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Sadaie MR, Farhoudi M, Zamanlu M, Aghamohammadzadeh N, Amouzegar A, Rosenbaum RE, Thomas GA. What does the research say about androgen use and cerebrovascular events? Ther Adv Drug Saf 2018; 9:439-455. [PMID: 30364888 DOI: 10.1177/2042098618773318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2017] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Many studies have investigated the benefits of androgen therapy and neurosteroids in aging men, while concerns remain about the potential associations of exogenous steroids and incidents of cerebrovascular events and ischemic stroke (IS). Testosterone is neuroprotective, neurotrophic and a potent stimulator of neuroplasticity. These benefits are mediated primarily through conversion of a small amount of testosterone to estradiol by the catalytic activity of estrogen synthetase (aromatase cytochrome P450 enzyme). New studies suggest that abnormal serum levels of the nonaromatized potent metabolite of testosterone, either high or low dihydrotestosterone (DHT), is a risk factor for stroke. Associations between pharmacologic androgen use and the incidence of IS are questionable, because a significant portion of testosterone is converted to DHT. There is also insufficient evidence to reject a causal relationship between the pro-testosterone adrenal androgens and incidence of IS. Moreover, vascular intima-media thickness, which is a predictor of stroke and myocardial symptoms, has correlations with sex hormones. Current diagnostic and treatment criteria for androgen therapy for cerebrovascular complications are unclear. Confounding variables, including genetic and metabolic alterations of the key enzymes of steroidogenesis, ought to be considered. Information extracted from pharmacogenetic testing may aid in expounding the protective-destructive properties of neurosteroids, as well as the prognosis of androgen therapy, in particular their cerebrovascular outcomes. This investigative review article addresses relevant findings of the clinical and experimental investigations of androgen therapy, emphasizes the significance of genetic testing of androgen responsiveness towards individualized therapy in post-IS injuries as well as identifying pertinent questions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mehdi Farhoudi
- Neurosciences Research Center (NSRC), Aging Research Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Masumeh Zamanlu
- Neurosciences Research Center (NSRC), Aging Research Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Nasser Aghamohammadzadeh
- Department of Endocrinology, Endocrine Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Atieh Amouzegar
- Endocrine Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Gary A Thomas
- Penn State Hershey Neurology, Penn State University, PA, USA
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Tanaka M, Ogaeri T, Samsonov M, Sokabe M. The 5α-Reductase Inhibitor Finasteride Exerts Neuroprotection Against Ischemic Brain Injury in Aged Male Rats. Transl Stroke Res 2018; 10:67-77. [PMID: 29574659 DOI: 10.1007/s12975-018-0624-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2017] [Revised: 01/24/2018] [Accepted: 03/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Progesterone (P4) exerts potent neuroprotection both in young and aged animal models of stroke. The neuroprotection is likely to be mediated by allopregnanolone (ALLO) metabolized from P4 by 5α-reductase, since the neuroprotection is attenuated by the 5α-reductase inhibitor finasteride, which was done only with young animals though. Thus, we do not know the contribution of ALLO to the P4-induced neuroprotection in aged animals. We examined effects of finasteride on the P4-induced neuroprotection in aged (16-18-month-old) male rats subjected to transient focal cerebral ischemia. Transient focal cerebral ischemia was induced by left middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and occlusion of the bilateral common carotid arteries. MCAO rats were given an 8 mg/kg P4 6 h after MCAO followed by the same treatment once a day for successive 3 days. Finasteride, a 5α-reductase inhibitor, at 20 mg/kg was intraperitoneally injected 30 min prior to the P4-injections. P4 markedly reduced neuronal damage 72 h after MCAO, and the P4-induced neuroprotection was apparently suppressed by finasteride in the aged animals. However, post-ischemic administration of finasteride alone (20 mg/kg) significantly prevented neuronal damage and the impairment of Rotarod performance after MCAO in aged male rats, but not in young ones. The androgen receptor antagonist flutamide markedly suppressed the neuroprotection of finasteride in the cerebral cortex, but not in the striatum, suggesting the androgen receptor-dependent mechanism of the finasteride-induced neuroprotection in the cerebral cortex. Our findings suggested, for the first time, the potential of finasteride as a therapeutic agent in post-ischemic treatment of strokes in aged population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Motoki Tanaka
- Mechanobiology Laboratory, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai, Showa-ku, Nagoya, 466-8550, Japan.
| | - Takunori Ogaeri
- Mechanobiology Laboratory, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai, Showa-ku, Nagoya, 466-8550, Japan
| | | | - Masahiro Sokabe
- Mechanobiology Laboratory, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai, Showa-ku, Nagoya, 466-8550, Japan.
