S100B Protein, A Damage-Associated Molecular Pattern Protein in the Brain and Heart, and Beyond

Prevalence and risk factors for post-traumatic stress, anxiety, and depression in sepsis survivors after ICU discharge

OBJECTIVE

Sepsis survivors present a wide range of sequelae; few studies have evaluated psychiatric disorders after sepsis. The objective of this study was to define the prevalence of and risk factors for anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in sepsis survivors.

METHOD

Anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress symptoms in severe sepsis and septic shock survivors 24 h and 1 year after intensive care unit (ICU) discharge were assessed using the Beck Anxiety/Depression Inventories and the PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version. Differences in psychiatric symptoms over time and the influence of variables on these symptoms were calculated with marginal models.

RESULTS

A total of 33 patients were enrolled in the study. The frequencies of anxiety, depression and PTSD 24 h after ICU discharge were 67%, 49%, and 46%, respectively and, among patients re-evaluated 1 year after ICU discharge, the frequencies were 38%, 50%, and 31%, respectively. Factors associated with PTSD included serum S100B level, age, and Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE) score. Factors associated with depression included patient age and cumulative dose of dobutamine. IQCODE score and cumulative dose of haloperidol in the ICU were associated with anxiety after ICU discharge.

CONCLUSION

Patients who survive sepsis have high levels of psychiatric symptoms. Sepsis and associated treatment-related exposures may have a role in increasing the risk of subsequent depression, anxiety, and PTSD.

Increased Cerebrospinal Fluid S100B and NSE Reflect Neuronal and Glial Damage in Parkinson's Disease

Introduction: The diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease (PD) mainly relies on clinical manifestation, but may be difficult to make in very early stages of the disease, especially in pre-motor PD. Thus, there is great interest in finding a biomarker for PD. Among diagnostic biomarkers, the most promising molecules are those which reflect the pathophysiological mechanisms of the disease. Until now, only α-synuclein, a classical CSF Alzheimer’s disease biomarker, and neurofilament light (NFL) chains have turned out to be helpful in differential diagnosis between PD and healthy control subjects.

Aim: To assess whether CSF molecules related to some pathological processes present in PD might be of interest in the diagnosis of PD and whether they correlate with disease severity.

Methods: CSF levels of S100B and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) were measured in 58 PD patients and in 28 healthy control subjects. Correlations were determined between the levels of these CSF molecules and measures of disease severity (Hoehn–Yahr scale and UPDRS part III), as well as disease duration and levodopa dose.

Results: CSF S100B and CSF NSE were both significantly increased in PD subjects vs. healthy controls (p = 0.007 and p = 0.00035, respectively). CSF S100B was significantly positively correlated with measures of disease severity (H-Y score and UPDRS part III), as well as disease duration (p < 0.05). No correlation was found between CSF NSE levels and disease severity or disease duration (p > 0.05). CSF S100B levels alone provided a relatively high discrimination (AUC 0.77) between PD and healthy controls, with 60.7% sensitivity and 88.5% specificity (p < 0.001) at a cut-off value of 123.22 pg/ml. Similarly, CSF NSE levels alone provided a relatively high discrimination (AUC 0.775) between PD and healthy controls, with 78.6% sensitivity and 74.1% specificity at a cut-off value of 51.56 ng/ml (p < 0.001).

Conclusions: Our results show that both CSF S100B and CSF NSE seem to be promising markers of the axonal and glial degeneration present in PD. Additionally CSF S100B may be a promising marker of PD progression.

Cardiac glial cells release neurotrophic S100B upon catheter-based treatment of atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common sustained heart rhythm disorder worldwide, is linked to dysfunction of the intrinsic cardiac autonomic nervous system (ICNS). The role of ICNS damage occurring during catheter-based treatment of AF, which is the therapy of choice for many patients, remains controversial. We show here that the neuronal injury marker S100B is expressed in cardiac glia throughout the ICNS and is released specifically upon catheter ablation of AF. Patients with higher S100B release were more likely to be AF free during follow-up. Subsequent in vitro studies revealed that murine intracardiac neurons react to S100B with diminished action potential firing and increased neurite growth. This suggests that release of S100B from cardiac glia upon catheter-based treatment of AF is a hallmark of acute neural damage that contributes to nerve sprouting and can be used to assess ICNS damage.

Arundic Acid (ONO-2506), an Inhibitor of S100B Protein Synthesis, Prevents Neurological Deficits and Brain Tissue Damage Following Intracerebral Hemorrhage in Male Wistar Rats

Stroke is one of the leading causes of mortality and neurological morbidity. Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) has the poorest prognosis among all stroke subtypes and no treatment has been effective in improving outcomes. Following ICH, the observed high levels of S100B protein have been associated with worsening of injury and neurological deficits. Arundic acid (AA) exerts neuroprotective effects through inhibition of astrocytic synthesis of S100B in some models of experimental brain injury; however, it has not been studied in ICH. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration of AA in male Wistar rats submitted to ICH model assessing the following variables: reactive astrogliosis, S100B levels, antioxidant defenses, cell death, lesion extension and neurological function. Firstly, AA was injected at different doses (0.02, 0.2, 2 and 20 μg/μl) in the left lateral ventricle in order to observe which dose would decrease GFAP and S100B striatal levels in non-injured rats. Following determination of the effective dose, ICH damage was induced by IV-S collagenase intrastrial injection and 2 μg/μl AA was injected through ICV route immediately before injury. AA treatment prevented ICH-induced neurological deficits and tissue damage, inhibited excessive astrocytic activation and cellular apoptosis, reduced peripheral and central S100B levels (in striatum, serum and cerebrospinal fluid), improved neuronal survival and enhanced the antioxidant defences after injury. Altogether, these results suggest that S100B is a viable target for treating ICH and highlight AA as an interesting strategy for improving neurological outcome after experimental brain hemorrhage.

The Effects of Melatonin on the Descending Pain Inhibitory System and Neural Plasticity Markers in Breast Cancer Patients Receiving Chemotherapy: Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Background: Adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer (ACBC) has been associated with fatigue, pain, depressive symptoms, and disturbed sleep. And, previous studies in non-cancer patients showed that melatonin could improve the descending pain modulatory system (DPMS). We tested the hypothesis that melatonin use before and during the first cycle of ACBC is better than placebo at improving the DPMS function assessed by changes in the 0–10 Numerical Pain Scale (NPS) during the conditioned pain modulating task (CPM-task) (primary outcome). The effects of melatonin were evaluated in the following secondary endpoints: heat pain threshold (HPT), heat pain tolerance (HPTo), and neuroplasticity state assessed by serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), tropomyosin kinase receptor B, and S100B-protein and whether melatonin’s effects on pain and neuroplasticity state are due more so to its impact on sleep quality.

Methods: Thirty-six women, ages 18 to 75 years old, scheduled for their first cycle of ACBC were randomized to receive 20mg of oral melatonin (n = 18) or placebo (n = 18). The effect of treatment on the outcomes was analyzed by delta (Δ)-values (from pre to treatment end).

