scholarly journals Ghrelin is neuroprotective in Parkinson’s disease: molecular mechanisms of metabolic neuroprotection

2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacqueline A. Bayliss ◽  
Zane B. Andrews

Ghrelin is a circulating orexigenic signal that rises with prolonged fasting and falls postprandially. Ghrelin regulates energy homeostasis by stimulating appetite and body weight; however, it also has many nonmetabolic functions including enhanced learning and memory, anxiolytic effects as well as being neuroprotective. In Parkinson’s disease, ghrelin enhances dopaminergic survival via reduced microglial and caspase activation and improved mitochondrial function. As mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to Parkinson’s disease, any agent that enhances mitochondrial function could be a potential therapeutic target. We propose that ghrelin provides neuroprotective effects via AMPK (5′ adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase) activation and enhanced mitophagy (removal of damaged mitochondria) to ultimately enhance mitochondrial bioenergetics. AMPK activation shifts energy balance from a negative to a neutral state and has a role in regulating mitochondrial biogenesis and reducing reactive oxygen species production. Mitophagy is important in Parkinson’s disease because damaged mitochondria produce reactive oxygen species resulting in damage to intracellular proteins, lipids and DNA predisposing them to neurodegeneration. Many genetic mutations linked to Parkinson’s disease are due to abnormal mitochondrial function and mitophagy, for example LRRK2, PINK1 and Parkin. An interaction between ghrelin and these classic Parkinson’s disease markers has not been observed, however by enhancing mitochondrial function, ghrelin or AMPK is a potential therapeutic target for slowing the progression of Parkinson’s disease symptoms, both motor and nonmotor.

2022 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 301
Author(s):  
Neeraja Purandare ◽  
Katherine J. Kramer ◽  
Paige Minchella ◽  
Sarah Ottum ◽  
Christopher Walker ◽  
...  

Adhesions frequently occur postoperatively, causing morbidity. In this noninterventional observational cohort study, we enrolled patients who presented for repeat abdominal surgery, after a history of previous abdominal myomectomy, from March 1998 to June 20210 at St. Vincent’s Catholic Medical Centers. The primary outcome of this pilot study was to compare adhesion rates, extent, and severity in patients who were treated with intraperitoneal triamcinolone acetonide during the initial abdominal myomectomy (n = 31) with those who did not receive any antiadhesion interventions (n = 21), as documented on retrospective chart review. Adhesions were blindly scored using a standard scoring system. About 32% of patients were found to have adhesions in the triamcinolone group compared to 71% in the untreated group (p < 0.01). Compared to controls, adhesions were significantly less in number (0.71 vs. 2.09, p < 0.005), severity (0.54 vs. 1.38, p < 0.004), and extent (0.45 vs. 1.28, p < 0.003). To understand the molecular mechanisms, human fibroblasts were incubated in hypoxic conditions and treated with triamcinolone or vehicle. In vitro studies showed that triamcinolone directly prevents the surge of reactive oxygen species triggered by 2% hypoxia and prevents the increase in TGF-β1 that leads to the irreversible conversion of fibroblasts to an adhesion phenotype. Triamcinolone prevents the increase in reactive oxygen species through alterations in mitochondrial function that are HIF-1α-independent. Controlling mitochondrial function may thus allow for adhesion-free surgery and reduced postoperative complications.


2021 ◽  
Vol 19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tapan Behl ◽  
Gagandeep Kaur ◽  
Aayush Sehgal ◽  
Gokhan Zengin ◽  
Sukhbir Singh ◽  
...  

Background: Ionizing radiation from telluric sources is unceasingly an unprotected pitfall to humans. Thus, the foremost contributors to human exposure are global and medical radiations. Various pieces of evidences assembled during preceding years reveal the pertinent role of ionizing radiation-induced oxidative stress in the progression of neurodegenerative insults such as Parkinson’s disease, which have been contributing to increased proliferation and generation of reactive oxygen species. Objective: This review delineates the role of ionizing radiation-induced oxidative stress in Parkinson’s disease and proposes novel therapeutic interventions of flavonoid family offering effective management and slowing down the progression of Parkinson’s disease. Method: Published papers were searched via MEDLINE, PubMed, etc. published to date for in-depth database collection. Results: The potential of oxidative damage may harm the non-targeted cells. It can also modulate the functions of central nervous system, such as protein misfolding, mitochondria dysfunction, increased levels of oxidized lipids, and dopaminergic cell death, which accelerates the progression of Parkinson’s disease at the molecular, cellular, or tissue levels. In Parkinson’s disease, reactive oxygen species exacerbate the production of nitric oxides and superoxides by activated microglia, rendering death of dopaminergic neuronal cell through different mechanisms. Conclusion: Rising interest has extensively engrossed on the clinical trial designs based on the plant derived family of antioxidants. They are known to exert multifarious impact either way in neuroprotection via directly suppressing ionizing radiation-induced oxidative stress and reactive oxygen species production or indirectly increasing the dopamine levels and activating the glial cells.


