Activation of Wnt/β-catenin pathway by exogenous Wnt1 protects SH-SY5Y cells against 6-hydroxydopamine toxicity

Identification of serum microRNA alterations associated with long-term exercise-induced motor improvements in patients with Parkinson disease

BACKGROUND

Long-term physical exercise has been shown to benefit patients with Parkinson disease (PD), but there is a lack of evidence regarding the underlying mechanism. A better understanding of how such benefits are induced by exercise might contribute to the development of therapeutic targets for improving the motor function in individuals with PD. The purpose of this study was therefore to investigate the possible association between exercise-induced motor improvements and the changes in serum microRNA (miRNA) levels of PD patients through small RNA sequencing for the first time.

METHODS

Thirteen PD patients completed our 3-month home-and-community-based exercise program, while 6 patients were assigned to the control group. Motor functions were measured, and small RNA sequencing with data analysis was performed on serum miRNAs both before and after the program. The results were further validated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses were then conducted to determine the role of differentially expressed miRNAs.

RESULTS

The 3-month home-and-community-based exercise program induced significant motor improvements in PD patients in terms of Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale activities of daily living and Motor Subscale (P < .05), comfortable walking speed (P = .003), fast walking speed (P = .028), Six-Minute Walk Test (P = .004), Berg Balance Scale (P = .039), and Timed Up and Go (P = .002). A total of 11 miRNAs (10 upregulated and one downregulated) were identified to be remarkably differentially expressed after intervention in the exercise group, but not in the control group. The results of miRNA sequencing were further validated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. It was found that the targets of altered miRNAs were mostly enriched in the mitogen-activated protein kinase, Wnt, and Hippo signaling pathways and the GO annotations mainly included binding, catalytic activity, and transcription regulator activity.

CONCLUSION

The exercise-induced motor improvements were possibly associated with changes in circulating miRNA levels in PD patients. These miRNAs, as well as the most enriched pathways and GO terms, may play a critical role in the mechanism of exercise-induced benefits in PD and serve as novel treatment targets for the disease, although further investigations are needed.

Cornerstone Cellular Pathways for Metabolic Disorders and Diabetes Mellitus: Non-Coding RNAs, Wnt Signaling, and AMPK

Metabolic disorders and diabetes (DM) impact more than five hundred million individuals throughout the world and are insidious in onset, chronic in nature, and yield significant disability and death. Current therapies that address nutritional status, weight management, and pharmacological options may delay disability but cannot alter disease course or functional organ loss, such as dementia and degeneration of systemic bodily functions. Underlying these challenges are the onset of aging disorders associated with increased lifespan, telomere dysfunction, and oxidative stress generation that lead to multi-system dysfunction. These significant hurdles point to the urgent need to address underlying disease mechanisms with innovative applications. New treatment strategies involve non-coding RNA pathways with microRNAs (miRNAs) and circular ribonucleic acids (circRNAs), Wnt signaling, and Wnt1 inducible signaling pathway protein 1 (WISP1) that are dependent upon programmed cell death pathways, cellular metabolic pathways with AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and nicotinamide, and growth factor applications. Non-coding RNAs, Wnt signaling, and AMPK are cornerstone mechanisms for overseeing complex metabolic pathways that offer innovative treatment avenues for metabolic disease and DM but will necessitate continued appreciation of the ability of each of these cellular mechanisms to independently and in unison influence clinical outcome.

The impact of aging and oxidative stress in metabolic and nervous system disorders: programmed cell death and molecular signal transduction crosstalk

Life expectancy is increasing throughout the world and coincides with a rise in non-communicable diseases (NCDs), especially for metabolic disease that includes diabetes mellitus (DM) and neurodegenerative disorders. The debilitating effects of metabolic disorders influence the entire body and significantly affect the nervous system impacting greater than one billion people with disability in the peripheral nervous system as well as with cognitive loss, now the seventh leading cause of death worldwide. Metabolic disorders, such as DM, and neurologic disease remain a significant challenge for the treatment and care of individuals since present therapies may limit symptoms but do not halt overall disease progression. These clinical challenges to address the interplay between metabolic and neurodegenerative disorders warrant innovative strategies that can focus upon the underlying mechanisms of aging-related disorders, oxidative stress, cell senescence, and cell death. Programmed cell death pathways that involve autophagy, apoptosis, ferroptosis, and pyroptosis can play a critical role in metabolic and neurodegenerative disorders and oversee processes that include insulin resistance, β-cell function, mitochondrial integrity, reactive oxygen species release, and inflammatory cell activation. The silent mating type information regulation 2 homolog 1 (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) (SIRT1), AMP activated protein kinase (AMPK), and Wnt1 inducible signaling pathway protein 1 (WISP1) are novel targets that can oversee programmed cell death pathways tied to β-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), nicotinamide, apolipoprotein E (APOE), severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-2) exposure with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and trophic factors, such as erythropoietin (EPO). The pathways of programmed cell death, SIRT1, AMPK, and WISP1 offer exciting prospects for maintaining metabolic homeostasis and nervous system function that can be compromised during aging-related disorders and lead to cognitive impairment, but these pathways have dual roles in determining the ultimate fate of cells and organ systems that warrant thoughtful insight into complex autofeedback mechanisms.

Cognitive Impairment in Multiple Sclerosis

Almost three million individuals suffer from multiple sclerosis (MS) throughout the world, a demyelinating disease in the nervous system with increased prevalence over the last five decades, and is now being recognized as one significant etiology of cognitive loss and dementia. Presently, disease modifying therapies can limit the rate of relapse and potentially reduce brain volume loss in patients with MS, but unfortunately cannot prevent disease progression or the onset of cognitive disability. Innovative strategies are therefore required to address areas of inflammation, immune cell activation, and cell survival that involve novel pathways of programmed cell death, mammalian forkhead transcription factors (FoxOs), the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR), AMP activated protein kinase (AMPK), the silent mating type information regulation 2 homolog 1 (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) (SIRT1), and associated pathways with the apolipoprotein E (APOE-ε4) gene and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). These pathways are intertwined at multiple levels and can involve metabolic oversight with cellular metabolism dependent upon nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+). Insight into the mechanisms of these pathways can provide new avenues of discovery for the therapeutic treatment of dementia and loss in cognition that occurs during MS.

Cellular Metabolism: A Fundamental Component of Degeneration in the Nervous System

It is estimated that, at minimum, 500 million individuals suffer from cellular metabolic dysfunction, such as diabetes mellitus (DM), throughout the world. Even more concerning is the knowledge that metabolic disease is intimately tied to neurodegenerative disorders, affecting both the central and peripheral nervous systems as well as leading to dementia, the seventh leading cause of death. New and innovative therapeutic strategies that address cellular metabolism, apoptosis, autophagy, and pyroptosis, the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR), AMP activated protein kinase (AMPK), growth factor signaling with erythropoietin (EPO), and risk factors such as the apolipoprotein E (APOE-ε4) gene and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can offer valuable insights for the clinical care and treatment of neurodegenerative disorders impacted by cellular metabolic disease. Critical insight into and modulation of these complex pathways are required since mTOR signaling pathways, such as AMPK activation, can improve memory retention in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and DM, promote healthy aging, facilitate clearance of β-amyloid (Aß) and tau in the brain, and control inflammation, but also may lead to cognitive loss and long-COVID syndrome through mechanisms that can include oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, cytokine release, and APOE-ε4 if pathways such as autophagy and other mechanisms of programmed cell death are left unchecked.

LincRNA-p21 Promotes Cellular Senescence by Down-regulating the Wnt/β-catenin Pathway in MPP+-treated SH-SY5Y Cells

AIM AND OBJECTIVE

Long intergenic non-coding RNA-p21 (lincRNA-p21) plays a critical role in various senescence-associated physiological and pathological conditions. We aimed to explore the senescence-associated effects of lincRNA-p21 in 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+) treated neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell line as a therapeutic target.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The RNA expression levels of lincRNA-p21, p53, p16, and telomere length were examined with reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RTqPCR). The Telo TAGGG™ Telomerase PCR ELISA PLUS Kit was used to determine telomerase activity. Cellular viability was evaluated with the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay. Western blot was performed to analyze β-catenin protein expression. Besides, oxidative stress was evaluated by Jaggregate- forming delocalized lipophilic cation, 5,5',6,6'-tetrachloro-1,1',3,3'- tetraethylbenzimidazolocarbocyanine++ + iodide (JC‑1) stain, fluorescence spectrophotometry, colorimetric assay, and malondialdehyde (MDA) formation.

