scholarly journals Nitric Oxide Attenuates Human Cytomegalovirus Infection yet Disrupts Neural Cell Differentiation and Tissue Organization

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebekah L Mokry ◽  
Benjamin S O'Brien ◽  
Jacob W Adelman ◽  
Suzette Rosas ◽  
Allison D Ebert ◽  
...  

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a prevalent betaherpesvirus that is asymptomatic in healthy individuals but can cause serious disease in immunocompromised patients. HCMV is also the leading cause of viral-mediated birth defects. Many of these defects manifest within the central nervous system and include microcephaly, sensorineural hearing loss, and cognitive developmental delays. Nitric oxide is a critical effector molecule produced as a component of the innate immune response during infection. Using a 3-dimensional cortical organoid model, we demonstrate that nitric oxide inhibits HCMV spread and simultaneously disrupts neural rosette structures resulting in tissue disorganization. Nitric oxide also attenuates HCMV replication in 2-dimensional cultures of neural progenitor cells (NPCs), a prominent cell type in cortical organoids that differentiate into neurons and glial cells. The multipotency factor SOX2 was decreased during nitric oxide exposure, suggesting early neural differentiation is affected. Maximal mitochondrial respiration was also reduced in both uninfected and infected NPCs. We determined this reduction likely influences neural differentiation as neurons (Tuj1+GFAP-Nestin-) and glial populations (Tuj1-GFAP+Nestin-) were reduced following differentiation. We also observed changes in calcium signaling during exposure to nitric oxide with increased cellular response to ATP (purinergic receptors) and KCl (voltage gated calcium channels). Importantly, nitric oxide could not rescue HCMV-mediated defects in calcium response. Our studies indicate a prominent, immunopathogenic role of nitric oxide in promoting developmental defects within the brain despite its antiviral activity during congenital HCMV infection.

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 1725
Author(s):  
Diego Delgado ◽  
Ane Miren Bilbao ◽  
Maider Beitia ◽  
Ane Garate ◽  
Pello Sánchez ◽  
...  

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a biologic therapy that promotes healing responses across multiple medical fields, including the central nervous system (CNS). The efficacy of this therapy depends on several factors such as the donor’s health status and age. This work aims to prove the effect of PRP on cellular models of the CNS, considering the differences between PRP from young and elderly donors. Two different PRP pools were prepared from donors 65–85 and 20–25 years old. The cellular and molecular composition of both PRPs were analyzed. Subsequently, the cellular response was evaluated in CNS in vitro models, studying proliferation, neurogenesis, synaptogenesis, and inflammation. While no differences in the cellular composition of PRPs were found, the molecular composition of the Young PRP showed lower levels of inflammatory molecules such as CCL-11, as well as the presence of other factors not found in Aged PRP (GDF-11). Although both PRPs had effects in terms of reducing neural progenitor cell apoptosis, stabilizing neuronal synapses, and decreasing inflammation in the microglia, the effect of the Young PRP was more pronounced. In conclusion, the molecular composition of the PRP, conditioned by the age of the donors, affects the magnitude of the biological response.


2011 ◽  
Vol 300 (1) ◽  
pp. C58-C64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rui-Fang Yang ◽  
Jing-Xiang Yin ◽  
Yu-Long Li ◽  
Matthew C. Zimmerman ◽  
Harold D. Schultz

