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Laveneziana P, Fossé Q, Bret M, Patout M, Dudoignon B, Llontop C, Morélot-Panzini C, Cayetanot F, Bodineau L, Straus C, Similowski T. Defective exercise-related expiratory muscle recruitment in patients with PHOX2B mutations: A clue to neural determinants of the congenital central hypoventilation syndrome. Pulmonology 2025; 31:2416790. [PMID: 38403573 DOI: 10.1016/j.pulmoe.2024.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES The human congenital central hypoventilation syndrome (CCHS) is caused by mutations in the PHOX2B (paired-like homeobox 2B) gene. Genetically engineered PHOX2B rodents exhibit defective development of the brainstem retrotrapezoid nucleus (RTN), a carbon dioxide sensitive structure that critically controls expiratory muscle recruitment. This has been linked to a blunted exercise ventilatory response. Whether this can be extrapolated to human CCHS is unknown and represents the objective of this study. MATERIALS AND METHODS Thirteen adult CCHS patients and 13 healthy participants performed an incremental symptom-limited cycle cardiopulmonary exercise test. Responses were analyzed using guideline approaches (ventilation V'E, tidal volume VT, breathing frequency, oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production) complemented by a breathing pattern analysis (i.e. expiratory and inspiratory reserve volume, ERV and IRV). RESULTS A ventilatory response occurred in both study groups, as follows: V'E and VT increased in CCHS patients until 40 W and then decreased, which was not observed in the healthy participants (p<0.001). In the latter, exercise-related ERV and IRV decreases attested to concomitant expiratory and inspiratory recruitment. In the CCHS patients, inspiratory recruitment occurred but there was no evidence of expiratory recruitment (absence of any ERV decrease, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Assuming a similar organization of respiratory rhythmogenesis in humans and rodents, the lack of exercise-related expiratory recruitment observed in our CCHS patients is compatible with a PHOX2B-related defect of a neural structure that would be analogous to the rodents' RTN. Provided corroboration, ERV recruitment could serve as a physiological outcome in studies aiming at correcting breathing control in CCHS.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Laveneziana
- AP-HP, Groupe Hospitalier Universitaire APHP-Sorbonne Université, Hôpitaux Pitié-Salpêtrière, Saint-Antoine et Tenon, Service des Explorations Fonctionnelles de la Respiration, de l'Exercice et de la Dyspnée (Département R3S), F-75013 Paris, France
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, UMRS1158 Neurophysiologie Respiratoire Expérimentale et Clinique, F-75005 Paris, France
- AP-HP, Groupe Hospitalier Universitaire APHP-Sorbonne Université, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Centre de Référence Maladies Rares "Syndrome d'Ondine" (Département R3S), F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Q Fossé
- AP-HP, Groupe Hospitalier Universitaire APHP-Sorbonne Université, Hôpitaux Pitié-Salpêtrière, Saint-Antoine et Tenon, Service des Explorations Fonctionnelles de la Respiration, de l'Exercice et de la Dyspnée (Département R3S), F-75013 Paris, France
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, UMRS1158 Neurophysiologie Respiratoire Expérimentale et Clinique, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - M Bret
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, UMRS1158 Neurophysiologie Respiratoire Expérimentale et Clinique, F-75005 Paris, France
- AP-HP, Groupe Hospitalier Universitaire APHP-Sorbonne Université, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Service de Pneumologie (Département R3S), F-75013 Paris, France
| | - M Patout
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, UMRS1158 Neurophysiologie Respiratoire Expérimentale et Clinique, F-75005 Paris, France
- AP-HP, Groupe Hospitalier Universitaire APHP-Sorbonne Université, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Centre de Référence Maladies Rares "Syndrome d'Ondine" (Département R3S), F-75013 Paris, France
- AP-HP, Groupe Hospitalier Universitaire APHP-Sorbonne Université, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Service des Pathologies du Sommeil (Département R3S), F-75013 Paris, France
| | - B Dudoignon
- Université de Paris, AP-HP, Hôpital Robert Debré, Service de Physiologie Pédiatrique Centre du Sommeil-CRMR Hypoventilations alvéolaires rares, INSERM NeuroDiderot, F-75019 Paris, France
| | - C Llontop
- AP-HP, Groupe Hospitalier Universitaire APHP-Sorbonne Université, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Service de Pneumologie (Département R3S), F-75013 Paris, France
| | - C Morélot-Panzini
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, UMRS1158 Neurophysiologie Respiratoire Expérimentale et Clinique, F-75005 Paris, France
- AP-HP, Groupe Hospitalier Universitaire APHP-Sorbonne Université, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Centre de Référence Maladies Rares "Syndrome d'Ondine" (Département R3S), F-75013 Paris, France
- AP-HP, Groupe Hospitalier Universitaire APHP-Sorbonne Université, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Service de Pneumologie (Département R3S), F-75013 Paris, France
| | - F Cayetanot
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, UMRS1158 Neurophysiologie Respiratoire Expérimentale et Clinique, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - L Bodineau
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, UMRS1158 Neurophysiologie Respiratoire Expérimentale et Clinique, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - C Straus
- AP-HP, Groupe Hospitalier Universitaire APHP-Sorbonne Université, Hôpitaux Pitié-Salpêtrière, Saint-Antoine et Tenon, Service des Explorations Fonctionnelles de la Respiration, de l'Exercice et de la Dyspnée (Département R3S), F-75013 Paris, France
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, UMRS1158 Neurophysiologie Respiratoire Expérimentale et Clinique, F-75005 Paris, France
- AP-HP, Groupe Hospitalier Universitaire APHP-Sorbonne Université, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Centre de Référence Maladies Rares "Syndrome d'Ondine" (Département R3S), F-75013 Paris, France
| | - T Similowski
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, UMRS1158 Neurophysiologie Respiratoire Expérimentale et Clinique, F-75005 Paris, France
- AP-HP, Groupe Hospitalier Universitaire APHP-Sorbonne Université, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Centre de Référence Maladies Rares "Syndrome d'Ondine" (Département R3S), F-75013 Paris, France
- AP-HP, Groupe Hospitalier Universitaire APHP-Sorbonne Université, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Département R3S, F-75013 Paris, France
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Li Y, Noguchi Y. The role of beta band phase resetting in audio-visual temporal order judgment. Cogn Neurodyn 2025; 19:28. [PMID: 39823079 PMCID: PMC11735826 DOI: 10.1007/s11571-024-10183-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2024] [Revised: 10/26/2024] [Accepted: 12/13/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2025] Open
Abstract
The integration of auditory and visual stimuli is essential for effective language processing and social perception. The present study aimed to elucidate the mechanisms underlying audio-visual (A-V) integration by investigating the temporal dynamics of multisensory regions in the human brain. Specifically, we evaluated inter-trial coherence (ITC), a neural index indicative of phase resetting, through scalp electroencephalography (EEG) while participants performed a temporal-order judgment task that involved auditory (beep, A) and visual (flash, V) stimuli. The results indicated that ITC phase resetting was greater for bimodal (A + V) stimuli compared to unimodal (A or V) stimuli in the posterior temporal region, which resembled the responses of A-V multisensory neurons reported in animal studies. Furthermore, the ITC got lager as the stimulus-onset asynchrony (SOA) between beep and flash approached 0 ms. This enhancement in ITC was most clearly seen in the beta band (13-30 Hz). Overall, these findings highlight the importance of beta rhythm activity in the posterior temporal cortex for the detection of synchronous audiovisual stimuli, as assessed through temporal order judgment tasks. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11571-024-10183-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yueying Li
- Department of Psychology, Graduate School of Humanities, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai- cho, Nada, Kobe, 657-8501 Japan
| | - Yasuki Noguchi
- Department of Psychology, Graduate School of Humanities, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai- cho, Nada, Kobe, 657-8501 Japan
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Wang H, Xu X, Yang Z, Zhang T. Alterations of synaptic plasticity and brain oscillation are associated with autophagy induced synaptic pruning during adolescence. Cogn Neurodyn 2025; 19:2. [PMID: 39749102 PMCID: PMC11688264 DOI: 10.1007/s11571-024-10185-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2024] [Revised: 10/18/2024] [Accepted: 12/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/04/2025] Open
Abstract
Adolescent brain development is characterized by significant anatomical and physiological alterations, but little is known whether and how these alterations impact the neural network. Here we investigated the development of functional networks by measuring synaptic plasticity and neural synchrony of local filed potentials (LFPs), and further explored the underlying mechanisms. LFPs in the hippocampus were recorded in young (21 ~ 25 days), adolescent (1.5 months) and adult (3 months) rats. Long term potentiation (LTP) and neural synchrony were analyzed. The results showed that the LTP was the lowest in adolescent rats. During development, the theta coupling strength was increased progressively but there was no significant change of gamma coupling between young rats and adolescent rats. The density of dendrite spines was decreased progressively during development. The lowest levels of NR2A, NR2B and PSD95 were detected in adolescent rats. Importantly, it was found that the expression levels of autophagy markers were the highest during adolescent compared to that in other developmental stages. Moreover, there were more co-localization of autophagosome and PSD95 in adolescent rats. It suggests that autophagy is possibly involved in synaptic elimination during adolescence, and further impacts synaptic plasticity and neural synchrony.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Wang
