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Breeze B, Connell E, Wileman T, Muller M, Vauzour D, Pontifex MG. Menopause and Alzheimer's disease susceptibility: Exploring the potential mechanisms. Brain Res 2024; 1844:149170. [PMID: 39163895 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2024.149170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2024] [Revised: 08/15/2024] [Accepted: 08/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/22/2024]
Abstract
Alzheimer's Disease (AD), responsible for 62% of all dementia cases, is a progressive neurodegenerative condition that leads to cognitive dysfunction. The prevalence of AD is consistently higher in women suggesting they are disproportionately affected by this disease. Despite this, our understanding of this female AD vulnerability remains limited. Menopause has been identified as a potential contributing factor to AD in women, with earlier menopause onset associated with greater AD risk. However, the underlying mechanisms responsible for this increased risk are not fully understood. This review examines the potential role of menopause in the development of Alzheimer's Disease providing a mechanistic overview of the available literature from hormones to pathology. While literature is now emerging that indicates a role of hormonal shifts, gut dysbiosis, lipid dysregulation and inflammation, more research is needed to fully elucidate the mechanisms involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernadette Breeze
- Norwich Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
| | - Emily Connell
- Norwich Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
| | - Tom Wileman
- Norwich Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom; Quadram Institute Biosciences, Norwich NR4 7UQ, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Muller
- Norwich Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
| | - David Vauzour
- Norwich Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew G Pontifex
- Norwich Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom.
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2
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Butler T, Tey SR, Galvin JE, Perry G, Bowen RL, Atwood CS. Endocrine Dyscrasia in the Etiology and Therapy of Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis 2024:JAD240334. [PMID: 39240636 DOI: 10.3233/jad-240334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/07/2024]
Abstract
The increase in the incidence of dementia over the last century correlates strongly with the increases in post-reproductive lifespan during this time. As post-reproductive lifespan continues to increase it is likely that the incidence of dementia will also increase unless therapies are developed to prevent, slow or cure dementia. A growing body of evidence implicates age-related endocrine dyscrasia and the length of time that the brain is subjected to this endocrine dyscrasia, as a key causal event leading to the cognitive decline associated with aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD), the major form of dementia in our society. In particular, the elevations in circulating gonadotropins, resulting from the loss of gonadal sex hormone production with menopause and andropause, appear central to the development of AD neuropathology and cognitive decline. This is supported by numerous cell biology, preclinical animal, and epidemiological studies, as well as human clinical studies where suppression of circulating luteinizing hormone and/or follicle-stimulating hormone with either gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues, or via physiological hormone replacement therapy, has been demonstrated to halt or significantly slow cognitive decline in those with AD. This review provides an overview of past and present studies demonstrating the importance of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal hormone balance for normal cognitive functioning, and how targeting age-related endocrine dyscrasia with hormone rebalancing strategies provides an alternative treatment route for those with AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tracy Butler
- Department of Radiology, Brain Health Imaging Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sin-Ruow Tey
- JangoBio, LLC, Division of Cell Biology, Fitchburg, WI, USA
| | - James E Galvin
- Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, Comprehensive Center for Brain Health, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Boca Raton, FL, USA
| | - George Perry
- Department of Neuroscience, Development and Regenerative Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | | | - Craig S Atwood
- Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Administration Hospital and Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
- School of Exercise, Biomedical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA, Australia
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3
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Shao X, Shou Q, Felix K, Ojogho B, Jiang X, Gold BT, Herting MM, Goldwaser EL, Kochunov P, Hong LE, Pappas I, Braskie M, Kim H, Cen S, Jann K, Wang DJJ. Age-Related Decline in Blood-Brain Barrier Function is More Pronounced in Males than Females in Parietal and Temporal Regions. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.12.575463. [PMID: 38293052 PMCID: PMC10827081 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.12.575463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) plays a pivotal role in protecting the central nervous system (CNS), shielding it from potential harmful entities. A natural decline of BBB function with aging has been reported in both animal and human studies, which may contribute to cognitive decline and neurodegenerative disorders. Limited data also suggest that being female may be associated with protective effects on BBB function. Here we investigated age and sex-dependent trajectories of perfusion and BBB water exchange rate (kw) across the lifespan in 186 cognitively normal participants spanning the ages of 8 to 92 years old, using a non-invasive diffusion prepared pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling (DP-pCASL) MRI technique. We found that the pattern of BBB kw decline with aging varies across brain regions. Moreover, results from our DP-pCASL technique revealed a remarkable decline in BBB kw beginning in the early 60s, which was more pronounced in males. In addition, we observed sex differences in parietal and temporal regions. Our findings provide in vivo results demonstrating sex differences in the decline of BBB function with aging, which may serve as a foundation for future investigations into perfusion and BBB function in neurodegenerative and other brain disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingfeng Shao
- USC Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
| | - Qinyang Shou
- USC Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
| | - Kimberly Felix
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
| | - Brandon Ojogho
- USC Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
| | - Xuejuan Jiang
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
- Department of Ophthalmology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
| | - Brian T. Gold
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky
| | - Megan M Herting
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
| | - Eric L Goldwaser
- Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine
- Interventional Psychiatry Program, Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medicine
| | - Peter Kochunov
- Louis A. Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
| | - L. Elliot Hong
- Louis A. Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
| | - Ioannis Pappas
- USC Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
| | - Meredith Braskie
- USC Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
| | - Hosung Kim
- USC Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
| | - Steven Cen
- Department of Radiology and Neurology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
| | - Kay Jann
- USC Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
| | - Danny JJ Wang
- USC Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
- Department of Radiology and Neurology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
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4
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Berezin CT, Bergum N, Torres Lopez GM, Vigh J. Morphine pharmacokinetics and opioid transporter expression at the blood-retina barrier of male and female mice. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1206104. [PMID: 37388441 PMCID: PMC10301758 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1206104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Opioids are effective analgesics for treating moderate to severe pain, however, their use must be weighed against their dangerous side effects. Investigations into opioid pharmacokinetics provide crucial information regarding both on- and off-target drug effects. Our recent work showed that morphine deposits and accumulates in the mouse retina at higher concentrations than in the brain upon chronic systemic exposure. We also found reduced retinal expression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp), a major opioid extruder at the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Here, we systematically interrogated the expression of three putative opioid transporters at the blood-retina barrier (BRB): P-gp, breast cancer resistance protein (Bcrp) and multidrug resistance protein 2 (Mrp2). Using immunohistochemistry, we found robust expression of P-gp and Bcrp, but not Mrp2, at the inner BRB of the mouse retina. Previous studies have suggested that P-gp expression may be regulated by sex hormones. However, upon acute morphine treatment we found no sex differences in morphine deposition levels in the retina or brain, nor on transporter expression in the retinas of males and females with a high or low estrogen:progesterone ratio. Importantly, we found that P-gp, but not Bcrp, expression significantly correlated with morphine concentration in the retina, suggesting P-gp is the predominant opioid transporter at the BRB. In addition, fluorescence extravasation studies revealed that chronic morphine treatment did not alter the permeability of either the BBB or BRB. Together, these data suggest that reduced P-gp expression mediates retinal morphine accumulation upon systemic delivery, and in turn, potential effects on circadian photoentrainment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casey-Tyler Berezin
- Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Nikolas Bergum
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Glenda M. Torres Lopez
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Jozsef Vigh
- Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
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Knight EL, Graham-Engeland JE, Sliwinski MJ, Engeland CG. Greater Ecologically Assessed Positive Experiences Predict Heightened Sex Hormone Concentrations Across Two Weeks in Older Adults. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2023; 78:1007-1017. [PMID: 36715104 PMCID: PMC10214649 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbad015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Sex hormones are important components of healthy aging, with beneficial effects on physical and mental health. Positive experiences such as elevated mood, lowered stress, and higher well-being also contribute to health outcomes and, in younger adults, may be associated with elevated sex hormone levels. However, little is known about the association between positive experiences and sex hormones in older adults. METHODS In this study, older men and women (N = 224, 70+ years of age) provided blood samples before and after a 2-week period of ecological momentary assessment (EMA) of positive and negative experiences (assessed based on self-reporting items related to affect, stress, and well-being). Concentrations of a panel of steroid sex hormones and glucocorticoids were determined in blood. RESULTS Higher levels of positive experiences reported in daily life across 2 weeks were associated with increases in free (biologically active) levels of testosterone (B = 0.353 [0.106, 0.601], t(221.3) = 2.801, p = .006), estradiol (B = 0.373 [0.097, 0.649], t(225.1) = 2.645, p = .009), and estrone (B = 0.468 [0.208, 0.727], t(224.3) = 3.535, p < .001) between the start and the end of the 2-week EMA period. DISCUSSION These findings suggest that sex hormones may be a pathway linking positive experiences to health in older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik L Knight
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Jennifer E Graham-Engeland
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Martin J Sliwinski
- Center for Healthy Aging, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Christopher G Engeland
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
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Godfrey JR, Howell BR, Mummert A, Shi Y, Styner M, Wilson ME, Sanchez M. Effects of social rank and pubertal delay on brain structure in female rhesus macaques. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 149:105987. [PMID: 36529113 PMCID: PMC9931669 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.105987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Revised: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Adverse social experience during childhood and adolescence leads to developmental alterations in emotional and stress regulation and underlying neurocircuits. We examined the consequences of social subordination (low social rank) in juvenile female rhesus monkeys, as an ethologically valid model of chronic social stressor exposure, on brain structural and behavioral development through the pubertal transition. Adolescence is a developmental period of extensive brain remodeling and increased emotional and stress reactivity. Puberty-induced increases in gonadal hormones, particularly estradiol (E2), are likely involved due to its organizational effects on the brain and behavior. Thus, we also examined how experimentally delaying pubertal onset with Lupron (gonadotropin releasing hormone -GnRH- agonist used clinically to delay early puberty) interacted with social rank (dominant vs. subordinate) to affect brain and behavioral outcomes. Using a longitudinal experimental design, structural MRI (sMRI) scans were collected on socially housed juvenile female rhesus monkeys living in indoor-outdoor enclosures prior to the onset of puberty (18-25 months), defined as menarche or the initial occurrence of perineal swelling and coloration, and again at 29-36 months, when all control animals had reached puberty but none of the Lupron-treated had. We examined the effects of both social rank and pubertal delay on overall structural brain volume (i.e. intracranial, grey matter (GM) and white matter (WM) volumes), as well as on cortico-limbic regions involved in emotion and stress regulation: amygdala (AMYG), hippocampus (HC), and prefrontal cortex (PFC). Measures of stress physiology, social behavior, and emotional reactivity were collected to examine functional correlates of the brain structural effects. Apart from expected developmental effects, subordinates had bigger AMYG volumes than dominant animals, most notably in the right hemisphere, but pubertal delay with Lupron-treatment abolished those differences, suggesting a role of gonadal hormones potentiating the brain structural impact of social stress. Subordinates also had elevated baseline cortisol, indicating activation of stress systems. In general, Lupron-treated subjects had smaller AMYG and HC volume than controls, but larger total PFC (driven by bigger GM volumes), and different, region-specific, developmental patterns dependent on age and social rank. These findings highlight a region-specific effect of E2 on structural development during female adolescence, independent of those due to chronological age. Pubertal delay and AMYG volume, in turn, predicted differences in emotional reactivity and social behavior. These findings suggest that exposure to developmental increases in E2 modifies the consequences of adverse social experience on the volume of cortico-limbic regions involved in emotional and stress regulation during maturation. But, even more importantly, they indicate different brain structural effects of chronological age and pubertal developmental stage in females, which are very difficult to disentangle in human studies. These findings have additional relevance for young girls who experience prolonged pubertal delays or for those whose puberty is clinically arrested by pharmacological administration of Lupron.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jodi R Godfrey
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Road, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Brittany R Howell
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Road, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA; Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Emory University, 12 Executive Park Drive NE #200, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, 2 Riverside Circle, Roanoke, VA 24016, USA; Department of Human Development and Family Science, Virginia Tech, 366 Wallace Hall, 295 West Campus Drive, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Amanda Mummert
- Department of Anthropology, Emory University, 1557 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Yundi Shi
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, 352 Medical School Wing C, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Martin Styner
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, 352 Medical School Wing C, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Mark E Wilson
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Road, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA; Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Emory University, 12 Executive Park Drive NE #200, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Mar Sanchez
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Road, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA; Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Emory University, 12 Executive Park Drive NE #200, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
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7
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Jiang H, Zhang Y, Wang ZZ, Chen NH. Connexin 43: An Interface Connecting Neuroinflammation to Depression. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28041820. [PMID: 36838809 PMCID: PMC9961786 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28041820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a leading chronic mental illness worldwide, characterized by anhedonia, pessimism and even suicidal thoughts. Connexin 43 (Cx43), mainly distributed in astrocytes of the brain, is by far the most widely and ubiquitously expressed connexin in almost all vital organs. Cx43 forms gap junction channels in the brain, which mediate energy exchange and effectively maintain physiological homeostasis. Increasing evidence suggests the crucial role of Cx43 in the pathogenesis of MDD. Neuroinflammation is one of the most common pathological features of the central nervous system dysfunctions. Inflammatory factors are abnormally elevated in patients with depression and are closely related to nearly all links of depression. After activating the inflammatory pathway in the brain, the release and uptake of glutamate and adenosine triphosphate, through Cx43 in the synaptic cleft, would be affected. In this review, we have summarized the association between Cx43 and neuroinflammation, the cornerstones linking inflammation and depression, and Cx43 abnormalities in depression. We also discuss the significant association of Cx43 in inflammation and depression, which will help to explore new antidepressant drug targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica & Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical, Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Department of Anatomy, School of Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 102488, China
| | - Zhen-Zhen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica & Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical, Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
- Correspondence: (Z.-Z.W.); (N.-H.C.); Tel.: +86-10-6316-5182 (Z.-Z.W.); +86-10-63165177 (N.-H.C.)
