scholarly journals Bursting at the Seams: Molecular Mechanisms Mediating Astrocyte Swelling

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 330 ◽  
Author(s):  
Audrey Lafrenaye ◽  
J. Simard
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Predictors Of Outcome ◽  
Cell Type ◽  
Brain Swelling ◽  
Astrocyte Swelling ◽  
Health And Disease ◽  
The One ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Cellular Swelling

Brain swelling is one of the most robust predictors of outcome following brain injury, including ischemic, traumatic, hemorrhagic, metabolic or other injury. Depending on the specific type of insult, brain swelling can arise from the combined space-occupying effects of extravasated blood, extracellular edema fluid, cellular swelling, vascular engorgement and hydrocephalus. Of these, arguably the least well appreciated is cellular swelling. Here, we explore current knowledge regarding swelling of astrocytes, the most abundant cell type in the brain, and the one most likely to contribute to pathological brain swelling. We review the major molecular mechanisms identified to date that contribute to or mitigate astrocyte swelling via ion transport, and we touch upon the implications of astrocyte swelling in health and disease.

scholarly journals DNA Methylation Profiles of Tph1A and BDNF in Gut and Brain of L. Rhamnosus-Treated Zebrafish

Biomolecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 142
Author(s):  
Mariella Cuomo ◽  
Luca Borrelli ◽  
Rosa Della Monica ◽  
Lorena Coretti ◽  
Giulia De Riso ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
The Past ◽  
Targeted Analysis ◽  
Lack Of Information ◽  
High Resolution Power ◽  
Resolution Level ◽  
Health And Disease ◽  
High Doses ◽  
The Brain

The bidirectional microbiota–gut–brain axis has raised increasing interest over the past years in the context of health and disease, but there is a lack of information on molecular mechanisms underlying this connection. We hypothesized that change in microbiota composition may affect brain epigenetics leading to long-lasting effects on specific brain gene regulation. To test this hypothesis, we used Zebrafish (Danio Rerio) as a model system. As previously shown, treatment with high doses of probiotics can modulate behavior in Zebrafish, causing significant changes in the expression of some brain-relevant genes, such as BDNF and Tph1A. Using an ultra-deep targeted analysis, we investigated the methylation state of the BDNF and Tph1A promoter region in the brain and gut of probiotic-treated and untreated Zebrafishes. Thanks to the high resolution power of our analysis, we evaluated cell-to-cell methylation differences. At this resolution level, we found slight DNA methylation changes in probiotic-treated samples, likely related to a subgroup of brain and gut cells, and that specific DNA methylation signatures significantly correlated with specific behavioral scores.

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.

scholarly journals The Gut Ecosystem: A Critical Player in Stroke

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosa Delgado Jiménez ◽  
Corinne Benakis
Keyword(s):  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Critical Factor ◽  
Intestinal Microbiome ◽  
Brain Disorders ◽  
Therapeutic Approaches ◽  
Health And Disease ◽  
Brain Stroke ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Improve Patient

AbstractThe intestinal microbiome is emerging as a critical factor in health and disease. The microbes, although spatially restricted to the gut, are communicating and modulating the function of distant organs such as the brain. Stroke and other neurological disorders are associated with a disrupted microbiota. In turn, stroke-induced dysbiosis has a major impact on the disease outcome by modulating the immune response. In this review, we present current knowledge on the role of the gut microbiome in stroke, one of the most devastating brain disorders worldwide with very limited therapeutic options, and we discuss novel insights into the gut-immune-brain axis after an ischemic insult. Understanding the nature of the gut bacteria-brain crosstalk may lead to microbiome-based therapeutic approaches that can improve patient recovery.

scholarly journals Rhombencephalitis Caused byListeria monocytogenesin Humans and Ruminants: A Zoonosis on the Rise?

2010 ◽  
Vol 2010 ◽  
pp. 1-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Oevermann ◽  
Andreas Zurbriggen ◽  
Marc Vandevelde
Keyword(s):  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
High Mortality ◽  
Host Species ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Therapeutic Strategies ◽  
Zoonotic Infection ◽  
Cns Disease ◽  
The Brain

Listeriosis is an emerging zoonotic infection of humans and ruminants worldwide caused byListeria monocytogenes(LM). In both host species, CNS disease accounts for the high mortality associated with listeriosis and includes rhombencephalitis, whose neuropathology is strikingly similar in humans and ruminants. This review discusses the current knowledge about listeric encephalitis, and involved host and bacterial factors. There is an urgent need to study the molecular mechanisms of neuropathogenesis, which are poorly understood. Such studies will provide a basis for the development of new therapeutic strategies that aim to prevent LM from invading the brain and spread within the CNS.

