scholarly journals Inhibition of Tryptophan Catabolism Is Associated With Neuroprotection During Zika Virus Infection

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernanda Martins Marim ◽  
Danielle Cunha Teixeira ◽  
Celso Martins Queiroz-Junior ◽  
Bruno Vinicius Santos Valiate ◽  
Jose Carlos Alves-Filho ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Zika Virus ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Neuroprotective Effect ◽  
Neuronal Cell Death ◽  
Neuronal Cell ◽  
Kynurenine Pathway ◽  
Pcr Analysis ◽  
The Brain

Zika virus (ZIKV) is an arbovirus belonging to Flaviviridae family that emerged as a global health threat due to its association with microcephaly and other severe neurological complications, including Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) and Congenital Zika Syndrome (CZS). ZIKV disease has been linked to neuroinflammation and neuronal cell death. Neurodegenerative processes may be exacerbated by metabolites produced by the kynurenine pathway, an important pathway for the degradation of tryptophan, which induces neuronal dysfunction due to enhanced excitotoxicity. Here, we exploited the hypothesis that ZIKV-induced neurodegeneration can be rescued by blocking a target enzyme of the kynurenine pathway, the Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO-1). RT-PCR analysis showed increased levels of IDO-1 RNA expression in undifferentiated primary neurons isolated from wild type (WT) mice infected by ZIKV ex vivo, as well as in the brain of ZIKV-infected A129 mice. Pharmacological inhibition of IDO-1 enzyme with 1-methyl-D-tryptophan (1-MT), in both in vitro and in vivo systems, led to significant reduction of ZIKV-induced neuronal death without interfering with the ability of ZIKV to replicate in those cells. Furthermore, in vivo analyses using both genetically modified mice (IDO-/- mice) and A129 mice treated with 1-MT resulted in reduced microgliosis, astrogliosis and Caspase-3 positive cells in the brain of ZIKV-infected A129 mice. Interestingly, increased levels of CCL5 and CXCL-1 chemokines were found in the brain of 1-MT treated-mice. Together, our data indicate that IDO-1 blockade provides a neuroprotective effect against ZIKV-induced neurodegeneration, and this is amenable to inhibition by pharmacological treatment.

scholarly journals Study of the potential neuroprotective effect of Dunaliella salina extract in SH-SY5Y cell model

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rocío Gallego ◽  
Alberto Valdés ◽  
José David Sánchez-Martínez ◽  
Zully J. Suárez-Montenegro ◽  
Elena Ibáñez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dunaliella Salina ◽  
Cell Model ◽  
Neuroprotective Effect ◽  
Neuronal Cell Death ◽  
Neuronal Cell ◽  
In Vitro Assays ◽  
In Vivo Models ◽  
Minor Compounds

Abstract Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia caused by a progressive loss of neurons from different regions of the brain. This multifactorial pathophysiology has been widely characterized by neuroinflammation, extensive oxidative damage, synaptic loss, and neuronal cell death. In this sense, the design of multi-target strategies to prevent or delay its progression is a challenging goal. In the present work, different in vitro assays including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cholinergic activities of a carotenoid-enriched extract from Dunaliella salina microalgae obtained by supercritical fluid extraction are studied. Moreover, its potential neuroprotective effect in the human neuron-like SH-SY5Y cell model against remarkable hallmarks of AD was also evaluated. In parallel, a comprehensive metabolomics study based on the use of charged-surface hybrid chromatography (CSH) and hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) coupled to high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (Q-TOF MS/MS) was applied to evaluate the effects of the extract on the metabolism of the treated cells. The use of advanced bioinformatics and statistical tools allowed the identification of more than 314 metabolites in SH-SY5Y cells, of which a great number of phosphatidylcholines, triacylglycerols, and fatty acids were significantly increased, while several phosphatidylglycerols were decreased, compared to controls. These lipidomic changes in cells along with the possible role exerted by carotenoids and other minor compounds on the cell membrane might explain the observed neuroprotective effect of the D. salina extract. However, future experiments using in vivo models to corroborate this hypothesis must be carried out. Graphical abstract

scholarly journals The Potential Neuroprotective Role of Free and Encapsulated Quercetin Mediated by miRNA against Neurological Diseases

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1318
Author(s):  
Tarek Benameur ◽  
Raffaella Soleti ◽  
Chiara Porro
Keyword(s):  
Inflammatory Responses ◽  
Pathological Condition ◽  
Neurological Diseases ◽  
Neuronal Cell Death ◽  
Neuronal Cell ◽  
In Vivo Studies ◽  
Innovative Drug ◽  
Chronic Neuroinflammation

