scholarly journals Microglial Potassium Channels: From Homeostasis to Neurodegeneration

Biomolecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 1774
Author(s):  
Germana Cocozza ◽  
Stefano Garofalo ◽  
Riccardo Capitani ◽  
Giuseppina D’Alessandro ◽  
Cristina Limatola

The growing interest in the role of microglia in the progression of many neurodegenerative diseases is developing in an ever-expedited manner, in part thanks to emergent new tools for studying the morphological and functional features of the CNS. The discovery of specific biomarkers of the microglia phenotype could find application in a wide range of human diseases, and creates opportunities for the discovery and development of tailored therapeutic interventions. Among these, recent studies highlight the pivotal role of the potassium channels in regulating microglial functions in physiological and pathological conditions such as Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of the involvement of the microglial potassium channels in several neurodegenerative diseases and their role as modulators of microglial homeostasis and dysfunction in CNS disorders.

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (18) ◽  
pp. 3208-3224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Boguszewska-Czubara ◽  
Barbara Budzynska ◽  
Krystyna Skalicka-Wozniak ◽  
Jacek Kurzepa

: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play a key role in remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and, at the same time, influence cell differentiation, migration, proliferation, and survival. Their importance in a variety of human diseases including cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, pulmonary emphysema and fibrotic disorders has been known for many years but special attention should be paid on the role of MMPs in the central nervous system (CNS) disorders. : Till now, there are not many well documented physiological MMP target proteins in the brain but only some pathological ones. Numerous neurodegenerative diseases are a consequence of or result in disturbed remodeling of brain ECM, therefore proper action of MMPs as well as control of their activity may play crucial roles in the development of these diseases. : In the present review, we discuss the role of metalloproteinase inhibitors, from the wellknown natural endogenous tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) to the exogenous synthetic ones like (4-phenoxyphenylsulfonyl)methylthiirane (SB-3CT), tetracyclines, batimastat (BB-94) and FN-439. As the MMP-TIMP system has been well described in physiological development as well as in pathological conditions mainly in neoplastic diseases, the knowledge about the enzymatic system in mammalian brain tissue still remains poorly understood in this context. Therefore, we focus on MMPs inhibition in the context of the physiological function of the adult brain as well as pathological conditions including neurodegenerative diseases, brain injuries, and others.


Metabolites ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Chen ◽  
Dodge Baluya ◽  
Mehmet Tosun ◽  
Feng Li ◽  
Mirjana Maletic-Savatic

Neurodegenerative diseases are prevalent and devastating. While extensive research has been done over the past decades, we are still far from comprehensively understanding what causes neurodegeneration and how we can prevent it or reverse it. Recently, systems biology approaches have led to a holistic examination of the interactions between genome, metabolome, and the environment, in order to shed new light on neurodegenerative pathogenesis. One of the new technologies that has emerged to facilitate such studies is imaging mass spectrometry (IMS). With its ability to map a wide range of small molecules with high spatial resolution, coupled with the ability to quantify them at once, without the need for a priori labeling, IMS has taken center stage in current research efforts in elucidating the role of the metabolome in driving neurodegeneration. IMS has already proven to be effective in investigating the lipidome and the proteome of various neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, multiple sclerosis, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Here, we review the IMS platform for capturing biological snapshots of the metabolic state to shed more light on the molecular mechanisms of the diseased brain.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saba Sheikh ◽  
Safia ◽  
Ejazul Haque ◽  
Snober S. Mir

Neurodegenerative diseases are multifactorial debilitating disorders of the nervous system that affect approximately 30 millionindividuals worldwide. Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis diseases are the consequence of misfolding and dysfunctional trafficking of proteins. Beside that, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and/or environmental factors strongly associated with age have also been implicated in causing neurodegeneration. After years of intensive research, considerable evidence has accumulated that demonstrates an important role of these factors in the etiology of common neurodegenerative diseases. Despite the extensive efforts that have attempted to define the molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration, many aspects of these pathologies remain elusive. However, in order to explore the therapeutic interventions directed towards treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, neuroscientists are now fully exploiting the data obtained from studies of these basic mechanisms that have gone awry. The novelty of these mechanisms represents a challenge to the identification of viable drug targets and biomarkers for early diagnosis of the diseases. In this paper, we are reviewing various aspects associated with the disease and the recent trends that may have an application for the treatment of the neurodegenerative disorders.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (19) ◽  
pp. 7174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fang Luo ◽  
Aaron F. Sandhu ◽  
Wiramon Rungratanawanich ◽  
George E. Williams ◽  
Mohammed Akbar ◽  
...  

