Intranasal nerve growth factor attenuating the seizure onset via p75R/Caspase pathway in the experimental epilepsy

Potentials of miR-9-5p in promoting epileptic seizure and improving survival of glioma patients

Background

Epilepsy affects over 70 million people worldwide; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have essential functions in epilepsy. miRNA-9, a brain-specific/enriched miRNA, plays a role in various nervous system diseases and tumors, but whether miRNA-9 is involved in epilepsy and glioma-associated epilepsy remains unknown. Therefore, we aimed to explore the potential role of miR-9-5p in seizures and its effect on the survival of glioma patients, in order to provide new targets for the treatment of epilepsy and glioma.

Methods

The YM500v2 database was used to validate the expression of hsa-miR-9-5p in tissues. Moreover, qRT-PCR was performed to investigate the expression of miR-9-5p in temporal lobe epilepsy patients and rats with lithium-pilocarpine-induced seizures. Recombinant adeno-associated virus containing miR-9-5p was constructed to overexpress miR-9-5p in vivo. The effects of miR-9-5p on the behavior and electroencephalographic activities of the lithium-pilocarpine rat model of epilepsy were tested. Bioinformatics analysis was used to predict the targets of miR-9-5p and explore its potential role in epilepsy and glioma-associated epilepsy.

Results

The expression of miR-9-5p increased at 6 h and 7 days after lithium-pilocarpine-induced seizures in rats. Overexpression of miR-9-5p significantly shortened the latency of seizures and increased seizure intensity at 10 min and 20 min after administration of pilocarpine (P < 0.05). Predicted targets of miR-9-5p were abundant and enriched in the brain, and affected various pathways related to epilepsy and tumor. Survival analysis revealed that overexpression of miR-9-5p significantly improved the survival of patients from with low-grade gliomas and glioblastomas. The involvement of miR-9-5p in the glioma-associated epileptic seizures and the improvement of glioma survival may be related to multiple pathways, including the Rho GTPases and hub genes included SH3PXD2B, ARF6, and ANK2.

Conclusions

miR-9-5p may play a key role in promoting epileptic seizures and improving glioma survival, probably through multiple pathways, including GTPases of the Rho family and hub genes including SH3PXD2B, ARF6 and ANK2. Understanding the roles of miR-9-5p in epilepsy and glioma and the underlying mechanisms may provide a theoretical basis for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with epilepsy and glioma.

Pioglitazone Ameliorates Hippocampal Neurodegeneration, Disturbances in Glucose Metabolism and AKT/mTOR Signaling Pathways in Pentyelenetetrazole-Kindled Mice

Disturbance of glucose metabolism, nerve growth factor (NGF) and m-TOR signaling have been associated with the pathophysiology of epilepsy. Pioglitazone (PGZ) is an anti-diabetic drug that shows a protective effect in neurodegenerative diseases including epilepsy; however, its exact mechanism is not fully elucidated. The present study aimed to investigate the potential neuroprotective effect of PGZ in pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) kindled seizure in mice. Swiss male albino mice were randomly distributed into four groups, each having six mice. Group 1 was considered the control. Epilepsy was induced by PTZ (35 mg/kg i.p.) thrice a week for a total of 15 injections in all other groups. Group 2 was considered the untreated PTZ group while Group 3 and Group 4 were treated by PGZ prior to PTZ injection at two dose levels (5 and 10 mg/kg p.o., respectively). Seizure activity was evaluated after each PTZ injection according to the Fischer and Kittner scoring system. At the end of the experiment, animals were sacrificed under deep anesthesia and the hippocampus was isolated for analysis of glucose transporters by RT-PCR, nerve growth factor (NGF) by ELISA and mTOR by western blotting, in addition to histopathological investigation. The PTZ-treated group showed a significant rise in seizure score, NGF and m-TOR hyperactivation, along with histological abnormalities compared to the control group. Treatment with PGZ demonstrated a significant decrease in NGF, seizure score, m-TOR, GLUT-1 and GLUT-3 in comparison to the PTZ group. In addition, improvement of histological features was observed in both PGZ treated groups. These findings suggest that PGZ provides its neuroprotective effect through modulating m-TOR signaling, glucose metabolism and NGF levels.

New idea to promote the clinical applications of stem cells or their extracellular vesicles in central nervous system disorders: combining with intranasal delivery

The clinical translation of stem cells and their extracellular vesicles (EVs)-based therapy for central nervous system (CNS) diseases is booming. Nevertheless, the insufficient CNS delivery and retention together with the invasiveness of current administration routes prevent stem cells or EVs from fully exerting their clinical therapeutic potential. Intranasal (IN) delivery is a possible strategy to solve problems as IN route could circumvent the brain‒blood barrier non-invasively and fit repeated dosage regimens. Herein, we gave an overview of studies and clinical trials involved with IN route and discussed the possibility of employing IN delivery to solve problems in stem cells or EVs-based therapy. We reviewed relevant researches that combining stem cells or EVs-based therapy with IN administration and analyzed benefits brought by IN route. Finally, we proposed possible suggestions to facilitate the development of IN delivery of stem cells or EVs.

