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Xiao QX, Geng MJ, Wang QL, Fang CL, Zhang JH, Liu Q, Xiong LL. Unraveling the effects of prenatal anesthesia on neurodevelopment: A review of current evidence and future directions. Neurotoxicology 2024; 105:96-110. [PMID: 39276873 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2024.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2024] [Revised: 09/04/2024] [Accepted: 09/11/2024] [Indexed: 09/17/2024]
Abstract
Human brain development is a complex, multi-stage, and sensitive process, especially during the fetal stage. Animal studies over the last two decades have highlighted the potential risks of anesthetics to the developing brain, impacting its structure and function. This has raised concerns regarding the safety of anesthesia during pregnancy and its influence on fetal brain development, garnering significant attention from the anesthesiology community. Although preclinical studies predominantly indicate the neurotoxic effects of prenatal anesthesia, these findings cannot be directly extrapolated to humans due to interspecies variations. Clinical research, constrained by ethical and technical hurdles in accessing human prenatal brain tissues, often yields conflicting results compared to preclinical data. The emergence of brain organoids as a cutting-edge research tool shows promise in modeling human brain development. When integrated with single-cell sequencing, these organoids offer insights into potential neurotoxic mechanisms triggered by prenatal anesthesia. Despite several retrospective and cohort studies exploring the clinical impact of anesthesia on brain development, many findings remain inconclusive. As such, this review synthesizes preclinical and clinical evidence on the effects of prenatal anesthesia on fetal brain development and suggests areas for future research advancement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiu-Xia Xiao
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University (The First People's Hospital of Zunyi), Zunyi, China
| | - Min-Jian Geng
- The Second Clinical Medical College of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, China
| | - Qiu-Lin Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University (The First People's Hospital of Zunyi), Zunyi, China
| | - Chang-Le Fang
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University (The First People's Hospital of Zunyi), Zunyi, China
| | - Jing-Han Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Qi Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Liu-Liu Xiong
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University (The First People's Hospital of Zunyi), Zunyi, China.
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2
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Hervoso JL, Amoah K, Dodson J, Choudhury M, Bhattacharya A, Quinones-Valdez G, Pasaniuc B, Xiao X. Splicing-specific transcriptome-wide association uncovers genetic mechanisms for schizophrenia. Am J Hum Genet 2024; 111:1573-1587. [PMID: 38925119 PMCID: PMC11339621 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2024.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2023] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have highlighted the essential role of RNA splicing, a key mechanism of alternative RNA processing, in establishing connections between genetic variations and disease. Genetic loci influencing RNA splicing variations show considerable influence on complex traits, possibly surpassing those affecting total gene expression. Dysregulated RNA splicing has emerged as a major potential contributor to neurological and psychiatric disorders, likely due to the exceptionally high prevalence of alternatively spliced genes in the human brain. Nevertheless, establishing direct associations between genetically altered splicing and complex traits has remained an enduring challenge. We introduce Spliced-Transcriptome-Wide Associations (SpliTWAS) to integrate alternative splicing information with genome-wide association studies to pinpoint genes linked to traits through exon splicing events. We applied SpliTWAS to two schizophrenia (SCZ) RNA-sequencing datasets, BrainGVEX and CommonMind, revealing 137 and 88 trait-associated exons (in 84 and 67 genes), respectively. Enriched biological functions in the associated gene sets converged on neuronal function and development, immune cell activation, and cellular transport, which are highly relevant to SCZ. SpliTWAS variants impacted RNA-binding protein binding sites, revealing potential disruption of RNA-protein interactions affecting splicing. We extended the probabilistic fine-mapping method FOCUS to the exon level, identifying 36 genes and 48 exons as putatively causal for SCZ. We highlight VPS45 and APOPT1, where splicing of specific exons was associated with disease risk, eluding detection by conventional gene expression analysis. Collectively, this study supports the substantial role of alternative splicing in shaping the genetic basis of SCZ, providing a valuable approach for future investigations in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonatan L Hervoso
- Bioinformatics Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Kofi Amoah
- Bioinformatics Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Jack Dodson
- Bioinformatics Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Mudra Choudhury
- Bioinformatics Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Arjun Bhattacharya
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Giovanni Quinones-Valdez
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Bogdan Pasaniuc
- Bioinformatics Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Computational Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
| | - Xinshu Xiao
- Bioinformatics Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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Weerasinghe MMA, Wang G, Whalley J, Crook-Rumsey M. Mental stress recognition on the fly using neuroplasticity spiking neural networks. Sci Rep 2023; 13:14962. [PMID: 37696860 PMCID: PMC10495416 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-34517-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Mental stress is found to be strongly connected with human cognition and wellbeing. As the complexities of human life increase, the effects of mental stress have impacted human health and cognitive performance across the globe. This highlights the need for effective non-invasive stress detection methods. In this work, we introduce a novel, artificial spiking neural network model called Online Neuroplasticity Spiking Neural Network (O-NSNN) that utilizes a repertoire of learning concepts inspired by the brain to classify mental stress using Electroencephalogram (EEG) data. These models are personalized and tested on EEG data recorded during sessions in which participants listen to different types of audio comments designed to induce acute stress. Our O-NSNN models learn on the fly producing an average accuracy of 90.76% (σ = 2.09) when classifying EEG signals of brain states associated with these audio comments. The brain-inspired nature of the individual models makes them robust and efficient and has the potential to be integrated into wearable technology. Furthermore, this article presents an exploratory analysis of trained O-NSNNs to discover links between perceived and acute mental stress. The O-NSNN algorithm proved to be better for personalized stress recognition in terms of accuracy, efficiency, and model interpretability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahima Milinda Alwis Weerasinghe
- School of Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand.
- Brain-Inspired AI and Neuroinformatics Lab, Department of Data Science, Sri Lanka Technological Campus, Padukka, Sri Lanka.
| | - Grace Wang
- School of Psychology and Wellbeing, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Australia
- Centre for Health Research, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Australia
| | - Jacqueline Whalley
- Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Mark Crook-Rumsey
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute, Centre for Care Research and Technology, Imperial College London, London, UK
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4
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Hogarth K, Tarazi D, Maynes JT. The effects of general anesthetics on mitochondrial structure and function in the developing brain. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1179823. [PMID: 37533472 PMCID: PMC10390784 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1179823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The use of general anesthetics in modern clinical practice is commonly regarded as safe for healthy individuals, but exposures at the extreme ends of the age spectrum have been linked to chronic cognitive impairments and persistent functional and structural alterations to the nervous system. The accumulation of evidence at both the epidemiological and experimental level prompted the addition of a warning label to inhaled anesthetics by the Food and Drug Administration cautioning their use in children under 3 years of age. Though the mechanism by which anesthetics may induce these detrimental changes remains to be fully elucidated, increasing evidence implicates mitochondria as a potential primary target of anesthetic damage, meditating many of the associated neurotoxic effects. Along with their commonly cited role in energy production via oxidative phosphorylation, mitochondria also play a central role in other critical cellular processes including calcium buffering, cell death pathways, and metabolite synthesis. In addition to meeting their immense energy demands, neurons are particularly dependent on the proper function and spatial organization of mitochondria to mediate specialized functions including neurotransmitter trafficking and release. Mitochondrial dependence is further highlighted in the developing brain, requiring spatiotemporally complex and metabolically expensive processes such as neurogenesis, synaptogenesis, and synaptic pruning, making the consequence of functional alterations potentially impactful. To this end, we explore and summarize the current mechanistic understanding of the effects of anesthetic exposure on mitochondria in the developing nervous system. We will specifically focus on the impact of anesthetic agents on mitochondrial dynamics, apoptosis, bioenergetics, stress pathways, and redox homeostasis. In addition, we will highlight critical knowledge gaps, pertinent challenges, and potential therapeutic targets warranting future exploration to guide mechanistic and outcomes research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaley Hogarth
- Program in Molecular Medicine, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Doorsa Tarazi
- Program in Molecular Medicine, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jason T. Maynes
- Program in Molecular Medicine, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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5
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Sušjan-Leite P, Ramuta TŽ, Boršić E, Orehek S, Hafner-Bratkovič I. Supramolecular organizing centers at the interface of inflammation and neurodegeneration. Front Immunol 2022; 13:940969. [PMID: 35979366 PMCID: PMC9377691 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.940969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases involves the accumulation of misfolded protein aggregates. These deposits are both directly toxic to neurons, invoking loss of cell connectivity and cell death, and recognized by innate sensors that upon activation release neurotoxic cytokines, chemokines, and various reactive species. This neuroinflammation is propagated through signaling cascades where activated sensors/receptors, adaptors, and effectors associate into multiprotein complexes known as supramolecular organizing centers (SMOCs). This review provides a comprehensive overview of the SMOCs, involved in neuroinflammation and neurotoxicity, such as myddosomes, inflammasomes, and necrosomes, their assembly, and evidence for their involvement in common neurodegenerative diseases. We discuss the multifaceted role of neuroinflammation in the progression of neurodegeneration. Recent progress in the understanding of particular SMOC participation in common neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease offers novel therapeutic strategies for currently absent disease-modifying treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Sušjan-Leite
- Department of Synthetic Biology and Immunology, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Taja Železnik Ramuta
- Department of Synthetic Biology and Immunology, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Elvira Boršić
- Department of Synthetic Biology and Immunology, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Sara Orehek
- Department of Synthetic Biology and Immunology, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Iva Hafner-Bratkovič
- Department of Synthetic Biology and Immunology, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- EN-FIST Centre of Excellence, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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Riffault B, Cloarec R, Rabiei H, Begnis M, Ferrari DC, Ben-Ari Y. A quantitative cholinergic and catecholaminergic 3D Atlas of the developing mouse brain. Neuroimage 2022; 260:119494. [PMID: 35870696 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The complex organization of brain regions during development requires a three-dimensional approach to facilitate the visualization and quantification of dynamic changes taking place throughout this important period. Using the tissue clearing method combined with immunohistochemistry, three-dimensional (3D) lightsheet microscopy and a multiresolution registration technique, we provide the first 3D atlases of the main cholinergic (CH) and catecholaminergic (CA) systems in the mouse brain from embryonic day 12 (E12) to post-natal day 8 (P8). We report that in several brain structures, there is a logarithmic scale increase of choline acetyltransferase and tyrosine hydroxylase positive neurons from E18 to P8. In addition, a detailed voxel-wise analysis revealed abrupt modifications in the developmental trajectory of many brain structures during the transition from E18 to P0. Our atlases will not only facilitate developmental studies aimed at quantitatively determining the fate of CH or CA neurons in utero but also be used as an anatomical reference to quantify other neuronal populations present in the annotated regions. In the future, these maps will be a reliable tool to study developmental malformations associated with neurological and psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Riffault
- Neurochlore, Campus scientifique de Luminy, Marseille, France
| | - R Cloarec
- Neurochlore, Campus scientifique de Luminy, Marseille, France
| | - H Rabiei
- B & A Biomedical, Campus scientifique de Luminy, Marseille, France
| | - M Begnis
- Neurochlore, Campus scientifique de Luminy, Marseille, France
| | - D C Ferrari
- Neurochlore, Campus scientifique de Luminy, Marseille, France
| | - Yehezkel Ben-Ari
- Neurochlore, Campus scientifique de Luminy, Marseille, France; B & A Biomedical, Campus scientifique de Luminy, Marseille, France
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Ossola C, Kalebic N. Roots of the Malformations of Cortical Development in the Cell Biology of Neural Progenitor Cells. Front Neurosci 2022; 15:817218. [PMID: 35069108 PMCID: PMC8766818 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.817218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The cerebral cortex is a structure that underlies various brain functions, including cognition and language. Mammalian cerebral cortex starts developing during the embryonic period with the neural progenitor cells generating neurons. Newborn neurons migrate along progenitors’ radial processes from the site of their origin in the germinal zones to the cortical plate, where they mature and integrate in the forming circuitry. Cell biological features of neural progenitors, such as the location and timing of their mitoses, together with their characteristic morphologies, can directly or indirectly regulate the abundance and the identity of their neuronal progeny. Alterations in the complex and delicate process of cerebral cortex development can lead to malformations of cortical development (MCDs). They include various structural abnormalities that affect the size, thickness and/or folding pattern of the developing cortex. Their clinical manifestations can entail a neurodevelopmental disorder, such as epilepsy, developmental delay, intellectual disability, or autism spectrum disorder. The recent advancements of molecular and neuroimaging techniques, along with the development of appropriate in vitro and in vivo model systems, have enabled the assessment of the genetic and environmental causes of MCDs. Here we broadly review the cell biological characteristics of neural progenitor cells and focus on those features whose perturbations have been linked to MCDs.