RESULTS

This research demonstrated that MPP+ caused a distinct increase in the expression of LincRNA- p21 in SH-SY5Y cells. MPP+ induced cellular senescence with decreasing cellular proliferation and viability, increasing expression levels of senescence-associated makers such as genes p53 and p16, accompanied by significantly decreasing telomere length and telomerase activity. At the same time, these effects were abolished by silencing lincRNA-p21 with small interfering RNA (siRNA). On the contrary, β-catenin silencing contributes to reversing anti-senescent effects caused by lincRNA-p21 silencing. Moreover, modifying lincRNA-p21 exerted an anti-senescent influence depending on decreasing oxidant stress.

CONCLUSION

Our study showed that in the treatment of MPP+, lincRNA-p21 might serve a role in the SH-SY5Y cell senescence by modulating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, as well as increasing oxidant stress. Thus, trying to target lincRNA-p21 may have important therapeutic and practical implications for PD.

Nicotinamide as a Foundation for Treating Neurodegenerative Disease and Metabolic Disorders

Neurodegenerative disorders impact more than one billion individuals worldwide and are intimately tied to metabolic disease that can affect another nine hundred individuals throughout the globe. Nicotinamide is a critical agent that may offer fruitful prospects for neurodegenerative diseases and metabolic disorders, such as diabetes mellitus. Nicotinamide protects against multiple toxic environments that include reactive oxygen species exposure, anoxia, excitotoxicity, ethanolinduced neuronal injury, amyloid (Aß) toxicity, age-related vascular disease, mitochondrial dysfunction, insulin resistance, excess lactate production, and loss of glucose homeostasis with pancreatic β-cell dysfunction. However, nicotinamide offers cellular protection in a specific concentration range, with dosing outside of this range leading to detrimental effects. The underlying biological pathways of nicotinamide that involve the silent mating type information regulation 2 homolog 1 (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) (SIRT1), the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR), AMP activated protein kinase (AMPK), and mammalian forkhead transcription factors (FoxOs) may offer insight for the clinical translation of nicotinamide into a safe and efficacious therapy through the modulation of oxidative stress, apoptosis, and autophagy. Nicotinamide is a highly promising target for the development of innovative strategies for neurodegenerative disorders and metabolic disease, but the benefits of this foundation depend greatly on gaining a further understanding of nicotinamide's complex biology.

(D620N) VPS35 causes the impairment of Wnt/β-catenin signaling cascade and mitochondrial dysfunction in a PARK17 knockin mouse model

Patients with familial type 17 of Parkinson’s disease (PARK17) manifest autosomal dominant pattern and late-onset parkinsonian syndromes. Heterozygous (D620N) mutation of vacuolar protein sorting 35 (VPS35) is genetic cause of PARK17. We prepared heterozygous VPS35^D620N/+ knockin mouse, which is an ideal animal model of (D620N) VPS35-induced autosomal dominant PARK17. Late-onset loss of substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) dopaminergic (DAergic) neurons and motor deficits of Parkinson’s disease were found in 16-month-old VPS35^D620N/+ mice. Normal function of VPS35-containing retromer is needed for activity of Wnt/β-catenin cascade, which participates in protection and survival of SNpc DAergic neurons. It was hypothesized that (D620N) VPS35 mutation causes the malfunction of VPS35 and resulting impaired activity of Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Protein levels of Wnt1 and nuclear β-catenin were reduced in SN of 16-month-old VPS35^D620N/+ knockin mice. Downregulated protein expression of survivin, which is a target gene of nuclear β-catenin, and upregulated protein levels of active caspase-8 and active caspase-9 were observed in SN of VPS35^D620N/+ mice at age of 16 months. VPS35 is involved in controlling morphology and function of mitochondria. Impaired function of VPS35 caused by (D620N) mutation could lead to abnormal morphology and malfunction of mitochondria. A significant decrease in mitochondrial size and resulting mitochondrial fragmentation was found in tyrosine hydroxylase-positive and neuromelanin-positive SNpc DAergic neurons of 16-month-old VPS35^D620N/+ mice. Mitochondrial complex I activity or complex IV activity was reduced in SN of 16-month-old VPS35^D620N/+ mice. Increased level of mitochondrial ROS and oxidative stress were found in SN of 16-month-old VPS35^D620N/+ mice. Levels of cytosolic cytochrome c and active caspase-3 were increased in SN of VPS35^D620N/+ mice aged 16 months. Our results suggest that PARK17 mutant (D620N) VPS35 impairs activity of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and causes abnormal morphology and dysfunction of mitochondria, which could lead to neurodegeneration of SNpc DAergic cells.

Frizzled 1 and Wnt1 as new potential therapeutic targets in the traumatically injured spinal cord

Despite the experimental evidence pointing to a significant role of the Wnt family of proteins in physiological and pathological rodent spinal cord functioning, its potential relevance in the healthy and traumatically injured human spinal cord as well as its therapeutic potential in spinal cord injury (SCI) are still poorly understood. To get further insight into these interesting issues, we first demonstrated by quantitative Real-Time PCR and simple immunohistochemistry that detectable mRNA expression of most Wnt components, as well as protein expression of all known Wnt receptors, can be found in the healthy human spinal cord, supporting its potential involvement in human spinal cord physiology. Moreover, evaluation of Frizzled (Fz) 1 expression by double immunohistochemistry showed that its spatio-temporal and cellular expression pattern in the traumatically injured human spinal cord is equivalent to that observed in a clinically relevant model of rat SCI and suggests its potential involvement in SCI progression/outcome. Accordingly, we found that long-term lentiviral-mediated overexpression of the Fz1 ligand Wnt1 after rat SCI improves motor functional recovery, increases myelin preservation and neuronal survival, and reduces early astroglial reactivity and NG2+ cell accumulation, highlighting the therapeutic potential of Wnt1 in this neuropathological situation.

MicroRNA-148a-3p suppresses epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and stemness properties via Wnt1-mediated Wnt/β-catenin pathway in pancreatic cancer

Although miR-148a-3p has been reported to function as a tumour suppressor in various cancers, the molecular mechanism of miR-148a-3p in regulating epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and stemness properties of pancreatic cancer (PC) cells remains to be elucidated. In the present study, we demonstrated that miR-148a-3p expression was remarkably down-regulated in PC tissues and cell lines. Moreover, low expression of miR-148a-3p was associated with poorer overall survival (OS) in patients with PC. In vitro, gain-of-function and loss-of-function experiments showed that miR-148a-3p suppressed EMT and stemness properties as well as the proliferation, migration and invasion of PC cells. A dual-luciferase reporter assay demonstrated that Wnt1 was a direct target of miR-148a-3p, and its expression was inversely associated with miR-148a-3p in PC tissues. Furthermore, miR-148a-3p suppressed the Wnt/β-catenin pathway via down-regulation of Wnt1. The effects of ectopic miR-148a-3p were rescued by Wnt1 overexpression. These biological functions of miR-148a-3p in PC were also confirmed in a nude mouse xenograft model. Taken together, these findings suggest that miR-148a-3p suppresses PC cell proliferation, invasion, EMT and stemness properties via inhibiting Wnt1-mediated Wnt/β-catenin pathway and could be a potential prognostic biomarker as well as a therapeutic target in PC.

