scholarly journals Immunoregulation of Microglia M2 polarization is an unrecognized physiological function of α -Synuclein

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Na Li ◽  
Tessandra Stewart ◽  
Lifu Sheng ◽  
Min Shi ◽  
Eugene M Cilento ◽  
...  

Abstract BACKGROUNDMicroglial function is vital for maintaining the health of the brain, and their activation is an essential component of neurodegeneration. It is increasingly recognized that microglia also undergo changes, dependent on the cellular environment, that promote mainly reconstructive and anti-inflammatory functions, i.e. mostly desirable functions of microglia in a physiological state. What maintains microglia at this physiological state is essentially unknown, despite significant research on factors that provoke “reactive” or “inflammatory” phenotypes in conditions of injury or disease. One such factor, exposure to the aggregated or oligomeric forms of α-synuclein, an abundant brain protein, plays an essential role in driving microglial activation; including chemotactic migration and production of inflammatory mediators in Lewy body (LB) diseases such as Parkinson’s disease.METHODSIn this study, using in vitro and in vivo models, we challenged primary microglia or BV2 microglia with LPS + IFN-γ,IL-4 + IL-13, α-synuclein monomer and α-synuclein oligomer, examined microglia phenotype and the underlying mechanism by RT-PCR, Western blot, ELISA, IF, IHC, Co-IP. RESULTS: We described a novel physiological function of α-synuclein, in which it modulates microglia towards an anti-inflammatory phenotype by interaction with extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and recruitment of the ERK, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) pathways. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest a previously unrecognized function of α-synuclein that likely gives new insights into the pathogenesis and potential therapies for Lewy body-related diseases and beyond, given the abundance and multiple functions of α-synuclein in brain tissue.

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Na Li ◽  
Tessandra Stewart ◽  
Lifu Sheng ◽  
Min Shi ◽  
Eugene M. Cilento ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Microglial function is vital for maintaining the health of the brain, and their activation is an essential component of neurodegeneration. There is significant research on factors that provoke “reactive” or “inflammatory” phenotypes in conditions of injury or disease. One such factor, exposure to the aggregated or oligomeric forms of α-synuclein, an abundant brain protein, plays an essential role in driving microglial activation; including chemotactic migration and production of inflammatory mediators in Lewy body (LB) diseases such as Parkinson’s disease. On the other hand, it is increasingly recognized that microglia also undergo changes, dependent on the cellular environment, that promote mainly reconstructive and anti-inflammatory functions, i.e., mostly desirable functions of microglia in a physiological state. What maintains microglia in this physiological state is essentially unknown. Methods In this study, using in vitro and in vivo models, we challenged primary microglia or BV2 microglia with LPS + IFN-γ, IL-4 + IL-13, α-synuclein monomer, and α-synuclein oligomer, and examined microglia phenotype and the underlying mechanism by RT-PCR, Western blot, ELISA, IF, IHC, Co-IP. Results We described a novel physiological function of α-synuclein, in which it modulates microglia toward an anti-inflammatory phenotype by interaction with extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and recruitment of the ERK, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) pathways. Conclusions These findings suggest a previously unrecognized function of monomeric α-synuclein that likely gives new insights into the pathogenesis and potential therapies for Lewy body-related diseases and beyond, given the abundance and multiple functions of α-synuclein in brain tissue.


PPAR Research ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 2007 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asha Jacob ◽  
Rongqian Wu ◽  
Mian Zhou ◽  
Ping Wang

Curcumin, the phytochemical component in turmeric, is used as a dietary spice and a topical ointment for the treatment of inflammation in India for centuries. Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) is relatively insoluble in water, but dissolves in acetone, dimethylsulphoxide, and ethanol. Commercial grade curcumin contains 10–20% curcuminoids, desmethoxycurcumin, and bisdesmethoxycurcumin and they are as effective as pure curcumin. Based on a number of clinical studies in carcinogenesis, a daily oral dose of 3.6 g curcumin has been efficacious for colorectal cancer and advocates its advancement into Phase II clinical studies. In addition to the anticancer effects, curcumin has been effective against a variety of disease conditions in both in vitro and in vivo preclinical studies. The present review highlights the importance of curcumin as an anti-inflammatory agent and suggests that the beneficial effect of curcumin is mediated by the upregulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ(PPAR-γ) activation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paulo José Basso ◽  
Helioswilton Sales-Campos ◽  
Viviani Nardini ◽  
Murillo Duarte-Silva ◽  
Vanessa Beatriz Freitas Alves ◽  
...  