- College of Life Sciences and Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071 PR China
| | - Xiaxia Xu
- College of Life Sciences and Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071 PR China
| | - Zhuo Yang
- College of Medicine Science, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071 PR China
| | - Tao Zhang
- College of Life Sciences and Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071 PR China
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Sall I, Foxall R, Felth L, Maret S, Rosa Z, Gaur A, Calawa J, Pavlik N, Whistler JL, Whistler CA. Gut dysbiosis was inevitable, but tolerance was not: temporal responses of the murine microbiota that maintain its capacity for butyrate production correlate with sustained antinociception to chronic morphine. Gut Microbes 2025; 17:2446423. [PMID: 39800714 PMCID: PMC11730370 DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2024.2446423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 11/24/2024] [Accepted: 12/18/2024] [Indexed: 01/16/2025] Open
Abstract
The therapeutic benefits of opioids are compromised by the development of analgesic tolerance, which necessitates higher dosing for pain management thereby increasing the liability for drug dependence and addiction. Rodent models indicate opposing roles of the gut microbiota in tolerance: morphine-induced gut dysbiosis exacerbates tolerance, whereas probiotics ameliorate tolerance. Not all individuals develop tolerance, which could be influenced by differences in microbiota, and yet no study design has capitalized upon this natural variation. We leveraged natural behavioral variation in a murine model of voluntary oral morphine self-administration to elucidate the mechanisms by which microbiota influences tolerance. Although all mice shared similar morphine-driven microbiota changes that largely masked informative associations with variability in tolerance, our high-resolution temporal analyses revealed a divergence in the progression of dysbiosis that best explained sustained antinociception. Mice that did not develop tolerance maintained a higher capacity for production of the short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) butyrate known to bolster intestinal barriers and promote neuronal homeostasis. Both fecal microbial transplantation (FMT) from donor mice that did not develop tolerance and dietary butyrate supplementation significantly reduced the development of tolerance independently of suppression of systemic inflammation. These findings could inform immediate therapies to extend the analgesic efficacy of opioids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izabella Sall
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, & Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA
- Graduate program in Molecular and Evolutionary Systems Biology, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA
| | - Randi Foxall
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, & Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA
| | - Lindsey Felth
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California–Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Soren Maret
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, & Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA
| | - Zachary Rosa
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California–Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Anirudh Gaur
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California–Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Jennifer Calawa
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, & Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA
- Microbiology Graduate Program, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA
| | - Nadia Pavlik
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, & Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA
| | - Jennifer L. Whistler
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California–Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology, UC Davis School of Medicine, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Cheryl A. Whistler
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, & Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA
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Lei Y, Zhou R, Mao Q, Qiu X, Mu D. The roles of pleiotrophin in brain injuries: a narrative review of the literature. Ann Med 2025; 57:2452353. [PMID: 39829367 PMCID: PMC11749013 DOI: 10.1080/07853890.2025.2452353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2024] [Revised: 12/27/2024] [Accepted: 12/29/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2025] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pleiotrophin (PTN), a secreted multifunctional growth factor, is highly expressed in the developing brain. Recently, many studies have indicated that PTN participates in the development of brain and plays a neuroprotection after brain injury, especially promoting neuronal survival and neurite outgrowth, stimulating oligodendrocyte maturation and myelination, modulating neuroinflammation, and so on. OBJECTIVE However, no reviews comprehensively summarize the roles of PTN in brain injuries. Considering this, this review focuses on the roles and related regulatory pathways of PTN in brain injuries, what is known to date. METHODS PubMed and Embase databases have been searched, and related studies are compiled and summarized. RESULTS Our review has found PTN participates in the repairment of brain injuries, including hypoxic-ischemic brain injury, preterm white matter injury, traumatic brain injury, and neurodegenerative diseases, mainly based on animal data and small sample size studies. Besides, PTN interacts with receptors, such as, Z-type protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor and syndecan-3, regulating related pathways in these events. CONCLUSION It suggests PTN as a promising candidate for the treatment of brain injuries clinically. However, the evidence is early in its development. Further multi-center and large-sample studies are warranted to support our findings and determine the clinical value of PTN for treating brain injuries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yupeng Lei
- Department of Pediatrics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, Chengdu, China
| | - Ruixi Zhou
- Department of Pediatrics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, Chengdu, China
| | - Qian Mao
- Department of Pediatrics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xia Qiu
- Department of Pediatrics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, Chengdu, China
| | - Dezhi Mu
- Department of Pediatrics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, Chengdu, China
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6
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Yin H, Sun X, Yang K, Lan Y, Lu Z. Regulation of dentate gyrus pattern separation by hilus ectopic granule cells. Cogn Neurodyn 2025; 19:10. [PMID: 39801911 PMCID: PMC11718051 DOI: 10.1007/s11571-024-10204-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2024] [Revised: 09/11/2024] [Accepted: 10/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/16/2025] Open
Abstract
The dentate gyrus (DG) in hippocampus is reported to perform pattern separation, converting similar inputs into different outputs and thus avoiding memory interference. Previous studies have found that human and mice with epilepsy have significant pattern separation defects and a portion of adult-born granule cells (abGCs) migrate abnormally into the hilus, forming hilus ectopic granule cells (HEGCs). For the lack of relevant pathophysiological experiments, how HEGCs affect pattern separation remains unclear. Therefore, in this paper, we will construct the DG neuronal circuit and focus on discussing effects of HEGCs on pattern separation numerically. The obtained results showed that HEGCs impaired pattern separation efficiency since the sparse firing of granule cells (GCs) was destroyed. We provided new insights into the underlining mechanisms of HEGCs impairing pattern separation through analyzing two excitatory circuits: GC-HEGC-GC and GC-Mossy cell (MC)-GC, both of which involve the participation of HEGCs within the DG. It is revealed that the recurrent excitatory circuit GC-HEGC-GC formed by HEGCs mossy fiber sprouting significantly enhanced GCs activity, consequently disrupted pattern separation. However, another excitatory circuit had negligible effects on pattern separation due to the direct and indirect influences of MCs on GCs, which in turn led to the GCs sparse firing. Thus, HEGCs impair DG pattern separation mainly through the GC-HEGC-GC circuit and therefore ablating HEGCs may be one of the effective ways to improve pattern separation in patients with epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haibin Yin
- School of Science, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, #10 Xitucheng Road, Beijing, 100876 People’s Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Mathematics and Information Networks, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, #10 Xitucheng Road, Beijing, 100876 People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaojuan Sun
- School of Science, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, #10 Xitucheng Road, Beijing, 100876 People’s Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Mathematics and Information Networks, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, #10 Xitucheng Road, Beijing, 100876 People’s Republic of China
| | - Kai Yang
- School of Science, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, #10 Xitucheng Road, Beijing, 100876 People’s Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Mathematics and Information Networks, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, #10 Xitucheng Road, Beijing, 100876 People’s Republic of China
