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Kutash LA, Moschonas EH, O'Neil DA, Craine TJ, Iouchmanov AL, Sunleaf CR, Nicholas MA, Grobengieser KO, Patel AK, Toader M, Ranellone TS, Rennerfeldt PL, Cheng JP, Race NS, Kline AE, Bondi CO. Sustained attention performance deficits in the three-choice serial reaction time task in male and female rats after experimental brain trauma. Brain Res 2023; 1808:148336. [PMID: 36948353 PMCID: PMC11037439 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2023.148336] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
Impaired attention is central to the cognitive deficits associated with long-term sequelae for many traumatic brain injury (TBI) survivors. Assessing complex sustained attention post-TBI is clinically-relevant and may provide reliable avenues towards developing therapeutic and rehabilitation targets in both males and females. We hypothesized that rats subjected to a moderate TBI will exhibit attentional deficits seen as reduced accuracy and increased distractibility in an operant 3-choice serial reaction time task (3-CSRT), designed as an analogue of the clinical continuous performance test. Upon reaching baseline of 70% accuracy at the 300 ms cue, adult male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to a controlled cortical impact (2.8 mm deformation at 4 m/s) or sham injury over the right parietal cortex. After two weeks of recovery, they were retested on the 3-CSRT for ten days. Dependent measures include percent accuracy (overall and for each of the three cue ports), percent omissions, as well as latency to instrumental poke and retrieve reward. Results demonstrate that both males and females displayed reduced percent accuracy and increased omissions when re-tested post-TBI on 3-CSRT compared to Sham rats and to their own pre-insult baseline (p's < 0.05). Performance accuracy was impaired consistently throughout the ten days of post-surgery re-testing, suggesting pronounced and long-lasting dysfunction in sustained attention processes. Deficits were specifically more pronounced when the cue was pseudorandomly presented in the left-side cue port (p < 0.05), mirroring clinical hemispatial neglect. These data demonstrate significant and persistent complex attention impairments in both sexes after TBI, rendering identifying efficient therapies for cognitive recovery as pivotal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay A Kutash
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Eleni H Moschonas
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Darik A O'Neil
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Timothy J Craine
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, UK
| | - Anna L Iouchmanov
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Carlson R Sunleaf
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Melissa A Nicholas
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Katherine O Grobengieser
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Aarti K Patel
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Mihaela Toader
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Tyler S Ranellone
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Piper L Rennerfeldt
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jeffrey P Cheng
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Nicholas S Race
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Association of Academic Physiatrists Rehabilitation Medicine Scientist Training Program, Owings Mills, MD, USA
| | - Anthony E Kline
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Corina O Bondi
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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Nasre-Nasser RG, Severo MMR, Pires GN, Hort MA, Arbo BD. Effects of Progesterone on Preclinical Animal Models of Traumatic Brain Injury: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Mol Neurobiol 2022; 59:6341-6362. [PMID: 35922729 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-022-02970-9] [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: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Abstract
Since the publication of two phase III clinical trials not supporting the use of progesterone in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI), several possible explanations have been postulated, including limitations in the analysis of results from preclinical evidence. Therefore, to address this question, a systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the effects of progesterone as a neuroprotective agent in preclinical animal models of TBI. A total of 48 studies were included for review: 29 evaluated brain edema, 21 evaluated lesion size, and 0 studies reported the survival rate. In the meta-analysis, it was found that progesterone reduced brain edema (effect size - 1.73 [- 2.02, - 1.44], p < 0.0001) and lesion volume (effect size - 0.40 [- 0.65, - 0.14], p = 0.002). Lack of details in the studies hindered the assessment of risk of bias (through the SYRCLE tool). A funnel plot asymmetry was detected, suggesting a possible publication bias. In conclusion, preclinical studies show that progesterone has an anti-edema effect in animal models of TBI, decreasing lesion volume or increasing remaining tissue. However, more studies are needed using assessing methods with lower risk of histological artifacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raif Gregorio Nasre-Nasser
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande (FURG), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Maria Manoela Rezende Severo
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2600, Building UFRGS 21116, Room 430, Zip code, Porto Alegre - RS, 90035-003, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Natan Pires
- Departamento de Psicobiologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil
- Brazilian Reproducibility Initiative in Preclinical Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (BRISA), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Mariana Appel Hort
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande (FURG), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Bruno Dutra Arbo
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande (FURG), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2600, Building UFRGS 21116, Room 430, Zip code, Porto Alegre - RS, 90035-003, Brazil.
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The Role of BDNF in Experimental and Clinical Traumatic Brain Injury. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22073582. [PMID: 33808272 PMCID: PMC8037220 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22073582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in the world with no current pharmacological treatment. The role of BDNF in neural repair and regeneration is well established and has also been the focus of TBI research. Here, we review experimental animal models assessing BDNF expression following injury as well as clinical studies in humans including the role of BDNF polymorphism in TBI. There is a large heterogeneity in experimental setups and hence the results with different regional and temporal changes in BDNF expression. Several studies have also assessed different interventions to affect the BDNF expression following injury. Clinical studies highlight the importance of BDNF polymorphism in the outcome and indicate a protective role of BDNF polymorphism following injury. Considering the possibility of affecting the BDNF pathway with available substances, we discuss future studies using transgenic mice as well as iPSC in order to understand the underlying mechanism of BDNF polymorphism in TBI and develop a possible pharmacological treatment.
