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Tan BBJW, Mai AS, Lee SJY, Tan EK. Tamoxifen in breast cancer and risk of Parkinson's disease: A meta-analysis. Am J Med Sci 2024; 367:251-258. [PMID: 37993099 DOI: 10.1016/j.amjms.2023.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tamoxifen is widely used for hormone-sensitive breast cancer, achieved by modulating the estrogen receptor activity in a tissue-specific manner. There is evidence to support the protective effects of estrogen against Parkinson's disease (PD), a common neurodegenerative condition. Some epidemiologic studies suggest the use of tamoxifen may modulate the PD risk. We conducted a meta-analysis to examine the association between tamoxifen and risk of PD. METHODS A search of PubMed using search terms synonymous with "tamoxifen" and "Parkinson's disease" was conducted. Outcomes of interest were the odds ratio (OR) of PD comparing tamoxifen-exposed to -unexposed women, as well as the incidence rate of PD in tamoxifen-exposed women. RESULTS A total of 37,932 subjects with breast cancer, comprising 17,233 tamoxifen-exposed subjects and 20,699 tamoxifen-unexposed subjects, satisfied the inclusion criteria. The exposure to tamoxifen ranged from 30-96 months. Using the common-effect model, the pooled OR of PD was 2.4, with (95% CI 1.91-3.01, P < 0.0001), with high heterogeneity (I2 = 81.5%, Cochran's Q test P = 0.001). Pooling 28,640 tamoxifen-exposed patients under the common-effect model found an incidence rate of 5.86 events per 10,000 person-years (95% CI 4.82-7.12) with minimal heterogeneity (I2 = 26%, Cochran's Q test P = 0.258). CONCLUSIONS Our meta-analysis suggests that tamoxifen use may be associated with an increased PD risk in women. However, due to heterogeneity and potential limitations of some of the studies, further clinical and functional validation will be needed. Longitudinal studies supported by imaging and biomarkers evaluation will be useful to identify the mechanisms linking tamoxifen and PD risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan Bryan Jen-Wei Tan
- Department of Neurology, Singapore General Hospital Campus, National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Aaron Shengting Mai
- Department of Neurology, Singapore General Hospital Campus, National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore, Singapore; Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Selene Joon-Yan Lee
- Neuroscience and Behavioural Disorders, Duke NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Eng-King Tan
- Department of Neurology, Singapore General Hospital Campus, National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore, Singapore; Neuroscience and Behavioural Disorders, Duke NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore.
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Karolczak K, Watala C. Estradiol as the Trigger of Sirtuin-1-Dependent Cell Signaling with a Potential Utility in Anti-Aging Therapies. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13753. [PMID: 37762053 PMCID: PMC10530977 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241813753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging entails the inevitable loss of the structural and functional integrity of cells and tissues during the lifetime. It is a highly hormone-dependent process; although, the exact mechanism of hormone involvement, including sex hormones, is unclear. The marked suppression of estradiol synthesis during menopause suggests that the hormone may be crucial in maintaining cell lifespan and viability in women. Recent studies also indicate that the same may be true for men. Similar anti-aging features are attributed to sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), which may possibly be linked at the molecular level with estradiol. This finding may be valuable for understanding the aging process, its regulation, and possible prevention against unhealthy aging. The following article summarizes the initial studies published in this field with a focus on age-associated diseases, like cancer, cardiovascular disease and atherogenic metabolic shift, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and muscle damage, as well as neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamil Karolczak
- Department of Haemostatic Disorders, Medical University of Lodz, ul. Mazowiecka 6/8, 92-215 Lodz, Poland;
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Sex Differences in Dopaminergic Vulnerability to Environmental Toxicants - Implications for Parkinson's Disease. Curr Environ Health Rep 2022; 9:563-573. [PMID: 36201109 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-022-00380-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Sex dimorphism in Parkinson's disease (PD) is an ostensible feature of the neurological disorder, particularly as men are 1.5-2 times more likely to develop PD than women. Clinical features of the disease, such as presentation at onset, most prevalent symptoms, and response to treatment, are also affected by sex. Despite these well-known sex differences in PD risk and phenotype, the mechanisms that impart sex dimorphisms in PD remain poorly understood. RECENT FINDINGS As PD incidence is influenced by environmental factors, an intriguing pattern has recently emerged in research studies suggesting a male-specific vulnerability to dopaminergic neurodegeneration caused by neurotoxicant exposure, with relative protection in females. These new experimental data have uncovered potential mechanisms that provide clues to the source of sex differences in dopaminergic neurodegeneration and other PD pathology such as alpha-synuclein toxicity. In this review, we discuss the emerging evidence of increased male sensitivity to neurodegeneration from environmental exposures. We examine mechanisms underlying dopaminergic neurodegeneration and PD-related pathologies with evidence supporting the roles of estrogen, SRY expression, the vesicular glutamate transporter VGLUT2, and the microbiome as prospective catalysts for male vulnerability. We also highlight the importance of including sex as a biological variable, particularly when evaluating dopaminergic neurotoxicity in the context of PD.