| | - Nai-Hong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica & Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical, Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
- Correspondence: (Z.-Z.W.); (N.-H.C.); Tel.: +86-10-6316-5182 (Z.-Z.W.); +86-10-63165177 (N.-H.C.)
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8
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Methylmercury promotes oxidative stress and autophagy in rat cerebral cortex: Involvement of PI3K/AKT/mTOR or AMPK/TSC2/mTOR pathways and attenuation by N-acetyl-L-cysteine. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2023; 95:107137. [PMID: 36403891 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2022.107137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Methylmercury (MeHg) is a potent neurotoxicant that could induce oxidative stress and autophagy. However, the underlying mechanisms through which MeHg affects the central nervous system have not been fully elucidated, and little has been known of the interaction between oxidative stress and autophagy. Therefore, rats were administrated with different MeHg concentrations to evaluate the neurotoxic effects and autophagy in cerebral cortex. Moreover, we have investigated the neuroprotective role of N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) against MeHg-induced neurotoxicity in order to estimate the regulation effects of oxidative stress on autophagy. A total of 64 rats, 40 of which were randomly divided into control and MeHg-treated (4, 8 and 12 μ mol/kg) groups. The remaining 24 rats were divided into control, NAC control (1 mmol/kg), 12 μ mol/kg MeHg, and NAC pretreatment. Administration of 12 μ mol/kg MeHg significantly increased behavioral and pathological abnormalities, and autophagy levels. In addition, the oxidative stress levels increased, together with abnormal expression of autophagy-related molecules. Pretreatment with NAC significantly prevented MeHg-induced oxidative stress and PI3K/AKT/mTOR or AMPK/TSC2/mTOR-mediated autophagy. In conclusion, the present study suggested that oxidative stress can regulate autophagy through PI3K/AKT/mTOR or AMPK/TSC2/mTOR pathways. This study provides a theoretical basis for the study and treatment of MeHg-induced neurotoxicity.
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Edwards M, Lam S, Ranjan R, Pereira M, Babbitt C, Lacreuse A. Letrozole treatment alters hippocampal gene expression in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus). Horm Behav 2023; 147:105281. [PMID: 36434852 PMCID: PMC9839488 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) are a class of drugs commonly given to patients with estrogen receptor (ER)-dependent breast cancers to reduce estrogenic stimulation. However, AIs like Letrozole are associated with negative side effects such as cognitive deficits, sleep disturbances and hot flashes. We have previously shown that these negative effects can be recapitulated in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) treated with Letrozole (20 μg daily) for 4 weeks and that marmosets treated with Letrozole show increased levels of estradiol in the hippocampus (Gervais et al., 2019). In order to better understand the mechanisms through which AIs affect cognitive function and increase steroid levels in the hippocampus, we used bulk, paired-end RNA-sequencing to examine differentially expressed genes among Letrozole-treated (LET; n = 8) and vehicle-treated (VEH; n = 8) male and female animals. Gene ontology results show significant reduction across hundreds of categories, some of the most significant being inflammatory response, stress response, MHC Class II protein complex binding, T-cell activation, carbohydrate binding and signaling receptor binding in LET animals. GSEA results indicate that LET females, but not LET males, show enrichment for hormonal gene sets. Based on the transcriptional changes observed, we conclude that AIs may differentially affect the sexes in part due to processes mediated by the CYP-450 superfamily. Ongoing studies will further investigate the longitudinal effects of AIs on behavior and whether AIs increase the risk of stress-induced neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mélise Edwards
- University of Massachusetts Amherst, Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Amherst, MA 01003, USA; Neuroscience and Behavior Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA.
| | - Sam Lam
- University of Massachusetts Amherst, Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Ravi Ranjan
- University of Massachusetts Amherst, Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Amherst, MA 01003, USA; Genomics Resource Laboratory, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Mariana Pereira
- University of Massachusetts Amherst, Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Amherst, MA 01003, USA; Neuroscience and Behavior Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Courtney Babbitt
- University of Massachusetts Amherst, Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Amherst, MA 01003, USA; University of Massachusetts Amherst, Department of Biology, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Agnès Lacreuse
- University of Massachusetts Amherst, Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Amherst, MA 01003, USA; Neuroscience and Behavior Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
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10
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Blackwell JA, Silva JF, Louis EM, Savu A, Largent-Milnes TM, Brooks HL, Pires PW. Cerebral arteriolar and neurovascular dysfunction after chemically induced menopause in mice. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2022; 323:H845-H860. [PMID: 36149767 PMCID: PMC9602916 DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00276.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive decline is linked to decreased cerebral blood flow, particularly in women after menopause. Impaired cerebrovascular function precedes the onset of dementia, possibly because of reduced functional dilation in parenchymal arterioles. These vessels are bottlenecks of the cerebral microcirculation, and dysfunction can limit functional hyperemia in the brain. Large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels (BKCa) are the final effectors of several pathways responsible for functional hyperemia, and their expression is modulated by estrogen. However, it remains unknown whether BKCa function is altered in cerebral parenchymal arterioles after menopause. Using a chemically induced model of menopause, the 4-vinylcyclohexene diepoxide (VCD) model, which depletes follicles while maintaining intact ovaries, we hypothesized that menopause would be associated with reduced functional vasodilatory responses in cerebral parenchymal arterioles of wild-type mice via reduced BKCa function. Using pressure myography of isolated parenchymal arterioles, we observed that menopause (Meno) induced a significant increase in spontaneous myogenic tone. Endothelial function, assessed as nitric oxide production and dilation after cholinergic stimulation or endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization pathways, was unaffected by Meno. BKCa function was significantly impaired in Meno compared with control, without changes in voltage-gated K+ channel activity. Cerebral functional hyperemia, measured by laser-speckle contrast imaging during whisker stimulation, was significantly blunted in Meno mice, without detectable changes in basal perfusion. However, behavioral testing identified no change in cognition. These findings suggest that menopause induces cerebral microvascular and neurovascular deficits.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Cerebral parenchymal arterioles from menopause mice showed increased myogenic tone. We identified an impairment in smooth muscle cell BKCa channel activity, without a reduction in endothelium-dependent dilation or nitric oxide production. Microvascular dysfunction was associated with a reduction in neurovascular responses after somatosensory stimulation. Despite the neurovascular impairment, cognitive abilities were maintained in menopausal mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jade A Blackwell
- Department of Physiology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Josiane F Silva
- Department of Physiology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Emma M Louis
- Department of Physiology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Andrea Savu
- Department of Physiology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Tally M Largent-Milnes
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
- Bio5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Heddwen L Brooks
- Department of Physiology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
- Bio5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
- Sarver Heart Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Paulo W Pires
- Department of Physiology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
- Bio5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
- Sarver Heart Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
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11
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Curtaz CJ, Kiesel L, Meybohm P, Wöckel A, Burek M. Anti-Hormonal Therapy in Breast Cancer and Its Effect on the Blood-Brain Barrier. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14205132. [PMID: 36291916 PMCID: PMC9599962 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14205132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The molecular receptor status of breast cancer has implications for prognosis and long-term metastasis. Although metastatic luminal B-like, hormone-receptor-positive, HER2−negative, breast cancer causes brain metastases less frequently than other subtypes, though tumor metastases in the brain are increasingly being detected of this patient group. Despite the many years of tried and tested use of a wide variety of anti-hormonal therapeutic agents, there is insufficient data on their intracerebral effectiveness and their ability to cross the blood-brain barrier. In this review, we therefore summarize the current state of knowledge on anti-hormonal therapy and its intracerebral impact and effects on the blood-brain barrier in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolin J. Curtaz
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
- Correspondence:
| | - Ludwig Kiesel
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital of Münster, 48143 Münster, Germany
| | - Patrick Meybohm
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care, Emergency and Pain Medicine, University Hospital Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Achim Wöckel
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Malgorzata Burek
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care, Emergency and Pain Medicine, University Hospital Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
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12
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Sato Y, Falcone-Juengert J, Tominaga T, Su H, Liu J. Remodeling of the Neurovascular Unit Following Cerebral Ischemia and Hemorrhage. Cells 2022; 11:2823. [PMID: 36139398 PMCID: PMC9496956 DOI: 10.3390/cells11182823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Formulated as a group effort of the stroke community, the transforming concept of the neurovascular unit (NVU) depicts the structural and functional relationship between brain cells and the vascular structure. Composed of both neural and vascular elements, the NVU forms the blood-brain barrier that regulates cerebral blood flow to meet the oxygen demand of the brain in normal physiology and maintain brain homeostasis. Conversely, the dysregulation and dysfunction of the NVU is an essential pathological feature that underlies neurological disorders spanning from chronic neurodegeneration to acute cerebrovascular events such as ischemic stroke and cerebral hemorrhage, which were the focus of this review. We also discussed how common vascular risk factors of stroke predispose the NVU to pathological changes. We synthesized existing literature and first provided an overview of the basic structure and function of NVU, followed by knowledge of how these components remodel in response to ischemic stroke and brain hemorrhage. A greater understanding of the NVU dysfunction and remodeling will enable the design of targeted therapies and provide a valuable foundation for relevant research in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshimichi Sato
- Department of Neurological Surgery, UCSF, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Department of Neurological Surgery, SFVAMC, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8574, Japan
| | - Jaime Falcone-Juengert
- Department of Neurological Surgery, UCSF, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Department of Neurological Surgery, SFVAMC, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Teiji Tominaga
- Department of Neurosurgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8574, Japan
| | - Hua Su
- Department of Anesthesia, UCSF, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- Center for Cerebrovascular Research, UCSF, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Jialing Liu
- Department of Neurological Surgery, UCSF, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Department of Neurological Surgery, SFVAMC, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
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13
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Zhao Y, Gan L, Ren L, Lin Y, Ma C, Lin X. Factors influencing the blood-brain barrier permeability. Brain Res 2022; 1788:147937. [PMID: 35568085 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2022.147937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a dynamic structure that protects the brain from harmful blood-borne, endogenous and exogenous substances and maintains the homeostatic microenvironment. All constituent cell types play indispensable roles in the BBB's integrity, and other structural BBB components, such as tight junction proteins, adherens junctions, and junctional proteins, can control the barrier permeability. Regarding the need to exchange nutrients and toxic materials, solute carriers, ATP-binding case families, and ion transporter, as well as transcytosis regulate the influx and efflux transport, while the difference in localisation and expression can contribute to functional differences in transport properties. Numerous chemical mediators and other factors such as non-physicochemical factors have been identified to alter BBB permeability by mediating the structural components and barrier function, because of the close relationship with inflammation. In this review, we highlight recently gained mechanistic insights into the maintenance and disruption of the BBB. A better understanding of the factors influencing BBB permeability could contribute to supporting promising potential therapeutic targets for protecting the BBB and the delivery of central nervous system drugs via BBB permeability interventions under pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yibin Zhao
- The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China; Department of Neurobiology and Acupuncture Research, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lin Gan
- The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China; Department of Neurobiology and Acupuncture Research, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Li Ren
- The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China; Department of Neurobiology and Acupuncture Research, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yubo Lin
- The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China; Department of Neurobiology and Acupuncture Research, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Congcong Ma
- The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China; Department of Neurobiology and Acupuncture Research, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xianming Lin
- The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China; Department of Neurobiology and Acupuncture Research, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China.