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Lerouet D, Marchand-Leroux C, Besson VC. Neuropharmacology in traumatic brain injury: from preclinical to clinical neuroprotection? Fundam Clin Pharmacol 2021; 35:524-538. [PMID: 33527472 PMCID: PMC9290810 DOI: 10.1111/fcp.12656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Revised: 01/24/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) constitutes a major health problem worldwide and is a leading cause of death and disability in individuals, contributing to devastating socioeconomic consequences. Despite numerous promising pharmacological strategies reported as neuroprotective in preclinical studies, the translation to clinical trials always failed, albeit the great diversity of therapeutic targets evaluated. In this review, first, we described epidemiologic features, causes, and primary and secondary injuries of TBI. Second, we outlined the current literature on animal models of TBI, and we described their goals, their advantages and disadvantages according to the species used, the type of injury induced, and their clinical relevance. Third, we defined the concept of neuroprotection and discussed its evolution. We also identified the reasons that might explain the failure of clinical translation. Then, we reviewed post‐TBI neuroprotective treatments with a focus on the following pleiotropic drugs, considered “low hanging fruit” with high probability of success: glitazones, glibenclamide, statins, erythropoietin, and progesterone, that were largely tested and demonstrated efficient in preclinical models of TBI. Finally, our review stresses the need to establish a close cooperation between basic researchers and clinicians to ensure the best clinical translation for neuroprotective strategies for TBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominique Lerouet
- UMR-S1144 - Optimisation Thérapeutique en Neuropsychopharmacologie, Faculté de Pharmacie de Paris, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Catherine Marchand-Leroux
- UMR-S1144 - Optimisation Thérapeutique en Neuropsychopharmacologie, Faculté de Pharmacie de Paris, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Valérie C Besson
- UMR-S1144 - Optimisation Thérapeutique en Neuropsychopharmacologie, Faculté de Pharmacie de Paris, Université de Paris, Paris, France
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Fréchou M, Zhu X, Liere P, Pianos A, Schumacher M, Mattern C, Guennoun R. Dose-dependent and long-term cerebroprotective effects of intranasal delivery of progesterone after ischemic stroke in male mice. Neuropharmacology 2020; 170:108038. [PMID: 32151648 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Revised: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Intranasal administration is emerging as a very promising route to deliver therapeutics to the brain. We have recently shown that the intranasal delivery of progesterone at 8 mg/kg is neuroprotective after stroke in male mice. To explore the translational potential of intranasal progesterone treatment, we performed a dose-response study and analyzed outcomes at 48 h after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). The effects on functional outcomes at long-term were examined by using the optimal dose. In the first experiment, male C57BL/6JRj mice were treated with progesterone at 8, 16 or 24 mg/kg, or with placebo at 1, 6 and 24 h post-MCAO. Our results show that the dose of 8 mg/kg was optimal in counteracting the early histopathological impairments as well as in improving functional recovery. Steroid profiling in plasma showed that the dose of 8 mg/kg is the one that leads to sustained high levels of progesterone and its neuroactive metabolites. In the second experiment, the dose of 8 mg/kg was used and analyzes were performed at 2, 7 and 21 days post-MCAO. Progesterone increased survival, glycemia and body weight. Furthermore, progesterone decreased neurological deficits and improved performances of mice on the rotarod and pole as early as 2 days and up to 21 days post-MCAO. These findings show that intranasal administration of progesterone has a significant translational potential as a cerebroprotective treatment after stroke that can be effective to reduce mortality, to limit tissue and cell damage at the acute phase; and to confer a long-term functional recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magalie Fréchou
- U1195 Inserm and University Paris-Sud and University Paris-Saclay, 80 rue du Général Leclerc, 94276 Kremlin-Bicêtre, France.
| | - Xiaoyan Zhu
- U1195 Inserm and University Paris-Sud and University Paris-Saclay, 80 rue du Général Leclerc, 94276 Kremlin-Bicêtre, France.
| | - Philippe Liere
- U1195 Inserm and University Paris-Sud and University Paris-Saclay, 80 rue du Général Leclerc, 94276 Kremlin-Bicêtre, France.
| | - Antoine Pianos
- U1195 Inserm and University Paris-Sud and University Paris-Saclay, 80 rue du Général Leclerc, 94276 Kremlin-Bicêtre, France.
| | - Michael Schumacher
- U1195 Inserm and University Paris-Sud and University Paris-Saclay, 80 rue du Général Leclerc, 94276 Kremlin-Bicêtre, France.
| | - Claudia Mattern
- M et P Pharma AG, Schynweg 7, P.O.Box 138, 6376, Emmetten, Switzerland.
| | - Rachida Guennoun
- U1195 Inserm and University Paris-Sud and University Paris-Saclay, 80 rue du Général Leclerc, 94276 Kremlin-Bicêtre, France.
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Späni CB, Braun DJ, Van Eldik LJ. Sex-related responses after traumatic brain injury: Considerations for preclinical modeling. Front Neuroendocrinol 2018; 50:52-66. [PMID: 29753798 PMCID: PMC6139061 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2018.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2018] [Revised: 03/26/2018] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has historically been viewed as a primarily male problem, since men are more likely to experience a TBI because of more frequent participation in activities that increase risk of head injuries. This male bias is also reflected in preclinical research where mostly male animals have been used in basic and translational science. However, with an aging population in which TBI incidence is increasingly sex-independent due to falls, and increasing female participation in high-risk activities, the attention to potential sex differences in TBI responses and outcomes will become more important. These considerations are especially relevant in designing preclinical animal models of TBI that are more predictive of human responses and outcomes. This review characterizes sex differences following TBI with a special emphasis on the contribution of the female sex hormones, progesterone and estrogen, to these differences. This information is potentially important in developing and customizing TBI treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia B Späni
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, 101 Sanders-Brown Bldg., 800 S. Limestone Street, Lexington, KY 40536, USA.
| | - David J Braun
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, 101 Sanders-Brown Bldg., 800 S. Limestone Street, Lexington, KY 40536, USA.
| | - Linda J Van Eldik
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, 101 Sanders-Brown Bldg., 800 S. Limestone Street, Lexington, KY 40536, USA; Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center (SCoBIRC), University of Kentucky, B481, BBSRB, 741 S. Limestone Street, Lexington, KY 40536, USA; Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, UK Medical Center MN 150, Lexington, KY 40536, USA.
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Pardue MT, Allen RS. Neuroprotective strategies for retinal disease. Prog Retin Eye Res 2018; 65:50-76. [PMID: 29481975 PMCID: PMC6081194 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2018.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 141] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2017] [Revised: 02/14/2018] [Accepted: 02/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Diseases that affect the eye, including photoreceptor degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma, affect 11.8 million people in the US, resulting in vision loss and blindness. Loss of sight affects patient quality of life and puts an economic burden both on individuals and the greater healthcare system. Despite the urgent need for treatments, few effective options currently exist in the clinic. Here, we review research on promising neuroprotective strategies that promote neuronal survival with the potential to protect against vision loss and retinal cell death. Due to the large number of neuroprotective strategies, we restricted our review to approaches that we had direct experience with in the laboratory. We focus on drugs that target survival pathways, including bile acids like UDCA and TUDCA, steroid hormones like progesterone, therapies that target retinal dopamine, and neurotrophic factors. In addition, we review rehabilitative methods that increase endogenous repair mechanisms, including exercise and electrical stimulation therapies. For each approach, we provide background on the neuroprotective strategy, including history of use in other diseases; describe potential mechanisms of action; review the body of research performed in the retina thus far, both in animals and in humans; and discuss considerations when translating each treatment to the clinic and to the retina, including which therapies show the most promise for each retinal disease. Despite the high incidence of retinal diseases and the complexity of mechanisms involved, several promising neuroprotective treatments provide hope to prevent blindness. We discuss attractive candidates here with the goal of furthering retinal research in critical areas to rapidly translate neuroprotective strategies into the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Machelle T Pardue
- Center for Visual and Neurocognitive Rehabilitation, Atlanta VA Medical Center, 1670 Clairmont Road, Decatur, GA, 30033, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 313 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA.
