Aerobic Glycolysis: A DeOxymoron of (Neuro)Biology

The term ‘aerobic glycolysis’ has been in use ever since Warburg conducted his research on cancer cells’ proliferation and discovered that cells use glycolysis to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP) rather than the more efficient oxidative phosphorylation (oxphos) pathway, despite an abundance of oxygen. When measurements of glucose and oxygen utilization by activated neural tissue indicated that glucose was consumed without an accompanied oxygen consumption, the investigators who performed those measurements also termed their discovery ‘aerobic glycolysis’. Red blood cells do not contain mitochondria and, therefore, produce their energy needs via glycolysis alone. Other processes within the central nervous system (CNS) and additional organs and tissues (heart, muscle, and so on), such as ion pumps, are also known to utilize glycolysis only for the production of ATP necessary to support their function. Unfortunately, the phenomenon of ‘aerobic glycolysis’ is an enigma wherever it is encountered, thus several hypotheses have been produced in attempts to explain it; that is, whether it occurs in cancer cells, in activated neural tissue, or during postprandial or exercise metabolism. Here, it is argued that, where the phenomenon in neural tissue is concerned, the prefix ‘aerobic’ in the term ‘aerobic glycolysis’ should be removed. Data collected over the past three decades indicate that L-lactate, the end product of the glycolytic pathway, plays an essential role in brain energy metabolism, justifying the elimination of the prefix ‘aerobic’. Similar justification is probably appropriate for other tissues as well.

A Pneumatic-based Mechanism for Inserting a Flexible Microprobe into the Brain

Insertion of flexible microprobes into the brain requires withstanding the compressive penetration force by the microprobes. To aid the insertion of the microprobes, most of the existing approaches employ pushing mechanisms to provide temporary stiffness increase for the microprobes to prevent buckling during insertion into the brain. However, increasing the microprobe stiffness may result in acute neural tissue damage during insertion. Moreover, any late or premature removal of the temporary stiffness after insertion may lead to further tissue damage due to brain micromotion, or inaccuracy in the microprobe positioning. In this study, a novel pneumatic-based insertion mechanism is proposed which simultaneously pulls and pushes a flexible microprobe towards the brain. As part of the brain penetration force in the proposed mechanism is supplied by the tensile force, the applied compressive force, which the microprobe must withstand during insertion, is lower compared to the existing approaches. Therefore, the microprobes with a critical buckling force less than the brain penetration force can be inserted into the brain without buckling. Since there is no need for temporary stiffness increment, the neural tissue damage during the microprobe insertion will be much lower compared to the existing insertion approaches. The pneumatic-based insertion mechanism is modelled analytically to investigate the effects of the microprobe configuration and the applied air pressure on the applied tensile and compressive forces to the microprobe. Next, finite element modelling is conducted, and its analysis results not only validate the analytical results but also confirm the efficiency of the mechanism.

Biomaterial-based strategies for in vitro neural models

This review provides a comprehensive compendium of commonly used biomaterials as well as the different fabrication techniques employed for the design of 3D neural tissue models.

Exercise and the brain: a mechanical model for pulsation on flow of cerebrospinal fluid

Exchange of molecules between cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and brain cells contributes to brain function and protection from dementia, but the route by which CSF is brought close enough to the neural tissue to be exchanged by extracellular diffusion is not clear. Exogenous molecules injected into CSF are carried along channels outside arteries and reach the basement lamina that surrounds the dense capillary network. Transport of solutes by diffusion along the basement lamina, a gel of macromolcules about 100 nm thick, would be too slow; bulk flow in a static geometry would require unphysiologically high pressures. However, it is known that the pulsation of blood aids transport of CSF, and we hypothesized that this is because the pulsation intermittently squeezes the pericapillary lamina. In a primitive mimicry, we have tested whether intermittent squeezing increases flow through an agar gel. In all but one of 216 tests, pulsation caused a reversible increase, sometimes by a factor of 100 or more. The enhancement was greatest for frequencies 5-11 Hz and, over the tested range of pressure heads (20 - 50 cmH2O), was greatest for the lowest pressure. The results suggest one reason why exercise slows the aging of the brain.