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Bruña R, Maestú F, López-Sanz D, Bagic A, Cohen AD, Chang YF, Cheng Y, Doman J, Huppert T, Kim T, Roush RE, Snitz BE, Becker JT. Sex Differences in Magnetoencephalography-Identified Functional Connectivity in the Human Connectome Project Connectomics of Brain Aging and Dementia Cohort. Brain Connect 2021; 12:561-570. [PMID: 34726478 PMCID: PMC9419974 DOI: 10.1089/brain.2021.0059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The human brain shows modest traits of sexual dimorphism, with the female brain, on average, 10% smaller than the male brain. These differences do not imply a lowered cognitive performance, but suggest a more optimal brain organization in women. Here we evaluate the patterns of functional connectivity (FC) in women and men from the Connectomics of Brain Aging and Dementia sample. Methods: We used phase locking values to calculate FC from the magnetoencephalography time series in a sample of 138 old adults (87 females and 51 males). We compared the FC patterns between sexes, with the intention of detecting regions with different levels of connectivity. Results: We found a frontal cluster, involving anterior cingulate and the medial frontal lobe, where women showed higher FC values than men. Involved connections included the following: (1) medial parietal areas, such as posterior cingulate cortices and precunei; (2) right insula; and (3) medium cingulate and paracingulate cortices. Moreover, these differences persisted when considering only cognitively intact individuals, but not when considering only cognitively impaired individuals. Discussion: Increased anteroposterior FC has been identified as a biomarker for increased risk of developing cognitive impairment or dementia. In our study, cognitively intact women showed higher levels of FC than their male counterparts. This result suggests that neurodegenerative processes could be taking place in these women, but the changes are undetected by current diagnosis tools. FC, as measured here, might be valuable for early identification of this neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Bruña
- Laboratory of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience (UCM-UPM), Center for Biomedical Technology, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Experimental Psychology, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain.,Networking Research Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Madrid, Spain
| | - Fernando Maestú
- Laboratory of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience (UCM-UPM), Center for Biomedical Technology, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Experimental Psychology, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain.,Networking Research Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Madrid, Spain
| | - David López-Sanz
- Laboratory of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience (UCM-UPM), Center for Biomedical Technology, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Psychobiology, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Anto Bagic
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.,Department of Statistics, The University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Ann D Cohen
- Department of Neurosurgery, The University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Yue-Fang Chang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Yu Cheng
- Department of Statistics, The University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.,Department of Biostatistics, The University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jack Doman
- Department of Neurosurgery, The University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Ted Huppert
- Department of Electrical Engineering, The University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Tae Kim
- Department of Radiology, The University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Rebecca E Roush
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Beth E Snitz
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - James T Becker
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.,Department of Neurology, and The University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.,Department of Psychology, The University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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Bressler J, Yu B, Mosley TH, Knopman DS, Gottesman RF, Alonso A, Sharrett AR, Wruck LM, Boerwinkle E. Metabolomics and cognition in African American adults in midlife: the atherosclerosis risk in communities study. Transl Psychiatry 2017; 7:e1173. [PMID: 28934192 PMCID: PMC5538110 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2017.118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2016] [Revised: 04/05/2017] [Accepted: 04/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinical studies have shown alterations in metabolic profiles when patients with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease dementia were compared to cognitively normal subjects. Associations between 204 serum metabolites measured at baseline (1987-1989) and cognitive change were investigated in 1035 middle-aged community-dwelling African American participants in the biracial Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study. Cognition was evaluated using the Delayed Word Recall Test (DWRT; verbal memory), the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST; processing speed) and the Word Fluency Test (WFT; verbal fluency) at visits 2 (1990-1992) and 4 (1996-1998). In addition, Cox regression was used to analyze the metabolites as predictors of incident hospitalized dementia between baseline and 2011. There were 141 cases among 1534 participants over a median 17.1-year follow-up period. After adjustment for established risk factors, one standard deviation increase in N-acetyl-1-methylhistidine was significantly associated with greater 6-year change in DWRT scores (β=-0.66 words; P=3.65 × 10-4). Two metabolites (one unnamed and a long-chain omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid found in vegetable oils (docosapentaenoate (DPA, 22:5 n-6)) were significantly associated with less decline on the DSST (DPA: β=1.25 digit-symbol pairs, P=9.47 × 10-5). Two unnamed compounds and three sex steroid hormones were associated with an increased risk of dementia (all P<3.9 × 10-4). The association of 4-androstene-3beta, 17beta-diol disulfate 1 with dementia was replicated in European Americans. These results demonstrate that screening the metabolome in midlife can detect biologically plausible biomarkers that may improve risk stratification for cognitive impairment at older ages.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Bressler
- Human Genetics Center, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - B Yu
- Human Genetics Center, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - T H Mosley
- Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA
| | - D S Knopman
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - R F Gottesman
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - A Alonso
- Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - A R Sharrett
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - L M Wruck
- Department of Biostatistics, Gillings School of Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - E Boerwinkle
- Human Genetics Center, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
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Crivello F, Tzourio-Mazoyer N, Tzourio C, Mazoyer B. Longitudinal assessment of global and regional rate of grey matter atrophy in 1,172 healthy older adults: modulation by sex and age. PLoS One 2014; 9:e114478. [PMID: 25469789 PMCID: PMC4255026 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0114478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2014] [Accepted: 11/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
To characterize the neuroanatomical changes in healthy older adults is important to differentiate pathological from normal brain structural aging. The present study investigated the annualized rate of GM atrophy in a large sample of older participants, focusing on the hippocampus, and searching for modulation by age and sex. In this 4-year longitudinal community cohort study, we used a VBM analysis to estimate the annualized rate of GM loss, at both the global and regional levels, in 1,172 healthy older adults (65–82 years) scanned at 1.5T. The global annualized rate of GM was −4.0 cm3/year (−0.83%/year). The highest rates of regional GM loss were found in the frontal and parietal cortices, middle occipital gyri, temporal cortex and hippocampus. The rate of GM atrophy was higher in women (−4.7 cm3/year, −0.91%/year) than men (−3.3 cm3/year, −0.65%/year). The global annualized rate of GM atrophy remained constant throughout the age range of the cohort, in both sexes. This pattern was replicated at the regional level, with the exception of the hippocampi, which showed a rate of GM atrophy that accelerated with age (2.8%/year per year of age) similarly for men and women. The present study reports a global and regional description of the annualized rate of grey matter loss and its evolution after the age of 65. Our results suggest greater anatomical vulnerability of women in late life and highlight a specific vulnerability of the hippocampus to the aging processes after 65 years of age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrice Crivello
- Université de Bordeaux, GIN, UMR 5296, Bordeaux, France
- CNRS, GIN, UMR 5296, Bordeaux, France
- CEA, GIN, UMR 5296, Bordeaux, France
- * E-mail:
| | - Nathalie Tzourio-Mazoyer
- Université de Bordeaux, GIN, UMR 5296, Bordeaux, France
- CNRS, GIN, UMR 5296, Bordeaux, France
- CEA, GIN, UMR 5296, Bordeaux, France
| | | | - Bernard Mazoyer
- Université de Bordeaux, GIN, UMR 5296, Bordeaux, France
- CNRS, GIN, UMR 5296, Bordeaux, France
- CEA, GIN, UMR 5296, Bordeaux, France
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Duriez Q, Crivello F, Mazoyer B. Sex-related and tissue-specific effects of tobacco smoking on brain atrophy: assessment in a large longitudinal cohort of healthy elderly. Front Aging Neurosci 2014; 6:299. [PMID: 25404916 PMCID: PMC4217345 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2014.00299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2014] [Accepted: 10/15/2014] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
