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Gradisnik L, Velnar T. Astrocytes in the central nervous system and their functions in health and disease: A review. World J Clin Cases 2023; 11:3385-3394. [PMID: 37383914 PMCID: PMC10294192 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v11.i15.3385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2022] [Revised: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes are key cells in the central nervous system. They are involved in many important functions under physiological and pathological conditions. As part of neuroglia, they have been recognised as cellular elements in their own right. The name astrocyte was first proposed by Mihaly von Lenhossek in 1895 because of the finely branched processes and star-like appearance of these particular cells. As early as the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Ramon y Cajal and Camillo Golgi had noted that although astrocytes have stellate features, their morphology is extremely diverse. Modern research has confirmed the morphological diversity of astrocytes both in vitro and in vivo and their complex, specific, and important roles in the central nervous system. In this review, the functions of astrocytes and their roles are described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidija Gradisnik
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Medical Faculty Maribor, Maribor 2000, Slovenia
| | - Tomaz Velnar
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
- AMEU ECM Maribor, Maribor 2000, Slovenia
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2
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Routine culture and study of adult human brain cells from neurosurgical specimens. Nat Protoc 2022; 17:190-221. [PMID: 35022619 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-021-00637-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
When modeling disease in the laboratory, it is important to use clinically relevant models. Patient-derived human brain cells grown in vitro to study and test potential treatments provide such a model. Here, we present simple, highly reproducible coordinated procedures that can be used to routinely culture most cell types found in the human brain from single neurosurgically excised brain specimens. The cell types that can be cultured include dissociated cultures of neurons, astrocytes, microglia, pericytes and brain endothelial and neural precursor cells, as well as explant cultures of the leptomeninges, cortical slice cultures and brain tumor cells. The initial setup of cultures takes ~2 h, and the cells are ready for further experiments within days to weeks. The resulting cells can be studied as purified or mixed population cultures, slice cultures and explant-derived cultures. This protocol therefore enables the investigation of human brain cells to facilitate translation of neuroscience research to the clinic.
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Gradišnik L, Bošnjak R, Bunc G, Ravnik J, Maver T, Velnar T. Neurosurgical Approaches to Brain Tissue Harvesting for the Establishment of Cell Cultures in Neural Experimental Cell Models. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 14:6857. [PMID: 34832259 PMCID: PMC8624371 DOI: 10.3390/ma14226857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
In recent decades, cell biology has made rapid progress. Cell isolation and cultivation techniques, supported by modern laboratory procedures and experimental capabilities, provide a wide range of opportunities for in vitro research to study physiological and pathophysiological processes in health and disease. They can also be used very efficiently for the analysis of biomaterials. Before a new biomaterial is ready for implantation into tissues and widespread use in clinical practice, it must be extensively tested. Experimental cell models, which are a suitable testing ground and the first line of empirical exploration of new biomaterials, must contain suitable cells that form the basis of biomaterial testing. To isolate a stable and suitable cell culture, many steps are required. The first and one of the most important steps is the collection of donor tissue, usually during a surgical procedure. Thus, the collection is the foundation for the success of cell isolation. This article explains the sources and neurosurgical procedures for obtaining brain tissue samples for cell isolation techniques, which are essential for biomaterial testing procedures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidija Gradišnik
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Maribor, Taborska 8, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia;
- Alma Mater Europaea ECM, Slovenska 17, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Roman Bošnjak
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Zaloska 7, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia;
| | - Gorazd Bunc
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Centre Maribor, Ljubljanska 5, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia; (G.B.); (J.R.)
| | - Janez Ravnik
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Centre Maribor, Ljubljanska 5, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia; (G.B.); (J.R.)
| | - Tina Maver
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Maribor, Taborska 8, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia;
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Taborska ulica 8, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Tomaž Velnar
- Alma Mater Europaea ECM, Slovenska 17, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Zaloska 7, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia;
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LaRocca TJ, Cavalier AN, Roberts CM, Lemieux MR, Ramesh P, Garcia MA, Link CD. Amyloid beta acts synergistically as a pro-inflammatory cytokine. Neurobiol Dis 2021; 159:105493. [PMID: 34464705 PMCID: PMC8502211 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2021.105493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The amyloid beta (Aβ) peptide is believed to play a central role in Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common age-related neurodegenerative disorder. However, the natural, evolutionarily selected functions of Aβ are incompletely understood. Here, we report that nanomolar concentrations of Aβ act synergistically with known cytokines to promote pro-inflammatory activation in primary human astrocytes (a cell type increasingly implicated in brain aging and AD). Using transcriptomics (RNA-seq), we show that Aβ can directly substitute for the complement component C1q in a cytokine cocktail previously shown to induce astrocyte immune activation. Furthermore, we show that astrocytes synergistically activated by Aβ have a transcriptional signature similar to neurotoxic "A1" astrocytes known to accumulate with age and in AD. Interestingly, we find that this biological action of Aβ at low concentrations is distinct from the transcriptome changes induced by the high/supraphysiological doses of Aβ often used in in vitro studies. Collectively, our results suggest an important, cytokine-like function for Aβ and a novel mechanism by which it may directly contribute to the neuroinflammation associated with brain aging and AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J LaRocca
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States of America; Department of Health and Exercise Science, Center for Healthy Aging, Colorado State University (Current), Fort Collins, CO, United States of America.