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14
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High-Dose Acetaminophen Alters the Integrity of the Blood-Brain Barrier and Leads to Increased CNS Uptake of Codeine in Rats. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14050949. [PMID: 35631535 PMCID: PMC9144323 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14050949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The consumption of acetaminophen (APAP) can induce neurological changes in human subjects; however, effects of APAP on blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity are unknown. BBB changes by APAP can have profound consequences for brain delivery of co-administered drugs. To study APAP effects, female Sprague-Dawley rats (12-16 weeks old) were administered vehicle (i.e., 100% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), intraperitoneally (i.p.)) or APAP (80 mg/kg or 500 mg/kg in DMSO, i.p.; equivalent to a 900 mg or 5600 mg daily dose for a 70 kg human subject). BBB permeability was measured via in situ brain perfusion using [14C]sucrose and [3H]codeine, an opioid analgesic drug that is co-administered with APAP (i.e., Tylenol #3). Localization and protein expression of tight junction proteins (i.e., claudin-5, occludin, ZO-1) were studied in rat brain microvessels using Western blot analysis and confocal microscopy, respectively. Paracellular [14C]sucrose "leak" and brain [3H]codeine accumulation were significantly enhanced in rats treated with 500 mg/kg APAP only. Additionally, claudin-5 localization and protein expression were altered in brain microvessels isolated from rats administered 500 mg/kg APAP. Our novel and translational data show that BBB integrity is altered following a single high APAP dose, results that are relevant to patients abusing or misusing APAP and/or APAP/opioid combination products.
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15
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Electrolyte, Oestradiol and Progesterone Concentrations in Ovarian Cyst Fluid in Guinea Pigs (Cavia porcellus). J Comp Pathol 2022; 192:11-17. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcpa.2022.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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16
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Dion-Albert L, Bandeira Binder L, Daigle B, Hong-Minh A, Lebel M, Menard C. Sex differences in the blood-brain barrier: Implications for mental health. Front Neuroendocrinol 2022; 65:100989. [PMID: 35271863 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2022.100989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Prevalence of mental disorders, including major depressive disorder (MDD), bipolar disorder (BD) and schizophrenia (SZ) are increasing at alarming rates in our societies. Growing evidence points toward major sex differences in these conditions, and high rates of treatment resistance support the need to consider novel biological mechanisms outside of neuronal function to gain mechanistic insights that could lead to innovative therapies. Blood-brain barrier alterations have been reported in MDD, BD and SZ. Here, we provide an overview of sex-specific immune, endocrine, vascular and transcriptional-mediated changes that could affect neurovascular integrity and possibly contribute to the pathogenesis of mental disorders. We also identify pitfalls in current literature and highlight promising vascular biomarkers. Better understanding of how these adaptations can contribute to mental health status is essential not only in the context of MDD, BD and SZ but also cardiovascular diseases and stroke which are associated with higher prevalence of these conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurence Dion-Albert
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and CERVO Brain Research Center, Université Laval, Quebec City, Canada
| | - Luisa Bandeira Binder
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and CERVO Brain Research Center, Université Laval, Quebec City, Canada
| | - Beatrice Daigle
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and CERVO Brain Research Center, Université Laval, Quebec City, Canada
| | - Amandine Hong-Minh
- Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin, Lincoln Place Gate, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Manon Lebel
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and CERVO Brain Research Center, Université Laval, Quebec City, Canada
| | - Caroline Menard
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and CERVO Brain Research Center, Université Laval, Quebec City, Canada.
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17
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Abstract
Brain disease remains a significant health, social, and economic burden with a high failure rate of translation of therapeutics to the clinic. Nanotherapeutics have represented a promising area of technology investment to improve drug bioavailability and delivery to the brain, with several successes for nanotherapeutic use for central nervous system disease that are currently in the clinic. However, renewed and continued research on the treatment of neurological disorders is critically needed. We explore the challenges of drug delivery to the brain and the ways in which nanotherapeutics can overcome these challenges. We provide a summary and overview of general design principles that can be applied to nanotherapeutics for uptake and penetration in the brain. We next highlight remaining questions that limit the translational potential of nanotherapeutics for application in the clinic. Lastly, we provide recommendations for ongoing preclinical research to improve the overall success of nanotherapeutics against neurological disease. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Volume 13 is October 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Joseph
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA;
| | - Elizabeth Nance
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA;
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18
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Lee J, Shields RK. Extracellular to Intracellular Body Water and Cognitive Function among Healthy Older and Younger Adults. J Funct Morphol Kinesiol 2022; 7:jfmk7010018. [PMID: 35225904 PMCID: PMC8883954 DOI: 10.3390/jfmk7010018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Compromised cognitive function is associated with increased mortality and increased healthcare costs. Physical characteristics including height, weight, body mass index, sex, and fat mass are often associated with cognitive function. Extracellular to intracellular body water ratio offers an additional anthropometric measurement that has received recent attention because of its association with systemic inflammation, hypertension, and blood−brain barrier permeability. The purposes of this study were to determine whether extracellular to intracellular body water ratios are different between younger and older people and whether they are associated with cognitive function, including executive function and attention, working memory, and information processing speed. A total of 118 healthy people (39 older; 79 younger) participated in this study. We discovered that extracellular to intracellular body water ratio increased with age, was predictive of an older person’s ability to inhibit information and stay attentive to a desired task (Flanker test; R2 = 0.24; p < 0.001), and had strong sensitivity (83%) and specificity (91%) to detect a lower executive function score. These findings support that extracellular to intracellular body water ratio offers predictive capabilities of cognitive function, even in a healthy group of elderly people.
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19
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Rana AK, Sharma S, Patial V, Singh D. Lithium therapy subdues neuroinflammation to maintain pyramidal cells arborization and rescues neurobehavioural impairments in ovariectomized rats. Mol Neurobiol 2022; 59:1706-1723. [PMID: 35018576 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-021-02719-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Oestrogen deprivation as a consequence of menopause alters the brain neuronal circuit and results in the development of neurobehavioural symptoms later. Hormone replacement therapy to some extent helps to overcome these abnormalities but is associated with various adverse events. Lithium therapy is being used to manage multiple neuropsychiatric disorders and is reported to maintain structural synaptic plasticity, suppress neuroinflammation, and promote adult neurogenesis. The present study examined the effect of lithium treatment on the neurobehavioural impairments in ovariectomized rat model mimicking clinical postmenopausal condition. A protective effect of lithium treatment was observed on the reconsolidation of spatial and recognition memory along with depression-like behaviour in ovariectomized rats. The Golgi-Cox staining revealed increased dendritic length and spine density in the pyramidal neurons of the CA1 region of the hippocampus, layer V of the somatosensory cortex, and layer II/III of the prefrontal cortex in the treated group. A significant reduction in pro-inflammatory markers, Il2, II6, and Il1b, was observed in the hippocampus, somatosensory cortex, and prefrontal cortex following lithium treatment. mRNA expression studies of Gfap and Pparg, along with histopathological analysis, suggested reactive astrogliosis to be a major contributor of neuroinflammation in ovariectomized rats that was normalized following lithium treatment. Further, the treatment inhibited Gsk-3β activity and maintained the normal level of β-catenin, CREB, and BDNF. The results revealed a defensive role of lithium against ovariectomy-induced neurobehavioural impairments, thus suggesting it to be a potential therapeutic agent for managing postmenopausal neurological symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anil Kumar Rana
- Pharmacology and Toxicology Laboratory, Dietetics and Nutrition Technology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, 176061, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Supriya Sharma
- Pharmacology and Toxicology Laboratory, Dietetics and Nutrition Technology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, 176061, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Vikram Patial
- Pharmacology and Toxicology Laboratory, Dietetics and Nutrition Technology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, 176061, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Damanpreet Singh
- Pharmacology and Toxicology Laboratory, Dietetics and Nutrition Technology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, 176061, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, India. .,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India.
