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Dhakshinamoorthy V, Vishali SPR, Elumalai S, Perumal E. Acute exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of pharmaceutical pollutants induces neurobehavioral toxicity in zebrafish ( Danio rerio). Drug Chem Toxicol 2024:1-14. [PMID: 39072487 DOI: 10.1080/01480545.2024.2382451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2024] [Revised: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Pharmaceutical waste from point and non-point sources enters, persists, or disseminates in the environment and is known as environmentally persistent pharmaceutical pollutants. Understanding the impacts of pharmaceutical pollutants on the environment and health is essential. This study investigates the behavioral impacts of pharmaceutical pollutants on aquatic organisms and delineates the possible nexus of oxidative stress. The male zebrafish were exposed to four major representative pharmaceutical pollutants, viz., acetaminophen, carbamazepine, metformin, and trimethoprim at environmentally relevant concentrations individually as well as in a mixture for seven days. Substantial alterations in social interaction, aggressive nature, novel tank exploration, and light and dark zone preferences were recorded and the degree varied to different pharmaceutical pollutants. The activity of oxidative stress markers, superoxide dismutase, glutathione-S-transferase, and catalase, was found to be suppressed to 66-20%, 42-25%, and 59-20% respectively with the elevated malondialdehyde generation (180-260%) compared to control. The activity level of acetylcholine esterase was found to be increased to 200-500% across all treatment groups. Despite the synergistic impacts of pharmaceutical pollutants on the whole system that could not be ascertained, this comprehensive study highlights their toxicity nature to induce neurobehavioral toxicity in zebrafish through oxidative stress mechanisms and altered cholinergic systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasanth Dhakshinamoorthy
- Department of Nanobiotechnology, Molecular Environmental Toxicology Laboratory, PSG Institute of Advanced Studies, Coimbatore, India
- PG Research Department of Biotechnology, Microbiology & Bioinformatics, National College (Autonomous), Trichy, India
| | - S P R Vishali
- PG Research Department of Biotechnology, Microbiology & Bioinformatics, National College (Autonomous), Trichy, India
| | - Sriramakrishnan Elumalai
- PG Research Department of Biotechnology, Microbiology & Bioinformatics, National College (Autonomous), Trichy, India
| | - Ekambaram Perumal
- Department of Biotechnology, Molecular Toxicology Laboratory, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, India
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Enye LA, Edem EE, Onyeogaziri LI, Yusuf A, Ikpade BO, Ikuelogbon DA, Kunlere OE, Adedokun MA. Tiger nut/coconut dietary intervention as antidotal nutritional remediation strategy against neurobehavioural deficits following organophosphate-induced gut-brain axis dysregulation in mice. Toxicol Rep 2024; 12:23-40. [PMID: 38193024 PMCID: PMC10772296 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2023.12.003] [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: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Organophosphate poisoning remains a global health crisis without efficacious treatments to prevent neurotoxicity. We examined whether antidotal tiger nut and coconut dietary intervention could ameliorate neurobehavioral deficits from organophosphate dichlorvos-induced gut-brain axis dysregulation in a mouse model. Mice were divided into groups given control diet, dichlorvos-contaminated diets, or dichlorvos plus nut-enriched diets. They were exposed to a DDVP-contaminated diet for 4 weeks before exposure to the treatment diets for another 8 weeks. This was followed by behavioural assessments for cognitive, motor, anxiety-, and depressive-like behaviours. Faecal samples (pre- and post-treatment), as well as blood, brain, and gut tissues, were collected for biochemical assessments following euthanasia. Dichlorvos-exposed mice displayed impairments in cognition, motor function, and mood along with disrupted inflammatory and antioxidant responses, neurotrophic factor levels, and acetylcholinesterase activity in brain and intestinal tissues. Weight loss and altered short-chain fatty acid levels additionally indicated gut dysfunction. However, intervention with tiger nut and/or coconut- enriched diet after dichlorvos exposure attenuated these neurobehavioral, and biochemical alterations. Our findings demonstrate organophosphate-induced communication disruptions between the gut and brain pathways that manifest in neuropsychiatric disturbances. Overall, incorporating fibre-rich nuts may represent an antidotal dietary strategy to reduce neurotoxicity and prevent brain disorders associated with organophosphate poisoning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linus Anderson Enye