We investigated the cross-sectional and longitudinal effects of tobacco smoking on brain atrophy in a large cohort of healthy elderly participants (65–80 years). MRI was used for measuring whole brain (WB), gray matter (GM), white matter (WM), and hippocampus (HIP) volumes at study entry time (baseline, N = 1451), and the annualized rates of variation of these volumes using a 4-year follow-up MRI in a subpart of the cohort (N = 1111). Effects of smoking status (never, former, or current smoker) at study entry and of lifetime tobacco consumption on these brain phenotypes were studied using sex-stratified AN(C)OVAs, including other health parameters as covariates. At baseline, male current smokers had lower GM, while female current smokers had lower WM. In addition, female former smokers exhibited reduced baseline HIP, the reduction being correlated with lifetime tobacco consumption. Longitudinal analyses demonstrated that current smokers, whether men or women, had larger annualized rates of HIP atrophy, as compared to either non or former smokers, independent of their lifetime consumption of tobacco. There was no effect of smoking on the annualized rate of WM loss. In all cases, measured sizes of these tobacco-smoking effects were of the same order of magnitude than those of age, and larger than effect sizes of any other covariate. These results demonstrate that tobacco smoking is a major factor of brain aging, with sex- and tissue specific effects, notably on the HIP annualized rate of atrophy after the age of 65.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quentin Duriez
- Life Sciences, University of Bordeaux, Neurofunctional Imaging Group (GIN) UMR5296 Bordeaux, France ; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Neurofunctional Imaging Group (GIN) UMR5296 Bordeaux, France ; Commisariat à l'Energie Atomique, Neurofunctional Imaging Group (GIN) UMR5296 Bordeaux, France
| | - Fabrice Crivello
- Life Sciences, University of Bordeaux, Neurofunctional Imaging Group (GIN) UMR5296 Bordeaux, France ; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Neurofunctional Imaging Group (GIN) UMR5296 Bordeaux, France ; Commisariat à l'Energie Atomique, Neurofunctional Imaging Group (GIN) UMR5296 Bordeaux, France
| | - Bernard Mazoyer
- Life Sciences, University of Bordeaux, Neurofunctional Imaging Group (GIN) UMR5296 Bordeaux, France ; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Neurofunctional Imaging Group (GIN) UMR5296 Bordeaux, France ; Commisariat à l'Energie Atomique, Neurofunctional Imaging Group (GIN) UMR5296 Bordeaux, France
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Fernández-Martínez M, Elcoroaristizabal Martín X, Blanco Martín E, Galdos Alcelay L, Ugarriza Serrano I, Gómez Busto F, Alvarez-Álvarez M, Molano Salazar A, Bereincua Gandarias R, Inglés Borda S, Uterga Valiente JM, Indakoetxea Juanbeltz B, Gómez Beldarraín MÁ, Moraza López J, Barandiarán Amillano M, M de Pancorbo M. Oestrogen receptor polymorphisms are an associated risk factor for mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer disease in women APOE {varepsilon}4 carriers: a case-control study. BMJ Open 2013; 3:e003200. [PMID: 24052609 PMCID: PMC3780298 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2013-003200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Examine the role of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the oestrogen receptor (ER) genes: rs9340799, rs2234693, rs2228480 (in the ESR1 gene) and rs4986938 (in the ESR2 gene) as a risk factor for amnesic mild cognitive impairment (MCIa) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) and its possible association with the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene. DESIGN We have investigated the independent and combined association of different alleles of the oestrogen receptor genes and APOE*ε4 allele with cognitive impairment using a case-control design. SETTING Participants were prospectively recruited from the neurology departments of several Basque Country hospitals. PARTICIPANTS This study comprised 816 Caucasian participants who were aged 50 years and older: 204 MCIa, 350 sporadic patients with AD and 262 healthy controls. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES Clinical criteria and neuropsychological tests were used to establish the diagnostic groups (MCIa, AD and healthy controls). A dichotomous variable was used for each allele and genotype and the association with MCIa and AD was established using Logistic Regression Models. RESULTS Neither alleles nor genotypes of SNPs rs9340799, rs2234693, rs2228480 and rs4986938 of oestrogen receptor genes (ESR1 and ESR2) are independently associated with the risk of MCIa or AD. However, the genetic profile created with the combination of the less represented alleles of these SNPs (expressed as XPAA) was associated with an increased risk for MCIa (OR=3.30, 95% CI 1.28 to 8.54, p=0.014) and AD (OR=5.16, 95% CI 2.19 to 12.14, p<0.001) in women APOE*ε4 allele carriers. CONCLUSIONS The less represented alleles of SNPs studied are associated with MCIa and AD in APOE*E4 carriers. In particular, the genetic profile created with the less represented alleles of ESR1 and ESR2 SNPs are associated with an increased risk for MCIa and AD in women APOEε4 allele carriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Fernández-Martínez
- Department of Neurology, Hospital Universitario Cruces, BioCruces Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Bizkaia, Spain
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Vest RS, Pike CJ. Gender, sex steroid hormones, and Alzheimer's disease. Horm Behav 2013; 63:301-7. [PMID: 22554955 PMCID: PMC3413783 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2012.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 164] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2012] [Revised: 03/24/2012] [Accepted: 04/11/2012] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Age-related loss of sex steroid hormones is a established risk factor for the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in women and men. While the relationships between the sex steroid hormones and AD are not fully understood, findings from both human and experimental paradigms indicate that depletion of estrogens in women and androgens in men increases vulnerability of the aging brain to AD pathogenesis. We review evidence of a wide range of beneficial neural actions of sex steroid hormones that may contribute to their hypothesized protective roles against AD. Both estrogens and androgens exert general neuroprotective actions relevant to a several neurodegenerative conditions, some in a sex-specific manner, including protection from neuron death and promotion of select aspects of neural plasticity. In addition, estrogens and androgens regulate key processes implicated in AD pathogenesis, in particular the accumulation of β-amyloid protein. We discuss evidence of hormone-specific mechanisms related to the regulation of the production and clearance of β-amyloid as critical protective pathways. Continued elucidation of these pathways promises to yield effective hormone-based strategies to delay development of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebekah S Vest
- USC Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
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Anukulthanakorn K, Malaivijitnond S, Kitahashi T, Jaroenporn S, Parhar I. Molecular events during the induction of neurodegeneration and memory loss in estrogen-deficient rats. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2013; 181:316-23. [PMID: 23036734 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2012.07.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2012] [Accepted: 07/25/2012] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
This study aims to delineate the relationship among estrogen deficiency, neurodegeneration, and cognitive impairment of ovariectomized rats. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were ovariectomized and euthanized after 1-4 month periods (M(0)-M(4) groups). Blood samples were collected for the determination of serum levels of 17β-estradiol (E(2)), luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). Five consecutive days before the euthanization, cognitive performance of the rats was examined by Morris water maze test. After euthanization, the hippocampus was collected, and expression of the genes associated with amyloid plaques (App, Adam10 and Bace1) and neurofibrillary tangles (Tau4 and Tau3) were examined by real-time PCR. Serum E(2) levels were declined following 2 weeks of ovariectomy. Conversely, serum FSH and LH levels were profoundly increased by 2 weeks of ovariectomy for approximately 4 and 22 times, respectively. Cognitive impairments, indicated by the longer latency and distance, were observed only in the M(3) and M(4) groups. The Tau4 mRNA levels were significantly increased as early as 1 month after ovariectomy (in the M(1) group; P<0.05), and tended to be increased further with the advancing time. Similarly, the Tau3 mRNA levels were increased by ovariectomy, but with the highest level in the M(1) group, and decreased thereafter. The mRNA levels of App, Adam10 and Bace1 were increased by ovariectomy, but significant differences were observed only in the M(4) group. These results indicate that estrogen deficiency can induce a sequence of events that results in the production of neurofibrillary tangles, amyloid deposition, and spatial memory deficit in rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanya Anukulthanakorn
- Biological Science Program, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