Chronic neuroinflammation is a pathological condition of numerous central nervous system (CNS) diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and many others. Neuroinflammation is characterized by the microglia activation and concomitant production of pro-inflammatory cytokines leading to an increasing neuronal cell death. The decreased neuroinflammation could be obtained by using natural compounds, including flavonoids known to modulate the inflammatory responses. Among flavonoids, quercetin possess multiple pharmacological applications including anti-inflammatory, antitumoral, antiapoptotic and anti-thrombotic activities, widely demonstrated in both in vitro and in vivo studies. In this review, we describe the recent findings about the neuroprotective action of quercetin by acting with different mechanisms on the microglial cells of CNS. The ability of quercetin to influence microRNA expression represents an interesting skill in the regulation of inflammation, differentiation, proliferation, apoptosis and immune responses. Moreover, in order to enhance quercetin bioavailability and capacity to target the brain, we discuss an innovative drug delivery system. In summary, this review highlighted an important application of quercetin in the modulation of neuroinflammation and prevention of neurological disorders.

scholarly journals BDMC protects AD in vitro via AMPK and SIRT1

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 319-327
Author(s):  
Chenlin Xu ◽  
Zijian Xiao ◽  
Heng Wu ◽  
Guijuan Zhou ◽  
Duanqun He ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neurodegenerative Disorder ◽  
Neuroprotective Effect ◽  
Neuronal Cell Death ◽  
Neuronal Cell ◽  
Activity Measurement ◽  
Therapeutic Approaches ◽  
Cell Viability Assay ◽  
Viability Assay ◽  
Compound C

AbstractBackgroundAlzheimer’s disease (AD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder without any satisfactory therapeutic approaches. AD is mainly characterized by the deposition of β-amyloid protein (Aβ) and extensive neuronal cell death. Curcumin, with anti-oxidative stress (OS) and cell apoptosis properties, plays essential roles in AD. However, whether bisdemethoxycurcumin (BDMC), a derivative of curcumin, can exert a neuroprotective effect in AD remains to be elucidated.MethodsIn this study, SK-N-SH cells were used to establish an in vitro model to investigate the effects of BDMC on the Aβ1–42-induced neurotoxicity. SK-N-SH cells were pretreated with BDMC and with or without compound C and EX527 for 30 min after co-incubation with rotenone for 24 h. Subsequently, western blotting, cell viability assay and SOD and GSH activity measurement were performed.ResultsBDMC increased the cell survival, anti-OS ability, AMPK phosphorylation levels and SIRT1 in SK-N-SH cells treated with Aβ1–42. However, after treatment with compound C, an AMPK inhibitor, and EX527, an SIRT1inhibitor, the neuroprotective roles of BDMC on SK-N-SH cells treated with Aβ1–42 were inhibited.ConclusionThese results suggest that BDMC exerts a neuroprotective role on SK-N-SH cells in vitro via AMPK/SIRT1 signaling, laying the foundation for the application of BDMC in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases related to AMPK/SIRT1 signaling.

Selective Release of Calpain Produced αII-Spectrin (α-Fodrin) Breakdown Products by Acute Neuronal Cell Death

2002 ◽  
Vol 383 (5) ◽  
pp. 785-791 ◽  
Author(s):  
Satavisha Dutta ◽  
Yuk Chun Chiu ◽  
Albert W. Probert ◽  
Kevin K.W. Wang
Keyword(s):  
Cell Death ◽  
Neuronal Cell Death ◽  
Neuronal Cell ◽  
Neuronal Injury ◽  
Nmda Receptor Antagonist ◽  
Breakdown Product ◽  
Calpain Inhibitor ◽  
Neural Cells

Abstract Activation of calpain results in the breakdown of α II spectrin (αfodrin), a neuronal cytoskeleton protein, which has previously been detected in various in vitro and in vivo neuronal injury models. In this study, a 150 kDa spectrin breakdown product (SBDP150) was found to be released into the cellconditioned media from SHSY5Y cells treated with the calcium channel opener maitotoxin (MTX). SBDP150 release can be readily quantified on immunoblot using an SBDP150- specific polyclonal antibody. Increase of SBDP150 also correlated with cell death in a timedependent manner. MDL28170, a selective calpain inhibitor, was the only protease inhibitor tested that significantly reduced MTXinduced SBDP150 release. The cellconditioned media of cerebellar granule neurons challenged with excitotoxins (NMDA and kainate) also exhibited a significant increase of SBDP150 that was attenuated by pretreatment with an NMDA receptor antagonist, R()-3-(2-carbopiperazine-4-yl)propyl-1- phosphonic acid (CPP), and MDL28170. In addition, hypoxic/hypoglycemic challenge of cerebrocortical cultures also resulted in SBDP150 liberation into the media. These results support the theory that an antibody based detection of SBDP150 in the cellconditioned media can be utilized to quantify injury to neural cells. Furthermore, SBDP150 may potentially be used as a surrogate biomarker for acute neuronal injury in clinical settings.

