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The p75 neurotrophin receptor inhibitor, LM11A-31, ameliorates acute stroke injury and modulates astrocytic proNGF. Exp Neurol 2023; 359:114161. [PMID: 35787888 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2022.114161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The precursor form of nerve growth factor (proNGF) is essential to maintain NGF survival signaling. ProNGF is also among endogenous ligands for p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75ntr). Mounting evidence implies that p75ntr signaling contributes to neural damage in ischemic stroke. The present study examines the therapeutic effect of the p75ntr modulator LM11A-31. Adult mice underwent transient distal middle cerebral artery occlusion (t-dMCAO) followed by LM11A-31 treatment (25 mg/kg, i.p., twice daily) either for 72 h post-injury (acute phase) or afterward till two weeks post-stroke (subacute phase). LM11A-31 reduced blood-brain barrier permeability, cerebral tissue injury, and sensorimotor function in the acute phase of stroke. Ischemic brain samples showed repressed proNGF/P75ntr signaling and Caspase 3 activation in LM11A-31 treated mice, where we observed less reactive microglia and IL-1β production. LM11A-31 (20-80 nM) also mitigated neural injury induced by oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) in sandwich co-cultures of primary cortical neurons (PCN) and astrocytes. This concurred with JNK/PARP downregulation and reduced caspase-3 cleavage in the PCNs and was associated with repressed proNGF generation in astrocytes. Further in vitro experiments indicated human proNGF suppresses the pro-inflammatory phenotype in microglial cultures, as determined by a sharp decline in HMGB-1 production and moderate arginase-1 upregulation. Despite significant protection in acute stroke, LM11A-31 treatment did not improve cortical atrophy and sensorimotor function in the subacute phase. Our findings provide preclinical evidence supporting LM11A-31 as a promising therapy for acute stroke injury. Further investigations may elucidate if reduced astrocytic proNGF, an endogenous reservoir of pro-neurotrophins, may restrict the therapeutic window.
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Intervention of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Other Neurotrophins in Adult Neurogenesis. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 1331:95-115. [PMID: 34453295 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-74046-7_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Cell survival during adult neurogenesis and the modulation of each step, namely, proliferation, lineage differentiation, migration, maturation, and functional integration of the newborn cells into the existing circuitry, is regulated by intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Transduction of extracellular niche signals triggers the activation of intracellular mechanisms that regulate adult neurogenesis by affecting gene expression. While the intrinsic factors include transcription factors and epigenetic regulators, the extrinsic factors are molecular signals that are present in the neurogenic niche microenvironment. These include morphogens, growth factors, neurotransmitters, and signaling molecules secreted as soluble factors or associated to the extracellular matrix. Among these molecular mechanisms are neurotrophins and neurotrophin receptors which have been implicated in the regulation of adult neurogenesis at different levels, with brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) being the most studied neurotrophin. In this chapter, we review the current knowledge about the role of neurotrophins in the regulation of adult neurogenesis in both the subventricular zone (SVZ) and the hippocampal subgranular zone (SGZ).