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Liu MH, Tsuang FY, Sheu SY, Sun JS, Shih CM. The protective effects of coumestrol against amyloid-β peptide- and lipopolysaccharide-induced toxicity on mice astrocytes. Neurol Res 2012; 33:663-72. [PMID: 21708076 DOI: 10.1179/1743132810y.0000000029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Estrogen replacement therapy can decrease the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. Phytoestrogens have been proposed as potential alternatives to estrogen replacement therapy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the in vitro protective effects of coumestrol on mice astrocytes. METHODS Different concentrations of coumestrol were tested for their protective efficacy against two toxic insults, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and amyloid-beta peptide, on astrocytes. The mitochondrial activity of astrocytes was determined, and the protective efficacy and pathway were examined by their specific gene expression and protein change. RESULTS The results showed that coumestrol induced a modest but significant increase in viability of astrocytes, while the viability of astrocytes was reduced following exposure to LPS and amyloid-beta peptide. The addition of coumestrol could reverse the toxic effect induced by LPS and amyloid-beta peptide. Both the LPS and amyloid-beta peptide enhanced interleukin 1, interleukin 6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha synthesis and these effects were inhibited by 10(-9)M coumestrol. This effect was more obvious on the LPS-induced inflammation. The estrogen receptor expression was upregulated by coumestrol, while the effect was more obvious on estrogen receptor-beta (ER-beta). These effects can be inhibited by extracellular signal-regulated kinase and c-Jun N-terminal kinase inhibitors but not p38 inhibitor. DISCUSSION The current data support a possible role for astrocytes in the mediation of neuroprotection by coumestrol. An indirect extracellular signal-regulated kinase/c-Jun N-terminal kinase signaling pathway to downregulate the expression of interleukin 1, interleukin 6, and the tumor necrosis factor-alpha cytotoxic effect may act in concert with the proposed direct ER-beta biosynethsis pathway to achieve a widespread, global protection of ER-beta positive neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Man-Hai Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taiwan
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12
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Gerrits PO, Kortekaas R, Veening JG, de Weerd H, van der Want JJL. Reduced aging defects in estrogen receptive brainstem nuclei in the female hamster. Neurobiol Aging 2012; 33:2920-34. [PMID: 22445324 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2012.02.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2011] [Revised: 02/15/2012] [Accepted: 02/15/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED The nucleus pararetroambiguus (NPRA) and the commissural nucleus of the solitary tract (NTScom) show estrogen nuclear receptor-α immunoreactivity (nuclear ER-α-IR). Both cell groups are involved in estrous cycle related adaptations. We examined in normally cycling aged hamsters the occurrence/amount/frequency of age-related degenerative changes in NPRA and NTScom during estrus and diestrus. In 2640 electron microscopy photomicrographs plasticity reflected in the ratio of axon terminal surface/dendrite surface (t/d) was morphometrically analyzed. Medial tegmental field (mtf, nuclear ER-α-IR poor), served as control. In aged animals, irrespective of nuclear ER-α-IR+ or nuclear ER-α-IR- related cell groups, extensive diffuse degenerative structural aberrations were observed. The hormonal state had a strong influence on t/d ratios in NPRA and NTScom, but not in mtf. In NPRA and NTScom, diestrous hamsters had significantly smaller t/d ratios (NPRA, 0.750 ± 0.050; NTScom, 0.900 ± 0.039) than the estrous hamsters (NPRA, 1.083 ± 0.075; NTScom, 1.204 ± 0.076). Aging affected axodendritic ratios only in mtf (p < 0.001). IN CONCLUSION in the female hamster brain, estrous cycle-induced structural plasticity is preserved in NPRA and NTScom during aging despite the presence of diffuse age-related neurodegenerative changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter O Gerrits
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Anatomy, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
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Lobo A, Lopez-Anton R, Santabárbara J, de-la-Cámara C, Ventura T, Quintanilla MA, Roy JF, Campayo AJ, Lobo E, Palomo T, Rodriguez-Jimenez R, Saz P, Marcos G. Incidence and lifetime risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease in a Southern European population. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2011; 124:372-83. [PMID: 21848704 DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0447.2011.01754.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To calculate both the incidence rates and the lifetime risk (LTR) of dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHODS A two-phase case-finding procedure was implemented in a cohort of 4057 cognitively intact individuals 55+ years of age living in Zaragoza, Spain, and followed-up at 2.5 and 4.5 years. Age- and sex-specific incidence rates were calculated. A mortality-adjusted, multivariate model was used to document LTRs. RESULTS The incidence rate of dementia continued to rise after the age of 90 years, but was slightly lower than in North and West European studies. Only a tendency for an increased LTR with age was observed. Thus, LTR was 19.7% for a 65-year-old woman and 20.4% at the age of 85 years, the corresponding figures for AD being 16.7% and 17.6%. The LTR of AD was higher in women and was about twice as high among illiterate individuals when compared with individuals with higher educational levels. CONCLUSIONS The incidence rate of dementia in this Southern European city was slightly lower than in previous studies in North-West Europe. LTR of dementia and AD seems to be slightly increased with age. The association of illiteracy with higher LTR of AD is intriguing.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Lobo
- Psychiatry Service, Hospital Clínico Universitario, Zaragoza, Spain.
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Di Domenico F, Casalena G, Sultana R, Cai J, Pierce WM, Perluigi M, Cini C, Baracca A, Solaini G, Lenaz G, Jia J, Dziennis S, Murphy SJ, Alkayed NJ, Butterfield DA. Involvement of Stat3 in mouse brain development and sexual dimorphism: a proteomics approach. Brain Res 2010; 1362:1-12. [PMID: 20875800 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2010.09.074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2010] [Revised: 09/16/2010] [Accepted: 09/20/2010] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Although the role of STAT3 in cell physiology and tissue development has been largely investigated, its involvement in the development and maintenance of nervous tissue and in the mechanisms of neuroprotection is not yet known. The potentially wide range of STAT3 activities raises the question of tissue- and gender-specificity as putative mechanisms of regulation. To explore the function of STAT3 in the brain and the hypothesis of a gender-linked modulation of STAT3, we analyzed a neuron-specific STAT3 knockout mouse model investigating the influence of STAT3 activity in brain protein expression pattern in both males and females in the absence of neurological insult. We performed a proteomic study aimed to reveal the molecular pathways directly or indirectly controlled by STAT3 underscoring its role in brain development and maintenance. We identified several proteins, belonging to different neuronal pathways such as energy metabolism or synaptic transmission, controlled by STAT3 that confirm its crucial role in brain development and maintenance. Moreover, we investigated the different processes that could contribute to the sexual dimorphic behavior observed in the incidence of neurological and mental disease. Interestingly both STAT3 KO and gender factors influence the expression of several mitochondrial proteins conferring to mitochondrial activity high importance in the regulation of brain physiology and conceivable relevance as therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Di Domenico
- Department of Chemistry, Center of Membrane Sciences, and Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506-0055, USA
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15
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Martínez MF, Martín XE, Alcelay LG, Flores JC, Valiente JMU, Juanbeltz BI, Beldarraín MAG, López JM, Gonzalez-Fernández MC, Salazar AM, Gandarias RB, Borda SI, Marqués NO, Amillano MB, Zabaleta MC, de Pancorbo MM. The COMT Val158 Met polymorphism as an associated risk factor for Alzheimer disease and mild cognitive impairment in APOE 4 carriers. BMC Neurosci 2009; 10:125. [PMID: 19793392 PMCID: PMC2765959 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2202-10-125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2009] [Accepted: 09/30/2009] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The aim of this study is to examine the influence of the catechol-O-methyltranferase (COMT) gene (polymorphism Val158 Met) as a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment of amnesic type (MCI), and its synergistic effect with the apolipoprotein E gene (APOE).A total of 223 MCI patients, 345 AD and 253 healthy controls were analyzed. Clinical criteria and neuropsychological tests were used to establish diagnostic groups.The DNA Bank of the University of the Basque Country (UPV-EHU) (Spain) determined COMT Val158 Met and APOE genotypes using real time polymerase chain reaction (rtPCR) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLPs), respectively. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to determine the risk of AD and MCI. RESULTS Neither COMT alleles nor genotypes were independent risk factors for AD or MCI. The high activity genotypes (GG and AG) showed a synergistic effect with APOE epsilon4 allele, increasing the risk of AD (OR = 5.96, 95%CI 2.74-12.94, p < 0.001 and OR = 6.71, 95%CI 3.36-13.41, p < 0.001 respectively). In AD patients this effect was greater in women.In MCI patients such as synergistic effect was only found between AG and APOE epsilon4 allele (OR = 3.21 95%CI 1.56-6.63, p = 0.02) and was greater in men (OR = 5.88 95%CI 1.69-20.42, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION COMT (Val158 Met) polymorphism is not an independent risk factor for AD or MCI, but shows a synergistic effect with APOE epsilon4 allele that proves greater in women with AD.
