The neuroprotective effect of intranasally applied leptin against hypoxic neuronal injury

Neuroprotective effect of leptin on a primate model of cerebral ischemia

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the neuroprotective effect of leptin on a non-human primate model of cerebral ischemia. A total of 39 Guangxi macaques were used to establish the primate cerebral-ischemia model. HE staining was used to evaluated the pathological changes. Moreover, magnetic resonance imaging was used for the detection of embolic area. The measurements of behavior observation and cerebral infarction area were also performed. They all received autologous thrombus operation. Furthermore, western blot and RT-PCR were also used to detect the protein and mRNA expression levels of apoptosis-related factors. Our results showed that leptin could reduce the volume of cerebral infarction by about 35%. Behavioral defects can be significantly improved. In addition, mid-term and long-term behavioral deficiencies had been significantly improved by leptin. Moreover, leptin significantly decreased the expression levels of caspase-3 and Bax, and increased the expression levels of Bcl-2. In conclusion, leptin has neuroprotective effects on cerebral ischemia by effectively reducing the volume of cerebral infarction.

Hydrogen sulfide prevents arecoline-induced neurotoxicity via promoting leptin/leptin receptor signaling pathway

Arecoline, a major alkaloid of the areca nut, has potential toxicity to the nervous system. Our previous study reveals that the neurotoxicity of arecoline involves in inhibited endogenous hydrogen sulfide (H₂ S) generation. Therefore, the present study investigated whether exogenous H₂ S protects against arecoline-induced neurotoxicity and further explore the underlying mechanisms focusing on leptin/leptin receptor signaling pathway. The cell viability was measured by CCK-8 kit. The apoptosis were detected by Hoechst 33258 and Annexin V/PI (propidium iodide) staining. The protein expressions were determined by Western blot analysis. Our results demonstrated that NaHS, an exogenous H₂ S donor, significantly increases the cell viability, decreases apoptosis ratio, and reduces caspase-3 activity as well as Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in PC12 cells exposed to arecoline, indicating the protection of H₂ S against arecoline-induced cytotoxicity and apoptosis. Also, NaHS attenuated arecoline-induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, as evidenced by the decreases in the expressions of glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), and Cleaved caspase-12. Meanwhile, NaHS promoted leptin/leptin receptor signaling pathway in arecoline-exposed PC12 cells, as illustrated by upregulations of leptin and leptin receptor expressions. Furthermore, leptin tA, an antagonist of leptin receptor, obviously abolished the inhibitory effects of NaHS on arecoline-induced cytotoxicity, apoptosis, and ER stress in arecoline-exposed PC12 cells. Taken together, these results suggested that H₂ S prevents arecoline-induced neurotoxicity via enhancing the leptin/leptin receptor signaling pathway.

Hydrogen sulphide attenuates neuronal apoptosis of substantia nigra by re-establishing autophagic flux via promoting leptin signalling in a 6-hydroxydopamine rat model of Parkinson's disease

Previous studies reveal that hydrogen sulphide (H₂ S) exerts neuroprotection against neurotoxin-induced Parkinson's disease (PD), but the underlying mechanism remains elusive. The present study was aimed to investigate whether H₂ S inhibits neuronal apoptosis of substantia nigra with the involvement of autophagy via promoting leptin signalling in 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced PD rats. In this study, neuronal apoptosis was analysed by TUNEL staining, the activity of caspase-3 was measured by Caspase-3 fluorometric assay kit, the expressions of Bax, Bcl-2, Beclin-1, LC3II, P62 and leptin were determined by Western blot analysis, and the numbers of autophagosomes and autolysosomes were assessed by transmission electron microscopy. Results showed that NaHS, a donor of exogenous H₂ S, mitigates 6-OHDA-induced the increases in the numbers of TUNEL-positive cells, the activity of caspase-3 and the expression of Bax, and attenuates 6-OHDA-induced a decrease in the expression of Bcl-2 in substantia nigra of rats. In addition, 6-OHDA enhanced the expressions of Beclin-1, LC3-II and P62, increased the number of autophagosomes, and decreased the number of autolysosomes in the substantia nigra, which were also blocked by administration of NaHS. Furthermore, NaHS reversed 6-OHDA-induced the down-regulation of leptin expression in the substantia nigra, and treatment with leptin-OBR, a blocking antibody of leptin receptor, attenuated the inhibition of NaHS on neuronal apoptosis and the improvement of NaHS on the blocked autophagic flux in substantia nigra of 6-OHDA-treated rats. Taken together, these results demonstrated that H₂ S attenuates neuronal apoptosis of substantia nigra depending on restoring impaired autophagic flux through up-regulating leptin signalling in PD.

