Rotenone directly induces BV2 cell activation via the p38 MAPK pathway

Rifampicin attenuates rotenone-induced inflammation via suppressing NLRP3 inflammasome activation in microglia

A growing body of evidence has supported that environmental factors, such as exposure to heavy metal and pesticides, play an important role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson׳s disease (PD). Rotenone, the active ingredient in various pesticides, has been identified as an inducer of PD. It has been revealed that rotenone induces activation of microglia and generation of pro-inflammatory factors in PD. Our previous studies demonstrated that rifampicin possessed neural protective effect in PD. In this study, we aimed to study the effect of rifampicin on the inflammation induced by rotenone in microglia and the underlying mechanisms. Results demonstrated that rifampicin pretreatment significantly reduced rotenone-induced cytotoxicity and gene expression of IL-1β in BV2 microglia. Moreover, western blot analysis verified that rifampicin pretreatment suppressed NLRP3 inflammasome activation via inhibiting caspase-1 cleavage and protein expression of NLRP3. As it is indicated that reactive oxidative stress (ROS) is one of the activators for NLRP3 inflammasome, we further employed 2',7'-Dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) staining and Rhodamine123 staining to detect intracellular ROS and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), respectively. Results confirmed that rifampicin obviously reduced intracellular ROS and reversed loss of MMP in BV2 cells treated by rotenone. Taken together, our data indicate that rifampicin pretreatment inhibits maturation of IL-1β and neuroinflammation induced by rotenone via attenuating NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Rifampicin might emerge as a promising candidate for modulating neuroinflammation in PD.

Compromised MAPK signaling in human diseases: an update

The mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in mammals include c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK), p38 MAPK, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). These enzymes are serine-threonine protein kinases that regulate various cellular activities including proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis or survival, inflammation, and innate immunity. The compromised MAPK signaling pathways contribute to the pathology of diverse human diseases including cancer and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The JNK and p38 MAPK signaling pathways are activated by various types of cellular stress such as oxidative, genotoxic, and osmotic stress as well as by proinflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin 1β. The Ras-Raf-MEK-ERK signaling pathway plays a key role in cancer development through the stimulation of cell proliferation and metastasis. The p38 MAPK pathway contributes to neuroinflammation mediated by glial cells including microglia and astrocytes, and it has also been associated with anticancer drug resistance in colon and liver cancer. We here summarize recent research on the roles of MAPK signaling pathways in human diseases, with a focus on cancer and neurodegenerative conditions.

p38 MAPK and PI3K/AKT Signalling Cascades inParkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic neurodegenerative condition which has the second largest incidence rate among all other neurodegenerative disorders barring Alzheimer's disease (AD). Currently there is no cure and researchers continue to probe the therapeutic prospect in cell cultures and animal models of PD. Out of the several factors contributing to PD prognosis, the role of p38 MAPK (Mitogen activated protein-kinase) and PI3K/AKT signalling module in PD brains is crucial because the impaired balance between the pro- apoptotic and anti-apoptotic pathways trigger unwanted phenotypes such as microglia activation, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress and apoptosis. These factors continue challenging the brain homeostasis in initial stages thereby essentially assisting the dopaminergic (DA) neurons towards progressive degeneration in PD. Neurotherapeutics against PD shall then be targeted against the misregulated accomplices of the p38 and PI3K/AKT cascades. In this review, we have outlined many such established mechanisms involving the p38 MAPK and PI3K/AKT pathways which can offer therapeutic windows for the rectification of aberrant DA neuronal dynamics in PD brains.

NADPH oxidase- and mitochondria-derived reactive oxygen species in proinflammatory microglial activation: a bipartisan affair?

Microglia are the resident immune cells of the brain and play major roles in central nervous system development, maintenance, and disease. Brain insults cause microglia to proliferate, migrate, and transform into one or more activated states. Classical M1 activation triggers the production of proinflammatory factors such as tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), nitric oxide, and reactive oxygen species (ROS), which, in excess, can exacerbate brain injury. The mechanisms underlying microglial activation are not fully understood, yet reactive oxygen species are increasingly implicated as mediators of microglial activation. In this review, we highlight studies linking reactive oxygen species, in particular hydrogen peroxide derived from NADPH oxidase-generated superoxide, to the classical activation of microglia. In addition, we critically evaluate controversial evidence suggesting a specific role for mitochondrial reactive oxygen species in the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome, a multiprotein complex that mediates the production of IL-1β and IL-18. Finally, the limitations of common techniques used to implicate mitochondrial ROS in microglial and inflammasome activation, such as the use of the mitochondrially targeted ROS indicator MitoSOX and the mitochondrially targeted antioxidant MitoTEMPO, are also discussed.