| | - Yueheng Lan
- School of Science, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, #10 Xitucheng Road, Beijing, 100876 People’s Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Mathematics and Information Networks, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, #10 Xitucheng Road, Beijing, 100876 People’s Republic of China
| | - Zeying Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Information Photonics and Optical Communications, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, #10 Xitucheng Road, Beijing, 100876 People’s Republic of China
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Liu Y, Huang J, Luo J. IGHG4: innovative diagnostic biomarkers for iron overload in β-thalassemia patients. Hematology 2025; 30:2433154. [PMID: 39676317 DOI: 10.1080/16078454.2024.2433154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2024] [Accepted: 11/18/2024] [Indexed: 12/17/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study aims to investigate the serotransferrin (TF), complement C1s subcomponent (C1S), immunoglobulin heavy constant gamma 4 (IGHG4), hemoglobin subunit alpha (HBA1), and clusterin (CLU) contents in β-thalassemia patients, and explores their physiological role as potential non-invasive bioindicators for disease diagnosis and iron overload. METHODS A total of 62 children with β-thalassemia were recruited and categorized by genotype, along with 17 healthy pediatric volunteers for analysis. The circulating ferritin content was evaluated, and plasma levels of TF, C1S, IGHG4, HBA1, and CLU were assessed using ELISA. The primary outcome of this study was the correlation between the five protein marker levels and iron overload. Continuous variables were analyzed using the Student's t-test or the Mann-Whitney U test. A binary logistic regression model identified independent predictors of iron overload in patients with β-thalassemia. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) were employed to evaluate the model's performance. RESULTS The IGHG4 protein content was significantly lower in β-thalassemia patients compared to healthy controls. The IGHG4 protein content was reduced in the β+/β0 and β0/β0 patient populations compared to controls, with no significant difference observed between the β+/β0 group and healthy controls. A strong inverse relationship was identified between the IGHG4 protein content and SF concentration (r = -0.322, p = 0.004). Finally, plasma IGHG4 levels demonstrated adequate diagnostic capability, as indicated by our ROC curve analysis. CONCLUSION In conclusion, decreased IGHG4 protein levels are significantly associated with the degree of iron overload in β-thalassemia patients and may serve as a possible biomarker for evaluating iron overload.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Liu
- Department of Pediatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinfang Huang
- Department of Pediatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianming Luo
- Department of Pediatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, People's Republic of China
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Yang Y, Zhong Y, Chen L. EIciRNAs in focus: current understanding and future perspectives. RNA Biol 2025; 22:1-12. [PMID: 39711231 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2024.2443876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 11/14/2024] [Accepted: 12/09/2024] [Indexed: 12/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a unique class of covalently closed single-stranded RNA molecules that play diverse roles in normal physiology and pathology. Among the major types of circRNA, exon-intron circRNA (EIciRNA) distinguishes itself by its sequence composition and nuclear localization. Recent RNA-seq technologies and computational methods have facilitated the detection and characterization of EIciRNAs, with features like circRNA intron retention (CIR) and tissue-specificity being characterized. EIciRNAs have been identified to exert their functions via mechanisms such as regulating gene transcription, and the physiological relevance of EIciRNAs has been reported. Within this review, we present a summary of the current understanding of EIciRNAs, delving into their identification and molecular functions. Additionally, we emphasize factors regulating EIciRNA biogenesis and the physiological roles of EIciRNAs based on recent research. We also discuss the future challenges in EIciRNA exploration, underscoring the potential for novel functions and functional mechanisms of EIciRNAs for further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Yang
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Yinchun Zhong
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Liang Chen
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
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Li Q. Visual image reconstructed without semantics from human brain activity using linear image decoders and nonlinear noise suppression. Cogn Neurodyn 2025; 19:20. [PMID: 39801914 PMCID: PMC11718044 DOI: 10.1007/s11571-024-10184-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 08/23/2024] [Accepted: 12/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/16/2025] Open
Abstract
In recent years, substantial strides have been made in the field of visual image reconstruction, particularly in its capacity to generate high-quality visual representations from human brain activity while considering semantic information. This advancement not only enables the recreation of visual content but also provides valuable insights into the intricate processes occurring within high-order functional brain regions, contributing to a deeper understanding of brain function. However, considering fusion semantics in reconstructing visual images from brain activity involves semantic-to-image guide reconstruction and may ignore underlying neural computational mechanisms, which does not represent true reconstruction from brain activity. In response to this limitation, our study introduces a novel approach that combines linear mapping with nonlinear noise suppression to reconstruct visual images perceived by subjects based on their brain activity patterns. The primary challenge associated with linear mapping lies in its susceptibility to noise interference. To address this issue, we leverage a flexible denoised deep convolutional neural network, which can suppress noise from linear mapping. Our investigation encompasses linear mapping as well as the training of shallow and deep autoencoder denoised neural networks, including a pre-trained, state-of-the-art denoised neural network. The outcome of our study reveals that combining linear image decoding with nonlinear noise reduction significantly enhances the quality of reconstructed images from human brain activity. This suggests that our methodology holds promise for decoding intricate perceptual experiences directly from brain activity patterns without semantic information. Moreover, the model has strong neural explanatory power because it shares structural and functional similarities with the visual brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Li
- Image Processing Laboratory, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
- Tri-Institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA USA
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Li Q, Wang H, Zhang R. Mechanisms underlying EEG power changes during wakefulness in insomnia patients: a model-driven study. Cogn Neurodyn 2025; 19:17. [PMID: 39801916 PMCID: PMC11718038 DOI: 10.1007/s11571-024-10207-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2024] [Accepted: 09/29/2024] [Indexed: 01/16/2025] Open
Abstract
Insomnia, as a common sleep disorder, is the most common complaints in medical practice affecting a large proportion of the population on a situational, recurrent or chronic basis. It has been demonstrated that, during wakefulness, patients with insomnia exhibit increased EEG power in theta, beta, and gamma band. However, the relevant mechanisms underlying such power changes are still lack of understanding. In this paper, by combining the neural computational model with the real EEG data, we focus on exploring what's behind the EEG power changes for insomniac. We first develop a modified Liley model, named FSR-Liley, by respectively considering the fast and slow synaptic responses in inhibitory neurons along with the one-way projection between them. Then we introduce a parameter selection and evaluation method based on Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm and Wasserstein distance, by which the sensitive parameters are selected automatically, and meanwhile, the optimal values of selected parameters are evaluated. Finally, through combining with EEG data, we determine the sensitive parameters in FSR-Liley and accordingly provide the mechanistic hypotheses: (1) decrease in P e i f , corresponding to the input from the thalamus to cortical inhibitory population with fast synaptic response, leads to the increased theta and beta power; (2) decrease in N e i f , corresponding to the projection from cortical excitatory population to inhibitory population with fast synaptic response, causes the increased gamma power. The results in this paper provide insights into the mechanisms of EEG power changes in insomnia and establish a theoretical foundation to support further experimental research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Li
- The Medical Big Data Research Center, Northwest University, Xi’an, 710127 China
| | - Hanxuan Wang
- The Health Science Center, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049 China
| | - Rui Zhang
- The Medical Big Data Research Center, Northwest University, Xi’an, 710127 China
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11
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Nalepa IF, Nielsen V, Wolf TE, Touma C, Grupe M, Asuni AA, Ratner C. Sex differences in the murine HPA axis after acute and repeated restraint stress. Stress 2025; 28:2447079. [PMID: 39819340 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2024.2447079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2024] [Accepted: 12/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2025] Open
Abstract