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Farajdokht F, Farhoudi M, Majdi A, Zamanlu M, Sadigh-Eteghad S, Vahedi S, Mahmoudi J. Testosterone May Hold Therapeutic Promise for the Treatment of Ischemic Stroke in Aging: A Closer Look at Laboratory Findings. Adv Pharm Bull 2018; 9:48-55. [PMID: 31011557 PMCID: PMC6468219 DOI: 10.15171/apb.2019.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2018] [Revised: 12/20/2018] [Accepted: 12/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Male sex is more prone to cerebrovascular disorders, yet the exact role of androgens in cerebral
ischemia remains unclear. Here we reviewed current understanding of testosterone (TES)
neuroprotective activity against ischemic stroke and mechanisms underlying these effects in
aging. TES may exert a neuroprotective effect in aging through pathways including inhibition of
oxidant molecules production, enhancing the enzymatic antioxidant capacity of the brain and
modulation of apoptotic cell death. Given this, a better understanding of the neuroprotective
roles of TES may propose an effective therapeutic strategy to improve the quality of life and
decrease androgen-related cerebrovascular problems in the aging men.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fereshteh Farajdokht
- Neurosciences Research Center (NSRC), Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mehdi Farhoudi
- Neurosciences Research Center (NSRC), Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Alireza Majdi
- Neurosciences Research Center (NSRC), Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Masumeh Zamanlu
- Neurosciences Research Center (NSRC), Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Saeed Sadigh-Eteghad
- Neurosciences Research Center (NSRC), Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Shabnam Vahedi
- Neurosciences Research Center (NSRC), Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Javad Mahmoudi
- Neurosciences Research Center (NSRC), Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
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Berberine Ameliorates MCAO Induced Cerebral Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury via Activation of the BDNF–TrkB–PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway. Neurochem Res 2018; 43:702-710. [DOI: 10.1007/s11064-018-2472-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2017] [Revised: 12/25/2017] [Accepted: 01/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Kyriazis M. Four Principles Regarding an Effective Treatment of Aging. Curr Aging Sci 2018; 11:149-154. [PMID: 30362423 PMCID: PMC6388426 DOI: 10.2174/1874609811666181025170059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Revised: 09/07/2018] [Accepted: 10/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The question whether aging is a disease or not, has been asked by many professionals who are involved in the study of age-related degeneration. However, not only an agreement on this remains elusive, but also effective clinical treatments against human aging have not been forthcoming. In this Opinion paper I suggest that the complexity involved in aging is such that we need to remodel our thinking to involve a much more 'systems-oriented' approach. I explore four main principles which should be employed by those who are working on finding treatments against agerelated degeneration. First, I discuss the problems encountered in translating laboratory research into effective therapies for humans. Second, I propose that a 'systems-thinking' method needs to be more extensively employed, instead of relying exclusively on the current reductionist one. Third, it is submitted that we must learn from the history of life-extension research, and not blindly follow contemporary paradigms, which may lead us into yet more 'dead ends' with regards to therapies. Finally, I suggest that, we may need to employ certain universal notions and use these in order to gain insights into the mechanics of a possible therapy against age-related degeneration. Examples may be the principle of hormesis, those of degeneracy, exaptation, and others from cybernetic or systems science domains. By using this four-pronged approach we liberate our thinking from the shackles of existing common mistakes and fallacies, and we open the way for a fresh approach that may lead us towards entirely new paradigms for providing clinically effective therapies against agerelated degeneration.