| | - Rachael S Allen
- Center for Visual and Neurocognitive Rehabilitation, Atlanta VA Medical Center, 1670 Clairmont Road, Decatur, GA, 30033, USA
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Blackshear K, Giessner S, Hayden JP, Duncan KA. Exogenous progesterone is neuroprotective following injury to the male zebra finch brain. J Neurosci Res 2017; 96:545-555. [DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2017] [Revised: 03/09/2017] [Accepted: 03/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Stephanie Giessner
- Neuroscience and Behavior Program; Vassar College; Poughkeepsie New York USA 12604
| | - John P. Hayden
- Department of Biology; Vassar College; Poughkeepsie New York USA 12604
| | - Kelli A. Duncan
- Neuroscience and Behavior Program; Vassar College; Poughkeepsie New York USA 12604
- Department of Biology; Vassar College; Poughkeepsie New York USA 12604
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Arbo BD, Benetti F, Ribeiro MF. Astrocytes as a target for neuroprotection: Modulation by progesterone and dehydroepiandrosterone. Prog Neurobiol 2016; 144:27-47. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2016.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2015] [Revised: 01/14/2016] [Accepted: 03/14/2016] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
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Schumacher M, Denier C, Oudinet JP, Adams D, Guennoun R. Progesterone neuroprotection: The background of clinical trial failure. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2016; 160:53-66. [PMID: 26598278 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2015.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2015] [Revised: 11/08/2015] [Accepted: 11/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Since the first pioneering studies in the 1990s, a large number of experimental animal studies have demonstrated the neuroprotective efficacy of progesterone for brain disorders, including traumatic brain injury (TBI). In addition, this steroid has major assets: it easily crosses the blood-brain-barrier, rapidly diffuses throughout the brain and exerts multiple beneficial effects by acting on many molecular and cellular targets. Moreover, progesterone therapies are well tolerated. Notably, increased brain levels of progesterone are part of endogenous neuroprotective responses to injury. The hormone thus emerged as a particularly promising protective candidate for TBI and stroke patients. The positive outcomes of small Phase 2 trials aimed at testing the safety and potential protective efficacy of progesterone in TBI patients then provided support and guidance for two large, multicenter, randomized and placebo-controlled Phase 3 trials, with more than 2000 TBI patients enrolled. The negative outcomes of both trials, named ProTECT III and SyNAPSE, came as a big disappointment. If these trials were successful, progesterone would have become the first efficient neuroprotective drug for brain-injured patients. Thus, progesterone has joined the numerous neuroprotective candidates that have failed in clinical trials. The aim of this review is a reappraisal of the preclinical animal studies, which provided the proof of concept for the clinical trials, and we critically examine the design of the clinical studies. We made efforts to present a balanced view of the strengths and limitations of the translational studies and of some serious issues with the clinical trials. We place particular emphasis on the translational value of animal studies and the relevance of TBI biomarkers. The probability of failure of ProTECT III and SyNAPSE was very high, and we present them within the broader context of other unsuccessful trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Schumacher
- U1195 Inserm and University Paris-Sud and University Paris-Saclay, 80 rue du Général Leclerc, 94276 Kremlin-Bicêtre, France.
| | - Christian Denier
- U1195 Inserm and University Paris-Sud and University Paris-Saclay, 80 rue du Général Leclerc, 94276 Kremlin-Bicêtre, France; Department of Neurology, CHU Bicêtre, 78 rue du Général Leclerc, 94275 Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - Jean-Paul Oudinet
- U1195 Inserm and University Paris-Sud and University Paris-Saclay, 80 rue du Général Leclerc, 94276 Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - David Adams
- U1195 Inserm and University Paris-Sud and University Paris-Saclay, 80 rue du Général Leclerc, 94276 Kremlin-Bicêtre, France; Department of Neurology, CHU Bicêtre, 78 rue du Général Leclerc, 94275 Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - Rachida Guennoun
- U1195 Inserm and University Paris-Sud and University Paris-Saclay, 80 rue du Général Leclerc, 94276 Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
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Geddes RI, Peterson BL, Stein DG, Sayeed I. Progesterone Treatment Shows Benefit in Female Rats in a Pediatric Model of Controlled Cortical Impact Injury. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0146419. [PMID: 26799561 PMCID: PMC4723082 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0146419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2015] [Accepted: 12/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose We recently showed that progesterone treatment can reduce lesion size and behavioral deficits after moderate-to-severe bilateral injury to the medial prefrontal cortex in immature male rats. Whether there are important sex differences in response to injury and progesterone treatment in very young subjects has not been given sufficient attention. Here we investigated progesterone’s effects in the same model of brain injury but with pre-pubescent females. Methods Twenty-eight-day-old female Sprague-Dawley rats received sham (n = 14) or controlled cortical impact (CCI) (n = 21) injury, were given progesterone (8 mg/kg body weight) or vehicle injections on post-injury days (PID) 1–7, and underwent behavioral testing from PID 9–27. Brains were evaluated for lesion size at PID 28. Results Lesion size in vehicle-treated female rats with CCI injury was smaller than that previously reported for similarly treated age-matched male rats. Treatment with progesterone reduced the effect of CCI on extent of damage and behavioral deficits. Conclusion Pre-pubescent female rats with midline CCI injury to the frontal cortex have reduced morphological and functional deficits following progesterone treatment. While gender differences in susceptibility to this injury were observed, progesterone treatment produced beneficial effects in young rats of both sexes following CCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rastafa I. Geddes
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322 United States of America
| | - Bethany L. Peterson
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322 United States of America
| | - Donald G. Stein
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322 United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Iqbal Sayeed
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322 United States of America
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Allen RS, Olsen TW, Sayeed I, Cale HA, Morrison KC, Oumarbaeva Y, Lucaciu I, Boatright JH, Pardue MT, Stein DG. Progesterone treatment in two rat models of ocular ischemia. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2015; 56:2880-91. [PMID: 26024074 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.14-16070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To determine whether the neurosteroid progesterone, shown to have protective effects in animal models of traumatic brain injury, stroke, and spinal cord injury, is also protective in ocular ischemia animal models. METHODS Progesterone treatment was tested in two ocular ischemia models in rats: a rodent anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (rAION) model, which induces permanent monocular optic nerve stroke, and the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model, which causes transient ischemia in both the retina and brain due to an intraluminal filament that blocks the ophthalmic and middle cerebral arteries. Visual function and retinal histology were assessed to determine whether progesterone attenuated retinal injury in these models. Additionally, behavioral testing and 2% 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining in brains were used to compare progesterone's neuroprotective effects in both retina and brain using the MCAO model. RESULTS Progesterone treatment showed no effect on visual evoked potential (VEP) reduction and retinal ganglion cell loss in the permanent rAION model. In the transient MCAO model, progesterone treatment reduced (1) electroretinogram (ERG) deficits, (2) MCAO-induced upregulation of glutamine synthetase (GS) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and (3) retinal ganglion cell loss. As expected, progesterone treatment also had significant protective effects in behavioral tests and a reduction in infarct size in the brain. CONCLUSIONS Progesterone treatment showed protective effects in the retina following MCAO but not rAION injury, which may result from mechanistic differences with injury type and the therapeutic action of progesterone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachael S Allen
- Emergency Medicine Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States 2Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States 3Atlanta VA Center for Visual and Neurocognitive Rehabilitation, Decatur, Georgia, United States
| | - Timothy W Olsen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
| | - Iqbal Sayeed
- Emergency Medicine Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
| | - Heather A Cale
- Emergency Medicine Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
| | | | - Yuliya Oumarbaeva
- Emergency Medicine Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
| | - Irina Lucaciu
- Emergency Medicine Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
| | - Jeffrey H Boatright
- Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States 3Atlanta VA Center for Visual and Neurocognitive Rehabilitation, Decatur, Georgia, United States
| | - Machelle T Pardue
- Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States 3Atlanta VA Center for Visual and Neurocognitive Rehabilitation, Decatur, Georgia, United States
| | - Donald G Stein
- Emergency Medicine Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