scholarly journals Characterization of primary cilia features reveal cell-type specific variability in in vitro models of osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation

PeerJ ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. e9799
Author(s):  
Priyanka Upadhyai ◽  
Vishal Singh Guleria ◽  
Prajna Udupa
Keyword(s):  
Cell Lines ◽  
Chondrogenic Differentiation ◽  
Primary Cilia ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Treatment Modalities ◽  
Cell Type ◽  
Cell Type Specific

Primary cilia are non-motile sensory antennae present on most vertebrate cell surfaces. They serve to transduce and integrate diverse external stimuli into functional cellular responses vital for development, differentiation and homeostasis. Ciliary characteristics, such as length, structure and frequency are often tailored to distinct differentiated cell states. Primary cilia are present on a variety of skeletal cell-types and facilitate the assimilation of sensory cues to direct skeletal development and repair. However, there is limited knowledge of ciliary variation in response to the activation of distinct differentiation cascades in different skeletal cell-types. C3H10T1/2, MC3T3-E1 and ATDC5 cells are mesenchymal stem cells, preosteoblast and prechondrocyte cell-lines, respectively. They are commonly employed in numerous in vitro studies, investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying osteoblast and chondrocyte differentiation, skeletal disease and repair. Here we sought to evaluate the primary cilia length and frequencies during osteogenic differentiation in C3H10T1/2 and MC3T3-E1 and chondrogenic differentiation in ATDC5 cells, over a period of 21 days. Our data inform on the presence of stable cilia to orchestrate signaling and dynamic alterations in their features during extended periods of differentiation. Taken together with existing literature these findings reflect the occurrence of not only lineage but cell-type specific variation in ciliary attributes during differentiation. These results extend our current knowledge, shining light on the variabilities in primary cilia features correlated with distinct differentiated cell phenotypes. It may have broader implications in studies using these cell-lines to explore cilia dependent cellular processes and treatment modalities for skeletal disorders centered on cilia modulation.

scholarly journals Untangling the Cooperative Role of Nuclear Receptors in Cardiovascular Physiology and Disease

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (15) ◽  
pp. 7775
Author(s):  
Ana Paredes ◽  
Rocio Santos-Clemente ◽  
Mercedes Ricote
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Contractile Function ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Treatment And Prevention ◽  
Glucose And Lipid Metabolism ◽  
Transcriptional Alterations ◽  
Health And Disease ◽  
Cellular Pathways ◽  
X Receptors

The heart is the first organ to acquire its physiological function during development, enabling it to supply the organism with oxygen and nutrients. Given this early commitment, cardiomyocytes were traditionally considered transcriptionally stable cells fully committed to contractile function. However, growing evidence suggests that the maintenance of cardiac function in health and disease depends on transcriptional and epigenetic regulation. Several studies have revealed that the complex transcriptional alterations underlying cardiovascular disease (CVD) manifestations such as myocardial infarction and hypertrophy is mediated by cardiac retinoid X receptors (RXR) and their partners. RXRs are members of the nuclear receptor (NR) superfamily of ligand-activated transcription factors and drive essential biological processes such as ion handling, mitochondrial biogenesis, and glucose and lipid metabolism. RXRs are thus attractive molecular targets for the development of effective pharmacological strategies for CVD treatment and prevention. In this review, we summarize current knowledge of RXR partnership biology in cardiac homeostasis and disease, providing an up-to-date view of the molecular mechanisms and cellular pathways that sustain cardiomyocyte physiology.

scholarly journals Neuroprotective effects of physical exercise: Implications in health and disease

2021 ◽  
Vol 68 (3) ◽  
pp. 383-389
Author(s):  
Sebastian Romeo Pintilie ◽  
◽  
Alice D. Condrat ◽  
Adriana Fodor ◽  
Adela-Viviana Sitar-Tăut ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Physical Exercise ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Cellular Level ◽  
Neuroprotective Effects ◽  
Chemical Effects ◽  
Physical Exercises ◽  
Health And Disease ◽  
Molecular Aspects ◽  
The Brain

Physical exercises have long been linked to numerous health improvements, ranging from cardiovascular to psychiatric. In this review, we take a closer look on its anatomical, physiological and chemical effects on the brain. Starting from the clinical to the cellular level, we will analyze the neurogenesis, anti-inflammatory effects on Brain-Blood Barrier and synaptic plasticity, outlining known molecular aspects that are influenced by physical activity, such as: gene expression, changes of growth factors and neurotransmitter levels and means of reverting molecular mechanisms of ageing. The brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is one of the central molecules that links the physical exercise to neurogenesis, neuroprotection, cognitive functions, dendritic growth, memory formation and many more. We indicate the correlation between physical activity and mental health in diseases like depression, Alzheimer’s dementia and Parkinson’s disease.