Ex Vivo Brain Preparation to Analyze Vocal Pathways of Xenopus Frogs

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (9) ◽  
pp. pdb.prot106872
Author(s):  
Ayako Yamaguchi
Keyword(s):  
Neural Activity ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Neural Circuitry ◽  
Neural Basis ◽  
Vocal Production ◽  
Basic Principles ◽  
Electrophysiological Recordings ◽  
The Brain

Understanding the neural basis of behavior is a challenging task for technical reasons. Most methods of recording neural activity require animals to be immobilized, but neural activity associated with most behavior cannot be recorded from an anesthetized, immobilized animal. Using amphibians, however, there has been some success in developing in vitro brain preparations that can be used for electrophysiological and anatomical studies. Here, we describe an ex vivo frog brain preparation from which fictive vocalizations (the neural activity that would have produced vocalizations had the brain been attached to the muscle) can be elicited repeatedly. When serotonin is applied to the isolated brains of male and female African clawed frogs, Xenopus laevis, laryngeal nerve activity that is a facsimile of those that underlie sex-specific vocalizations in vivo can be readily recorded. Recently, this preparation was successfully used in other species within the genus including Xenopus tropicalis and Xenopus victorianus. This preparation allows a variety of techniques to be applied including extracellular and intracellular electrophysiological recordings and calcium imaging during vocal production, surgical and pharmacological manipulation of neurons to evaluate their impact on motor output, and tract tracing of the neural circuitry. Thus, the preparation is a powerful tool with which to understand the basic principles that govern the production of coherent and robust motor programs in vertebrates.

scholarly journals Cylindromatosis mediates neuronal cell death in vitro and in vivo

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (8) ◽  
pp. 1394-1407 ◽  
Author(s):  
Goutham K. Ganjam ◽  
Nicole Angela Terpolilli ◽  
Sebastian Diemert ◽  
Ina Eisenbach ◽  
Lena Hoffmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Death ◽  
Neuronal Cell Death ◽  
Neuronal Cell

scholarly journals Overexpression of Mitochondrial Calcium Uniporter Causes Neuronal Death

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Veronica Granatiero ◽  
Marco Pacifici ◽  
Anna Raffaello ◽  
Diego De Stefani ◽  
Rosario Rizzuto
Keyword(s):  
Cell Fate ◽  
Neuronal Death ◽  
Cortical Neurons ◽  
Neuronal Cell Death ◽  
Neuronal Cell ◽  
Neuronal Loss ◽  
Calcium Uniporter ◽  
Organelle Morphology

Neurodegenerative diseases are a large and heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by selective and progressive death of specific neuronal subtypes. In most of the cases, the pathophysiology is still poorly understood, although a number of hypotheses have been proposed. Among these, dysregulation of Ca2+ homeostasis and mitochondrial dysfunction represent two broadly recognized early events associated with neurodegeneration. However, a direct link between these two hypotheses can be drawn. Mitochondria actively participate to global Ca2+ signaling, and increases of [Ca2+] inside organelle matrix are known to sustain energy production to modulate apoptosis and remodel cytosolic Ca2+ waves. Most importantly, while mitochondrial Ca2+ overload has been proposed as the no-return signal, triggering apoptotic or necrotic neuronal death, until now direct evidences supporting this hypothesis, especially in vivo, are limited. Here, we took advantage of the identification of the mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter (MCU) and tested whether mitochondrial Ca2+ signaling controls neuronal cell fate. We overexpressed MCU both in vitro, in mouse primary cortical neurons, and in vivo, through stereotaxic injection of MCU-coding adenoviral particles in the brain cortex. We first measured mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake using quantitative genetically encoded Ca2+ probes, and we observed that the overexpression of MCU causes a dramatic increase of mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake both at resting and after membrane depolarization. MCU-mediated mitochondrial Ca2+ overload causes alteration of organelle morphology and dysregulation of global Ca2+ homeostasis. Most importantly, MCU overexpression in vivo is sufficient to trigger gliosis and neuronal loss. Overall, we demonstrated that mitochondrial Ca2+ overload is per se sufficient to cause neuronal cell death both in vitro and in vivo, thus highlighting a potential key step in neurodegeneration.

scholarly journals Neuroprotective Effect of Antioxidants in the Brain

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (19) ◽  
pp. 7152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyung Hee Lee ◽  
Myeounghoon Cha ◽  
Bae Hwan Lee
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Neurodegenerative Diseases ◽  
Intracellular Signaling ◽  
Neuronal Damage ◽  
Neuroprotective Effect ◽  
Neuronal Cell Death ◽  
Neuronal Cell ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Antioxidant Compounds ◽  
The Brain

The brain is vulnerable to excessive oxidative insults because of its abundant lipid content, high energy requirements, and weak antioxidant capacity. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) increase susceptibility to neuronal damage and functional deficits, via oxidative changes in the brain in neurodegenerative diseases. Overabundance and abnormal levels of ROS and/or overload of metals are regulated by cellular defense mechanisms, intracellular signaling, and physiological functions of antioxidants in the brain. Single and/or complex antioxidant compounds targeting oxidative stress, redox metals, and neuronal cell death have been evaluated in multiple preclinical and clinical trials as a complementary therapeutic strategy for combating oxidative stress associated with neurodegenerative diseases. Herein, we present a general analysis and overview of various antioxidants and suggest potential courses of antioxidant treatments for the neuroprotection of the brain from oxidative injury. This review focuses on enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant mechanisms in the brain and examines the relative advantages and methodological concerns when assessing antioxidant compounds for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.

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.

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