Results: Multivariate analyses of covariance revealed that melatonin improved the function of the DPMS. The Δ-mean (SD) on the NPS (0–10) during the CPM-task in the placebo group was −1.91 [−1.81 (1.67) vs. −0.1 (1.61)], and in the melatonin group was −3.5 [−0.94 (1.61) vs. −2.29 (1.61)], and the mean difference (md) between treatment groups was 1.59 [(95% CI, 0.50 to 2.68). Melatonin’s effect increased the HPTo and HPT while reducing the (Δ)-means of the serum neuroplasticity marker in placebo vs. melatonin. The Δ-BDNF is 1.87 (7.17) vs. −20.44 (17.17), respectively, and the md = 22.31 [(95% CI = 13.40 to 31.22)]; TrKB md = 0.61 [0.46 (0.17) vs. −0.15 (0.18); 95% CI = 0.49 to 0.73)] and S00B-protein md = −8.27[(2.89 (11.18) vs. −11.16 (9.75); 95% CI = −15.38 to −1.16)]. However, melatonin’s effect on pain and the neuroplastic state are not due to its effect on sleep quality.

Conclusions: These results suggest that oral melatonin, together with the first ACBC counteracts the dysfunction in the inhibitory DPMS and improves pain perception measures. Also, it shows that changes in the neuroplasticity state mediate the impact of melatonin on pain.

Clinical Trial Registration:www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT03205033.

Water-soluble C60 fullerene ameliorates astroglial reactivity and TNFa production in retina of diabetic rats

The complications of both first and second types of diabetes mellitus patients are important cause of decline in quality of life and mortality worldwide. Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a widespread complication that affects almost 60% of patients with prolonged (at least 10–15 years) diabetes. The critical role of glial cells has been shown in retinopathy initiation in the last decades. Furthermore, glial reactivity and inflammation could be key players in early pathogenesis of DR. Despite the large amount of research data, the approaches of effective DR therapy remain unclear. The progress of DR is accompanied by pro-inflammatory and pro-oxidative changes in retinal cells including astrocytes and Muller cells. Glial reactivity is a key pathogenetic factor of various disorders in neural tissue. Fullerene C60 nanoparticles were confirmed for both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capability. In the presented study glioprotective efficacy of water-soluble hydrated fullerene C60 (C60HyFn) was tested in a STZ-diabetes model during 12 weeks. Exposure of the STZ-diabetic rat group to C60HyFn ameliorated the astrocyte reactivity which was determined via S100β and PARP1 overexpression. Moreover, C60HyFn induced the decrease of TNFα production in the retina of STZ-diabetic rats. By contrast, the treatment with C60HyFn of the normal control rat group didn’t change the content of all abovementioned markers of astrogliosis and inflammation. Thus, diabetes-induced abnormalities in the retina were suppressed via the anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and glioprotective effects of C60HyFn at low doses. The presented results demonstrate that C60HyFn can ensure viability of retinal cells viability through glioprotective effect and could be a new therapeutic nano-strategy of DR treatment.

Region-Specific Response of Astrocytes to Prion Infection

Chronic neuroinflammation involves reactive microgliosis and astrogliosis, and is regarded as a common pathological hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, ALS and prion diseases. Reactive astrogliosis, routinely observed immunohistochemically as an increase in glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) signal, is a well-documented feature of chronic neuroinflammation associated with neurodegenerative diseases. Recent studies on single-cell transcriptional profiling of a mouse brain revealed that, under normal conditions, several distinct subtypes of astrocytes with regionally specialized distribution exist. However, it remains unclear whether astrocytic response to pro-inflammatory pathological conditions is uniform across whole brain or is region-specific. The current study compares the response of microglia and astrocytes to prions in mice infected with 22L mouse-adapted prion strain. While the intensity of reactive microgliosis correlated well with the extent of PrP^Sc deposition, reactive astrogliosis displayed a different, region-specific pattern. In particular, the thalamus and stratum oriens of hippocampus, which are both affected by 22L prions, displayed strikingly different response of astrocytes to PrP^Sc. Astrocytes in stratum oriens of hippocampus responded to accumulation of PrP^Sc with visible hypertrophy and increased GFAP, while in the thalamus, despite stronger PrP^Sc signal, the increase of GFAP was milder than in hippocampus, and the change in astrocyte morphology was less pronounced. The current study suggests that astrocyte response to prion infection is heterogeneous and, in part, defined by brain region. Moreover, the current work emphasizes the needs for elucidating region-specific changes in functional states of astrocytes and exploring the impact of these changes to chronic neurodegeneration.

Enhanced xeno-free differentiation of hiPSC-derived astroglia applied in a blood-brain barrier model

Background

Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) hold great promise for use in cell therapy applications and for improved in vitro models of human disease. So far, most hiPSC differentiation protocols to astroglia use undefined, animal-containing culture matrices. Laminins, which play an essential role in the regulation of cell behavior, offer a source of defined, animal-free culture matrix.

Methods

In order to understand how laminins affect astroglia differentiation, recombinant human laminin-521 (LN521), was compared to a murine Engelbreth-Holm-Swarm sarcoma derived laminin (L2020). Astroglia expression of protein and mRNA together with glutamate uptake and protein secretion function, were evaluated. Finally, these astroglia were evaluated in a coculture model of the blood–brain barrier (BBB).

Results

Astroglia of good quality were generated from hiPSC on both LN521 and L2020. However, astroglia differentiated on human LN521 showed higher expression of several astroglia specific mRNAs and proteins such as GFAP, S100B, Angiopoietin-1, and EAAT1, compared to astroglia differentiated on murine L2020. In addition, glutamate uptake and ability to induce expression of junction proteins in endothelial cells were affected by the culture matrix for differentiation.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that astroglia differentiated on LN521 display an improved phenotype and are suitable for coculture in a hiPSC-derived BBB model. This provides a starting point for a more defined and robust derivation of astroglia for use in BBB coculture models.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12987-019-0147-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Comparative study on the effects of cigarette smoke exposure, ethanol consumption and association: Behavioral parameters, apoptosis, glial fibrillary acid protein and S100β immunoreactivity in different regions of the rat hippocampus

Exposure to cigarette smoke and ethanol are proposed to trigger neurotoxicity, apoptosis, and to impair neuronal signaling. However, it is little known how the combination of both might trigger astrogliosis and the morphological changes capable of affecting a differential susceptibility of hippocampal regions to these licit drugs. The present study investigated the chronic effects of exposure to cigarette smoke and/or ethanol on behavioral parameters, apoptosis, and alteration in immunoreactivity of glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP) and S100β in the CA1, CA3, and dentate gyrus (DG) of the rat hippocampus. Adult male Wistar rats (n = 32) were divided into four groups: vehicle (VE, glucose 3% in water, 10 mL/kg), cigarette smoke (TOB, total 12 cigarettes per day), ethanol (ethanol, 2 g/kg), and cigarette smoke plus ethanol (TOB plus ethanol, total 12 cigarettes per day plus ethanol 2 g/kg) for 54 days. The groups were submitted to tail-flick, open-field, and inhibitory avoidance tasks. The results showed that ethanol per se worsened the short-term memory. The association between TOB and ethanol increased the immunoreactivity of cleaved caspase-3 in the CA3 and DG regions. The TOB plus ethanol group showed a lower immunoreactivity to GFAP in all regions of the hippocampus. In addition, ethanol and TOB per se also reduced the immunoreactivity for GFAP in the DG. Ethanol increased S100β immunoreactivity only in the DG. In conclusion, this study showed that only ethanol worsened short-term memory, and the DG became more susceptible to changes in the markers investigated. This evidence suggests that DG is more sensitive to neurotoxicity induced by cigarette smoke and ethanol.