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Soligo M, Protto V, Chiaretti A, Piccinin S, De Stefano ME, Nisticò R, Bracci-Laudiero L, Manni L. Effects of intranasally-delivered pro-nerve growth factors on the septo-hippocampal system in healthy and diabetic rats. Neuropharmacology 2020; 176:108223. [PMID: 32681844 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Pro-nerve growth factor (proNGF) is the predominant form of NGF in the brain and its levels increase in neurodegenerative diseases. The balance between NGF receptors may explain the contradictory biological activities of proNGF. However, the specific role of the two main proNGF variants is mostly unexplored. proNGF-A is prevalently expressed in healthy brain, while proNGF-B content increases in the neuro-degenerating brain. Recently we have investigated in vitro the biological action of native mouse proNGF variants. To gain further insights into the specific functions of the two proNGFs, here we intranasally delivered mouse-derived proNGF-A and proNGF-B to the brain parenchyma of healthy and diabetic rats, the latter characterized by dysfunction in spatial learning and memory, in the septo-hippocampal circuitry and by relative increase in proNGF-B hippocampal levels. Exogenous proNGF-B induces depression of hippocampal DG-LTP and impairment of hippocampal neurogenesis in healthy animals, with concomitant decrease in basal forebrain cholinergic neurons and cholinergic fibers projecting to the hippocampus. proNGF-A, while ineffective in healthy animals, rescues the diabetes-induced impairment in DG-LTP and hippocampal neurogenesis, promoting the concomitant recovery of the basal forebrain cholinergic phenotype. Our experimental evidences suggest that the balance between different proNGFs may influence the development and progression of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marzia Soligo
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology, Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche (CNR), Rome, Italy
| | - Virginia Protto
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology, Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche (CNR), Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Chiaretti
- Institute of Pediatrics, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Maria Egle De Stefano
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - Robert Nisticò
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Rome, Italy; Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Luisa Bracci-Laudiero
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology, Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche (CNR), Rome, Italy; Division of Rheumatology and Immuno-Rheumatology Research Laboratories, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Luigi Manni
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology, Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche (CNR), Rome, Italy.
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Xu D, Li F, Xue G, Hou K, Fang W, Li Y. Effect of Wnt signaling pathway on neurogenesis after cerebral ischemia and its therapeutic potential. Brain Res Bull 2020; 164:1-13. [PMID: 32763283 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2020.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2018] [Revised: 12/08/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Neurogenesis process in the chronic phase of ischemic stroke has become the focus of research on stroke treatment recently, mainly through the activation of related pathways to increase the differentiation of neural stem cells (NSCs) in the brain sub-ventricular zone (SVZ) and subgranular zone (SGZ) of hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) areas into neurons, promoting neurogenesis. While there is still debate about the longevity of active adult neurogenesis in humans, the SVZ and SGZ have the capacity to upregulate neurogenesis in response to cerebral ischemia, which opens discussion about potential treatment strategies to harness this neuronal regenerative response. Wnt signaling pathway is one of the most important approaches potentially targeting on neurogenesis after cerebral ischemia, appropriate activation of which in NSCs may help to improve the sequelae of cerebral ischemia. Various therapeutic approaches are explored on preclinical stage to target endogenous neurogenesis induced by Wnt signaling after stroke onset. This article describes the composition of Wnt signaling pathway and the process of neurogenesis after cerebral ischemia, and emphatically introduces the recent studies on the mechanisms of this pathway for post-stroke neurogenesis and the therapeutic possibility of activating the pathway to improve neurogenesis after stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Department of Physiology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
| | - Fengyang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Department of Physiology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
| | - Gou Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Department of Physiology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
| | - Kai Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Department of Physiology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
| | - Weirong Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Department of Physiology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
| | - Yunman Li
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Department of Physiology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
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Cheng YY, Zhao HK, Chen LW, Yao XY, Wang YL, Huang ZW, Li GP, Wang Z, Chen BY. Reactive astrocytes increase expression of proNGF in the mouse model of contused spinal cord injury. Neurosci Res 2019; 157:34-43. [PMID: 31348996 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2019.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2019] [Revised: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytes are major glial cells critically in maintaining stability of the central nervous system and functional activation of astrocytes occurs rapidly in various diseased or traumatic events. We are interested in functional changes of astrocytes during the spinal cord injury, and studied expression of nerve growth factor (NGF) in activated astrocytes by mouse model of contused spinal cord injury and cell culture experiment. It revealed that the spinal cord injury resulted in apparent activation of astrocytes and microglial cells and decreased BMS scores. A larger number of astrocytes showed immunoreactivity to proNGF in the injured spinal cord areas, and proNGF expression increased and remained high level at 7 to 14dpi, which was coincided with upregulation of glial fibrillary acidic protein. The proNGF was clearly localized in both exosome-like vesicles and cytoplasm of astrocytes in culture. Electron microscopy confirmed exosome-like vesicles with proNGF-immunoreactivity in diameter sizes of 50-100 nm. Finally, cell culture with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) experiment indicated increasing expression and release of proNGF in the astrocytes with LPS exposure. This study demonstrated that reactive astrocytes increased proNGF expression after spinal cord injury, also suggesting involvement of exosome-like proNGF transport or release in triggering neuronal apoptosis and aggravating progression of spinal cord injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying-Ying Cheng
- Department of Orthopedics, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, PR China; Department of Neurosurgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Medical University, 710038, PR China.