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Meng Y, Wang R, Yang F, Ji ZJ, Fang L, Sheng SL. Amyloid precursor protein 17-mer peptide ameliorates hippocampal neurodegeneration in ovariectomized rats. Neurosci Lett 2009; 468:173-7. [PMID: 19632300 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2009.07.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2009] [Revised: 07/19/2009] [Accepted: 07/21/2009] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Amyloid precursor protein 17-mer peptide (APP 17-mer peptide) is an active fragment of amyloid precursor protein (APP) in the nervous system that mediates various neuronal activities and functions. Estrogen deprivation during menopause disproportionately increases the risk of many neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Currently, therapeutic approaches to treat Alzheimer's disease are less than effective. We have previously shown that APP 17-mer peptide participates in neuronal function in aged-hippocampal neurons. In this study, we investigate the effects of estrogen and APP 17-mer peptide on hippocampal neurodegeneration in ovariectomized rats. The results showed that decreases in learning and memory function in ovariectomized rats were associated with degenerative changes in hippocampal neurons. Estrogen deprivation also enhances apoptotic cell death and decreases expression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2. Administration of APP 17-mer peptide ameliorates changes associated with estrogen deprivation without affecting estrogen levels. These results indicate that APP 17-mer peptide may prevent neurodegeneration caused by estrogen deficiency. Our findings also suggest that estrogen deficiency-induced neurodegeneration is regulated by activation of an intracellular "cross talk" signaling pathway, connecting neurotrophins with APP 17-mer peptide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Meng
- Central Laboratory, Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University, Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Disease of Ministry of Education, #45 Changchun Street, Xuanwu District, Beijing 100053, China
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Brown CM, Choi E, Xu Q, Vitek MP, Colton CA. The APOE4 genotype alters the response of microglia and macrophages to 17beta-estradiol. Neurobiol Aging 2008; 29:1783-94. [PMID: 17553597 PMCID: PMC2597534 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2007.04.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2006] [Revised: 04/09/2007] [Accepted: 04/25/2007] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
The apolipoprotein E4 (APOE4) gene is a well-known risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurological disorders. Post-menopausal women with AD who express at least one APOE4 gene have more severe neuropathology and worsened cognitive scores than their non-expressing counterparts. Since 17beta-estradiol down-regulates inflammation as part of its neuroprotective role, we examined the effect of 17beta-estradiol on the response of microglia to immune activation as a function of APOE genotype. Our data show that the anti-inflammatory activity of 17beta-estradiol is significantly reduced in APOE4 targeted replacement mice compared to APOE3 mice. A significant interaction between APOE genotype and the response to 17beta-estradiol was observed for NO and cytokine production by immune activated microglia. The genotype specific effect was not restricted to brain macrophages since peritoneal macrophages from APOE4 ovariectomized mice also demonstrated a significant difference in 17beta-estradiol responsiveness. ERbeta protein levels in APOE4 microglia were higher than APOE3 microglia, suggesting a difference in post-translational protein regulation in the presence of the APOE4 gene. Overall, our data indicate that the APOE genotype may be a critical component in assessing the effectiveness of 17beta-estradiol's action and may impact the neuroprotective role of 17beta-estradiol and of hormone replacement therapy on brain function when the APOE4 gene is expressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Candice M Brown
- Division of Neurology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, United States.
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18
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Chattha R, Nagarathna R, Padmalatha V, Nagendra HR. Effect of yoga on cognitive functions in climacteric syndrome: a randomised control study. BJOG 2008; 115:991-1000. [PMID: 18503578 DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2008.01749.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess the efficacy of an integrated approach of yoga therapy (IAYT) on cognitive abilities in climacteric syndrome. DESIGN A randomised control study wherein the participants were divided into experimental and control groups. SETTINGS Fourteen centres of Swami Vivekananda Yoga Research Foundation, Bangalore, India. SAMPLE One hundred and eight perimenopausal women between 40 and 55 years with follicle-stimulating hormone level equal to or greater than 15 miu/ml. One hundred and twenty perimenopausal women were randomly allotted into the yoga and the control groups. METHODS The yoga group practised a module comprising breathing practices, sun salutation and cyclic meditation, whereas the control group practised a set of simple physical exercises, under supervision (1 hour/day, 5 days/week for 8 weeks). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Assessments were made by vasomotor symptom checklist, six-letter cancellation test (SLCT) for attention and concentration and Punit Govil Intelligence Memory Scale (PGIMS) with ten subtests. RESULTS The Wilcoxon test showed significant (P < 0.001) reduction in hot flushes, night sweats and sleep disturbance in yoga group, with a trend of significant difference between groups at P = 0.06 on Mann-Whitney test in night sweats. There was no change within or between groups in the control group. The SLCT score and the PGIMS showed significant improvement in eight of ten subtests in the yoga group and six of ten subtests in the control group. The yoga group performed significantly better (P < 0.001) with higher effect sizes in SLCT and seven tests of PGIMS compared with the control group. CONCLUSIONS Integrated approach of yoga therapy can improve hot flushes and night sweats. It also can improve cognitive functions such as remote memory, mental balance, attention and concentration, delayed and immediate recall, verbal retention and recognition tests.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Chattha
- Division of Yoga and Life Sciences Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana (SVYASA), Bangalore, India
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19
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Pathological and biochemical alterations of astrocytes in ovariectomized rats injected with d-galactose: A potential contribution to Alzheimer's disease processes. Exp Neurol 2008; 210:709-18. [DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2008.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2007] [Revised: 12/27/2007] [Accepted: 01/07/2008] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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20
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Ghosh S, Thakur MK. PS2 protein expression is upregulated by sex steroids in the cerebral cortex of aging mice. Neurochem Int 2008; 52:363-7. [PMID: 17728018 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2007.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2007] [Accepted: 07/20/2007] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Mutations in presenilin (PS) genes cause majority of early onset Alzheimer's disease (AD), an age related neurodegenerative disorder. PS proteins undergo proteolytic cleavage to produce biologically active fragments, which constitute the catalytic core of the gamma-secretase enzyme. This enzyme cleaves beta-amyloid precursor protein (betaAPP) to generate Abeta peptides, which are influenced by sex steroids. Recently we have reported the downregulation of PS1 expression by sex steroids in the brain of adult mice. Here we have examined the effect of gonadectomy and subsequent administration of gonadal hormones 17beta-estradiol and testosterone on the level of PS2 C-terminal fragment (CTF) in the cerebral cortex of adult and old AKR strain mice of both sexes. PS2 expression was downregulated following gonadectomy, but upregulated by supplementation of gonadal steroids in both age groups and sexes. Thus these results demonstrate up-regulation of PS2 protein expression by sex steroids, which in turn may influence PS2 associated brain functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soumi Ghosh
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
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21