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20
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Gao Q, Han ZY, Tian DF, Liu GL, Wang ZY, Lin JF, Chang Z, Zhang DD, Xie YZ, Sun YK, Yao XW, Ma DY. Xinglou Chengqi Decoction improves neurological function in experimental stroke mice as evidenced by gut microbiota analysis and network pharmacology. Chin J Nat Med 2021; 19:881-899. [PMID: 34961587 DOI: 10.1016/s1875-5364(21)60079-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The current study was designed to explore the brain protection mechanism of Xinglou Chengqi Decoction (XCD) based on gut microbiota analysis and network pharmacology. A transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model of mice was established, followed by behavioral evaluation, TTC and TUNEL staining. Additionally, to investigate the effects of gut microbiota on neurological function after stroke, C57BL/6 mice were treated with anti-biotic cocktails 14 days prior to ischemic stroke (IS) to deplete the gut microbiota. High-throughput 16S rDNA gene sequencing, metabonomics technique, and flow multifactor technology were used to analyze bacterial communities, SCFAs and inflammatory cytokines respectively. Finally, as a supplement, network pharmacology and molecular docking were applied to fully explore the multicomponent-multitarget-multichannel mechanism of XCD in treating IS, implicated in ADME screening, target identification, network analysis, functional annotation, and pathway enrichment analysis. We found that XCD effectively improved neurological function, relieved cerebral infarction and decreased the neuronal apoptosis. Moreover, XCD promoted the release of anti-inflammatory factor like IL-10, while down-regulating pro-inflammatory factors such as TNF-α, IL-17A, and IL-22. Furthermore, XCD significantly increased the levels of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), especially butyric acid. The mechanism might be related to the regulation of SCFAs-producing bacteria like Verrucomicrobia and Akkermansia, and bacteria that regulate inflammation like Paraprevotella, Roseburia, Streptophyta and Enterococcu. Finally, in the network pharmacological analysis, 51 active compounds in XCD and 44 intersection targets of IS and XCD were selected. As a validation, components in XCD docked well with key targets. It was obviously that biological processes were mainly involved in the regulation of apoptotic process, inflammatory response, response to fatty acid, and regulation of establishment of endothelial barrier in GO enrichment. XCD can improve neurological function in experimental stroke mice, partly due to the regulation of gut microbiota. Besises, XCD has the characteristic of "multi-component, multi-target and multi-channel" in the treatment of IS revealed by network pharmacology and molecular docking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Gao
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Zhen-Yun Han
- Shenzhen Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (Longgang), Shenzhen 518172, China
| | - Dan-Feng Tian
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Gan-Lu Liu
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Zhen-Yi Wang
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Jing-Feng Lin
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Ze Chang
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Dan-Dan Zhang
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Ying-Zhen Xie
- Department of Neurology, Dongzhimen Hospital Affiliated to Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Yi-Kun Sun
- Key Laboratory of Chinese Internal Medicine of Ministry of Education and Beijing, Dongzhimen Hospital Affiliated to Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Xing-Wei Yao
- Clinical Laboratory, Dongzhimen Hospital Affiliated to Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Da-Yong Ma
- Department of Neurology, Dongzhimen Hospital Affiliated to Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100700, China.
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Rodríguez-Massó SR, Erickson MA, Banks WA, Ulrich H, Martins AH. The Bradykinin B2 Receptor Agonist (NG291) Causes Rapid Onset of Transient Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption Without Evidence of Early Brain Injury. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:791709. [PMID: 34975388 PMCID: PMC8715084 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.791709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The blood-brain barrier (BBB) describes the brain's highly specialized capillaries, which form a dynamic interface that maintains central nervous system (CNS) homeostasis. The BBB supports the CNS, in part, by preventing the entry of potentially harmful circulating molecules into the brain. However, this specialized function is challenging for the development of CNS therapeutics. Several strategies to facilitate drug delivery into the brain parenchyma via disruption of the BBB have been proposed. Bradykinin has proven effective in disrupting mechanisms across the blood-tumor barrier. Unfortunately, bradykinin has limited therapeutic value because of its short half-life and the undesirable biological activity elicited by its active metabolites. Objective: To evaluate NG291, a stable bradykinin analog, with selective agonist activity on the bradykinin-B2 receptor and its ability to disrupt the BBB transiently. Methods: Sprague Dawley rats and CD-1 mice were subjected to NG291 treatment (either 50 or 100 μg/kg, intravenously). Time and dose-dependent BBB disruption were evaluated by histological analysis of Evans blue (EB) extravasation. Transcellular and paracellular BBB leakage were assessed by infiltration of 99mTc-albumin (66.5 KDa) and 14C-sucrose (340 Da) radiolabeled probes into the brains of CD-1 mice treated with NG291. NG291 influence on P-glycoprotein (P-gp) efflux pump activity was evaluated by quantifying the brain accumulation of 3H-verapamil, a known P-gp substrate, in CD-1 mice. Results: NG291-mediated BBB disruption was localized, dose-dependent, and reversible as measured by EB extravasation. 99mTc-albumin leakage was significantly increased by 50 μg/kg of NG291, whereas 100 μg/kg of NG291 significantly augmented both 14C-sucrose and 99mTc-albumin leakage. NG291 enhanced P-gp efflux transporter activity and was unable to increase brain uptake of the P-gp substrate pralidoxime. NG291 did not evoke significant short-term neurotoxicity, as it did not increase brain water content, the number of Fluoro-Jade C positive cells, or astrocyte activation. Conclusion: Our findings strongly suggest that NG291 increases BBB permeability by two different mechanisms in a dose-dependent manner and increases P-gp efflux transport. This increased permeability may facilitate the penetration into the brain of therapeutic candidates that are not P-gp substrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio R. Rodríguez-Massó
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR, United States
| | - Michelle A. Erickson
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, United States
- Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - William A. Banks
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, United States
- Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Henning Ulrich
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Antonio Henrique Martins
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR, United States
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22
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Chronic Stress and Gonadectomy Affect the Expression of Cx37, Cx40 and Cx43 in the Spinal Cord. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11121330. [PMID: 34947861 PMCID: PMC8706389 DOI: 10.3390/life11121330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The study aimed to determine whether the exposure to chronic stress and/or performance of gonadectomy might lead to disturbance in the expression of connexin (Cx) 37, 40 and 43 in the spinal cord (SC), as a potential explanation for sex differences in stress-related chronic pain conditions. After the rats were sham-operated or gonadectomized, three 10-day sessions of sham or chronic stress were applied. Immunohistochemistry and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to examine Cx localization and expression in the SC. The gonadectomy resulted in an increase of Cx37 expression in the dorsal horn (DH) of the female rats, but chronic stress suppressed the effects of castration. In male rats, only the combined effects of castration and chronic stress increased Cx37 expression. The influence of chronic stress on the DH Cx40 expression was inversely evident after the castration: increased in the ovariectomized female rats, while decreased in the orchidectomized male rats. We did not find any effect of chronic stress and castration, alone or together, on Cx43 expression in the DH, but the percentage of Cx43 overlapping the astrocyte marker glial fibrillary acidic protein (gfap) increased in the male stressed group after the castration. In conclusion, the association of the chronic stress with sex hormone depletion results in disturbances of the SC Cx expression and might be a possible mechanism of disturbed pain perception after chronic stress exposure.
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23
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The Blood-Brain Barrier: Much More Than a Selective Access to the Brain. Neurotox Res 2021; 39:2154-2174. [PMID: 34677787 DOI: 10.1007/s12640-021-00431-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The blood-brain barrier is a dynamic structure, collectively referred to as the neurovascular unit. It is responsible for the exchange of blood, oxygen, ions, and other molecules between the peripheral circulation and the brain compartment. It is the main entrance to the central nervous system and as such critical for the maintenance of its homeostasis. Dysfunction of the blood-brain barrier is a characteristic of several neurovascular pathologies. Moreover, physiological changes, environmental factors, nutritional habits, and psychological stress can modulate the tightness of the barrier. In this contribution, we summarize our current understanding of structure and function of this important component of the brain. We also describe the neurological deficits associated with its damage. A special emphasis is placed in the effect of the exposure to xenobiotics and pollutants in the permeability of the barrier. Finally, current protective strategies as well as the culture models to study this fascinating structure are discussed.
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24
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Frías-Anaya E, Gromnicova R, Kraev I, Rogachevsky V, Male DK, Crea F, Hawkes CA, Romero IA. Age-related ultrastructural neurovascular changes in the female mouse cortex and hippocampus. Neurobiol Aging 2021; 101:273-284. [PMID: 33579556 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2020.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 11/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/05/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Blood-brain barrier (BBB) breakdown occurs in aging and neurodegenerative diseases. Although age-associated alterations have previously been described, most studies focused in male brains; hence, little is known about BBB breakdown in females. This study measured ultrastructural features in the aging female BBB using transmission electron microscopy and 3-dimensional reconstruction of cortical and hippocampal capillaries from 6- and 24-month-old female C57BL/6J mice. Aged cortical capillaries showed more changes than hippocampal capillaries. Specifically, the aged cortex showed thicker basement membrane, higher number and volume of endothelial pseudopods, decreased endothelial mitochondrial number, larger pericyte mitochondria, higher pericyte-endothelial cell contact, and increased tight junction tortuosity compared with young animals. Only increased basement membrane thickness and pericyte mitochondrial volume were observed in the aged hippocampus. Regional comparison revealed significant differences in endothelial pseudopods and tight junctions between the cortex and hippocampus of 24-month-old mice. Therefore, the aging female BBB shows region-specific ultrastructural alterations that may lead to oxidative stress and abnormal capillary blood flow and barrier stability, potentially contributing to cerebrovascular diseases, particularly in postmenopausal women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Frías-Anaya
- School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
| | - Radka Gromnicova
- School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
| | - Igor Kraev
- School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
| | - Vadim Rogachevsky
- Institute of Cell Biophysics RAS, Pushchino Federal Research Centre for Biological Research, Pushchino, Russia
| | - David K Male
- School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
| | - Francesco Crea
- School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
| | - Cheryl A Hawkes
- School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK; Department of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
| | - Ignacio A Romero
- School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK.
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Sex-Related Differences in Regional Blood-Brain Barrier Integrity in Non-Demented Elderly Subjects. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22062860. [PMID: 33799794 PMCID: PMC8001339 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22062860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The role of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) breakdown has been recognized as being important in Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis. We aimed to evaluate whether regional BBB integrity differed according to sex and whether differences in BBB integrity changed as a consequence of aging or cognitive decline, using dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE)-magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In total, 75 participants with normal cognition (NC) or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) underwent cognitive assessments and MRI examination including DCE-MRI. Regional Ktrans was calculated in cortical regions and the Patlak permeability model was used to calculate BBB permeability (Ktrans, min-1). Females had a lower median Ktrans in the cingulate and occipital cortices. In the "older old" group, sex differences in Ktrans were only observed in the occipital cortex. In the MCI group, sex differences in Ktrans were only observed in the occipital cortex. Age was the only predictor of cognitive assessment scores in the male MCI group; however, educational years and Ktrans in the occipital cortex could predict cognitive scores in the female MCI group. Our study revealed that females may have better BBB integrity in cingulate and occipital cortices. We also found that sex-related differences in BBB integrity are attenuated with aging or cognitive decline.
