Estrogens and progestins: molecular effects on brain cells

2010 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paolo Mannella ◽  
Tommaso Simoncini ◽  
Andrea Riccardo Genazzani
Keyword(s):  
Sex Steroids ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Neural Cells ◽  
Protective Effects ◽  
Complete Knowledge ◽  
Molecular Effects ◽  
In Vivo Effects ◽  
The Brain

AbstractSex steroids are known to regulate brain function and their role is so important that several diseases are strictly correlated with the onset of menopause when estrogen-progesterone deficiency makes neural cells much more vulnerable to toxic stimuli. Although in the past years several scientists have focused their studies on in vitro and in vivo effects of sex steroids on the brain, we are still far from complete knowledge. Indeed, contrasting results from large clinical trials have made the entire issue much more complicated. Currently we know that protective effects exerted by sex steroids depend on several factors among which the dose, the health of the cells and the type of molecule being used. In this review, we present an overview of the direct and indirect effects of estrogen and progesterone on the brain with specific focus on the molecular mechanisms by which these molecules act on neural cells.

scholarly journals DHEA Attenuates Microglial Activation via Induction of JMJD3 in Experimental Subarachnoid Haemorrhage

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tao Tao ◽  
Guang-Jie Liu ◽  
Xuan Shi ◽  
Yan Zhou ◽  
Yue Lu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Subarachnoid Haemorrhage ◽  
Microglial Activation ◽  
Neuronal Damage ◽  
Neuroprotective Effect ◽  
Early Brain Injury ◽  
Protective Effects ◽  
In Vivo Models ◽  
The Brain

Abstract Background Microglia are resident immune cells in the central nervous system and central to the innate immune system. Excessive activation of microglia after subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) contributes greatly to early brain injury, which is responsible for poor outcomes. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a steroid hormone enriched in the brain, has recently been found to regulate microglial activation. The purpose of this study was to address the role of DHEA in SAH. Methods We used in vivo models of endovascular perforation and in vitro models of haemoglobin exposure to illustrate the effects of DHEA on microglia in SAH. Results In experimental SAH mice, exogenous DHEA administration increased DHEA levels in the brain and modulated microglial activation. Ameliorated neuronal damage and improved neurological outcomes were also observed in the SAH mice pretreated with DHEA, suggesting neuronal protective effects of DHEA. In cultured microglia, DHEA elevated the mRNA and protein levels of Jumonji d3 (JMJD3, histone 3 demethylase) after haemoglobin exposure, downregulated the H3K27me3 level, and inhibited the transcription of proinflammatory genes. The devastating proinflammatory microglia-mediated effects on primary neurons were also attenuated by DHEA; however, specific inhibition of JMJD3 abolished the protective effects of DHEA. We next verified that DHEA-induced JMJD3 expression, at least in part, through the tropomyosin-related kinase A (TrkA)/Akt signalling pathway. Conclusions DHEA has a neuroprotective effect after SAH. Moreover, DHEA increases microglial JMJD3 expression to regulate proinflammatory/anti-inflammatory microglial activation after haemoglobin exposure, thereby suppressing inflammation.

scholarly journals The Antioxidant Mechanisms Underlying the Aged Garlic Extract- and S-Allylcysteine-Induced Protection

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana L. Colín-González ◽  
Ricardo A. Santana ◽  
Carlos A. Silva-Islas ◽  
Maria E. Chánez-Cárdenas ◽  
Abel Santamaría ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Original Data ◽  
Garlic Extract ◽  
Protective Effects ◽  
Aged Garlic Extract ◽  
Antioxidant Mechanisms ◽  
Aged Garlic

Aged garlic extract (AGE) is an odorless garlic preparation containing S-allylcysteine (SAC) as its most abundant compound. A large number of studies have demonstrated the antioxidant activity of AGE and SAC in bothin vivo—in diverse experimental animal models associated to oxidative stress—andin vitroconditions—using several methods to scavenge reactive oxygen species or to induce oxidative damage. Derived from these experiments, the protective effects of AGE and SAC have been associated with the prevention or amelioration of oxidative stress. In this work, we reviewed different antioxidant mechanisms (scavenging of free radicals and prooxidant species, induction of antioxidant enzymes, activation of Nrf2 factor, inhibition of prooxidant enzymes, and chelating effects) involved in the protective actions of AGE and SAC, thereby emphasizing their potential use as therapeutic agents. In addition, we highlight the ability of SAC to activate Nrf2 factor—a master regulator of the cellular redox state. Here, we include original data showing the ability of SAC to activate Nrf2 factor in cerebral cortex. Therefore, we conclude that the therapeutic properties of these molecules comprise cellular and molecular mechanisms at different levels.

