scholarly journals Viruses and Endogenous Retroviruses as Roots for Neuroinflammation and Neurodegenerative Diseases

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Römer
Keyword(s):  
Neurodegenerative Diseases ◽  
Viral Infections ◽  
Endogenous Retroviruses ◽  
Clinical Severity ◽  
Inflammation Markers ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Severity Of The Disease ◽  
Line Elements ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Existing Data

Many neurodegenerative diseases are associated with chronic inflammation in the brain and periphery giving rise to a continuous imbalance of immune processes. Next to inflammation markers, activation of transposable elements, including long intrespersed nuclear elements (LINE) elements and endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), has been identified during neurodegenerative disease progression and even correlated with the clinical severity of the disease. ERVs are remnants of viral infections in the human genome acquired during evolution. Upon activation, they produce transcripts and the phylogenetically youngest ones are still able to produce viral-like particles. In addition, ERVs can bind transcription factors and modulate immune response. Being between own and foreign, ERVs are reviewed in the context of viral infections of the central nervous system, in aging and neurodegenerative diseases. Moreover, this review tests the hypothesis that viral infection may be a trigger at the onset of neuroinflammation and that ERVs sustain the inflammatory imbalance by summarizing existing data of neurodegenerative diseases associated with viruses and/or ERVs.

scholarly journals Neural Stem Cells: What Happens When They Go Viral?

Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 1468
Author(s):  
Yashika S. Kamte ◽  
Manisha N. Chandwani ◽  
Alexa C. Michaels ◽  
Lauren A. O’Donnell
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Neural Stem Cells ◽  
Viral Infections ◽  
Wide Spectrum ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Developmental Abnormalities ◽  
Multipotent Progenitor Cells ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Simplex Virus ◽  
The Brain

Viruses that infect the central nervous system (CNS) are associated with developmental abnormalities as well as neuropsychiatric and degenerative conditions. Many of these viruses such as Zika virus (ZIKV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and herpes simplex virus (HSV) demonstrate tropism for neural stem cells (NSCs). NSCs are the multipotent progenitor cells of the brain that have the ability to form neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. Viral infections often alter the function of NSCs, with profound impacts on the growth and repair of the brain. There are a wide spectrum of effects on NSCs, which differ by the type of virus, the model system, the cell types studied, and the age of the host. Thus, it is a challenge to predict and define the consequences of interactions between viruses and NSCs. The purpose of this review is to dissect the mechanisms by which viruses can affect survival, proliferation, and differentiation of NSCs. This review also sheds light on the contribution of key antiviral cytokines in the impairment of NSC activity during a viral infection, revealing a complex interplay between NSCs, viruses, and the immune system.

scholarly journals Lipid Transport and Metabolism at the Blood-Brain Interface: Implications in Health and Disease

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabien Pifferi ◽  
Benoit Laurent ◽  
Mélanie Plourde
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Neurodegenerative Diseases ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Lipid Transport ◽  
Omega 3 ◽  
Blood Brain ◽  
Brain Interface ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Health And Disease ◽  
The Brain

Many prospective studies have shown that a diet enriched in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) can improve cognitive function during normal aging and prevent the development of neurocognitive diseases. However, researchers have not elucidated how n-3 PUFAs are transferred from the blood to the brain or how they relate to cognitive scores. Transport into and out of the central nervous system depends on two main sets of barriers: the blood-brain barrier (BBB) between peripheral blood and brain tissue and the blood-cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) barrier (BCSFB) between the blood and the CSF. In this review, the current knowledge of how lipids cross these barriers to reach the CNS is presented and discussed. Implications of these processes in health and disease, particularly during aging and neurodegenerative diseases, are also addressed. An assessment provided here is that the current knowledge of how lipids cross these barriers in humans is limited, which hence potentially restrains our capacity to intervene in and prevent neurodegenerative diseases.

MRI Findings and Evoked Potentials in Patients with Myotonic Dystrophy versus Facioscapulohumeral Dystrophy

1997 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 437-441
Author(s):  
L. Manfrè ◽  
A. Banco ◽  
M. Midiri ◽  
G. Sparacia ◽  
S. Pappalardo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Evoked Potentials ◽  
Muscular Atrophy ◽  
Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy ◽  
Voluntary Contraction ◽  
Clinical Severity ◽  
Mri Findings ◽  
Auditory Evoked Responses ◽  
The Face ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Severity Of The Disease

Evoked potentials recordings have been applied to many neurological disorders, localizing the lesions in the central nervous system (CNS) pathways. Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is a slowly progressive degenerative disease involving the muscles of the face and shoulders. On the contrary, myotonic distrophy (MD), the most frequent and severe myotonic disease, is caracterized by myotonia (delay of relaxation after voluntary contraction), muscular atrophy and dystrophic changes in non-muscular tissues. In the present investigation, patients with clinically and electromyographically verified FSHD and MD were examined using somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) and brainstem auditory evoked responses (BAEP). The main purpose of the investigation was to determine whether impaired central conduction in patients with MD or FSHD could be associated to specific cerebral abnormalities detected by MRI. Nine patients with FSHD (7 males, 2 females) 22 to 43 y.o. (mean age 35.11 +/– 9.32 y.o.) and ten patients with MD (8 males, 2 females), aged 24 to 48 (mean age 36.27 +/– 11.80 y.o.), were examined. Our results suggest that patients with FSHD may present subclinical involvement of the WM on MRI examinations and of the afferent sensory and auditory system at SEP/BAEP analysis irrespective of age, duration or clinical severity of the disease.

scholarly journals Multiple Sclerosis and SARS-CoV-2: Has the Interplay Started?