| | - Alyssa N Cavalier
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States of America; Department of Health and Exercise Science, Center for Healthy Aging, Colorado State University (Current), Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
| | - Christine M Roberts
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States of America
| | - Maddie R Lemieux
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States of America
| | - Pooja Ramesh
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States of America
| | - Micklaus A Garcia
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States of America
| | - Christopher D Link
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States of America.
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5
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Soltanian B, Dehghan Shasaltaneh M, Riazi GH, Masoudian N. Alteration of gene expression in reactive astrocytes induced by Aβ1-42 using low dose of methamphetamine. Mol Biol Rep 2021; 48:6103-6112. [PMID: 34374897 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-021-06629-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a degenerative brain disorder. Due to the relationship between the functional loss of astrocytes and AD, the present study aims to evaluate the effects of the low dose of methamphetamine (METH) on primary fetal human astrocytes under a stress paradigm as a possible model for AD. METHODS AND RESULTS The groups in this study included Aβ (Group 1), METH (Group 2), Aβ + METH (METH after adding Aβ for 24 h) (Group 3 as treated group), METH + Aβ (Aβ after adding METH for 24 h) (Group 4 as prevention group), and control group. Then, the gene expression of Bax, Bcl-X, PKCα, GSK3β, and Cdk5 was evaluated. In addition, phosphorylated tau, p-GSK3β, GSK3β, and GSK3α proteins were assessed by western blotting. Further, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis were checked by flow cytometry and Hoechst staining. Based on the results, the expression of GSK3β, Cdk5, and PKCα genes decreased in the prevention group, while GSK3β and Cdk5 were amplified in the treatment group. Furthermore, the level of GSK3α and GSK3β proteins in the treatment group increased, while it decreased in the prevention group. Additionally, a decrease occurred in the percentage of necrosis and early apoptosis in the treatment and prevention groups. The results of the cell cycle indicated that G1 increased, while G2 decreased in the prevention group. CONCLUSION The pure form of METH can prevent from activating GSK-3β and CdK-5, as well as enhanced activity of PKCα to inhibit phosphorylated tau protein. Therefore, a low dose of METH may have a protective effect or reducing role in the pathway of tau production in reactive astrocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bita Soltanian
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Damghan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Damghan, Iran
| | | | - Gholam Hossein Riazi
- Laboratory of Neuro-Organic Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics (IBB), University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Nahid Masoudian
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Damghan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Damghan, Iran
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Gradišnik L, Bošnjak R, Maver T, Velnar T. Advanced Bio-Based Polymers for Astrocyte Cell Models. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 14:3664. [PMID: 34209194 PMCID: PMC8269866 DOI: 10.3390/ma14133664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The development of in vitro neural tissue analogs is of great interest for many biomedical engineering applications, including the tissue engineering of neural interfaces, treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, and in vitro evaluation of cell-material interactions. Since astrocytes play a crucial role in the regenerative processes of the central nervous system, the development of biomaterials that interact favorably with astrocytes is of great research interest. The sources of human astrocytes, suitable natural biomaterials, guidance scaffolds, and ligand patterned surfaces are discussed in the article. New findings in this field are essential for the future treatment of spinal cord and brain injuries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidija Gradišnik
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Taborska Ulica 8, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia;
- AMEU-ECM, Slovenska 17, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Roman Bošnjak
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Zaloska 7, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia;
| | - Tina Maver
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Taborska Ulica 8, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia;
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Taborska Ulica 8, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Tomaž Velnar
- AMEU-ECM, Slovenska 17, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Zaloska 7, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia;
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7