Inflammation associated with chronic heart failure leads to enhanced susceptibility to depression

Epidemiological and clinicopathological studies indicate that there is a high risk for chronic heart failure (CHF) in patients suffering from neuropsychiatric disorders, such as depression. However, it is unclear whether CHF causes depression, and the underlying mechanisms of this association remain largely unknown. In this study, mice with myocardial infarction and CHF were used to investigate behavioral alterations as well as changes in the brain-heart axis. During the first 6 months, abnormalities in neuropsychiatric behaviors were detected in mice with CHF. Using the sucrose preference test, a 9 months course of CHF resulted in two subgroups: mice with a significant decrease in sucrose preference, defined herein as "susceptible" (Sus), and mice with a normal sucrose preference, defined herein as "resilient." Compared to the resilient and sham-operated animals, the Sus mice displayed imbalances in glutamate transmission and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activation, abnormal synaptic plasticity, and increased inflammatory responses. Furthermore, abnormal kynurenine metabolism was detected in Sus mice. Our results suggest that long-term CHF increases inflammatory responses in the central nervous system and leads to depression in Sus mice.

L-alpha-aminoadipic acid restricts dopaminergic neurodegeneration and motor deficits in an inflammatory model of Parkinson's disease in male rats

Neuroinflammation is a contributory factor underlying the progressive nature of dopaminergic neuronal loss within the substantia nigra (SN) of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients, albeit the role of astrocytes in this process has been relatively unexplored to date. Here, we aimed to investigate the impact of midbrain astrocytic dysfunction in the pathophysiology of intra-nigral lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced experimental Parkinsonism in male Wistar rats via simultaneous co-injection of the astrocytic toxin L-alpha-aminoadipic acid (L-AAA). Simultaneous intra-nigral injection of L-AAA attenuated the LPS-induced loss of tyrosine hydroxylase-positive (TH⁺ ) dopamine neurons in the SNpc and suppressed the affiliated degeneration of TH⁺ dopaminergic nerve terminals in the striatum. L-AAA also repressed LPS-induced nigrostriatal dopamine depletion and provided partial protection against ensuing motor dysfunction. L-AAA abrogated intra-nigral LPS-induced glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive (GFAP⁺ ) reactive astrogliosis and attenuated the LPS-mediated increases in nigral S100β expression levels in a time-dependent manner, findings which were associated with reduced ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1-positive (Iba1⁺ ) microgliosis, thus indicating a role for reactive astrocytes in sustaining microglial activation at the interface of dopaminergic neuronal loss in response to an immune stimulus. These results indicate that midbrain astrocytic dysfunction restricts the development of dopaminergic neuropathology and motor impairments in rats, highlighting reactive astrocytes as key contributors in inflammatory associated degeneration of the nigrostriatal tract.

S100B regulates inflammatory response during osteoarthritis via fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 signaling

The present study aimed to investigate the role of S100B in the inflammation process during osteoarthritis (OA). OA cartilage samples were collected for S100B expression analysis. S100B expression levels were significantly increased in patients with OA compared with the Controls (1.28±0.66 vs. 0.42±0.31; P=0.01) and were determined to be correlated with TNF-α (r=0.42; P=0.04) and IL-1β (r=0.73; P=0.001) expression levels. Orthopedic casting tape was used to immobilize the right knee at 180° extension of adult female New Zealand white rabbits for 4 weeks to establish an OA model. Cartilage specimens from the medial femoral condyle of these rabbits were used for histological confirmation and immunohistochemical analyses, whereas synovial fluid was used in ELISA assays for tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-1β expression levels. Human synovial fibroblasts from the knee synovial tissues of normal patients with traumatic injury were transfected with S100B overexpression and knockdown plasmids and subjected to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation; subsequently, TNF-α and IL-1β expression levels in conditioned medium were determined by ELISA; S100B overexpression and knockdown significantly increased and decreased the TNF-α and IL-1β expression levels, respectively. Increased TNF-α (573.3±15.4 vs. 102.6±8.7 pg) and IL-1β (378.6±7.2 vs. 170.1±5.8 pg) expression levels were detected in OA model rabbits compared with the Control rabbits. Additionally, S100B, fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-1 and FGF receptor (FGFR)-1 mRNA and protein expression levels were increased in OA model rabbits compared with the Control group. FGFR1 knockdown significantly decreased TNF-α and IL-1β expression levels in LPS-stimulated S100B-overexpressing human synovial fibroblasts. S100B is involved in FGFR1 signaling-mediated inflammatory response during OA, which may be considered as a potential therapeutic target.

Role of Damage Associated Molecular Pattern Molecules (DAMPs) in Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (aSAH)

Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) represents only a small portion of all strokes, but accounts for almost half of the deaths caused by stroke worldwide. Neurosurgical clipping and endovascular coiling can successfully obliterate the bleeding aneurysms, but ensuing complications such as cerebral vasospasm, acute and chronic hydrocephalus, seizures, cortical spreading depression, delayed ischemic neurological deficits, and delayed cerebral ischemia lead to poor clinical outcomes. The mechanisms leading to these complications are complex and poorly understood. Early brain injury resulting from transient global ischemia can release molecules that may be critical to initiate and sustain inflammatory response. Hence, the events during early brain injury can influence the occurrence of delayed brain injury. Since the damage associated molecular pattern molecules (DAMPs) might be the initiators of inflammation in the pathophysiology of aSAH, so the aim of this review is to highlight their role in the context of aSAH from diagnostic, prognostic, therapeutic, and drug therapy monitoring perspectives. DAMPs represent a diverse and a heterogenous group of molecules derived from different compartments of cells upon injury. Here, we have reviewed the most important DAMPs molecules including high mobility group box-1 (HMGB1), S100B, hemoglobin and its derivatives, extracellular matrix components, IL-1α, IL-33, and mitochondrial DNA in the context of aSAH and their role in post-aSAH complications and clinical outcome after aSAH.

Proteome profiling in the hippocampus, medial prefrontal cortex, and striatum of aging rat

Decrease in multiple functions occurs in the brain with aging, all of which can contribute to age-related cognitive and locomotor impairments. Brain atrophy specifically in hippocampus, medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and striatum, can contribute to this age-associated decline in function. Our recent metabolomics analysis showed age-related changes in these brain regions. To further understand the aging processes, analysis using a proteomics approach was carried out. This study was conducted to identify proteome profiles in the hippocampus, mPFC, and striatum of 14-, 18-, 23-, and 27-month-old rats. Proteomics analysis using ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography coupled with Q Exactive HF Orbitrap mass spectrometry identified 1074 proteins in the hippocampus, 871 proteins in the mPFC, and 241 proteins in the striatum. Of these proteins, 97 in the hippocampus, 25 in mPFC, and 5 in striatum were differentially expressed with age. The altered proteins were classified into three ontologies (cellular component, molecular function, and biological process) containing 44, 38, and 35 functional groups in the hippocampus, mPFC, and striatum, respectively. Most of these altered proteins participate in oxidative phosphorylation (e.g. cytochrome c oxidase and ATP synthase), glutathione metabolism (e.g. peroxiredoxins), or calcium signaling pathway (e.g. protein S100B and calmodulin). The most prominent changes were observed in the oldest animals. These results suggest that alterations in oxidative phosphorylation, glutathione metabolism, and calcium signaling pathway are involved in cognitive and locomotor impairments in aging.