Chronic stress and stress-related mental illnesses such as major depressive disorder (MDD) constitute some of the leading causes of disability worldwide with a higher prevalence in women compared to men. However, preclinical research into stress and MDD is heavily biased toward using male animals only. Aberrant activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis has been linked to the development of MDD and several animal models of MDD have been established based on HPA axis dysregulation. In the present study, we compared stress biomarkers and behavior of male and female mice after acute and chronic restraint stress to investigate potential effects of sex differences in the stress response. Further, the validity of the interrupted repeated restraint stress (IRRS) model as an animal model for the HPA axis disturbances seen in MDD was assessed. After acute stress, female mice showed increased corticosterone secretion and changes in molecular markers suggesting increased HPA axis feedback sensitivity. Acute stress-induced signs of anxiety-like behavior were observed in male mice only suggesting that female mice may be more resilient to the anxiogenic effects of acute stress. Males and females responded similarly to IRRS with no sustained perturbations in HPA axis biomarkers. The IRRS model did not adequately translate to the changes reported in MDD with HPA axis overactivity and more severe perturbation models are likely needed. However, in alignment with previous studies, these data support that there are important sex differences in the HPA axis and that these may contribute to the etiology of stress-related psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella Flor Nalepa
- Department of Preclinical Fluid Biomarkers & Occupancy, H. Lundbeck A/S, Valby, Denmark
| | - Vibeke Nielsen
- Department of Preclinical Fluid Biomarkers & Occupancy, H. Lundbeck A/S, Valby, Denmark
| | | | - Chadi Touma
- Osnabrück University, Behavioural Biology, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Morten Grupe
- Department of Symptom Biology, H. Lundbeck A/S, Valby, Denmark
| | - Ayodeji A Asuni
- Department of Preclinical Fluid Biomarkers & Occupancy, H. Lundbeck A/S, Valby, Denmark
| | - Cecilia Ratner
- Department of Preclinical Fluid Biomarkers & Occupancy, H. Lundbeck A/S, Valby, Denmark
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12
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Su CW, Yang F, Lai R, Li Y, Naeem H, Yao N, Zhang SP, Zhang H, Li Y, Huang ZG. Unraveling the functional complexity of the locus coeruleus-norepinephrine system: insights from molecular anatomy to neurodynamic modeling. Cogn Neurodyn 2025; 19:29. [PMID: 39866663 PMCID: PMC11757662 DOI: 10.1007/s11571-024-10208-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2024] [Revised: 09/08/2024] [Accepted: 09/29/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2025] Open
Abstract
The locus coeruleus (LC), as the primary source of norepinephrine (NE) in the brain, is central to modulating cognitive and behavioral processes. This review synthesizes recent findings to provide a comprehensive understanding of the LC-NE system, highlighting its molecular diversity, neurophysiological properties, and role in various brain functions. We discuss the heterogeneity of LC neurons, their differential responses to sensory stimuli, and the impact of NE on cognitive processes such as attention and memory. Furthermore, we explore the system's involvement in stress responses and pain modulation, as well as its developmental changes and susceptibility to stressors. By integrating molecular, electrophysiological, and theoretical modeling approaches, we shed light on the LC-NE system's complex role in the brain's adaptability and its potential relevance to neurological and psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Wang Su
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Institute of Health and Rehabilitation Science, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049 Shaanxi China
- Research Center for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049 Shaanxi China
| | - Fan Yang
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Institute of Health and Rehabilitation Science, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049 Shaanxi China
- Research Center for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049 Shaanxi China
| | - Runchen Lai
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Institute of Health and Rehabilitation Science, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049 Shaanxi China
- Research Center for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049 Shaanxi China
| | - Yanhai Li
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Institute of Health and Rehabilitation Science, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049 Shaanxi China
| | - Hadia Naeem
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Institute of Health and Rehabilitation Science, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049 Shaanxi China
- Research Center for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049 Shaanxi China
| | - Nan Yao
- Department of Applied Physics, Xi’an University of Technology, 710054 Shaanxi, China
| | - Si-Ping Zhang
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Institute of Health and Rehabilitation Science, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049 Shaanxi China
- Research Center for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049 Shaanxi China
| | - Haiqing Zhang
- Xi’an Children’s Hospital, Xi’an, 710003 Shaanxi China
| | - Youjun Li
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Institute of Health and Rehabilitation Science, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049 Shaanxi China
- Research Center for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049 Shaanxi China
| | - Zi-Gang Huang
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Institute of Health and Rehabilitation Science, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049 Shaanxi China
- Research Center for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049 Shaanxi China
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13
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Champroux A, Sadat-Shirazi M, Chen X, Hacker J, Yang Y, Feig LA. Astrocyte-derived exosomes regulate sperm miR-34c levels to mediate the transgenerational effects of paternal chronic social instability stress. Epigenetics 2025; 20:2457176. [PMID: 39868429 PMCID: PMC11776480 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2025.2457176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2024] [Revised: 01/08/2025] [Accepted: 01/10/2025] [Indexed: 01/28/2025] Open
Abstract
The effects of chronically stressing male mice can be transmitted across generations by stress-specific changes in their sperm miRNA content, which induce stress-specific phenotypes in their offspring. However, how each stress paradigm alters the levels of distinct sets of sperm miRNAs is not known. We showed previously that exposure of male mice to chronic social instability (CSI) stress results in elevated anxiety and reduced sociability specifically in their female offspring across multiple generations because it reduces miR-34c levels in sperm of stressed males and their unstressed male offspring. Here, we describe evidence that astrocyte-derived exosomes (A-Exos) carrying miR-34c mediate how CSI stress has this transgenerational effect on sperm. We found that CSI stress decreases miR-34c carried by A-Exos in the prefrontal cortex and amygdala, as well as in the blood of males. Importantly, miR-34c A-Exos levels are also reduced in these tissues in their F1 male offspring, who despite not being exposed to stress, exhibit reduced sperm miR-34c levels and transmit the same stress-associated traits to their male and female offspring. Furthermore, restoring A-Exos miR-34c content in the blood of CSI-stressed males by intravenous injection of miR-34c-containing A-Exos restores miR-34c levels in their sperm. These findings reveal an unexpected role for A-Exos in maintaining sperm miR-34c levels by a process that when suppressed by CSI stress mediates this example of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Champroux
- Department of Developmental, Molecular and Chemical Biology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mitra Sadat-Shirazi
- Department of Developmental, Molecular and Chemical Biology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Xuan Chen
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jonathan Hacker
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yongjie Yang
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Larry A. Feig
- Department of Developmental, Molecular and Chemical Biology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
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14
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Victor Atoki A, Aja PM, Shinkafi TS, Ondari EN, Adeniyi AI, Fasogbon IV, Dangana RS, Shehu UU, Akin-Adewumi A. Exploring the versatility of Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism in biomedical research: a comprehensive review. Fly (Austin) 2025; 19:2420453. [PMID: 39722550 DOI: 10.1080/19336934.2024.2420453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2024] [Revised: 10/16/2024] [Accepted: 10/16/2024] [Indexed: 12/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Drosophila melanogaster is a highly versatile model organism that has profoundly advanced our understanding of human diseases. With more than 60% of its genes having human homologs, Drosophila provides an invaluable system for modelling a wide range of pathologies, including neurodegenerative disorders, cancer, metabolic diseases, as well as cardiac and muscular conditions. This review highlights key developments in utilizing Drosophila for disease modelling, emphasizing the genetic tools that have transformed research in this field. Technologies such as the GAL4/UAS system, RNA interference (RNAi) and CRISPR-Cas9 have enabled precise genetic manipulation, with CRISPR-Cas9 allowing for the introduction of human disease mutations into orthologous Drosophila genes. These approaches have yielded critical insights into disease mechanisms, identified novel therapeutic targets and facilitated both drug screening and toxicological studies. Articles were selected based on their relevance, impact and contribution to the field, with a particular focus on studies offering innovative perspectives on disease mechanisms or therapeutic strategies. Our findings emphasize the central role of Drosophila in studying complex human diseases, underscoring its genetic similarities to humans and its effectiveness in modelling conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and cancer. This review reaffirms Drosophila's critical role as a model organism, highlighting its potential to drive future research and therapeutic advancements.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Patrick Maduabuchi Aja