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Peterson TC, Hoane MR, McConomy KS, Farin FM, Bammler TK, MacDonald JW, Kantor ED, Anderson GD. A Combination Therapy of Nicotinamide and Progesterone Improves Functional Recovery following Traumatic Brain Injury. J Neurotrauma 2015; 32:765-79. [PMID: 25313690 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2014.3530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroprotection, recovery of function, and gene expression were evaluated in an animal model of traumatic brain injury (TBI) after a combination treatment of nicotinamide (NAM) and progesterone (Prog). Animals received a cortical contusion injury over the sensorimotor cortex, and were treated with either Vehicle, NAM, Prog, or a NAM/Prog combination for 72 h and compared with a craniotomy only (Sham) group. Animals were assessed in a battery of behavioral, sensory, and both fine and gross motor tasks, and given histological assessments at 24 h post-injury to determine lesion cavity size, degenerating neurons, and reactive astrocytes. Microarray-based transcriptional profiling was used to determine treatment-specific changes on gene expression. Our results confirm the beneficial effects of treatment with either NAM or Prog, demonstrating significant improvements in recovery of function and a reduction in lesion cavitation, degenerating neurons, and reactive astrocytes 24 h post-injury. The combination treatment of NAM and Prog led to a significant improvement in both neuroprotection at 24 h post-injury and recovery of function in sensorimotor related tasks when compared with individual treatments. The NAM/Prog-treated group was the only treatment group to show a significant reduction of cortical loss 24 h post-injury. The combination appears to affect inflammatory and immune processes, reducing expression of a significant number of genes in both pathways. Further preclinical trials using NAM and Prog as a combination treatment should be conducted to identify the window of opportunity, determine the optimal duration of treatment, and evaluate the combination in other pre-clinical models of TBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd C Peterson
- 1Department of Psychology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois
| | - Michael R Hoane
- 1Department of Psychology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois
| | - Keith S McConomy
- 1Department of Psychology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois
| | - Fred M Farin
- 2Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Theo K Bammler
- 2Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - James W MacDonald
- 2Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Eric D Kantor
- 3Department of Pharmacy, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Gail D Anderson
- 3Department of Pharmacy, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
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Yousuf S, Atif F, Sayeed I, Tang H, Stein DG. Progesterone in transient ischemic stroke: a dose-response study. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2014; 231:3313-23. [PMID: 24752655 PMCID: PMC4134953 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-014-3556-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2013] [Accepted: 03/20/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Previous studies demonstrate the neuroprotective effects of progesterone in numerous animal injury models, but a systematic dose-response study in a transient ischemic stroke model is lacking. OBJECTIVES We investigated the effects of progesterone at different doses on post-stroke brain infarction and functional deficits in middle-aged rats. METHODS Cerebral ischemia was induced in 13-month-old male Sprague-Dawley rats by right middle cerebral artery occlusion for 2 h followed by reperfusion. Rats received intraperitoneal injections of 8, 16, or 32 mg/kg of progesterone (P8, P16, P32) or vehicle at 2 h post-occlusion followed by subcutaneous injections at 6 h and every 24 h post-injury for 7 days. Functional recovery was evaluated at intervals over 22 days using motor, sensory, and cognitive tests. Infarct size was evaluated at 22 days post-stroke. RESULTS Repeated-measures ANOVA showed significant group effects on grip strength, rotarod, and sensory neglect. All progesterone-treated groups had improved (p < 0.05) spatial memory performance. The P8 and P16 groups showed maximum improvement in long-term memory compared to vehicle. Significant (p < 0.05) gait impairments were observed in the vehicle group compared to shams. Animals receiving the P8 dose showed maximum gait improvement compared to vehicle. Post hoc analysis revealed that the P8 and P16 groups showed significant attenuation in infarct volume compared to vehicle. Animals receiving the P32 dose did not show any effect on infarct volume. CONCLUSIONS Although all doses were somewhat effective, progesterone given at 8 mg/kg led to the most consistent improvements across a panel of behavioral/functional tests and reduced the severity of ischemic infarct injury.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Behavior, Animal/drug effects
- Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
- Gait Disorders, Neurologic/drug therapy
- Hand Strength
- Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery/drug therapy
- Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery/pathology
- Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery/psychology
- Ischemic Attack, Transient/drug therapy
- Ischemic Attack, Transient/pathology
- Ischemic Attack, Transient/psychology
- Male
- Maze Learning/drug effects
- Memory/drug effects
- Neuroprotective Agents/administration & dosage
- Neuroprotective Agents/therapeutic use
- Perceptual Disorders/drug therapy
- Perceptual Disorders/psychology
- Postural Balance/drug effects
- Progesterone/administration & dosage
- Progesterone/therapeutic use
- Rats
- Rats, Sprague-Dawley
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Affiliation(s)
- Seema Yousuf
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Brain Research Laboratory, Emory University, 1365B Clifton Road NE, Suite 5100, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA,
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16
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Tyagi E, Agrawal R, Ying Z, Gomez-Pinilla F. TBI and sex: crucial role of progesterone protecting the brain in an omega-3 deficient condition. Exp Neurol 2014; 253:41-51. [PMID: 24361060 PMCID: PMC4005409 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2013.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2013] [Revised: 12/04/2013] [Accepted: 12/10/2013] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
We assessed whether the protective action of progesterone on traumatic brain injury (TBI) could be influenced by the consumption of omega-3 fatty acids during early life. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were fed on omega-3 adequate or deficient diet from 3rd day of pregnancy and their female offspring were kept on the same diets up to the age of 15 weeks. Ovariectomy was performed at the age of 12 weeks to deprive animals from endogenous steroids until the time of a fluid percussion injury (FPI). Dietary n-3 fatty acid deficiency increased anxiety in sham animals and TBI aggravated the effects of the deficiency. Progesterone replacement counteracted the effects of TBI on the animals reared under n-3 deficiency. A similar pattern was observed for markers of membrane homeostasis such as 4-Hydroxynonenal (HNE) and secreted phospholipases A2 (sPLA2), synaptic plasticity such as brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), syntaxin (STX)-3 and growth associated protein (GAP)-43, and for growth inhibitory molecules such as myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) and Nogo-A. Results that progesterone had no effects on sham n-3 deficient animals suggest that the availability of progesterone is essential under injury conditions. Progesterone treatment counteracted several parameters related to synaptic plasticity and membrane stability reduced by FPI and n-3 deficiency suggest potential targets for therapeutic applications. These results reveal the importance of n-3 preconditioning during early life and the efficacy of progesterone therapy during adulthood to counteract weaknesses in neuronal and behavioral plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ethika Tyagi
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Rahul Agrawal
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Zhe Ying
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Fernando Gomez-Pinilla
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, UCLA Brain Injury Research Center, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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Progesterone treatment shows benefit in a pediatric model of moderate to severe bilateral brain injury. PLoS One 2014; 9:e87252. [PMID: 24489882 PMCID: PMC3904994 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0087252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2013] [Accepted: 12/19/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Controlled cortical impact (CCI) models in adult and aged Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats have been used extensively to study medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) injury and the effects of post-injury progesterone treatment, but the hormone's effects after traumatic brain injury (TBI) in juvenile animals have not been determined. In the present proof-of-concept study we investigated whether progesterone had neuroprotective effects in a pediatric model of moderate to severe bilateral brain injury. METHODS Twenty-eight-day old (PND 28) male Sprague Dawley rats received sham (n = 24) or CCI (n = 47) injury and were given progesterone (4, 8, or 16 mg/kg per 100 g body weight) or vehicle injections on post-injury days (PID) 1-7, subjected to behavioral testing from PID 9-27, and analyzed for lesion size at PID 28. RESULTS The 8 and 16 mg/kg doses of progesterone were observed to be most beneficial in reducing the effect of CCI on lesion size and behavior in PND 28 male SD rats. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that a midline CCI injury to the frontal cortex will reliably produce a moderate TBI comparable to what is seen in the adult male rat and that progesterone can ameliorate the injury-induced deficits.