Cell Death Pathways: a Novel Therapeutic Approach for Neuroscientists

In the first part, the following mechanisms involved in different forms of cell death are considered, with a view to identifying potential therapeutic targets: tumour necrosis factor receptors (TNFRs) and their engagement by tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α); poly [ADP-ribose] polymerase (PARP)-1 cleavage; the apoptosis signalling kinase (ASK)-c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) axis; lysosomal permeability; activation of programmed necrotic cell death; oxidative stress, caspase-3 inhibition and parthanatos; activation of inflammasomes by reactive oxygen species and the development of pyroptosis; oxidative stress, calcium dyshomeostasis and iron in the development of lysosomal-mediated necrosis and lysosomal membrane permeability; and oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, iron dyshomeostasis and ferroptosis. In the second part, there is a consideration of the role of lethal and sub-lethal activation of these pathways in the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of neurodegenerative and neuroprogressive disorders, with particular reference to the TNF-α-TNFR signalling axis; dysregulation of ASK-1-JNK signalling; prolonged or chronic PARP-1 activation; the role of pyroptosis and chronic inflammasome activation; and the roles of lysosomal permeabilisation, necroptosis and ferroptosis. Finally, it is suggested that, in addition to targeting oxidative stress and inflammatory processes generally, neuropsychiatric disorders may respond to therapeutic targeting of TNF-α, PARP-1, the Nod-like receptor NLRP3 inflammasome and the necrosomal molecular switch receptor-interacting protein kinase-3, since their widespread activation can drive and/or exacerbate peripheral inflammation and neuroinflammation even in the absence of cell death. To this end, the use is proposed of a combination of the tetracycline derivative minocycline and N-acetylcysteine as adjunctive treatment for a range of neuropsychiatric disorders.

Investigating the Conformation of S100β Protein Under Physiological Parameters Using Computational Modeling: A Clue for Rational Drug Design

BACKGROUND

Physiochemical factors such as temperature, pH and cofactors are well known parameters that confer conformational changes in a protein structure. With S100β protein being a metal binding brain-specific receptor for both extracellular and intracellular functions, a change in conformation due to the above-mentioned factors, can compromise their cellular functions and therefore result in several pathological conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Ischemic stroke, as well as Myocardial Infarction.

OBJECTIVE

The studies conducted sought to elucidate the effect of these physiological factors on the conformational dynamics of S100β protein using computational modeling approaches.

METHOD

Temperature-dependent and protein-cofactor complexes molecular dynamics simulations were conducted by varying the temperature from 100 to 400K using GROMACS 5.0.3. Additionally, the conformational dynamics of the protein was studied by varying the pH at 5.0, 7.4 and 9.0 using Ambertools17. This was done by preparing the protein molecule, solvating and minimizing its energy level as well as heating it to the required temperature, equilibrating and simulating under desired conditions (NVT and NPT ensembles).

RESULTS

The results show that the protein misfolds as a function of increasing temperature with alpha helical content at 100K and 400K being 57.8% and 43.3%, respectively. However, the binding sites of the protein was not appreciably affected by temperature variations. The protein displayed high conformational instability in acidic medium (pH ~5.0). The binding sites of Ca2+, Mg2+ and Zn2+ were identified and each exhibited different groupings of the secondary structural elements (binding motifs). The secondary structure analysis revealed different conformational changes with the characteristic appearance of two beta hairpins in the presence of Zn2+and Mg2+.

CONCLUSION

High temperatures, different cofactors and acidic pH confer conformational changes to the S100β structure and these results may inform the design of novel drugs against the protein.

The neuronal S100B protein is a calcium-tuned suppressor of amyloid-β aggregation

Amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregation and neuroinflammation are consistent features in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and strong candidates for the initiation of neurodegeneration. S100B is one of the most abundant proinflammatory proteins that is chronically up-regulated in AD and is found associated with senile plaques. This recognized biomarker for brain distress may, thus, play roles in amyloid aggregation which remain to be determined. We report a novel role for the neuronal S100B protein as suppressor of Aβ42 aggregation and toxicity. We determined the structural details of the interaction between monomeric Aβ42 and S100B, which is favored by calcium binding to S100B, possibly involving conformational switching of disordered Aβ42 into an α-helical conformer, which locks aggregation. From nuclear magnetic resonance experiments, we show that this dynamic interaction occurs at a promiscuous peptide-binding region within the interfacial cleft of the S100B homodimer. This physical interaction is coupled to a functional role in the inhibition of Aβ42 aggregation and toxicity and is tuned by calcium binding to S100B. S100B delays the onset of Aβ42 aggregation by interacting with Aβ42 monomers inhibiting primary nucleation, and the calcium-bound state substantially affects secondary nucleation by inhibiting fibril surface-catalyzed reactions through S100B binding to growing Aβ42 oligomers and fibrils. S100B protects cells from Aβ42-mediated toxicity, rescuing cell viability and decreasing apoptosis induced by Aβ42 in cell cultures. Together, our findings suggest that molecular targeting of S100B could be translated into development of novel approaches to ameliorate AD neurodegeneration.

Competitive apnea and its effect on the human brain: focus on the redox regulation of blood-brain barrier permeability and neuronal-parenchymal integrity

Static apnea provides a unique model that combines transient hypertension, hypercapnia, and severe hypoxemia. With apnea durations exceeding 5 min, the purpose of the present study was to determine how that affects cerebral free-radical formation and the corresponding implications for brain structure and function. Measurements were obtained before and following a maximal apnea in 14 divers with transcerebral exchange kinetics, measured as the product of global cerebral blood flow (duplex ultrasound) and radial arterial to internal jugular venous concentration differences ( a-vD). Apnea increased the systemic (arterial) and, to a greater extent, the regional (jugular venous) concentration of the ascorbate free radical, resulting in a shift from net cerebral uptake to output ( P < 0.05). Peroxidation (lipid hydroperoxides, LDL oxidation), NO bioactivity, and S100β were correspondingly enhanced ( P < 0.05), the latter interpreted as minor and not a pathologic disruption of the blood-brain barrier. However, those changes were insufficient to cause neuronal-parenchymal damage confirmed by the lack of change in the a-vD of neuron-specific enolase and human myelin basic protein ( P > 0.05). Collectively, these observations suggest that increased cerebral oxidative stress following prolonged apnea in trained divers may reflect a functional physiologic response, rather than a purely maladaptive phenomenon.-Bain, A. R., Ainslie, P. N., Hoiland, R. L., Barak, O. F., Drvis, I., Stembridge, M., MacLeod, D. M., McEneny, J., Stacey, B. S., Tuaillon, E., Marchi, N., De Maudave, A. F., Dujic, Z., MacLeod, D. B., Bailey, D. M. Competitive apnea and its effect on the human brain: focus on the redox regulation of blood-brain barrier permeability and neuronal-parenchymal integrity.

