scholarly journals Remodeling of myelinated fibers and internal capillaries in distal peripheral nerves following aerobic exercise in aged rats

2018 ◽  
Vol 125 (4) ◽  
pp. 1051-1061 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masahiro Sakita ◽  
Shinichiro Murakami ◽  
Hidemi Fujino ◽  
Satoshi Hayashi ◽  
Kazuyoshi Kameyama ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor ◽  
Growth Factor ◽  
Peripheral Nerve ◽  
Aerobic Exercise ◽  
Neurotrophic Factor ◽  
Peripheral Nerves ◽  
Nerve Tissue ◽  
Vascular Endothelial ◽  
Myelinated Fibers ◽  
Endothelial Growth Factor

The aim of this study was to determine whether aerobic exercise (AE) in old age contributes to improving the morphologies of myelinated fibers (MFs) in peripheral nerves as well as capillaries. Furthermore, we investigated whether such processes are associated with complementary activity of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the circulating blood and peripheral nerve tissue. Fourteen male Wistar rats (age: 95 wk) were randomly divided into moderate AE ( n = 8) and sedentary (SED; n = 6) groups. Rats in the AE group performed treadmill running for 1 h per day for 2 wk, following which the bilateral tibial nerves of the two groups were removed to examine MF and capillary structure. Levels of BDNF and VEGF in the serum and peripheral nerves were analyzed via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Myelin thickness, axon diameter, and capillary luminal diameter were significantly larger in the AE group than in the SED group ( P < 0.0001). Levels of serum BDNF and VEGF were significantly lower and higher, respectively, in the AE group than in the SED group ( P < 0.001). Conversely, BDNF and VEGF levels in tibial nerve tissue were significantly higher, respectively, and lower in the AE group than in the SED group ( P < 0.001). In conclusion, our study indicates that regular AE induces enlargement of the capillaries and thickens the myelin in aged peripheral nerves, likely via a complementary process involving BDNF and VEGF. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Accumulating evidence indicates that age-related sarcopenia is accompanied by the degeneration of myelinated fibers (MFs) in peripheral nerves. Our study indicates that regular aerobic exercise contributes to increased thickness of the myelin surrounding MFs and enlargement of the capillaries, likely via a complementary process involving brain-derived neurotrophic factor and vascular endothelial growth factor. Our findings demonstrate that regular, moderate-intensity aerobic exercise may help to prevent and reverse peripheral nerve regression in older adults.

scholarly journals Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor in Quetiapine Treated First-Episode Psychosis

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brendan P. Murphy ◽  
Terence Y. Pang ◽  
Anthony J. Hannan ◽  
Tina-Marie Proffitt ◽  
Mirabel McConchie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor ◽  
Growth Factor ◽  
Neurotrophic Factor ◽  
Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor ◽  
First Episode Psychosis ◽  
First Episode ◽  
Vascular Endothelial ◽  
Episode Psychosis ◽  
Endothelial Growth Factor ◽  
Serum Bdnf

Objective. It has been suggested that atypical antipsychotics confer their effects via brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). We investigated the effect of quetiapine on serum levels of BDNF and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in drug-naive first-episode psychosis subjects.Methods. Fifteen patients drawn from a larger study received quetiapine treatment for twelve weeks. Baseline levels of serum BDNF and VEGF were compared to age- and sex-matched healthy controls and to levels following treatment. Linear regression analyses were performed to determine the relationship of BDNF and VEGF levels with outcome measures at baseline and week 12.Results. The mean serum BDNF level was significantly higher at week 12 compared to baseline and correlated with reductions in Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and general psychopathology scores. Changes in serum VEGF levels also correlated significantly with a reduction in BPRS scores, a significant improvement in PANNS positive symptoms scores, and displayed a positive relationship with changes in BDNF levels.Conclusions. Our findings suggest that BDNF and VEGF are potential biomarkers for gauging improvement of psychotic symptoms. This suggests a novel neurotrophic-based mechanism of the drug effects of quetiapine on psychosis. This is the first report of VEGF perturbation in psychosis.

scholarly journals Synergic Neuroprotection Between Ligusticum Chuanxiong Hort and Borneol Against Ischemic Stroke by Neurogenesis via Modulating Reactive Astrogliosis and Maintaining the Blood–Brain Barrier

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bin Yu ◽  
Yao Yao ◽  
Xiaofeng Zhang ◽  
Ming Ruan ◽  
Zhennian Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor ◽  
Growth Factor ◽  
Neurotrophic Factor ◽  
Vascular Endothelial ◽  
Neurological Severity Score ◽  
Associated Proteins ◽  
Von Willebrand ◽  
Endothelial Growth Factor ◽  
Willebrand Factor ◽  
Complement Component 3

Background:Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort (LCH) is a famous ethnomedicine in Asia known for its excellent output on stroke treatment, and borneol usually acts as an assistant for its reducing permeability of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) after stroke. Although their synergy against brain ischemia was verified in previous studies, the potential mechanism is still unknown.Methods: The research aimed to explore the exact synergic mechanisms between LCH and borneol on neurogenesis within the areas of the dentate gyrus and subventricular zone. After treating middle cerebral artery occlusion rats with LCH (0.1 g/kg) and/or borneol (0.08 g/kg), the neurological severity score, brain infarct ratio, Nissl staining, Evans blue permeability, BBB ultrastructure, and expressions of von Willebrand factor and tight junction–associated proteins were measured. Co-localizations of Nestin+/BrdU+ and doublecortin+/BrdU+, and expressions of neuronal nuclei (NeuN) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) were observed under a fluorescence microscope. Moreover, astrocyte polarization markers of complement component 3 and pentraxin 3, and relevant neurotrophins were also detected by immunoblotting.Results: Basically, LCH and borneol had different focuses, although both of them decreased infarct areas, and increased quantity of Nissl bodies and expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor. LCH increased the neurological severity score, NeuN+ cells, and the ratios of Nestin+/BrdU+ and doublecortin+/BrdU+, and decreased GFAP+ cells and ciliary neurotrophic factor expression. Additionally, it regulated the expressions of complement component 3 and pentraxin 3 to transform astrocyte phenotypes. Borneol improved BBB ultrastructure and increased the expressions of von Willebrand factor, tight junction–associated proteins, vascular endothelial growth factor, and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2. Unexpectedly, their combined therapy showed more obvious regulations on the Nissl score, Evans blue permeability, doublecortin+/BrdU+, NeuN+ cells, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and vascular endothelial growth factor than both of their monotherapies.Conclusions: The results indicated that LCH and borneol were complementary to each other in attenuating brain ischemia by and large. LCH mainly promoted neural stem cell proliferation, neurogenesis, and mature neuron preservation, which was probably related to the transformation of reactive astrocytes from A1 subtype to A2, while borneol preferred to maintain the integrity of the BBB, which provided neurogenesis with a homeostatic environment.

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