Nature-derived compounds modulating Wnt/ -catenin pathway: a preventive and therapeutic opportunity in neoplastic diseases

The Wnt/β-catenin signaling is a conserved pathway that has a crucial role in embryonic and adult life. Dysregulation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway has been associated with diseases including cancer, and components of the signaling have been proposed as innovative therapeutic targets, mainly for cancer therapy. The attention of the worldwide researchers paid to this issue is increasing, also in view of the therapeutic potential of these agents in diseases, such as Parkinson's disease (PD), for which no cure is existing today. Much evidence indicates that abnormal Wnt/β-catenin signaling is involved in tumor immunology and the targeting of Wnt/β-catenin pathway has been also proposed as an attractive strategy to potentiate cancer immunotherapy. During the last decade, several products, including naturally occurring dietary agents as well as a wide variety of products from plant sources, including curcumin, quercetin, berberin, and ginsenosides, have been identified as potent modulators of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling and have gained interest as promising candidates for the development of chemopreventive or therapeutic drugs for cancer. In this review we make an overview of the nature-derived compounds reported to have antitumor activity by modulating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling, also focusing on extraction methods, chemical features, and bio-activity assays used for the screening of these compounds.

Canonical Wnts Mediate CD8+ T Cell Noncytolytic Anti-HIV-1 Activity and Correlate with HIV-1 Clinical Status

CD8⁺ T cells do not rely solely on cytotoxic functions for significant HIV control. Moreover, the noncytotoxic CD8⁺ T cell antiviral response is a primary mediator of natural HIV control such as that seen in HIV elite controllers and long-term nonprogressors that does not require combined antiretroviral therapy. In this study, we investigated the biological factors contributing to the noncytotoxic control of HIV replication mediated by primary human CD8⁺ T cells. We report that canonical Wnt signaling inhibits HIV transcription in an MHC-independent, noncytotoxic manner and that mediators of this pathway correlate with HIV controller clinical status. We show that CD8⁺ T cells express all 19 Wnts and CD8⁺ T cell-conditioned medium (CM) induced canonical Wnt signaling in infected recipient cells while simultaneously inhibiting HIV transcription. Antagonizing canonical Wnt activity in CD8⁺ T cell CM resulted in increased HIV transcription in infected cells. Further, Wnt2b expression was upregulated in HIV controllers versus viremic patients, and in vitro depletion of Wnt2b and/or Wnt9b from CD8⁺ CM reversed HIV inhibitory activity. Finally, plasma concentration of Dkk-1, an antagonist of canonical Wnt signaling, was higher in viremic patients with lower CD4 counts. This study demonstrates that canonical Wnt signaling inhibits HIV and significantly correlates with HIV controller status.

Nrf2/Wnt resilience orchestrates rejuvenation of glia-neuron dialogue in Parkinson's disease

Oxidative stress and inflammation have long been recognized to contribute to Parkinson's disease (PD), a common movement disorder characterized by the selective loss of midbrain dopaminergic neurons (mDAn) of the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc). The causes and mechanisms still remain elusive, but a complex interplay between several genes and a number of interconnected environmental factors, are chiefly involved in mDAn demise, as they intersect the key cellular functions affected in PD, such as the inflammatory response, mitochondrial, lysosomal, proteosomal and autophagic functions. Nuclear factor erythroid 2 -like 2 (NFE2L2/Nrf2), the master regulator of cellular defense against oxidative stress and inflammation, and Wingless (Wnt)/β-catenin signaling cascade, a vital pathway for mDAn neurogenesis and neuroprotection, emerge as critical intertwinned actors in mDAn physiopathology, as a decline of an Nrf2/Wnt/β-catenin prosurvival axis with age underlying PD mutations and a variety of noxious environmental exposures drive PD neurodegeneration. Unexpectedly, astrocytes, the so-called "star-shaped" cells, harbouring an arsenal of "beneficial" and "harmful" molecules represent the turning point in the physiopathological and therapeutical scenario of PD. Fascinatingly, "astrocyte's fil rouge" brings back to Nrf2/Wnt resilience, as boosting the Nrf2/Wnt resilience program rejuvenates astrocytes, in turn (i) mitigating nigrostriatal degeneration of aged mice, (ii) reactivating neural stem progenitor cell proliferation and neuron differentiation in the brain and (iii) promoting a beneficial immunomodulation via bidirectional communication with mDAns. Then, through resilience of Nrf2/Wnt/β-catenin anti-ageing, prosurvival and proregenerative molecular programs, it seems possible to boost the inherent endogenous self-repair mechanisms. Here, the cellular and molecular aspects as well as the therapeutical options for rejuvenating glia-neuron dialogue will be discussed together with major glial-derived mechanisms and therapies that will be fundamental to the identification of novel diagnostic tools and treatments for neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), to fight ageing and nigrostriatal DAergic degeneration and promote functional recovery.

Dysregulation of metabolic flexibility: The impact of mTOR on autophagy in neurodegenerative disease

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) that involve neurodegenerative disorders and metabolic disease impact over 400 million individuals globally. Interestingly, metabolic disorders, such as diabetes mellitus, are significant risk factors for the development of neurodegenerative diseases. Given that current therapies for these NCDs address symptomatic care, new avenues of discovery are required to offer treatments that affect disease progression. Innovative strategies that fill this void involve the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) and its associated pathways of mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1), mTOR complex 2 (mTORC2), AMP activated protein kinase (AMPK), trophic factors that include erythropoietin (EPO), and the programmed cell death pathways of autophagy and apoptosis. These pathways are intriguing in their potential to provide effective care for metabolic and neurodegenerative disorders. Yet, future work is necessary to fully comprehend the entire breadth of the mTOR pathways that can effectively and safely translate treatments to clinical medicine without the development of unexpected clinical disabilities.

Magnetic Mechanoactivation of Wnt Signaling Augments Dopaminergic Differentiation of Neuronal Cells

Wnt signaling is a key developmental pathway that regulates dopaminergic progenitor cell proliferation and differentiation during neuronal development. This makes Wnt signaling an important therapeutic target for neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson's disease. Wnt signaling can be modulated using peptides such as UM206, which bind to the Wnt receptor Frizzled. Previous work has demonstrated remote activation of the Wnt pathway through Frizzled using peptide-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) with magnetic field stimulation. Using this technology, Wnt signaling is remotely activated in the neuronal cell line SH-SY5Y, and the phenotypic response to stimulation is assessed. Results indicate β-catenin translocalization and activation of TCF/LEF responsive transcription in response to MNP and magnetic fields, which result in dopaminergic marker expression when synergistically combined with differentiation factors retinoic acid and the phorbol ester phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. This approach is translated into ex vivo postnatal rat brain slices modeling the developing nigrostriatal pathway. Dopaminergic marker expression is maintained in MNP-labeled SH-SY5Y cells after injection and magnetic stimulation. These results demonstrate the translational value of remote control of signal transduction for controlling neuronal precursor cell behavior and highlight the potential applications for controlled cell differentiation as part of cell therapies for neurodegenerative disease.

Protective effect of hydralazine on a cellular model of Parkinson’s disease: a possible role of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease accompanied by a low expression level of cerebral hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-1α). Hence, activating the hypoxia-signaling pathway may be a favorable therapeutic approach for curing PD. This study explored the efficacy of hydralazine, a well-known antihypertensive agent, for restoring the impaired HIF-1 signaling in PD, with the aid of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-exposed SH-SY5Y cells. The cytotoxicity of hydralazine and 6-OHDA on the SH-SY5Y cells were evaluated by MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] and apoptosis detection assays. The activities of malondialdehyde, nitric oxide (NO), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were also measured. Expression levels of HIF-1α and its downstream genes at the protein level were assessed by Western blotting. Hydralazine showed no toxic effects on SH-SY5Y cells, at the concentration of ≤50 μmol/L. Hydralazine decreased the levels of apoptosis, malondialdehyde, and NO, and increased the activities of FRAP and SOD in cells exposed to 6-OHDA. Furthermore, hydralazine up-regulated the protein expression levels of HIF-1α, vascular endothelial growth factor, tyrosine hydroxylase, and dopamine transporter in the cells also exposed to 6-OHDA, by comparison with the cells exposed to 6-OHDA alone. In summary, hydralazine priming could attenuate the deleterious effects of 6-OHDA on SH-SY5Y cells by increasing cellular antioxidant capacity, as well as the protein levels of HIF-1α and its downstream target genes.