Aging and Parkinson's Disease: Inflammaging, neuroinflammation and biological remodeling as key factors in pathogenesis

In order to better understand the pathogenesis of Parkinson's Disease (PD) it is important to consider possible contributory factors inherent to the aging process, as age-related changes in a number of physiological systems (perhaps incurred within particular environments) appear to influence the onset and progression of neurodegenerative disorders. Accordingly, we posit that a principal mechanism underlying PD is inflammaging, i.e. the chronic inflammatory process characterized by an imbalance of pro- and anti-inflammatory mechanisms which has been recognized as operative in several age-related, and notably neurodegenerative diseases. Recent conceptualization suggests that inflammaging is part of the complex adaptive mechanisms ("re-modeling") that are ongoing through the lifespan, and which function to prevent or mitigate endogenous processes of tissue disruption and degenerative change(s). The absence of an adequate anti-inflammatory response can fuel inflammaging, which propagates on both local (i.e.- from cell to cell) and systemic levels (e.g.- via exosomes and other molecules present in the blood). In general, this scenario is compatible with the hypothesis that inflammaging represents a hormetic or hormetic-like effect, in which low levels of inflammatory stress may prompt induction of anti-inflammatory mediators and mechanisms, while sustained pro-inflammatory stress incurs higher and more durable levels of inflammatory substances, which, in turn prompt a local-to-systemic effect and more diverse inflammatory response(s). Given this perspective, new treatments of PD may be envisioned that strategically are aimed at exerting hormetic effects to sustain anti-inflammatory responses, inclusive perhaps, of modulating the inflammatory influence of the gut microbiota.

Prognostic Roles of mRNA Expression of S100 in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

The S100 protein family is involved in cancer cell invasion and metastasis, but its prognostic value in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has not been elucidated. In the present study we investigated the prognostic role of mRNA expression of each individual S100 in NSCLC patients through the Kaplan-Meier plotter (KM plotter) database. Expression of 14 members of the S100 family correlated with overall survival (OS) for all NSCLC patients; 18 members were associated with OS in adenocarcinoma, but none were associated with OS in squamous cell carcinoma. In particular, high mRNA expression level of S100B was associated with better OS in NSCLC patients. The prognostic value of S100 according to smoking status, pathological grades, clinical stages, and chemotherapeutic treatment of NSCLC was further assessed. Although the results should be further verified in clinical trials our findings provide new insights into the prognostic roles of S100 proteins in NSCLC and might promote development of S100-targeted inhibitors for the treatment of NSCLC.

Post-Operative Cognitive Dysfunction: An exploration of the inflammatory hypothesis and novel therapies

Post-Operative Cognitive Dysfunction (POCD) is a highly prevalent condition with significant clinical, social and financial impacts for patients and their communities. The underlying pathophysiology is becoming increasingly understood, with the role of neuroinflammation and oxidative stress secondary to surgery and anaesthesia strongly implicated. This review aims to describe the putative mechanisms by which surgery-induced inflammation produces cognitive sequelae, with a focus on identifying potential novel therapies based upon their ability to modify these pathways.

S100B promotes injury-induced vascular remodeling through modulating smooth muscle phenotype

S100B is a biomarker of nervous system injury, but it is unknown if it is also involved in vascular injury. In the present study, we investigated S100B function in vascular remodeling following injury. Balloon injury in rat carotid artery progressively induced neointima formation while increasing S100B expression in both neointimal vascular smooth muscle (VSMC) and serum along with an induction of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Knockdown of S100B by its shRNA delivered by adenoviral transduction attenuated the PCNA expression and neointimal hyperplasia in vivo and suppressed PDGF-BB-induced VSMC proliferation and migration in vitro. Conversely, overexpression of S100B promoted VSMC proliferation and migration. Mechanistically, S100B altered VSMC phenotype by decreasing the contractile protein expression, which appeared to be mediated by NF-κB activity. S100B induced NF-κB-p65 gene transcription, protein expression and nuclear translocation. Blockade of NF-κB activity by its inhibitor reversed S100B-mediated downregulation of VSMC contractile protein and increase in VSMC proliferation and migration. It appeared that S100B regulated NF-κB expression through, at least partially, the Receptor for Advanced Glycation End products (RAGE) because RAGE inhibitor attenuated S100B-mediated NF-κB promoter activity as well as VSMC proliferation. Most importantly, S100B secreted from VSMC impaired endothelial tube formation in vitro, and knockdown of S100B promoted re-endothelialization of injury-denuded arteries in vivo. These data indicated that S100B is a novel regulator for vascular remodeling following injury and may serve as a potential biomarker for vascular damage or drug target for treating proliferative vascular diseases.

The Pathophysiological Role of Microglia in Dynamic Surveillance, Phagocytosis and Structural Remodeling of the Developing CNS

In vertebrates, during an early wave of hematopoiesis in the yolk sac between embryonic day E7.0 and E9.0, cells of mesodermal leaflet addressed to macrophage lineage enter in developing central nervous system (CNS) and originate the developing native microglial cells. Depending on the species, microglial cells represent 5–20% of glial cells resident in adult brain. Here, we briefly discuss some canonical functions of the microglia, i.e., cytokine secretion and functional transition from M1 to M2 phenotype. In addition, we review studies on the non-canonical functions of microglia such as regulation of phagocytosis, synaptic pruning, and sculpting postnatal neural circuits. In this latter context the contribution of microglia to some neurodevelopmental disorders is now well established. Nasu-Hakola (NHD) disease is considered a primary microgliopathy with alterations of the DNAX activation protein 12 (DAP12)-Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM-2) signaling and removal of macromolecules and apoptotic cells followed by secondary microglia activation. In Rett syndrome Mecp2^-/- microglia shows a substantial impairment of phagocytic ability, although the role of microglia is not yet clear. In a mouse model of Tourette syndrome (TS), microglia abnormalities have also been described, and deficient microglia-mediated neuroprotection is obvious. Here we review the role of microglial cells in neurodevelopmental disorders without inflammation and on the complex role of microglia in developing CNS.

ALCAM a novel biomarker in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus complicated with diabetic nephropathy

BACKGROUND & AIM

Activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule (ALCAM/CD166) functions analogue to the receptor of advanced glycation end products, which has been implicated in the development of diabetic nephropathy (DN). We investigated the expression of ALCAM and its ligand S100B in patients with DN.

METHODS

A total of 34 non-diabetic patients, 29 patients with type 2 diabetes and normal albuminuria and 107 patients with type 2 diabetes complicated with DN were assessed for serum concentration of soluble ALCAM (sALCAM) by ELISA. Expression of ALCAM and S100B in kidney histology from patients with DN was determined by immunohistochemistry. Cell expression of ALCAM and S100B was analyzed through confocal immunofluorescence microscopy.