Directing Axonal Growth: A Review on the Fabrication of Fibrous Scaffolds That Promotes the Orientation of Axons

Tissues are commonly defined as groups of cells that have similar structure and uniformly perform a specialized function. A lesser-known fact is that the placement of these cells within these tissues plays an important role in executing its functions, especially for neuronal cells. Hence, the design of a functional neural scaffold has to mirror these cell organizations, which are brought about by the configuration of natural extracellular matrix (ECM) structural proteins. In this review, we will briefly discuss the various characteristics considered when making neural scaffolds. We will then focus on the cellular orientation and axonal alignment of neural cells within their ECM and elaborate on the mechanisms involved in this process. A better understanding of these mechanisms could shed more light onto the rationale of fabricating the scaffolds for this specific functionality. Finally, we will discuss the scaffolds used in neural tissue engineering (NTE) and the methods used to fabricate these well-defined constructs.

Behavioral response and erythrocyte chromophilia of rats in experimental traumatic brain injury

Введение. Патогенетические основы изменения микроциркуляции крови в головном мозге вследствие черепно-мозговой травмы (ЧМТ) изучены не в полной мере по причине высокой инвазивности нейроморфологических методов. Цель исследования - изучение поведенческого статуса и информативности цитохимических критериев хромофилии эритроцитов в качестве маркеров вазореактивности микрососудов головного мозга при черепно-мозговой травме у крыс. Методика. Объектом исследования являлись 3-месячные аутбредные крысы Wistar массой 250-270 г. Легкую и средней тяжести ЧМТ воспроизводили с применением модифицированной модели падающего груза для взрослых крыс. Через 2 ч, 1, 2, 8 и 14 сут после моделирования ЧМТ проводили неврологическое обследование животных по модифицированной шкале Neurological Severity Scores (mNSS), сенсомоторное - по степени тревожности в тесте «свет-темнота», поведение анализировали с использованием теста условной реакции пассивного избегания. С помощью хромаффинной реакции исследовали функциональное состояние эритроцитов. Срезы тканей головного мозга, окрашивали по Нисслю и гематоксилин-эозином, микроскопировали, проводили морфометрию цифровых изображений. Результаты. Неврологическое обследование при среднетяжелой ЧМТ показало очаговую симптоматику, соответствующую выраженным неврологическим расстройствам, тогда как после ЧМТ легкой степени у крыс отмечались незначительные нарушения координации. В тесте условной реакции пассивного избегания на 7-е сут у этих животных выявлено состояние повышенной тревожности. Морфометрический анализ препаратов головного мозга травмированных животных показал уменьшение диаметра просвета капилляров и выявил признаки гипоксии нейронов. Цитохимическая оценка эритроцитов, с привлечением количественного определения степени флуоресценции, выявила особенности окислительного метаболизма в клетках у травмированных крыс. Эти показатели коррелировали с морфологическими признаками гипоксии головного мозга. Заключение. В начальный посттравматический период отмечено уменьшение диаметра просвета капилляров нервной ткани, наличие морфологических признаков компенсации нейронов, что является локальной ответной реакцией клеток на ишемию головного мозга. В капиллярах определяется нарушение гемореологии, что является следствием изменения окислительно-восстановительных процессов вследствие гипоксии при внутричерепной травме. The pathogenetic basis of changes in blood microcirculation in the brain due to traumatic brain injury (TBI) has not been fully studied due to the highly invasive nature of neuromorphological methods. Aim: To study the behavioral status and informative value of cytochemical criteria for erythrocyte chromophilia as markers of cerebral microvessel vasoreactivity in rats with TBI. Methods. The study was conducted on 3-month-old Wistar albino, outbred rats weighing 250-270 g. Mild to moderate TBI was simulated using a modified falling weight model for adult rats. At 2 hrs, 1, 2, 8, and 14 days after TBI, a neurological examination was performed according to the modified Neurological Severity Score (mNSS) modified scale and a sensorimotor examination was performed according to the degree of anxiety in the light-dark test. Behavior was analyzed using the conditioned passive avoidance response test. The functional state of erythrocytes was studied using the chromaffin reaction. Brain tissue samples stained by Nissl and with hematoxylin-eosin were evaluated under a microscope, digital images were obtained, and morphometric processing was performed. Results. Neurological examination after moderate TBI showed focal symptoms corresponding to severe neurological disorders, while after mild TBI, rats had minor coordination disorders. In the conditioned passive avoidance response test on the 7th day, the rats showed a state of increased anxiety. Morphometric analysis of the brains showed a decrease in the diameter of capillary lumen and changes in neurons, indicating signs of hypoxia. The cytochemical assessment of erythrocytes, involving a quantitative determination of the degree of fluorescence, revealed features of cell oxidative metabolism in injured rats. Moreover, these indicators correlated with morphological signs of hypoxia in brain neural tissue. Conclusion. In the initial post-traumatic period, there was a decrease in the capillary lumen diameter of the brain neural tissue and the presence of morphological signs of neuronal compensation, which is a local response of cells to cerebral ischemia. Disorders of hemorheology were found. These changes were a consequence of altered redox processes due to hypoxia after intracranial injury.