| | - Hai-Kang Zhao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Medical University, 710038, PR China.
| | - Liang-Wei Chen
- Institute of Neurosciences, Department of Neurobiology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, PR China; Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, PR China.
| | - Xin-Yi Yao
- Department of Orthopedics, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, PR China; Institute of Neurosciences, Department of Neurobiology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, PR China.
| | - Yu-Ling Wang
- Department of Orthopedics, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, PR China.
| | - Zhen-Wen Huang
- Department of Orthopedics, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, PR China.
| | - Guo-Peng Li
- Department of Orthopedics, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, PR China.
| | - Zhe Wang
- Department of Orthopedics, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, PR China.
| | - Bei-Yu Chen
- Department of Orthopedics, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, PR China.
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Protto V, Soligo M, De Stefano ME, Farioli‐Vecchioli S, Marlier LNJL, Nisticò R, Manni L. Electroacupuncture in rats normalizes the diabetes‐induced alterations in the septo‐hippocampal cholinergic system. Hippocampus 2019; 29:891-904. [DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2018] [Revised: 12/27/2018] [Accepted: 02/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Virginia Protto
- Institute of Translational PharmacologyConsiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) Rome Italy
| | - Marzia Soligo
- Institute of Translational PharmacologyConsiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) Rome Italy
| | - Maria Egle De Stefano
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology “Charles Darwin”Sapienza University Rome Italy
| | | | | | - Robert Nisticò
- Pharmacology of Synaptic Disease Lab, European Brain Research Institute (EBRI) Rome Italy
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Rome Tor Vergata Rome Italy
| | - Luigi Manni
- Institute of Translational PharmacologyConsiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) Rome Italy
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Postmortem Brain, Cerebrospinal Fluid, and Blood Neurotrophic Factor Levels in Alzheimer's Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Mol Neurosci 2018; 65:289-300. [PMID: 29956088 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-018-1100-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2018] [Accepted: 06/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Accumulating evidence suggest that aberrations of neurotrophic factors are involved in the etiology and pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), but clinical data were inconsistent. Therefore, a meta-analysis on neurotrophic factor levels in AD is necessary. We performed a systematic review of blood, CSF, and post-mortem brain neurotrophic factor levels in patients with AD compared with controls and quantitatively summarized the clinical data in blood and CSF with a meta-analytical technique. A systematic search of PubMed and Web of Science identified 98 articles in this study (with samples more than 9000). Random effects meta-analysis demonstrated that peripheral blood BDNF levels were significantly decreased in AD patients compared with controls. However, blood NGF, IGF, and VEGF did not show significant differences between cases and controls. In CSF, random effects meta-analysis showed significantly deceased BDNF and increased NGF levels in patients with AD, whereas IGF and VEGF did not show significant differences between the AD group and control group. In addition, 23 post-mortem studies were included in the systematic review. Although data from post-mortem brains were not always consistent across studies, most studies suggested decreased BDNF and increased (pro)NGF levels in hippocampus and neocortex of patients with AD. These results provide strong clinical evidence that AD is accompanied by an aberrant neurotrophin profile, and future investigations into neurotrophins as biomarkers (especially CSF BDNF and NGF) and therapeutic targets for AD may be warranted.