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Chan CB, Ye K. Sex differences in brain-derived neurotrophic factor signaling and functions. J Neurosci Res 2017; 95:328-335. [PMID: 27870419 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.23863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2016] [Revised: 05/27/2016] [Accepted: 07/11/2016] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a member of the neurotrophin family that plays a critical role in numerous neuronal activities. Recent studies have indicated that some functions or action mechanisms of BDNF vary in a sex-dependent manner. In particular, BDNF content in some brain parts and the tendency to develop BDNF deficiency-related diseases such as depression are greater in female animals. With the support of relevant studies, it has been suggested that sex hormones or steroids can modulate the activities of BDNF, which may account for its functional discrepancy in different sexes. Indeed, the cross-talk between BDNF and sex steroids has been detected for decades, and some sex steroids, such as estrogen, have a positive regulatory effect on BDNF expression and signaling. Thus, the sex of animal models that are used in studying the functions of BDNF is critical. This Mini-Review summarizes our current findings on the differences in expression, signaling, and functions of BDNF between sexes. We also discuss the potential mechanisms for mediating these differential responses, with a specific emphasis on sex steroids. By presenting and discussing these findings, we seek to encourage researchers to take sex influences into consideration when designing experiments, interpreting results, and drawing conclusions. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi Bun Chan
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Keqiang Ye
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, USA
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Schreihofer DA, Oppong-Gyebi A. Genistein: mechanisms of action for a pleiotropic neuroprotective agent in stroke. Nutr Neurosci 2017; 22:375-391. [PMID: 29063799 DOI: 10.1080/1028415x.2017.1391933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Genistein is a plant estrogen promoted as an alternative to post-menopausal hormone therapy because of a good safety profile and its promotion as a natural product. Several preclinical studies of cerebral ischemia and other models of brain injury support a beneficial role for genistein in protecting the brain from injury whether administered chronically or acutely. Like estrogen, genistein is a pleiotropic molecule that engages several different mechanisms to enhance brain health, including reduction of oxidative stress, promotion of growth factor signaling, and immune suppression. These actions occur in endothelial, glial, and neuronal cells to provide a coordinated beneficial action to ischemic challenge. Though many of these protective actions are associated with estrogen-like actions of genistein, additional activities on other receptors and intracellular targets suggest that genistein is more than a mere estrogen-mimic. Importantly, genistein lacks some of the detrimental effects associated with post-menopausal estrogen treatment and may provide an alternative to hormone therapy in those patients at risk for ischemic events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derek A Schreihofer
- a Center for Neuroscience Discovery and Institute for Healthy Aging , University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth , 3500 Camp Bowie Boulevard, Fort Worth , TX 76107 , USA
| | - Anthony Oppong-Gyebi
- a Center for Neuroscience Discovery and Institute for Healthy Aging , University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth , 3500 Camp Bowie Boulevard, Fort Worth , TX 76107 , USA
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Elbejjani M, Schreiner PJ, Siscovick DS, Sidney S, Lewis CE, Bryan NR, Launer LJ. Sex hormones and brain volumes in a longitudinal study of middle-aged men in the CARDIA study. Brain Behav 2017; 7:e00765. [PMID: 29075555 PMCID: PMC5651379 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2016] [Revised: 05/02/2017] [Accepted: 06/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Several findings suggest that testosterone (T) is neuroprotective and that declining T levels during aging are associated with cognitive and brain pathologies; however, little is known on T and brain health in middle-age. We examined the relationships of total T, bioavailable T, and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) levels with total and regional gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) volumes in middle-aged men. We also evaluated the association of sex hormone levels with cognitive function. METHODS Analysis included 267 community-dwelling men participating in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) substudy. Total T, bioavailable T, and SHBG levels were measured at three times from the 2nd to 4th decade of life; brain volumes were measured at the ages of 42-56. Associations were estimated using linear regression models, adjusted for several potential confounders. RESULTS Higher SHBG levels were associated with greater total WM volume (+3.15 cm3 [95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.01, 6.28] per one standard deviation higher SHBG). Higher SHBG levels were associated with lower total and regional GM volumes overall and significantly with smaller parietal GM volume (-0.96 cm3 [95%CI = -1.71, -0.21]). T levels were not related to brain volumes. Neither T nor SHBG levels were associated with cognitive function. CONCLUSION Results suggest a role for SHBG in structural brain outcomes in men and emphasize the value of investigating SHBG levels as modulators of sex hormone and metabolic pathways regulating brain and behavioral characteristics in men.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martine Elbejjani