- Stress & Neuroimmunology Group, Neuroscience Unit, Department of Human Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria
| | - Edem Ekpenyong Edem
- Stress & Neuroimmunology Group, Neuroscience Unit, Department of Human Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria
| | - Lydia Ijeoma Onyeogaziri
- Stress & Neuroimmunology Group, Neuroscience Unit, Department of Human Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria
| | - Augustine Yusuf
- Stress & Neuroimmunology Group, Neuroscience Unit, Department of Human Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria
| | - Bliss Oluwafunmi Ikpade
- Stress & Neuroimmunology Group, Neuroscience Unit, Department of Human Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria
| | | | - Oladunni Eunice Kunlere
- Stress & Neuroimmunology Group, Neuroscience Unit, Department of Human Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria
| | - Mujeeb Adekunle Adedokun
- Stress & Neuroimmunology Group, Neuroscience Unit, Department of Human Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria
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Jiang DQY, Guo TL. Interaction between Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances (PFAS) and Acetaminophen in Disease Exacerbation-Focusing on Autism and the Gut-Liver-Brain Axis. TOXICS 2024; 12:39. [PMID: 38250995 PMCID: PMC10818890 DOI: 10.3390/toxics12010039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
This review presents a new perspective on the exacerbation of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) through the gut-liver-brain axis. We have summarized evidence reported on the involvement of the gut microbiome and liver inflammation that led to the onset and exacerbation of ASD symptoms. As PFAS are toxicants that particularly target liver, this review has comprehensively explored the possible interaction between PFAS and acetaminophen, another liver toxicant, as the chemicals of interest for future toxicology research. Our hypothesis is that, at acute dosages, acetaminophen has the ability to aggravate the impaired conditions of the PFAS-exposed liver, which would further exacerbate neurological symptoms such as lack of social communication and interest, and repetitive behaviors using mechanisms related to the gut-liver-brain axis. This review discusses their potential interactions in terms of the gut-liver-brain axis and signaling pathways that may contribute to neurological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tai Liang Guo
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA;
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Johnson AM, Jose S, Palakkott AR, Khan FB, Jayabalan N, Kizhakkayil J, AlNaqbi SAA, Scott MG, Ayoub MA, Gordon R, Saminathan H. Pharmacological Inhibition of PTEN Rescues Dopaminergic Neurons by Attenuating Apoptotic and Neuroinflammatory Signaling Events. J Neuroimmune Pharmacol 2023; 18:462-475. [PMID: 37589761 DOI: 10.1007/s11481-023-10077-8] [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: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the selective degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta resulting in an irreversible and a debilitating motor dysfunction. Though both genetic and idiopathic factors are implicated in the disease etiology, idiopathic PD comprise the majority of clinical cases and is caused by exposure to environmental toxicants and oxidative stress. Fyn kinase activation has been identified as an early molecular signaling event that primes neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative events associated with dopaminergic cell death. However, the upstream regulator of Fyn activation remains unidentified. We investigated whether the lipid and tyrosine phosphatase PTEN (Phosphatase and Tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10) could be the upstream regulator of Fyn activation in PD models as PTEN has been previously reported to contribute to Parkinsonian pathology. Our findings, using bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) and immunoblotting, indicate for the first time that PTEN is a critical early stress sensor in response to oxidative stress and neurotoxicants in in vitro models of PD. Pharmacological attenuation of PTEN activity rescues dopaminergic neurons from neurotoxicant-induced cytotoxicity by modulating Fyn kinase activation. Our findings also identify PTEN's novel roles in contributing to mitochondrial dysfunction which contribute to neurodegenerative processes. Interestingly, we found that PTEN positively regulates interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and the transcription of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB). Taken together, we have identified PTEN as a disease course altering pharmacological target that may be further validated for the development of novel therapeutic strategies targeting PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aishwarya Mary Johnson
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, The United Arab Emirates University, P.O. Box 15551, Al Ain, UAE.
