scholarly journals Reovirus Activates Transforming Growth Factor β and Bone Morphogenetic Protein Signaling Pathways in the Central Nervous System That Contribute to Neuronal Survival following Infection

2009 ◽  
Vol 83 (10) ◽  
pp. 5035-5045 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. David Beckham ◽  
Kathryn Tuttle ◽  
Kenneth L. Tyler
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Signaling Pathways ◽  
Transforming Growth Factor ◽  
Transforming Growth Factor Β ◽  
Bmp Signaling ◽  
Downstream Signaling ◽  
Morphogenetic Protein ◽  
The Central Nervous System

ABSTRACT Viral infections of the central nervous system (CNS) are important causes of worldwide morbidity and mortality, and understanding how viruses perturb host cell signaling pathways will facilitate identification of novel antiviral therapies. We now show that reovirus infection activates transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling in a murine model of encephalitis in vivo. TGF-β receptor I (TGF-βRI) expression is increased and its downstream signaling factor, SMAD3, is activated in the brains of reovirus-infected mice. TGF-β signaling is neuroprotective, as inhibition with a TGF-βRI inhibitor increases death of infected neurons. Similarly, BMP receptor I expression is increased and its downstream signaling factor, SMAD1, is activated in reovirus-infected neurons in the brains of infected mice in vivo. Activated SMAD1 and SMAD3 were both detected in regions of brain infected by reovirus, but activated SMAD1 was found predominantly in uninfected neurons in close proximity to infected neurons. Treatment of reovirus-infected primary mouse cortical neurons with a BMP agonist reduced apoptosis. These data provide the first evidence for the activation of TGF-β and BMP signaling pathways following neurotropic viral infection and suggest that these signaling pathways normally function as part of the host's protective innate immune response against CNS viral infection.

SMAD7 controls iron metabolism as a potent inhibitor of hepcidin expression

Blood ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 115 (13) ◽  
pp. 2657-2665 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Mleczko-Sanecka ◽  
Guillem Casanovas ◽  
Anan Ragab ◽  
Katja Breitkopf ◽  
Alexandra Müller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Growth Factor ◽  
Iron Metabolism ◽  
Negative Feedback ◽  
Transforming Growth Factor ◽  
Transforming Growth Factor Β ◽  
Bmp Signaling ◽  
Hepcidin Expression ◽  
Morphogenetic Protein ◽  
Smad Protein

Abstract Hepcidin is the master regulatory hormone of systemic iron metabolism. Hepcidin deficiency causes common iron overload syndromes whereas its overexpression is responsible for microcytic anemias. Hepcidin transcription is activated by the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) and the inflammatory JAK-STAT pathways, whereas comparatively little is known about how hepcidin expression is inhibited. By using high-throughput siRNA screening we identified SMAD7 as a potent hepcidin suppressor. SMAD7 is an inhibitory SMAD protein that mediates a negative feedback loop to both transforming growth factor-β and BMP signaling and that recently was shown to be coregulated with hepcidin via SMAD4 in response to altered iron availability in vivo. We show that SMAD7 is coregulated with hepcidin by BMPs in primary murine hepatocytes and that SMAD7 overexpression completely abolishes hepcidin activation by BMPs and transforming growth factor-β. We identify a distinct SMAD regulatory motif (GTCAAGAC) within the hepcidin promoter involved in SMAD7-dependent hepcidin suppression, demonstrating that SMAD7 does not simply antagonize the previously reported hemojuvelin/BMP-responsive elements. This work identifies a potent inhibitory factor for hepcidin expression and uncovers a negative feedback pathway for hepcidin regulation, providing insight into a mechanism how hepcidin expression may be limited to avoid iron deficiency.

scholarly journals Plant Species of Sub-Family Valerianaceae—A Review on Its Effect on the Central Nervous System

Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 846
Author(s):  
Gitishree Das ◽  
Han-Seung Shin ◽  
Rosa Tundis ◽  
Sandra Gonçalves ◽  
Ourlad Alzeus G. Tantengco ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Biological Properties ◽  
In Vivo Studies ◽  
Food Species ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Preclinical And Clinical Studies