Kanamycin Inhibits Cochlear-Renal ODC in Neonatal Rats

1992 ◽  
Vol 107 (4) ◽  
pp. 501-510 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew T. Lyos ◽  
William E. Winter ◽  
Charles M. Henley
Keyword(s):  
Organ Of Corti ◽  
Lateral Wall ◽  
Inhibitory Effect ◽  
Polyamine Biosynthesis ◽  
Key Enzyme ◽  
Old Rats ◽  
In Vivo Effects ◽  
The Brain

Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), a key enzyme in polyamine biosynthesis, is important in development and regeneration. We hypothesize that aminoglycoside inhibition of ODC mediates developmental hypersensitivity to aminoglycoside ototoxicity. Kanamycin effects on ODC activity (decarboxylation of ornithine) in vitro were determined in the postmitochondriai fraction of cochlear and renal homogenates from 11-day-old rats. Kanamycin inhibited cochlear and renal ODC by an uncompetitive mechanism. For the cochlear enzyme, the inhibitor constant (Ki) for kanamycin was 99 ± 25 (μmol/L; for the renal enzyme, the Ki = 1.5 ± 0.1 mmol/L. In vivo effects of kanamycin on cochlear, renal, brain ODC activity were determined in rats treated with kanamycin (400 mg/kg/day, intramuscularly) or saline during postnatal days 11 through 20, the hypersensitive period for ototoxicity. Rats were killed on postnatal days 12,14,16, and 20 and ODC was assayed. Kanamycin significantly inhibited ODC in the lateral wall-organ of Corti and kidney (ANOVA α = 0.05), but had no effect on cochlear nerve and no consistent inhibitory effect in the brain. These results suggest that ODC is a potential target of kanamycin in susceptible tissues and may be a contributing factor in developmental sensitivity to the drug by inhibiting repair and developmental processes mediated by ODC.

scholarly journals The Zebrafish Embryo as a Model to Test Protective Effects of Food Antioxidant Compounds

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (19) ◽  
pp. 5786
Author(s):  
Cristina Arteaga ◽  
Nuria Boix ◽  
Elisabet Teixido ◽  
Fernanda Marizande ◽  
Santiago Cadena ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Zebrafish Embryo ◽  
In Vitro Assays ◽  
Antioxidant Compounds ◽  
Protective Effects ◽  
Tert Butyl Hydroperoxide ◽  
In Vivo Effects ◽  
Β Carotene

The antioxidant activity of food compounds is one of the properties generating the most interest, due to its health benefits and correlation with the prevention of chronic disease. This activity is usually measured using in vitro assays, which cannot predict in vivo effects or mechanisms of action. The objective of this study was to evaluate the in vivo protective effects of six phenolic compounds (naringenin, apigenin, rutin, oleuropein, chlorogenic acid, and curcumin) and three carotenoids (lycopene B, β-carotene, and astaxanthin) naturally present in foods using a zebrafish embryo model. The zebrafish embryo was pretreated with each of the nine antioxidant compounds and then exposed to tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tBOOH), a known inducer of oxidative stress in zebrafish. Significant differences were determined by comparing the concentration-response of the tBOOH induced lethality and dysmorphogenesis against the pretreated embryos with the antioxidant compounds. A protective effect of each compound, except β-carotene, against oxidative-stress-induced lethality was found. Furthermore, apigenin, rutin, and curcumin also showed protective effects against dysmorphogenesis. On the other hand, β-carotene exhibited increased lethality and dysmorphogenesis compared to the tBOOH treatment alone.

scholarly journals Effects of Red Ginseng on Neural Injuries with Reference to the Molecular Mechanisms

J ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 116-127
Author(s):  
Pengxiang Zhu ◽  
Masahiro Sakanaka
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Bioactive Molecules ◽  
Red Ginseng ◽  
Promising Candidate ◽  
Neuroprotective Effects ◽  
Chemical Structures ◽  
Brain And Spinal Cord ◽  
The Brain

Red ginseng, as an effective herbal medicine, has been traditionally and empirically used for the treatment of neuronal diseases. Many studies suggest that red ginseng and its ingredients protect the brain and spinal cord from neural injuries such as ischemia, trauma, and neurodegeneration. This review focuses on the molecular mechanisms underlying the neuroprotective effects of red ginseng and its ingredients. Ginsenoside Rb1 and other ginsenosides are regarded as the active ingredients of red ginseng; the anti-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidative actions of ginsenosides, together with a series of bioactive molecules relevant to the above actions, appear to account for the neuroprotective effects in vivo and/or in vitro. Moreover, in this review, the possibility is raised that more effective or stable neuroprotective derivatives based on the chemical structures of ginsenosides could be developed. Although further studies, including clinical trials, are necessary to confirm the pharmacological properties of red ginseng and its ingredients, red ginseng and its ingredients could be promising candidate drugs for the treatment of neural injuries.

scholarly journals Antioxidative Property and Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Geniposide-Mediated Therapeutic Effects in Diabetes Mellitus and Cardiovascular Disease

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ning Li ◽  
Ling Li ◽  
Haiming Wu ◽  
Heng Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Diabetes Mellitus ◽  
Cardiovascular Disease ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Therapeutic Effects ◽  
Protective Effects ◽  
Iridoid Glucoside ◽  
Gardenia Jasminoides ◽  
Antioxidative Property