- Laboratory of Epidemiology and Population ScienceNational Institute on AgingBethesdaMDUSA
| | - Pamela J. Schreiner
- Division of Epidemiology and Community HealthUniversity of MinnesotaMinneapolisMNUSA
| | - David S. Siscovick
- School of Public HealthUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWAUSA
- The New York Academy of MedicineNew York, NYUSA
| | - Stephen Sidney
- Division of ResearchKaiser Permanente Northern CaliforniaOaklandCAUSA
| | - Cora E. Lewis
- Division of Preventive MedicineUniversity of Alabama at BirminghamBirmingham, ALUSA
| | - Nick R. Bryan
- Department of RadiologyUniversity of Pennsylvania Health SystemPhiladelphiaPAUSA
| | - Lenore J. Launer
- Laboratory of Epidemiology and Population ScienceNational Institute on AgingBethesdaMDUSA
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Cho JH, Jung JY, Lee BJ, Lee K, Park JW, Bu Y. Epimedii Herba: A Promising Herbal Medicine for Neuroplasticity. Phytother Res 2017; 31:838-848. [PMID: 28382688 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.5807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2016] [Revised: 02/27/2017] [Accepted: 03/02/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Epimedii Herba (EH) is an herbal medicine originating from several plants of the genus Epimedium. It is a major therapeutic option for kidney yang deficiency syndrome, which is closely related to androgen hormones and also has been used to treat hemiplegia following a stroke in traditional medicine of Korea and PR China. To date, many clinical and basic researches of EH have shown the activities on functional recovery from brain diseases. Recently, neuroplasticity, which is the spontaneous reaction of the brain in response to diseases, has been shown to accelerate functional recovery. In addition, androgen hormones including testosterone are known to be the representative of neuroplasticity factors in the brain recovery processes. In this review, we described the neuro-pharmacological activities of EH, focusing on neuroplasticity. Thirty-three kinds of papers from MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, and CNKI were identified and analyzed. We categorized the results into five types based on neuroplasticity mechanisms and presented the definition of each category and briefly described the results of these papers. Altogether, we can suggest that neuroplasticity is a novel viewpoint for guiding future brain research of EH and provide the evidence for the development of new clinical applications using EH in the treatment of brain diseases. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae-Heung Cho
- College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jae-Young Jung
- College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Beom-Joon Lee
- College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Kyungjin Lee
- College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jae-Woo Park
- College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Youngmin Bu
- College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea
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Suzuki A, Matsuura D, Kanatani H, Yano S, Tsunakawa M, Matsuyama S, Shigemori H. Inhibitory Effects of Polyacetylene Compounds from Panax ginseng on Neurotrophin Receptor-Mediated Hair Growth. Biol Pharm Bull 2017; 40:1784-1788. [DOI: 10.1248/bpb.b17-00205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Aoi Suzuki
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba
| | | | | | - Shingo Yano
- Products Development Department, BATHCLIN CORPORATION
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The Potential of Gonadal Hormone Signalling Pathways as Therapeutics for Dementia. J Mol Neurosci 2016; 60:336-348. [PMID: 27525638 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-016-0813-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2016] [Accepted: 08/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Dementia is an ever-expanding problem facing an ageing society. Currently, there is a sharp paucity of treatment strategies. It has long been known that sex hormones, namely 17β-estradiol and testosterone, possess neuroprotective- and cognitive-enhancing qualities. However, certain lacunae in the knowledge underlying their molecular mechanisms have delayed their use as treatment strategies in dementia. With recent advancements in pharmacology and molecular biology, especially in the development of safer selective oestrogen receptor modulators and the recent discovery of the small-molecule brain-derived neurotrophic factor receptor agonist, 7,8-dihydroxyflavone, the exploitation of these signalling pathways for clinical use has become possible. This review aims to adumbrate the evidence and hurdles underscoring the use of sex hormones in the treatment of dementia as well as discussing some direction that is required to advance the translation of evidence into practise.