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Segarra M, Aburto MR, Acker-Palmer A. Blood-Brain Barrier Dynamics to Maintain Brain Homeostasis. Trends Neurosci 2021; 44:393-405. [PMID: 33423792 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2020.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2020] [Revised: 10/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a dynamic platform for exchange of substances between the blood and the brain parenchyma, and it is an essential functional gatekeeper for the central nervous system (CNS). While it is widely recognized that BBB disruption is a hallmark of several neurovascular pathologies, an aspect of the BBB that has received somewhat less attention is the dynamic modulation of BBB tightness to maintain brain homeostasis in response to extrinsic environmental factors and physiological changes. In this review, we summarize how BBB integrity adjusts in critical stages along the life span, as well as how BBB permeability can be altered by common stressors derived from nutritional habits, environmental factors and psychological stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Segarra
- Neuro and Vascular Guidance, Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (BMLS) and Institute of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 15, D-60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Cardio-Pulmonary Institute (CPI), Max-von-Laue-Strasse 15, D-60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Maria R Aburto
- Neuro and Vascular Guidance, Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (BMLS) and Institute of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 15, D-60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Amparo Acker-Palmer
- Neuro and Vascular Guidance, Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (BMLS) and Institute of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 15, D-60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Cardio-Pulmonary Institute (CPI), Max-von-Laue-Strasse 15, D-60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 4, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
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27
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Daglas M, Galle A, Draxler DF, Ho H, Liu Z, Sashindranath M, Medcalf RL. Sex-dependent effects of tranexamic acid on blood-brain barrier permeability and the immune response following traumatic brain injury in mice. J Thromb Haemost 2020; 18:2658-2671. [PMID: 32668057 DOI: 10.1111/jth.15015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2019] [Revised: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tranexamic acid (TXA) is an anti-fibrinolytic agent used to reduce bleeding in various conditions including traumatic brain injury (TBI). As the fibrinolytic system also influences the central nervous system and the immune response, TXA may also modulate these parameters following TBI. OBJECTIVES To determine the effect of TXA on blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity and changes in immune and motor function in male and female mice subjected to TBI. METHODS Wild-type and plasminogen deficient (plg-/-) mice were subjected to TBI then administered either TXA/vehicle. The degree of BBB breakdown, intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), motor dysfunction, and changes in inflammatory subsets in blood and brain were determined. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Tranexamic acid significantly reduced BBB breakdown, and increased blood neutrophils in male mice 3 hours post-TBI. In contrast, TXA treatment of female mice increased BBB permeability and ICH but had no effect on blood neutrophils at the same time-point. TXA improved motor function in male mice but still increased BBB breakdown in female mice 24 hours post-TBI. Brain urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) antigen and activity levels were significantly higher in injured females compared to males. Because TXA can promote a pro-fibrinolytic effect via u-PA, these sex differences may be related to brain u-PA levels. TXA also increased monocyte subsets and dendritic cells in the injured brain of wild-type male mice 1 week post-TBI. Plg-/- mice of both sexes had reduced BBB damage and were protected from TBI irrespective of treatment indicating that TXA modulation of the BBB is plasmin-dependent. In conclusion, TXA is protective post-TBI but only in male mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Daglas
- Molecular Neurotrauma and Haemostasis, Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Adam Galle
- Molecular Neurotrauma and Haemostasis, Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Dominik F Draxler
- Molecular Neurotrauma and Haemostasis, Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Heidi Ho
- Molecular Neurotrauma and Haemostasis, Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Zikou Liu
- Molecular Neurotrauma and Haemostasis, Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Maithili Sashindranath
- Molecular Neurotrauma and Haemostasis, Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Robert L Medcalf
- Molecular Neurotrauma and Haemostasis, Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Li Y, Zhang W, Li J, Sun Y, Yang Q, Wang S, Luo X, Wang W, Wang K, Bai W, Zhang H, Qin L. The imbalance in the aortic ceramide/sphingosine-1-phosphate rheostat in ovariectomized rats and the preventive effect of estrogen. Lipids Health Dis 2020; 19:95. [PMID: 32430006 PMCID: PMC7236922 DOI: 10.1186/s12944-020-01279-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The prevalence of hypertension in young women is lower than that in age-matched men while the prevalence of hypertension in women is significantly increased after the age of 50 (menopause) and is greater than that in men. It is already known that sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) and ceramide regulate vascular tone with opposing effects. This study aimed to explore the effects of ovariectomy and estrogen supplementation on the ceramide/S1P rheostat of the aorta in rats, and to explore a potential mechanism for perimenopausal hypertension and a brand-new target for menopausal hormone therapy to protect vessels. Methods In total, 30 female adult SD rats were randomly divided into three groups: The sham operation group (SHAM), ovariectomy group (OVX) and ovariectomy plus estrogen group (OVX + E). After 4 weeks of treatment, the blood pressure (BP) of the rats was monitored by a noninvasive system; the sphingolipid content (e.g., ceramide and S1P) was detected by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS); the expression of the key enzymes involved in ceramide anabolism and catabolism was measured by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR); and the expression of key enzymes and proteins in the sphingosine kinase 1/2 (SphK1/2)-S1P-S1P receptor 1/2/3 (S1P1/2/3) signaling pathway was detected by qPCR and western blotting. Results In the OVX group compared with the SHAM group, the systolic BP (SBP), diastolic BP (DBP) and pulse pressure (PP) increased significantly, especially the SBP and PP (P < 0.001). For aortic ceramide metabolism, the mRNA level of key enzymes involved in anabolism and catabolism decreased in parallel 2–3 times, while the contents of total ceramide and certain long-chain subtypes increased significantly (P < 0.05). As for the S1P signaling pathway, SphK1/2, the key enzymes involved in S1P synthesis, decreased significantly, and the content of S1P decreased accordingly (P < 0.01). The S1P receptors showed various trends: S1P1 was significantly down-regulated, S1P2 was significantly up-regulated, and S1P3 showed no significant difference. No significant difference existed between the SHAM and OVX + E groups for most of the above parameters (P > 0.05). Conclusions Ovariectomy resulted in the imbalance of the aortic ceramide/S1P rheostat in rats, which may be a potential mechanism underlying the increase in SBP and PP among perimenopausal women. Besides, the ceramide/S1P rheostat may be a novel mechanism by which estrogen protects vessels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Li
- Department of Cardiology, Peking University People's Hospital, No. 11 South Avenue, Beijing, 100044, Xi Zhi Men Xicheng District, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Urology, Peking University Fifth School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Junlei Li
- Department of Cardiology, Peking University People's Hospital, No. 11 South Avenue, Beijing, 100044, Xi Zhi Men Xicheng District, China
| | - Yanrong Sun
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Peking University Health Science Center, No. 38, Xueyuan Road, Beijing, 100191, Haidian District, China
| | - Qiyue Yang
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Peking University Health Science Center, No. 38, Xueyuan Road, Beijing, 100191, Haidian District, China
| | - Sinan Wang
- Department of Stomatology, General Hospital of Armed Police, Beijing, 100039, China
| | - Xiaofeng Luo
- Department of Stomatology, General Hospital of Armed Police, Beijing, 100039, China
| | - Wenjuan Wang
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Peking University Health Science Center, No. 38, Xueyuan Road, Beijing, 100191, Haidian District, China
| | - Ke Wang
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Peking University Health Science Center, No. 38, Xueyuan Road, Beijing, 100191, Haidian District, China
| | - Wenpei Bai
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shijitan Hospital, Beijing, 100038, China
| | - Haicheng Zhang
- Department of Cardiology, Peking University People's Hospital, No. 11 South Avenue, Beijing, 100044, Xi Zhi Men Xicheng District, China.
| | - Lihua Qin
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Peking University Health Science Center, No. 38, Xueyuan Road, Beijing, 100191, Haidian District, China.
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Yare K, Woodward M. Hormone Therapy and Effects on Sporadic Alzheimer’s Disease in Postmenopausal Women: Importance of Nomenclature. J Alzheimers Dis 2020; 73:23-37. [DOI: 10.3233/jad-190896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Katrine Yare
- Austin Health, Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital, Victoria, Australia
| | - Michael Woodward
- Austin Health, Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital, Victoria, Australia
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Costea L, Mészáros Á, Bauer H, Bauer HC, Traweger A, Wilhelm I, Farkas AE, Krizbai IA. The Blood-Brain Barrier and Its Intercellular Junctions in Age-Related Brain Disorders. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20215472. [PMID: 31684130 PMCID: PMC6862160 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20215472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2019] [Revised: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
With age, our cognitive skills and abilities decline. Maybe starting as an annoyance, this decline can become a major impediment to normal daily life. Recent research shows that the neurodegenerative disorders responsible for age associated cognitive dysfunction are mechanistically linked to the state of the microvasculature in the brain. When the microvasculature does not function properly, ischemia, hypoxia, oxidative stress and related pathologic processes ensue, further damaging vascular and neural function. One of the most important and specialized functions of the brain microvasculature is the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which controls the movement of molecules between blood circulation and the brain parenchyma. In this review, we are focusing on tight junctions (TJs), the multiprotein complexes that play an important role in establishing and maintaining barrier function. After a short introduction of the cell types that modulate barrier function via intercellular communication, we examine how age, age related pathologies and the aging of the immune system affects TJs. Then, we review how the TJs are affected in age associated neurodegenerative disorders: Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Lastly, we summarize the TJ aspects of Huntington's disease and schizophrenia. Barrier dysfunction appears to be a common denominator in neurological disorders, warranting detailed research into the molecular mechanisms behind it. Learning the commonalities and differences in the pathomechanism of the BBB injury in different neurological disorders will predictably lead to development of new therapeutics that improve our life as we age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Costea
- Institute of Life Sciences, Vasile Goldiş Western University of Arad, 310414 Arad, Romania.
| | - Ádám Mészáros
- Institute of Biophysics, Biological Research Centre, 6726 Szeged, Hungary.
- Doctoral School of Biology, University of Szeged, 6726 Szeged, Hungary.
| | - Hannelore Bauer
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria.
| | - Hans-Christian Bauer
- Institute of Tendon and Bone Regeneration, Paracelsus Medical University-Spinal Cord Injury and Tissue Regeneration Center Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria.
| | - Andreas Traweger
- Institute of Tendon and Bone Regeneration, Paracelsus Medical University-Spinal Cord Injury and Tissue Regeneration Center Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria.
| | - Imola Wilhelm
- Institute of Life Sciences, Vasile Goldiş Western University of Arad, 310414 Arad, Romania.
- Institute of Biophysics, Biological Research Centre, 6726 Szeged, Hungary.
| | - Attila E Farkas
- Institute of Biophysics, Biological Research Centre, 6726 Szeged, Hungary.