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Santos EM, Kille P, Workman VL, Paull GC, Tyler CR. Sexually dimorphic gene expression in the brains of mature zebrafish. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2008; 149:314-24. [PMID: 18289901 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2008.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2007] [Revised: 01/09/2008] [Accepted: 01/11/2008] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The molecular signalling pathways mediating sexual dimorphism have principally been investigated in the gonads, and to a lesser extent in other organs. The brain plays a central role in coordinating sexual function, including the regulation of reproductive development, maturation and sexual behaviour in both sexes. In this study, we investigated sex-related differences in gene expression in the brains of breeding zebrafish (Danio rerio) to establish a greater understanding of the sex-specific physiology of the brain in lower vertebrates. The brain transcriptomic profiles of males and females were interrogated to identify the genes showing sexually dimorphic gene expression. 42 genes were differentially expressed between the sexes, from which 18 genes were over-expressed in males and 24 genes were over-expressed in females. In males, these included deiodinase, iodothyronine, type II and ribosomal protein S8, and in females, superoxide dismutase [Cu-Zn], sprouty-4, frizzled 10 and testis enhanced gene transcript. Estrogen responsive elements were found in the regulatory regions for 3 genes over-expressed in males and 7 genes over-expressed in females. We have demonstrated the existence of dimorphic patterns of gene expression in the brain of a sexually mature, non-mammalian, vertebrate model, with implications for studies into reproduction and chemical disruption of brain function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduarda M Santos
- School of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Prince of Wales Road, Exeter, EX4 4PS, UK
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22
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Compton J, Travis MJ, Norbury R, Erlandsson K, van Amelsvoort T, Daly E, Waddington W, Matthiasson P, Eersels JLH, Whitehead M, Kerwin RW, Ell PJ, Murphy DGM. Long-term estrogen therapy and 5-HT(2A) receptor binding in postmenopausal women; a single photon emission tomography (SPET) study. Horm Behav 2008; 53:61-8. [PMID: 17956758 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2007.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2007] [Revised: 08/20/2007] [Accepted: 08/21/2007] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Variation in estrogen level is reported by some to affect brain maturation and memory. The neurobiological basis for this may include modulation of the serotonergic system. No neuroimaging studies have directly examined the effect of extended estrogen therapy (ET), on the 5-HT(2A) receptor in human brain. We investigated the effect of long-term ET on cortical 5-HT(2A) receptor availability in postmenopausal women. In a cross-sectional study, we compared cortical 5-HT(2A) receptor availability in 17 postmenopausal ERT-naive women and 17 long-term oophorectomised estrogen-users, age- and IQ-matched using single photon emission tomography and the selective 5-HT(2A) receptor ligand (123)I-5-I-R91150. Also, we used the Revised Wechsler Memory Scale to relate memory function to 5-HT(2A) receptor availability. Never-users had significantly higher 5-HT(2A) receptor availability than estrogen-users in hippocampus (1.17 vs. 1.11, respectively, p=0.02), although this did not remain significant after correction for multiple comparisons. Hippocampal 5-HT(2A) receptor availability correlated negatively with verbal and general memory and delayed recall (r=-0.45, p=0.01; r=-0.40, p=0.02; r=-0.36, p=0.04). Right superior temporal 5-HT(2A) receptor availability correlated negatively with verbal memory (r=-0.36, p=0.04). In estrogen-users, receptor availability correlated negatively with verbal and general memory (r=-0.70, p=0.002; r=-0.69, p=0.002); and in never-users, receptor availability negatively correlated with attention and concentration (r=-0.54, p=0.02). Long-term ET may be associated with lower 5-HT(2A) receptor availability in hippocampus. This may reflect increased activity within the serotonergic pathway leading to down-regulation of post-synaptic receptor. Also, increased availability of the 5-HT(2A) receptor in hippocampus is associated with poorer memory function.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Compton
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AF, UK.
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23
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Hruska Z, Dohanich GP. The effects of chronic estradiol treatment on working memory deficits induced by combined infusion of beta-amyloid (1-42) and ibotenic acid. Horm Behav 2007; 52:297-306. [PMID: 17583706 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2007.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2007] [Revised: 05/07/2007] [Accepted: 05/07/2007] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Estrogen limits in vitro neuron death induced by application of beta-amyloid, the cytotoxic peptide linked to Alzheimer's disease. However, the ability of estrogen to protect neurons and preserve cognitive function in vivo following exposure to beta-amyloid has not been demonstrated. Our objective was to evaluate the potential of estrogen to reduce spatial working memory deficits in female rats induced by administration of a neurotoxic form of beta-amyloid in combination with the excitotoxin, ibotenic acid. The interaction of beta-amyloid with excitotoxic factors may underlie cognitive deficits associated with Alzheimer's disease. Therefore, to create an experimental model typical of early Alzheimer's disease a low dose of ibotenic acid was administered with beta-amyloid into the dorsal hippocampus. Ovariectomized rats were implanted subcutaneously with Silastic capsules that produce physiological levels of 17beta-estradiol 10 days before bilateral intrahippocampal injections of aggregated beta-amyloid (1-42) and ibotenic acid. Capsules remained in situ throughout behavioral testing. When tested 3-10 weeks after neurotoxin treatment, females without estrogen capsules exhibited delay-dependent impairments in working memory performance on a water maze and a radial arm maze. Females treated with estrogen and combined neurotoxins displayed working memory performance comparable to unlesioned females on both tasks. Neurotoxin treatment increased immunoreactivity for glial fibrillary acidic protein but this measure was unaffected by estradiol treatment indicating that estrogen did not limit glial proliferation. Results indicate that estrogen prevented deficits in spatial working memory induced by neurotoxin treatments intended to mimic the pathology of early Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuzana Hruska
- Neuroscience Program, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA
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Abstract
Apoptosis mediates the precise and programmed natural death of neurons and is a physiologically important process in neurogenesis during maturation of the central nervous system. However, premature apoptosis and/or an aberration in apoptosis regulation is implicated in the pathogenesis of neurodegeneration, a multifaceted process that leads to various chronic disease states, such as Alzheimer's (AD), Parkinson's (PD), Huntington's (HD) diseases, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), and diabetic encephalopathy. The current review focuses on two major areas (a) the fundamentals of apoptosis, which includes elements of the apoptotic machinery, apoptosis inducers, and emerging concepts in apoptosis research, and (b) apoptotic involvement in neurodegenerative disorders, neuroprotective treatment strategies/modalities, and the mechanisms of, and signaling in, neuronal apoptosis. Current and new experimental models for apoptosis research in neurodegenerative diseases are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masahiro Okouchi
- Department of Internal Medicine and Bioregulation, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan
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25
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Olsen L, Rasmussen HB, Hansen T, Bagger YZ, Tankó LB, Qin G, Christiansen C, Werge T. Estrogen receptor alpha and risk for cognitive impairment in postmenopausal women. Psychiatr Genet 2006; 16:85-8. [PMID: 16538187 DOI: 10.1097/01.ypg.0000194445.27555.71] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1) gene has been implicated in the process of cognitive impairment in elderly women. In a paired case-control study, we tested whether two ESR1 gene polymorphisms (the XbaI and PvuII sites) are risk factors for cognitive impairment as measured by the six-item Orientation-Memory-Concentration test in postmenopausal Danish women. Hormone replacement therapy, age and executive cognitive ability were examined as covariates for ESR1 gene effects on cognitive impairment. The XbaI polymorphism showed a marginal effect on cognitive abilities (P=0.054) when adjusted for executive cognitive ability. Using a dominant genetic model for the X allele, we found an elevated risk (executive cognitive ability adjusted P=0.033) for cognitive impairment. Hormone replacement therapy also had a borderline effect on cognitive ability (P=0.049) and this effect was reflected in executive cognitive ability. These data support that the ESR1 gene variants affect cognitive functioning in postmenopausal women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Line Olsen