- Centre for Microbiome Research, School of Biomedical Science, Translational Research Institute, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, 4102, Australia.
| | - Sara Jose
- Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Abdul Rasheed Palakkott
- Department of Biology, College of Science, The United Arab Emirates University, P.O. Box 15551, Al Ain, UAE
| | - Farheen Badrealam Khan
- Department of Biology, College of Science, The United Arab Emirates University, P.O. Box 15551, Al Ain, UAE
| | - Nanthini Jayabalan
- Centre for Microbiome Research, School of Biomedical Science, Translational Research Institute, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, 4102, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Jaleel Kizhakkayil
- Department of Nutrition and Health, College of Medical and Health Sciences, The United Arab Emirates University, P.O. Box 15551, Al Ain, UAE
| | - Shamma Abdulla Ali AlNaqbi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, The United Arab Emirates University, P.O. Box 15551, Al Ain, UAE
| | - Mark Gh Scott
- UMR8104, Institut CochinCNRSUniversité de Paris, Inserm U1016, Paris, France
| | - Mohammed Akli Ayoub
- Department of Biology, College of Science, The United Arab Emirates University, P.O. Box 15551, Al Ain, UAE
- Biology Department, College of Arts and Sciences, Khalifa University, P O Box 127788, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Richard Gordon
- Centre for Microbiome Research, School of Biomedical Science, Translational Research Institute, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, 4102, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Hariharan Saminathan
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, The United Arab Emirates University, P.O. Box 15551, Al Ain, UAE
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Ortega Moreno L, Bagues A, Martínez V, Abalo R. New Pieces for an Old Puzzle: Approaching Parkinson's Disease from Translatable Animal Models, Gut Microbiota Modulation, and Lipidomics. Nutrients 2023; 15:2775. [PMID: 37375679 DOI: 10.3390/nu15122775] [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: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a severe neurodegenerative disease characterized by disabling motor alterations that are diagnosed at a relatively late stage in its development, and non-motor symptoms, including those affecting the gastrointestinal tract (mainly constipation), which start much earlier than the motor symptoms. Remarkably, current treatments only reduce motor symptoms, not without important drawbacks (relatively low efficiency and impactful side effects). Thus, new approaches are needed to halt PD progression and, possibly, to prevent its development, including new therapeutic strategies that target PD etiopathogeny and new biomarkers. Our aim was to review some of these new approaches. Although PD is complex and heterogeneous, compelling evidence suggests it might have a gastrointestinal origin, at least in a significant number of patients, and findings in recently developed animal models strongly support this hypothesis. Furthermore, the modulation of the gut microbiome, mainly through probiotics, is being tested to improve motor and non-motor symptoms and even to prevent PD. Finally, lipidomics has emerged as a useful tool to identify lipid biomarkers that may help analyze PD progression and treatment efficacy in a personalized manner, although, as of today, it has only scarcely been applied to monitor gut motility, dysbiosis, and probiotic effects in PD. Altogether, these new pieces should be helpful in solving the old puzzle of PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorena Ortega Moreno
- Department of Basic Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University Rey Juan Carlos (URJC), 28922 Alcorcón, Spain
- High Performance Research Group in Physiopathology and Pharmacology of the Digestive System (NeuGut-URJC), University Rey Juan Carlos (URJC), 28922 Alcorcón, Spain
| | - Ana Bagues
- Department of Basic Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University Rey Juan Carlos (URJC), 28922 Alcorcón, Spain
- High Performance Research Group in Physiopathology and Pharmacology of the Digestive System (NeuGut-URJC), University Rey Juan Carlos (URJC), 28922 Alcorcón, Spain
- Associated I+D+i Unit to the Institute of Medicinal Chemistry (IQM), Scientific Research Superior Council (CSIC), 28006 Madrid, Spain
- High Performance Research Group in Experimental Pharmacology (PHARMAKOM-URJC), University Rey Juan Carlos (URJC), 28922 Alcorcón, Spain
| | - Vicente Martínez
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
- Neuroscience Institute, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Raquel Abalo
- Department of Basic Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University Rey Juan Carlos (URJC), 28922 Alcorcón, Spain