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8
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Zeng Y, Chen Y, Zhang S, Ren H, Xia J, Liu M, Shan B, Ren Y. Natural Products in Modulating Methamphetamine-Induced Neuronal Apoptosis. Front Pharmacol 2022; 12:805991. [PMID: 35058785 PMCID: PMC8764133 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.805991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Methamphetamine (METH), an amphetamine-type psychostimulant, is highly abused worldwide. Chronic abuse of METH causes neurodegenerative changes in central dopaminergic neurons with numerous neuropsychiatric consequences. Neuronal apoptosis plays a critical role in METH-induced neurotoxicity and may provide promising pharmacological targets for preventing and treating METH addiction. In recent years, accumulating evidence has revealed that natural products may possess significant potentials to inhibit METH-evoked neuronal apoptosis. In this review, we summarized and analyzed the improvement effect of natural products on METH-induced neuronal apoptosis and their potential molecular mechanisms on modulating dopamine release, oxidative stress, mitochondrial-dependent apoptotic pathway, endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated apoptotic pathway, and neuroinflammation. Hopefully, this review may highlight the potential value of natural products in modulating METH-caused neuronal apoptosis and provide useful information for future research and developments of novel and efficacious pharmacotherapies in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiwei Zeng
- College of Acupuncture-moxibustion and Tuina, College of Basic Medicine, College of Nursing, College of Chinese Classics, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Yunhui Chen
- College of Acupuncture-moxibustion and Tuina, College of Basic Medicine, College of Nursing, College of Chinese Classics, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Su Zhang
- College of Acupuncture-moxibustion and Tuina, College of Basic Medicine, College of Nursing, College of Chinese Classics, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Huan Ren
- College of Acupuncture-moxibustion and Tuina, College of Basic Medicine, College of Nursing, College of Chinese Classics, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Jialin Xia
- College of Acupuncture-moxibustion and Tuina, College of Basic Medicine, College of Nursing, College of Chinese Classics, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Mengnan Liu
- Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Baozhi Shan
- School of Humanities, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, China
| | - Yulan Ren
- College of Acupuncture-moxibustion and Tuina, College of Basic Medicine, College of Nursing, College of Chinese Classics, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
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9
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de Miranda LLR, Harvey KE, Ahmed A, Harvey SC. UV-filter pollution: current concerns and future prospects. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2021; 193:840. [PMID: 34822005 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-021-09626-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
UV-filters are widely used in cosmetics and personal care products to protect users' skin from redamage caused by ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. Globally, an estimated 16,000 to 25,000 tonnes of products containing UV-filters were used in 2014 with modern consumption likely to be much higher. Beyond this use in cosmetics and personal care products, UV-filters are also widely used to provide UV-stability in industrial products such as paints and plastics. This review discusses the main routes by which UV-filters enter aquatic environments and summarises the conclusions of studies from the past 10 years that have investigated the effects of UV-filters on environmentally relevant species including corals, microalgae, fish, and marine mammals. Safety data regarding the potential impact of UV-filters on human health are also discussed. Finally, we explore the challenges surrounding UV-filter removal and research on more environmentally friendly alternatives to current UV-filters.
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Affiliation(s)
- L L R de Miranda
- Biomolecular Research Group, School of Psychology and Life Sciences, Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 1QU, UK
| | - K E Harvey
- Biomolecular Research Group, School of Psychology and Life Sciences, Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 1QU, UK
| | - A Ahmed
- Biomolecular Research Group, School of Psychology and Life Sciences, Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 1QU, UK
| | - S C Harvey
- Biomolecular Research Group, School of Psychology and Life Sciences, Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 1QU, UK.
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10
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Sahu R, Upadhayay S, Mehan S. Inhibition of extracellular regulated kinase (ERK)-1/2 signaling pathway in the prevention of ALS: Target inhibitors and influences on neurological dysfunctions. Eur J Cell Biol 2021; 100:151179. [PMID: 34560374 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2021.151179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell signal transduction pathways are essential modulators of several physiological and pathological processes in the brain. During overactivation, these signaling processes may lead to disease progression. Abnormal protein kinase activation is associated with several biological dysfunctions that facilitate neurodegeneration under different biological conditions. As a result, these signaling pathways are essential in understanding brain disorders' development or progression. Recent research findings indicate the crucial role of extracellular signal-regulated kinase-1/2 (ERK-1/2) signaling during the neuronal development process. ERK-1/2 is a key component of its mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) group, controlling certain neurological activities by regulating metabolic pathways, cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. ERK-1/2 also influences neuronal elastic properties, nerve growth, and neurological and cognitive processing during brain injuries. The primary goal of this review is to elucidate the activation of ERK1/2 signaling, which is involved in the development of several ALS-related neuropathological dysfunctions. ALS is a rare neurological disorder category that mainly affects the nerve cells responsible for regulating voluntary muscle activity. ALS is progressive, which means that the symptoms are getting worse over time, and there is no cure for ALS and no effective treatment to avoid or reverse. Genetic abnormalities, oligodendrocyte degradation, glial overactivation, and immune deregulation are associated with ALS progression. Furthermore, the current review also identifies ERK-1/2 signaling inhibitors that can promote neuroprotection and neurotrophic effects against the clinical-pathological presentation of ALS. As a result, in the future, the potential ERK-1/2 signaling inhibitors could be used in the treatment of ALS and related neurocomplications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rakesh Sahu
- Neuropharmacology Division, Department of Pharmacology, ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga, Punjab, India
| | - Shubham Upadhayay
- Neuropharmacology Division, Department of Pharmacology, ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga, Punjab, India
| | - Sidharth Mehan
- Neuropharmacology Division, Department of Pharmacology, ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga, Punjab, India.
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Guma E, Bordignon PDC, Devenyi GA, Gallino D, Anastassiadis C, Cvetkovska V, Barry AD, Snook E, Germann J, Greenwood CMT, Misic B, Bagot RC, Chakravarty MM. Early or Late Gestational Exposure to Maternal Immune Activation Alters Neurodevelopmental Trajectories in Mice: An Integrated Neuroimaging, Behavioral, and Transcriptional Study. Biol Psychiatry 2021; 90:328-341. [PMID: 34053674 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to maternal immune activation (MIA) in utero is a risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders later in life. The impact of the gestational timing of MIA exposure on downstream development remains unclear. METHODS We characterized neurodevelopmental trajectories of mice exposed to the viral mimetic poly I:C (polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid) either on gestational day 9 (early) or on day 17 (late) using longitudinal structural magnetic resonance imaging from weaning to adulthood. Using multivariate methods, we related neuroimaging and behavioral variables for the time of greatest alteration (adolescence/early adulthood) and identified regions for further investigation using RNA sequencing. RESULTS Early MIA exposure was associated with accelerated brain volume increases in adolescence/early adulthood that normalized in later adulthood in the striatum, hippocampus, and cingulate cortex. Similarly, alterations in anxiety-like, stereotypic, and sensorimotor gating behaviors observed in adolescence normalized in adulthood. MIA exposure in late gestation had less impact on anatomical and behavioral profiles. Multivariate maps associated anxiety-like, social, and sensorimotor gating deficits with volume of the dorsal and ventral hippocampus and anterior cingulate cortex, among others. The most transcriptional changes were observed in the dorsal hippocampus, with genes enriched for fibroblast growth factor regulation, autistic behaviors, inflammatory pathways, and microRNA regulation. CONCLUSIONS Leveraging an integrated hypothesis- and data-driven approach linking brain-behavior alterations to the transcriptome, we found that MIA timing differentially affects offspring development. Exposure in late gestation leads to subthreshold deficits, whereas exposure in early gestation perturbs brain development mechanisms implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Guma
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Computational Brain Imaging Lab, Cerebral Imaging Center, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
| | - Pedro do Couto Bordignon
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Ludmer Center for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Gabriel A Devenyi
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Computational Brain Imaging Lab, Cerebral Imaging Center, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Daniel Gallino
- Computational Brain Imaging Lab, Cerebral Imaging Center, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Chloe Anastassiadis
- Computational Brain Imaging Lab, Cerebral Imaging Center, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Institute of Medical Science & Collaborative Program in Neuroscience, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Amadou D Barry
- Departments of Human Genetics and Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Ludmer Center for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Emily Snook
- Computational Brain Imaging Lab, Cerebral Imaging Center, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jurgen Germann
- Computational Brain Imaging Lab, Cerebral Imaging Center, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Celia M T Greenwood
- Gerald Bronfman Department of Oncology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Departments of Human Genetics and Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Ludmer Center for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Bratislav Misic
- Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Rosemary C Bagot
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Ludmer Center for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - M Mallar Chakravarty
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Biological and Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Computational Brain Imaging Lab, Cerebral Imaging Center, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
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Mike JK, Ferriero DM. Efferocytosis Mediated Modulation of Injury after Neonatal Brain Hypoxia-Ischemia. Cells 2021; 10:1025. [PMID: 33925299 PMCID: PMC8146813 DOI: 10.3390/cells10051025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Neonatal brain hypoxia-ischemia (HI) is a leading cause of morbidity and long-term disabilities in children. While we have made significant progress in describing HI mechanisms, the limited therapies currently offered for HI treatment in the clinical setting stress the importance of discovering new targetable pathways. Efferocytosis is an immunoregulatory and homeostatic process of clearance of apoptotic cells (AC) and cellular debris, best described in the brain during neurodevelopment. The therapeutic potential of stimulating defective efferocytosis has been recognized in neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we will explore the involvement of efferocytosis after a stroke and HI as a promising target for new HI therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Krystofova Mike
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA;
| | - Donna Marie Ferriero
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA;