RESULTS

Serum concentration of sALCAM was increased in diabetic patients with DN compared to non-diabetic (59.85±14.99ng/ml vs. 126.88±66.45ng/ml, P<0.0001). Moreover sALCAM correlated positively with HbA1c (R=0.31, P<0.0001), as well as with the stages of chronic kidney disease and negatively correlated with eGFR (R=-0.20, P<0.05). In diabetic patients with normal albuminuria sALCAM was increased compared to patients with DN (126.88±66.45ng/ml vs. 197.50±37.17ng/ml, P<0.0001). In diabetic patients, ALCAM expression was significantly upregulated in both the glomeruli and tubules (P<0.001). ALCAM expression in the glomeruli correlated with presence of sclerosis (R=0.25, P<0.001) and localized mainly in the podocytes supporting the hypothesis that membrane bound ALCAM drives diabetic nephropathy and thus explaining sALCAM decrease in diabetic patients with DN. The expression of S100B was increased significantly in the glomeruli of diabetic patients (P<0.001), but not in the tubules. S100B was as well localized in the podocytes.

CONCLUSIONS

This study identifies for the first time ALCAM as a potential mediator in the late complications of diabetes in the kidney.

Phase-Dependent Astroglial Alterations in Li-Pilocarpine-Induced Status Epilepticus in Young Rats

Epilepsy prevalence is high in infancy and in the elderly population. Lithium-pilocarpine is widely used to induce experimental animal models of epilepsy, leading to similar neurochemical and morphological alterations to those observed in temporal lobe epilepsy. As astrocytes have been implicated in epileptic disorders, we hypothesized that specific astroglial changes accompany and contribute to epileptogenesis. Herein, we evaluated time-dependent astroglial alterations in the hippocampus of young (27-day-old) rats at 1, 14 and 56 days after Li-pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus (SE), corresponding to different phases in this model of epilepsy. We determined specific markers of astroglial activation: GFAP, S100B, glutamine synthetase (GS), glutathione (GSH) content, aquaporin-4 (AQP-4) and potassium channel Kir 4.1; as well as epileptic behavioral, inflammatory and neurodegenerative changes. Phase-dependent signs of hippocampal astrogliosis were observed, as demonstrated by increments in GFAP, S100B and GS. Astrocyte dysfunction in the hippocampus was characterized, based on the decrease in GSH content, AQP-4 and Kir 4.1 channels. Degenerating neurons were identified by Fluoro-Jade C staining. We found a clear, early (at SE1) and persistent (at SE56) increase in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) S100B levels. Additionally, serum S100B was found to decrease soon after SE induction, implicating a rapid-onset increase in the CSF/serum S100B ratio. However, serum S100B increased at SE14, possibly reflecting astroglial activation and/or long-term increase in cerebrovascular permeability. Moreover, we suggest that peripheral S100B levels may represent a useful marker for SE in young rats and for follow up during the chronic phases of this model of epilepsy. Together, results reinforce and extend the idea of astroglial involvement in epileptic disorders.

Sterile Neuroinflammation and Strategies for Therapeutic Intervention

Sterile neuroinflammation is essential for the proper brain development and tissue repair. However, uncontrolled neuroinflammation plays a major role in the pathogenesis of various disease processes. The endogenous intracellular molecules so called damage-associated molecular patterns or alarmins or damage signals that are released by activated or necrotic cells are thought to play a crucial role in initiating an immune response. Sterile inflammatory response that occurs in Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), stroke, hemorrhage, epilepsy, or traumatic brain injury (TBI) creates a vicious cycle of unrestrained inflammation, driving progressive neurodegeneration. Neuroinflammation is a key mechanism in the progression (e.g., AD and PD) or secondary injury development (e.g., stroke, hemorrhage, stress, and TBI) of multiple brain conditions. Hence, it provides an opportunity for the therapeutic intervention to prevent progressive tissue damage and loss of function. The key for developing anti-neuroinflammatory treatment is to minimize the detrimental and neurotoxic effects of inflammation while promoting the beneficial and neurotropic effects, thereby creating ideal conditions for regeneration and repair. This review outlines how inflammation is involved in the pathogenesis of major nonpathogenic neuroinflammatory conditions and discusses the complex response of glial cells to damage signals. In addition, emerging experimental anti-neuroinflammatory drug treatment strategies are discussed.

Tyrosine Hydroxylase Binding to Phospholipid Membranes Prompts Its Amyloid Aggregation and Compromises Bilayer Integrity

Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), a rate-limiting enzyme in the synthesis of catecholamine neurotransmitters and hormones, binds to negatively charged phospholipid membranes. Binding to both large and giant unilamellar vesicles causes membrane permeabilization, as observed by efflux and influx of fluorescence dyes. Whereas the initial protein-membrane interaction involves the N-terminal tail that constitutes an extension of the regulatory ACT-domain, prolonged membrane binding induces misfolding and self-oligomerization of TH over time as shown by circular dichroism and Thioflavin T fluorescence. The gradual amyloid-like aggregation likely occurs through cross-β interactions involving aggregation-prone motives in the catalytic domains, consistent with the formation of chain and ring-like protofilaments observed by atomic force microscopy in monolayer-bound TH. PC12 cells treated with the neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine displayed increased TH levels in the mitochondrial fraction, while incubation of isolated mitochondria with TH led to a decrease in the mitochondrial membrane potential. Furthermore, cell-substrate impedance and viability assays showed that supplementing the culture media with TH compromises cell viability over time. Our results revealed that the disruptive effect of TH on cell membranes may be a cytotoxic and pathogenic factor if the regulation and intracellular stability of TH is compromised.

S100B raises the alert in subarachnoid hemorrhage

Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a devastating disease with high mortality and mobility, the novel therapeutic strategies of which are essentially required. The calcium binding protein S100B has emerged as a brain injury biomarker that is implicated in pathogenic process of SAH. S100B is mainly expressed in astrocytes of the central nervous system and functions through initiating intracellular signaling or via interacting with cell surface receptor, such as the receptor of advanced glycation end products. The biological roles of S100B in neurons have been closely associated with its concentrations, resulting in either neuroprotection or neurotoxicity. The levels of S100B in the blood have been suggested as a biomarker to predict the progress or the prognosis of SAH. The role of S100B in the development of cerebral vasospasm and brain damage may result from the induction of oxidative stress and neuroinflammation after SAH. To get further insight into mechanisms underlying the role of S100B in SAH based on this review might help us to find novel therapeutic targets for SAH.

An Interplay of S-Nitrosylation and Metal Ion Binding for Astrocytic S100B Protein

Mammalian S100B protein plays multiple important roles in cellular brain processes. The protein is a clinically used marker for several pathologies including brain injury, neurodegeneration and cancer. High levels of S100B released by astrocytes in Down syndrome patients are responsible for reduced neurogenesis of neural progenitor cells and induction of cell death in neurons. Despite increasing understanding of S100B biology, there are still many questions concerning the detailed molecular mechanisms that determine specific activities of S100B. Elevated overexpression of S100B protein is often synchronized with increased nitric oxide-related activity. In this work we show S100B is a target of exogenous S-nitrosylation in rat brain protein lysate and identify endogenous S-nitrosylation of S100B in a cellular model of astrocytes. Biochemical studies are presented indicating S-nitrosylation tunes the conformation of S100B and modulates its Ca²⁺ and Zn²⁺ binding properties. Our in vitro results suggest that the possibility of endogenous S-nitrosylation should be taken into account in the further studies of in vivo S100B protein activity, especially under conditions of increased NO-related activity.