Leptin Maintained Zinc Homeostasis Against Glutamate-Induced Excitotoxicity by Preventing Mitophagy-Mediated Mitochondrial Activation in HT22 Hippocampal Neuronal Cells

Developmental seizure-induced long-term neuronal hyperexcitation is partially mediated by regenerative mossy fiber sprouting in hippocampus. Yet, there are no effective drugs available to block this pathological process. Recently, leptin has been shown to prevent the sprouting of hippocampal mossy fibers and abnormalities in the neurobehavioral parameters. However, their underlying molecular mechanisms are largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of glutamate on the parameters of zinc homeostasis, mitochondrial functions, and mitophagy regulating factors, as well as to investigate the protective effects of leptin against cytotoxicity of glutamate in murine HT22 hippocampal neuronal cells. Cells were assigned to one of the four groups as follows: control group, leptin alone group, glutamate injury group, and leptin pretreatment group. Our results demonstrated that glutamate induced a decrease in superoxide dismutase, GSH (glutathione), and mitochondrial membrane potential and an increase in GSSG (oxidized glutathione), mitochondrial reactive oxygen species, and supplementation of leptin blocked the toxic effect of glutamate on cell survival. The glutamate-induced cytotoxicity was associated with an increase in mitophagy and intracellular zinc ion levels. Furthermore, glutamate activated the mitophagy markers PINK1, Parkin, and the ratio of LC3-II/LC3-I, as well as increased the expression of zinc transporter 3 (ZnT3). Leptin corrected these glutamate-caused alterations. Finally, the mitophagy inhibitor, CsA, significantly reduced intracellular zinc ion content and ZnT3 expression. These results suggest that mitophagy-mediated zinc dyshomeostasis and mitochondrial activation contributed to glutamate-induced HT22 neuronal cell injury and that leptin treatment could counteract these detrimental effects, thus highlighting mitophagy-mediated zinc homeostasis via mitochondrial activation as a potential strategy to counteract neuroexcitotoxicity.

Serum leptin levels decrease after permanent MCAo in the rat and remain unaffected by delayed hyperbaric oxygen therapy

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), referring to the medical use of oxygen at a level higher than atmospheric pressure, exerts neuroprotective effects after ischemic stroke via various mechanisms. It has been demonstrated that HBOT modulates the synthesis and degradation of hormones. Leptin, an adipose derived hormone, has been found to confer neuroprotection following experimental stroke. However, it is not known whether HBOT alters leptin concentrations after permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (pMCAo) in the rat. In this present study, we aimed to investigate the effect of HBOT on the serum concentration of leptin in rats subjected to pMCAo. HBOT was initiated 48 hrs after experimental pMCAo, at 2.5 atmospheres absolutes with 100% oxygen, 1 hr a day for 10 consecutive days. Body weight, neurobehavioral deficits and infarct size were evaluated. Blood was collected on day 1 and day 16 following HBOT. Serum leptin concentrations were measured with ELISA. Delayed HBOT reduced infarct size and improved neurobehavioral scores. Decreased serum levels of leptin were found in treated and untreated pMCAo animals, compared to the sham group on day 1 (P > 0.05) and day 16 (P < 0.05). However, no statistical significance was found between HBOT and the air group. We concluded that the neuroprotective effects of delayed HBOT in pMCAo rats were unlikely to be exerted through changes in the serum concentration of leptin.