- Department of Neurology Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
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13
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Sokpor G, Rosenbusch J, Kunwar AJ, Rickmann M, Tuoc T, Rizzoli SO, Tarabykin V, von Mollard GF, Krieglstein K, Staiger JF. Ablation of Vti1a/1b Triggers Neural Progenitor Pool Depletion and Cortical Layer 5 Malformation in Late-embryonic Mouse Cortex. Neuroscience 2021; 463:303-316. [PMID: 33774122 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.03.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Cortical morphogenesis entails several neurobiological events, including proliferation and differentiation of progenitors, migration of neuroblasts, and neuronal maturation leading to functional neural circuitry. These neurodevelopmental processes are delicately regulated by many factors. Endosomal SNAREs have emerged as formidable modulators of neuronal growth, aside their well-known function in membrane/vesicular trafficking. However, our understanding of their influence on cortex formation is limited. Here, we report that the SNAREs Vti1a and Vti1b (Vti1a/1b) are critical for proper cortical development. Following null mutation of Vti1a/1b in mouse, the late-embryonic mutant cortex appeared dysgenic, and the cortical progenitors therein were depleted beyond normal. Notably, cortical layer 5 (L5) is distinctively disorganized in the absence of Vti1a/1b. The latter defect, coupled with an overt apoptosis of Ctip2-expressing L5 neurons, likely contributed to the substantial loss of corticospinal and callosal projections in the Vti1a/1b-deficient mouse brain. These findings suggest that Vti1a/1b serve key neurodevelopmental functions during cortical histogenesis, which when mechanistically elucidated, can lend clarity to how endosomal SNAREs regulate brain development, or how their dysfunction may have implications for neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Godwin Sokpor
- Institute for Neuroanatomy, University Medical Center, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Institute for Human Genetics, Ruhr University of Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Joachim Rosenbusch
- Institute for Neuroanatomy, University Medical Center, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ajaya J Kunwar
- Institute for Neuroanatomy, University Medical Center, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Department of Anatomy, Nepalese Army Institute of Health Sciences, College of Medicine, Kathmandu, Nepal; Kathmandu Center for Genomics and Research Laboratory, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Michael Rickmann
- Institute for Neuroanatomy, University Medical Center, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Tran Tuoc
- Institute for Neuroanatomy, University Medical Center, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Institute for Human Genetics, Ruhr University of Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Silvio O Rizzoli
- Institute of Neuro- and Sensory Physiology, University of Göttingen Medical Centre, Germany
| | - Victor Tarabykin
- Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Berlin, Germany; Institute of Neuroscience, Lobachevsky State University of Nizhni Novogorod, 23 Prospekt Gagarina, 603950 Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | | | - Kerstin Krieglstein
- Institute for Neuroanatomy, University Medical Center, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Department of Molecular Embryology, Medical Faculty, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Jochen F Staiger
- Institute for Neuroanatomy, University Medical Center, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
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14
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Żarski D, Le Cam A, Nynca J, Klopp C, Ciesielski S, Sarosiek B, Montfort J, Król J, Fontaine P, Ciereszko A, Bobe J. Domestication modulates the expression of genes involved in neurogenesis in high-quality eggs of Sander lucioperca. Mol Reprod Dev 2020; 87:934-951. [PMID: 32864792 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.23414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Pikeperch, Sander lucioperca, is a species of high interest to the aquaculture. The expansion of its production can only be achieved by furthering domestication level. However, the mechanisms driving the domestication process in finfishes are poorly understood. Transcriptome profiling of eggs was found to be a useful tool allowing understanding of the domestication process in teleosts. In this study, using next-generation sequencing, the first pikeperch transcriptome has been generated as well as pikeperch-specific microarray comprising 35,343 unique probes. Next, we performed transcriptome profiling of eggs obtained from wild and domesticated populations. We found 710 differentially expressed genes that were linked mostly to nervous system development. These results provide new insights into processes that are directly involved in the domestication of finfishes. It can be suggested that all the identified processes were predetermined by the maternally derived set of genes contained in the unfertilized eggs. This allows us to suggest that fish behavior, along with many other processes, can be predetermined at the cellular level and may have significant implications on the adaptation of cultured fish to the natural environment. This also allows to suggest that fish behavior should be considered as a very important pikeperch aquaculture selection trait.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Żarski
- Department of Gamete and Embryo Biology, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Aurelie Le Cam
- Fish Physiology and Genomics, UR1037 (LPGP), INRAE, Rennes, France
| | - Joanna Nynca
- Department of Gamete and Embryo Biology, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn, Poland
| | | | - Sławomir Ciesielski
- Department of Environmental Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Beata Sarosiek
- Department of Gamete and Embryo Biology, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Jerome Montfort
- Fish Physiology and Genomics, UR1037 (LPGP), INRAE, Rennes, France
| | - Jarosław Król
- Department of Ichthyology and Aquaculture, Faculty of Animal Bioengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland
| | | | - Andrzej Ciereszko
- Department of Gamete and Embryo Biology, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Julien Bobe
- Fish Physiology and Genomics, UR1037 (LPGP), INRAE, Rennes, France
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15
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Assessment of Apoptosis Pathway in Peripheral Blood of Autistic Patients. J Mol Neurosci 2019; 69:588-596. [PMID: 31363911 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-019-01387-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) includes a number of severe neurodevelopmental disorders known by defects in social interaction, impaired verbal and non-verbal interactions, and stereotypic activities and limited interests. Dysregulation of apoptotic pathways have been demonstrated in brain tissues of affected individuals. In the present study, we evaluated expression levels of apoptosis-related genes and miRNAs in peripheral blood of ASD patients compared with healthy subjects. Transcript levels of BCL2, CASP8, and hsa-29c-3p were significantly lower in total ASD patients compared with total normal children (P values = 0.003, 0.002, and 0.01 respectively). When sex of study participants was considered in the analysis, the difference in transcript levels of these genes was significant only in male subjects. Peripheral expression of BCL2 and hsa-29c-3p had 100% sensitivity 92% specificity in ASD diagnosis. The diagnostic power of combination of transcript levels of these genes was estimated to be 78% based on the calculated AUC value. The present study provides evidences for dysregulation of apoptotic pathways in peripheral blood of ASD patients and suggests certain apoptosis-related genes as biomarkers in this regard.
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16
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Panizza E, Zhang L, Fontana JM, Hamada K, Svensson D, Akkuratov EE, Scott L, Mikoshiba K, Brismar H, Lehtiö J, Aperia A. Ouabain-regulated phosphoproteome reveals molecular mechanisms for Na +, K +-ATPase control of cell adhesion, proliferation, and survival. FASEB J 2019; 33:10193-10206. [PMID: 31199885 PMCID: PMC6704450 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201900445r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The ion pump Na+, K+-ATPase (NKA) is a receptor for the cardiotonic steroid ouabain. Subsaturating concentration of ouabain triggers intracellular calcium oscillations, stimulates cell proliferation and adhesion, and protects from apoptosis. However, it is controversial whether ouabain-bound NKA is considered a signal transducer. To address this question, we performed a global analysis of protein phosphorylation in COS-7 cells, identifying 2580 regulated phosphorylation events on 1242 proteins upon 10- and 20-min treatment with ouabain. Regulated phosphorylated proteins include the inositol triphosphate receptor and stromal interaction molecule, which are essential for initiating calcium oscillations. Hierarchical clustering revealed that ouabain triggers a structured phosphorylation response that occurs in a well-defined, time-dependent manner and affects specific cellular processes, including cell proliferation and cell-cell junctions. We additionally identify regulation of the phosphorylation of several calcium and calmodulin-dependent protein kinases (CAMKs), including 2 sites of CAMK type II-γ (CAMK2G), a protein known to regulate apoptosis. To verify the significance of this result, CAMK2G was knocked down in primary kidney cells. CAMK2G knockdown impaired ouabain-dependent protection from apoptosis upon treatment with high glucose or serum deprivation. In conclusion, we establish NKA as the coordinator of a broad, tightly regulated phosphorylation response in cells and define CAMK2G as a downstream effector of NKA.-Panizza, E., Zhang, L., Fontana, J. M., Hamada, K., Svensson, D., Akkuratov, E. E., Scott, L., Mikoshiba, K., Brismar, H., Lehtiö, J., Aperia, A. Ouabain-regulated phosphoproteome reveals molecular mechanisms for Na+, K+-ATPase control of cell adhesion, proliferation, and survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Panizza
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - Liang Zhang
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - Jacopo Maria Fontana
- Department of Applied Physics, Science for Life Laboratory, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Kozo Hamada
- Laboratory for Developmental Neurobiology, Brain Science Institute, Riken, Saitama, Japan
| | - Daniel Svensson
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - Evgeny E Akkuratov
- Department of Applied Physics, Science for Life Laboratory, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lena Scott
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - Katsuhiko Mikoshiba
- Laboratory for Developmental Neurobiology, Brain Science Institute, Riken, Saitama, Japan
| | - Hjalmar Brismar
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden.,Department of Applied Physics, Science for Life Laboratory, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Janne Lehtiö
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - Anita Aperia
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
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17
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A transient window of hypothyroidism alters neural progenitor cells and results in abnormal brain development. Sci Rep 2019; 9:4662. [PMID: 30874585 PMCID: PMC6420655 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-40249-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2018] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Cortical heterotopias are clusters of ectopic neurons in the brain and are associated with neurodevelopmental disorders like epilepsy and learning disabilities. We have previously characterized the robust penetrance of a heterotopia in a rat model, induced by thyroid hormone (TH) disruption during gestation. However, the specific mechanism by which maternal TH insufficiency results in this birth defect remains unknown. Here we first determined the developmental window susceptible to endocrine disruption and describe a cellular mechanism responsible for heterotopia formation. We show that five days of maternal goitrogen treatment (10 ppm propylthiouracil) during the perinatal period (GD19-PN2) induces a periventricular heterotopia in 100% of the offspring. Beginning in the early postnatal brain, neurons begin to aggregate near the ventricles of treated animals. In parallel, transcriptional and architectural changes of this region were observed including decreased Sonic hedgehog (Shh) expression, abnormal cell adhesion, and altered radial glia morphology. As the ventricular epithelium is juxtaposed to two sources of brain THs, the cerebrospinal fluid and vasculature, this progenitor niche may be especially susceptible to TH disruption. This work highlights the spatiotemporal vulnerabilities of the developing brain and demonstrates that a transient period of TH perturbation is sufficient to induce a congenital abnormality.
