outer to inner leaflet of the plasma membrane. Using the W3 T lymphoma cell line, we found that Ca2+ ionophore-induced phospholipid scrambling caused prolonged PtdSer exposure in cells lacking both the ATP11A and ATP11C genes. ATP11C-null (ATP11C−/y) mutant mice exhibit severe B-cell deficiency. In wild-type mice, ATP11C was expressed at all B-cell developmental stages, while ATP11A was not expressed after pro−B-cell stages, indicating that ATP11C−/y early B-cell progenitors lacked plasma membrane flippases. The receptor kinases MerTK and Axl are known to be essential for the PtdSer-mediated engulfment of apoptotic cells by macrophages. MerTK−/− and Axl−/− double deficiency fully rescued the lymphopenia in the ATP11C−/y bone marrow. Many of the rescued ATP11C−/y pre-B and immature B cells exposed PtdSer, and these cells were engulfed alive by wild-type peritoneal macrophages, in a PtdSer-dependent manner. These results indicate that ATP11A and ATP11C in precursor B cells are essential for rapidly internalizing PtdSer from the cell surface to prevent the cells’ engulfment by macrophages.

scholarly journals Live Cell FRET Imaging Reveals Amyloid β-Peptide Oligomerization in Hippocampal Neurons

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yang Gao ◽  
Stefan Wennmalm ◽  
Bengt Winblad ◽  
Sophia Schedin-Weiss ◽  
Lars Tjernberg
Keyword(s):  
Hippocampal Neurons ◽  
Resonance Energy Transfer ◽  
Amyloid Β ◽  
Resonance Energy ◽  
Live Cell ◽  
Amyloid Β Peptide ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Concentration Dependent Manner ◽  
Late Endosomes ◽  
Aβ Oligomerization

Amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) oligomerization is believed to contribute to the neuronal dysfunction in Alzheimer disease (AD). Despite decades of research, many details of Aβ oligomerization in neurons still need to be revealed. Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) is a simple but effective way to study molecular interactions. Here we use a confocal microscope with a sensitive Airyscan detector for FRET detection. By live cell FRET imaging, we detect Aβ42 oligomerization in primary neurons. The neurons were incubated with fluorescently labelled Aβ42 in the cell culture medium for 24 hours. Aβ42 were internalized and oligomerized into the lysosomes/late endosomes in a concentration-dependent manner. Both the cellular uptake and intracellular oligomerization of Aβ42 were significantly higher than for Aβ40. These findings provide a better understanding of Aβ42 oligomerization in neurons.

scholarly journals Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinases Phosphorylate Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Phosphatase 3/DUSP6 at Serines 159 and 197, Two Sites Critical for Its Proteasomal Degradation

2005 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 854-864 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandrine Marchetti ◽  
Clotilde Gimond ◽  
Jean-Claude Chambard ◽  
Thomas Touboul ◽  
Danièle Roux ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Map Kinases ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Proteasomal Degradation ◽  
Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Double Mutation ◽  
Extracellular Signal ◽  
Mitogen Activated Protein

ABSTRACT Mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase phosphatases (MKPs) are dual-specificity phosphatases that dephosphorylate phosphothreonine and phosphotyrosine residues within MAP kinases. Here, we describe a novel posttranslational mechanism for regulating MKP-3/Pyst1/DUSP6, a member of the MKP family that is highly specific for extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) inactivation. Using a fibroblast model in which the expression of either MKP-3 or a more stable MKP-3-green fluorescent protein (GFP) chimera was induced by tetracycline, we found that serum induces the phosphorylation of MKP-3 and its subsequent degradation by the proteasome in a MEK1 and MEK2 (MEK1/2)-ERK1/2-dependent manner. In vitro phosphorylation assays using glutathione S-transferase (GST)-MKP-3 fusion proteins indicated that ERK2 could phosphorylate MKP-3 on serines 159 and 197. Tetracycline-inducible cell clones expressing either single or double serine mutants of MKP-3 or MKP-3-GFP confirmed that these two sites are targeted by the MEK1/2-ERK1/2 module in vivo. Double serine mutants of MKP-3 or MKP-3-GFP were more efficiently protected from degradation than single mutants or wild-type MKP-3, indicating that phosphorylation of either serine by ERK1/2 enhances proteasomal degradation of MKP-3. Hence, double mutation caused a threefold increase in the half-life of MKP-3. Finally, we show that the phosphorylation of MKP-3 has no effect on its catalytic activity. Thus, ERK1/2 exert a positive feedback loop on their own activity by promoting the degradation of MKP-3, one of their major inactivators in the cytosol, a situation opposite to that described for the nuclear phosphatase MKP-1.

Alpha-2 adrenoceptor agonist protects retinal function after acute retinal ischemic injury in the rat

2002 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 175-185 ◽  
Author(s):  
RONALD K. LAI ◽  
TERESA CHUN ◽  
DAIN HASSON ◽  
STEVE LEE ◽  
FARROKH MEHRBOD ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ischemic Injury ◽  
Retinal Ischemia ◽  
Terminal Deoxynucleotidyl Transferase ◽  
Retinal Cell ◽  
Brown Norway ◽  
Tunel Staining ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Adrenoceptor Antagonist ◽  
Extracellular Signal ◽  
Adrenoceptor Agonist

Alpha-2 adrenoceptor agonists have previously been shown to enhance neuronal survival in an optic nerve mechanical injury model and to protect photoreceptors in a light-induced degeneration model. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of the alpha-2 adrenoceptor agonist in a pressure-induced retinal ischemia model. Brown-Norway rats were treated systemically or topically with alpha-2 adrenoceptor specific agonist brimonidine. Retinal ischemia was induced by increasing the intraocular pressure to 110 mm Hg for 50 min. The effect of brimonidine on retinal ischemic injury was functionally assessed in the rats 7 d later using electroretinography (ERG). Ischemia-induced retinal cell death was studied using the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) staining. We found that brimonidine treatment significantly protected the retina from retinal ischemic injury in a dose- and time-dependent manner. This protection can be achieved either by systemic or topical application and can be blocked by pretreatment with the alpha-2 adrenoceptor antagonist, yohimbine. Using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot analysis, we found that brimonidine can up-regulate the expression of basic fibroblast growth factor, bcl-2 and bcl-xl in the retina. The drug also can activate two major cell survival signaling pathways in the retina: the extracellular-signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) and phosphatidylinositol-3′ kinase/protein kinase Akt pathways. All these aforementioned factors may potentially contribute in mediating brimonidine's protective effect in this acute retinal ischemia model.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document