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BDNF effects on dendritic spine morphology and hippocampal function. Cell Tissue Res 2018; 373:729-741. [DOI: 10.1007/s00441-017-2782-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2017] [Accepted: 12/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Gibon J, Barker PA. Neurotrophins and Proneurotrophins: Focus on Synaptic Activity and Plasticity in the Brain. Neuroscientist 2017; 23:587-604. [DOI: 10.1177/1073858417697037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Neurotrophins have been intensively studied and have multiple roles in the brain. Neurotrophins are first synthetized as proneurotrophins and then cleaved intracellularly and extracellularly. Increasing evidences demonstrate that proneurotrophins and mature neurotrophins exerts opposing role in the central nervous system. In the present review, we explore the role of nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin 3 (NT3), and neurotrophin 4 (NT4) and their respective proform in cellular processes related to learning and memory. We focused on their roles in synaptic activity and plasticity in the brain with an emphasis on long-term potentiation, long-term depression, and basal synaptic transmission in the hippocampus and the temporal lobe area. We also discuss new findings on the role of the Val66Met polymorphism on the BDNF propeptide on synaptic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Gibon
- Department of Biology, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada
| | - Philip A. Barker
- Department of Biology, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada
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Fasulo L, Brandi R, Arisi I, La Regina F, Berretta N, Capsoni S, D'Onofrio M, Cattaneo A. ProNGF Drives Localized and Cell Selective Parvalbumin Interneuron and Perineuronal Net Depletion in the Dentate Gyrus of Transgenic Mice. Front Mol Neurosci 2017; 10:20. [PMID: 28232789 PMCID: PMC5299926 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2017.00020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2016] [Accepted: 01/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
ProNGF, the precursor of mature Nerve Growth Factor (NGF), is the most abundant NGF form in the brain and increases markedly in the cortex in Alzheimer's Disease (AD), relative to mature NGF. A large body of evidence shows that the actions of ProNGF and mature NGF are often conflicting, depending on the receptors expressed in target cells. TgproNGF#3 mice, expressing furin-cleavage resistant proNGF in CNS neurons, directly reveal consequences of increased proNGF levels on brain homeostasis. Their phenotype clearly indicates that proNGF can be a driver of neurodegeneration, including severe learning and memory behavioral deficits, cholinergic deficits, and diffuse immunoreactivity for A-beta and A-beta-oligomers. In aged TgproNGF#3 mice spontaneous epileptic-like events are detected in entorhinal cortex-hippocampal slices, suggesting occurrence of excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) imbalance. In this paper, we investigate the molecular events linking increased proNGF levels to the epileptiform activity detected in hippocampal slices. The occurrence of spontaneous epileptiform discharges in the hippocampal network in TgproNGF#3 mice suggests an impaired inhibitory interneuron homeostasis. In the present study, we detect the onset of hippocampal epileptiform events at 1-month of age. Later, we observe a regional- and cellular-selective Parvalbumin interneuron and perineuronal net (PNN) depletion in the dentate gyrus (DG), but not in other hippocampal regions of TgproNGF#3 mice. These results demonstrate that, in the hippocampus, the DG is selectively vulnerable to altered proNGF/NGF signaling. Parvalbumin interneuron depletion is also observed in the amygdala, a region strongly connected to the hippocampus and likewise receiving cholinergic afferences. Transcriptome analysis of TgproNGF#3 hippocampus reveals a proNGF signature with broad down-regulation of transcription. The most affected mRNAs modulated at early times belong to synaptic transmission and plasticity and extracellular matrix (ECM) gene families. Moreover, alterations in the expression of selected BDNF splice variants were observed. Our results provide further mechanistic insights into the vicious negative cycle linking proNGF and neurodegeneration, confirming the regulation of E/I homeostasis as a crucial mediating mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Fasulo
- Bio@SNS Laboratory, Scuola Normale SuperiorePisa, Italy; European Brain Research Institute Rita Levi-MontalciniRome, Italy
| | - Rossella Brandi
- European Brain Research Institute Rita Levi-Montalcini Rome, Italy
| | - Ivan Arisi
- European Brain Research Institute Rita Levi-Montalcini Rome, Italy
| | | | - Nicola Berretta
- Department of Experimental Neurology, Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS Rome, Italy
| | - Simona Capsoni
- Bio@SNS Laboratory, Scuola Normale Superiore Pisa, Italy
| | - Mara D'Onofrio
- European Brain Research Institute Rita Levi-Montalcini Rome, Italy