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18
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Cengiz P, Zafer D, Chandrashekhar JH, Chanana V, Bogost J, Waldman A, Novak B, Kintner DB, Ferrazzano PA. Developmental differences in microglia morphology and gene expression during normal brain development and in response to hypoxia-ischemia. Neurochem Int 2019; 127:137-147. [PMID: 30639264 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2018.12.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2018] [Revised: 12/27/2018] [Accepted: 12/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neuroinflammation plays an important role in ischemic brain injury and recovery, however the interplay between brain development and the neuroinflammatory response is poorly understood. We previously described age-dependent differences in the microglial response and the effect of microglial inhibition. Here we investigate whether age-dependent microglial responses may be related to pre-injury developmental differences in microglial phenotype. METHODS Measures of microglia morphology were quantified using semi-automated software analysis of immunostained sections from postnatal day 2 (P2), P9, P30 and P60 mice using IMARIS. Microglia were isolated from P2, P9, P30 and P60 mice, and expression of markers of classical and alternative microglial activation was assessed, as well as transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) receptor, Serpine1, Mer Tyrosine Kinase (MerTK), and the suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS3). Hypoxia-ischemia (HI) was induced in P9 and P30 mice using unilateral carotid artery ligation and exposure to 10% oxygen for 50 min. Microglia morphology and microglial expression of genes in the TGF-β and MerTK pathways were determined in ipsilateral and contralateral hippocampus. RESULTS A progressive and significant increase in microglia branching morphology was seen in all brain regions from P2 to P30. No consistent classical or alternative activation profile was seen in isolated microglia. A clear transition to increased expression of TGF-β and its downstream effector serpine1 was seen between P9 and P30. A similar increase in expression was seen in MerTK and its downstream effector SOCS3. HI resulted in a significant decrease in branching morphology only in the P9 mice, and expression of TGF-β receptor, Serpine1, MerTK, and SOCS3 were elevated in P30 mice compared to P9 post-HI. CONCLUSION Microglia maturation is associated with changes in morphology and gene expression, and microglial responses to ischemia in the developing brain differ based on the age at which injury occurs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pelin Cengiz
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA; Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.
| | - Dila Zafer
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Jayadevi H Chandrashekhar
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA
| | - Vishal Chanana
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Jacob Bogost
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Alex Waldman
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA; Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Becca Novak
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Douglas B Kintner
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Peter A Ferrazzano
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA; Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
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19
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Tong J, Li J, Zhang QS, Yang JK, Zhang L, Liu HY, Liu YZ, Yuan JW, Su XM, Zhang XX, Jiao BH. Delayed cognitive deficits can be alleviated by calcium antagonist nimodipine by downregulation of apoptosis following whole brain radiotherapy. Oncol Lett 2018; 16:2525-2532. [PMID: 30013647 PMCID: PMC6036595 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2018.8968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2017] [Accepted: 01/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Radiation therapy is important for the comprehensive treatment of intracranial tumors. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of delayed cognitive dysfunction are not well-defined and effective treatments or prevention measures remain insufficient. In the present study, 60 adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups, which included a control, whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) (single dose of 30 Gy of WBRT) and nimodipine (single dose of 30 Gy of WBRT followed by nimodipine injection intraperitoneally) groups. The rats were sacrificed 7 days or 3 months following irradiation. At 3 months, the Morris water maze test was used to assess spatial learning and memory function in rats. The results demonstrated that the WBRT group demonstrated a significantly impaired cognitive performance, decreased numbers of hippocampal Cornu Ammonis (CA)1 neurons and upregulated expression of caspase-3 in the dentate gyrus compared with those in the control and nimodipine groups. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis demonstrated that the WBRT group exhibited increased ratio of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2)-associated X protein (Bax)/Bcl-2 compared with that in control and nimodipine groups on day 7 following irradiation. However, the WBRT group exhibited decreased levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) compared with that in control and nimodipine groups at 3 months following brain irradiation. The levels of growth-associated protein 43 and amyloid precursor protein between the nimodipine group and WBRT group were not statistically significant. The present study demonstrated that neuron apoptosis may lead to delayed cognitive deficits in the hippocampus, in response to radiotherapy. The cognitive impairment may be alleviated in response to a calcium antagonist nimodipine. The molecular mechanisms involved in nimodipine-mediated protection against cognitive decline may involve the regulation of Bax/Bcl-2 and BDNF in the hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Tong
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050011, P.R. China
| | - Juan Li
- Department of Radiotherapy, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050011, P.R. China
| | - Qiu-Shi Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050011, P.R. China
| | - Jian-Kai Yang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, P.R. China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050011, P.R. China
| | - Hai-Ying Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050011, P.R. China
| | - Ying-Zi Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050011, P.R. China
| | - Jiang-Wei Yuan
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050011, P.R. China
| | - Xu-Ming Su
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050011, P.R. China
| | - Xue-Xin Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050011, P.R. China
| | - Bao-Hua Jiao
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, P.R. China
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20
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Kerepesi C, Varga B, Szalkai B, Grolmusz V. The dorsal striatum and the dynamics of the consensus connectomes in the frontal lobe of the human brain. Neurosci Lett 2018; 673:51-55. [PMID: 29496609 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2018.02.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2017] [Revised: 02/07/2018] [Accepted: 02/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
In the applications of the graph theory, it is unusual that one considers numerous, pairwise different graphs on the very same set of vertices. In the case of human braingraphs or connectomes, however, this is the standard situation: the nodes correspond to anatomically identified cerebral regions, and two vertices are connected by an edge if a diffusion MRI-based workflow identifies a fiber of axons, running between the two regions, corresponding to the two vertices. Therefore, if we examine the braingraphs of n subjects, then we have n graphs on the very same, anatomically identified vertex set. It is a natural idea to describe the k-frequently appearing edges in these graphs: the edges that are present between the same two vertices in at least k out of the n graphs. Based on the NIH-funded large Human Connectome Project's public data release, we have reported the construction of the Budapest Reference Connectome Server http://www.connectome.pitgroup.org that generates and visualizes these k-frequently appearing edges. We call the graphs of the k-frequently appearing edges "k-consensus connectomes" since an edge could be included only if it is present in at least k graphs out of n. Considering the whole human brain, we have reported a surprising property of these consensus connectomes earlier. In the present work we are focusing on the frontal lobe of the brain, and we report here a similarly surprising dynamical property of the consensus connectomes when k is gradually changed from k = n to k = 1: the connections between the nodes of the frontal lobe are seemingly emanating from those nodes that were connected to sub-cortical structures of the dorsal striatum: the caudate nucleus, and the putamen. We hypothesize that this dynamic behavior copies the axonal fiber development of the frontal lobe. An animation of the phenomenon is presented at https://youtu.be/wBciB2eW6_8.
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Affiliation(s)
- Csaba Kerepesi
- PIT Bioinformatics Group, Eötvös University, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary; Institute for Computer Science and Control (MTA SZTAKI), Hungarian Academy of Sciences.
| | - Bálint Varga
- PIT Bioinformatics Group, Eötvös University, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Balázs Szalkai
- PIT Bioinformatics Group, Eötvös University, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Vince Grolmusz
- PIT Bioinformatics Group, Eötvös University, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary; Uratim Ltd., H-1118 Budapest, Hungary.
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21
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Petschner P, Gonda X, Baksa D, Eszlari N, Trivaks M, Juhasz G, Bagdy G. Genes Linking Mitochondrial Function, Cognitive Impairment and Depression are Associated with Endophenotypes Serving Precision Medicine. Neuroscience 2018; 370:207-217. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2017.09.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2017] [Revised: 08/01/2017] [Accepted: 09/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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22
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Li X, Ji G, Chen X, Ding W, Sun L, Xu W, Han H, Sun F. Large scale three-dimensional reconstruction of an entire Caenorhabditis elegans larva using AutoCUTS-SEM. J Struct Biol 2017; 200:87-96. [PMID: 28978429 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2017.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2017] [Revised: 09/26/2017] [Accepted: 09/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Large scale, high resolution three dimensional (3D) ultrastructural reconstruction of cells and tissues has become increasingly important to our understanding of complex biological systems. There have been a few partial 3D ultra-structures of Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) reported, however 3D reconstruction of a whole nematode has never been achieved. Here, we independently developed a technique called automatic collector of ultrathin sections scanning electron microscopy and using this methodology, generated a 3D reconstruction of an entire C. elegans larva with 100 nm axial and 15 nm lateral resolution. Compared to the current available ATUM (automated tape-collecting ultramicrotome) technique, our work provides another alternative complete solution that can be applied to obtain large scale 3D ultrastructure of tissues. Our workflow includes an automated hardware system for high throughput serial section collection, a software package for automatic SEM imaging, and an image reconstruction program. These combined techniques can now be used together to rapidly provide access to understand the anatomy of the whole nematodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xixia Li
- Center for Biological Imaging, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China; National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Gang Ji
- Center for Biological Imaging, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China; National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19 Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Xi Chen
- Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Wei Ding
- Center for Biological Imaging, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China; National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Lei Sun
- Center for Biological Imaging, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China; National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Wei Xu
- Center for Biological Imaging, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Hua Han
- Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Fei Sun
- Center for Biological Imaging, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China; National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19 Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China.
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Homeostatic interplay between electrical activity and neuronal apoptosis in the developing neocortex. Neuroscience 2017; 358:190-200. [PMID: 28663094 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2017.06.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2017] [Revised: 06/07/2017] [Accepted: 06/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
An intriguing feature of nervous system development in most animal species is that the initial number of generated neurons is higher than the number of neurons incorporated into mature circuits. A substantial portion of neurons is indeed eliminated via apoptosis during a short time window - in rodents the first two postnatal weeks. While it is well established that neurotrophic factors play a central role in controlling neuronal survival and apoptosis in the peripheral nervous system (PNS), the situation is less clear in the central nervous system (CNS). In postnatal rodent neocortex, the peak of apoptosis coincides with the occurrence of spontaneous, synchronous activity patterns. In this article, we review recent results that demonstrate the important role of electrical activity for neuronal survival in the neocortex, describe the role of Ca2+ and neurotrophic factors in translating electrical activity into pro-survival signals, and finally discuss the clinical impact of the tight relation between electrical activity and neuronal survival versus apoptosis.