Interleukin-11 binds specific EF-hand proteins via their conserved structural motifs

Interleukin-11 (IL-11) is a hematopoietic cytokine engaged in numerous biological processes and validated as a target for treatment of various cancers. IL-11 contains intrinsically disordered regions that might recognize multiple targets. Recently we found that aside from IL-11RA and gp130 receptors, IL-11 interacts with calcium sensor protein S100P. Strict calcium dependence of this interaction suggests a possibility of IL-11 interaction with other calcium sensor proteins. Here we probed specificity of IL-11 to calcium-binding proteins of various types: calcium sensors of the EF-hand family (calmodulin, S100B and neuronal calcium sensors: recoverin, NCS-1, GCAP-1, GCAP-2), calcium buffers of the EF-hand family (S100G, oncomodulin), and a non-EF-hand calcium buffer (α-lactalbumin). A specific subset of the calcium sensor proteins (calmodulin, S100B, NCS-1, GCAP-1/2) exhibits metal-dependent binding of IL-11 with dissociation constants of 1-19 μM. These proteins share several amino acid residues belonging to conservative structural motifs of the EF-hand proteins, 'black' and 'gray' clusters. Replacements of the respective S100P residues by alanine drastically decrease its affinity to IL-11, suggesting their involvement into the association process. Secondary structure and accessibility of the hinge region of the EF-hand proteins studied are predicted to control specificity and selectivity of their binding to IL-11. The IL-11 interaction with the EF-hand proteins is expected to occur under numerous pathological conditions, accompanied by disintegration of plasma membrane and efflux of cellular components into the extracellular milieu.

Beneficial effects of intravenous dexmedetomidine on cognitive function and cerebral injury following a carotid endarterectomy

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of dexmedetomidine (DEX) on cognition following a carotid endarterectomy (CEA). In addition, the neuroprotective effects of DEX against ischemia-reperfusion injury during CEA were analyzed. Patients due to undergo elective CEA under general anesthesia were randomly assigned to either the DEX-treated group (group D; n=25) or the control group (group C; n=25). Patients in group D were treated with 0.3 µg/kg DEX pre-CEA, followed by 0.3 µg/kg/h DEX intraoperatively up to 30 min prior to the completion of surgery, and the patients in group C received an equal volume of normal saline. Cognitive function was assessed prior to CEA (T0), and at 24, 48, and 72 h, 7 days and 1 month post-surgery (T1-5, respectively), using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Blood samples were drawn from the ipsilateral jugular bulb of all patients at 20 min prior to anesthesia (t0), and at 10 min following tracheal intubation, 15 min following clamping and unclamping of the carotid artery, and at 6 and 24 h postoperatively (t1-5, respectively). The protein expression levels of markers of cerebral ischemia and injury, namely S100 calcium-binding protein B (S100B) and neuron-specific enolase (NSE), and the concentration of the oxidative stress marker malondialdehyde (MDA), were analyzed. Patients in group D exhibited elevated MMSE scores at T2 and T3 post-CEA, as compared with group C. Furthermore, the protein expression level of S100B and the concentration of MDA in the jugular bulb of group D patients were markedly decreased compared with those in group C at t3-5 and t3, respectively. The results of the present study suggested that DEX was able to enhance the recovery of cognition following CEA, and this was associated with decreased cerebral damage and antioxidative effects.

Intracerebroventricular application of S100B selectively impairs pial arteriolar dilating function in rats

S100B is an astrocyte-derived protein that can act through the receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (RAGE) to mediate either "trophic" or "toxic" responses. Its levels increase in many neurological conditions with associated microvascular dysregulation, such as subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and traumatic brain injury. The role of S100B in the pathogenesis of microvasculopathy has not been addressed. This study was designed to examine whether S100B alters pial arteriolar vasodilating function. Rats were randomized to receive (1) artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF), (2) exogenous S100B, and (3) exogenous S100B+the decoy soluble RAGE (sRAGE). S100B was infused intracerebroventricularly (icv) using an osmotic pump and its levels in the CSF were adjusted to achieve a concentration similar to what we observed in SAH. After 48 h of continuous icv infusion, a cranial window/intravital microscopy was applied to animals for evaluation of pial arteriolar dilating responses to sciatic nerve stimulation (SNS), hypercapnia, and topical suffusion of vasodilators including acetylcholine (ACh), s-nitroso-N-acetyl penicillamine (SNAP), or adenosine (ADO). Pial arteriolar dilating responses were calculated as the percentage change of arteriolar diameter in relation to baseline. The continuous S100B infusion for 48 h was associated with reduced responses to the neuronal-dependent vasodilator SNS (p<0.05) and the endothelial-dependent vasodilator ACh (p<0.05), compared to controls. The inhibitory effects of S100B were prevented by sRAGE. On the other hand, S100B did not alter the responses elicited by vascular smooth muscle cell-dependent vasodilators, namely hypercapnia, SNAP, or ADO. These findings indicate that S100B regulates neuronal and endothelial dependent cerebral arteriolar dilation and suggest that this phenomenon is mediated through RAGE-associated pathways.

Nerve Blockage Attenuates Postoperative Inflammation in Hippocampus of Young Rat Model with Surgical Trauma

It is hypothesized that central nervous system inflammation induced by systematic inflammation due to surgical trauma plays a critical role in postoperative cognitive dysfunction. The potential inhibitory effect of nerve blockage with local anesthetics on peripheral inflammatory response has been reported. We hypothesize that nerve blockage may be effective in reducing postoperative inflammation and cognitive decline. The rats at the age of 4 weeks were subjected to general anesthesia and humeral fracture fixation, in combination with brachial plexus block, saline versus ropivacaine, respectively. The rats from control group underwent general anesthesia only. The expression of proinflammatory cytokines in plasma and in hippocampus was measured. Open field test and new object recognition task were performed before surgery and on postoperative days (POD) 1, 3, and 7. Compared with control group, the level of cytokines in plasma and hippocampus revealed an obvious increase in surgery groups. The effect of brachial plexus block on decreasing cytokines was observed. The rats exposed to surgery without brachial plexus block showed behavior impairment. Our results indicated that nerve blockage could downregulate proinflammatory cytokines in hippocampus after humeral fixation surgery, which may ameliorate the postoperative cognitive dysfunction in young rats.

DAMPs and neurodegeneration

The concept of neuroinflammation has come a full circle; from being initially regarded as a controversial viewpoint to its present day acceptance as an integral component of neurodegenerative processes. A closer look at the etiopathogenesis of many neurodegenerative conditions will reveal a patho-symbiotic relationship between neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration, where the two liaise with each other to form a self-sustaining vicious cycle that facilitates neuronal demise. Here, we focus on damage associated molecular patterns or DAMPs as a potentially important nexus in the context of this lethal neuroinflammation-neurodegeneration alliance. Since their nomenclature as "DAMPs" about a decade ago, these endogenous moieties have consistently been reported as novel players in sterile (non-infective) inflammation. However, their roles in inflammatory responses in the central nervous system (CNS), especially during chronic neurodegenerative disorders are still being actively researched. The aim of this review is to first provide a general overview of the neuroimmune response in the CNS within the purview of DAMPs, its receptors and downstream signaling. This is then followed by discussions on some of the DAMP-mediated neuroinflammatory responses involved in chronic neurodegenerative diseases. Along the way, we also highlighted some important gaps in our existing knowledge regarding the role of DAMPs in neurodegeneration, the clarification of which we believe would aid in the prospects of developing treatment or screening strategies directed at these molecules.