Valerianaceae, the sub-family of Caprifoliaceae, contains more than 300 species of annual and perennial herbs, worldwide distributed. Several species are used for their biological properties while some are used as food. Species from the genus Valeriana have been used for their antispasmodic, relaxing, and sedative properties, which have been mainly attributed to the presence of valepotriates, borneol derivatives, and isovalerenic acid. Among this genus, the most common and employed species is Valerianaofficinalis. Although valerian has been traditionally used as a mild sedative, research results are still controversial regarding the role of the different active compounds, the herbal preparations, and the dosage used. The present review is designed to summarize and critically describe the current knowledge on the different plant species belonging to Valerianaceae, their phytochemicals, their uses in the treatment of different diseases with particular emphasis on the effects on the central nervous system. The available information on this sub-family was collected from scientific databases up until year 2020. The following electronic databases were used: PubMed, Scopus, Sci Finder, Web of Science, Science Direct, NCBI, and Google Scholar. The search terms used for this review included Valerianaceae, Valeriana, Centranthus, Fedia, Patrinia, Nardostachys, Plectritis, and Valerianella, phytochemical composition, in vivo studies, Central Nervous System, neuroprotective, antidepressant, antinociceptive, anxiolytic, anxiety, preclinical and clinical studies.

scholarly journals GDF11 promotes osteogenesis as opposed to MSTN, and follistatin, a MSTN/GDF11 inhibitor, increases muscle mass but weakens bone

2020 ◽  
Vol 117 (9) ◽  
pp. 4910-4920 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joonho Suh ◽  
Na-Kyung Kim ◽  
Seung-Hoon Lee ◽  
Je-Hyun Eom ◽  
Youngkyun Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bone Mass ◽  
Muscle Mass ◽  
Transforming Growth Factor ◽  
Bone Fractures ◽  
Muscle Growth ◽  
Transforming Growth Factor Β ◽  
Biochemical Properties ◽  
Bmp Signaling ◽  
Morphogenetic Protein ◽  
Perinatal Lethality

Growth and differentiation factor 11 (GDF11) and myostatin (MSTN) are closely related transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) family members, but their biological functions are quite distinct. While MSTN has been widely shown to inhibit muscle growth, GDF11 regulates skeletal patterning and organ development during embryogenesis. Postnatal functions of GDF11, however, remain less clear and controversial. Due to the perinatal lethality ofGdf11null mice, previous studies used recombinant GDF11 protein to prove its postnatal function. However, recombinant GDF11 and MSTN proteins share nearly identical biochemical properties, and most GDF11-binding molecules have also been shown to bind MSTN, generating the possibility that the effects mediated by recombinant GDF11 protein actually reproduce the endogenous functions of MSTN. To clarify the endogenous functions of GDF11, here, we focus on genetic studies and show thatGdf11null mice, despite significantly down-regulatingMstnexpression, exhibit reduced bone mass through impaired osteoblast (OB) and chondrocyte (CH) maturations and increased osteoclastogenesis, while the opposite is observed inMstnnull mice that display enhanced bone mass. Mechanistically,Mstndeletion up-regulatesGdf11expression, which activates bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling pathway to enhance osteogenesis. Also, mice overexpressing follistatin (FST), a MSTN/GDF11 inhibitor, exhibit increased muscle mass accompanied by bone fractures, unlikeMstnnull mice that display increased muscle mass without fractures, indicating that inhibition of GDF11 impairs bone strength. Together, our findings suggest that GDF11 promotes osteogenesis in contrast to MSTN, and these opposing roles of GDF11 and MSTN must be considered to avoid the detrimental effect of GDF11 inhibition when developing MSTN/GDF11 inhibitors for therapeutic purposes.

A radiotracer method for the measurement of central nervous system catecholamines in vivo

1978 ◽  
Vol 56 (3) ◽  
pp. 535-538 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. W. Tang ◽  
H. C. Stancer ◽  
J. J. Warsh
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Animal Model ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Specific Activity ◽  
Brain Catecholamines ◽  
Radiotracer Method ◽  
New Strategy ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
6 Hydroxydopamine

A new strategy for measurement of brain catecholamines was tested in an animal model. [3H]Norepinephrine was infused intravenously in rabbits to label the peripheral norepinephrine pools. The specific activity of urinary 3-methoxy-4-hydroxymandelic acid was consistently higher than that for 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG). Central sympathectomy with 6-hydroxydopamine abolished this difference. Using the formula we propose, it is estimated that 30–50% of urinary MHPG originates from the central nervous system.

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