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24
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The neuroprotective effect of memantine on methamphetamine-induced cognitive deficits. Behav Brain Res 2017; 323:133-140. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2017.01.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2016] [Revised: 12/12/2016] [Accepted: 01/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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25
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Glushakova OY, Glushakov AA, Wijesinghe DS, Valadka AB, Hayes RL, Glushakov AV. Prospective clinical biomarkers of caspase-mediated apoptosis associated with neuronal and neurovascular damage following stroke and other severe brain injuries: Implications for chronic neurodegeneration. Brain Circ 2017; 3:87-108. [PMID: 30276309 PMCID: PMC6126261 DOI: 10.4103/bc.bc_27_16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2016] [Revised: 04/10/2017] [Accepted: 04/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute brain injuries, including ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, as well as traumatic brain injury (TBI), are major worldwide health concerns with very limited options for effective diagnosis and treatment. Stroke and TBI pose an increased risk for the development of chronic neurodegenerative diseases, notably chronic traumatic encephalopathy, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease. The existence of premorbid neurodegenerative diseases can exacerbate the severity and prognosis of acute brain injuries. Apoptosis involving caspase-3 is one of the most common mechanisms involved in the etiopathology of both acute and chronic neurological and neurodegenerative diseases, suggesting a relationship between these disorders. Over the past two decades, several clinical biomarkers of apoptosis have been identified in cerebrospinal fluid and peripheral blood following ischemic stroke, intracerebral and subarachnoid hemorrhage, and TBI. These biomarkers include selected caspases, notably caspase-3 and its specific cleavage products such as caspase-cleaved cytokeratin-18, caspase-cleaved tau, and a caspase-specific 120 kDa αII-spectrin breakdown product. The levels of these biomarkers might be a valuable tool for the identification of pathological pathways such as apoptosis and inflammation involved in injury progression, assessment of injury severity, and prediction of clinical outcomes. This review focuses on clinical studies involving biomarkers of caspase-3-mediated pathways, following stroke and TBI. The review further examines their prospective diagnostic utility, as well as clinical utility for improved personalized treatment of stroke and TBI patients and the development of prophylactic treatment chronic neurodegenerative disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olena Y Glushakova
- Department of Neurosurgery, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Andriy A Glushakov
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Dayanjan S Wijesinghe
- Department of Pharmacotherapy and Outcomes Sciences, Laboratory of Pharmacometabolomics and Companion Diagnostics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Alex B Valadka
- Department of Neurosurgery, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Ronald L Hayes
- Department of Neurosurgery, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
- Banyan Biomarkers, Inc., Alachua, 32615, USA
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26
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Mosley M, Shah C, Morse KA, Miloro SA, Holmes MM, Ahern TH, Forger NG. Patterns of cell death in the perinatal mouse forebrain. J Comp Neurol 2017; 525:47-64. [PMID: 27199256 PMCID: PMC5116296 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2016] [Revised: 05/16/2016] [Accepted: 05/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The importance of cell death in brain development has long been appreciated, but many basic questions remain, such as what initiates or terminates the cell death period. One obstacle has been the lack of quantitative data defining exactly when cell death occurs. We recently created a "cell death atlas," using the detection of activated caspase-3 (AC3) to quantify apoptosis in the postnatal mouse ventral forebrain and hypothalamus, and found that the highest rates of cell death were seen at the earliest postnatal ages in most regions. Here we have extended these analyses to prenatal ages and additional brain regions. We quantified cell death in 16 forebrain regions across nine perinatal ages from embryonic day (E) 17 to postnatal day (P) 11 and found that cell death peaks just after birth in most regions. We found greater cell death in several regions in offspring delivered vaginally on the day of parturition compared with those of the same postconception age but still in utero at the time of collection. We also found massive cell death in the oriens layer of the hippocampus on P1 and in regions surrounding the anterior crossing of the corpus callosum on E18 as well as the persistence of large numbers of cells in those regions in adult mice lacking the pro-death Bax gene. Together these findings suggest that birth may be an important trigger of neuronal cell death and identify transient cell groups that may undergo wholesale elimination perinatally. J. Comp. Neurol. 525:47-64, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan Mosley
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, 30302
| | - Charisma Shah
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, 30302
| | - Kiriana A Morse
- Department of Psychology, Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Quinnipiac University, Hamden, Connecticut, 06518
| | - Stephen A Miloro
- Department of Psychology, Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Quinnipiac University, Hamden, Connecticut, 06518
| | - Melissa M Holmes
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Todd H Ahern
- Department of Psychology, Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Quinnipiac University, Hamden, Connecticut, 06518
| | - Nancy G Forger
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, 30302
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27
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Eder D, Aegerter C, Basler K. Forces controlling organ growth and size. Mech Dev 2016; 144:53-61. [PMID: 27913118 DOI: 10.1016/j.mod.2016.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2016] [Revised: 11/02/2016] [Accepted: 11/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
One of the fundamental questions in developmental biology is what determines the final size and shape of an organ. Recent research strongly emphasizes that besides cell-cell communication, biophysical principals govern organ development. The architecture and mechanics of a tissue guide cellular processes such as movement, growth or differentiation. Furthermore, mechanical cues do not only regulate processes at a cellular level but also provide constant feedback about size and shape on a tissue scale. Here we review several models and experimental systems which are contributing to our understanding of the roles mechanical forces play during organ development. One of the best understood processes is how the remodeling of bones is driven by mechanical load. Culture systems of single cells and of cellular monolayers provide further insights into the growth promoting capacity of mechanical cues. We focus on the Drosophila wing imaginal disc, a well-established model system for growth regulation. We discuss theoretical models that invoke mechanical feedback loops for growth regulation and experimental studies providing empirical support. Future progress in this exciting field will require the development of new tools to precisely measure and modify forces in living tissue systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Eder
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, CH-8057, Switzerland; Institute of Physics, University of Zurich, CH-8057, Switzerland
| | | | - Konrad Basler
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, CH-8057, Switzerland.
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28
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Kerepesi C, Szalkai B, Varga B, Grolmusz V. How to Direct the Edges of the Connectomes: Dynamics of the Consensus Connectomes and the Development of the Connections in the Human Brain. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0158680. [PMID: 27362431 PMCID: PMC4928947 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0158680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2016] [Accepted: 06/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The human braingraph or the connectome is the object of an intensive research today. The advantage of the graph-approach to brain science is that the rich structures, algorithms and definitions of graph theory can be applied to the anatomical networks of the connections of the human brain. In these graphs, the vertices correspond to the small (1–1.5 cm2) areas of the gray matter, and two vertices are connected by an edge, if a diffusion-MRI based workflow finds fibers of axons, running between those small gray matter areas in the white matter of the brain. One main question of the field today is discovering the directions of the connections between the small gray matter areas. In a previous work we have reported the construction of the Budapest Reference Connectome Server http://connectome.pitgroup.org from the data recorded in the Human Connectome Project of the NIH. The server generates the consensus braingraph of 96 subjects in Version 2, and of 418 subjects in Version 3, according to selectable parameters. After the Budapest Reference Connectome Server had been published, we recognized a surprising and unforeseen property of the server. The server can generate the braingraph of connections that are present in at least k graphs out of the 418, for any value of k = 1, 2, …, 418. When the value of k is changed from k = 418 through 1 by moving a slider at the webserver from right to left, certainly more and more edges appear in the consensus graph. The astonishing observation is that the appearance of the new edges is not random: it is similar to a growing shrub. We refer to this phenomenon as the Consensus Connectome Dynamics. We hypothesize that this movement of the slider in the webserver may copy the development of the connections in the human brain in the following sense: the connections that are present in all subjects are the oldest ones, and those that are present only in a decreasing fraction of the subjects are gradually the newer connections in the individual brain development. An animation on the phenomenon is available at https://youtu.be/yxlyudPaVUE. Based on this observation and the related hypothesis, we can assign directions to some of the edges of the connectome as follows: Let Gk + 1 denote the consensus connectome where each edge is present in at least k+1 graphs, and let Gk denote the consensus connectome where each edge is present in at least k graphs. Suppose that vertex v is not connected to any other vertices in Gk+1, and becomes connected to a vertex u in Gk, where u was connected to other vertices already in Gk+1. Then we direct this (v, u) edge from v to u.
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Affiliation(s)
- Csaba Kerepesi
- PIT Bioinformatics Group, Eötvös University, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
- Institute for Computer Science and Control, H-1111 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Balázs Szalkai
- PIT Bioinformatics Group, Eötvös University, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Bálint Varga
- PIT Bioinformatics Group, Eötvös University, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Vince Grolmusz
- PIT Bioinformatics Group, Eötvös University, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
- Uratim Ltd., H-1118 Budapest, Hungary
- * E-mail:
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29
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Humann J, Mann B, Gao G, Moresco P, Ramahi J, Loh LN, Farr A, Hu Y, Durick-Eder K, Fillon SA, Smeyne RJ, Tuomanen EI. Bacterial Peptidoglycan Traverses the Placenta to Induce Fetal Neuroproliferation and Aberrant Postnatal Behavior. Cell Host Microbe 2016; 19:388-99. [PMID: 26962947 PMCID: PMC4787272 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2016.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2015] [Revised: 02/04/2016] [Accepted: 02/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Maternal infection during pregnancy is associated with adverse outcomes for the fetus, including postnatal cognitive disorders. However, the underlying mechanisms are obscure. We find that bacterial cell wall peptidoglycan (CW), a universal PAMP for TLR2, traverses the murine placenta into the developing fetal brain. In contrast to adults, CW-exposed fetal brains did not show any signs of inflammation or neuronal death. Instead, the neuronal transcription factor FoxG1 was induced, and neuroproliferation leading to a 50% greater density of neurons in the cortical plate was observed. Bacterial infection of pregnant dams, followed by antibiotic treatment, which releases CW, yielded the same result. Neuroproliferation required TLR2 and was recapitulated in vitro with fetal neuronal precursor cells and TLR2/6, but not TLR2/1, ligands. The fetal neuroproliferative response correlated with abnormal cognitive behavior in CW-exposed pups following birth. Thus, the bacterial CW-TLR2 signaling axis affects fetal neurodevelopment and may underlie postnatal cognitive disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Humann
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Beth Mann
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Geli Gao
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Philip Moresco
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Joseph Ramahi
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Lip Nam Loh
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Arden Farr
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Yunming Hu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Kelly Durick-Eder
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Sophie A Fillon
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Richard J Smeyne
- Department of Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Elaine I Tuomanen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA.
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30
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Xie YF, Jiang XH, Sessle BJ, Yu XM. Development of regional specificity of spinal and medullary dorsal horn neurons. World J Biol Chem 2016; 7:138-145. [PMID: 26981202 PMCID: PMC4768117 DOI: 10.4331/wjbc.v7.i1.138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2015] [Accepted: 01/07/2016] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Extensive studies have focused on the development and regionalization of neurons in the central nervous system (CNS). Many genes, which play crucial roles in the development of CNS neurons, have been identified. By using the technique “direct reprogramming”, neurons can be produced from multiple cell sources such as fibroblasts. However, understanding the region-specific regulation of neurons in the CNS is still one of the biggest challenges in the research field of neuroscience. Neurons located in the trigeminal subnucleus caudalis (Vc) and in the spinal dorsal horn (SDH) play crucial roles in pain and sensorimotor functions in the orofacial and other somatic body regions, respectively. Anatomically, Vc represents the most caudal component of the trigeminal system, and is contiguous with SDH. This review is focused on recent data dealing with the regional specificity involved in the development of neurons in Vc and SDH.