- Department of Biochemistry, Kampala International University, Ishaka, Uganda
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria
| | | | - Erick Nyakundi Ondari
- Department of Biochemistry, Kampala International University, Ishaka, Uganda
- School of Pure and Applied Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, Kisii University, Kisii, Kenya
| | | | | | | | - Umar Uthman Shehu
- Department of Physiology, Kampala International University, Ishaka, Uganda
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15
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Geng P, Zhao N, Zhou Y, Harris RS, Ge Y. Faecalibacterium prausnitzii regulates carbohydrate metabolic functions of the gut microbiome in C57BL/6 mice. Gut Microbes 2025; 17:2455503. [PMID: 39841201 DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2025.2455503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2024] [Revised: 10/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/13/2025] [Indexed: 01/23/2025] Open
Abstract
The probiotic impact of microbes on host metabolism and health depends on both host genetics and bacterial genomic variation. Faecalibacterium prausnitzii is the predominant human gut commensal emerging as a next-generation probiotic. Although this bacterium exhibits substantial intraspecies diversity, it is unclear whether genetically distinct F. prausnitzii strains might lead to functional differences in the gut microbiome. Here, we isolated and characterized a novel F. prausnitzii strain (UT1) that belongs to the most prevalent but underappreciated phylogenetic clade in the global human population. Genome analysis showed that this butyrate-producing isolate carries multiple putative mobile genetic elements, a clade-specific defense system, and a range of carbohydrate catabolic enzymes. Multiomic approaches were used to profile the impact of UT1 on the gut microbiome and associated metabolic activity of C57BL/6 mice at homeostasis. Both 16S rRNA and metagenomic sequencing demonstrated that oral administration of UT1 resulted in profound microbial compositional changes including a significant enrichment of Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Turicibacter. Functional profiling of the fecal metagenomes revealed a markedly higher abundance of carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) in UT1-gavaged mice. Accordingly, UT1-conditioned microbiota possessed the elevated capability of utilizing starch in vitro and exhibited a lower availability of microbiota-accessible carbohydrates in the gut. Further analysis uncovered a functional network wherein UT1 reduced the abundance of mucin-degrading CAZymes and microbes, which correlated with a concomitant reduction of fecal mucin glycans. Collectively, our results reveal a crucial role of UT1 in facilitating the carbohydrate metabolism of the gut microbiome and expand our understanding of the genetic and phenotypic diversity of F. prausnitzii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peiling Geng
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Ni Zhao
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Yufan Zhou
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Reuben S Harris
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Yong Ge
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
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16
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Qing W, Chen H, Ma X, Chen J, Le Y, Chen H, Tong J, Duan K, Ma D, Ouyang W, Tong J. Gut dysbiosis-induced vitamin B6 metabolic disorder contributes to chronic stress-related abnormal behaviors in a cortisol-independent manner. Gut Microbes 2025; 17:2447824. [PMID: 39773070 PMCID: PMC11730634 DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2024.2447824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2024] [Revised: 12/19/2024] [Accepted: 12/23/2024] [Indexed: 01/11/2025] Open
Abstract
Chronic stress can result in various conditions, including psychological disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, and accelerated brain aging. Gut dysbiosis potentially contributes to stress-related brain disorders in individuals with chronic stress. However, the causal relationship and key factors between gut dysbiosis and brain disorders in chronic stress remain elusive, particularly under non-sterile conditions. Here, using a repeated restraint stress (RRS) rat model, we show that sequential transplantation of the cecal contents of different RRS stages to normal rats reproduced RRS-induced core phenotypes, including abnormal behaviors, increased peripheral blood corticosterone and inflammatory cytokines, and a unique gut microbial phenotype. This core phenotypic development was effectively inhibited with probiotic supplement. The RRS-induced unique gut microbial phenotypes at the genus level were positively or negatively associated with the levels of 20 plasma metabolites, including vitamin B6 metabolites 4-pyridoxic acid and 4-pyridoxate. Vitamin B6 supplement during RRS alleviated weight loss, abnormal behaviors, peripheral inflammation, and neuroinflammation, but did not affect the peripheral corticosterone levels in chronic stressed rats. Dampening inflammatory signaling via knocking out caspase 11 or caspase 1 inhibitor abolished RRS-induced abnormal behaviors and peripheral and neuroinflammation but did not decrease peripheral corticosterone in mice. These findings show that gut dysbiosis-induced vitamin B6 metabolism disorder is a new non-hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis mechanism of chronic stress-related brain disorders. Both probiotics and vitamin B6 supplement have potential to be developed as therapeutic strategies for preventing and/or treating chronic stress-related illness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenxiang Qing
- Department of Anesthesiology, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Brain Homeostasis, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Huimin Chen
- Department of Anesthesiology, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Brain Homeostasis, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, The First People’s Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- The Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, Xishan District, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Xin Ma
- Department of Anesthesiology, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Brain Homeostasis, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jie Chen
- Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Brain Homeostasis, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Center for Experimental Medicine, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yuan Le
- Department of Anesthesiology, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Brain Homeostasis, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Hui Chen
- Department of Anesthesiology, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Brain Homeostasis, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jianhua Tong
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Phytohormones and Growth Development, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China
| | - Kaiming Duan
- Department of Anesthesiology, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Brain Homeostasis, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Daqing Ma
- Division of Anaesthetics, Pain Medicine and Intensive Care, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London, UK
| | - Wen Ouyang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Brain Homeostasis, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jianbin Tong
- Department of Anesthesiology, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Brain Homeostasis, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
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17
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Al-Eitan L, Abu Kharmah H, Alghamdi M. Effect of serotonin receptor gene variants on substance use disorders. Ann Med 2025; 57:2445779. [PMID: 39731452 DOI: 10.1080/07853890.2024.2445779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2024] [Revised: 10/01/2024] [Accepted: 11/30/2024] [Indexed: 12/29/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Substance use disorders are multifaceted conditions influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Serotonergic pathways are known to be involved in substance use disorder susceptibility, with genetic markers within serotonin receptor genes identified as potential risk factors. METHODS To further explore this relationship, we conducted a study to investigate the association between several polymorphisms in five serotonin receptor genes (HTR1B, HTR2A/B, HTR3A/B) and substance use disorders (SUD) in Jordanian males by sequencing genotypes in 496 SUD patients and 496 healthy controls. RESULTS Our findings revealed an allelic association between rs9567735 in the HTR2A gene and rs17586428 in the HTR2B gene with SUD. Haplotype analysis also showed that one haplotype of the HTR2A gene and four haplotypes of the five included genes were significantly associated with SUD risk. Moreover, we found that motives for substance use were correlated with single nucleotide polymorphisms SNPs rs1923882 and rs1150226, with the latter SNP also being associated with smoking. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that genetic variants of human 5-HT receptor genes may affect individual susceptibility to SUD in Jordan. However, further studies with larger sample sizes and additional variants in the same or different genes must confirm these findings.