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Tang H, Hua F, Wang J, Sayeed I, Wang X, Chen Z, Yousuf S, Atif F, Stein DG. Progesterone and vitamin D: Improvement after traumatic brain injury in middle-aged rats. Horm Behav 2013; 64:527-38. [PMID: 23896206 PMCID: PMC3833454 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2013.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2013] [Revised: 06/06/2013] [Accepted: 06/17/2013] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Progesterone (PROG) and vitamin D hormone (VDH) have both shown promise in treating traumatic brain injury (TBI). Both modulate apoptosis, inflammation, oxidative stress, and excitotoxicity. We investigated whether 21 days of VDH deficiency would alter cognitive behavior after TBI and whether combined PROG and VDH would improve behavioral and morphological outcomes more than either hormone alone in VDH-deficient middle-aged rats given bilateral contusions of the medial frontal cortex. PROG (16 mg/kg) and VDH (5 μg/kg) were injected intraperitoneally 1 h post-injury. Eight additional doses of PROG were injected subcutaneously over 7 days post-injury. VDH deficiency itself did not significantly reduce baseline behavioral functions or aggravate impaired cognitive outcomes. Combination therapy showed moderate improvement in preserving spatial and reference memory but was not significantly better than PROG monotherapy. However, combination therapy significantly reduced neuronal loss and the proliferation of reactive astrocytes, and showed better efficacy compared to VDH or PROG alone in preventing MAP-2 degradation. VDH+PROG combination therapy may attenuate some of the potential long-term, subtle, pathophysiological consequences of brain injury in older subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiling Tang
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Fang Hua
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Jun Wang
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Iqbal Sayeed
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Xiaojing Wang
- Department of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Zhengjia Chen
- Department of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Seema Yousuf
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Fahim Atif
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Donald G. Stein
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Address for correspondence: Donald G. Stein, Ph.D., Emory University, 1365 B Clifton Rd NE, Suite 5100, Atlanta GA 30322 USA, 404 712 2540 voice, 404 727 2388 fax,
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19
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Deutsch ER, Espinoza TR, Atif F, Woodall E, Kaylor J, Wright DW. Progesterone's role in neuroprotection, a review of the evidence. Brain Res 2013; 1530:82-105. [PMID: 23872219 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2013.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2013] [Revised: 07/04/2013] [Accepted: 07/08/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
The sex hormone progesterone has been shown to improve outcomes in animal models of a number of neurologic diseases, including traumatic brain injury, ischemia, spinal cord injury, peripheral nerve injury, demyelinating disease, neuromuscular disorders, and seizures. Evidence suggests it exerts its neuroprotective effects through several pathways, including reducing edema, improving neuronal survival, and modulating inflammation and apoptosis. In this review, we summarize the functional outcomes and pathophysiologic mechanisms attributed to progesterone treatment in neurologic disease. We then comment on the breadth of evidence for the use of progesterone in each neurologic disease family. Finally, we provide support for further human studies using progesterone to treat several neurologic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric R Deutsch
- Emergency Neurosciences, Department of Emergency Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, 49 Jesse Hill Jr. Drive, FOB Suite 126, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA.
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20
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Stein DG. A clinical/translational perspective: can a developmental hormone play a role in the treatment of traumatic brain injury? Horm Behav 2013; 63:291-300. [PMID: 22626570 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2012.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2012] [Revised: 05/07/2012] [Accepted: 05/08/2012] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Despite decades of laboratory research and clinical trials, a safe and effective treatment for traumatic brain injury (TBI) has yet to be put into successful clinical use. I suggest that much of the problem can be attributed to a reductionist perspective and attendant research strategy directed to finding or designing drugs that target a single receptor mechanism, gene, or brain locus. This approach fails to address the complexity of TBI, which leads to a cascade of systemic toxic events in the brain and throughout the body that may persist over long periods of time. Attention is now turning to pleiotropic drugs: drugs that act on multiple genomic, proteomic and metabolic pathways to enhance morphological and functional outcomes after brain injury. Of the various agents now in clinical trials, the neurosteroid progesterone (PROG) is gaining attention despite the widespread assumption that it is "just a female hormone" with limited, if any, neuroprotective properties. This perspective should change. PROG is also a powerful developmental hormone that plays a critical role in protecting the fetus during gestation. I argue here that development, neuroprotection and cellular repair have a number of properties in common. I discuss evidence that PROG is pleiotropically neuroprotective and may be a useful therapeutic and neuroprotective agent for central nervous system injury and some neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donald G Stein
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Emory University, USA.
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21
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A rodent model of premenstrual dysphoria: progesterone withdrawal induces depression-like behavior that is differentially sensitive to classes of antidepressants. Behav Brain Res 2012; 234:238-47. [PMID: 22789402 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2012.06.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2012] [Revised: 06/25/2012] [Accepted: 06/30/2012] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is characterized by a range of physical and affective symptoms including anxiety, irritability, anhedonia, social withdrawal and depression. We demonstrate robust and reproducible depression-like behavior during progesterone withdrawal (PWD) protocols with different methodological variables. Comparable immobility in the forced swim test was evident with different routes of administration (i.e. injections vs. implants), with and without exogenous estrogens in addition to progesterone, and in both single and multiple withdrawal paradigms. Furthermore, withdrawal from physiological doses of progesterone resulted in modest social withdrawal in the social preference test and anhedonia in the saccharin preference test without altering general activity levels or total liquid consumption. However, progesterone withdrawal did not alter serotonin levels in the cortex or hippocampus. Furthermore tryptophan depletion did not augment immobility during PWD. Neither fluoxetine nor duloxetine reduced depression-like behavior during PWD in the forced swim test. In contrast, the tricyclic antidepressant, amitriptyline, was effective in reducing the immobility in forced swim test. These data demonstrate that progesterone withdrawal is a reproducible model of PMDD in several critical behavioral domains. Furthermore, these data do not support alterations in serotonin levels in the etiology of hormonally induced depression.