Geniposide, an iridoid glucoside, is a major component in the fruit of Gardenia jasminoides Ellis (Gardenia fruits). Geniposide has been experimentally proved to possess multiple pharmacological actions involving antioxidative stress, anti-inflammatory, antiapoptosis, antiangiogenesis, antiendoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS), etc. In vitro and in vivo studies have further identified the value of geniposide in a spectrum of preclinical models of diabetes mellitus (DM) and cardiovascular disorders. The antioxidative property of geniposide should be attributed to the result of either the inhibition of numerous pathological processes or the activation of various proteins associated with cell survival or a combination of both. In this review, we will summarize the available knowledge on the antioxidative property and protective effects of geniposide in DM and cardiovascular disease in the literature and discuss antioxidant mechanisms as well as its potential applications in clinic.

scholarly journals What Are the Molecular Mechanisms by Which Functional Bacterial Amyloids Influence Amyloid Beta Deposition and Neuroinflammation in Neurodegenerative Disorders?

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 1652 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert P. Friedland ◽  
Joseph D. McMillan ◽  
Zimple Kurlawala
Keyword(s):  
Amyloid Beta ◽  
Neurodegenerative Disorders ◽  
Innate Immune System ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Innate Immune ◽  
Know How ◽  
Unique Distribution ◽  
The Brain

Despite the enormous literature documenting the importance of amyloid beta (Ab) protein in Alzheimer's disease, we do not know how Ab aggregation is initiated and why it has its unique distribution in the brain. In vivo and in vitro evidence has been developed to suggest that functional microbial amyloid proteins produced in the gut may cross-seed Ab aggregation and prime the innate immune system to have an enhanced and pathogenic response to neuronal amyloids. In this commentary, we summarize the molecular mechanisms by which the microbiota may initiate and sustain the pathogenic processes of neurodegeneration in aging.

Rutin as Neuroprotective Agent: From Bench to Bedside

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (27) ◽  
pp. 5152-5164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Budzynska ◽  
Caterina Faggio ◽  
Marta Kruk-Slomka ◽  
Dunja Samec ◽  
Seyed Fazel Nabavi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Disease Burden ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Biological Effects ◽  
Neuroprotective Effects ◽  
Brain Functions ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
Biological Effectiveness ◽  
In Vivo Effects

Flavonoids are major dietary constituents of plant-based food found ubiquitously in plant kingdom where they are usually present in substantial amounts. Rutin is a flavonol-type polyphenol which consists of the flavonol quercetin and the disaccharide rutinose. Rutin has been reported to exert diverse biological effects such as antitumor and antimicrobial mainly associated to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Mental, neurological, and behavioural disorders are an important and growing cause of morbidity. Most of these disorders combine a high prevalence, early onset, progressive clinical course, and impairment of critical brain functions making them a major contributor to the global disease burden. In the present work, the biological in vitro and in vivo effects and the potential therapeutic applications of rutin in neurodegenerative processes are reviewed, as well as their bioavailability and pharmacokinetics, which are essential for a better understanding of its biological effectiveness. Moreover, the present review also provides an overview of the molecular mechanisms through which rutin is proposed to exert its neuroprotective effects.

scholarly journals Protective Effects of CISD2 and Influence of Curcumin on CISD2 Expression in Aged Animals and Inflammatory Cell Model

Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 700 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chai-Ching Lin ◽  
Tien-Huang Chiang ◽  
Yu-Yo Sun ◽  
Muh-Shi Lin
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Mitochondrial Dysfunction ◽  
Cell Model ◽  
Neural Cells ◽  
Protective Effects ◽  
Curcumin Treatment ◽  
Cord Injury

Background: Inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction have been linked to trauma, neurodegeneration, and aging. Impairment of CISD2 expression may trigger the aforementioned pathological conditions in neural cells. We previously reported that curcumin attenuates the downregulation of CISD2 in animal models of spinal cord injury and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated neuronal cells. In this study, we investigate (1) the role of CISD2 and (2) how curcumin regulates CISD2 in the aging process. Materials and methods: The serial expression of CISD2 and the efficacy of curcumin treatment were evaluated in old (104 weeks) mice and long-term cultures of neural cells (35 days in vitro, DIV). LPS-challenged neural cells (with or without siCISD2 transfection) were used to verify the role of curcumin on CISD2 underlying mitochondrial dysfunction. Results: In the brain and spinal cord of mice aged P2, 8, 25, and 104 weeks, we observed a significant decrease in CISD2 expression with age. Curcumin treatment in vivo and in vitro was shown to upregulate CISD2 expression; attenuate inflammatory response in neural cells. Moreover, curcumin treatment elevated CISD2 expression levels and prevented mitochondrial dysfunction in LPS-challenged neural cells. The beneficial effects of curcumin in either non-stressed or LPS-challenged cells that underwent siCISD2 transfection were significantly lower than in respective groups of cells that underwent scrambled siRNA-transfection. Conclusions: We hypothesize that the protective effects of curcumin treatment in reducing cellular inflammation associated trauma, degenerative, and aging processes can be partially attributed to elevated CISD2 expression. We observed a reduction in the protective effects of curcumin against injury-induced inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction in cells where CISD2 expression was reduced by siCISD2.

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