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Gradisnik L, Maver U, Bosnjak R, Velnar T. Optimised isolation and characterisation of adult human astrocytes from neurotrauma patients. J Neurosci Methods 2020; 341:108796. [PMID: 32450111 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2020.108796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2020] [Revised: 05/17/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Astrocytes are the main cellular constituent in the central nervous system. Astrocyte cultures from rodent brains are most commonly used in the experimental practice. However, important differences between rodent and human astrocytes exist. The aim of this study was to develop an improved protocol for routine preparation of primary astrocyte culture from adult human brain, obtained after trauma. NEW METHOD Tissue obtained during neurotrauma operation was mechanically decomposed and centrifuged. The cell sediment was resuspended in cell culture medium, plated in T25 tissue flasks and incubated for one month at 37 °C in 5% CO2. The medium was replaced twice weekly and microglia were removed. Once confluent, the purity of cultures was assessed. The culture was characterised immunocytochemically for specific astrocytic markers (GFAP, GLAST and S100B). Cell morphology was examined through the actin cytoskeleton labelling with fluorescent phalloidin. RESULTS Under basal conditions, adult astrocytes exhibited astrocyte-specific morphology and expressed specific markers. Approximately 95% of cells were positive for the main glial markers (GFAP, GLAST, S100B). COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHOD We established an easy and cost-effective method for a highly enriched primary astrocyte culture from adult human brain. CONCLUSION The isolation technique provides sufficient quantities of isolated cells. The culture obtained in this study exhibits the biochemical and physiological properties of astrocytes. It may be useful for elucidating the mechanisms related to the adult brain, exploring changes between neonatal and adult astrocytes, novel therapeutic targets, cell therapy experiments, as well as investigating compounds involved in cytotoxicity and cytoprotection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidija Gradisnik
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Medical Faculty, University of Maribor, Taborska 8, 2000Maribor, Slovenia; AMEU-ECM, Slovenska 17, 2000, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Uros Maver
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Medical Faculty, University of Maribor, Taborska 8, 2000Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Roman Bosnjak
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Zaloska 7, 1000Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Tomaz Velnar
- AMEU-ECM, Slovenska 17, 2000, Maribor, Slovenia; Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Zaloska 7, 1000Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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8
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Tsoy A, Saliev T, Abzhanova E, Turgambayeva A, Kaiyrlykyzy A, Akishev M, Saparbayev S, Umbayev B, Askarova S. The Effects of Mobile Phone Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields on β-Amyloid-Induced Oxidative Stress in Human and Rat Primary Astrocytes. Neuroscience 2019; 408:46-57. [PMID: 30953670 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2019.03.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2018] [Revised: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Amyloid beta peptide (Aβ) is implicated in the development of pathological reactions associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD), such as oxidative stress, neuro-inflammation and death of brain cells. Current pharmacological approaches to treat AD are not able to control the deposition of Aβ and suppression of Aβ-induced cellular response. There is a growing body of evidence that exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) causes a decrease of beta-amyloid deposition in the brains and provides cognitive benefits to Alzheimer's Tg mice. Herein, we investigated the effects of mobile phone radiofrequency EMF of 918 MHz on reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), activity of NADPH-oxidase, and phosphorylation of p38MAPK and ERK1/2 kinases in human and rat primary astrocytes in the presence of Aβ42 and H2O2. Our data demonstrate that EMF is able to reduce Aβ42- and H2O2-induced cellular ROS, abrogate Aβ₄₂-induced production of mitochondrial ROS and the co-localization between the cytosolic (p47-phox) and membrane (gp91-phox) subunits of NADPH oxidase, while increasing MMP, and inhibiting H2O2-induced phosphorylation of p38MAPK and ERK1/2 in primary astrocytes. Yet, EMF was not able to modulate alterations in the phosphorylation state of the MAPKs triggered by Aβ42. Our findings provide an insight into the mechanisms of cellular and molecular responses of astrocytes on RF-EMF exposure and indicate the therapeutic potential of RF-EMF for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrey Tsoy
- National Laboratory Astana, Nazarbayev University, 53 Kabanbay batyr Ave., Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan
| | - Timur Saliev
- National Laboratory Astana, Nazarbayev University, 53 Kabanbay batyr Ave., Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan; S.D. Asfendiyarov Kazakh National Medical University, Tole Bi Street 94, Almaty, 050000, Kazakhstan
| | - Elvira Abzhanova
- National Laboratory Astana, Nazarbayev University, 53 Kabanbay batyr Ave., Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan
| | - Anel Turgambayeva
- National Laboratory Astana, Nazarbayev University, 53 Kabanbay batyr Ave., Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan
| | - Aiym Kaiyrlykyzy
- National Laboratory Astana, Nazarbayev University, 53 Kabanbay batyr Ave., Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan
| | - Mars Akishev
- National Laboratory Astana, Nazarbayev University, 53 Kabanbay batyr Ave., Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan
| | - Samat Saparbayev
- National Scientific Medical Center, 42 Abylai Khan Ave, Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan, 010009
| | - Bauyrzhan Umbayev
- National Laboratory Astana, Nazarbayev University, 53 Kabanbay batyr Ave., Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan
| | - Sholpan Askarova
- National Laboratory Astana, Nazarbayev University, 53 Kabanbay batyr Ave., Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan.