Intranasal Delivery of Nerve Growth Factor in Neurodegenerative Diseases and Neurotrauma

Since the 1980s, the development of a pharmacology based on nerve growth factor (NGF) has been postulated for the therapy of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This hypothesis was based on the rescuing effect of the neurotrophin on the cholinergic phenotype of the basal forebrain neurons, primarily compromised during the development of AD. Subsequently, the use of NGF was put forward to treat a broader spectrum of neurological conditions affecting the central nervous system, such as Parkinson’s disease, degenerative retinopathies, severe brain traumas and neurodevelopmental dysfunctions. While supported by solid rational assumptions, the progress of a pharmacology founded on these hypotheses has been hampered by the difficulty of conveying NGF towards the brain parenchyma without resorting to invasive and risky delivery methods. At the end of the last century, it was shown that NGF administered intranasally to the olfactory epithelium was able to spread into the brain parenchyma. Notably, after such delivery, pharmacologically relevant concentration of exogenous NGF was found in brain areas located at considerable distances from the injection site along the rostral-caudal axis. These observations paved the way for preclinical characterization and clinical trials on the efficacy of intranasal NGF for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and of the consequences of brain trauma. In this review, a summary of the preclinical and clinical studies published to date will be attempted, as well as a discussion about the mechanisms underlying the efficacy and the possible development of the pharmacology based on intranasal conveyance of NGF to the brain.

Imaging as a tool to accelerate the translation of extracellular vesicle-based therapies for central nervous system diseases

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are natural and diverse lipid bilayer-enclosed particles originating from various cellular components and containing an abundance of cargoes. Due to their unique properties, EVs have gained considerable interest as therapeutic agents for a variety of diseases, including central nervous system (CNS) disorders. Their therapeutic value depends on cell origin but can be further enhanced by enrichment of cargo when used as drug carriers. Therefore, there has been significant effort directed toward introducing them to clinical practice. However, it is essential to avoid the failures we have seen with whole-cell therapy, in particular for the treatment of the CNS. Successful launching of clinical studies is contingent upon the understanding of the biodistribution of EVs, including their uptake and clearance from organs and specific homing into the region of interest. A multitude of noninvasive imaging methods has been explored in vitro to investigate the spatio-temporal dynamics of EVs administered in vivo. However, only a few studies have been performed to track the delivery of EVs, especially delivery to the brain, which is the most therapeutically challenging organ. We focus here on the use of advanced imaging techniques as an essential tool to facilitate the acceleration of clinical translation of EV-based therapeutics, especially in the CNS arena. This article is categorized under: Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Neurological Disease Diagnostic Tools > in vivo Nanodiagnostics and Imaging.

Effects of mouse nerve growth factor in treating cerebral injury in acute period caused by cerebral hemorrhage

OBJECTIVE

To explore the clinical effects of mouse Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) in treating cerebral injury in acute period caused by cerebral hemorrhage, observe its influences on Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) and NF-kB Level and evaluate its safety and efficiency.

METHODS

96 cases with acute cerebral hemorrhage from January 2016 to January 2017 in our hospital were recruited as this study, they were randomly divided into the control group and the observation group, each 48 cases. The observation group were given NGF on the treatment of the control group. NIHSS, BI score, adverse reactions records were compared in two groups before and after treatment. The clinical effective rate were evaluated. Then BNP and NF-KB Level of patients in two groups before and after treatment were detected by using ELISA.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences in two groups before treatment with respect to NIHSS and BI score (P > 0.05). After treatment, NIHSS score in the observation group significantly lower than the control group. BI score in the observation group significantly higher than the control group, differences had obvious significance (P < 0.05). The total effective rate in the observation group was 93.75%. The control group was 70.83%. Clinical effective rate of patients in the observation group significantly better than the control group (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences of patients in two groups before treatment with respect to BNP and NF-kB Level (P > 0.05). BNP and NF-kB Level decreased with different levels in two groups after treatment, and the observation group lower than the control group at the same time (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

NGF is benefit for relieving neurological function injury of patients with acute cerebral hemorrhage in acute period, improving living ability of patients. Patients have good tolerance and no adverse reactions. NGF can lower BNP and NF-kB Level. It has a certain function of inhibiting inflammatory injury caused by cerebral hemorrhage, thus protecting neuron. It is worthy of clinical promotion.

Evaluation of intranasal delivery route of drug administration for brain targeting

The acute or chronic drug treatments for different neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders are challenging from several aspects. The low bioavailability and limited brain exposure of oral drugs, the rapid metabolism, elimination, the unwanted side effects and also the high dose to be added mean both inconvenience for the patients and high costs for the patients, their family and the society. The reason of low brain penetration of the compounds is that they have to overcome the blood-brain barrier which protects the brain against xenobiotics. Intranasal drug administration is one of the promising options to bypass blood-brain barrier, to reduce the systemic adverse effects of the drugs and to lower the doses to be administered. Furthermore, the drugs administered using nasal route have usually higher bioavailability, less side effects and result in higher brain exposure at similar dosage than the oral drugs. In this review the focus is on giving an overview on the anatomical and cellular structure of nasal cavity and absorption surface. It presents some possibilities to enhance the drug penetration through the nasal barrier and summarizes some in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo technologies to test the drug delivery across the nasal epithelium into the brain. Finally, the authors give a critical evaluation of the nasal route of administration showing its main advantages and limitations of this delivery route for CNS drug targeting.