Actions of angiotensin-(1–7) [Ang-(1–7)], a heptapeptide of the renin-angiotensin system, in the periphery are mediated, at least in part, by activation of nitric oxide (NO) synthase (NOS) and generation NO·. Studies of the central nervous system have shown that NO· acts as a sympathoinhibitory molecule and thus may play a protective role in neurocardiovascular diseases associated with sympathoexcitation, such as hypertension and heart failure. However, the contribution of NO in the intraneuronal signaling pathway of Ang-(1–7) and the subsequent modulation of neuronal activity remains unclear. Here, we tested the hypothesis that neuronal NOS (nNOS)-derived NO· mediates changes in neuronal activity following Ang-(1–7) stimulation. For these studies, we used differentiated catecholaminergic (CATH.a) neurons, which we show express the Ang-(1–7) receptor (Mas R) and nNOS. Stimulation of CATH.a neurons with Ang-(1–7) (100 nM) increased intracellular NO levels, as measured by 4-amino-5-methylamino-2′,7′-difluorofluorescein diacetate (DAF-FM) fluorescence and confocal microscopy. This response was significantly attenuated in neurons pretreated with the Mas R antagonist (A-779), a nonspecific NOS inhibitor (nitro-l-arginine methyl ester), or an nNOS inhibitor ( S-methyl-l-thiocitrulline, SMTC), but not by endothelial NOS (eNOS) or inhibitory NOS (iNOS) inhibition {l- N-5-(1-iminoethyl)ornithine (l-NIO) and 1400W, respectively}. To examine the effect of Ang-(1–7)-NO· signaling on neuronal activity, we recorded voltage-gated outward K+ current ( IKv) in CATH.a neurons using the whole cell configuration of the patch-clamp technique. Ang-(1–7) significantly increased IKv, and this response was inhibited by A-779 or S-methyl-l-thiocitrulline, but not l-NIO or 1400W. These findings indicate that Ang-(1–7) is capable of increasing nNOS-derived NO· levels, which in turn, activates hyperpolarizing IKv in catecholaminergic neurons.


Hypertension ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 60 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Srinivas Sriramula ◽  
Huijing Xia ◽  
Eric Lazartigues

Elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the central nervous system (CNS) through NADPH oxidase and diminished Nitric oxide (NO) levels are involved in the pathogenesis of hypertension. We previously reported that central Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) overexpression prevents the development of hypertension induced by DOCA-salt in a transgenic mouse model (syn-hACE2; SA) with human ACE2 targeted selectively to neurons in the CNS. While baseline blood pressure (BP; telemetry) was not different among genotypes, DOCA-salt treatment (1mg/g body wt DOCA, 1% saline in drinking water for 3 weeks) resulted in significantly lower BP level in SA mice (122 ±3 mmHg, n=12) compared to non-transgenic (NT) littermates (138 ±3 mmHg, n=8). To elucidate the mechanisms involved in this response, we investigated the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) expression of Nox-2 (catalytic subunit of NADPH oxidase), 3-nitrotyrosine, and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and anti-oxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase in the hypothalamus. DOCA-salt treatment resulted in decreased catalase (95.2 ±5.6 vs. 113.8 ±17.6 mmol/min/ml, p<0.05) and SOD (4.1 ±0.4 vs. 5.9 ±0.2 U/ml, p<0.01) activities in hypothalamic homogenates of NT mice, which was prevented by ACE2 overexpression (141.8 ±9.9 vs. 142.1 ±9.2 mmol/min/ml and 5.9 ±0.3 vs. 7.9 ±0.2 U/ml, respectively). NT mice treated with DOCA-salt showed increased oxidative stress as indicated by increased expression of Nox-2 (61 ±5 % increase, n=9, p<0.001 vs. NT) and 3-nitrotyrosine (89 ±32 % increase, n=9, p<0.01 vs. NT) in the PVN which was attenuated in SA mice. Furthermore, DOCA-salt hypertension resulted in decreased phosphorylation of eNOS-ser1177 in the PVN (33 ±5 % decrease, n=9, p<0.05 vs NT) and this decrease was prevented by ACE2 overexpression. Taken together, these data provide evidence that brain ACE2 regulates the balance between NO and ROS levels, thereby preventing the development of DOCA-salt hypertension.


2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 199-202
Author(s):  
Sebastian Becker ◽  
Wiebke Hinterlang ◽  
Tim Eschert ◽  
Catherine Disselhorst-Klug

AbstractStroke is one of the most frequent diseases among the elderly and often leads to an ongoing failure of functions in the central nervous system. Due to the plasticity of the brain affected may regain lost motor function by repetitive training. Robotic devices can be an approach to accelerate the rehabilitation process by maximizing patients’ training intensity. End-effector based robotic systems are particularly suitable for this purpose and often an advantage over exoskeletons since the proximal part of the upper limb remains under the control of the patient. Furthermore, the integration of the assistas- needed principle (AAN) into these devices enables individualized, adaptable robotic support to patients during therapy. In this study an end-effector based robotic rehabilitation device based on the Robot Operating System (ROS) framework is introduced. The system allows patients to perform 3- dimensional movements without a therapist’s assistance. With regard to the AAN, focus was based on impedance control and an additional real-time adaption of the impedance control parameters by using a feedback loop. 10 healthy subjects took part in this study to evaluate the overall concept with regard to usability and quality of the supported movement. Hence, the three most promising adaption models of AAN (without adaption, adaption according to position and time, adaption according to velocity) under three different levels of movement support (0%, 50%, 100%) were investigated by administering a self-designed questionnaire and the robot kinematics. The results showed no significant differences between the three different adaption models of AAN. However, the subjective assessment of the movements was in keeping with robot kinematics and the control approaches as well as the overall system have experienced remarkable support.