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Neuroscience, University of Szeged, 6726 Szeged, Hungary.
| | - István A Krizbai
- Institute of Life Sciences, Vasile Goldiş Western University of Arad, 310414 Arad, Romania.
- Institute of Biophysics, Biological Research Centre, 6726 Szeged, Hungary.
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31
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Contu L, Nizari S, Heath CJ, Hawkes CA. Pre- and Post-natal High Fat Feeding Differentially Affects the Structure and Integrity of the Neurovascular Unit of 16-Month Old Male and Female Mice. Front Neurosci 2019; 13:1045. [PMID: 31632236 PMCID: PMC6783577 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.01045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Compelling experimental and clinical evidence supports a role for maternal obesity in offspring health. Adult children of obese mothers are at greater risk of obesity, diabetes, coronary heart disease and stroke. These offspring may also be at greater risk of age-related neurodegenerative diseases for which mid-life obesity is a risk factor. Rodent diet-induced obesity models have shown that high fat (HF) diet consumption damages the integrity of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) in the adult brain. However, there is currently little information about the effect of chronic HF feeding on the BBB of aged animals. Moreover, the long-term consequences of maternal obesity on the cerebrovasculature of aged offspring are not known. This study determined the impact of pre- and post-natal HF diet on the structure and integrity of cerebral blood vessels in aged male and female mice. Female C57Bl/6 mice were fed either a 10% fat control (C) or 45% HF diet before mating and during gestation and lactation. At weaning, male and female offspring were fed the C or HF diet until sacrifice at 16-months of age. Both dams and offspring fed the HF diet weighed significantly more than mice fed the C diet. Post-natal HF diet exposure increased hippocampal BBB leakiness in female offspring, in association with loss of astrocyte endfoot coverage of arteries. Markers of tight junctions, pericytes or smooth muscle cells were not altered by pre- or post-natal HF diet. Male offspring born to HF-fed mothers showed decreased parenchymal GFAP expression compared to offspring of mothers fed C diet, while microglial and macrophage markers were higher in the same female diet group. In addition, female offspring exposed to the HF diet for their entire lifespan showed more significant changes in vessel structure, BBB permeability and inflammation compared to male animals. These results suggest that the long-term impact of prenatal HF diet on the integrity of cerebral blood vessels differs between male and female offspring depending on the post-natal diet. This may have implications for the prevention and management of age- and obesity-related cerebrovascular diseases that differentially affect men and women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Contu
- School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, The Open University, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
| | - Shereen Nizari
- School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, The Open University, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher J Heath
- School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, The Open University, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
| | - Cheryl A Hawkes
- School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, The Open University, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
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Etherton MR, Wu O, Cougo P, Lorenzano S, Li H, Cloonan L, Bouts MJRJ, Lauer A, Arai K, Lo EH, Feske SK, Furie KL, Rost NS. Sex-specific differences in white matter microvascular integrity after ischaemic stroke. Stroke Vasc Neurol 2019; 4:198-205. [PMID: 32030203 PMCID: PMC6979874 DOI: 10.1136/svn-2019-000268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Revised: 08/07/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and purpose Functional outcomes after ischaemic stroke are worse in women, despite adjusting for differences in comorbidities and treatment approaches. White matter microvascular integrity represents one risk factor for poor long-term functional outcomes after ischaemic stroke. The aim of the study is to characterise sex-specific differences in microvascular integrity in individuals with acute ischaemic stroke. Methods A retrospective analysis of subjects with acute ischaemic stroke and brain MRI with diffusion-weighted (DWI) and dynamic-susceptibility contrast-enhanced (DSC) perfusion-weighted imaging obtained within 9 hours of last known well was performed. In the hemisphere contralateral to the acute infarct, normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) microvascular integrity was measured using the K2 coefficient and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values. Regression analyses for predictors of K2 coefficient, DWI volume and good outcome (90-day modified Rankin scale (mRS) score <2) were performed. Results 105 men and 79 women met inclusion criteria for analysis. Despite no difference in age, women had increased NAWM K2 coefficient (1027.4 vs 692.7×10–6/s; p=0.006). In women, atrial fibrillation (β=583.6; p=0.04) and increasing NAWM ADC (β=4.4; p=0.02) were associated with increased NAWM K2 coefficient. In multivariable regression analysis, the K2 coefficient was an independent predictor of DWI volume in women (β=0.007; p=0.01) but not men. Conclusions In women with acute ischaemic stroke, increased NAWM K2 coefficient is associated with increased infarct volume and chronic white matter structural integrity. Prospective studies investigating sex-specific differences in white matter microvascular integrity are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark R Etherton
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ona Wu
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States.,Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Pedro Cougo
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Medical School of Ribeirao Preto, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Svetlana Lorenzano
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Hua Li
- Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Lisa Cloonan
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mark J R J Bouts
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States.,Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Arne Lauer
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Neuroradiology, Goethe-Universitat Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Ken Arai
- Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Eng H Lo
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Steve K Feske
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Karen L Furie
- Department of Neurology, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Natalia S Rost
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Tyler CR, Noor S, Young TL, Rivero V, Sanchez B, Lucas S, Caldwell KK, Milligan ED, Campen MJ. Aging Exacerbates Neuroinflammatory Outcomes Induced by Acute Ozone Exposure. Toxicol Sci 2019; 163:123-139. [PMID: 29385576 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfy014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The role of environmental stressors, particularly exposure to air pollution, in the development of neurodegenerative disease remains underappreciated. We examined the neurological effects of acute ozone (O3) exposure in aged mice, where increased blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability may confer vulnerability to neuroinflammatory outcomes. C57BL/6 male mice, aged 8-10 weeks or 12-18 months were exposed to either filtered air or 1.0 ppm O3 for 4 h; animals received a single IP injection of sodium fluorescein (FSCN) 20 h postexposure. One-hour post-FSCN injection, animals were transcardially perfused for immunohistochemical analysis of BBB permeability. β-amyloid protein expression was assessed via ELISA. Flow cytometric characterization of infiltrating immune cells, including neutrophils, macrophages, and microglia populations was performed 20 h post-O3 exposure. Flow cytometry analysis of brains revealed increased microglia "activation" and presentation of CD11b, F4/80, and MHCII in aged animals relative to younger ones; these age-induced differences were potentiated by acute O3 exposure. Cortical and limbic regions in aged brains had increased reactive microgliosis and β-amyloid protein expression after O3 insult. The aged cerebellum was particularly vulnerable to acute O3 exposure with increased populations of infiltrating neutrophils, peripheral macrophages/monocytes, and Ly6C+ inflammatory monocytes after insult, which were not significantly increased in the young cerebellum. O3 exposure increased the penetration of FSCN beyond the BBB, the infiltration of peripheral immune cells, and reactive gliosis of microglia. Thus, the aged BBB is vulnerable to insult and becomes highly penetrable in response to O3 exposure, leading to greater neuroinflammatory outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina R Tyler
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Biosciences Division, Los Alamos, NM 87545.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87108
| | - Shahani Noor
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131-0001
| | - Tamara L Young
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87108
| | - Valeria Rivero
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87108
| | - Bethany Sanchez
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87108
| | - Selita Lucas
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87108
| | - Kevin K Caldwell
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131-0001
| | - Erin D Milligan
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131-0001
| | - Matthew J Campen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87108
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Wengler K, Bangiyev L, Canli T, Duong TQ, Schweitzer ME, He X. 3D MRI of whole-brain water permeability with intrinsic diffusivity encoding of arterial labeled spin (IDEALS). Neuroimage 2019; 189:401-414. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.01.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2018] [Revised: 01/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
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Nierwińska K, Nowacka-Chmielewska M, Bernacki J, Jagsz S, Chalimoniuk M, Langfort J, Małecki A. The effect of endurance training and testosterone supplementation on the expression of blood spinal cord barrier proteins in rats. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0211818. [PMID: 30742658 PMCID: PMC6370194 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0211818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2018] [Accepted: 01/21/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The present study aimed to estimate the effect of endurance training, two doses of testosterone, and the combination of these stimuli on the level of the endothelial proteins claudin, occludin, JAM-1, VE-cadherin, ZO-1, ZO-2, and P-glycoprotein in rat spinal cords. Adult male Wistar rats were trained using a motor-driven treadmill for 6 weeks (40-60 min, 5 times per week) and/or were treated for 6 weeks with two doses of testosterone (i.m.; 8 mg/kg or 80 mg/kg body weight). Spinal cords were collected 48 hours after the last training cycle and stored at -80°C. The levels of selected proteins in whole tissue lysates of the spinal cord were measured by western blot. Testosterone-treated trained rats had significantly lower claudin levels than vehicle-treated trained rats. High doses of testosterone resulted in a significant decrease in claudin-5 in untrained rats compared to the control group. Both doses of testosterone significantly reduced occludin levels compared to those in vehicle-treated untrained rats. The JAM-1 level in the spinal cords of both trained and untrained animals receiving testosterone was decreased in a dose-dependent manner. The JAM-1 level in the trained group treated with high doses of testosterone was significantly higher than that in the untrained rats treated with 80 mg/kg of testosterone. VE-cadherin levels were decreased in all groups receiving testosterone regardless of endurance training and were also diminished in the vehicle-treated group compared to the control group. Testosterone treatment did not exert a significant effect on ZO-1 protein levels. Testosterone and/or training had no significant effects on ZO-2 protein levels in the rat spinal cords. Endurance training increased P-glycoprotein levels in the rat spinal cords. The results suggest that an excessive supply of testosterone may adversely impact the expression of endothelial proteins in the central nervous system, which, in turn, may affect the blood-brain barrier function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Nierwińska
- Department of Physiology, The Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, Katowice, Poland
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Jacek Bernacki
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
| | - Sławomir Jagsz
- Department of Biochemistry, The Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, Katowice, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Chalimoniuk
- Department of Tourism and Health in Biala Podlaska, Piłsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Józef Langfort
- Department of Sports Training, The Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education in Katowice, Katowice, Poland
| | - Andrzej Małecki
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, The Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, Katowice, Poland
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Goldstein JM, Hale T, Foster SL, Tobet SA, Handa RJ. Sex differences in major depression and comorbidity of cardiometabolic disorders: impact of prenatal stress and immune exposures. Neuropsychopharmacology 2019; 44:59-70. [PMID: 30030541 PMCID: PMC6235859 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-018-0146-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2018] [Revised: 06/15/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder topped ischemic heart disease as the number one cause of disability worldwide in 2012, and women have twice the risk of men. Further, the comorbidity of depression and cardiometabolic disorders will be one of the primary causes of disability worldwide by 2020, with women at twice the risk. Thus, understanding the sex-dependent comorbidities has public health consequences worldwide. We propose here that sex differences in MDD-cardiometabolic comorbidity originate, in part, from pathogenic processes initiated in fetal development that involve sex differences in shared pathophysiology between the brain, the vascular system, the CNS control of the heart and associated hormonal, immune, and metabolic physiology. Pathways implicate neurotrophic and angiogenic growth factors, gonadal hormone receptors, and neurotransmitters such as gamma amino butyric acid (GABA) on neuronal and vascular development of HPA axis regions, such as the paraventricular nucleus (PVN), in addition to blood pressure, in part through the renin-angiotensin system, and insulin and glucose metabolism. We show that the same prenatal exposures have consequences for sex differences across multiple organ systems that, in part, share common pathophysiology. Thus, we believe that applying a sex differences lens to understanding shared biologic substrates underlying these comorbidities will provide novel insights into the development of sex-dependent therapeutics. Further, taking a lifespan perspective beginning in fetal development provides the opportunity to target abnormalities early in the natural history of these disorders in a sex-dependent way.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill M Goldstein
- Departments of Psychiatry and Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Boston, MA, 02120, USA.