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22
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Rodgers KM, Bercum FM, McCallum DL, Rudy JW, Frey LC, Johnson KW, Watkins LR, Barth DS. Acute neuroimmune modulation attenuates the development of anxiety-like freezing behavior in an animal model of traumatic brain injury. J Neurotrauma 2012; 29:1886-97. [PMID: 22435644 PMCID: PMC3390983 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2011.2273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic anxiety is a common and debilitating result of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in humans. While little is known about the neural mechanisms of this disorder, inflammation resulting from activation of the brain's immune response to insult has been implicated in both human post-traumatic anxiety and in recently developed animal models. In this study, we used a lateral fluid percussion injury (LFPI) model of TBI in the rat and examined freezing behavior as a measure of post-traumatic anxiety. We found that LFPI produced anxiety-like freezing behavior accompanied by increased reactive gliosis (reflecting neuroimmune inflammatory responses) in key brain structures associated with anxiety: the amygdala, insula, and hippocampus. Acute peri-injury administration of ibudilast (MN166), a glial cell activation inhibitor, suppressed both reactive gliosis and freezing behavior, and continued neuroprotective effects were apparent several months post-injury. These results support the conclusion that inflammation produced by neuroimmune responses to TBI play a role in post-traumatic anxiety, and that acute suppression of injury-induced glial cell activation may have promise for the prevention of post-traumatic anxiety in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krista M. Rodgers
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado–Boulder, Boulder, Colorado
| | - Florencia M. Bercum
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado–Boulder, Boulder, Colorado
| | - Danielle L. McCallum
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado–Boulder, Boulder, Colorado
| | - Jerry W. Rudy
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado–Boulder, Boulder, Colorado
| | - Lauren C. Frey
- Department of Neurology, University of Colorado–Denver, and Colorado Injury Control Research Center, Denver, Colorado
| | | | - Linda R. Watkins
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado–Boulder, Boulder, Colorado
| | - Daniel S. Barth
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado–Boulder, Boulder, Colorado
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Hua F, Reiss JI, Tang H, Wang J, Fowler X, Sayeed I, Stein DG. Progesterone and low-dose vitamin D hormone treatment enhances sparing of memory following traumatic brain injury. Horm Behav 2012; 61:642-51. [PMID: 22570859 PMCID: PMC3517217 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2012.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Progesterone (PROG) has been shown to protect the brain from traumatic injury and is now in Phase III clinical trials. Our work shows that PROG's beneficial effects can be reduced in vitamin D hormone (VDH)-deficient subjects. VDH can modulate neuronal apoptosis, trophic factors, inflammation, oxidative stress, excitotoxicity, and myelin and axon repair. We investigated whether VDH combined with PROG could improve behavioral outcomes more than PROG alone in VDH-sufficient rats given bilateral contusions of the medial frontal cortex. PROG and different doses of VDH (1 μg/kg, VDH1; 2.5 μg/kg, VDH2; 5 μg/kg, VDH3) were injected intraperitoneally 1 h post-injury. Eight additional doses of PROG were given subcutaneously over 8 days with tapering over the last 2 days. Neurobehavioral tests, necrotic cavity, neuronal death and activation of astrocytes were evaluated 21 days post-injury. We found that PROG and PROG + VDH preserve spatial memory processing. VDH1 + PROG improved performance in acquisition more effectively than PROG alone, indicating that the low VDH dose is optimal for combination therapy. There were no significant differences in necrotic cavity size among the groups. The density of positive staining for reactive astrocytes (glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)) increased and the cell bodies and processes of GFAP-positive cells were enlarged in the PROG + VDH1 group. Our data indicate that the combination of PROG and VDH is more effective than PROG alone in preserving spatial and reference memory, and that PROG plus low-dose VDH can activateGFAP reactions up to 21 days after injury. This effect may be one of the mechanisms underlying PROG's neuroprotective effects in combination with VDH.
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Li Z, Wang B, Kan Z, Zhang B, Yang Z, Chen J, Wang D, Wei H, Zhang JN, Jiang R. Progesterone increases circulating endothelial progenitor cells and induces neural regeneration after traumatic brain injury in aged rats. J Neurotrauma 2012; 29:343-53. [PMID: 21534727 PMCID: PMC3261789 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2011.1807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Vascular remodeling plays a key role in neural regeneration in the injured brain. Circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are a mediator of the vascular remodeling process. Previous studies have found that progesterone treatment of traumatic brain injury (TBI) decreases cerebral edema and cellular apoptosis and inhibits inflammation, which in concert promote neuroprotective effects in young adult rats. However, whether progesterone treatment regulates circulating EPC level and fosters vascular remodeling after TBI have not been investigated. In this study, we hypothesize that progesterone treatment following TBI increases circulating EPC levels and promotes vascular remodeling in the injured brain in aged rats. Male Wistar 20-month-old rats were subjected to a moderate unilateral parietal cortical contusion injury and were treated with or without progesterone (n=54/group). Progesterone was administered intraperitoneally at a dose of 16mg/kg at 1 h post-TBI and was subsequently injected subcutaneously daily for 14 days. Neurological functional tests and immnunostaining were performed. Circulating EPCs were measured by flow cytometry. Progesterone treatment significantly improved neurological outcome after TBI measured by the modified neurological severity score, Morris Water Maze and the long term potentiation in the hippocampus as well as increased the circulating EPC levels compared to TBI controls (p<0.05). Progesterone treatment also significantly increased CD34 and CD31 positive cell number and vessel density in the injured brain compared to TBI controls (p<0.05). These data indicate that progesterone treatment of TBI improves multiple neurological functional outcomes, increases the circulating EPC level, and facilitates vascular remodeling in the injured brain after TBI in aged rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhanying Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital; Tianjin Neurological Institute; Key Laboratory of Post-trauma Neuro-repair and Regeneration in Central Nervous System, Ministry of Education; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Injuries, Variations and Regeneration of Nervous System, Tianjin, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, Kailuan Hospital, Hebei United University, Tangshan, China
| | - Bin Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital; Tianjin Neurological Institute; Key Laboratory of Post-trauma Neuro-repair and Regeneration in Central Nervous System, Ministry of Education; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Injuries, Variations and Regeneration of Nervous System, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhisheng Kan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Kailuan Hospital, Hebei United University, Tangshan, China
| | - Baoliang Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital; Tianjin Neurological Institute; Key Laboratory of Post-trauma Neuro-repair and Regeneration in Central Nervous System, Ministry of Education; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Injuries, Variations and Regeneration of Nervous System, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhuo Yang
- School of Medicine, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials, Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Jieli Chen
- Department of Neurology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Dong Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital; Tianjin Neurological Institute; Key Laboratory of Post-trauma Neuro-repair and Regeneration in Central Nervous System, Ministry of Education; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Injuries, Variations and Regeneration of Nervous System, Tianjin, China
| | - Huijie Wei
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital; Tianjin Neurological Institute; Key Laboratory of Post-trauma Neuro-repair and Regeneration in Central Nervous System, Ministry of Education; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Injuries, Variations and Regeneration of Nervous System, Tianjin, China
| | - Jian-ning Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital; Tianjin Neurological Institute; Key Laboratory of Post-trauma Neuro-repair and Regeneration in Central Nervous System, Ministry of Education; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Injuries, Variations and Regeneration of Nervous System, Tianjin, China
| | - Rongcai Jiang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital; Tianjin Neurological Institute; Key Laboratory of Post-trauma Neuro-repair and Regeneration in Central Nervous System, Ministry of Education; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Injuries, Variations and Regeneration of Nervous System, Tianjin, China
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Feeser VR, Loria RM. Modulation of traumatic brain injury using progesterone and the role of glial cells on its neuroprotective actions. J Neuroimmunol 2011; 237:4-12. [PMID: 21777982 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2011.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2011] [Revised: 06/13/2011] [Accepted: 06/15/2011] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
TBI is a complex disease process caused by a cascade of systemic events. Attention is now turning to drugs that act on multiple pathways to enhance survival and functional outcomes. Progesterone has been found to be beneficial in several animal species, different models of brain injury, and in two preliminary human clinical trials. It holds promise as a treatment for TBI. Progesterone's multiple mechanisms of action may work synergistically to prevent the death of neurons and glia, leading to reduced morbidity and mortality. This review highlights the importance of glial cells as mediators of progesterone's actions on the CNS and describes progesterone's pleiotrophic effects on immune enhancement and neuroprotection in TBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Ramana Feeser
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University Reanimation Engineering Shock Center, Richmond, Virginia, United States.