- Research Institute of Biological Psychiatry, Copenhagen University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark
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26
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Goldbart AD, Row BW, Kheirandish-Gozal L, Cheng Y, Brittian KR, Gozal D. High fat/refined carbohydrate diet enhances the susceptibility to spatial learning deficits in rats exposed to intermittent hypoxia. Brain Res 2006; 1090:190-6. [PMID: 16674930 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2006.03.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2005] [Revised: 03/12/2006] [Accepted: 03/15/2006] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Intermittent hypoxia during sleep (IH), as occurs in sleep disordered breathing (SDB), induces spatial learning deficits associated with regulation of transcription factors associated with learning and memory in the hippocampal CA1 region in rats. high fat refined carbohydrate diet (HF/RC) can induce similar deficits and associated changes in signaling pathways under normoxic conditions. METHODS Sprague-Dawley adult male rats were fed either with (HF/RC) or low fat/complex carbohydrate diet (LF/CC) starting at post-natal day 30 for 90 days, and were then exposed for 14 days during light phase (12 h/day) to either normoxia (RA) or IH (21% and 10% O2 alternations every 90 s). Place-training reference memory task deficits were assessed in the Morris water maze. Total and ser-133 phosphorylated CREB were assessed in different brain regions by Western blotting and immunostaining in rats exposed to normoxia or IH and to LF/CC or HF/RC. RESULTS Substantial decreases in CREB phosphorylation occurred in CA1 but not in motor cortex following either IH, HF/RC, and HF/RC + IH. Place-training reference memory task deficits were observed in rats exposed to IH and to HF/RC, and to a much greater extent in rats exposed to HF/RC + IH. CONCLUSIONS Nutritional factors alter recruitment of transcription factors, possibly via oxidative-related pathways, and modulate the vulnerability of the CA1 region of the hippocampus to the episodic hypoxia that characterizes SDB, thereby enhancing neurocognitive susceptibility in SDB patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- A D Goldbart
- Kosair Children's Hospital Research Institute, Department of Pediatrics, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
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Gutierrez-Zepeda A, Santell R, Wu Z, Brown M, Wu Y, Khan I, Link CD, Zhao B, Luo Y. Soy isoflavone glycitein protects against beta amyloid-induced toxicity and oxidative stress in transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans. BMC Neurosci 2005; 6:54. [PMID: 16122394 PMCID: PMC1215487 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2202-6-54] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2005] [Accepted: 08/25/2005] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epidemiological studies have associated estrogen replacement therapy with a lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, but a higher risk of developing breast cancer and certain cardiovascular disorders. The neuroprotective effect of estrogen prompted us to determine potential therapeutic impact of soy-derived estrogenic compounds. Transgenic C. elegans, that express human beta amyloid (Abeta), were fed with soy derived isoflavones genistein, daidzein and glycitein (100 microg/ml) and then examined for Abeta-induced paralysis and the levels of reactive oxygen species. RESULTS Among the three compounds tested, only glycitein alleviated Abeta expression-induced paralysis in the transgenic C. elegans. This activity of glycitein correlated with a reduced level of hydrogen peroxide in the transgenic C. elegans. In vitro scavenging effects of glycitein on three types of reactive oxygen species confirmed its antioxidant properties. Furthermore, the transgenic C. elegans fed with glycitein exhibited reduced formation of beta amyloid. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that a specific soy isoflavone glycitein may suppress Abeta toxicity through combined antioxidative activity and inhibition of Abeta deposition, thus may have therapeutic potential for prevention of Abeta associated neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Astrid Gutierrez-Zepeda
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA
| | - Ross Santell
- Department of Human Sciences, Alcorn State University, Alcorn, MS 39096, USA
| | - Zhixin Wu
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA
| | - Marishka Brown
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA
| | - YanJue Wu
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA
| | - Ikhlas Khan
- National Center for Natural Products Research, School of Pharmacy, Oxford, MS 38655, USA
| | - Christopher D Link
- Institute for Behavioral Genetic, University of Colorado, Boulder CO 80309, USA
| | - Baolu Zhao
- Laboratory of Visual Information Processing, Center of Brain & Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Academia Sinica, Beijing 100101, P.R. China
| | - Yuan Luo
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science, School of Pharmacy, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201-1180, USA
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Wang PN, Liu HC, Liu TY, Chu A, Hong CJ, Lin KN, Chi CW. Estrogen-metabolizing gene COMT polymorphism synergistic APOE epsilon4 allele increases the risk of Alzheimer disease. Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord 2005; 19:120-5. [PMID: 15591802 DOI: 10.1159/000082663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/04/2004] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer disease (AD) is a polygenic multifactorial disorder. Several studies suggested that the neuroprotective effect of estrogen was based on an APOE-dependent mechanism. The goals of the current study were to determine if the genes involved in estrogen metabolism were linked to the risk of AD and find out if there was an interaction between estrogen-metabolizing gene polymorphisms and the APOE epsilon4 allele in the risk of prevalent AD. We investigated 66 patients with AD and 86 age- and gender-matched normal subjects. The polymorphisms of APOE and estrogen-metabolizing genes CYP17, CYP1A1 and COMT were examined. No association was found between each estrogen-metabolizing gene polymorphism and AD. However, the COMT HH genotype and APOE epsilon4 allele had a synergistic effect on the risk of AD. Taking subjects with epsilon4-epsilon4-/HH- as reference, the risk of developing AD in subjects with one epsilon4 allele (epsilon4+epsilon4-/HH-) was 2.6 (95% confidence interval, CI, 0.7- 9.1); however, the risk in subjects with both HH and one epsilon4 (epsilon4+epsilon4-/HH+) increased to 3.6 (95% CI 1.2-10.6). The subjects with homozygous epsilon4 still had the highest risk in developing AD (odds ratio 6.6, 95% CI 0.6-69.6). The p value of the linear trend test for this regression model was 0.004. It is possible that a high metabolism of estrogen by COMT may have reduced the protective effect of estrogen in AD. Further studies to clarify this interaction may improve our understanding of the generic risks for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- P N Wang
- The Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
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MacLusky NJ, Hajszan T, Leranth C. The environmental estrogen bisphenol a inhibits estradiol-induced hippocampal synaptogenesis. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2005; 113:675-9. [PMID: 15929888 PMCID: PMC1257590 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.7633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 158] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Bisphenol A (BPA) is an estrogenic chemical that is widely used in the manufacture of plastics and epoxy resins. Because BPA leaches out of plastic food and drink containers, as well as the BPA-containing plastics used in dental prostheses and sealants, considerable potential exists for human exposure to this compound. In this article we show that treatment of ovariectomized rats with BPA dose-dependently inhibits the estrogen-induced formation of dendritic spine synapses on pyramidal neurons in the CA1 area of the hippocampus. Significant inhibitory effects of BPA were observed at a dose of only 40 microg/kg, below the current U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reference daily limit for human exposure. Because synaptic remodeling has been postulated to contribute to the rapid effects of estrogen on hippocampus-dependent memory, these data suggest that environmental BPA exposure may interfere with the development and expression of normal sex differences in cognitive function, via inhibition of estrogen-dependent hippocampal synapse formation. It may also exacerbate the impairment of hippocampal function observed during normal aging, as endogenous estrogen production declines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil J MacLusky
- Center for Neural Recovery and Rehabilitation Research, Helen Hayes Hospital, New York, New York 10993-1195, USA.