Intracerebral Glycine Administration Impairs Energy and Redox Homeostasis and Induces Glial Reactivity in Cerebral Cortex of Newborn Rats

Accumulation of glycine (GLY) is the biochemical hallmark of glycine encephalopathy (GE), an aminoacidopathy characterized by severe neurological dysfunction that may lead to early death. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of a single intracerebroventricular administration of GLY on bioenergetics, redox homeostasis, and histopathology in brain of neonatal rats. Our results demonstrated that GLY decreased the activities of the respiratory chain complex IV and creatine kinase, induced reactive species generation, and diminished glutathione (GSH) levels 1, 5, and 10 days after GLY injection in cerebral cortex of 1-day-old rats. GLY also increased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels 5 days after GLY infusion in this brain region. Furthermore, GLY differentially modulated the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase depending on the period tested after GLY administration. In contrast, bioenergetics and redox parameters were not altered in brain of 5-day-old rats. Regarding the histopathological analysis, GLY increased S100β staining in cerebral cortex and striatum, and GFAP in corpus callosum of 1-day-old rats 5 days after injection. Finally, we verified that melatonin prevented the decrease of complex IV and CK activities and GSH concentrations, and the increase of MDA levels and S100β staining caused by GLY. Based on our findings, it may be presumed that impairment of redox and energy homeostasis and glial reactivity induced by GLY may contribute to the neurological dysfunction observed in GE.

Biomarkers of Brain Damage: S100B and NSE Concentrations in Cerebrospinal Fluid--A Normative Study

NSE and S100B belong among the so-called structural proteins of the central nervous system (CNS). Lately, this group of structural proteins has been profusely used as specific biomarkers of CNS tissue damage. So far, the majority of the research papers have focused predominantly on the concentrations of these proteins in blood in relation to CNS damage of various origins. Considering the close anatomic and functional relationship between the brain or spinal cord and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), in case of a CNS injury, a rapid and pronounced increase of the concentrations of structural proteins specifically in CSF takes place. This study inquires into the physiological concentrations of NSE and S100B proteins in CSF, carried out on a sufficiently large group of 601 patients. The detected values can be used for determination of a normal reference range in CSF in a clinical laboratory diagnostics.

Serum S-100β and NSE levels after off-pump versus on-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery

Background

We aimed to evaluate serum levels of S-100 beta (S-100β) and neuron specific enolase (NSE) in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) after off-pump versus on-pump coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.

Methods

The PubMed (~2013) and the Chinese Biomedical Database (CBM) (1982 ~ 2013) were searched without language restrictions. After extraction of relevant data from selected studies, meta-analyses were conducted using STATA software (Version 12.0, Stata Corporation, College Station, Texas USA). Possible sources of heterogeneity were examined through univariate and multivariate meta-regression analyses and verified by Monte Carlo Simulation.

Results

Eleven studies with a total of 411 CHD patients met the inclusion criteria. Our meta-analysis showed no significant difference in serum S-100β and NSE levels between the on-pump group and the off-pump group before surgery. In the on-pump group, there was a significant difference in serum S-100β levels of CHD patients between before and after surgery, especially within the first 24 h after surgery. Furthermore, in the on-pump group, there was a significant difference in serum NSE levels of CHD patients between before and after surgery, particularly at 0 h after surgery. In the off-pump group, there was an obvious difference in serum S-100β levels between before and after surgery, especially within 24 h after surgery. Our results also demonstrated that serum S-100β and NSE levels of CHD patients in the on-pump group were significantly higher than those of patients in the off-pump group, especially within 24 h after surgery.

Conclusions

Our findings provide empirical evidence that off-pump and on-pump CABG surgeries may increase serum S-100β and NSE levels in CHD patients, which was most prominent within 24 h after on-pump CABG surgery.

The relation between α-synuclein and microglia in Parkinson's disease: Recent developments

Recent research suggests a complex role for microglia not only in Parkinson's disease but in other disorders involving alpha-synuclein aggregation, such as multiple system atrophy. In these neurodegenerative processes, the activation of microglia is a common pathological finding, which disturbs the homeostasis of the neuronal environment otherwise maintained, among others, by microglia. The term activation comprises any deviation from what otherwise is considered normal microglia status, including cellular abundance, morphology or protein expression. The microglial response during disease will sustain survival or otherwise promote cell degeneration. The novel concepts of alpha-synuclein being released and uptaken by neighboring cells, and their importance in disease progression, positions microglia as the main cell that can clear and handle alpha-synuclein efficiently. Microglia's behavior will therefore be a determinant on the disease's progression. For this reason we believe that the better understanding of microglia's response to alpha-synuclein pathological accumulation across brain areas and disease stages is essential to develop novel therapeutic tools for Parkinson's disease and other alpha-synucleinopathies. In this review we will revise the most recent findings and developments with regard to alpha-synuclein and microglia in Parkinson's disease.

Penetrating the cell membrane, thermal targeting and novel anticancer drugs: the development of thermally targeted, elastin-like polypeptide cancer therapeutics

Therapeutic peptides offer important cancer treatment approaches. Designed to inhibit oncogenes and other oncoproteins, early therapeutic peptides applications were hampered by pharmacokinetic properties now addressed through tumor targeting strategies. Active targeting with environmentally responsive biopolymers or macromolecules enhances therapeutics accumulation at tumor sites; passive targeting with macromolecules, or liposomes, exploits angiogenesis and poor lymphatic drainage to preferentially accumulate therapeutics within tumors. Genetically engineered, thermally-responsive, elastin-like polypeptides use both strategies and cell-penetrating peptides to further intratumoral cell uptake. This review describes the development and application of cell-penetrating peptide-elastin-like polypeptide therapeutics for the thermally targeted delivery of therapeutic peptides.

Astrocytosis in parkinsonism: considering tripartite striatal synapses in physiopathology?

The current concept of basal ganglia organization and function in physiological and pathophysiological conditions excludes the most numerous cells in the brain, i.e., the astrocytes, present with a ratio of 10:1 neuron. Their role in neurodegenerative condition such as Parkinson's disease (PD) remains to be elucidated. Before embarking into physiological investigations of the yet-to-be-identified "tripartite" synapses in the basal ganglia in general and the striatum in particular, we therefore characterized anatomically the PD-related modifications in astrocytic morphology, the changes in astrocytic network connections and the consequences on the spatial relationship between astrocytic processes and asymmetric synapses in normal and PD-like conditions in experimental and human PD. Our results unravel a dramatic regulation of striatal astrocytosis supporting the hypothesis of a key role in (dys) regulating corticostriatal transmission. Astrocytes and their various properties might thus represent a therapeutic target in PD.