- Departments of Psychiatry and Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Taben Hale
- Department of Basic Medical Science, University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA
| | - Simmie L Foster
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Stuart A Tobet
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
| | - Robert J Handa
- Department of Basic Medical Science, University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
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Robison LS, Gannon OJ, Salinero AE, Zuloaga KL. Contributions of sex to cerebrovascular function and pathology. Brain Res 2018; 1710:43-60. [PMID: 30580011 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2018.12.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2018] [Revised: 12/18/2018] [Accepted: 12/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Sex differences exist in how cerebral blood vessels function under both physiological and pathological conditions, contributing to observed sex differences in risk and outcomes of cerebrovascular diseases (CBVDs), such as vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID) and stroke. Throughout most of the lifespan, women are protected from CBVDs; however, risk increases following menopause, suggesting sex hormones may play a significant role in this protection. The cerebrovasculature is a target for sex hormones, including estrogens, progestins, and androgens, where they can influence numerous vascular functions and pathologies. While there is a plethora of information on estrogen, the effects of progestins and androgens on the cerebrovasculature are less well-defined. Estrogen decreases cerebral tone and increases cerebral blood flow, while androgens increase tone. Both estrogens and androgens enhance angiogenesis/cerebrovascular remodeling. While both estrogens and androgens attenuate cerebrovascular inflammation, pro-inflammatory effects of androgens under physiological conditions have also been demonstrated. Sex hormones exert additional neuroprotective effects by attenuating oxidative stress and maintaining integrity and function of the blood brain barrier. Most animal studies utilize young, healthy, gonadectomized animals, which do not mimic the clinical conditions of aging individuals likely to get CBVDs. This is also concerning, as sex hormones appear to mediate cerebrovascular function differently based on age and disease state (e.g. metabolic syndrome). Through this review, we hope to inspire others to consider sex as a key biological variable in cerebrovascular research, as greater understanding of sex differences in cerebrovascular function will assist in developing personalized approaches to prevent and treat CBVDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa S Robison
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Ave, Albany, NY 12208, United States.
| | - Olivia J Gannon
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Ave, Albany, NY 12208, United States.
| | - Abigail E Salinero
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Ave, Albany, NY 12208, United States.
| | - Kristen L Zuloaga
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Ave, Albany, NY 12208, United States.
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Gannon OJ, Robison LS, Custozzo AJ, Zuloaga KL. Sex differences in risk factors for vascular contributions to cognitive impairment & dementia. Neurochem Int 2018; 127:38-55. [PMID: 30471324 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2018.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2018] [Revised: 11/16/2018] [Accepted: 11/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID) is the second most common cause of dementia. While males overall appear to be at a slightly higher risk for VCID throughout most of the lifespan (up to age 85), some risk factors for VCID more adversely affect women. These include female-specific risk factors associated with pregnancy related disorders (e.g. preeclampsia), menopause, and poorly timed hormone replacement. Further, presence of certain co-morbid risk factors, such as diabetes, obesity and hypertension, also may more adversely affect women than men. In contrast, some risk factors more greatly affect men, such as hyperlipidemia, myocardial infarction, and heart disease. Further, stroke, one of the leading risk factors for VCID, has a higher incidence in men than in women throughout much of the lifespan, though this trend is reversed at advanced ages. This review will highlight the need to take biological sex and common co-morbidities for VCID into account in both preclinical and clinical research. Given that there are currently no treatments available for VCID, it is critical that we understand how to mitigate risk factors for this devastating disease in both sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- O J Gannon
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Ave, Albany, NY, 12208, USA.
| | - L S Robison
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Ave, Albany, NY, 12208, USA.
| | - A J Custozzo
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Ave, Albany, NY, 12208, USA.
| | - K L Zuloaga
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Ave, Albany, NY, 12208, USA.
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Function of Connexins in the Interaction between Glial and Vascular Cells in the Central Nervous System and Related Neurological Diseases. Neural Plast 2018; 2018:6323901. [PMID: 29983707 PMCID: PMC6015683 DOI: 10.1155/2018/6323901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2018] [Revised: 05/06/2018] [Accepted: 05/14/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuronal signaling together with synapse activity in the central nervous system requires a precisely regulated microenvironment. Recently, the blood-brain barrier is considered as a “neuro-glia-vascular unit,” a structural and functional compound composed of capillary endothelial cells, glial cells, pericytes, and neurons, which plays a pivotal role in maintaining the balance of the microenvironment in and out of the brain. Tight junctions and adherens junctions, which function as barriers of the blood-brain barrier, are two well-known kinds in the endothelial cell junctions. In this review, we focus on the less-concerned contribution of gap junction proteins, connexins in blood-brain barrier integrity under physio-/pathology conditions. In the neuro-glia-vascular unit, connexins are expressed in the capillary endothelial cells and prominent in astrocyte endfeet around and associated with maturation and function of the blood-brain barrier through a unique signaling pathway and an interaction with tight junction proteins. Connexin hemichannels and connexin gap junction channels contribute to the physiological or pathological progress of the blood-brain barrier; in addition, the interaction with other cell-cell-adhesive proteins is also associated with the maintenance of the blood-brain barrier. Lastly, we explore the connexins and connexin channels involved in the blood-brain barrier in neurological diseases and any programme for drug discovery or delivery to target or avoid the blood-brain barrier.
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The interplay of multiple sclerosis and menstrual cycle: Which one affects the other one? Mult Scler Relat Disord 2018; 21:46-50. [DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2018.01.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2017] [Revised: 01/05/2018] [Accepted: 01/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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Jiang X, Andjelkovic AV, Zhu L, Yang T, Bennett MVL, Chen J, Keep RF, Shi Y. Blood-brain barrier dysfunction and recovery after ischemic stroke. Prog Neurobiol 2017; 163-164:144-171. [PMID: 28987927 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2017.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 551] [Impact Index Per Article: 78.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2016] [Revised: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 10/02/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) plays a vital role in regulating the trafficking of fluid, solutes and cells at the blood-brain interface and maintaining the homeostatic microenvironment of the CNS. Under pathological conditions, such as ischemic stroke, the BBB can be disrupted, followed by the extravasation of blood components into the brain and compromise of normal neuronal function. This article reviews recent advances in our knowledge of the mechanisms underlying BBB dysfunction and recovery after ischemic stroke. CNS cells in the neurovascular unit, as well as blood-borne peripheral cells constantly modulate the BBB and influence its breakdown and repair after ischemic stroke. The involvement of stroke risk factors and comorbid conditions further complicate the pathogenesis of neurovascular injury by predisposing the BBB to anatomical and functional changes that can exacerbate BBB dysfunction. Emphasis is also given to the process of long-term structural and functional restoration of the BBB after ischemic injury. With the development of novel research tools, future research on the BBB is likely to reveal promising potential therapeutic targets for protecting the BBB and improving patient outcome after ischemic stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyan Jiang
- Pittsburgh Institute of Brain Disorders & Recovery and Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institute of Brain Sciences and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | | | - Ling Zhu
- Pittsburgh Institute of Brain Disorders & Recovery and Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Tuo Yang
- Pittsburgh Institute of Brain Disorders & Recovery and Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Michael V L Bennett
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institute of Brain Sciences and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Jun Chen
- Pittsburgh Institute of Brain Disorders & Recovery and Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institute of Brain Sciences and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Richard F Keep
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Yejie Shi
- Pittsburgh Institute of Brain Disorders & Recovery and Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
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Immunoregulatory effect of mast cells influenced by microbes in neurodegenerative diseases. Brain Behav Immun 2017; 65:68-89. [PMID: 28676349 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2017.06.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2017] [Revised: 05/17/2017] [Accepted: 06/30/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
When related to central nervous system (CNS) health and disease, brain mast cells (MCs) can be a source of either beneficial or deleterious signals acting on neural cells. We review the current state of knowledge about molecular interactions between MCs and glia in neurodegenerative diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, Epilepsy. We also discuss the influence on MC actions evoked by the host microbiota, which has a profound effect on the host immune system, inducing important consequences in neurodegenerative disorders. Gut dysbiosis, reduced intestinal motility and increased intestinal permeability, that allow bacterial products to circulate and pass through the blood-brain barrier, are associated with neurodegenerative disease. There are differences between the microbiota of neurologic patients and healthy controls. Distinguishing between cause and effect is a challenging task, and the molecular mechanisms whereby remote gut microbiota can alter the brain have not been fully elucidated. Nevertheless, modulation of the microbiota and MC activation have been shown to promote neuroprotection. We review this new information contributing to a greater understanding of MC-microbiota-neural cells interactions modulating the brain, behavior and neurodegenerative processes.
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43
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Stoner R, Camilleri V, Calleja-Agius J, Schembri-Wismayer P. The cytokine-hormone axis - the link between premenstrual syndrome and postpartum depression. Gynecol Endocrinol 2017; 33:588-592. [PMID: 28443697 DOI: 10.1080/09513590.2017.1318367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and related disorders, and postpartum depression (PPD) can affect women to the extent that their quality of life and that of their near ones can be severely impaired. This review focuses on the different theories regarding the etiologies of PMS and PPD, and attempts to draw a link between the two. Theories focus mainly on hormonal and cytokine factors throughout different phases in the female reproductive cycle. Changes in this symptomatology during pregnancy are also reviewed, as are changes in hormones and cytokine levels. Hypotheses are thus developed as to why the symptoms experienced in PMS often subside during pregnancy yet may recur and be exacerbated after birth, giving rise to the symptoms experienced in PPD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Stoner
- a Department of Anatomy , Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta , Msida , Malta
| | - Victoria Camilleri
- a Department of Anatomy , Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta , Msida , Malta
| | - Jean Calleja-Agius
- a Department of Anatomy , Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta , Msida , Malta
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Abstract
Neuronal survival, electrical signaling and synaptic activity require a well-balanced micro-environment in the central nervous system. This is achieved by the blood-brain barrier (BBB), an endothelial barrier situated in the brain capillaries, that controls near-to-all passage in and out of the brain. The endothelial barrier function is highly dependent on signaling interactions with surrounding glial, neuronal and vascular cells, together forming the neuro-glio-vascular unit. Within this functional unit, connexin (Cx) channels are of utmost importance for intercellular communication between the different cellular compartments. Connexins are best known as the building blocks of gap junction (GJ) channels that enable direct cell-cell transfer of metabolic, biochemical and electric signals. In addition, beyond their role in direct intercellular communication, Cxs also form unapposed, non-junctional hemichannels in the plasma membrane that allow the passage of several paracrine messengers, complementing direct GJ communication. Within the NGVU, Cxs are expressed in vascular endothelial cells, including those that form the BBB, and are eminent in astrocytes, especially at their endfoot processes that wrap around cerebral vessels. However, despite the density of Cx channels at this so-called gliovascular interface, it remains unclear as to how Cx-based signaling between astrocytes and BBB endothelial cells may converge control over BBB permeability in health and disease. In this review we describe available evidence that supports a role for astroglial as well as endothelial Cxs in the regulation of BBB permeability during development as well as in disease states.