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Association of testosterone and BDNF serum levels with craving during alcohol withdrawal. Alcohol 2016; 54:67-72. [PMID: 27514572 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2016.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2016] [Revised: 06/14/2016] [Accepted: 06/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Preclinical and clinical studies show associations between testosterone and brain-derived neurotrophic growth factor (BDNF) serum levels. BDNF and testosterone have been independently reported to influence alcohol consumption. Therefore, we aimed to investigate a possible interplay of testosterone and BDNF contributing to alcohol dependence. Regarding possible interplay of testosterone and BDNF and the activity of the hypothalamic pituitary axis (HPA), we included cortisol serum levels in our research. We investigated testosterone and BDNF serum levels in a sample of 99 male alcohol-dependent patients during alcohol withdrawal (day 1, 7, and 14) and compared them to a healthy male control group (n = 17). The testosterone serum levels were significantly (p < 0.001) higher in the patients' group than in the control group and decreased significantly during alcohol withdrawal (p < 0.001). The decrease of testosterone serum levels during alcohol withdrawal (days 1-7) was significantly associated with the BDNF serum levels (day 1: p = 0.008). In a subgroup of patients showing high cortisol serum levels (putatively mirroring high HPA activity), we found a significant association of BDNF and testosterone as well as with alcohol craving measured by the Obsessive and Compulsive Drinking Scale (OCDS). Our data suggest a possible association of BDNF and testosterone serum levels, which may be relevant for the symptomatology of alcohol dependence. Further studies are needed to clarify our results.
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Toro-Urrego N, Garcia-Segura LM, Echeverria V, Barreto GE. Testosterone Protects Mitochondrial Function and Regulates Neuroglobin Expression in Astrocytic Cells Exposed to Glucose Deprivation. Front Aging Neurosci 2016; 8:152. [PMID: 27445795 PMCID: PMC4921852 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2016.00152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2016] [Accepted: 06/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Testosterone is a hormone that has been shown to confer neuroprotection from different insults affecting the central nervous system (CNS). Testosterone induces this protection by different mechanisms that include the activation of anti-apoptotic pathways that are directly implicated in neuronal survival. However, little attention has been devoted to its actions on glial cells. In the present study, we have assessed whether testosterone exerts protection in a human astrocyte cell model, the T98G cells. Our results indicate that testosterone improves cell survival and mitochondrial membrane potential and reduces nuclear fragmentation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. These effects were accompanied by a positive regulation of neuroglobin, an oxygen-binding and sensor protein, which may serve as a regulator of ROS and nitrogen reactive species (NOS), and these protective effects of testosterone may be at least in part mediated by estradiol and DHT. In conclusion, these findings suggest that astroglia may mediate some of the protective actions of testosterone in the brain upon pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Toro-Urrego
- Departamento de Nutrición y Bioquímica, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad JaverianaBogotá, Colombia
| | | | | | - George E. Barreto
- Departamento de Nutrición y Bioquímica, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad JaverianaBogotá, Colombia
- Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad Autónoma de ChileSantiago, Chile
- Universidad Científica del SurLima, Perú
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Fanaei H, Khayat S, Kasaeian A, Javadimehr M. Effect of curcumin on serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels in women with premenstrual syndrome: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Neuropeptides 2016; 56:25-31. [PMID: 26608718 DOI: 10.1016/j.npep.2015.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2015] [Revised: 11/10/2015] [Accepted: 11/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a variety of physical, mental, and behavioral symptoms that start during the late luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, and the symptoms disappear after the onset of menses. Serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels during luteal phase in women associated with PMS have more alterations than women not suffering from PMS. In this regard, altered luteal BDNF levels in women with PMS might play a role in a set of psychological and somatic symptoms of the PMS. Studies of last decade revealed neuroprotective effects of curcumin and its ability to increase BDNF levels. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of curcumin on serum BDNF level and PMS symptoms severity in women with PMS. Present study is a Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. Curcumin treatment was given for three successive menstrual cycles and each cycle ran 10 days. After having identified persons with PMS, participants were randomly allocated into placebo (n=35) and curcumin (n=35) groups. Each sample in placebo and curcumin groups received two capsules daily for seven days before menstruation and for three days after menstruation for three successive menstrual cycles. Participants noted the severity of the symptoms mentioned in the daily record questionnaire. Self-report was used to determine menstrual cycle phase of participants. At the fourth day of each menstrual cycle venous blood samples were collected for BDNF measurement by ELISA method. Before intervention, BDNF levels and mean scores of PMS symptoms (mood, behavioral and physical symptoms) between two groups showed no significant differences. But in curcumin group first, second and third cycles after interventions BDNF levels were significantly higher and mean scores of PMS symptoms were significantly less than placebo group. Based on our results part of these beneficial effects of curcumin may be mediated through enhancing serum BDNF levels in women with PMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamed Fanaei