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MESH Headings
- Humans
- Male
- Substance-Related Disorders/genetics
- Substance-Related Disorders/epidemiology
- Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
- Adult
- Haplotypes
- Genetic Predisposition to Disease
- Jordan/epidemiology
- Receptors, Serotonin, 5-HT3/genetics
- Case-Control Studies
- Receptors, Serotonin/genetics
- Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1B/genetics
- Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A/genetics
- Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2B/genetics
- Middle Aged
- Young Adult
- Genotype
- Alleles
- Risk Factors
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Affiliation(s)
- Laith Al-Eitan
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Hana Abu Kharmah
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Mansour Alghamdi
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia
- Genomics and Personalized Medicine Unit, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia
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18
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Zhao D, Si B. Formation of cognitive maps in large-scale environments by sensorimotor integration. Cogn Neurodyn 2025; 19:19. [PMID: 39801918 PMCID: PMC11717777 DOI: 10.1007/s11571-024-10200-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2024] [Revised: 10/08/2024] [Accepted: 10/26/2024] [Indexed: 01/16/2025] Open
Abstract
Hippocampus in the mammalian brain supports navigation by building a cognitive map of the environment. However, only a few studies have investigated cognitive maps in large-scale arenas. To reveal the computational mechanisms underlying the formation of cognitive maps in large-scale environments, we propose a neural network model of the entorhinal-hippocampal neural circuit that integrates both spatial and non-spatial information. Spatial information is relayed from the grid units in medial entorhinal cortex (MEC) by integrating multimodal sensory-motor signals. Non-spatial, such as object, information is imparted from the visual units in lateral entorhinal cortex (LEC) by encoding visual scenes through a deep neural network. The synaptic weights from the grid units and the visual units to the place units in the hippocampus are learned by a competitive learning rule. We simulated the model in a large box maze. The place units in the model form irregularly-spaced multiple fields across the environment. When the strength of visual inputs is dominant, the responses of place units become conjunctive and egocentric. These results point to the key role of the hippocampus in balancing spatial and non-spatial information relayed via LEC and MEC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongye Zhao
- Information Science Academy, China Electronics Technology Group Corporation, Beijing, 100086 China
| | - Bailu Si
- School of Systems Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875 China
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, 102206 China
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19
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Gu H, Zhang Y, Sun J, Liu L, Liu Z. Exploring the effect and mechanism of action of Jinlida granules (JLD) in the treatment of diabetes-associated cognitive impairment based on network pharmacology with experimental validation. Ann Med 2025; 57:2445181. [PMID: 39723533 DOI: 10.1080/07853890.2024.2445181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2024] [Revised: 08/19/2024] [Accepted: 11/26/2024] [Indexed: 12/28/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To explore the effect and the probable mechanisms of JLD in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) - associated cognitive impairment (TDACI). METHODS The effect of JLD in combating TDACI was assessed in T2DM model mice by conducting Morris water maze (MWM) behaviour testing. Active components and their putative targets, as well as TDACI-related targets, were collected from public databases. Protein-protein interactions (PPIs), Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses and molecular docking were then utilized to explore potential molecular network mechanisms. Finally, the main targets were verified in animal model experiments. RESULTS MWM test showed that JLD improved aspects of behaviour in T2DM model mice. JLD improved glucose intolerance, tissue insulin sensitivity, lipid metabolism and enhanced synapse-associated protein expression in hippocampus tissue. Network pharmacology revealed 185 active components, 337 targets of JLD, and 7998 TDACI related targets were obtained . PPI network analyses revealed 39 core targets. GO and KEGG analyses suggested that JLD might improve TDACI by regulating gene expression, apoptotic processes and inflammatory responses mainly via PI3K-AKT and AGE-RAGE signaling pathways. Molecular docking revealed strong binding of the main components to core targets. JLD reduced hippocampus tissue expression of the inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL6), core targets of treatment of TDACI. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggested that JLD has the potential to improve TDACI through multiple components, multiple targets and multiple pathways. JLD may be a promising treatment for diabetic cognitive impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiyan Gu
- Department of Hebei Provincial Key Laboratory of Basic Medicine for Diabetes, The Shijiazhuang Second Hospital, Shijiazhuang, China
- Department of Shijiazhuang Technology Innovation Center of Precision Medicine for Diabetes, The Shijiazhuang Second Hospital, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Yuxin Zhang
- Department of Hebei Provincial Key Laboratory of Basic Medicine for Diabetes, The Shijiazhuang Second Hospital, Shijiazhuang, China
- Department of Shijiazhuang Technology Innovation Center of Precision Medicine for Diabetes, The Shijiazhuang Second Hospital, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Jinghua Sun
- Department of Hebei Provincial Key Laboratory of Basic Medicine for Diabetes, The Shijiazhuang Second Hospital, Shijiazhuang, China
- Department of Shijiazhuang Technology Innovation Center of Precision Medicine for Diabetes, The Shijiazhuang Second Hospital, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Lipeng Liu
- Department of Hebei Provincial Key Laboratory of Basic Medicine for Diabetes, The Shijiazhuang Second Hospital, Shijiazhuang, China
- Department of Shijiazhuang Technology Innovation Center of Precision Medicine for Diabetes, The Shijiazhuang Second Hospital, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Zanchao Liu
- Department of Hebei Provincial Key Laboratory of Basic Medicine for Diabetes, The Shijiazhuang Second Hospital, Shijiazhuang, China
- Department of Shijiazhuang Technology Innovation Center of Precision Medicine for Diabetes, The Shijiazhuang Second Hospital, Shijiazhuang, China
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20
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Zhao Z, Geisbrecht ER. Stage-specific modulation of Drosophila gene expression with muscle GAL4 promoters. Fly (Austin) 2025; 19:2447617. [PMID: 39772988 PMCID: PMC11730430 DOI: 10.1080/19336934.2024.2447617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2024] [Revised: 12/19/2024] [Accepted: 12/20/2024] [Indexed: 01/11/2025] Open
Abstract
The bipartite GAL4/UAS system is the most widely used method for targeted gene expression in Drosophila melanogaster and facilitates rapid in vivo genetic experimentation. Defining precise gene expression patterns for tissues and/or cell types under GAL4 control will continue to evolve to suit experimental needs. However, the precise spatial and temporal expression patterns for some commonly used muscle tissue promoters are still unclear. This missing information limits the precise timing of experiments during development. Here, we focus on three muscle-enriched GAL4 drivers (Mef2-GAL4, C57-GAL4 and G7-GAL4) to better inform selection of the most appropriate muscle promoter for experimental needs. Specifically, C57-GAL4 and G7-GAL4 turn on in the first or second instar larval stages, respectively, and can be used to bypass myogenesis for studies of muscle function after development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziwei Zhao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA
| | - Erika R Geisbrecht
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA
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21
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Deng F, Yang D, Qing L, Chen Y, Zou J, Jia M, Wang Q, Jiang R, Huang L. Exploring the interaction between the gut microbiota and cyclic adenosine monophosphate-protein kinase A signaling pathway: a potential therapeutic approach for neurodegenerative diseases. Neural Regen Res 2025; 20:3095-3112. [PMID: 39589173 DOI: 10.4103/nrr.nrr-d-24-00607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2024] [Accepted: 09/10/2024] [Indexed: 11/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The interaction between the gut microbiota and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-protein kinase A (PKA) signaling pathway in the host's central nervous system plays a crucial role in neurological diseases and enhances communication along the gut-brain axis. The gut microbiota influences the cAMP-PKA signaling pathway through its metabolites, which activates the vagus nerve and modulates the immune and neuroendocrine systems. Conversely, alterations in the cAMP-PKA signaling pathway can affect the composition of the gut microbiota, creating a dynamic network of microbial-host interactions. This reciprocal regulation affects neurodevelopment, neurotransmitter control, and behavioral traits, thus playing a role in the modulation of neurological diseases. The coordinated activity of the gut microbiota and the cAMP-PKA signaling pathway regulates processes such as amyloid-β protein aggregation, mitochondrial dysfunction, abnormal energy metabolism, microglial activation, oxidative stress, and neurotransmitter release, which collectively influence the onset and progression of neurological diseases. This study explores the complex interplay between the gut microbiota and cAMP-PKA signaling pathway, along with its implications for potential therapeutic interventions in neurological diseases. Recent pharmacological research has shown that restoring the balance between gut flora and cAMP-PKA signaling pathway may improve outcomes in neurodegenerative diseases and emotional disorders. This can be achieved through various methods such as dietary modifications, probiotic supplements, Chinese herbal extracts, combinations of Chinese herbs, and innovative dosage forms. These findings suggest that regulating the gut microbiota and cAMP-PKA signaling pathway may provide valuable evidence for developing novel therapeutic approaches for neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengcheng Deng