| | - Antonino Cattaneo
- Bio@SNS Laboratory, Scuola Normale SuperiorePisa, Italy; European Brain Research Institute Rita Levi-MontalciniRome, Italy
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11
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Poser R, Dokter M, von Bohlen Und Halbach V, Berger SM, Busch R, Baldus M, Unsicker K, von Bohlen Und Halbach O. Impact of a deletion of the full-length and short isoform of p75NTR on cholinergic innervation and the population of postmitotic doublecortin positive cells in the dentate gyrus. Front Neuroanat 2015; 9:63. [PMID: 26074780 PMCID: PMC4444824 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2015.00063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2014] [Accepted: 05/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Analyses of mice carrying a deletion of the pan-neurotrophin receptor p75NTR have allowed identifying p75NTR as an important structural regulator of the hippocampus. Most of the previous analyses were done using p75NTR (ExIII) knockout mice which still express the short isoform of p75NTR. To scrutinize the role of p75NTR in the hippocampus, we analyzed adult and aged p75NTR (ExIV) knockout mice, in which both, the short and the full-length isoform are deleted. Deletion of these isoforms induced morphological alterations in the adult dentate gyrus (DG), leading to an increase in the thickness of the molecular and granular layer. Based on these observations, we next determined the morphological substrates that might contribute to this phenotype. The cholinergic innervation of the molecular and granular layer of the DG was found to be significantly increased in the knockout mice. Furthermore, adult neurogenesis in the DG was found to be significantly altered with increased numbers of doublecortin (DCX) positive cells and reduced numbers of apoptotic cells in p75NTR (ExIV) knockout mice. However, cell proliferation as measured by phosphohiston H3 (PH3) positive cell numbers was not affected. These morphological alterations (number of DCX-positive cells and increased cholinergic fiber densities) as well as reduced cell death in the DG are likely to contribute to the observed thickening of the granular layer in p75NTR (ExIV) knockout mice. In addition, Sholl-analysis of DCX-positive neurons revealed a higher dendritic complexity and could thus be a possible morphological correlate for the increased thickness of the molecular layer in p75NTR deficient animals. Our data clearly demonstrate that deletion of both, the short and the full-length isoform of p75NTR affects DG morphology, due to alterations of the cholinergic system and an imbalance between neurogenesis and programmed cell death within the subgranular zone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Poser
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald Greifswald, Germany
| | - Martin Dokter
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald Greifswald, Germany
| | | | - Stefan M Berger
- Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health and Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University Mannheim, Germany
| | - Ruben Busch
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald Greifswald, Germany
| | - Marian Baldus
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald Greifswald, Germany
| | - Klaus Unsicker
- Department of Molecular Embryology, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Freiburg Freiburg, Germany
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Tirassa P, Maccarone M, Carito V, De Nicolò S, Fiore M. Ocular nerve growth factor administration counteracts the impairment of neural precursor cell viability and differentiation in the brain subventricular area of rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes. Eur J Neurosci 2015; 41:1207-18. [PMID: 25728260 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2014] [Revised: 01/07/2015] [Accepted: 01/19/2015] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The ocular administration of nerve growth factor (NGF) as eye drops (oNGF) has been shown to exert protective effects in forebrain-injured animal models, including adult diabetes induced by a single injection of streptozotocin (STZ) (60 mg/kg body weight). This type 1 diabetes model was used in this study to investigate whether oNGF might extend its actions on neuronal precursors localised in the subventricular zone (SVZ). NGF or saline was administrated as eye drops twice daily for 2 weeks in rats with STZ-induced diabetes and healthy control rats. The expression of mature and precursor NGF and the NGF receptors, tropomyosin-related kinase A and neurotrophin receptor p75, and the levels of DNA fragmentation were analysed by ELISA and western blotting. Incorporation of bromodeoxyuridine was used to trace newly formed cells. Nestin, polysialylated neuronal cell adhesion molecule (PSA-NCAM), doublecortin (DCX) and glial fibrillary acidic protein antibodies were used to identify the SVZ cells by confocal microscopy. It was found that oNGF counteracts the STZ-induced cell death and the alteration of mature/pro-NGF expression in the SVZ. It also affects the survival and differentiation of SVZ progenitors. In particular, oNGF counteracts the reduction in the number of cells expressing PSA-NCAM/DCX (neuroblast type A cells) and the related reductions in the number and distribution of nestin/DCX-positive cells (C-type cells), or glia-committed cells (type B cells), observed in the SVZ of diabetic rats. These findings show that oNGF treatment counteracts the effect of type 1 diabetes on neuronal precursors in the SVZ, and further support the neuroprotective and reparative role of oNGF in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Tirassa
- Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, National Research Council (CNR), Via del Fosso di Fiorano, 64 (00143), Rome, Italy
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Lewin GR, Nykjaer A. Pro-neurotrophins, sortilin, and nociception. Eur J Neurosci 2014; 39:363-74. [PMID: 24494677 PMCID: PMC4232910 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2013] [Revised: 11/13/2013] [Accepted: 11/28/2013] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Nerve growth factor (NGF) signaling is important in the development and functional maintenance of nociceptors, but it also plays a central role in initiating and sustaining heat and mechanical hyperalgesia following inflammation. NGF signaling in pain has traditionally been thought of as primarily engaging the classic high-affinity receptor tyrosine kinase receptor TrkA to initiate sensitization events. However, the discovery that secreted proforms of nerve NGF have biological functions distinct from the processed mature factors raised the possibility that these proneurotrophins (proNTs) may have distinct function in painful conditions. ProNTs engage a novel receptor system that is distinct from that of mature neurotrophins, consisting of sortilin, a type I membrane protein belonging to the VPS10p family, and its co-receptor, the classic low-affinity neurotrophin receptor p75NTR. Here, we review how this new receptor system may itself function with or independently of the classic TrkA system in regulating inflammatory or neuropathic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary R Lewin
- Department of Neuroscience, Molecular Physiology of Somatic Sensation Group, Max-Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Robert-Rössle Str. 10, 13122, Berlin, Germany
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Yegla B, Parikh V. Effects of sustained proNGF blockade on attentional capacities in aged rats with compromised cholinergic system. Neuroscience 2013; 261:118-32. [PMID: 24374328 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2013.12.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2013] [Revised: 12/05/2013] [Accepted: 12/19/2013] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Disruption in nerve growth factor (NGF) signaling via tropomyosin-related kinase A (trkA) receptors compromises the integrity of the basal forebrain (BF) cholinergic system, yielding cognitive, specifically attentional, impairments in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Although normal aging is considered a risk factor for AD, the mechanisms underlying the selective vulnerability of the aging cholinergic system to trkA disruption is not clear. The levels of proNGF, a proneurotrophin that possesses higher affinity for p75 receptors, increase in aging. The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that cholinergic and attentional dysfunction in aged rats with reduced BF trkA receptors occurs due to the overactivation of endogenous proNGF signaling. We employed a viral vector that produced trkA shRNA to suppress trkA receptors in the corticopetal cholinergic neurons of aged rats. BF trkA suppression impaired animals' performance on signal trials in both the sustained attention task (SAT) and the cognitively taxing distractor version of SAT (dSAT) and these deficits were normalized by chronic intracerebroventricular administration of proNGF antibody. Moreover, depolarization-evoked acetylcholine (ACh) release and the density of cortical cholinergic fibers were partially restored in these animals. However, SAT/dSAT scores reflecting overall performance did not improve following proNGF blockade in trkA knockdown rats due to impaired performance in non-signal trials. Sustained proNGF blockade alone did not alter baseline attentional performance but produced moderate impairments during challenging conditions. Collectively, our findings indicate that barring proNGF-p75 signaling may exert some beneficial effects on attentional capacities specifically when BF trkA signaling is abrogated. However, endogenous proNGF may also possess neurotrophic effects and blockade of this proneurotrophin may not completely ameliorate attentional impairments in AD and potentially hinder performance during periods of high cognitive load in normal aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Yegla
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, United States
| | - V Parikh
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, United States.
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