With aging, the nervous system gradually undergoes degeneration. Increased oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and cell death are considered to be common pathophysiological mechanisms of various neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), Huntington’s disease (HD), organophosphate-induced delayed neuropathy (OPIDN), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Autophagy is a cellular basic metabolic process that degrades the aggregated or misfolded proteins and abnormal organelles in cells. The abnormal regulation of neuronal autophagy is accompanied by the accumulation and deposition of irregular proteins, leading to changes in neuron homeostasis and neurodegeneration. Autophagy exhibits both a protective mechanism and a damage pathway related to programmed cell death. Because of its “double-edged sword”, autophagy plays an important role in neurological damage and NDDs including AD, PD, HD, OPIDN, and ALS. Melatonin is a neuroendocrine hormone mainly synthesized in the pineal gland and exhibits a wide range of biological functions, such as sleep control, regulating circadian rhythm, immune enhancement, metabolism regulation, antioxidant, anti-aging, and anti-tumor effects. It can prevent cell death, reduce inflammation, block calcium channels, etc. In this review, we briefly discuss the neuroprotective role of melatonin against various NDDs via regulating autophagy, which could be a new field for future translational research and clinical studies to discover preventive or therapeutic agents for many NDDs.


Biomolecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 1158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dongmei Chen ◽  
Tao Zhang ◽  
Tae Ho Lee

Neurodegenerative diseases are the second most common cause of death and characterized by progressive impairments in movement or mental functioning in the central or peripheral nervous system. The prevention of neurodegenerative disorders has become an emerging public health challenge for our society. Melatonin, a pineal hormone, has various physiological functions in the brain, including regulating circadian rhythms, clearing free radicals, inhibiting biomolecular oxidation, and suppressing neuroinflammation. Cumulative evidence indicates that melatonin has a wide range of neuroprotective roles by regulating pathophysiological mechanisms and signaling pathways. Moreover, melatonin levels are decreased in patients with neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we summarize current knowledge on the regulation, molecular mechanisms and biological functions of melatonin in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, vascular dementia and multiple sclerosis. We also discuss the clinical application of melatonin in neurodegenerative disorders. This information will lead to a better understanding of the regulation of melatonin in the brain and provide therapeutic options for the treatment of various neurodegenerative diseases.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (13) ◽  
pp. 1142-1153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sreyashi Chandra ◽  
Md. Tanjim Alam ◽  
Jhilik Dey ◽  
Baby C. Pulikkaparambil Sasidharan ◽  
Upasana Ray ◽  
...  

Background: The central nervous system (CNS) known to regulate the physiological conditions of human body, also itself gets dynamically regulated by both the physiological as well as pathological conditions of the body. These conditions get changed quite often, and often involve changes introduced into the gut microbiota which, as studies are revealing, directly modulate the CNS via a crosstalk. This cross-talk between the gut microbiota and CNS, i.e., the gut-brain axis (GBA), plays a major role in the pathogenesis of many neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease (PD), Alzheimer’s disease (AD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis (MS) and Huntington’s disease (HD). Objective: We aim to discuss how gut microbiota, through GBA, regulate neurodegenerative disorders such as PD, AD, ALS, MS and HD. Methods: In this review, we have discussed the present understanding of the role played by the gut microbiota in neurodegenerative disorders and emphasized the probable therapeutic approaches being explored to treat them. Results: In the first part, we introduce the GBA and its relevance, followed by the changes occurring in the GBA during neurodegenerative disorders and then further discuss its role in the pathogenesis of these diseases. Finally, we discuss its applications in possible therapeutics of these diseases and the current research improvements being made to better investigate this interaction. Conclusion: We concluded that alterations in the intestinal microbiota modulate various activities that could potentially lead to CNS disorders through interactions via the GBA.