The current therapeutic options for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) are limited. Even using common anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive or biological therapies, many patients become unresponsive to the treatments, immunosuppressed or unable to restrain secondary infections. Statins are cholesterol-lowering drugs with non-canonical anti-inflammatory properties, whose underlying mechanisms of action still remain poorly understood. Here, we described that in vitro atorvastatin (ATO) treatment was not toxic to splenocytes, constrained cell proliferation and modulated IL-6 and IL-10 production in a dose-dependent manner. Mice exposed to dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) for colitis induction and treated with ATO shifted their immune response from Th17 towards Th2, improved the clinical and histological aspects of intestinal inflammation and reduced the number of circulating leukocytes. Both experimental and in silico analyses revealed that PPAR-α expression is reduced in experimental colitis, which was reversed by ATO treatment. While IBD patients also downregulate PPAR-α expression, the responsiveness to biological therapy relied on the restoration of PPAR-α levels. Indeed, the in vitro and in vivo effects induced by ATO treatment were abrogated in Ppara-/- mice or leukocytes. In conclusion, the beneficial effects of ATO in colitis are dependent on PPAR-α, which could also be a potential predictive biomarker of therapy responsiveness in IBD.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
KyeongJin Kim ◽  
Jin Ku Kang ◽  
Young Hoon Jung ◽  
Sang Bae Lee ◽  
Raffaela Rametta ◽  
...  

AbstractIncreased adiposity confers risk for systemic insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes (T2D), but mechanisms underlying this pathogenic inter-organ crosstalk are incompletely understood. We find PHLPP2 (PH domain and leucine rich repeat protein phosphatase 2), recently identified as the Akt Ser473 phosphatase, to be increased in adipocytes from obese mice. To identify the functional consequence of increased adipocyte PHLPP2 in obese mice, we generated adipocyte-specific PHLPP2 knockout (A-PHLPP2) mice. A-PHLPP2 mice show normal adiposity and glucose metabolism when fed a normal chow diet, but reduced adiposity and improved whole-body glucose tolerance as compared to Cre- controls with high-fat diet (HFD) feeding. Notably, HFD-fed A-PHLPP2 mice show increased HSL phosphorylation, leading to increased lipolysis in vitro and in vivo. Mobilized adipocyte fatty acids are oxidized, leading to increased peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα)-dependent adiponectin secretion, which in turn increases hepatic fatty acid oxidation to ameliorate obesity-induced fatty liver. Consistently, adipose PHLPP2 expression is negatively correlated with serum adiponectin levels in obese humans. Overall, these data implicate an adipocyte PHLPP2-HSL-PPARα signaling axis to regulate systemic glucose and lipid homeostasis, and suggest that excess adipocyte PHLPP2 explains decreased adiponectin secretion and downstream metabolic consequence in obesity.


BMC Cancer ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Zhu ◽  
Hongyang Zhao ◽  
Fenfen Xu ◽  
Bin Huang ◽  
Xiaojing Dai ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Fenofibrate is a fibric acid derivative known to have a lipid-lowering effect. Although fenofibrate-induced peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) transcription activation has been shown to play an important role in the malignant progression of gliomas, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Methods In this study, we analyzed TCGA database and found that there was a significant negative correlation between the long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) HOTAIR and PPARα. Then, we explored the molecular mechanism by which lncRNA HOTAIR regulates PPARα in cell lines in vitro and in a nude mouse glioma model in vivo and explored the effect of the combined application of HOTAIR knockdown and fenofibrate treatment on glioma invasion. Results For the first time, it was shown that after knockdown of the expression of HOTAIR in gliomas, the expression of PPARα was significantly upregulated, and the invasion and proliferation ability of gliomas were obviously inhibited. Then, glioma cells were treated with both the PPARα agonist fenofibrate and si-HOTAIR, and the results showed that the proliferation and invasion of glioma cells were significantly inhibited. Conclusions Our results suggest that HOTAIR can negatively regulate the expression of PPARα and that the combination of fenofibrate and si-HOTAIR treatment can significantly inhibit the progression of gliomas. This introduces new ideas for the treatment of gliomas.


Pharmaceutics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 991
Author(s):  
Melanie S. Matos ◽  
José D. Anastácio ◽  
Cláudia Nunes dos Santos

Inflammation is a crucial and complex process that reestablishes the physiological state after a noxious stimulus. In pathological conditions the inflammatory state may persist, leading to chronic inflammation and causing tissue damage. Sesquiterpene lactones (SLs) are composed of a large and diverse group of highly bioactive plant secondary metabolites, characterized by a 15-carbon backbone structure. In recent years, the interest in SLs has risen due to their vast array of biological activities beneficial for human health. The anti-inflammatory potential of these compounds results from their ability to target and inhibit various key pro-inflammatory molecules enrolled in diverse inflammatory pathways, and prevent or reduce the inflammatory damage on tissues. Research on the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of SLs has thrived over the last years, and numerous compounds from diverse plants have been studied, using in silico, in vitro, and in vivo assays. Besides their anti-inflammatory potential, their cytotoxicity, structure–activity relationships, and pharmacokinetics have been investigated. This review aims to gather the most relevant results and insights concerning the anti-inflammatory potential of SL-rich extracts and pure SLs, focusing on their effects in different inflammatory pathways and on different molecular players.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (9) ◽  
pp. 4670
Author(s):  
Cinzia Buccoliero ◽  
Manuela Dicarlo ◽  
Patrizia Pignataro ◽  
Francesco Gaccione ◽  
Silvia Colucci ◽  
...  