Leptin attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced apoptosis of thymocytes partially via down-regulation of cPLA2 and p38 MAPK activation

Leptin, a 16-kDa protein that is mainly secreted by adipocytes, plays a protective role in many cell types. It has been shown that leptin acts in the central and peripheral immune system to protect thymocytes. Cytosolic phospholipase A(2) (cPLA(2)) is an enzyme that can specifically initiate the release of arachidonic acid (AA) to produce eicosanoids, which regulate inflammation and immune responses. Our previous work has shown that leptin is important to prevent apoptosis of thymocytes. However, the role of cPLA(2) is still unclear, and the precise mechanism also remains to be elucidated. In this work, we demonstrated that leptin inhibited the LPS-induced toxicity and apoptosis of thymocytes. Western blot and RT-PCR showed that leptin led to a reduction of cPLA(2) activity and mRNA level, as well as caspase-3 cleavage. Moreover, we found that leptin could decrease the activation of p38 MAPK. Accordingly, we pre-treated apoptotic thymocytes with the p38 MAPK inhibitor, SB203580 and observed an effect similar to the leptin alone treated group. SB203580 also suppressed expression of cPLA(2) and cleavage of caspase-3. Based on these results, we suggest that leptin could attenuate LPS-induced apoptotic injury in mouse thymocyte cells, mainly through the p38/cPLA(2) signalling pathway. The study of the regulatory role of leptin in LPS-induced thymocyte apoptosis can help to explain the role of leptin in the immune system and may provide a novel treatment option in cases of severe trauma, infection, shock, organ failure and autoimmune disease caused by thymic atrophy.

Regulation of the glutamate transporters by JAK2

The Janus-activated kinase-2 JAK2 is involved in the signaling of leptin and erythropoietin receptors and mediates neuroprotective effects of the hormones. In theory, JAK2 could be effective through modulation of the glutamate transporters, carriers accounting for the clearance of glutamate released during neurotransmission. The present study thus elucidated the effect of JAK2 on the glutamate transporters EAAT1, EAAT2, EAAT3 and EAAT4. To this end, cRNA encoding the carriers was injected into Xenopus oocytes with or without cRNA encoding JAK2 and glutamate transport was estimated from glutamate induced current (I(glu)). I(glu) was observed in Xenopus oocytes expressing EAAT1 or EAAT2 or EAAT3 or EAAT4, but not in water injected oocytes. Coexpression of JAK2 resulted in an increase of I(glu) by 83% (EAAT1), 67% (EAAT2), 42% (EAAT3) and 126% (EAAT4). As shown for EAAT4 expressing Xenopus oocytes, the effect of JAK2 was mimicked by gain of function mutation (V617F)JAK2 but not by the inactive mutant (K882E)JAK2. Incubation with JAK2 inhibitor AG490 (40 μM) resulted in a gradual decrease of I(glu) by 53%, 79% and 92% within 3, 6 and 24 hours. Confocal microscopy and chemiluminescence analysis revealed that JAK2 coexpression increased EAAT4 protein abundance in the cell membrane. Disruption of transcription did not appreciably modify the up-regulation of I(glu) in EAAT4 expressing oocytes. The decay of I(glu) following inhibition of carrier insertion with brefeldin A was similar in oocytes expressing EAAT4 + JAK2 and oocytes expressing EAAT4 alone, indicating that JAK2 did not appreciably affect carrier retrieval from the membrane. In conclusion, JAK2 is a novel powerful regulator of glutamate transporters and thus participates in the protection against excitotoxicity.

Non-viral systemic delivery of siRNA or antisense oligonucleotides targeted to Jun N-terminal kinase 1 prevents cellular hypoxic damage

Many pathological conditions and environmental impacts lead to the development of severe tissue hypoxia that aggravates the primary disorder, provokes cell death, and limits the patient’s recovery. We hypothesized that suppression of Jun N-terminal kinase 1 (JNK1) will limit tissue damage induced by severe hypoxia. To test the hypothesis, antisense oligonucleotides (ASO) or small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeted to JNK1 mRNA were incorporated or complexed with neutral or cationic liposomes, respectively, and administered systemically to mice prior to hypoxia exposure. The animals were placed in a special chamber ventilated with room air (normoxia) or a gas mixture containing 6% O₂ and 94% N₂ (hypoxia). Liposomes, ASO, and siRNA were found to accumulate in the lungs, kidney, spleen, and heart. Only trace amounts of liposomes and their payloads (ASO and siRNA) were found in the brain. The down regulation of JNK1 protein limited activation of cell death signal, apoptotic, and necrotic tissue damage under hypoxic conditions. Consequently, we were able to verify our hypothesis and provide proof of concept of a unique approach to the prevention of cellular hypoxic damage by the suppression of JNK1 signaling pathways after the efficient delivery of ASO or siRNA.