- College of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Dan Yang
- College of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Lingxi Qing
- College of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Yifei Chen
- College of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Jilian Zou
- College of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Meiling Jia
- College of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Qian Wang
- College of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Runda Jiang
- College of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Lihua Huang
- College of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
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22
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Ntetsika T, Catrina SB, Markaki I. Understanding the link between type 2 diabetes mellitus and Parkinson's disease: role of brain insulin resistance. Neural Regen Res 2025; 20:3113-3123. [PMID: 39715083 DOI: 10.4103/nrr.nrr-d-23-01910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 12/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Type 2 diabetes mellitus and Parkinson's disease are chronic diseases linked to a growing pandemic that affects older adults and causes significant socio-economic burden. Epidemiological data supporting a close relationship between these two aging-related diseases have resulted in the investigation of shared pathophysiological molecular mechanisms. Impaired insulin signaling in the brain has gained increasing attention during the last decade and has been suggested to contribute to the development of Parkinson's disease through the dysregulation of several pathological processes. The contribution of type 2 diabetes mellitus and insulin resistance in neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease, with emphasis on brain insulin resistance, is extensively discussed in this article and new therapeutic strategies targeting this pathological link are presented and reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theodora Ntetsika
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Neurology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sergiu-Bogdan Catrina
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
- Center for Diabetes, Academic Specialist Center, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ioanna Markaki
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
- Center for Neurology, Academic Specialist Center, Stockholm, Sweden
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23
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Fan Z, Jia M, Zhou J, Zhu Z, Wu Y, Lin X, Qian Y, Lian J, Hua X, Dong J, Fang Z, Liu Y, Chen S, Xue X, Yue J, Zhu M, Wang Y, Huang Z, Teng H. Pharmacological targeting cGAS/STING/NF-κB axis by tryptanthrin induces microglia polarization toward M2 phenotype and promotes functional recovery in a mouse model of spinal cord injury. Neural Regen Res 2025; 20:3287-3301. [PMID: 38993129 DOI: 10.4103/nrr.nrr-d-23-01256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
JOURNAL/nrgr/04.03/01300535-202511000-00031/figure1/v/2024-12-20T164640Z/r/image-tiff The M1/M2 phenotypic shift of microglia after spinal cord injury plays an important role in the regulation of neuroinflammation during the secondary injury phase of spinal cord injury. Regulation of shifting microglia polarization from M1 (neurotoxic and proinflammatory type) to M2 (neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory type) after spinal cord injury appears to be crucial. Tryptanthrin possesses an anti-inflammatory biological function. However, its roles and the underlying molecular mechanisms in spinal cord injury remain unknown. In this study, we found that tryptanthrin inhibited microglia-derived inflammation by promoting polarization to the M2 phenotype in vitro . Tryptanthrin promoted M2 polarization through inactivating the cGAS/STING/NF-κB pathway. Additionally, we found that targeting the cGAS/STING/NF-κB pathway with tryptanthrin shifted microglia from the M1 to M2 phenotype after spinal cord injury, inhibited neuronal loss, and promoted tissue repair and functional recovery in a mouse model of spinal cord injury. Finally, using a conditional co-culture system, we found that microglia treated with tryptanthrin suppressed endoplasmic reticulum stress-related neuronal apoptosis. Taken together, these results suggest that by targeting the cGAS/STING/NF-κB axis, tryptanthrin attenuates microglia-derived neuroinflammation and promotes functional recovery after spinal cord injury through shifting microglia polarization to the M2 phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziwei Fan
- Department of Orthopedics (Spine Surgery), the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
- School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Mengxian Jia
- Department of Orthopedics (Spine Surgery), the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
- School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Jian Zhou
- Department of Orthopedics (Spine Surgery), the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
- School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Zhoule Zhu
- Department of Orthopedics (Spine Surgery), the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
- School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Yumin Wu
- Department of Orthopedics (Spine Surgery), the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
- School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Xiaowu Lin
- Department of Orthopedics (Spine Surgery), the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
- School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Yiming Qian
- School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Jiashu Lian
- Department of Orthopedics (Spine Surgery), the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
- School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Xin Hua
- School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Jianhong Dong
- School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Zheyu Fang
- School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Yuqing Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Sibing Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Xiumin Xue
- School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Juanqing Yue
- Department of Pathology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Minyu Zhu
- Department of Orthopedics (Spine Surgery), the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Department of Clinical Research Center, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Zhihui Huang
- Department of Orthopedics (Spine Surgery), the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
- School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Honglin Teng
- Department of Orthopedics (Spine Surgery), the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
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24
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Liu X, Wu W, Li X, Wang C, Chai K, Yuan F, Zheng H, Yao Y, Li C, Ye ZC, Zha D. The compound (E)-2-(3,4-dihydroxystyryl)-3-hydroxy-4H-pyran-4-one alleviates neuroinflammation and cognitive impairment in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Neural Regen Res 2025; 20:3330-3344. [PMID: 39715098 DOI: 10.4103/nrr.nrr-d-23-01890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2024] [Indexed: 12/25/2024] Open
Abstract
JOURNAL/nrgr/04.03/01300535-202511000-00034/figure1/v/2024-12-20T164640Z/r/image-tiff Previous studies have shown that the compound (E)-2-(3,4-dihydroxystyryl)-3-hydroxy-4H-pyran-4-one (D30), a pyromeconic acid derivative, possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, inhibits amyloid-β aggregation, and alleviates scopolamine-induced cognitive impairment, similar to the phase III clinical drug resveratrol. In this study, we established a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease via intracerebroventricular injection of fibrillar amyloid-β to investigate the effect of D30 on fibrillar amyloid-β-induced neuropathology. Our results showed that D30 alleviated fibrillar amyloid-β-induced cognitive impairment, promoted fibrillar amyloid-β clearance from the hippocampus and cortex, suppressed oxidative stress, and inhibited activation of microglia and astrocytes. D30 also reversed the fibrillar amyloid-β-induced loss of dendritic spines and synaptic protein expression. Notably, we demonstrated that exogenous fibrillar amyloid-β introduced by intracerebroventricular injection greatly increased galectin-3 expression levels in the brain, and this increase was blocked by D30. Considering the role of D30 in clearing amyloid-β, inhibiting neuroinflammation, protecting synapses, and improving cognition, this study highlights the potential of galectin-3 as a promising treatment target for patients with Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueyan Liu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
| | - Wei Wu
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
| | - Xuejuan Li
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
| | - Chengyan Wang
- Institute of Laboratory Animal Center, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
| | - Ke Chai
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