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31
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Forger NG, Strahan JA, Castillo-Ruiz A. Cellular and molecular mechanisms of sexual differentiation in the mammalian nervous system. Front Neuroendocrinol 2016; 40:67-86. [PMID: 26790970 PMCID: PMC4897775 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2016.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2015] [Revised: 12/31/2015] [Accepted: 01/09/2016] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Neuroscientists are likely to discover new sex differences in the coming years, spurred by the National Institutes of Health initiative to include both sexes in preclinical studies. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying sex differences in the mammalian nervous system, based primarily on work in rodents. Cellular mechanisms examined include neurogenesis, migration, the differentiation of neurochemical and morphological cell phenotype, and cell death. At the molecular level we discuss evolving roles for epigenetics, sex chromosome complement, the immune system, and newly identified cell signaling pathways. We review recent findings on the role of the environment, as well as genome-wide studies with some surprising results, causing us to re-think often-used models of sexual differentiation. We end by pointing to future directions, including an increased awareness of the important contributions of tissues outside of the nervous system to sexual differentiation of the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy G Forger
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, United States.
| | - J Alex Strahan
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, United States.
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32
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Petrovskiy ED, Saik OV, Tiys ES, Lavrik IN, Kolchanov NA, Ivanisenko VA. Prediction of tissue-specific effects of gene knockout on apoptosis in different anatomical structures of human brain. BMC Genomics 2015; 16 Suppl 13:S3. [PMID: 26693857 PMCID: PMC4686796 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-16-s13-s3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND An important issue in the target identification for the drug design is the tissue-specific effect of inhibition of target genes. The task of assessing the tissue-specific effect in suppressing gene activity is especially relevant in the studies of the brain, because a significant variability in gene expression levels among different areas of the brain was well documented. RESULTS A method is proposed for constructing statistical models to predict the potential effect of the knockout of target genes on the expression of genes involved in the regulation of apoptosis in various brain regions. The model connects the expression of the objective group of genes with expression of the target gene by means of machine learning models trained on available expression data. Information about the interactions between target and objective genes is determined by reconstruction of target-centric gene network. STRING and ANDSystem databases are used for the reconstruction of gene networks. The developed models have been used to analyse gene knockout effects of more than 7,500 target genes on the expression of 1,900 objective genes associated with the Gene Ontology category "apoptotic process". The tissue-specific effect was calculated for 12 main anatomical structures of the human brain. Initial values of gene expression in these anatomical structures were taken from the Allen Brain Atlas database. The results of the predictions of the effect of suppressing the activity of target genes on apoptosis, calculated on average for all brain structures, were in good agreement with experimental data on siRNA-inhibition. CONCLUSIONS This theoretical paper presents an approach that can be used to assess tissue-specific gene knockout effect on gene expression of the studied biological process in various structures of the brain. Genes that, according to the predictions of the model, have the highest values of tissue-specific effects on the apoptosis network can be considered as potential pharmacological targets for the development of drugs that would potentially have strong effect on the specific area of the brain and a much weaker effect on other brain structures. Further experiments should be provided in order to confirm the potential findings of the method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgeny D Petrovskiy
- The Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics, The Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Prospekt Lavrentyeva 10, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia
- International Tomography Center, The Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Institutskaya 3A, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia
| | - Olga V Saik
- The Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics, The Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Prospekt Lavrentyeva 10, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia
| | - Evgeny S Tiys
- The Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics, The Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Prospekt Lavrentyeva 10, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia
| | - Inna N Lavrik
- The Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics, The Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Prospekt Lavrentyeva 10, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia
- Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Medical Faculty, Department Translational Inflammation Research, Institute of Experimental Internal Medicine, Pfälzer Platz, Building 28, Magdeburg, 39106, Germany
| | - Nikolay A Kolchanov
- The Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics, The Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Prospekt Lavrentyeva 10, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia
| | - Vladimir A Ivanisenko
- The Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics, The Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Prospekt Lavrentyeva 10, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia
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33
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Vainshtein A, Veenman L, Shterenberg A, Singh S, Masarwa A, Dutta B, Island B, Tsoglin E, Levin E, Leschiner S, Maniv I, Pe’er L, Otradnov I, Zubedat S, Aga-Mizrachi S, Weizman A, Avital A, Marek I, Gavish M. Quinazoline-based tricyclic compounds that regulate programmed cell death, induce neuronal differentiation, and are curative in animal models for excitotoxicity and hereditary brain disease. Cell Death Discov 2015; 1:15027. [PMID: 27551459 PMCID: PMC4979516 DOI: 10.1038/cddiscovery.2015.27] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2015] [Accepted: 07/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Expanding on a quinazoline scaffold, we developed tricyclic compounds with biological activity. These compounds bind to the 18 kDa translocator protein (TSPO) and protect U118MG (glioblastoma cell line of glial origin) cells from glutamate-induced cell death. Fascinating, they can induce neuronal differentiation of PC12 cells (cell line of pheochromocytoma origin with neuronal characteristics) known to display neuronal characteristics, including outgrowth of neurites, tubulin expression, and NeuN (antigen known as 'neuronal nuclei', also known as Rbfox3) expression. As part of the neurodifferentiation process, they can amplify cell death induced by glutamate. Interestingly, the compound 2-phenylquinazolin-4-yl dimethylcarbamate (MGV-1) can induce expansive neurite sprouting on its own and also in synergy with nerve growth factor and with glutamate. Glycine is not required, indicating that N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors are not involved in this activity. These diverse effects on cells of glial origin and on cells with neuronal characteristics induced in culture by this one compound, MGV-1, as reported in this article, mimic the diverse events that take place during embryonic development of the brain (maintenance of glial integrity, differentiation of progenitor cells to mature neurons, and weeding out of non-differentiating progenitor cells). Such mechanisms are also important for protective, curative, and restorative processes that occur during and after brain injury and brain disease. Indeed, we found in a rat model of systemic kainic acid injection that MGV-1 can prevent seizures, counteract the process of ongoing brain damage, including edema, and restore behavior defects to normal patterns. Furthermore, in the R6-2 (transgenic mouse model for Huntington disease; Strain name: B6CBA-Tg(HDexon1)62Gpb/3J) transgenic mouse model for Huntington disease, derivatives of MGV-1 can increase lifespan by >20% and reduce incidence of abnormal movements. Also in vitro, these derivatives were more effective than MGV-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Vainshtein
- Department of Neuroscience, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Faculty of Medicine, Rappaport Family Institute for Research in the Medical Sciences, Haifa, Israel
| | - L Veenman
- Department of Neuroscience, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Faculty of Medicine, Rappaport Family Institute for Research in the Medical Sciences, Haifa, Israel
| | - A Shterenberg
- Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Schulich Faculty of Chemistry, The Mallat Family Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Haifa, Israel
| | - S Singh
- Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Schulich Faculty of Chemistry, The Mallat Family Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Haifa, Israel
| | - A Masarwa
- Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Schulich Faculty of Chemistry, The Mallat Family Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Haifa, Israel
| | - B Dutta
- Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Schulich Faculty of Chemistry, The Mallat Family Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Haifa, Israel
| | - B Island
- Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Schulich Faculty of Chemistry, The Mallat Family Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Haifa, Israel
| | - E Tsoglin
- Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Schulich Faculty of Chemistry, The Mallat Family Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Haifa, Israel
| | - E Levin
- Department of Neuroscience, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Faculty of Medicine, Rappaport Family Institute for Research in the Medical Sciences, Haifa, Israel
| | - S Leschiner
- Department of Neuroscience, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Faculty of Medicine, Rappaport Family Institute for Research in the Medical Sciences, Haifa, Israel
| | - I Maniv
- Department of Neuroscience, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Faculty of Medicine, Rappaport Family Institute for Research in the Medical Sciences, Haifa, Israel
| | - L Pe’er
- Department of Neuroscience, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Faculty of Medicine, Rappaport Family Institute for Research in the Medical Sciences, Haifa, Israel
| | - I Otradnov
- Department of Neuroscience, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Faculty of Medicine, Rappaport Family Institute for Research in the Medical Sciences, Haifa, Israel
| | - S Zubedat
- Department of Physiology, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, The Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Emek Medical Center, Haifa, Israel
| | - S Aga-Mizrachi
- Department of Physiology, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, The Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Emek Medical Center, Haifa, Israel
| | - A Weizman
- Tel Aviv University, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, The Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Geha Mental Health Center, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - A Avital
- Department of Physiology, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, The Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Emek Medical Center, Haifa, Israel
| | - I Marek
- Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Schulich Faculty of Chemistry, The Mallat Family Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Haifa, Israel
| | - M Gavish
- Department of Neuroscience, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Faculty of Medicine, Rappaport Family Institute for Research in the Medical Sciences, Haifa, Israel
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34
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Perez JD, Rubinstein ND, Fernandez DE, Santoro SW, Needleman LA, Ho-Shing O, Choi JJ, Zirlinger M, Chen SK, Liu JS, Dulac C. Quantitative and functional interrogation of parent-of-origin allelic expression biases in the brain. eLife 2015; 4:e07860. [PMID: 26140685 PMCID: PMC4512258 DOI: 10.7554/elife.07860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2015] [Accepted: 07/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The maternal and paternal genomes play different roles in mammalian brains as a result of genomic imprinting, an epigenetic regulation leading to differential expression of the parental alleles of some genes. Here we investigate genomic imprinting in the cerebellum using a newly developed Bayesian statistical model that provides unprecedented transcript-level resolution. We uncover 160 imprinted transcripts, including 41 novel and independently validated imprinted genes. Strikingly, many genes exhibit parentally biased--rather than monoallelic--expression, with different magnitudes according to age, organ, and brain region. Developmental changes in parental bias and overall gene expression are strongly correlated, suggesting combined roles in regulating gene dosage. Finally, brain-specific deletion of the paternal, but not maternal, allele of the paternally-biased Bcl-x, (Bcl2l1) results in loss of specific neuron types, supporting the functional significance of parental biases. These findings reveal the remarkable complexity of genomic imprinting, with important implications for understanding the normal and diseased brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio D Perez
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
| | - Nimrod D Rubinstein
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
| | | | - Stephen W Santoro