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9
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Yang C, Wang L, Weng W, Wang S, Ma Y, Mao Q, Gao G, Chen R, Feng J. Steered migration and changed morphology of human astrocytes by an applied electric field. Exp Cell Res 2018; 374:282-289. [PMID: 30508512 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2018.11.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2018] [Revised: 11/27/2018] [Accepted: 11/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Direct current electric field (DC EF) plays a role in influencing the biological behaviors and functions of cells. We hypothesize that human astrocytes (HAs) could also be influenced in EF. Astrocytes, an important type of nerve cells with a high proportion quantitatively, are generally activated and largely decide the brain repair results after brain injury. So far, no electrotaxis study on HAs has been performed. We here obtained HAs derived from brain trauma patients. After purification and identification, HAs were seeded in the EF chamber and recorded in a time-lapse image system. LY294002 and U0126 were then used to probe the role of PI3K or ERK signaling pathway on cellular behaviors. The results showed that HAs could be guided to migrate to the anode in DC EFs, in a voltage-dependent manner. The HAs displayed elongated cell bodies and reoriented perpendicularly to the EF in morphology. When treated with LY294002 or U0126, alternation of parameters such as cellular verticality, track speed, displacement speed, long axis, vertical length and circularity were inhibited partly as expected, while the EF-induced directedness was not terminated even at a high drug dosage which was not consistent with previous electrotaxis studies. In conclusion, applied EFs steered the patient-derived HAs directional migration and changed morphology, in which PI3K and ERK pathways at least partially participate. The characteristics of HAs to EF stimulation may be involved in wound healing and neural regeneration, which could be utilized as a novel treatment strategy in brain injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun Yang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, People's Republic of China; Shanghai Institute of Head Trauma, Shanghai 200127, People's Republic of China
| | - Lei Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, the Yuhuangding Hospital, Yantai 264000, People's Republic of China
| | - Weiji Weng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, People's Republic of China; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Tumor Microenvironment and Inflammation, Institute of Medical Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, People's Republic of China
| | - Shen Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, People's Republic of China; Shanghai Institute of Head Trauma, Shanghai 200127, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuxiao Ma
- Department of Neurosurgery, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, People's Republic of China; Shanghai Institute of Head Trauma, Shanghai 200127, People's Republic of China
| | - Qing Mao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, People's Republic of China; Shanghai Institute of Head Trauma, Shanghai 200127, People's Republic of China
| | - Guoyi Gao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, People's Republic of China
| | - Rui Chen
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, People's Republic of China.
| | - Junfeng Feng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, People's Republic of China; Shanghai Institute of Head Trauma, Shanghai 200127, People's Republic of China.
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Moeller-Gnangra H, Ernst J, Pfeifer M, Heger S. ErbB4 point mutation in CU3 inbred rats affects gonadotropin-releasing-hormone neuronal function via compromised neuregulin-stimulated prostaglandin E2 release from astrocytes. Glia 2018; 67:309-320. [PMID: 30485552 DOI: 10.1002/glia.23541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2018] [Revised: 08/26/2018] [Accepted: 09/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH)-secretion is not only regulated by neuronal factors but also by astroglia cells via growth factors and ErbB receptors of the epidermal growth factor family. Studies in transgenic mice carrying mutations in the ErbB receptor system experience impaired reproductive capacity. In addition, some of these animals show a typical skin phenotype with wavy hair and curly whiskers. The rat strain SPRD-CU3 (CU3), examined in this study, displays a similar skin phenotype and a significant impairment of the timing of puberty onset and reproductive performance, suggesting a disruption in the astrocytic to GnRH neuronal communication. To address this issue, we analyzed astrocytic prostaglandin E2 (PGE2 ) release from primary hypothalamic astrocytic cell cultures after stimulation with transforming growth factor α (TGFα), ligand for ErbB1/ErbB2, or Neuregulin 1 beta 2 (NRG1ß2 ), ligand for ErbB4/ErbB2 signaling pathway. Compared to cultures from wild type animals, astrocytic cultures from CU3 rats were unable to respond to NRG stimulation, suggesting a disruption of the ErbB4/ErbB2 signaling pathway. This is confirmed by mutational analysis of ErbB4 that revealed a single point mutation at 3125 bp resulting in an amino acid change from proline to glutamine located at the carboxy-terminal region. As a consequence, substantial conformational changes occur in the transmembrane and intracellular domain of the protein, affecting the ability to form a receptor dimer with a partner and the ability to function as a transcriptional regulator. Thus, astroglia to GnRH neuronal signaling via ErbB4 is essential of timely onset of puberty and reproductive function.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Johanna Ernst
- Institute of Clinical Biochemistry, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Manuel Pfeifer
- Institute of Clinical Biochemistry, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Sabine Heger