New Insights for nicotinamide: Metabolic disease, autophagy, and mTOR

Metabolic disorders, such as diabetes mellitus (DM), are increasingly becoming significant risk factors for the health of the global population and consume substantial portions of the gross domestic product of all nations. Although conventional therapies that include early diagnosis, nutritional modification of diet, and pharmacological treatments may limit disease progression, tight serum glucose control cannot prevent the onset of future disease complications. With these concerns, novel strategies for the treatment of metabolic disorders that involve the vitamin nicotinamide, the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR), mTOR Complex 1 (mTORC1), mTOR Complex 2 (mTORC2), AMP activated protein kinase (AMPK), and the cellular pathways of autophagy and apoptosis offer exceptional promise to provide new avenues of treatment. Oversight of these pathways can promote cellular energy homeostasis, maintain mitochondrial function, improve glucose utilization, and preserve pancreatic beta-cell function. Yet, the interplay among mTOR, AMPK, and autophagy pathways can be complex and affect desired clinical outcomes, necessitating further investigations to provide efficacious treatment strategies for metabolic dysfunction and DM.

Lipid and Lipoprotein Metabolism in Microglia

Microglia, once viewed as static bystanders with limited homeostatic functions, are now considered key players in the development of neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases. Microglial activation is a salient feature of neuroinflammation involving a dynamic process that generates multitudinous microglial phenotypes that can respond to a variety of situational cues in the central nervous system. Recently, a flurry of single cell RNA-sequencing studies have defined microglial phenotypes in unprecedented detail, and have highlighted robust changes in the expression of genes involved in lipid and lipoprotein metabolism. Increased expression of genes such as Apolipoprotein E (ApoE), Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cells 2 (TREM2) and Lipoprotein Lipase (LPL) in microglia during development, damage, and disease, suggest that increased lipid metabolism is needed to fuel protective cellular functions such as phagocytosis. This review describes our current understanding of lipid and lipoprotein metabolism in microglia, and highlights microglial lipid metabolism as a modifiable target for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis.

Targeting the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in neurodegenerative diseases: recent approaches and current challenges

INTRODUCTION

Wnt/β-catenin signaling is an evolutionarily conserved pathway having a crucial role in embryonic and adult life. Specifically, the Wnt/β-catenin axis is pivotal to the development and homeostasis of the nervous system, and its dysregulation has been associated with various neurological disorders, including neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, this signaling pathway has been proposed as a potential therapeutic target against neurodegeneration.

AREAS COVERED

This review focuses on the role of Wnt/β-catenin pathway in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's, Alzheimer's Diseases and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. The evidence showing that defects in the signaling might be involved in the development of these diseases, and the pharmacological approaches tested so far, are discussed. The possibilities that this pathway offers in terms of new therapeutic opportunities are also considered.

EXPERT OPINION

The increasing interest paid to the role of Wnt/β-catenin pathway in the onset of neurodegenerative diseases demonstrates how targeting this signaling for therapeutic purposes could be a great opportunity for both neuroprotection and neurorepair. Without overlooking some licit concerns about drug safety and delivery to the brain, there is growing and more convincing evidence that restoring this signaling in neurodegenerative diseases may strongly increase the chance to develop disease-modifying treatments for these brain pathologies.

Wnt signalling pathway and tau phosphorylation: A comprehensive study on known connections

The Wnt pathway is the most important cascade in the nervous system; evidence has indicated that deregulation of the Wnt pathway induced pathogenic hallmarks of neurodegenerative diseases. Glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) as the main member of the Wnt pathway increases tau inclusions, the main marker in the neurodegenerative diseases. Phosphorylated tau is observed in the pre-tangle of the neurons in the early stage of neurodegenerative diseases. The researchers always try to improve pharmacological approaches of new therapeutic strategies to the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases that are required to represent a significant entry point by understanding the theoretical interactions of the molecular pathways. In this review, we have discussed the recent knowledge about the canonical and non-canonical Wnt signalling pathway, GSK-3β, Wnt/β-catenin antagonists, tau phosphorylation, and their important roles in the neurodegenerative diseases.

New insights into Wnt signaling alterations in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a potential therapeutic target?

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder characterized by upper and lower motor neuron degeneration, which leads to progressive paralysis of skeletal muscles and, ultimately, respiratory failure between 2–5 years after symptom onset. Unfortunately, currently accepted treatments for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis are extremely scarce and only provide modest benefit. As a consequence, a great effort is being done by the scientific community in order to achieve a better understanding of the different molecular and cellular processes that influence the progression and/or outcome of this neuropathological condition and, therefore, unravel new potential targets for therapeutic intervention. Interestingly, a growing number of experimental evidences have recently shown that, besides its well-known physiological roles in the developing and adult central nervous system, the Wnt family of proteins is involved in different neuropathological conditions, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. These proteins are able to modulate, at least, three different signaling pathways, usually known as canonical (β-catenin dependent) and non-canonical (β-catenin independent) signaling pathways. In the present review, we aim to provide a general overview of the current knowledge that supports the relationship between the Wnt family of proteins and its associated signaling pathways and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis pathology, as well as their possible mechanisms of action. Altogether, the currently available knowledge suggests that Wnt signaling modulation might be a promising therapeutic approach to ameliorate the histopathological and functional deficits associated to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and thus improve the progression and outcome of this neuropathology.

Nicotinamide: Oversight of Metabolic Dysfunction Through SIRT1, mTOR, and Clock Genes

Metabolic disorders that include diabetes mellitus present significant challenges for maintaining the welfare of the global population. Metabolic diseases impact all systems of the body and despite current therapies that offer some protection through tight serum glucose control, ultimately such treatments cannot block the progression of disability and death realized with metabolic disorders. As a result, novel therapeutic avenues are critical for further development to address these concerns. An innovative strategy involves the vitamin nicotinamide and the pathways associated with the silent mating type information regulation 2 homolog 1 (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) (SIRT1), the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR), mTOR Complex 1 (mTORC1), mTOR Complex 2 (mTORC2), AMP activated protein kinase (AMPK), and clock genes. Nicotinamide maintains an intimate relationship with these pathways to oversee metabolic disease and improve glucose utilization, limit mitochondrial dysfunction, block oxidative stress, potentially function as antiviral therapy, and foster cellular survival through mechanisms involving autophagy. However, the pathways of nicotinamide, SIRT1, mTOR, AMPK, and clock genes are complex and involve feedback pathways as well as trophic factors such as erythropoietin that require a careful balance to ensure metabolic homeostasis. Future work is warranted to gain additional insight into these vital pathways that can oversee both normal metabolic physiology and metabolic disease.

Ucf-101 protects in vivoandin vitro models of PD against 6-hydroxydopamine toxicity by alleviating endoplasmic reticulum stress via the Wnt/β-catenin pathway

The accumulation of α-syn which induce endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and mediate various signaling pathways involved in DA neuronal degeneration, and the apoptosis of dopamine (DA) neurons are pathological markers of Parkinson's disease (PD). High-temperature requirement protein A2 (HtrA2) is synthesized in the endoplasmic reticulum, and the expression level of HtrA2 can be upregulated by drugs or by unfolded proteins. Ucf-101 is a specific inhibitor of HtrA2, and studies have shown that Ucf-101 reduced apoptosis in PC12 cells. Our study showed that PC12 cells treated with 60 μM 6-OHDA for 24 h had significantly decreased cell viability compared to that of controls. A low concentration (2.5 μM) of Ucf-101 decreased the apoptosis rate of the PD cell model, but a high concentration (≥10 μM) increased the apoptosis rate, compared to that of controls. 6-OHDA upregulated the expression of HtrA2, α-syn, CHOP, Grp78 and active caspase-3 and reduced the levels of TH and XIAP. Ucf-101 reduced the level of ERS and apoptosis bothin vivoandin vitro. The ratio of p-GSK3β (Tyr216 to Ser9) increased in PD rats. However, Ucf-101 down-regulated the activation of GSK3β and activated the Wnt/β-catenin pathway that was caused by 6-OHDA. Ucf-101 activated the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and significantly attenuated 6-OHDA-induced neurotoxicity, which was related to the inhibition of ERS and the reduction of the apoptosis rate of PC12 cells and DA neurons in the midbrain of PD rats. Ucf-101 has certain neuroprotective effects.