Antioxidants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 583 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tae Yeon Kim ◽  
Eunju Leem ◽  
Jae Man Lee ◽  
Sang Ryong Kim

Oxidative stress reflects an imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidant defense systems, and it can be associated with the pathogenesis and progression of neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis, stroke, and Parkinson’s disease (PD). The application of antioxidants, which can defend against oxidative stress, is able to detoxify the reactive intermediates and prevent neurodegeneration resulting from excessive ROS production. There are many reports showing that numerous flavonoids, a large group of natural phenolic compounds, can act as antioxidants and the application of flavonoids has beneficial effects in the adult brain. For instance, it is well known that the long-term consumption of the green tea-derived flavonoids catechin and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) can attenuate the onset of PD. Also, flavonoids such as ampelopsin and pinocembrin can inhibit mitochondrial dysfunction and neuronal death through the regulation of gene expression of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway. Additionally, it is well established that many flavonoids exhibit anti-apoptosis and anti-inflammatory effects through cellular signaling pathways, such as those involving (ERK), glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β), and (Akt), resulting in neuroprotection. In this review article, we have described the oxidative stress involved in PD and explained the therapeutic potential of flavonoids to protect the nigrostriatal DA system, which may be useful to prevent PD.


Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 1183
Author(s):  
Sheelu Monga ◽  
Nunzio Denora ◽  
Valentino Laquintana ◽  
Rami Yashaev ◽  
Abraham Weizman ◽  
...  

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder which is characterized by the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra (SN). Oxidative stress or reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation was suggested to play a role in this specific type of neurodegeneration. Therapeutic options which can target and counteract ROS generation may be of benefit. TSPO ligands are known to counteract with neuro-inflammation, ROS generation, apoptosis, and necrosis. In the current study, we investigated an in vitro cellular PD model by the assessment of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA, 80 µM)-induced PC12 neurotoxicity. Simultaneously to the exposure of the cells to 6-OHDA, we added the TSPO ligands CB86 and CB204 (25 µM each) and assessed the impact on several markers of cell death. The two ligands normalized significantly (57% and 52% respectively, from 44%; whereas the control was 68%) cell proliferation at different time points from 0–24 h. Additionally, we evaluated the effect of these two TSPO ligands on necrosis using propidium iodide (PI) staining and found that the ligands inhibited significantly the 6-OHDA-induced necrosis. As compared to control, the red count was increased up to 57-fold whereas CB86 and CB204 inhibited to 2.7-fold and 3.2-fold respectively. Necrosis was also analyzed by LDH assay which showed significant effect. Both assays demonstrated similar potent anti-necrotic effect of the two TSPO ligands. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation induced by 6-OHDA was also inhibited by the two TSPO ligand up to 1.3 and 1.5-fold respectively, as compared to 6-OHDA group. CB86 and CB204 inhibited also normalized the cell viability up to 1.8-fold after the exposure to 6-OHDA, as assessed by XTT assay. The two TSPO ligands also inhibited apoptosis significantly (1.3-fold for both) as assessed by apopxin green staining. In summary, it appears that the two TSPO ligands CB86 and CB204 can suppress cell death of PC12 induced by 6-OHDA. The results may be relevant to the use of these two TSPO ligands as therapeutic option neurodegenerative diseases like PD.


2007 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. 507-516 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuan Zhu ◽  
Patrick Hoell ◽  
Barbara Ahlemeyer ◽  
Ulrich Sure ◽  
Helmut Bertalanffy ◽  
...  

Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 2147
Author(s):  
Evan Downs ◽  
Amber D. Bottrell ◽  
Kari Naylor

Defects in mitochondrial dynamics, fission, fusion, and motility have been implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease. Another key feature of neurodegeneration is the increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS). Previous work has shown that the cytoskeleton, in particular the microtubules, and ROS generated by rotenone significantly regulate mitochondrial dynamics in Dictyostelium discoideum. The goal of this project is to study the effects of ROS on mitochondrial dynamics within our model organism D. discoideum to further understand the underlying issues that are the root of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. We chose three likely ROS inducers, cumene hydroperoxide, hydroxylamine hydrochloride, and Antimycin A. Our work demonstrates that alteration of the microtubule cytoskeleton is not required to alter dynamics in response to ROS and there is no easy way to predict how mitochondrial dynamics will be altered based on which ROS generator is used. This research contributes to the better understanding of the cellular mechanisms that induce the pathogenesis of incurable neurodegenerative diseases with the hope that it will translate into developing new and more effective treatments for patients afflicted by them.


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