| | - Fanru Yuan
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
| | - Huijuan Zheng
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
| | - Yuxing Yao
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
| | - Chenlu Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Neurosurgery Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
- Department of Hyperbaric Oxygen, National Regional Medical Center, Binhai Campus of the First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
| | - Zu-Cheng Ye
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
| | - Daijun Zha
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
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25
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Ahmadi M, Rouhi N, Mirnajafi-Zadeh J, Saab BJ. Context-dependency in medicine: how neuronal excitability influences the impact of dopamine on cognition. Neural Regen Res 2025; 20:3225-3226. [PMID: 39715094 DOI: 10.4103/nrr.nrr-d-24-00704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2024] [Accepted: 09/19/2024] [Indexed: 12/25/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Mahboubeh Ahmadi
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran (Ahmadi M, Rouhi N, Mirnajafi-Zadeh J)
| | - Nahid Rouhi
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran (Ahmadi M, Rouhi N, Mirnajafi-Zadeh J)
| | - Javad Mirnajafi-Zadeh
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran (Ahmadi M, Rouhi N, Mirnajafi-Zadeh J)
| | - Bechara J Saab
- Mobio Interactive Pte. Ltd., Singapore, Republic of Singapore (Saab BJ)
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26
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Zhong X, Tai W, Liu ML, Ma S, Shen T, Zou Y, Zhang CL. The Citron homology domain of MAP4Ks improves outcomes of traumatic brain injury. Neural Regen Res 2025; 20:3233-3244. [PMID: 39314140 DOI: 10.4103/nrr.nrr-d-24-00113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2024] [Accepted: 08/30/2024] [Indexed: 09/25/2024] Open
Abstract
JOURNAL/nrgr/04.03/01300535-202511000-00027/figure1/v/2024-12-20T164640Z/r/image-tiff The mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase kinases (MAP4Ks) signaling pathway plays a pivotal role in axonal regrowth and neuronal degeneration following insults. Whether targeting this pathway is beneficial to brain injury remains unclear. In this study, we showed that adeno-associated virus-delivery of the Citron homology domain of MAP4Ks effectively reduces traumatic brain injury-induced reactive gliosis, tauopathy, lesion size, and behavioral deficits. Pharmacological inhibition of MAP4Ks replicated the ameliorative effects observed with expression of the Citron homology domain. Mechanistically, the Citron homology domain acted as a dominant-negative mutant, impeding MAP4K-mediated phosphorylation of the dishevelled proteins and thereby controlling the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. These findings implicate a therapeutic potential of targeting MAP4Ks to alleviate the detrimental effects of traumatic brain injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoling Zhong
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Wenjiao Tai
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Meng-Lu Liu
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Shuaipeng Ma
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Tianjin Shen
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Yuhua Zou
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Chun-Li Zhang
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
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27
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Serneels PJ, Schutter JDD, Groef LD, Moons L, Bergmans S. Oligodendroglial heterogeneity in health, disease, and recovery: deeper insights into myelin dynamics. Neural Regen Res 2025; 20:3179-3192. [PMID: 39665821 DOI: 10.4103/nrr.nrr-d-24-00694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2024] [Accepted: 10/17/2024] [Indexed: 12/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Decades of research asserted that the oligodendroglial lineage comprises two cell types: oligodendrocyte precursor cells and oligodendrocytes. However, recent studies employing single-cell RNA sequencing techniques have uncovered novel cell states, prompting a revision of the existing terminology. Going forward, the oligodendroglial lineage should be delineated into five distinct cell states: oligodendrocyte precursor cells, committed oligodendrocyte precursor cells, newly formed oligodendrocytes, myelin-forming oligodendrocytes, and mature oligodendrocytes. This new classification system enables a deeper understanding of the oligodendroglia in both physiological and pathological contexts. Adopting this uniform terminology will facilitate comparison and integration of data across studies. This, including the consolidation of findings from various demyelinating models, is essential to better understand the pathogenesis of demyelinating diseases. Additionally, comparing injury models across species with varying regenerative capacities can provide insights that may lead to new therapeutic strategies to overcome remyelination failure. Thus, by standardizing terminology and synthesizing data from diverse studies across different animal models, we can enhance our understanding of myelin pathology in central nervous system disorders such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, all of which involve oligodendroglial and myelin dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pieter-Jan Serneels
- KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, Department of Biology, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, Neural Circuit Development & Regeneration Research Group, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Julie D De Schutter
- KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, Department of Biology, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, Neural Circuit Development & Regeneration Research Group, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lies De Groef
- KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, Department of Biology, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, Cellular Communication & Neurodegeneration Research Group, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lieve Moons
- KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, Department of Biology, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, Neural Circuit Development & Regeneration Research Group, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Steven Bergmans
- KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, Department of Biology, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, Neural Circuit Development & Regeneration Research Group, Leuven, Belgium
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28
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Chen Y, Wei Y, Liu J, Zhu T, Zhou C, Zhang D. Spatial transcriptomics combined with single-nucleus RNA sequencing reveals glial cell heterogeneity in the human spinal cord. Neural Regen Res 2025; 20:3302-3316. [PMID: 38934400 DOI: 10.4103/nrr.nrr-d-23-01876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
JOURNAL/nrgr/04.03/01300535-202511000-00032/figure1/v/2024-12-20T164640Z/r/image-tiff Glial cells play crucial roles in regulating physiological and pathological functions, including sensation, the response to infection and acute injury, and chronic neurodegenerative disorders. Glial cells include astrocytes, microglia, and oligodendrocytes in the central nervous system, and satellite glial cells and Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system. Despite the greater understanding of glial cell types and functional heterogeneity achieved through single-cell and single-nucleus RNA sequencing in animal models, few studies have investigated the transcriptomic profiles of glial cells in the human spinal cord. Here, we used high-throughput single-nucleus RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics to map the cellular and molecular heterogeneity of astrocytes, microglia, and oligodendrocytes in the human spinal cord. To explore the conservation and divergence across species, we compared these findings with those from mice. In the human spinal cord, astrocytes, microglia, and oligodendrocytes were each divided into six distinct transcriptomic subclusters. In the mouse spinal cord, astrocytes, microglia, and oligodendrocytes were divided into five, four, and five distinct transcriptomic subclusters, respectively. The comparative results revealed substantial heterogeneity in all glial cell types between humans and mice. Additionally, we detected sex differences in gene expression in human spinal cord glial cells. Specifically, in all astrocyte subtypes, the levels of NEAT1 and CHI3L1 were higher in males than in females, whereas the levels of CST3 were lower in males than in females. In all microglial subtypes, all differentially expressed genes were located on the sex chromosomes. In addition to sex-specific gene differences, the levels of MT-ND4 , MT2A , MT-ATP6 , MT-CO3 , MT-ND2 , MT-ND3 , and MT-CO2 in all spinal cord oligodendrocyte subtypes were higher in females than in males. Collectively, the present dataset extensively characterizes glial cell heterogeneity and offers a valuable resource for exploring the cellular basis of spinal cord-related illnesses, including chronic pain, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and multiple sclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yali Chen
- Department of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
- Laboratory of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Translational Medicine of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Yiyong Wei
- Department of Anesthesiology, Longgang District Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital of Shenzhen City (Longgang Maternity and Child Institute of Shantou University Medical College), Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou Province, China
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