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Loewendorf AI, Matynia A, Saribekyan H, Gross N, Csete M, Harrington M. Roads Less Traveled: Sexual Dimorphism and Mast Cell Contributions to Migraine Pathology. Front Immunol 2016; 7:140. [PMID: 27148260 PMCID: PMC4836167 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2016.00140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2015] [Accepted: 03/31/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Migraine is a common, little understood, and debilitating disease. It is much more prominent in women than in men (~2/3 are women) but the reasons for female preponderance are not clear. Migraineurs frequently experience severe comorbidities, such as allergies, depression, irritable bowel syndrome, and others; many of the comorbidities are more common in females. Current treatments for migraine are not gender specific, and rarely are migraine and its comorbidities considered and treated by the same specialist. Thus, migraine treatments represent a huge unmet medical need, which will only be addressed with greater understanding of its underlying pathophysiology. We discuss the current knowledge about sex differences in migraine and its comorbidities, and focus on the potential role of mast cells (MCs) in both. Sex-based differences in pain recognition and drug responses, fluid balance, and the blood–brain barrier are recognized but their impact on migraine is not well studied. Furthermore, MCs are well recognized for their prominent role in allergies but much less is known about their contributions to pain pathways in general and migraine specifically. MC-neuron bidirectional communication uniquely positions these cells as potential initiators and/or perpetuators of pain. MCs can secrete nociceptor sensitizing and activating agents, such as serotonin, prostaglandins, histamine, and proteolytic enzymes that can also activate the pain-mediating transient receptor potential vanilloid channels. MCs express receptors for both estrogen and progesterone that induce degranulation upon binding. Furthermore, environmental estrogens, such as Bisphenol A, activate MCs in preclinical models but their impact on pain pathways or migraine is understudied. We hope that this discussion will encourage scientists and physicians alike to bridge the knowledge gaps linking sex, MCs, and migraine to develop better, more comprehensive treatments for migraine patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anna Matynia
- Department of Ophthalmology, Jules Stein Eye Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Brain Research Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Noah Gross
- Huntington Medical Research Institutes , Pasadena, CA , USA
| | - Marie Csete
- Huntington Medical Research Institutes , Pasadena, CA , USA
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De Bock M, Van Haver V, Vandenbroucke RE, Decrock E, Wang N, Leybaert L. Into rather unexplored terrain-transcellular transport across the blood-brain barrier. Glia 2016; 64:1097-123. [DOI: 10.1002/glia.22960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2015] [Revised: 11/16/2015] [Accepted: 12/03/2015] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Marijke De Bock
- Physiology Group, Department of Basic Medical Sciences; Ghent University; Ghent Belgium
| | - Valérie Van Haver
- Physiology Group, Department of Basic Medical Sciences; Ghent University; Ghent Belgium
| | - Roosmarijn E. Vandenbroucke
- Inflammation Research Center, VIB; Ghent Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology; Ghent University; Ghent Belgium
| | - Elke Decrock
- Physiology Group, Department of Basic Medical Sciences; Ghent University; Ghent Belgium
| | - Nan Wang
- Physiology Group, Department of Basic Medical Sciences; Ghent University; Ghent Belgium
| | - Luc Leybaert
- Physiology Group, Department of Basic Medical Sciences; Ghent University; Ghent Belgium
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Atwood CS, Bowen RL. The endocrine dyscrasia that accompanies menopause and andropause induces aberrant cell cycle signaling that triggers re-entry of post-mitotic neurons into the cell cycle, neurodysfunction, neurodegeneration and cognitive disease. Horm Behav 2015; 76:63-80. [PMID: 26188949 PMCID: PMC4807861 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.06.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2014] [Revised: 06/23/2015] [Accepted: 06/23/2015] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
This article is part of a Special Issue "SBN 2014". Sex hormones are physiological factors that promote neurogenesis during embryonic and fetal development. During childhood and adulthood these hormones support the maintenance of brain structure and function via neurogenesis and the formation of dendritic spines, axons and synapses required for the capture, processing and retrieval of information (memories). Not surprisingly, changes in these reproductive hormones that occur with menopause and during andropause are strongly correlated with neurodegeneration and cognitive decline. In this connection, much evidence now indicates that Alzheimer's disease (AD) involves aberrant re-entry of post-mitotic neurons into the cell cycle. Cell cycle abnormalities appear very early in the disease, prior to the appearance of plaques and tangles, and explain the biochemical, neuropathological and cognitive changes observed with disease progression. Intriguingly, a recent animal study has demonstrated that induction of adult neurogenesis results in the loss of previously encoded memories while decreasing neurogenesis after memory formation during infancy mitigated forgetting. Here we review the biochemical, epidemiological and clinical evidence that alterations in sex hormone signaling associated with menopause and andropause drive the aberrant re-entry of post-mitotic neurons into an abortive cell cycle that leads to neurite retraction, neuron dysfunction and neuron death. When the reproductive axis is in balance, gonadotropins such as luteinizing hormone (LH), and its fetal homolog, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), promote pluripotent human and totipotent murine embryonic stem cell and neuron proliferation. However, strong evidence supports menopausal/andropausal elevations in the LH:sex steroid ratio as driving aberrant mitotic events. These include the upregulation of tumor necrosis factor; amyloid-β precursor protein processing towards the production of mitogenic Aβ; and the activation of Cdk5, a key regulator of cell cycle progression and tau phosphorylation (a cardinal feature of both neurogenesis and neurodegeneration). Cognitive and biochemical studies confirm the negative consequences of a high LH:sex steroid ratio on dendritic spine density and human cognitive performance. Prospective epidemiological and clinical evidence in humans supports the premise that rebalancing the ratio of circulating gonadotropins:sex steroids reduces the incidence of AD. Together, these data support endocrine dyscrasia and the subsequent loss of cell cycle control as an important etiological event in the development of neurodegenerative diseases including AD, stroke and Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Craig S Atwood
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53705, USA; Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Administration Hospital, Madison, WI 53705, USA; School of Exercise, Biomedical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, 6027 WA, Australia.
| | - Richard L Bowen
- OTB Research, 217 Calhoun St, Unit 1, Charleston, SC 29401, USA
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Decrock E, De Bock M, Wang N, Bultynck G, Giaume C, Naus CC, Green CR, Leybaert L. Connexin and pannexin signaling pathways, an architectural blueprint for CNS physiology and pathology? Cell Mol Life Sci 2015; 72:2823-51. [PMID: 26118660 PMCID: PMC11113968 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-015-1962-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2015] [Accepted: 06/11/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The central nervous system (CNS) is composed of a highly heterogeneous population of cells. Dynamic interactions between different compartments (neuronal, glial, and vascular systems) drive CNS function and allow to integrate and process information as well as to respond accordingly. Communication within this functional unit, coined the neuro-glio-vascular unit (NGVU), typically relies on two main mechanisms: direct cell-cell coupling via gap junction channels (GJCs) and paracrine communication via the extracellular compartment, two routes to which channels composed of transmembrane connexin (Cx) or pannexin (Panx) proteins can contribute. Multiple isoforms of both protein families are present in the CNS and each CNS cell type is characterized by a unique Cx/Panx portfolio. Over the last two decades, research has uncovered a multilevel platform via which Cxs and Panxs can influence different cellular functions within a tissue: (1) Cx GJCs enable a direct cell-cell communication of small molecules, (2) Cx hemichannels and Panx channels can contribute to autocrine/paracrine signaling pathways, and (3) different structural domains of these proteins allow for channel-independent functions, such as cell-cell adhesion, interactions with the cytoskeleton, and the activation of intracellular signaling pathways. In this paper, we discuss current knowledge on their multifaceted contribution to brain development and to specific processes in the NGVU, including synaptic transmission and plasticity, glial signaling, vasomotor control, and blood-brain barrier integrity in the mature CNS. By highlighting both physiological and pathological conditions, it becomes evident that Cxs and Panxs can play a dual role in the CNS and that an accurate fine-tuning of each signaling mechanism is crucial for normal CNS physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elke Decrock
- Physiology Group, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185 (Block B, 3rd floor), 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Marijke De Bock
- Physiology Group, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185 (Block B, 3rd floor), 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Nan Wang
- Physiology Group, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185 (Block B, 3rd floor), 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Geert Bultynck
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Signalling, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Louvain, Belgium
| | - Christian Giaume
- Collège de France, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB)/Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Unité Mixte de Recherche 7241/Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U1050, 75231 Paris Cedex 05, France
- University Pierre et Marie
Curie, ED, N°158, 75005 Paris, France
- MEMOLIFE Laboratory of Excellence and Paris Science Lettre Research University, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Christian C. Naus
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3 Canada
| | - Colin R. Green
- Department of Ophthalmology, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Luc Leybaert
- Physiology Group, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185 (Block B, 3rd floor), 9000 Ghent, Belgium
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49
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Freitas-Andrade M, Naus CC. Astrocytes in neuroprotection and neurodegeneration: The role of connexin43 and pannexin1. Neuroscience 2015; 323:207-21. [PMID: 25913636 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.04.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2015] [Revised: 04/13/2015] [Accepted: 04/15/2015] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The World Health Organization has predicted that by 2040 neurodegenerative diseases will overtake cancer to become the world's second leading cause of death after cardiovascular disease. This has sparked the development of several European and American brain research initiatives focusing on elucidating the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases. Connexin (Cx) and pannexin (Panx) membrane channel proteins are conduits through which neuronal, glial, and vascular tissues interact. In the brain, this interaction is highly critical for homeostasis and brain repair after injury. Understanding the molecular mechanisms by which these membrane channels function, in health and disease, might be particularly influential in establishing conceptual frameworks to develop new therapeutics against Cx and Panx channels. This review focuses on current insights and emerging concepts, particularly the impact of connexin43 and pannexin1, under neuroprotective and neurodegenerative conditions within the context of astrocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Freitas-Andrade
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, The Life Science Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - C C Naus
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, The Life Science Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
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50
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Uzum G, Bahçekapılı N, Baltaci A, Mogulkoc R, Ziylan Y. Pre- and post-estrogen administration in global cerebral ischemia reduces blood-brain barrier breakdown in ovariectomized rats. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 102:60-6. [DOI: 10.1556/aphysiol.102.2015.1.6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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