- Neuroscience Program, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, United States
| | - Leigh A Needleman
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
| | - Olivia Ho-Shing
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
| | - John J Choi
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
| | | | | | - Jun S Liu
- Department of Statistics, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
| | - Catherine Dulac
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
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Saias L, Swoger J, D’Angelo A, Hayes P, Colombelli J, Sharpe J, Salbreux G, Solon J. Decrease in Cell Volume Generates Contractile Forces Driving Dorsal Closure. Dev Cell 2015; 33:611-21. [DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2015.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2014] [Revised: 08/18/2014] [Accepted: 03/16/2015] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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Abstract
Background Neuronal cells are vulnerable to many stresses that can cause apoptosis. Reprogramming of fibroblasts into induced neural stem cells (iNSCs) is a potentially unlimited source of neurons. Discovering agents that can provide neuronal protection against these apoptotic stimuli is important for developing therapeutic strategies for various brain diseases. Material/Methods We investigated the therapeutic effects of iNSCs against apoptosis activator II (AAII)-induced apoptosis of cortical neuronal cells. Apoptosis was confirmed by double immunocytochemistry with NeuN and 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated digoxigenin-dUTP-biotin nick-end labeling. We performed Western blot analyses for activated caspase-3, Bcl-2, phosphorylated Akt, and phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK). The level of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (P<0.05). Results Cortical neuronal cells cultured with iNSCs had fewer apoptotic cells than those cultured without iNSCs. We found that cells cultured with iNSCs had a significantly lower caspase-3 level and a significantly higher Bcl-2 level than cells cultured without iNSCs. Cells cultured with iNSCs had higher VEGF levels than cells cultured without iNSCs. The levels of phosphorylated Akt and phosphorylated ERK were significantly higher in cells cultured with iNSCs than in cells cultured without iNSCs. Conclusions Our findings suggest that iNSCs activate Akt and ERK, which are associated with the inhibition of neuronal apoptosis. Thus, treatment with iNSCs may help reduce neuronal loss in brain disease. Further studies aimed at proving this hypothesis might help establish therapeutic agents that can prevent neuronal cell death and help cure neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Hee Kim
- Department of Neurosurgery, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jangbo Lee
- Department of Neurosurgery, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Korea
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The role of glial cells and the complement system in retinal diseases and Alzheimer’s disease: common neural degeneration mechanisms. Exp Brain Res 2014; 232:3363-77. [DOI: 10.1007/s00221-014-4078-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2014] [Accepted: 08/19/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Short term morphine exposure in vitro alters proliferation and differentiation of neural progenitor cells and promotes apoptosis via mu receptors. PLoS One 2014; 9:e103043. [PMID: 25072277 PMCID: PMC4114742 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0103043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2013] [Accepted: 06/26/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chronic morphine treatment inhibits neural progenitor cell (NPC) progression and negatively effects hippocampal neurogenesis. However, the effect of acute opioid treatment on cell development and its influence on NPC differentiation and proliferation in vitro is unknown. We aim to investigate the effect of a single, short term exposure of morphine on the proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis of NPCs and the mechanism involved. METHODS Cell cultures from 14-day mouse embryos were exposed to different concentrations of morphine and its antagonist naloxone for 24 hours and proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis were studied. Proliferating cells were labeled with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) and cell fate was studied with immunocytochemistry. RESULTS Cells treated with morphine demonstrated decreased BrdU expression with increased morphine concentrations. Analysis of double-labeled cells showed a decrease in cells co-stained for BrdU with nestin and an increase in cells co-stained with BrdU and neuron-specific class III β-tubuline (TUJ1) in a dose dependent manner. Furthermore, a significant increase in caspase-3 activity was observed in the nestin- positive cells. Addition of naloxone to morphine-treated NPCs reversed the anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects of morphine. CONCLUSIONS Short term morphine exposure induced inhibition of NPC proliferation and increased active caspase-3 expression in a dose dependent manner. Morphine induces neuronal and glial differentiation and decreases the expression of nestin- positive cells. These effects were reversed with the addition of the opioid antagonist naloxone. Our results demonstrate the effects of short term morphine administration on the proliferation and differentiation of NPCs and imply a mu-receptor mechanism in the regulation of NPC survival.
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Could Intracrine Biology Play a Role in the Pathogenesis of Transmissable Spongiform Encephalopathies Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Neurodegenerative Diseases? Am J Med Sci 2014; 347:312-20. [DOI: 10.1097/maj.0b013e3182a28af3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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40
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Storbeck M, Hupperich K, Gaspar JA, Meganathan K, Martínez Carrera L, Wirth R, Sachinidis A, Wirth B. Neuronal-specific deficiency of the splicing factor Tra2b causes apoptosis in neurogenic areas of the developing mouse brain. PLoS One 2014; 9:e89020. [PMID: 24586484 PMCID: PMC3929626 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0089020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2013] [Accepted: 01/13/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Alternative splicing (AS) increases the informational content of the genome and is more prevalent in the brain than in any other tissue. The splicing factor Tra2b (Sfrs10) can modulate splicing inclusion of exons by specifically detecting GAA-rich binding motifs and its absence causes early embryonic lethality in mice. TRA2B has been shown to be involved in splicing processes of Nasp (nuclear autoantigenic sperm protein), MAPT (microtubule associated protein tau) and SMN (survival motor neuron), and is therefore implicated in spermatogenesis and neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, Parkinson’s disease and spinal muscular atrophy. Here we generated a neuronal-specific Tra2b knock-out mouse that lacks Tra2b expression in neuronal and glial precursor cells by using the Nestin-Cre. Neuronal-specific Tra2b knock-out mice die immediately after birth and show severe abnormalities in cortical development, which are caused by massive apoptotic events in the ventricular layers of the cortex, demonstrating a pivotal role of Tra2b for the developing central nervous system. Using whole brain RNA on exon arrays we identified differentially expressed alternative exons of Tubulinδ1 and Shugoshin-like2 as in vivo targets of Tra2b. Most interestingly, we found increased expression of the cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor 1a (p21) which we could functionally link to neuronal precursor cells in the affected brain regions. We provide further evidence that the absence of Tra2b causes p21 upregulation and ultimately cell death in NSC34 neuronal-like cells. These findings demonstrate that Tra2b regulates splicing events essential for maintaining neuronal viability during development. Apoptotic events triggered via p21 might not be restricted to the developing brain but could possibly be generalized to the whole organism and explain early embryonic lethality in Tra2b-depleted mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Storbeck
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Institute of Genetics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Kristina Hupperich
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Institute of Genetics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | | | | | - Lilian Martínez Carrera
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Institute of Genetics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Radu Wirth
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | | | - Brunhilde Wirth
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Institute of Genetics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- * E-mail:
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Abstract
It is well known that the death of dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) is the pathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease (PD), the second most common and disabling condition in the expanding elderly population. Nevertheless, the intracellular cascade of events leading to dopamine cell death is still unknown and, consequently, treatment is largely symptomatic rather than preventive. Moreover, the mechanisms whereby nigral dopaminergic neurons may degenerate still remain controversial. Hitherto, several data have shown that the earlier cellular disturbances occurring in dopaminergic neurons include oxidative stress, excitotoxicity, inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction and altered proteolysis. These alterations, rather than killing neurons, trigger subsequent death-related molecular pathways, including elements of apoptosis. In rare incidences, PD may be inherited; this evidence has opened a new and exciting area of research, attempting to shed light on the nature of the more common idiopathic PD form. In this review, the characteristics of the SNc dopaminergic neurons and their lifecycle from birth to death are reviewed. In addition, of the mechanisms by which the aforementioned alterations cause neuronal dopaminergic death, particular emphasis will be given to the role played by inflammation, and the relevance of the possible use of anti-inflammatory drugs in the treatment of PD. Finally, new evidence of a possible de novo neurogenesis in the SNc of adult animals and in PD patients will also be examined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ennio Esposito
- Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Consorzio Mario Negri Sud, Via Nazionale 8, 66030 Santa Maria Imbaro (Chieti), Italy.
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Ahern TH, Krug S, Carr AV, Murray EK, Fitzpatrick E, Bengston L, McCutcheon J, De Vries GJ, Forger NG. Cell death atlas of the postnatal mouse ventral forebrain and hypothalamus: effects of age and sex. J Comp Neurol 2013; 521:2551-69. [PMID: 23296992 PMCID: PMC4968939 DOI: 10.1002/cne.23298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2012] [Revised: 11/28/2012] [Accepted: 12/26/2012] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Naturally occurring cell death is essential to the development of the mammalian nervous system. Although the importance of developmental cell death has been appreciated for decades, there is no comprehensive account of cell death across brain areas in the mouse. Moreover, several regional sex differences in cell death have been described for the ventral forebrain and hypothalamus, but it is not known how widespread the phenomenon is. We used immunohistochemical detection of activated caspase-3 to identify dying cells in the brains of male and female mice from postnatal day (P) 1 to P11. Cell death density, total number of dying cells, and regional volume were determined in 16 regions of the hypothalamus and ventral forebrain (the anterior hypothalamus, arcuate nucleus, anteroventral periventricular nucleus, medial preoptic nucleus, paraventricular nucleus, suprachiasmatic nucleus, and ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus; the basolateral, central, and medial amygdala; the lateral and principal nuclei of the bed nuclei of the stria terminalis; the caudate-putamen; the globus pallidus; the lateral septum; and the islands of Calleja). All regions showed a significant effect of age on cell death. The timing of peak cell death varied between P1 to P7, and the average rate of cell death varied tenfold among regions. Several significant sex differences in cell death and/or regional volume were detected. These data address large gaps in the developmental literature and suggest interesting region-specific differences in the prevalence and timing of cell death in the hypothalamus and ventral forebrain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd H. Ahern
- Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Quinnipiac University, Hamden, Connecticut 06518
- Department of Psychology, Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003
| | - Stefanie Krug
- Department of Psychology, Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003
| | - Audrey V. Carr
- Department of Psychology, Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003
| | - Elaine K. Murray
- Department of Psychology, Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003
| | - Emmett Fitzpatrick
- Department of Psychology, Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003
| | - Lynn Bengston
- Department of Psychology, Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003
| | - Jill McCutcheon
- Department of Psychology, Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003
| | - Geert J. De Vries
- Department of Psychology, Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia 30303
| | - Nancy G. Forger
- Department of Psychology, Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia 30303