scholarly journals Low molecular weight gut polyphenols metabolites and its nutritional relevance as effectors for attenuating neuroinflammation

2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (OCE2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Diogo Carregosa ◽  
Rafael Carecho ◽  
Inês Figueira ◽  
Cláudia Nunes dos Santos
Keyword(s):  
Elderly Population ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Low Molecular Weight ◽  
Metabolic Fate ◽  
Blood Concentrations ◽  
Multifactorial Diseases ◽  
In The Beginning ◽  
The Brain

AbstractThe burden of neurodegenerative disorders has been increasing as a consequence of a growing elderly population. These multifactorial diseases do not have a cure or efficient treatments. Due to its mechanistic complexity, prevention and treatment will require novel multi-targeted therapeutic strategies, targeting different disease hallmarks. The possibility of altering the progression and development of diseases through diet is an emerging as attractive approach with increasing supporting data. Epidemiological and clinical studies have highlighted the health potential of diets rich in fruits and vegetables. Studies with dietary (poly)phenols have been showing their multipotent and pleiotropic ability to modulate several cellular and molecular pathways and in that sense, dietary (poly)phenols can emerge as an alternative, with potential to be further explored. However, the precise contribution of dietary (poly)phenols and circulating (poly)phenol metabolites to human health is still in the beginning of being elucidated. Absorption and blood concentrations of some (poly)phenols is quite low, which can hamper the research in terms of understanding their effects in specific biomarkers of disease.The difficulty in demonstrating (poly)phenols true effects can also be justified by the uncertain metabolic fate that dietary (poly)phenols can have. In fact, it is necessary to identify the bioavailable metabolites resulting from (poly)phenol ingestion through the diet, as well as their ability to overcome and/or interact with cellular barriers and reach target tissues, in this case reach the brain. Having this in mind, it will be reviewed the current knowledge on the molecular mechanisms underlying (poly)phenol metabolites effects and their role on neuroinflammation one central hallmark, common in all neurodegenerative diseases.

scholarly journals Neurogenetic and Neuroepigenetic Mechanisms in Cognitive Health and Disease

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Davide Martino Coda ◽  
Johannes Gräff
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Phenotypic Variability ◽  
Complete Understanding ◽  
Brain Functioning ◽  
Brain Functions ◽  
Neuronal Processes ◽  
Health And Disease ◽  
The Brain

Over the last two decades, the explosion of experimental, computational, and high-throughput technologies has led to critical insights into how the brain functions in health and disease. It has become increasingly clear that the vast majority of brain activities result from the complex entanglement of genetic factors, epigenetic changes, and environmental stimuli, which, when altered, can lead to neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders. Nevertheless, a complete understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying neuronal activities and higher-order cognitive processes continues to elude neuroscientists. Here, we provide a concise overview of how the interaction between the environment and genetic as well as epigenetic mechanisms shapes complex neuronal processes such as learning, memory, and synaptic plasticity. We then consider how this interaction contributes to the development of neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders, and how it can be modeled to predict phenotypic variability and disease risk. Finally, we outline new frontiers in neurogenetic and neuroepigenetic research and highlight the challenges these fields will face in their quest to decipher the molecular mechanisms governing brain functioning.

scholarly journals The physiology of regulated BDNF release

2020 ◽  
Vol 382 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanja Brigadski ◽  
Volkmar Leßmann
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Detailed Knowledge ◽  
Cellular Regulation ◽  
Bdnf Expression ◽  
Physiological Conditions ◽  
Brain Circuits ◽  
Important Regulator ◽  
Network Plasticity ◽  
The Brain

Abstract The neurotrophic factor BDNF is an important regulator for the development of brain circuits, for synaptic and neuronal network plasticity, as well as for neuroregeneration and neuroprotection. Up- and downregulations of BDNF levels in human blood and tissue are associated with, e.g., neurodegenerative, neurological, or even cardiovascular diseases. The changes in BDNF concentration are caused by altered dynamics in BDNF expression and release. To understand the relevance of major variations of BDNF levels, detailed knowledge regarding physiological and pathophysiological stimuli affecting intra- and extracellular BDNF concentration is important. Most work addressing the molecular and cellular regulation of BDNF expression and release have been performed in neuronal preparations. Therefore, this review will summarize the stimuli inducing release of BDNF, as well as molecular mechanisms regulating the efficacy of BDNF release, with a focus on cells originating from the brain. Further, we will discuss the current knowledge about the distinct stimuli eliciting regulated release of BDNF under physiological conditions.

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