- Pregnancy Health Research Center, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran; Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran
| | - Samira Khayat
- Department of Midwifery and Reproductive Health, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Reproductive Health, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Amir Kasaeian
- Hematology-Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Non-communicable Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mani Javadimehr
- School of Medicine, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran
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Zepeda R, Contreras V, Pissani C, Stack K, Vargas M, Owen GI, Lazo OM, Bronfman FC. Venlafaxine treatment after endothelin-1-induced cortical stroke modulates growth factor expression and reduces tissue damage in rats. Neuropharmacology 2016; 107:131-145. [PMID: 26965219 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2016.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2015] [Revised: 03/03/2016] [Accepted: 03/05/2016] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Neuromodulators, such as antidepressants, may contribute to neuroprotection by modulating growth factor expression to exert anti-inflammatory effects and to support neuronal plasticity after stroke. Our objective was to study whether early treatment with venlafaxine, a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, modulates growth factor expression and positively contributes to reducing the volume of infarcted brain tissue resulting in increased functional recovery. We studied the expression of BDNF, FGF2 and TGF-β1 by examining their mRNA and protein levels and cellular distribution using quantitative confocal microscopy at 5 days after venlafaxine treatment in control and infarcted brains. Venlafaxine treatment did not change the expression of these growth factors in sham rats. In infarcted rats, BDNF mRNA and protein levels were reduced, while the mRNA and protein levels of FGF2 and TGF-β1 were increased. Venlafaxine treatment potentiated all of the changes that were induced by cortical stroke alone. In particular, increased levels of FGF2 and TGF-β1 were observed in astrocytes at 5 days after stroke induction, and these increases were correlated with decreased astrogliosis (measured by GFAP) and increased synaptophysin immunostaining at twenty-one days after stroke in venlafaxine-treated rats. Finally, we show that venlafaxine reduced infarct volume after stroke resulting in increased functional recovery, which was measured using ladder rung motor tests, at 21 days after stroke. Our results indicate that the early oral administration of venlafaxine positively contributes to neuroprotection during the acute and late events that follow stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Zepeda
- MINREB and Center for Aging and Regeneration (CARE UC), Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department of Physiology, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Valentina Contreras
- MINREB and Center for Aging and Regeneration (CARE UC), Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department of Physiology, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Claudia Pissani
- MINREB and Center for Aging and Regeneration (CARE UC), Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department of Physiology, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Katherine Stack
- MINREB and Center for Aging and Regeneration (CARE UC), Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department of Physiology, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Macarena Vargas
- Department of Physiology, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Gareth I Owen
- Department of Physiology, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Oscar M Lazo
- MINREB and Center for Aging and Regeneration (CARE UC), Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department of Physiology, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Francisca C Bronfman
- MINREB and Center for Aging and Regeneration (CARE UC), Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department of Physiology, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