Wnt1 Promotes EAAT2 Expression and Mediates the Protective Effects of Astrocytes on Dopaminergic Cells in Parkinson's Disease

Background

Wnt/β-catenin signaling has been reported to exert cytoprotective effects in a cellular model of Parkinson's disease (PD). Glutamate excitotoxicity has been suggested to contribute to the pathogenesis of PD, and excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs) play a predominant role in clearing excessive glutamate. EAAT2 is mainly expressed in astrocytes, which are an important source of Wnt signaling in the brain.

Methods

Wnt1-overexpressing U251 astrocytes were indirectly cocultured with dopaminergic SH-SY5Y cells treated with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA). Cell toxicity was determined by cell viability and flow cytometric detection. Glutamate level in the culture medium was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Western blot analysis was used to detect the expression of Wnt1, β-catenin, and EAAT2. Immunofluorescence was used to display the expression and translocation of NF-κB p65.

Results

6-OHDA treatment significantly decreased cell viability in both U251 cells and SH-SY5Y cells, inhibited the expression of Wnt1, β-catenin, and EAAT2 in U251 cells, and increased the glutamate level in the culture medium. Coculture with Wnt1-overexpressing U251 cells attenuated 6-OHDA-induced apoptosis in SH-SY5Y cells. Overexpression of Wnt1 decreased the glutamate level in the culture media, upregulated β-catenin, EAAT2, and NF-κB levels, and promoted the translocation of NF-κB from the cytoplasm to the nucleus in U251 cells.

Conclusion

Wnt1 promoted EAAT2 expression and mediated the cytoprotective effects of astrocytes on dopaminergic cells. NF-κB might be involved in the regulation of EAAT2 by Wnt1.

Wnt1 silencing enhances neurotoxicity induced by paraquat and maneb in SH-SY5Y cells

Wingless (Wnt) signaling regulates the proliferation and differentiation of midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons. Paraquat (PQ) and maneb (MB) are environmental pollutants that can be used to model Parkinson's disease (PD) in rodents. A previous study demonstrated that developmental exposure to PQ and MB affects the expression of Wnt1, Wnt5a, nuclear receptor-related factor 1 (NURR1) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). However, how Wnt signaling regulates these developmental factors in vitro is yet to be determined. To explore this, SH-SY5Y cells were exposed to PQ and MB. The results of the current study indicated that exposure to PQ and MB decreased Wnt1, β-catenin, NURR1 and TH levels and increased Wnt5a levels. Furthermore, Wnt1 silencing has the same effect as exposure to PQ and MB. Additionally, the neurotoxicity induced by PQ and MB is more severe in siWnt1-SH-SY5Y cells compared with normal SH-SY5Y cells. Therefore, Wnt1 may serve an important role in regulating developmental DA factors, and may be a candidate gene for PD diagnosis or gene therapy.

microRNA-128 enhances neuroprotective effects of dexmedetomidine on neonatal mice with hypoxic-ischemic brain damage by targeting WNT1

OBJECTIVE

Hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD) is a major cause of acute mortality and chronic neurological morbidity in infants and children. Dexmedetomidine (DEX) is an effective choice in HIBD treatment. Recent findings have revealed that microRNA-128 (miR-128) is implicated in cerebral ischemia reperfusion. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the role of miR-128 in HIBD.

METHODS

HIBD models of neonatal mice were established. HIBD mice were treated with DEX, and injected with agomir (ago)-miR-128 or antagomir (anti)-miR-128 into the lateral ventricles to explore the influence of miR-128 on the neuroprotective effects of DEX on HIBD. Subsequently, the mice body weight, left/right (L/R) brain weight ratio, left-brain water content as well as learning and memory abilities were measured. Furthermore, the pathological changes of brain tissues and apoptosis rate of nerve cells were determined. The potential relationship between miR-128 and WNT1 was analyzed.

RESULTS

Over-expression of miR-128 caused an increase in mouse body weight, L/R brain weight ratio, and learning and memory abilities, while led to a decline in left-brain water content, brain tissue injury and apoptosis rate of nerve cells in DEX-treated HIBD mice. WNT1 was targeted and negatively regulated by miR-128. Silencing of WNT1 exerted the same effect as miR-128 on enhancing the neuroprotective effect of DEX on HIBD mice.

CONCLUSION

Collectively, miR-128 enhanced neuroprotective effect of DEX on HIBD neonatal mice by inhibiting WNT1.

The Role of Lipids in Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by a progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons from the nigrostriatal pathway, formation of Lewy bodies, and microgliosis. During the past decades multiple cellular pathways have been associated with PD pathology (i.e., oxidative stress, endosomal-lysosomal dysfunction, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and immune response), yet disease-modifying treatments are not available. We have recently used genetic data from familial and sporadic cases in an unbiased approach to build a molecular landscape for PD, revealing lipids as central players in this disease. Here we extensively review the current knowledge concerning the involvement of various subclasses of fatty acyls, glycerolipids, glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids, sterols, and lipoproteins in PD pathogenesis. Our review corroborates a central role for most lipid classes, but the available information is fragmented, not always reproducible, and sometimes differs by sex, age or PD etiology of the patients. This hinders drawing firm conclusions about causal or associative effects of dietary lipids or defects in specific steps of lipid metabolism in PD. Future technological advances in lipidomics and additional systematic studies on lipid species from PD patient material may improve this situation and lead to a better appreciation of the significance of lipids for this devastating disease.

Pathogenic Feed-Forward Mechanisms in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease Converge on GSK-3

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) share many commonalities ranging from signaling deficits such as altered cholinergic activity, neurotrophin and insulin signaling to cell stress cascades that result in proteinopathy, mitochondrial dysfunction and neuronal cell death. These pathological processes are not unidirectional, but are intertwined, resulting in a series of feed-forward loops that worsen symptoms and advance disease progression. At the center of these loops is glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3), a keystone protein involved in many of the multidirectional biological processes that contribute to AD and PD neuropathology. Here, a unified overview of the involvement of GSK-3 in the major processes involved in these diseases will be presented. The mechanisms by which these processes are linked will be discussed and the feed-forward pathways identified. In this regard, this review will put forth the notion that combination therapy, targeting these multiple facets of AD or PD neuropathology is a necessary next step in the search for effective therapies.

Conditional Haploinsufficiency of β-Catenin Aggravates Neuronal Damage in a Paraquat-Based Mouse Model of Parkinson Disease

The canonical Wnt pathway is critical for both the development and adulthood survival and homeostatic maintenance of the midbrain dopaminergic (DA) neurons. Expanding evidence has demonstrated that genetic factors associated with familial Parkinson disease (PD) deregulate this important pathway, suggesting that a disturbed canonical Wnt pathway is likely involved in PD pathogenesis; yet, the specific role of this pathway in sporadic PD remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to determine the effects of specific inhibition of the canonical pathway by hemizygous knockout of β-catenin, the obligatory component of the canonical Wnt pathway, on paraquat (PQ)-induced DA neuronal degeneration in the substantia nigra in vivo. We found that while hemizygous conditional knockout of β-catenin in DA neurons did not cause any significant TH+ neuronal loss in the substantia nigra at basal level, it triggered elevated oxidative stress at basal level and further enhanced PQ-induced oxidative damage and loss of TH+ neurons in the substantia nigra and axonal termini in the striatum that manifested as exacerbated motor deficits. These data support the notion that reduced Wnt/β-catenin signaling in sporadic PD likely contributes to DA neuronal loss through an enhanced oxidative stress-response pathway.

Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway Governs a Full Program for Dopaminergic Neuron Survival, Neurorescue and Regeneration in the MPTP Mouse Model of Parkinson's Disease

Wingless-type mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) integration site (Wnt) signaling is one of the most critical pathways in developing and adult tissues. In the brain, Wnt signaling contributes to different neurodevelopmental aspects ranging from differentiation to axonal extension, synapse formation, neurogenesis, and neuroprotection. Canonical Wnt signaling is mediated mainly by the multifunctional β-catenin protein which is a potent co-activator of transcription factors such as lymphoid enhancer factor (LEF) and T-cell factor (TCF). Accumulating evidence points to dysregulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in major neurodegenerative disorders. This review highlights a Wnt/β-catenin/glial connection in Parkinson's disease (PD), the most common movement disorder characterized by the selective death of midbrain dopaminergic (mDAergic) neuronal cell bodies in the subtantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) and gliosis. Major findings of the last decade document that Wnt/β-catenin signaling in partnership with glial cells is critically involved in each step and at every level in the regulation of nigrostriatal DAergic neuronal health, protection, and regeneration in the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) mouse model of PD, focusing on Wnt/β-catenin signaling to boost a full neurorestorative program in PD.