Tetrandrine suppresses lipopolysaccharide-induced microglial activation by inhibiting NF-κB and ERK signaling pathways in BV2 cells

Background and Objective

Tetrandrine (TET) is a bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid extracted from Stephania tetrandra Moore. Recent studies have suggested that TET can reduce the inflammatory response in microglia, but the mechanisms remain unclear. The aim of this study is to investigate whether TET can inhibit lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced microglial activation and clarify its possible mechanisms.

Study Design/Materials and Methods

Cell viability assays and cell apoptosis assays were used to determine the working concentrations of TET. Then, BV2 cells were seeded and pretreated with TET for 2 h. LPS was then added and incubated for an additional 24 hours. qRT-PCR and ELISA were used to measure the mRNA or protein levels of IL1β and TNFα. Western blotting was utilized to quantify the expression of CD11b and cell signaling proteins.

Results

TET at optimal concentrations (0.1 µM, 0.5 µM or 1 µM) did not affect the cell viability. After TET pretreatment, the levels of IL1β and TNFα (both in transcription and translation) were significantly inhibited in a dose-dependent manner. Further studies indicated that phospho-p65, phospho-IKK, and phospho-ERK 1/2 expression were also suppressed by TET.

Conclusions

Our results indicate that TET can effectively suppress microglial activation and inhibit the production of IL1β and TNFα by regulating the NF-kB and ERK signaling pathways. Together with our previous studies, we suggest that TET would be a promising candidate to effectively suppress overactivated microglia and alleviate neurodegeneration in glaucoma.

Parkinson's disease-implicated kinases in the brain; insights into disease pathogenesis

Substantial evidence implicates abnormal protein kinase function in various aspects of Parkinson’s disease (PD) etiology. Elevated phosphorylation of the PD-defining pathological protein, α-synuclein, correlates with its aggregation and toxic accumulation in neurons, whilst genetic missense mutations in the kinases PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 and leucine-rich repeat kinase 2, increase susceptibility to PD. Experimental evidence also links kinases of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways, amongst others, to PD. Understanding how the levels or activities of these enzymes or their substrates change in brain tissue in relation to pathological states can provide insight into disease pathogenesis. Moreover, understanding when and where kinase dysfunction occurs is important as modulation of some of these signaling pathways can potentially lead to PD therapeutics. This review will summarize what is currently known in regard to the expression of these PD-implicated kinases in pathological human postmortem brain tissue.

Transcriptional regulation of human USP24 gene expression by NF-kappa B

Impairment of the ubiquitin proteasome pathway is believed to play an important role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. This process is carried out under tight regulation by deubiquitinating enzymes. Genetic linkage studies indicated that the region of the human ubiquitin-specific protease 24 (USP24) gene is significantly correlated with Parkinson's disease. In this study, we cloned a 1648 bp 5' flanking region of the human USP24 gene coding sequence and a series of nested deletions into the pGL3-Basic vector. We analyzed promoter activities of these regions with a luciferase-based reporter assay system. A 64-bp region was identified to contain the transcription initiation site and a minimum promoter sequence for transcriptional activation of the USP24 gene expression. Expression of USP24 is controlled by a TATA-box-less promoter with several putative cis-acting elements. Transcriptional activation and gel-shift assay demonstrated that the USP24 gene promoter contains a functional NFκB-binding site. Over-expression of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NFκB) and tumor-necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) treatment significantly increased the USP24 promoter activity, mRNA expression and protein level in human HEK293 cells, mouse N2a cells and human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. Deletion and mutation of the binding site abolished the regulatory effect of NFκB on human USP24 gene transcription. These results suggested that USP24 expression is tightly regulated at its transcription level and NFκB plays an important role in this process.