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC1α) is a protein that promotes transcription of numerous genes, particularly those responsible for the regulation of mitochondrial biogenesis. Evidence for a key role of PGC1α in bone metabolism is very recent. In vivo studies showed that PGC1α deletion negatively affects cortical thickness, trabecular organization and resistance to flexion, resulting in increased risk of fracture. Furthermore, in a mouse model of bone disease, PGC1α activation stimulates osteoblastic gene expression and inhibits atrogene transcription. PGC1α overexpression positively affects the activity of Sirtuin 3, a mitochondrial nicotinammide adenina dinucleotide (NAD)-dependent deacetylase, on osteoblastic differentiation. In vitro, PGC1α overexpression prevents the reduction of mitochondrial density, membrane potential and alkaline phosphatase activity caused by Sirtuin 3 knockdown in osteoblasts. Moreover, PGC1α influences the commitment of skeletal stem cells towards an osteogenic lineage, while negatively affects marrow adipose tissue accumulation. In this review, we will focus on recent findings about PGC1α action on bone metabolism, in vivo and in vitro, and in pathologies that cause bone loss, such as osteoporosis and type 2 diabetes.


2000 ◽  
Vol 164 (2) ◽  
pp. 1046-1054 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rolf Thieringer ◽  
Judy E. Fenyk-Melody ◽  
Cheryl B. Le Grand ◽  
Beverly A. Shelton ◽  
Patricia A. Detmers ◽  
...  

Endocrinology ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 150 (9) ◽  
pp. 4074-4083 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ji-Won Kim ◽  
Young-Hye You ◽  
Dong-Sik Ham ◽  
Jae-Hyoung Cho ◽  
Seung-Hyun Ko ◽  
...  

Abstract Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ-coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) is significantly elevated in the islets of animal models of diabetes. However, the molecular mechanism has not been clarified. We investigated whether the suppression of PGC-1α expression protects against β-cell dysfunction in vivo and determined the mechanism of action of PGC-1α in β-cells. The studies were performed in glucolipotixicity-induced primary rat islets and INS-1 cells. In vitro and in vivo approaches using adenoviruses were used to evaluate the role of PGC-1α in glucolipotoxicity-associated β-cell dysfunction. The expression of PGC-1α in cultured β-cells increased gradually with glucolipotoxicity. The overexpression of PGC-1α also suppressed the expression of the insulin and β-cell E-box transcription factor (BETA2/NeuroD) genes, which was reversed by PGC-1α small interfering RNA (siRNA). BETA2/NeuroD, p300-enhanced BETA2/NeuroD, and insulin transcriptional activities were significantly suppressed by Ad-PGC-1α but were rescued by Ad-siPGC-1α. PGC-1α binding at the glucocorticoid receptor site on the BETA2/NeuroD promoter increased in the presence of PGC-1α. Ad-siPGC-1α injection through the celiac arteries of 90% pancreatectomized diabetic rats improved their glucose tolerance and maintained their fasting insulin levels. The suppression of PGC-1α expression protects the glucolipotoxicity-induced β-cell dysfunction in vivo and in vitro. A better understanding of the functions of molecules such as PGC-1α, which play key roles in intracellular fuel regulation, could herald a new era of the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus by providing protection from glucolipotoxicity, which is an important cause of the development and progression of the disease.


2019 ◽  
Vol 241 (3) ◽  
pp. 175-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fazal Wahab ◽  
Ikram Ullah Khan ◽  
Ignacio Rodriguez Polo ◽  
Hira Zubair ◽  
Charis Drummer ◽  
...  

Irisin, encoded by the FNDC5 gene, is a recently discovered endocrine factor mainly secreted as a myokine and adipokine. However, irisin/FNDC5 expression has also been reported in different other organs including components of the reproductive axis. Yet, there is the scarcity of data on FNDC5/irisin expression, regulation and its reproductive effects, particularly in primates. Here, we report the expression of FNDC5/irisin, along with PGC1A (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha) and ERRA (estrogen-related receptor alpha), in components of the reproductive axis of marmoset monkeys. Hypothalamic FNDC5 and ERRA transcript levels are developmentally regulated in both male and female. We further uncovered sex-specific differences in FNDC5, ERRA and PGC1A expression in muscle and the reproductive axis. Moreover, irisin and ERRα co-localize in the marmoset hypothalamus. Additionally, in the arcuate nucleus of rhesus monkeys, the number of irisin+ cells was significantly increased in short-term fasted monkeys as compared to ad libitum-fed monkeys. More importantly, we observed putative interaction of irisin-immunoreactive fibers and few GnRH-immunoreactive cell bodies in the mediobasal hypothalamus of the rhesus monkeys. Functionally, we noted a stimulatory effect of irisin on GnRH synthesis and release in mouse hypothalamic neuronal GT1-7 cells. In summary, our findings show that FNDC5 and irisin are developmentally, metabolic-status dependently and sex-specifically expressed in the primate hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis and exert a stimulatory effect on GnRH expression and release in mouse hypothalamic cells. Further studies are required to confirm the reproductive effects of irisin in vivo and to illuminate the mechanisms of its regulation.


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