Immuno ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 78-90
Author(s):  
Johannes Burtscher ◽  
Grégoire P. Millet

Like in other neurodegenerative diseases, protein aggregation, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress and neuroinflammation are hallmarks of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Differentiating characteristics of PD include the central role of α-synuclein in the aggregation pathology, a distinct vulnerability of the striato-nigral system with the related motor symptoms, as well as specific mitochondrial deficits. Which molecular alterations cause neurodegeneration and drive PD pathogenesis is poorly understood. Here, we summarize evidence of the involvement of three interdependent factors in PD and suggest that their interplay is likely a trigger and/or aggravator of PD-related neurodegeneration: hypoxia, acidification and inflammation. We aim to integrate the existing knowledge on the well-established role of inflammation and immunity, the emerging interest in the contribution of hypoxic insults and the rather neglected effects of brain acidification in PD pathogenesis. Their tight association as an important aspect of the disease merits detailed investigation. Consequences of related injuries are discussed in the context of aging and the interaction of different brain cell types, in particular with regard to potential consequences on the vulnerability of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. A special focus is put on the identification of current knowledge gaps and we emphasize the importance of related insights from other research fields, such as cancer research and immunometabolism, for neurodegeneration research. The highlighted interplay of hypoxia, acidification and inflammation is likely also of relevance for other neurodegenerative diseases, despite disease-specific biochemical and metabolic alterations.


2009 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 607-618 ◽  
Author(s):  
Graciela Cristina dos Santos ◽  
Lusânia Maria Greggi Antunes ◽  
Antonio Cardozo dos Santos ◽  
Maria de Lourdes Pires Bianchi

According to clinical and pre-clinical studies, oxidative stress and its consequences may be the cause or, at least, a contributing factor, to a large number of neurodegenerative diseases. These diseases include common and debilitating disorders, characterized by progressive and irreversible loss of neurons in specific regions of the brain. The most common neurodegenerative diseases are Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, Alzheimer's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) has been extensively studied since its discovery in 1957. It is a component of the electron transportation chain and participates in aerobic cellular respiration, generating energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The property of CoQ10 to act as an antioxidant or a pro-oxidant, suggests that it also plays an important role in the modulation of redox cellular status under physiological and pathological conditions, also performing a role in the ageing process. In several animal models of neurodegenerative diseases, CoQ10 has shown beneficial effects in reducing disease progression. However, further studies are needed to assess the outcome and effectiveness of CoQ10 before exposing patients to unnecessary health risks at significant costs.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jared S. Katzeff ◽  
Woojin Scott Kim

Abstract ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters are one of the largest groups of transporter families in humans. ABC transporters mediate the translocation of a diverse range of substrates across cellular membranes, including amino acids, nucleosides, lipids, sugars and xenobiotics. Neurodegenerative diseases are a group of brain diseases that detrimentally affect neurons and other brain cells and are usually associated with deposits of pathogenic proteins in the brain. Major neurodegenerative diseases include Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. ABC transporters are highly expressed in the brain and have been implicated in a number of pathological processes underlying neurodegenerative diseases. This review outlines the current understanding of the role of ABC transporters in neurodegenerative diseases, focusing on some of the most important pathways, and also suggests future directions for research in this field.


Cells ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 1494 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Magán-Fernández ◽  
Sarmad Muayad Rasheed Al-Bakri ◽  
Francisco O’Valle ◽  
Cristina Benavides-Reyes ◽  
Francisco Abadía-Molina ◽  
...  

Neutrophils are key cells of the immune system and have a decisive role in fighting foreign pathogens in infectious diseases. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) consist of a mesh of DNA enclosing antimicrobial peptides and histones that are released into extracellular space following neutrophil response to a wide range of stimuli, such as pathogens, host-derived mediators and drugs. Neutrophils can remain functional after NET formation and are important for periodontal homeostasis. Periodontitis is an inflammatory multifactorial disease caused by a dysbiosis state between the gingival microbiome and the immune response of the host. The pathogenesis of periodontitis includes an immune-inflammatory component in which impaired NET formation and/or elimination can be involved, contributing to an exacerbated inflammatory reaction and to the destruction of gingival tissue. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge about the role of NETs in the pathogenesis of periodontitis.


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