- Institute of Clinical Biochemistry, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Children's Hospital "Auf der Bult", Department of Pediatrics, Hannover, Germany
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11
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Abstract
Astrocytes constitute approximately 30% of the cells in the mammalian central nervous system (CNS). They are integral to brain and spinal-cord physiology and perform many functions important for normal neuronal development, synapse formation, and proper propagation of action potentials. We still know very little, however, about how these functions change in response to immune attack, chronic neurodegenerative disease, or acute trauma. In this review, we summarize recent studies that demonstrate that different initiating CNS injuries can elicit at least two types of "reactive" astrocytes with strikingly different properties, one type being helpful and the other harmful. We will also discuss new methods for purifying and investigating reactive-astrocyte functions and provide an overview of new markers for delineating these different states of reactive astrocytes. The discovery that astrocytes have different types of reactive states has important implications for the development of new therapies for CNS injury and diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shane A Liddelow
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | - Ben A Barres
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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12
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Meyer K, Kaspar BK. Glia-neuron interactions in neurological diseases: Testing non-cell autonomy in a dish. Brain Res 2017; 1656:27-39. [PMID: 26778174 PMCID: PMC4939136 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2015.12.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2015] [Revised: 12/17/2015] [Accepted: 12/22/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
For the past century, research on neurological disorders has largely focused on the most prominently affected cell types - the neurons. However, with increasing knowledge of the diverse physiological functions of glial cells, their impact on these diseases has become more evident. Thus, many conditions appear to have more complex origins than initially thought. Since neurological pathologies are often sporadic with unknown etiology, animal models are difficult to create and might only reflect a small portion of patients in which a mutation in a gene has been identified. Therefore, reliable in vitro systems to studying these disorders are urgently needed. They might be a pre-requisite for improving our understanding of the disease mechanisms as well as for the development of potential new therapies. In this review, we will briefly summarize the function of different glial cell types in the healthy central nervous system (CNS) and outline their implication in the development or progression of neurological conditions. We will then describe different types of culture systems to model non-cell autonomous interactions in vitro and evaluate advantages and disadvantages. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled SI: Exploiting human neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Meyer
- The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Brian K Kaspar
- The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA; Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
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13
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Patergnani S, Fossati V, Bonora M, Giorgi C, Marchi S, Missiroli S, Rusielewicz T, Wieckowski MR, Pinton P. Mitochondria in Multiple Sclerosis: Molecular Mechanisms of Pathogenesis. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2016; 328:49-103. [PMID: 28069137 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2016.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Mitochondria, the organelles that function as the powerhouse of the cell, have been increasingly linked to the pathogenesis of many neurological disorders, including multiple sclerosis (MS). MS is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS) and a leading cause of neurological disability in young adults in the western world. Its etiology remains unknown, and while the inflammatory component of MS has been heavily investigated and targeted for therapeutic intervention, the failure of remyelination and the process of axonal degeneration are still poorly understood. Recent studies suggest a role of mitochondrial dysfunction in the neurodegenerative aspects of MS. This review is focused on mitochondrial functions under physiological conditions and the consequences of mitochondrial alterations in various CNS disorders. Moreover, we summarize recent findings linking mitochondrial dysfunction to MS and discuss novel therapeutic strategies targeting mitochondria-related pathways as well as emerging experimental approaches for modeling mitochondrial disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Patergnani
- Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, Section of Pathology, Oncology and Experimental Biology, Laboratory for Technologies of Advanced Therapies (LTTA), University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - V Fossati
- The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute, New York, NY, United States
| | - M Bonora
- Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, Section of Pathology, Oncology and Experimental Biology, Laboratory for Technologies of Advanced Therapies (LTTA), University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - C Giorgi
- Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, Section of Pathology, Oncology and Experimental Biology, Laboratory for Technologies of Advanced Therapies (LTTA), University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - S Marchi
- Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, Section of Pathology, Oncology and Experimental Biology, Laboratory for Technologies of Advanced Therapies (LTTA), University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - S Missiroli
- Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, Section of Pathology, Oncology and Experimental Biology, Laboratory for Technologies of Advanced Therapies (LTTA), University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - T Rusielewicz
- The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute, New York, NY, United States
| | - M R Wieckowski
- Department of Biochemistry, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - P Pinton
- Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, Section of Pathology, Oncology and Experimental Biology, Laboratory for Technologies of Advanced Therapies (LTTA), University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
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14
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The Effects of Alpha Boswellic Acid on Reelin Expression and Tau Phosphorylation in Human Astrocytes. Neuromolecular Med 2016; 19:136-146. [PMID: 27567921 DOI: 10.1007/s12017-016-8437-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2016] [Accepted: 08/16/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Reelin is an extracellular glycoprotein which contributes to synaptic plasticity and function of memory in the adult brain. It has been indicated that the Reelin signaling cascade participates in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Besides the neurons, glial cells such as astrocytes also express Reelin protein. While functional loss of astrocytes has been reported to be associated with AD, dysfunction of astrocytic Reelin signaling pathway has not received much attention. Therefore, we investigated the effects of α-boswellic acid (ABA) as one of the major component of Boswellia serrata resin on primary fetal human astrocytes under a stress paradigm as a possible model for AD through study on Reelin cascade. For this aim, we used streptozotocin (STZ), in which from an outlook generates Alzheimer's hallmarks in astrocytes, and assayed Reelin expression, Tau and Akt phosphorylation as well as reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and apoptosis in the presences of ABA. Our results indicated that while STZ (100 µM) down-regulated the expression of Reelin, ABA (25 µM) up-regulated its expression (p < 0.01) for 24 h. ABA efficiently reduced hyperphosphorylated Tau (Ser404) in STZ-treated astrocytes (p < 0.01). Furthermore, STZ-induced apoptosis by increasing cleaved caspase three (p < 0.01) and ROS generation (p < 0.01), a further pathological hallmark of Tauopathy. On the other hand, ABA decreased ROS generation and promoted proliferation of astrocytes through elevating Survivin expression (p < 0.01). These results showed that ABA could be considered as a potent therapeutic agent for prevention and decreasing the progression of Alzheimer's hallmarks in astrocytes; however, more in vivo studies would be needed.
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15
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Ben Haim L, Carrillo-de Sauvage MA, Ceyzériat K, Escartin C. Elusive roles for reactive astrocytes in neurodegenerative diseases. Front Cell Neurosci 2015; 9:278. [PMID: 26283915 PMCID: PMC4522610 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2015.00278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 292] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2015] [Accepted: 07/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes play crucial roles in the brain and are involved in the neuroinflammatory response. They become reactive in response to virtually all pathological situations in the brain such as axotomy, ischemia, infection, and neurodegenerative diseases (ND). Astrocyte reactivity was originally characterized by morphological changes (hypertrophy, remodeling of processes) and the overexpression of the intermediate filament glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). However, it is unclear how the normal supportive functions of astrocytes are altered by their reactive state. In ND, in which neuronal dysfunction and astrocyte reactivity take place over several years or decades, the issue is even more complex and highly debated, with several conflicting reports published recently. In this review, we discuss studies addressing the contribution of reactive astrocytes to ND. We describe the molecular triggers leading to astrocyte reactivity during ND, examine how some key astrocyte functions may be enhanced or altered during the disease process, and discuss how astrocyte reactivity may globally affect ND progression. Finally we will consider the anticipated developments in this important field. With this review, we aim to show that the detailed study of reactive astrocytes may open new perspectives for ND.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucile Ben Haim
- Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Département des Sciences du Vivant, Institut d'Imagerie Biomédicale, MIRCen Fontenay-aux-Roses, France ; Neurodegenerative Diseases Laboratory, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Paris-Sud, UMR 9199 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Maria-Angeles Carrillo-de Sauvage
- Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Département des Sciences du Vivant, Institut d'Imagerie Biomédicale, MIRCen Fontenay-aux-Roses, France ; Neurodegenerative Diseases Laboratory, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Paris-Sud, UMR 9199 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Kelly Ceyzériat
- Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Département des Sciences du Vivant, Institut d'Imagerie Biomédicale, MIRCen Fontenay-aux-Roses, France ; Neurodegenerative Diseases Laboratory, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Paris-Sud, UMR 9199 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Carole Escartin
- Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Département des Sciences du Vivant, Institut d'Imagerie Biomédicale, MIRCen Fontenay-aux-Roses, France ; Neurodegenerative Diseases Laboratory, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Paris-Sud, UMR 9199 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
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16