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Yang J, Pan Y, Li X, Wang X. Atorvastatin attenuates cognitive deficits through Akt1/caspase-3 signaling pathway in ischemic stroke. Brain Res 2015; 1629:231-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2015.10.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2015] [Revised: 10/05/2015] [Accepted: 10/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Tostes RC, Carneiro FS, Carvalho MHC, Reckelhoff JF. Reactive oxygen species: players in the cardiovascular effects of testosterone. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2015; 310:R1-14. [PMID: 26538238 DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00392.2014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2014] [Accepted: 10/23/2015] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Androgens are essential for the development and maintenance of male reproductive tissues and sexual function and for overall health and well being. Testosterone, the predominant and most important androgen, not only affects the male reproductive system, but also influences the activity of many other organs. In the cardiovascular system, the actions of testosterone are still controversial, its effects ranging from protective to deleterious. While early studies showed that testosterone replacement therapy exerted beneficial effects on cardiovascular disease, some recent safety studies point to a positive association between endogenous and supraphysiological levels of androgens/testosterone and cardiovascular disease risk. Among the possible mechanisms involved in the actions of testosterone on the cardiovascular system, indirect actions (changes in the lipid profile, insulin sensitivity, and hemostatic mechanisms, modulation of the sympathetic nervous system and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system), as well as direct actions (modulatory effects on proinflammatory enzymes, on the generation of reactive oxygen species, nitric oxide bioavailability, and on vasoconstrictor signaling pathways) have been reported. This mini-review focuses on evidence indicating that testosterone has prooxidative actions that may contribute to its deleterious actions in the cardiovascular system. The controversial effects of testosterone on ROS generation and oxidant status, both prooxidant and antioxidant, in the cardiovascular system and in cells and tissues of other systems are reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita C Tostes
- University of São Paulo, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, Ribeirao Preto, São Paulo, Brazil;
| | - Fernando S Carneiro
- University of São Paulo, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, Ribeirao Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Jane F Reckelhoff
- University of Mississippi Medical Center, Women's Health Research Center, Jackson, Mississippi
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68
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Son SW, Lee JS, Kim HG, Kim DW, Ahn YC, Son CG. Testosterone depletion increases the susceptibility of brain tissue to oxidative damage in a restraint stress mouse model. J Neurochem 2015; 136:106-17. [PMID: 26385432 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.13371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2015] [Revised: 09/01/2015] [Accepted: 09/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Seung-Wan Son
- Department of Biomedical Engineering; College of Health Science; Korea University; Seongbuk-Gu Seoul Korea
| | - Jin-Seok Lee
- Liver and Immunology Research Center; Daejeon Oriental Hospital of Oriental Medical Collage of Daejeon University; Jung-gu Daejeon South Korea
| | - Hyeong-Geug Kim
- Liver and Immunology Research Center; Daejeon Oriental Hospital of Oriental Medical Collage of Daejeon University; Jung-gu Daejeon South Korea
| | - Dong-Woon Kim
- Department of Anatomy; Brain Research Institute; Chungnam National University School of Medicine; Daejeon South Korea
| | - Yo-Chan Ahn
- Department of Health Service Management; Daejeon University; Dong-gu Daejeon Korea
| | - Chang-Gue Son
- Department of Biomedical Engineering; College of Health Science; Korea University; Seongbuk-Gu Seoul Korea
- Liver and Immunology Research Center; Daejeon Oriental Hospital of Oriental Medical Collage of Daejeon University; Jung-gu Daejeon South Korea
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69
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Neuroprotective Effects of Clostridium butyricum against Vascular Dementia in Mice via Metabolic Butyrate. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2015; 2015:412946. [PMID: 26523278 PMCID: PMC4615854 DOI: 10.1155/2015/412946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 151] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2015] [Revised: 09/01/2015] [Accepted: 09/20/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Probiotics actively participate in neuropsychiatric disorders. However, the role of gut microbiota in brain disorders and vascular dementia (VaD) remains unclear. We used a mouse model of VaD induced by a permanent right unilateral common carotid arteries occlusion (rUCCAO) to investigate the neuroprotective effects and possible underlying mechanisms of Clostridium butyricum. Following rUCCAO, C. butyricum was intragastrically administered for 6 successive weeks. Cognitive function was estimated. Morphological examination was performed by electron microscopy and hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining. The BDNF-PI3K/Akt pathway-related proteins were assessed by western blot and immunohistochemistry. The diversity of gut microbiota and the levels of butyrate in the feces and the brains were determined. The results showed that C. butyricum significantly attenuated the cognitive dysfunction and histopathological changes in VaD mice. C. butyricum not only increased the levels of BDNF and Bcl-2 and decreased level of Bax but also induced Akt phosphorylation (p-Akt) and ultimately reduced neuronal apoptosis. Moreover, C. butyricum could regulate the gut microbiota and restore the butyrate content in the feces and the brains. These results suggest that C. butyricum might be effective in the treatment of VaD by regulating the gut-brain axis and that it can be considered a new therapeutic strategy against VaD.