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Nam C, Yamauchi H, He XJ, Woo GH, Ahn B, Nam SY, Doi K, Nakayama H. Gene expression profiles in the fetal mouse brain after etoposide (VP-16) administration. Exp Anim 2013; 62:93-9. [PMID: 23615303 DOI: 10.1538/expanim.62.93] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to analyze the response of gene expression caused by etoposide (VP-16) in the fetal mouse brain. Four miligrams/kilogram of VP-16 was intraperitoneally injected into pregnant mice on day 12 of gestation (GD 12). Gene expression profiling of the VP-16-treated fetal mouse brain by DNA microarray was performed. The expression changes of the target genes of p53 were also examined by real-time RT-PCR. VP-16 induced S-phase accumulation, G2/M arrest, and eventually apoptosis of neuroepithelial cells in the fetal brain. DNA microarray analysis revealed that 8 of cell cycle control- and apoptosis-related genes were upregulated and that 5 of DNA damage, repair, replication, and transcription genes were also upregulated in the fetal telencephalons at 4 h after VP-16 treatment (HAT). The results of real-time RT-PCR demonstrated that the expression of topoisomerase IIα was increased at 4 and 8 HAT. The expression of pro-apoptotic factors such as puma, noxa, bax, and cyclin G was also increased from 4 to 12 HAT. These results suggest that VP-16 induces DNA damage, DNA repair, cell cycle alternation, and apoptosis in the fetal mouse brain. In addition, VP-16-induced apoptosis is mediated through the mitochondrial pathway in a p53-related manner. The present study will provide a better understanding of the mechanisms of VP-16-induced fetal brain injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunja Nam
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences,The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
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Vlassaks E, Mencarelli C, Nikiforou M, Strackx E, Ferraz MJ, Aerts JM, De Baets MH, Martinez-Martinez P, Gavilanes AWD. Fetal asphyxia induces acute and persisting changes in the ceramide metabolism in rat brain. J Lipid Res 2013; 54:1825-33. [PMID: 23625371 DOI: 10.1194/jlr.m034447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Fetal asphyctic preconditioning, induced by a brief episode of experimental hypoxia-ischemia, offers neuroprotection to a subsequent more severe asphyctic insult at birth. Extensive cell stress and apoptosis are important contributing factors of damage in the asphyctic neonatal brain. Because ceramide acts as a second messenger for multiple apoptotic stimuli, including hypoxia/ischemia, we sought to investigate the possible involvement of the ceramide pathway in endogenous neuroprotection induced by fetal asphyctic preconditioning. Global fetal asphyxia was induced in rats by clamping both uterine and ovarian vasculature for 30 min. Fetal asphyxia resulted in acute changes in brain ceramide/sphingomyelin metabolic enzymes, ceramide synthase 1, 2, and 5, acid sphingomyelinase, sphingosine-1-phosphate phosphatase, and the ceramide transporter. This observation correlated with an increase in neuronal apoptosis and in astrocyte number. After birth, ceramide and sphingomyelin levels remained high in fetal asphyxia brains, suggesting that a long-term regulation of the ceramide pathway may be involved in the mechanism of tolerance to a subsequent, otherwise lethal, asphyctic event.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evi Vlassaks
- Department of Neuroscience, Maastricht University, School of Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNS), Maastricht, The Netherlands
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45
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Beaulieu CL, Huang L, Innes AM, Akimenko MA, Puffenberger EG, Schwartz C, Jerry P, Ober C, Hegele RA, McLeod DR, Schwartzentruber J, Majewski J, Bulman DE, Parboosingh JS, Boycott KM. Intellectual disability associated with a homozygous missense mutation in THOC6. Orphanet J Rare Dis 2013; 8:62. [PMID: 23621916 PMCID: PMC3644499 DOI: 10.1186/1750-1172-8-62] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2013] [Accepted: 04/16/2013] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background We recently described a novel autosomal recessive neurodevelopmental disorder with intellectual disability in four patients from two related Hutterite families. Identity-by-descent mapping localized the gene to a 5.1 Mb region at chromosome 16p13.3 containing more than 170 known or predicted genes. The objective of this study was to identify the causative gene for this rare disorder. Methods and results Candidate gene sequencing followed by exome sequencing identified a homozygous missense mutation p.Gly46Arg, in THOC6. No other potentially causative coding variants were present within the critical region on chromosome 16. THOC6 is a member of the THO/TREX complex which is involved in coordinating mRNA processing with mRNA export from the nucleus. In situ hybridization showed that thoc6 is highly expressed in the midbrain and eyes. Cellular localization studies demonstrated that wild-type THOC6 is present within the nucleus as is the case for other THO complex proteins. However, mutant THOC6 was predominantly localized to the cytoplasm, suggesting that the mutant protein is unable to carry out its normal function. siRNA knockdown of THOC6 revealed increased apoptosis in cultured cells. Conclusion Our findings associate a missense mutation in THOC6 with intellectual disability, suggesting the THO/TREX complex plays an important role in neurodevelopment.
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MENSHANOV PN, BANNOVA AV, BULYGINA VV, DYGALO NN. Acute Antiapoptotic Effects of Hydrocortisone in the Hippocampus of Neonatal Rats. Physiol Res 2013; 62:205-13. [DOI: 10.33549/physiolres.932339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural glucocorticoid hydrocortisone was suggested as a potent substitution for dexamethasone in the treatment of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in neonates. The aim of this study was to investigate whether hydrocortisone is able to affect the expression of apoptotic genes and the intensity of naturally occurring cell death in the developing rat hippocampus. Hormone treatment decreased procaspase-3 and active caspase-3 levels as well as DNA fragmentation intensity in the hippocampal formation of one-week-old rats in 6 h after injection. These changes were accompanied by an upregulation of antiapoptotic protein Bcl-XL, while expression of proapoptotic protein Bax remained unchanged. The action of hydrocortisone was glucocorticoid receptor-independent, as the selective glucocorticoid receptor agonist dexamethasone did not affect either apoptotic protein levels or DNA fragmentation intensity in the hippocampal region. The data are the first evidences for in vivo antiapoptotic effects of hydrocortisone in the developing hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- P. N. MENSHANOV
- Functional Neurogenomics Laboratory, Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Russian Academy of Science, Novosibirsk, Russian Federation
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Lu X, Jin C, Yang J, Liu Q, Wu S, Li D, Guan Y, Cai Y. Prenatal and lactational lead exposure enhanced oxidative stress and altered apoptosis status in offspring rats' hippocampus. Biol Trace Elem Res 2013; 151:75-84. [PMID: 23086308 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-012-9531-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2012] [Accepted: 10/12/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Oxidative stress and apoptosis facilitation in the developing central nervous system (CNS) have been inferred as two mechanisms related to lead's neurotoxicity, and excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) can promote oxidative stress and apoptosis facilitation. Few studies systematically investigated the potential relationship among oxidative stress, ROS generation, and apoptosis facilitation after lead exposure in earlier life as a whole. To better understand the adverse effect on the developing central nervous system (CNS) after lead exposure during pregnancy and lactation, the indexes of oxidative stress, apoptosis status, and Bax and Bcl-2 expression of offspring rats' hippocampus were determined. Pregnant rats were randomly divided into four groups and given free access to drinking water which contained 0 %, 0.05 %, 0.1 %, and 0.2 % Pb(AC)(2) respectively from gestation day 0 to postnatal day 21 (PND21). Results showed that ROS and malondialdehyde level of either PND7 or PND21 pups' hippocampus were significantly raised; reduced glutathione level and superoxide dismutase activity were obviously decreased following the increase of blood and brain lead level. Similar to apoptotic indexes, Bax/Bcl-2 ratio increased after 0.1 % and 0.2 % Pb(AC)(2) exposure, especially for the pups on PND7. Comparing with cortex, the hippocampus seemed much more sensitive to damage induced by lead. We concluded that the disruption of pro-oxidant and antioxidant balance and apoptosis facilitation could be associated with the mechanisms of neurotoxicity after lead exposure in earlier life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobo Lu
- Department of Hygiene Toxicology, School of Public Health, China Medical University, #92 North 2 Road, Heping District, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, People's Republic of China
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Nguyen AT, Nishijo M, Hori E, Nguyen NM, Pham TT, Fukunaga K, Nakagawa H, Tran AH, Nishijo H. Influence of Maternal Exposure to 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin on Socioemotional Behaviors in Offspring Rats. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH INSIGHTS 2013; 7:1-14. [PMID: 23493046 PMCID: PMC3588853 DOI: 10.4137/ehi.s10346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Effects of dioxins on cognitive functions were reported in previous studies conducted in humans and animals. In the present study, we investigated the influence of dioxin exposure during pregnancy on social interaction and on the activity of offspring, which are related to neurodevelopmental disturbances. In addition, we analyzed neurochemical alterations of the limbic system of rat brains to suggest one mechanism of dioxin effects on brain function. We believe that this manuscript is suitable for publication in "Environmental Health Insights" because it provides an interesting topic for a wide global audience. To clarify the relationships between maternal dioxin exposure and socioemotional functions of rat offspring, dams were given TCDD (1.0 μg/kg) on gestational day 15. Social interactions and forced swimming time were compared between TCDD-exposed and control offspring in each gender. Frequency and duration of locomotion were higher, and durations per one behavior of proximity and social contact were significantly lower in the exposed males, while only the duration of proximity was lower in the exposed females. Forced swimming time on the first day was significantly longer in the exposed males. In the limbic system of the rat brain, the levels and/or activity of CaMKIIα were decreased in males and were increased in females in the exposed offspring. These results suggest that prenatal TCDD exposure induces hyperactivity and socioemotional deficits, particularly in the male offspring due to alterations in CaMKIIα activity in the limbic system of the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anh T.N. Nguyen
- Department of Public Health, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa, Japan
| | - Muneko Nishijo
- Department of Public Health, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa, Japan
- Corresponding author
| | - Etsuro Hori
- System Emotional Science, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Nui M. Nguyen
- System Emotional Science, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Tai T. Pham
- Department of Public Health, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa, Japan
- Biomedical Pharmaceutical Research Center, Vietnam Military Medical University, Ha Noi, Vietnam
| | - Kohji Fukunaga
- Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Science, Tohoku University, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Hideaki Nakagawa
- Department of Public Health, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa, Japan
| | - Anh H. Tran
- Department of Physiology, Vietnam Military Medical University, Ha Noi, Vietnam
| | - Hisao Nishijo
- System Emotional Science, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
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Derecki NC, Cronk JC, Kipnis J. The role of microglia in brain maintenance: implications for Rett syndrome. Trends Immunol 2012; 34:144-50. [PMID: 23122051 DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2012.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2012] [Revised: 09/29/2012] [Accepted: 10/02/2012] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The role of microglia in central nervous system (CNS) pathology has been studied extensively, and more recently, examination of microglia in the healthy brain has yielded important insights into their many functions. It was long assumed that microglia were essentially quiescent cells, unless provoked into activation, which was considered a hallmark of disease. More recently, however, it has become increasingly clear that they are extraordinarily dynamic cells, constantly sampling their environment and adjusting to exquisitely delicate stimuli. Along these lines, our laboratory has identified a new and unexpected role for microglial phagocytosis - or lack thereof - in the pathophysiology of Rett syndrome, a neurodevelopmental disease caused by mutation of the gene encoding methyl-CpG binding protein (MECP)2. We have shown that specific expression of wild type Mecp2 in myeloid cells of Mecp2-null mice is sufficient to arrest major symptoms associated with this devastating disease. This beneficial effect, however, is abolished if phagocytic activity of microglia is inhibited. Here, we discuss microglial origins, the role of microglia in brain development and maintenance, and the phenomenon of microglial augmentation by myeloid progenitor cells in the adult brain. Finally, we address in some detail the beneficial roles of microglia as clinical targets in Rett syndrome and other neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noël C Derecki
- Center for Brain Immunology and Glia and Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA.
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Effects of Dexamethasone on the Development of Neonatal Rats and Level of Active Caspase-3 in Brain Cortex. Bull Exp Biol Med 2012; 153:478-80. [DOI: 10.1007/s10517-012-1745-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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