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Le Foll C, Johnson MD, Dunn-Meynell AA, Boyle CN, Lutz TA, Levin BE. Amylin-induced central IL-6 production enhances ventromedial hypothalamic leptin signaling. Diabetes 2015; 64:1621-31. [PMID: 25409701 PMCID: PMC4407855 DOI: 10.2337/db14-0645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2014] [Accepted: 11/14/2014] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Amylin acts acutely via the area postrema to reduce food intake and body weight, but it also interacts with leptin over longer periods of time, possibly via the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH), to increase leptin signaling and phosphorylation of STAT3. We postulated that amylin enhances VMH leptin signaling by inducing interleukin (IL)-6, which then interacts with its gp130 receptor to activate STAT3 signaling and gene transcription downstream of the leptin receptor. We found that components of the amylin receptor (RAMPs1-3, CTR1a,b) are expressed in cultured VMH astrocytes, neurons, and microglia, as well as in micropunches of arcuate and ventromedial hypothalamic nuclei (VMN). Amylin exposure for 5 days increased IL-6 mRNA expression in VMH explants and microglia by two- to threefold, respectively, as well as protein abundance in culture supernatants by five- and twofold, respectively. Amylin had no similar effects on cultured astrocytes or neurons. In rats, 5 days of amylin treatment decreased body weight gain and/or food intake and increased IL-6 mRNA expression in the VMN. Similar 5-day amylin treatment increased VMN leptin-induced phosphorylation of STAT3 expression in wild-type mice and rats infused with lateral ventricular IgG but not in IL-6 knockout mice or rats infused with ventricular IL-6 antibody. Lateral ventricular infusion of IL-6 antibody also prevented the amylin-induced decrease of body weight gain. These results show that amylin-induced VMH microglial IL-6 production is the likely mechanism by which amylin treatment interacts with VMH leptin signaling to increase its effect on weight loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christelle Le Foll
- Department of Neurology and Neurosciences, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ
| | - Miranda D Johnson
- Department of Neurology and Neurosciences, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ Rutgers Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at New Jersey Medical School and Rutgers School of Dental Medicine, Newark, NJ
| | | | - Christina N Boyle
- Zurich Center for Integrative Human Physiology, Zurich, Switzerland Institute of Veterinary Physiology, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Thomas A Lutz
- Zurich Center for Integrative Human Physiology, Zurich, Switzerland Institute of Veterinary Physiology, Zurich, Switzerland Institute of Laboratory Animal Sciences, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Barry E Levin
- Department of Neurology and Neurosciences, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ VA Medical Center, East Orange, NJ
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17
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Hashioka S, Wang YF, Little JP, Choi HB, Klegeris A, McGeer PL, McLarnon JG. Purinergic responses of calcium-dependent signaling pathways in cultured adult human astrocytes. BMC Neurosci 2014; 15:18. [PMID: 24447580 PMCID: PMC3903030 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2202-15-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2013] [Accepted: 01/15/2014] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The properties of Ca2+ signaling mediated by purinergic receptors are intrinsically linked with functional activity of astrocytes. At present little is known concerning Ca2+-dependent purinergic responses in adult human astrocytes. This work has examined effects of purinergic stimulation to alter levels of intracellular Ca2+ in adult human astrocytes. Ca2+-sensitive spectrofluorometry was carried out to determine mobilization of intracellular Ca2+ following adenosine triphosphate (ATP) or 3′-O-(4-benzoyl)benzoyl-ATP (Bz-ATP) stimulation of adult human astrocytes. In some experiments pharmacological modulation of Ca2+ pathways was applied to help elucidate mechanisms of Ca2+ signaling. RT-PCR was also performed to confirm human astrocyte expression of specific purinoceptors which were indicated from imaging studies. Results The endogenous P2 receptor agonist ATP (at 100 μM or 1 mM) applied in physiological saline solution (PSS) evoked a rapid increase of [Ca2+]i to a peak amplitude with the decay phase of response exhibiting two components. The two phases of decay consisted of an initial rapid component which was followed by a secondary slower component. In the presence of Ca2+-free solution, the secondary phase of decay was absent indicating this prolonged component was due to influx of Ca2+. This prolonged phase of decay was also attenuated with the store-operated channel (SOC) inhibitor gadolinium (at 2 μM) added to standard PSS, suggesting this component was mediated by SOC activation. These results are consistent with ATP activation of P2Y receptor (P2YR) in adult human astrocytes leading to respective rapid [Ca2+]i mobilization from intracellular stores followed by Ca2+ entry through SOC. An agonist for P2X7 receptor (P2X7R), BzATP induced a very different response compared with ATP whereby BzATP (at 300 μM) elicited a slowly rising increase in [Ca2+]i to a plateau level which was sustained in duration. The BzATP-induced increase in [Ca2+]i was not enhanced with lipopolysaccharide pre-treatment of cells as previously found for P2X7R mediated response in human microglia. RT-PCR analysis showed that adult human astrocytes in vitro constitutively express mRNA for P2Y1R, P2Y2R and P2X7R. Conclusion These results suggest that activation of metabotropic P2YR (P2Y1R and/or P2Y2R) and ionotropic P2X7R could mediate purinergic responses in adult human astrocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sadayuki Hashioka
- Kinsmen Laboratory of Neurological Research, Department of Psychiatry, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC Canada.