- High Performance Research Group in Physiopathology and Pharmacology of the Digestive System (NeuGut-URJC), University Rey Juan Carlos (URJC), 28922 Alcorcón, Spain
- Associated I+D+i Unit to the Institute of Medicinal Chemistry (IQM), Scientific Research Superior Council (CSIC), 28006 Madrid, Spain
- Working Group of Basic Sciences on Pain and Analgesia of the Spanish Pain Society, 28046 Madrid, Spain
- Working Group of Basic Sciences on Cannabinoids of the Spanish Pain Society, 28046 Madrid, Spain
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Li Q, Meng LB, Chen LJ, Shi X, Tu L, Zhou Q, Yu JL, Liao X, Zeng Y, Yuan QY. The role of the microbiota-gut-brain axis and intestinal microbiome dysregulation in Parkinson's disease. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1185375. [PMID: 37305758 PMCID: PMC10249504 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1185375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a complex progressive neurodegenerative disease associated with aging. Its main pathological feature is the degeneration and loss of dopaminergic neurons related to the misfolding and aggregation of α-synuclein. The pathogenesis of PD has not yet been fully elucidated, and its occurrence and development process are closely related to the microbiota-gut-brain axis. Dysregulation of intestinal microbiota may promote the damage of the intestinal epithelial barrier, intestinal inflammation, and the upward diffusion of phosphorylated α-synuclein from the enteric nervous system (ENS) to the brain in susceptible individuals and further lead to gastrointestinal dysfunction, neuroinflammation, and neurodegeneration of the central nervous system (CNS) through the disordered microbiota-gut-brain axis. The present review aimed to summarize recent advancements in studies focusing on the role of the microbiota-gut-brain axis in the pathogenesis of PD, especially the mechanism of intestinal microbiome dysregulation, intestinal inflammation, and gastrointestinal dysfunction in PD. Maintaining or restoring homeostasis in the gut microenvironment by targeting the gut microbiome may provide future direction for the development of new biomarkers for early diagnosis of PD and therapeutic strategies to slow disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Li
- Department of Nutrition, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), The First Affiliated Hospital of PLA Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Ling-bing Meng
- Department of Cardiology, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Li-jun Chen
- Department of Nutrition, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), The First Affiliated Hospital of PLA Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xia Shi
- Department of Nutrition, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), The First Affiliated Hospital of PLA Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Ling Tu
- Department of Nutrition, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), The First Affiliated Hospital of PLA Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qi Zhou
- Department of Nutrition, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), The First Affiliated Hospital of PLA Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jin-long Yu
- Department of Nutrition, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), The First Affiliated Hospital of PLA Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xin Liao
- Department of Nutrition, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), The First Affiliated Hospital of PLA Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yuan Zeng
- Department of Nutrition, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), The First Affiliated Hospital of PLA Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qiao-ying Yuan
- Department of Nutrition, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), The First Affiliated Hospital of PLA Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
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The Potential of Flavonoids and Flavonoid Metabolites in the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Pathology in Disorders of Cognitive Decline. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:antiox12030663. [PMID: 36978911 PMCID: PMC10045397 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12030663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Flavonoids are a biodiverse family of dietary compounds that have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antibacterial cell protective profiles. They have received considerable attention as potential therapeutic agents in biomedicine and have been widely used in traditional complimentary medicine for generations. Such complimentary medical herbal formulations are extremely complex mixtures of many pharmacologically active compounds that provide a therapeutic outcome through a network pharmacological effects of considerable complexity. Methods are emerging to determine the active components used in complimentary medicine and their therapeutic targets and to decipher the complexities of how network pharmacology provides such therapeutic effects. The gut microbiome has important roles to play in the generation of bioactive flavonoid metabolites retaining or exceeding the antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties of the intact flavonoid and, in some cases, new antitumor and antineurodegenerative bioactivities. Certain food items have been identified with high prebiotic profiles suggesting that neutraceutical supplementation may be beneficially employed to preserve a healthy population of bacterial symbiont species and minimize the establishment of harmful pathogenic organisms. Gut health is an important consideration effecting the overall health and wellbeing of linked organ systems. Bioconversion of dietary flavonoid components in the gut generates therapeutic metabolites that can also be transported by the vagus nerve and systemic circulation to brain cell populations to exert a beneficial effect. This is particularly important in a number of neurological disorders (autism, bipolar disorder, AD, PD) characterized by effects on moods, resulting in depression and anxiety, impaired motor function, and long-term cognitive decline. Native flavonoids have many beneficial properties in the alleviation of inflammation in tissues, however, concerns have been raised that therapeutic levels of flavonoids may not be achieved, thus allowing them to display optimal therapeutic effects. Dietary manipulation and vagal stimulation have both yielded beneficial responses in the treatment of autism spectrum disorders, depression, and anxiety, establishing the vagal nerve as a route of communication in the gut-brain axis with established roles in disease intervention. While a number of native flavonoids are beneficial in the treatment of neurological disorders and are known to penetrate the blood–brain barrier, microbiome-generated flavonoid metabolites (e.g., protocatechuic acid, urolithins, γ-valerolactones), which retain the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potency of the native flavonoid in addition to bioactive properties that promote mitochondrial health and cerebrovascular microcapillary function, should also be considered as potential biotherapeutic agents. Studies are warranted to experimentally examine the efficacy of flavonoid metabolites directly, as they emerge as novel therapeutic options.
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Jewell S, Herath AM, Gordon R. Inflammasome Activation in Parkinson’s Disease. JOURNAL OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE 2022; 12:S113-S128. [PMID: 35848038 PMCID: PMC9535572 DOI: 10.3233/jpd-223338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Chronic sterile inflammation and persistent immune activation is a prominent pathological feature of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Inflammasomes are multi-protein intracellular signaling complexes which orchestrate inflammatory responses in immune cells to a diverse range of pathogens and host-derived signals. Widespread inflammasome activation is evident in PD patients at the sites of dopaminergic degeneration as well as in blood samples and mucosal biopsies. Inflammasome activation in the nigrostriatal system is also a common pathological feature in both neurotoxicant and α-synuclein models of PD where dopaminergic degeneration occurs through distinct mechanisms. The NLRP3 (NLR Family Pyrin Domain Containing 3) inflammasome has been shown to be the primary driver of inflammatory neurotoxicity in PD and other neurodegenerative diseases. Chronic NLRP3 inflammasome activation is triggered by pathogenic misfolded α-synuclein aggregates which accumulate and spread over the disease course in PD. Converging lines of evidence suggest that blocking inflammasome activation could be a promising therapeutic strategy for disease modification, with both NLRP3 knockout mice and CNS-permeable pharmacological inhibitors providing robust neuroprotection in multiple PD models. This review summarizes the current evidence and knowledge gaps around inflammasome activation in PD, the pathological mechanisms by which persistent inflammasome activation can drive dopaminergic degeneration and the therapeutic opportunities for disease modification using NLRP3 inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon Jewell
- UQ Centre for Clinical Research, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Ashane M. Herath
- UQ Centre for Clinical Research, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Richard Gordon
- UQ Centre for Clinical Research, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
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