Non-thermal Electroporation Ablation of Epileptogenic Zones Stops Seizures in Mice While Providing Reduced Vascular Damage and Accelerated Tissue Recovery

In epilepsy, the most frequent surgical procedure is the resection of brain tissue in the temporal lobe, with seizure-free outcomes in approximately two-thirds of cases. However, consequences of surgery can vary strongly depending on the brain region targeted for removal, as surgical morbidity and collateral damage can lead to significant complications, particularly when bleeding and swelling are located near delicate functional cortical regions. Although focal thermal ablations are well-explored in epilepsy as a minimally invasive approach, hemorrhage and edema can be a consequence as the blood-brain barrier is still disrupted. Non-thermal irreversible electroporation (NTIRE), common in many other medical tissue ablations outside the brain, is a relatively unexplored method for the ablation of neural tissue, and has never been reported as a means for ablation of brain tissue in the context of epilepsy. Here, we present a detailed visualization of non-thermal ablation of neural tissue in mice and report that NTIRE successfully ablates epileptic foci in mice, resulting in seizure-freedom, while causing significantly less hemorrhage and edema compared to conventional thermal ablation. The NTIRE approach to ablation preserves the blood-brain barrier while pathological circuits in the same region are destroyed. Additionally, we see the reinnervation of fibers into ablated brain regions from neighboring areas as early as day 3 after ablation. Our evidence demonstrates that NTIRE could be utilized as a precise tool for the ablation of surgically challenging epileptogenic zones in patients where the risk of complications and hemorrhage is high, allowing not only reduced tissue damage but potentially accelerated recovery as vessels and extracellular matrix remain intact at the point of ablation.

Neurologic Complications in Adult and Pediatric Patients with SARS-CoV-2 Infection

SARS-CoV-2 has an impact on the nervous system as a result of pathological cellular and molecular events at the level of vascular and neural tissue. Severe neurologic manifestations including stroke, ataxia, seizure, and depressed level of consciousness are prevalent in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Although the mechanism is still unclear, SARS-CoV-2 has been associated with the pathogenesis of intravascular coagulation and angiotensin-converting enzyme-I, both exacerbating systemic inflammation and contributing to hypercoagulation or blood–brain barrier leakage, resulting in ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke. On the other hand, the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in neural tissue and within the cerebrospinal fluid may induce neural dysfunction, resulting in neuroinflammation, which is exacerbated by peripheral and neural hypercytokinemia that can lead to neuronal damage and subsequent neuroinflammation. A deeper understanding of the fundamental biological mechanisms of neurologic manifestations in SARS-CoV-2 infection can pave the way to identifying a single biomarker or network of biomarkers to help target neuroprotective therapy in patients at risk for developing neurological complications.

The Role of Immune Cells in Post-Stroke Angiogenesis and Neuronal Remodeling: The Known and the Unknown

Following a cerebral ischemic event, substantial alterations in both cellular and molecular activities occur due to ischemia-induced cerebral pathology. Mounting evidence indicates that the robust recruitment of immune cells plays a central role in the acute stage of stroke. Infiltrating peripheral immune cells and resident microglia mediate neuronal cell death and blood-brain barrier disruption by releasing inflammation-associated molecules. Nevertheless, profound immunological effects in the context of the subacute and chronic recovery phase of stroke have received little attention. Early attempts to curtail the infiltration of immune cells were effective in mitigating brain injury in experimental stroke studies but failed to exert beneficial effects in clinical trials. Neural tissue damage repair processes include angiogenesis, neurogenesis, and synaptic remodeling, etc. Post-stroke inflammatory cells can adopt divergent phenotypes that influence the aforementioned biological processes in both endothelial and neural stem cells by either alleviating acute inflammatory responses or secreting a variety of growth factors, which are substantially involved in the process of angiogenesis and neurogenesis. To better understand the multiple roles of immune cells in neural tissue repair processes post stroke, we review what is known and unknown regarding the role of immune cells in angiogenesis, neurogenesis, and neuronal remodeling. A comprehensive understanding of these inflammatory mechanisms may help identify potential targets for the development of novel immunoregulatory therapeutic strategies that ameliorate complications and improve functional rehabilitation after stroke.