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18
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Liu F, Gong J, Huang W, Wang Z, Wang M, Yang J, Wu C, Wu Z, Han B. MicroRNA-106b-5p boosts glioma tumorigensis by targeting multiple tumor suppressor genes. Oncogene 2013; 33:4813-22. [PMID: 24166509 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2013.428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2013] [Revised: 08/27/2013] [Accepted: 09/02/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Aberrant expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) has been implicated in cancer initiation and progression. However, little is known about the potential role of miRNAs in glioma tumorigenesis. In this study, we found that miRNA-106b-5p was significantly upregulated in glioma tumor samples and cell lines compared with normal brain tissues, and its expression level correlated with the pathological grading. Overexpression of miR-106b-5p in glioma tumor cells significantly promoted cell proliferation, although inhibited cell apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. In contrast, knockdown of miR-106b-5p significantly inhibited cell proliferation, although enhanced cell apoptosis. Mechanistic study revealed that two target genes, retinoblastoma-like 1 (RBL1) and RBL2, were involved in miR-106b-5p's regulation of cell proliferation and one target gene, caspase-8 (CASP8), mediated miR-106b-5p's regulation of apoptosis. We also investigated the function of the three targets in glioma tumorigenesis by RNA interference manipulation and demonstrated that knockdown of these target genes led to cell proliferation enhancement or cell apoptosis inhibition in vitro. More interestingly, the expression levels of these targets were significantly downregulated in glioma samples and knockdown of these targets in glioma cells inhibited the xenograft tumor formation in vivo. Moreover, we verified the regulation function of miR-106b-5p and its targets on cell proliferation and apoptosis of the primary cultured astrocytes isolated from glioma tumor samples and healthy controls. Collectively, our findings show the critical roles of miR-106b-5p and its targets, RBL1, RBL2 and CASP8, in glioma tumorigenesis and provide potential candidates for malignant glioma therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Liu
- Department of neurosurgery, Changzhou NO.2 People's Hospital, Changzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - J Gong
- Department of neurosurgery, Changzhou NO.2 People's Hospital, Changzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - W Huang
- Department of neurosurgery, Changzhou NO.2 People's Hospital, Changzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Z Wang
- Department of neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - M Wang
- Department of neurosurgery, Changzhou NO.2 People's Hospital, Changzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - J Yang
- Department of neurosurgery, Changzhou NO.2 People's Hospital, Changzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - C Wu
- Department of neurosurgery, Changzhou NO.2 People's Hospital, Changzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Z Wu
- Department of neurosurgery, Changzhou NO.2 People's Hospital, Changzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - B Han
- Department of neurosurgery, Changzhou NO.2 People's Hospital, Changzhou, Jiangsu, China
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19
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Fu W, Ruangkittisakul A, MacTavish D, Baker G, Ballanyi K, Jhamandas J. Activity and metabolism-related Ca2+ and mitochondrial dynamics in co-cultured human fetal cortical neurons and astrocytes. Neuroscience 2013; 250:520-35. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2013.07.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2013] [Revised: 07/06/2013] [Accepted: 07/08/2013] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
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20
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Gupta K, Chandran S, Hardingham GE. Human stem cell-derived astrocytes and their application to studying Nrf2-mediated neuroprotective pathways and therapeutics in neurodegeneration. Br J Clin Pharmacol 2013; 75:907-18. [PMID: 23126226 PMCID: PMC3612708 DOI: 10.1111/bcp.12022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2012] [Accepted: 10/28/2012] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Glia, including astrocytes, are increasingly at the forefront of neurodegenerative research for their role in the modulation of neuronal function and survival. Improved understanding of underlying disease mechanisms, including the role of the cellular environment in neurodegeneration, is central to therapeutic development for these currently untreatable diseases. In these endeavours, experimental models that more closely reproduce the human condition have the potential to facilitate the transition between experimental studies in model organisms and patient trials. In this review we discuss the growing role of astrocytes in neurodegenerative diseases, and how astrocytes generated from human pluripotent stem cells represent a useful tool for analyzing astrocytic signalling and influence on neuronal function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kunal Gupta
- Anne McLaren Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine & Cambridge Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0SZ, UK
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