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Tovar-y-Romo LB, Penagos-Puig A, Ramírez-Jarquín JO. Endogenous recovery after brain damage: molecular mechanisms that balance neuronal life/death fate. J Neurochem 2015; 136:13-27. [PMID: 26376102 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.13362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2015] [Revised: 07/27/2015] [Accepted: 08/25/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Neuronal survival depends on multiple factors that comprise a well-fueled energy metabolism, trophic input, clearance of toxic substances, appropriate redox environment, integrity of blood-brain barrier, suppression of programmed cell death pathways and cell cycle arrest. Disturbances of brain homeostasis lead to acute or chronic alterations that might ultimately cause neuronal death with consequent impairment of neurological function. Although we understand most of these processes well when they occur independently from one another, we still lack a clear grasp of the concerted cellular and molecular mechanisms activated upon neuronal damage that intervene in protecting damaged neurons from death. In this review, we summarize a handful of endogenously activated mechanisms that balance molecular cues so as to determine whether neurons recover from injury or die. We center our discussion on mechanisms that have been identified to participate in stroke, although we consider different scenarios of chronic neurodegeneration as well. We discuss two central processes that are involved in endogenous repair and that, when not regulated, could lead to tissue damage, namely, trophic support and neuroinflammation. We emphasize the need to construct integrated models of neuronal degeneration and survival that, in the end, converge in neuronal fate after injury. Under neurodegenerative conditions, endogenously activated mechanisms balance out molecular cues that determine whether neurons contend toxicity or die. Many processes involved in endogenous repair may as well lead to tissue damage depending on the strength of stimuli. Signaling mediated by trophic factors and neuroinflammation are examples of these processes as they regulate different mechanisms that mediate neuronal demise including necrosis, apoptosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis and autophagy. In this review, we discuss recent findings on balanced regulation and their involvement in neuronal death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis B Tovar-y-Romo
- División de Neurociencias, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, D. F., México
| | - Andrés Penagos-Puig
- División de Neurociencias, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, D. F., México
| | - Josué O Ramírez-Jarquín
- División de Neurociencias, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, D. F., México
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Kim TH, Vemuganti R. Effect of sex and age interactions on functional outcome after stroke. CNS Neurosci Ther 2015; 21:327-36. [PMID: 25404174 PMCID: PMC6495347 DOI: 10.1111/cns.12346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2014] [Revised: 10/01/2014] [Accepted: 10/03/2014] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. Experimental and clinical studies showed that sex and age play an important role in deciding the outcome after stroke. At younger ages, males were shown to have a higher risk for stroke than females. However, this trend reverses in older ages particularly when females reach menopause. Many preclinical studies indicate that steroid hormones modulate the age-dependent differential stroke outcome. In addition, patterns of cell death pathways activated following cerebral ischemia are distinct between males and females, but independent of steroid hormones. Recent studies also indicate that microRNAs play important roles in mediating sex-specific stroke outcome by regulating stroke-related genes. This review discusses the contribution of sex and age to outcome after stroke with particular emphasis on the experimental studies that examined the effects of steroid hormones, differential cell death pathways, and involvement of sex-specific microRNAs following cerebral ischemia. Current understanding of the role of thrombolytic agents in stroke therapy is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tae-Hee Kim
- Department of Neurological Surgery, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA; Neuroscience Training Program, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
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Qi D, Ouyang C, Wang Y, Zhang S, Ma X, Song Y, Yu H, Tang J, Fu W, Sheng L, Yang L, Wang M, Zhang W, Miao L, Li T, Huang X, Dong H. HO-1 attenuates hippocampal neurons injury via the activation of BDNF–TrkB–PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in stroke. Brain Res 2014; 1577:69-76. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2014.06.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2014] [Revised: 06/24/2014] [Accepted: 06/25/2014] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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