The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) and the silent mating-type information regulation 2 homolog 1 (SIRT1): oversight for neurodegenerative disorders

As a result of the advancing age of the global population and the progressive increase in lifespan, neurodegenerative disorders continue to increase in incidence throughout the world. New strategies for neurodegenerative disorders involve the novel pathways of the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) and the silent mating-type information regulation 2 homolog 1 (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) (SIRT1) that can modulate pathways of apoptosis and autophagy. The pathways of mTOR and SIRT1 are closely integrated. mTOR forms the complexes mTOR Complex 1 and mTOR Complex 2 and can impact multiple neurodegenerative disorders that include Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, and Parkinson's disease. SIRT1 can control stem cell proliferation, block neuronal injury through limiting programmed cell death, drive vascular cell survival, and control clinical disorders that include dementia and retinopathy. It is important to recognize that oversight of programmed cell death by mTOR and SIRT1 requires a fine degree of precision to prevent the progression of neurodegenerative disorders. Additional investigations and insights into these pathways should offer effective and safe treatments for neurodegenerative disorders.

Microglia Polarization, Gene-Environment Interactions and Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling: Emerging Roles of Glia-Neuron and Glia-Stem/Neuroprogenitor Crosstalk for Dopaminergic Neurorestoration in Aged Parkinsonian Brain

Neuroinflammatory processes are recognized key contributory factors in Parkinson's disease (PD) physiopathology. While the causes responsible for the progressive loss of midbrain dopaminergic (mDA) neuronal cell bodies in the subtantia nigra pars compacta are poorly understood, aging, genetics, environmental toxicity, and particularly inflammation, represent prominent etiological factors in PD development. Especially, reactive astrocytes, microglial cells, and infiltrating monocyte-derived macrophages play dual beneficial/harmful effects, via a panel of pro- or anti-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, neurotrophic and neurogenic transcription factors. Notably, with age, microglia may adopt a potent neurotoxic, pro-inflammatory “primed” (M1) phenotype when challenged with inflammatory or neurotoxic stimuli that hamper brain's own restorative potential and inhibit endogenous neurorepair mechanisms. In the last decade we have provided evidence for a major role of microglial crosstalk with astrocytes, mDA neurons and neural stem progenitor cells (NSCs) in the MPTP- (1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-) mouse model of PD, and identified Wnt/β-catenin signaling, a pivotal morphogen for mDA neurodevelopment, neuroprotection, and neuroinflammatory modulation, as a critical actor in glia-neuron and glia-NSCs crosstalk. With age however, Wnt signaling and glia-NSC-neuron crosstalk become dysfunctional with harmful consequences for mDA neuron plasticity and repair. These findings are of importance given the deregulation of Wnt signaling in PD and the emerging link between most PD related genes, Wnt signaling and inflammation. Especially, in light of the expanding field of microRNAs and inflammatory PD-related genes as modulators of microglial-proinflammatory status, uncovering the complex molecular circuitry linking PD and neuroinflammation will permit the identification of new druggable targets for the cure of the disease. Here we summarize recent findings unveiling major microglial inflammatory and oxidative stress pathways converging in the regulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling, and reciprocally, the ability of Wnt signaling pathways to modulate microglial activation in PD. Unraveling the key factors and conditons promoting the switch of the proinflammatory M1 microglia status into a neuroprotective and regenerative M2 phenotype will have important consequences for neuroimmune interactions and neuronal outcome under inflammatory and/or neurodegenerative conditions.

Atrial Natriuretic Peptide Acts as a Neuroprotective Agent in in Vitro Models of Parkinson's Disease via Up-regulation of the Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway

In the last decades increasing evidence indicated a crucial role of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling in development of midbrain dopaminergic (mDA) neurons. Recently dysregulation of this pathway has been proposed as a novel pathomechanism leading to Parkinson's disease (PD) and some of the molecules participating to the signaling have been evaluated as potential therapeutic targets for PD. Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) is a cardiac-derived hormone having a critical role in cardiovascular homeostasis. ANP and its receptors (NPRs) are widely expressed in mammalian central nervous system (CNS) where they could be implicated in the regulation of neural development, synaptic transmission and information processing, as well as in neuroprotection. Until now, the effects of ANP in the CNS have been mainly ascribed to the binding and activation of NPRs. We have previously demonstrated that ANP affects the Wnt/β-catenin signaling in colorectal cancer cells through a Frizzled receptor-mediated mechanism. The purpose of this study was to investigate if ANP is able to exert neuroprotective effect on two in vitro models of PD, and if this effect could be related to activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling. As cellular models of DA neurons, we used the proliferating or RA-differentiated human neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y. In both DA neuron-like cultures, ANP is able to positively affect the Wnt/β-catenin signaling, by inducing β-catenin stabilization and nuclear translocation. Importantly, activation of the Wnt pathway by ANP exerts neuroprotective effect when these two cellular systems were subjected to neurotoxic insult (6-OHDA) for mimicking the neurodegeneration of PD. Our data support the relevance of exogenous ANP as an innovative therapeutic molecule for midbrain, and more in general for brain diseases for which aberrant Wnt signaling seems to be involved.

Novel Treatment Strategies for the Nervous System: Circadian Clock Genes, Non-coding RNAs, and Forkhead Transcription Factors

BACKGROUND

With the global increase in lifespan expectancy, neurodegenerative disorders continue to affect an ever-increasing number of individuals throughout the world. New treatment strategies for neurodegenerative diseases are desperately required given the lack of current treatment modalities.

METHODS

Here, we examine novel strategies for neurodegenerative disorders that include circadian clock genes, non-coding Ribonucleic Acids (RNAs), and the mammalian forkhead transcription factors of the O class (FoxOs).

RESULTS

Circadian clock genes, non-coding RNAs, and FoxOs offer exciting prospects to potentially limit or remove the significant disability and death associated with neurodegenerative disorders. Each of these pathways has an intimate relationship with the programmed death pathways of autophagy and apoptosis and share a common link to the silent mating type information regulation 2 homolog 1 (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) (SIRT1) and the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR). Circadian clock genes are necessary to modulate autophagy, limit cognitive loss, and prevent neuronal injury. Non-coding RNAs can control neuronal stem cell development and neuronal differentiation and offer protection against vascular disease such as atherosclerosis. FoxOs provide exciting prospects to block neuronal apoptotic death and to activate pathways of autophagy to remove toxic accumulations in neurons that can lead to neurodegenerative disorders.

CONCLUSION

Continued work with circadian clock genes, non-coding RNAs, and FoxOs can offer new prospects and hope for the development of vital strategies for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. These innovative investigative avenues have the potential to significantly limit disability and death from these devastating disorders.

Erythropoietin and mTOR: A "One-Two Punch" for Aging-Related Disorders Accompanied by Enhanced Life Expectancy

Life expectancy continues to increase throughout the world, but is accompanied by a rise in the incidence of non-communicable diseases. As a result, the benefits of an increased lifespan can be limited by aging-related disorders that necessitate new directives for the development of effective and safe treatment modalities. With this objective, the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR), a 289-kDa serine/threonine protein, and its related pathways of mTOR Complex 1 (mTORC1), mTOR Complex 2 (mTORC2), proline rich Akt substrate 40 kDa (PRAS40), AMP activated protein kinase (AMPK), Wnt signaling, and silent mating type information regulation 2 homolog 1 (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) (SIRT1), have generated significant excitement for furthering novel therapies applicable to multiple systems of the body. Yet, the biological and clinical outcome of these pathways can be complex especially with oversight of cell death mechanisms that involve apoptosis and autophagy. Growth factors, and in particular erythropoietin (EPO), are one avenue under consideration to implement control over cell death pathways since EPO can offer potential treatment for multiple disease entities and is intimately dependent upon mTOR signaling. In experimental and clinical studies, EPO appears to have significant efficacy in treating several disorders including those involving the developing brain. However, in mature populations that are affected by aging-related disorders, the direction for the use of EPO to treat clinical disease is less clear that may be dependent upon a number of factors including the understanding of mTOR signaling. Continued focus upon the regulatory elements that control EPO and mTOR signaling could generate critical insights for targeting a broad range of clinical maladies.