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Progesterone treatment normalizes the levels of cell proliferation and cell death in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus after traumatic brain injury. Exp Neurol 2011; 231:72-81. [PMID: 21684276 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2011.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2010] [Revised: 05/19/2011] [Accepted: 05/26/2011] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) increases cell death in the hippocampus and impairs hippocampus-dependent cognition. The hippocampus is also the site of ongoing neurogenesis throughout the lifespan. Progesterone treatment improves behavioral recovery and reduces inflammation, apoptosis, lesion volume, and edema, when given after TBI. The aim of the present study was to determine whether progesterone altered cell proliferation and short-term survival in the dentate gyrus after TBI. Male Sprague-Dawley rats with bilateral contusions of the frontal cortex or sham operations received progesterone or vehicle at 1 and 6 h post-surgery and daily through post-surgery Day 7, and a single injection of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) 48 h after injury. Brains were then processed for Ki67 (endogenous marker of cell proliferation), BrdU (short-term cell survival), doublecortin (endogenous marker of immature neurons), and Fluoro-Jade B (marker of degenerating neurons). TBI increased cell proliferation compared to shams and progesterone normalized cell proliferation in injured rats. Progesterone alone increased cell proliferation in intact rats. Interestingly, injury and/or progesterone treatment did not influence short-term cell survival of BrdU-ir cells. All treatments increased the percentage of BrdU-ir cells that were co-labeled with doublecortin (an immature neuronal marker in this case labeling new neurons that survived 5 days), indicating that cell fate is influenced independently by TBI and progesterone treatment. The number of immature neurons that survived 5 days was increased following TBI, but progesterone treatment reduced this effect. Furthermore, TBI increased cell death and progesterone treatment reduced cell death to levels seen in intact rats. Together these findings suggest that progesterone treatment after TBI normalizes the levels of cell proliferation and cell death in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus.
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De Nicola AF, Labombarda F, Gonzalez Deniselle MC, Gonzalez SL, Garay L, Meyer M, Gargiulo G, Guennoun R, Schumacher M. Progesterone neuroprotection in traumatic CNS injury and motoneuron degeneration. Front Neuroendocrinol 2009; 30:173-87. [PMID: 19318112 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2009.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2009] [Revised: 02/27/2009] [Accepted: 03/03/2009] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Studies on the neuroprotective and promyelinating effects of progesterone in the nervous system are of great interest due to their potential clinical connotations. In peripheral neuropathies, progesterone and reduced derivatives promote remyelination, axonal regeneration and the recovery of function. In traumatic brain injury (TBI), progesterone has the ability to reduce edema and inflammatory cytokines, prevent neuronal loss and improve functional outcomes. Clinical trials have shown that short-and long-term progesterone treatment induces a significant improvement in the level of disability among patients with brain injury. In experimental spinal cord injury (SCI), molecular markers of functional motoneurons become impaired, including brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA, Na,K-ATPase mRNA, microtubule-associated protein 2 and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT). SCI also produces motoneuron chromatolysis. Progesterone treatment restores the expression of these molecules while chromatolysis subsided. SCI also causes oligodendrocyte loss and demyelination. In this case, a short progesterone treatment enhances proliferation and differentiation of oligodendrocyte progenitors into mature myelin-producing cells, whereas prolonged treatment increases a transcription factor (Olig1) needed to repair injury-induced demyelination. Progesterone neuroprotection has also been shown in motoneuron neurodegeneration. In Wobbler mice spinal cord, progesterone reverses the impaired expression of BDNF, ChAT and Na,K-ATPase, prevents vacuolar motoneuron degeneration and the development of mitochondrial abnormalities, while functionally increases muscle strength and the survival of Wobbler mice. Multiple mechanisms contribute to these progesterone effects, and the role played by classical nuclear receptors, extra nuclear receptors, membrane receptors, and the reduced metabolites of progesterone in neuroprotection and myelin formation remain an exciting field worth of exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro F De Nicola
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrine Biochemistry, Instituto de Biologia y Medicina Experimental-CONICET, Obligado, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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Gibson CL, Coomber B, Rathbone J. Is progesterone a candidate neuroprotective factor for treatment following ischemic stroke? Neuroscientist 2009; 15:324-32. [PMID: 19359672 DOI: 10.1177/1073858409333069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Gender differences in stroke outcome have implicated steroid hormones as potential neuroprotective candidates. However, no clinical trials examining hormone replacement therapy on outcome following ischemic stroke have investigated the effect of progesterone-only treatment. In this review the authors examine the experimental evidence for the neuroprotective potential of progesterone and give an insight into potential mechanisms of action following ischemic stroke. To date, 17 experimental studies have investigated the neuroprotective potential of progesterone for ischemic stroke in terms of ability to both reduce cell loss and increase functional outcome. Of these 17 published studies the majority reported a beneficial effect with three studies reporting a nil effect and only one study reporting a negative effect. However, there are important issues that the authors address in this review in terms of the methodological quality of studies in relation to the STAIR recommendations. In terms of the proposed mechanisms of progesterone neuroprotection we show that progesterone is versatile and acts at multiple targets to facilitate neuronal survival and minimize cell damage and loss. A large amount of experimental evidence indicates that progesterone is a neuroprotective candidate for ischemic stroke; however, to progress to clinical trial a number of key experimental studies remain outstanding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire L Gibson
- School of Psychology, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom.