2012 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
pp. 1207-1216 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Hrncic ◽  
Aleksandra Rasic-Markovic ◽  
Jelica Bjekic-Macut ◽  
Veselinka Susic ◽  
D. Mladenovic ◽  
...  

Epilepsy is one of the leading neurological disorders and affects 1-2% of the world?s population. Generally, it is a result of an imbalance between excitatory and inhibitory phenomena in the central nervous system (CNS), but the mechanisms of its initiation and propagation still require further investigations. Experimental models represent one of the most powerful tools to better understand the mechanisms of epileptogenesis. Nitric oxide (NO) is gaseous molecule with pleiotropic physiological and pathological effects in almost all organ systems and intriguing biological relevance, especially in the CNS where it acts as a gaseous neurotransmitter. The role of NO in the generation of epilepsy is highly contradictory, since there is evidence of its anticonvulsive, as well as proconvulsive properties. Therefore, we will discuss in this review the involvement of NO-mediated signaling pathways in the mechanisms of epileptogenesis, taking into account the findings revealed in experimental studies on animal models of epilepsy.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (7) ◽  
pp. 1796 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorenzo Corsi ◽  
Andrea Mescola ◽  
Andrea Alessandrini

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most aggressive malignant tumor of the central nervous system, with poor survival in both treated and untreated patients. Recent studies began to explain the molecular pathway, comprising the dynamic structural and mechanical changes involved in GBM. In this context, some studies showed that the human glioblastoma cells release high levels of glutamate, which regulates the proliferation and survival of neuronal progenitor cells. Considering that cancer cells possess properties in common with neural progenitor cells, it is likely that the functions of glutamate receptors may affect the growth of cancer cells and, therefore, open the road to new and more targeted therapies.


2015 ◽  
Vol 89 (13) ◽  
pp. 6792-6804 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao-Jun Li ◽  
Xi-Juan Liu ◽  
Bo Yang ◽  
Ya-Ru Fu ◽  
Fei Zhao ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTHuman cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection of the developing fetus frequently results in major neural developmental damage. In previous studies, HCMV was shown to downregulate neural progenitor/stem cell (NPC) markers and induce abnormal differentiation. As Notch signaling plays a vital role in the maintenance of stem cell status and is a switch that governs NPC differentiation, the effect of HCMV infection on the Notch signaling pathway in NPCs was investigated. HCMV downregulated mRNA levels of Notch1 and its ligand, Jag1, and reduced protein levels and altered the intracellular localization of Jag1 and the intracellular effector form of Notch1, NICD1. These effects required HCMV gene expression and appeared to be mediated through enhanced proteasomal degradation. Transient expression of the viral tegument proteins of pp71 and UL26 reduced NICD1 and Jag1 protein levels endogenously and exogenously. Given the critical role of Notch signaling in NPC growth and differentiation, these findings reveal important mechanisms by which HCMV disturbs neural cell developmentin vitro. Similar eventsin vivomay be associated with HCMV-mediated neuropathogenesis during congenital infection in the fetal brain.IMPORTANCECongenital human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection is the leading cause of birth defects that primarily manifest as neurological disabilities. Neural progenitor cells (NPCs), key players in fetal brain development, are the most susceptible cell type for HCMV infection in the fetal brain. Studies have shown that NPCs are fully permissive for HCMV infection, which causes neural cell loss and premature differentiation, thereby perturbing NPC fate. Elucidation of virus-host interactions that govern NPC proliferation and differentiation is critical to understanding neuropathogenesis. The Notch signaling pathway is critical for maintaining stem cell status and functions as a switch for differentiation of NPCs. Our investigation into the impact of HCMV infection on this pathway revealed that HCMV dysregulates Notch signaling by altering expression of the Notch ligand Jag1, Notch1, and its active effector in NPCs. These results suggest a mechanism for the neuropathogenesis induced by HCMV infection that includes altered NPC differentiation and proliferation.


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