The potential role of neuroinflammation and transcription factors in Parkinson disease

Parkinson disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by dopaminergic neurons affected by inflammatory processes. Post-mortem analyses of brain and cerebrospinal fluid from PD patients show the accumulation of proinflammatory cytokines, confirming an ongoing neuroinflammation in the affected brain regions. These inflammatory mediators may activate transcription factors—notably nuclear factor κB, Ying-Yang 1 (YY1), fibroblast growth factor 20 (FGF20), and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)—which then regulate downstream signaling pathways that in turn promote death of dopaminergic neurons through death domain-containing receptors. Dopaminergic neurons are vulnerable to oxidative stress and inflammatory attack. An increased level of inducible nitric oxide synthase observed in the substantia nigra and striatum of PD patients suggests that both cytokine—and chemokine-induced toxicity and inflammation lead to oxidative stress that contributes to degeneration of dopaminergic neurons and to disease progression. Lipopolysaccharide activation of microglia in the proximity of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra causes their degeneration, and this appears to be a selective vulnerability of dopaminergic neurons to inflammation. In this review, we will look at the role of various transcription factors and signaling pathways in the development of PD.

Melatonin Inhibits Neural Cell Apoptosis and Promotes Locomotor Recovery via Activation of the Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway After Spinal Cord Injury

The spinal cord is highly sensitive to spinal cord injury (SCI) by external mechanical damage, resulting in irreversible neurological damage. Activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway can effectively reduce apoptosis and protect against SCI. Melatonin, an indoleamine originally isolated from bovine pineal tissue, exerts neuroprotective effects after SCI through activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. In this study, we demonstrated that melatonin exhibited neuroprotective effects on neuronal apoptosis and supported functional recovery in a rat SCI model by activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. We found that melatonin administration after SCI significantly upregulated the expression of low-density lipoprotein receptor related protein 6 phosphorylation (p-LRP-6), lymphoid enhancer factor-1 (LEF-1) and β-catenin protein in the spinal cord. Melatonin enhanced motor neuronal survival in the spinal cord ventral horn and improved the locomotor functions of rats after SCI. Melatonin administration after SCI also reduced the expression levels of Bax and cleaved caspase-3 in the spinal cord and the proportion of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labeling (TUNEL) positive cells, but increased the expression level of Bcl-2. These results suggest that melatonin attenuated SCI by activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Developing drugs that target the Wnt pathway: recent approaches in cancer and neurodegenerative diseases

INTRODUCTION

Wnt/β-catenin signaling is an evolutionarily conserved pathway that has a crucial role in embryonic and adult life. Dysregulation of Wnt/β-catenin pathway has been associated with various diseases, including cancer and neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson's disease (PD). Several molecular components of the signaling have been proposed as innovative targets for cancer therapy, and very recently, some of them have been also evaluated as potential therapeutic targets for PD. Areas covered: This review focuses on the role of Wnt/β-catenin pathway in the pathogenensis of cancer and PD, examining some recent therapeutic approaches that are ongoing in preclinical and clinical studies. The possibilities that this signaling offers for diagnosis and prognosis of neoplastic diseases, and the concerns of targeting this pathway are also discussed. Expert opinion: Despite the stimulating results obtained in preclinical studies on cancer and other disease models, the clinical experience with Wnt modulators is still in its infancy, and is mainly restricted to anticancer therapy. Even with concerns of the safety of drugs targeting Wnt signaling, the attention of researchers worldwide is increasing to this issue in terms of their therapeutic potential for diseases such as PD, for which no cure exists.

WNT1 Gene from WNT Signaling Pathway Is a Direct Target of miR-122 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an invasive form of hepatic cancer arising from the accumulation of multiple genetic alterations. In this study, the causal role of disturbed canonical Wnt/β-catenin pathway was approved, and some of HCC-driven important gene candidates were determined. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), small non-coding RNAs, are the key regulators of important cancer genes, and their participation in tumorigenesis has been shown. By reviewing literature, WNT1 gene with functional significance was selected to approve miRNAs as new subjects for targeted therapy.For proper and fast miRNA detection and also confirmation of the role of bioinformatics in obtaining practical data, we benefited from different bioinformatics tools such as TargetScan, miRanda, and DIANA. In order to use an HCC model, we used HepG2 cell line. Luciferase assay was applied to assess the ability of the selected miRNAs in targeting WNT1 3'-UTR. To overexpress the selected miRNA in HepG2 cell line, viral construct was prepared. Quantitative real-time PCR was performed to evaluate selected miRNA and target gene expression levels. miR-122 was selected according to data concerning various bioinformatics tools.miR-122 was downregulated and WNT1 gene expression was upregulated in HepG2 cell line. After viral construct transduction, miR-122 expression was elevated and WNT1 expression was notably declined. Finally, we introduced WNT1 gene as one of the important genes in HCC, and also, we showed that miR-122 can regulate WNT1 gene expression.Moreover, our study determines the potential of bioinformatics analyses in providing accurate and reliable data for miRNA: messenger RNA (mRNA) prediction.

Tideglusib induces apoptosis in human neuroblastoma IMR32 cells, provoking sub-G0/G1 accumulation and ROS generation

Neuroblastoma is the most common tumor amongst children amounting to nearly 15% of cancer deaths. This cancer is peculiar in its characteristics, exhibiting differentiation, maturation and metastatic transformation leading to poor prognosis and low survival rates among children. Chemotherapy, though toxic to normal cells, has shown to improve the survival of the patient with emphasis given more towards targeting angiogenesis. Recently, Tideglusib was designed as an 'Orphan Drug' to target the neurodegenerative Alzheimer's disease and gained significant momentum in its function during clinical trials. Duffy et al. recently reported a reduction in cell viability of human IMR32 neuroblastoma cells when treated with Tideglusib at varying concentrations. We investigated the effects of Tideglusib, at various concentrations, compared to Lithium chloride at various concentrations, on IMR32 cells. Lithium, a known GSK-3 inhibitor, was used as a standard to compare the efficiency of Tideglusib in a dose-dependent manner. Cell viability was assessed by MTT assay. The stages of apoptosis were evaluated by AO/EB staining and nuclear damage was determined by Hoechst 33258 staining. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) were assessed by DCFDA dye and Rhodamine-123 dye, respectively. Tideglusib reported a significant dose-dependent increase in pro-apoptotic proteins (PARP, Caspase-9, Caspase-7, Caspase-3) and tumor-related genes (FasL, TNF-α, Cox-2, IL-8, Caspase-3). Anti-GSK3 β, pGSK3 β, Bcl-2, Akt-1, p-Akt1 protein levels were observed with cells exposed to Tideglusib and Lithium chloride. No significant dose-dependent changes were observed for the mRNA expression of collagenase MMP-2, the tumor suppressor p53, or the cell cycle protein p21. Our study also reports Tideglusib reducing colony formation and increasing the level of sub-G0/G1 population in IMR32 cells. Our investigations report the significance of Tideglusib as a promising apoptotic inducer in human neuroblastoma IMR32 cells. Our study also reports that LiCl reduced cell viability in IMR32 cells inducing apoptosis mediated by ROS generation.

The biomarkers of immune dysregulation and inflammation response in Parkinson disease

Parkinson's disease (PD) is referring to the multi-systemic α-synucleinopathy with Lewy bodies deposited in midbrain. In ageing, the environmental and genetic factors work together and overactive major histocompatibility complex pathway to regulate immune reactions in central nerve system which resulting in neural degeneration, especially in dopaminergic neurons. As a series of biomarkers, the human leukocyte antigen genes with its related proteomics play cortical roles on the antigen presentation of major histocompatibility complex molecules to stimulate the differentiation of T lymphocytes and i-proteasome activities under their immune response to the PD-related environmental alteration and genetic variation. Furthermore, dopaminergic drugs change the biological characteristic of T lymphatic cells, affect the α-synuclein presentation pathway, and inhibit T lymphatic cells to release cytotoxicity in PD development. Taking together, the serum inflammatory factors and blood T cells are involved in the immune dysregulation of PD and inspected as the potential clinic biomarkers for PD prediction.