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gianmarco Bellucci ◽  
Virginia Rinaldi ◽  
Maria Chiara Buscarinu ◽  
Roberta Reniè ◽  
Rachele Bigi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Viral Infections ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Endogenous Retroviruses ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Barr Virus ◽  
Complex Interactions ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Epstein Barr ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

Current knowledge on Multiple Sclerosis (MS) etiopathogenesis encompasses complex interactions between the host’s genetic background and several environmental factors that result in dysimmunity against the central nervous system. An old-aged association exists between MS and viral infections, capable of triggering and sustaining neuroinflammation through direct and indirect mechanisms. The novel Coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, has a remarkable, and still not fully understood, impact on the immune system: the occurrence and severity of both acute COVID-19 and post-infectious chronic illness (long COVID-19) largely depends on the host’s response to the infection, that echoes several aspects of MS pathobiology. Furthermore, other MS-associated viruses, such as the Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) and Human Endogenous Retroviruses (HERVs), may enhance a mechanistic interplay with the novel Coronavirus, with the potential to interfere in MS natural history. Studies on COVID-19 in people with MS have helped clinicians in adjusting therapeutic strategies during the pandemic; similar efforts are being made for SARS-CoV-2 vaccination campaigns. In this Review, we look over 18 months of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic from the perspective of MS: we dissect neuroinflammatory and demyelinating mechanisms associated with COVID-19, summarize pathophysiological crossroads between MS and SARS-CoV-2 infection, and discuss present evidence on COVID-19 and its vaccination in people with MS.

Expression of endogenous retroviruses in blood mononuclear cells and brain tissue from multiple sclerosis patients

1995 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 82-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
HB Rasmussen ◽  
C Geny ◽  
L Deforges ◽  
H Perron ◽  
W Tourtelotte ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Peripheral Blood ◽  
Blood Cells ◽  
Mononuclear Cells ◽  
Endogenous Retroviruses ◽  
Enzymatic Amplification ◽  
Healthy Donors ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Amplification Technique ◽  
Multiple Sclerosis Patients ◽  
The Brain

The aim of the present study was to examine whether there is an abnormal expression of certain endogenous retroviruses in MS patients. For this purpose samples of peripheral blood mononudear cells were obtained from 22 MS patients, a corresponding number of age and sex-matched healthy donors and five patients with other diseases affecting the central nervous system. In addition, brain specimens of macroscopic normal white and gray matter from four MS patients and a similar number of controls were included in the study. Using an enzymatic amplification technique, we found expression of the endogenous retroviral sequences, HRES-1, HERV-KI0 and ERV3 in most samples of peripheral blood mononudear cells from MS patients and controls without obvious differences between these two groups. In contrast, composite transcripts of ERV3 and a zinc finger sequence were more frequently detected in healthy donors than in MS patients. At present, the possible significance of this is uncertain. The retroviral element 4–1 was not transcribed or only transcribed at a very low level in peripheral blood cells of controls and MS patients. Transcripts of various endogenous retroviruses were also detected in the brain samples, but a different pattern was not apparent in the MS group as compared with controls. Aspects concerning a possible association between endogenous retroviruses and autoimmunity are considered.

scholarly journals Brain lymphatic drainage system – visualization opportunities and current state of the art

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 81-89
Author(s):  
G. S. Yankova ◽  
O. B. Bogomyakova
Keyword(s):  
Neurodegenerative Diseases ◽  
Immune Surveillance ◽  
Lymphatic Vessels ◽  
Drainage System ◽  
Lymphatic Drainage ◽  
Waste Products ◽  
Glymphatic System ◽  
Age Related ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
The Brain

The lymphatic drainage system of the brain is assumed to consist of the lymphatic system and a network of meningeal lymphatic vessels. This system supports brain homeostasis, participates in immune surveillance and presents a new therapeutic target in the treatment of neurological disorders.The article analyzes and systematizes data on the brain lymphatic drainage system. The key components of this system are considered: recently described meningeal lymphatic vessels and their relationship with the glymphatic system, which provides perfusion of the central nervous system with cerebrospinal and interstitial fluids. The lymphatic drainage system helps to maintain water and ion balances of the interstitial fluid and to remove metabolic waste products, assists in reabsorption of macromolecules. Disorders in its work play a crucial role in age-related changes in the brain, the pathogenesis of neurovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, as well as injuries and brain tumors. The review also presents the results of human studies concerning the presence, anatomy and structure of meningeal lymphatic vessels and the glymphatic system. The discovery of the brain lymphatic drainage system has not only changed our understanding of cerebrospinal fluid circulation, but also contributed to understanding the pathology and mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases.