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Gilmer LK, Roberts KN, Scheff SW. Efficacy of progesterone following a moderate unilateral cortical contusion injury. J Neurotrauma 2008; 25:593-602. [PMID: 18476780 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2007.0477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) results in an accumulation of edema and loss of brain tissue. Progesterone (PROG) has been reported to reduce edema and cortical tissue loss in a bilateral prefrontal cortex injury. This study tests the hypothesis that PROG is neuroprotective following a unilateral parietal cortical contusion injury (CCI). Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to a moderate unilateral TBI using the CCI model. Rats were given 8 mg/kg PROG 15 min post-injury with four subsequent injections (6 h, and days 1, 2, and 3). Edema was determined 3 days post-injury, while cortical tissue sparing was also evaluated at 7 days post-injury. Animals were injured and given one of four treatments: (I) vehicle; (II) low dose: 8 mg/kg PROG; (III) high dose: 16 mg/kg PROG; (IV) tapered: 8 mg/kg PROG. Animals were given an initial injection within 15 min, followed by five injections (6 h, and days 1, 2, 3, and 4). Group IV received two additional injections (4 mg/kg on day 5; 2 mg/kg on day 6). PROG failed to alter both cortical edema and tissue sparing at any dose. Failure to modify two major sequelae associated with TBI brings into question the clinical usefulness of PROG as an effective treatment for all types of brain injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lesley K Gilmer
- Sanders Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
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Paris JJ, Frye CA. Estrous cycle, pregnancy, and parity enhance performance of rats in object recognition or object placement tasks. Reproduction 2008; 136:105-15. [PMID: 18390689 DOI: 10.1530/rep-07-0512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Ovarian hormone elevations are associated with enhanced learning/memory. During behavioral estrus or pregnancy, progestins, such as progesterone (P(4)) and its metabolite 5 alpha-pregnan-3 alpha-ol-20-one (3 alpha,5 alpha-THP), are elevated due, in part, to corpora luteal and placental secretion. During 'pseudopregnancy', the induction of corpora luteal functioning results in a hormonal milieu analogous to pregnancy, which ceases after about 12 days, due to the lack of placental formation. Multiparity is also associated with enhanced learning/memory, perhaps due to prior steroid exposure during pregnancy. Given evidence that progestins and/or parity may influence cognition, we investigated how natural alterations in the progestin milieu influence cognitive performance. In Experiment 1, virgin rats (nulliparous) or rats with two prior pregnancies (multiparous) were assessed on the object placement and recognition tasks, when in high-estrogen/P(4) (behavioral estrus) or low-estrogen/P(4) (diestrus) phases of the estrous cycle. In Experiment 2, primiparous or multiparous rats were tested in the object placement and recognition tasks when not pregnant, pseudopregnant, or pregnant (between gestational days (GDs) 6 and 12). In Experiment 3, pregnant primiparous or multiparous rats were assessed daily in the object placement or recognition tasks. Females in natural states associated with higher endogenous progestins (behavioral estrus, pregnancy, multiparity) outperformed rats in low progestin states (diestrus, non-pregnancy, nulliparity) on the object placement and recognition tasks. In earlier pregnancy, multiparous, compared with primiparous, rats had a lower corticosterone, but higher estrogen levels, concomitant with better object placement performance. From GD 13 until post partum, primiparous rats had higher 3 alpha,5 alpha-THP levels and improved object placement performance compared with multiparous rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason J Paris
- The University at Albany, SUNY, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12222, USA
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Wang JM, Liu L, Irwin RW, Chen S, Brinton RD. Regenerative potential of allopregnanolone. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008; 57:398-409. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresrev.2007.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2007] [Revised: 08/16/2007] [Accepted: 08/25/2007] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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Stein DG, Wright DW, Kellermann AL. Does Progesterone Have Neuroprotective Properties? Ann Emerg Med 2008; 51:164-72. [PMID: 17588708 DOI: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2007.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2006] [Revised: 04/26/2007] [Accepted: 05/01/2007] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
In this article, we review published preclinical and epidemiologic studies that examine progesterone's role in the central nervous system. Its effects on the reproductive and endocrine systems are well known, but a large and growing body of evidence, including a recently published pilot clinical trial, indicates that the hormone also exerts neuroprotective effects on the central nervous system. We now know that it is produced in the brain, for the brain, by neurons and glial cells in the central and peripheral nervous system of both male and female individuals. Laboratories around the world have reported that administering relatively large doses of progesterone during the first few hours to days after injury significantly limits central nervous system damage, reduces loss of neural tissue, and improves functional recovery. Although the research published to date has focused primarily on progesterone's effects on blunt traumatic brain injury, there is evidence that the hormone affords protection from several forms of acute central nervous system injury, including penetrating brain trauma, stroke, anoxic brain injury, and spinal cord injury. Progesterone appears to exert its protective effects by protecting or rebuilding the blood-brain barrier, decreasing development of cerebral edema, down-regulating the inflammatory cascade, and limiting cellular necrosis and apoptosis. All are plausible mechanisms of neuroprotection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donald G Stein
- Brain Research Laboratory, Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
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Schumacher M, Guennoun R, Stein DG, De Nicola AF. Progesterone: Therapeutic opportunities for neuroprotection and myelin repair. Pharmacol Ther 2007; 116:77-106. [PMID: 17659348 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2007.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 179] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2007] [Accepted: 06/01/2007] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Progesterone and its metabolites promote the viability of neurons in the brain and spinal cord. Their neuroprotective effects have been documented in different lesion models, including traumatic brain injury (TBI), experimentally induced ischemia, spinal cord lesions and a genetic model of motoneuron disease. Progesterone plays an important role in developmental myelination and in myelin repair, and the aging nervous system appears to remain sensitive to some of progesterone's beneficial effects. Thus, the hormone may promote neuroregeneration by several different actions by reducing inflammation, swelling and apoptosis, thereby increasing the survival of neurons, and by promoting the formation of new myelin sheaths. Recognition of the important pleiotropic effects of progesterone opens novel perspectives for the treatment of brain lesions and diseases of the nervous system. Over the last decade, there have been a growing number of studies showing that exogenous administration of progesterone or some of its metabolites can be successfully used to treat traumatic brain and spinal cord injury, as well as ischemic stroke. Progesterone can also be synthesized by neurons and by glial cells within the nervous system. This finding opens the way for a promising therapeutic strategy, the use of pharmacological agents, such as ligands of the translocator protein (18 kDa) (TSPO; the former peripheral benzodiazepine receptor or PBR), to locally increase the synthesis of steroids with neuroprotective and neuroregenerative properties. A concept is emerging that progesterone may exert different actions and use different signaling mechanisms in normal and injured neural tissue.
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