The role of the Wnt canonical signaling in neurodegenerative diseases

The Wnt/β-catenin or Wnt canonical pathway controls multiple biological processes throughout development and adult life. Growing evidences have suggested that deregulation of the Wnt canonical pathway could be involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. The Wnt canonical signaling is a pathway tightly regulated, which activation results in the inhibition of the Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3β (GSK-3β) function and in increased β-catenin activity, that migrates into the nucleus, activating the transcription of the Wnt target genes. Conversely, when the Wnt canonical pathway is turned off, increased levels of GSK-3β promote β-catenin degradation. Hence, GSK-3β could be considered as a key regulator of the Wnt canonical pathway. Of note, GSK-3β has also been involved in the modulation of inflammation and apoptosis, determining the delicate balance between immune tolerance/inflammation and neuronal survival/neurodegeneration. In this review, we have summarized the current acknowledgements about the role of the Wnt canonical pathway in the pathogenesis of some neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease, cerebral ischemia, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, with particular regard to the main in vitro and in vivo studies in this field, by reviewing 85 research articles about.

Novel nervous and multi-system regenerative therapeutic strategies for diabetes mellitus with mTOR

Throughout the globe, diabetes mellitus (DM) is increasing in incidence with limited therapies presently available to prevent or resolve the significant complications of this disorder. DM impacts multiple organs and affects all components of the central and peripheral nervous systems that can range from dementia to diabetic neuropathy. The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a promising agent for the development of novel regenerative strategies for the treatment of DM. mTOR and its related signaling pathways impact multiple metabolic parameters that include cellular metabolic homeostasis, insulin resistance, insulin secretion, stem cell proliferation and differentiation, pancreatic β-cell function, and programmed cell death with apoptosis and autophagy. mTOR is central element for the protein complexes mTOR Complex 1 (mTORC1) and mTOR Complex 2 (mTORC2) and is a critical component for a number of signaling pathways that involve phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI 3-K), protein kinase B (Akt), AMP activated protein kinase (AMPK), silent mating type information regulation 2 homolog 1 (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) (SIRT1), Wnt1 inducible signaling pathway protein 1 (WISP1), and growth factors. As a result, mTOR represents an exciting target to offer new clinical avenues for the treatment of DM and the complications of this disease. Future studies directed to elucidate the delicate balance mTOR holds over cellular metabolism and the impact of its broad signaling pathways should foster the translation of these targets into effective clinical regimens for DM.

Enhancing Beta-Catenin Activity via GSK3beta Inhibition Protects PC12 Cells against Rotenone Toxicity through Nurr1 Induction

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by progressive degeneration of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the substantial nigra pars compacta. Increasing evidence showed that Wnt/β-catenin pathway and the orphan nuclear receptor Nurr1 play crucial roles in the survival and functional maintenance of DA neurons in the midbrain and GSK-3β antagonists LiCl and SB216763 were used to activate Wnt/β-catenin pathway experimentally. However, the detail mechanism underlying the neuroprotection against apoptosis on DA neuron is still unclear and the interaction between Wnt/β-catenin and Nurr1 remains undisclosed. In this study, using cell biological assay we investigated the function of Wnt/β-catenin and its crosstalk with Nurr1 on the course of PC12 cell degeneration in vitro. Our data showed that PC12 cell viability was inhibited by rotenone, but attenuated by GSK-3β antagonists LiCl or SB216763. The activity of Wnt/β-catenin pathway was deregulated on exposure of rotenone in a concentration-dependent manner. After the interference of β-catenin with siRNA, LiCl or SB216763 failed to protect PC12 cells from apoptosis by the rotenone toxicity. Our data confirmed that Wnt/β-catenin signaling activated by LiCl or SB216763 enhanced Nurr1 expression to 2.75 ± 0.55 and 4.06 ± 0.41 folds respectively compared with control detected by real-time PCR and the interaction of β-catenin with Nurr1 was identified by co-immunoprecipitate analysis. In conclusion, the data suggested that Wnt/β-catenin and Nurr1 are crucial factors in the survival of DA neurons, and the activation of Wnt/β-catenin pathway exerts protective effects on DA neurons partly by mean of a co-active pattern with Nurr1. This finding may shed a light on the potential treatment of Parkinson disease.

Nurr1-Based Therapies for Parkinson's Disease

Previous studies have documented that orphan nuclear receptor Nurr1 (also known as NR4A2) plays important roles in the midbrain dopamine (DA) neuron development, differentiation, and survival. Furthermore, it has been reported that the defects in Nurr1 are associated with Parkinson's disease (PD). Thus, Nurr1 might be a potential therapeutic target for PD. Emerging evidence from in vitro and in vivo studies has recently demonstrated that Nurr1-activating compounds and Nurr1 gene therapy are able not only to enhance DA neurotransmission but also to protect DA neurons from cell injury induced by environmental toxin or microglia-mediated neuroinflammation. Moreover, modulators that interact with Nurr1 or regulate its function, such as retinoid X receptor, cyclic AMP-responsive element-binding protein, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor, and Wnt/β-catenin pathway, have the potential to enhance the effects of Nurr1-based therapies in PD. This review highlights the recent progress in preclinical studies of Nurr1-based therapies and discusses the outlook of this emerging therapy as a promising new generation of PD medication.

Targeting molecules to medicine with mTOR, autophagy and neurodegenerative disorders

Neurodegenerative disorders are significantly increasing in incidence as the age of the global population continues to climb with improved life expectancy. At present, more than 30 million individuals throughout the world are impacted by acute and chronic neurodegenerative disorders with limited treatment strategies. The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR), also known as the mammalian target of rapamycin, is a 289 kDa serine/threonine protein kinase that offers exciting possibilities for novel treatment strategies for a host of neurodegenerative diseases that include Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, epilepsy, stroke and trauma. mTOR governs the programmed cell death pathways of apoptosis and autophagy that can determine neuronal stem cell development, precursor cell differentiation, cell senescence, cell survival and ultimate cell fate. Coupled to the cellular biology of mTOR are a number of considerations for the development of novel treatments involving the fine control of mTOR signalling, tumourigenesis, complexity of the apoptosis and autophagy relationship, functional outcome in the nervous system, and the intimately linked pathways of growth factors, phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI 3-K), protein kinase B (Akt), AMP activated protein kinase (AMPK), silent mating type information regulation two homologue one (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) (SIRT1) and others. Effective clinical translation of the cellular signalling mechanisms of mTOR offers provocative avenues for new drug development in the nervous system tempered only by the need to elucidate further the intricacies of the mTOR pathway.

Erythropoietin and diabetes mellitus

Erythropoietin (EPO) is a 30.4 kDa growth factor and cytokine that governs cell proliferation, immune modulation, metabolic homeostasis, vascular function, and cytoprotection. EPO is under investigation for the treatment of variety of diseases, but appears especially suited for the treatment of disorders of metabolism that include diabetes mellitus (DM). DM and the complications of this disease impact a significant portion of the global population leading to disability and death with currently limited therapeutic options. In addition to its utility for the treatment of anemia, EPO can improve cardiac function, reduce fatigue, and improve cognition in patients with DM as well as regulate cellular energy metabolism, obesity, tissue repair and regeneration, apoptosis, and autophagy in experimental models of DM. Yet, EPO can have adverse effects that involve the vasculature system and unchecked cellular proliferation. Critical to the cytoprotective capacity and the potential for a positive clinical outcome with EPO are the control of signal transduction pathways that include protein kinase B, the mechanistic target of rapamycin, Wnt signaling, mammalian forkhead transcription factors of the O class, silent mating type information regulation 2 homolog 1 (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), and AMP activated protein kinase. Therapeutic strategies that can specifically target and control EPO and its signaling pathways hold great promise for the development of new and effective clinical treatments for DM and the complications of this disorder.