scholarly journals Understanding the Exchange of Systemic HDL Particles Into the Brain and Vascular Cells Has Diagnostic and Therapeutic Implications for Neurodegenerative Diseases

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juno Van Valkenburgh ◽  
Cristiana Meuret ◽  
Ashley E. Martinez ◽  
Vibha Kodancha ◽  
Victoria Solomon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neurodegenerative Diseases ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Large Family ◽  
Systemic Circulation ◽  
High Density Lipoproteins ◽  
Vascular Cells ◽  
Therapeutic Implications ◽  
Amyloid Metabolism ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
The Brain

High-density lipoproteins (HDLs) are complex, heterogenous lipoprotein particles, consisting of a large family of apolipoproteins, formed in subspecies of distinct shapes, sizes, and functions and are synthesized in both the brain and the periphery. HDL apolipoproteins are important determinants of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology and vascular dementia, having both central and peripheral effects on brain amyloid-beta (Aβ) accumulation and vascular functions, however, the extent to which HDL particles (HLD-P) can exchange their protein and lipid components between the central nervous system (CNS) and the systemic circulation remains unclear. In this review, we delineate how HDL’s structure and composition enable exchange between the brain, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) compartment, and vascular cells that ultimately affect brain amyloid metabolism and atherosclerosis. Accordingly, we then elucidate how modifications of HDL-P have diagnostic and therapeutic potential for brain vascular and neurodegenerative diseases.

scholarly journals The Role of GPNMB in Inflammation

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marina Saade ◽  
Giovanna Araujo de Souza ◽  
Cristoforo Scavone ◽  
Paula Fernanda Kinoshita
Keyword(s):  
Neurodegenerative Diseases ◽  
Innate Immune ◽  
Inflammatory Conditions ◽  
Pathological Conditions ◽  
Published Evidence ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Inflammation Resolution ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Lps Treatment

Inflammation is a response to a lesion in the tissue or infection. This process occurs in a specific manner in the central nervous system and is called neuroinflammation, which is involved in neurodegenerative diseases. GPNMB, an endogenous glycoprotein, has been recently related to inflammation and neuroinflammation. GPNMB is highly expressed in macrophages and microglia, which are cells involved with innate immune response in the periphery and the brain, respectively. Some studies have shown increased levels of GPNMB in pro-inflammatory conditions, such as LPS treatment, and in pathological conditions, such as neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. However, the role of GPNMB in inflammation is still not clear. Even though most studies suggest that GPNMB might have an anti-inflammatory role by promoting inflammation resolution, there is evidence that GPNMB could be pro-inflammatory. In this review, we gather and discuss the published evidence regarding this interaction.

scholarly journals Inflammation markers in the saliva of infants born from Zika-infected mothers: exploring potential mechanisms of microcephaly during fetal development

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Diogo N. de Oliveira ◽  
Estela O. Lima ◽  
Carlos F. O. R. Melo ◽  
Jeany Delafiori ◽  
Tatiane M. Guerreiro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Fetal Development ◽  
Congenital Malformations ◽  
Inflammatory Process ◽  
Viral Infections ◽  
Inflammation Markers ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
The Past ◽  
Congenital Zika Syndrome ◽  
The Central Nervous System

Abstract Zika virus (ZIKV) has emerged as one of the most medically relevant viral infections of the past decades; the devastating effects of this virus over the developing brain are a major matter of concern during pregnancy. Although the connection with congenital malformations are well documented, the mechanisms by which ZIKV reach the central nervous system (CNS) and the causes of impaired cortical growth in affected fetuses need to be better addressed. We performed a non-invasive, metabolomics-based screening of saliva from infants with congenital Zika syndrome (CZS), born from mothers that were infected with ZIKV during pregnancy. We were able to identify three biomarkers that suggest that this population suffered from an important inflammatory process; with the detection of mediators associated with glial activation, we propose that microcephaly is a product of immune response to the virus, as well as excitotoxicity mechanisms, which remain ongoing even after birth.

scholarly journals A role for viral infections in Parkinson’s etiology?

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura K. Olsen ◽  
Eilis Dowd ◽  
Declan P. McKernan
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Neurodegenerative Diseases ◽  
Viral Infections ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Clinical Findings ◽  
Microbial Interactions ◽  
Current Understanding ◽  
Scientific Interest ◽  
The Central Nervous System

Despite over 200 years since its first description by James Parkinson, the cause(s) of most cases of Parkinson’s disease (PD) are yet to be elucidated. The disparity between the current understanding of PD symptomology and pathology has led to numerous symptomatic therapies, but no strategy for prevention or disease cure. An association between certain viral infections and neurodegenerative diseases has been recognized, but largely ignored or dismissed as controversial, for decades. Recent epidemiological studies have renewed scientific interest in investigating microbial interactions with the central nervous system (CNS). This review examines past and current clinical findings and overviews the potential molecular implications of viruses in PD pathology.

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