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Monteiro SC, Matté C, Delwing D, Wyse ATS. Ovariectomy increases Na+, K+-ATPase, acetylcholinesterase and catalase in rat hippocampus. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2005; 236:9-16. [PMID: 15869839 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2005.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2004] [Revised: 03/11/2005] [Accepted: 03/23/2005] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
In the present work we investigated the effect of ovariectomy on Na+, K+-ATPase and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities in rat hippocampus. We also studied some parameters of oxidative stress, namely total radical-trapping antioxidant potential (TRAP), thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBA-RS), as well as the antioxidant enzyme activities superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities. Our hypothesis is that ovariectomy might cause alterations in essential enzyme activities necessary to brain normal functioning and that these chances could be caused by oxidative stress. Female adult Wistar rats were divided into three groups: (1) naive (control); (2) sham-operated; and (3) ovariectomized. Thirty days after ovariectomy rats were sacrificed. Results showed that rats subjected to ovariectomy presented a significant increase in Na+, K+-ATPase, AChE and CAT activities, but did not change the oxidative stress parameters studied when compared to sham or naive rats. Since ovariectomy mimics postmenopausal changes, our findings showing alteration in the activities of brain Na+, K+-ATPase, AChE and CAT may be related to problems in postmenopausal women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siomara C Monteiro
- Departamento de Bioquímica, ICBS, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2600 Anexo, CEP 90035-003 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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Colton CA, Brown CM, Vitek MP. Sex steroids, APOE genotype and the innate immune system. Neurobiol Aging 2005; 26:363-72. [PMID: 15639315 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2004.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2004] [Revised: 08/05/2004] [Accepted: 08/20/2004] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Microglia are a primary cellular component of the CNS innate immune system. Their response to conserved pathogen motifs is inherent and leads to the release of cytoactive factors that impact surrounding neurons and glia. The microglial response is modified by the local tissue environment and by "global" factors such as gender. Exposure to estrogen and testosterone, in general, down regulate microglia and peripheral macrophage function, promoting an anti-inflammatory phenotype. Other global factors, however, can "override" the gender-based effects demonstrated by estrogen or testosterone. Apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype and the expression of specific isoforms of apolipoprotein E differentially regulate microglial and peripheral macrophage function. Our studies have shown that the presence of the APOE4 gene, a known risk factor for AD and other neurodegenerative diseases, promotes a pro-inflammatory macrophage phenotype in neonatal microglia. However, in adult mice, the APOE genotype-specific effect depends on gender. Peritoneal macrophages from female adult APOE3 and APOE4 targeted replacement mice do not demonstrate an APOE genotype-specific response, whereas adult male APOE4 targeted replacement mice show enhanced macrophage responsiveness compared to adult male APOE3 mice. At least part of the altered macrophage response in APOE4 male mice may be due to differences in androgen receptor sensitivity to testosterone. These data re-enforce the concept that classical activation in macrophages has multiple levels of regulation, dictated by competing or synergistic factors and genotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carol A Colton
- Division of Neurology, Duke University Medical Center, Box 2900, Bryan Research Bldg, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
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Monteiro SC, Stefanello FM, Vianna LP, Matte C, Barp J, Belló-Klein A, Trindade VMT, Wyse ATS. Ovariectomy enhances acetylcholinesterase activity but does not alter ganglioside content in cerebral cortex of female adult rats. Metab Brain Dis 2005; 20:35-44. [PMID: 15918548 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-005-2474-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
In the present work we investigated the effect of ovariectomy on acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and ganglioside content in cerebral cortex of female rats. We also studied the activity of butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) in serum of these animals. Adult Wistar rats were divided into three groups: (1) naive females (control), (2) sham-operated females and (3) castrated females (ovariectomy). Thirty days after ovariectomy, rats were sacrificed by decapitation without anaesthesia. Blood was collected and the serum used for BuChE determination. Cerebral cortex was homogenized to determine AChE activity and extracted with chlorophorm:methanol for ganglioside evaluation. Results showed that rats subjected to ovariectomy presented a significant increase of AChE activity, but did not change the content and the profile of gangliosides in cerebral cortex when compared to sham or naive rats. BuChE activity was decreased in serum of rats ovariectomized. Our findings suggest that the alteration in the activity of brain AChE, as well as serum BuChE activity caused by ovariectomy may contribute to the impaired cognition and/or other neurological dysfunction found in post-menopausal women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siomara C Monteiro
- Departamento de Bioquimica, ICBS, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2600 Anexo, CEP 90035-003, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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Savettieri G, Messina D, Andreoli V, Bonavita S, Caltagirone C, Cittadella R, Farina D, Fazio MC, Girlanda P, Le Pira F, Liguori M, Lugaresi A, Nocentini U, Reggio A, Salemi G, Tedeschi G, Trojano M, Valentino P, Quattrone A. Gender-related effect of clinical and genetic variables on the cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis. J Neurol 2005; 251:1208-14. [PMID: 15503099 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-004-0508-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2003] [Revised: 03/29/2004] [Accepted: 04/01/2004] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cognitive impairment may occur at any time during the course of multiple sclerosis (MS), and it is often a major cause of disability in patients with the disease. The APOE-epsilon4 allele is the major known genetic risk factor for late onset familial and sporadic Alzheimer's Disease (AD), and it seems to be implicated in cognitive decline in normal elderly persons. OBJECTIVE To investigate the clinical and genetic variables that can be associated with the cognitive decline in patients with MS. METHODS Five-hundred and three patients with clinically definite MS underwent a battery of neuropsychological tests and, according to the number of failed tests, were divided into cognitively normal and impaired. All patients were genotyped for APOE gene polymorphisms. RESULTS Fifty-six percent of MS patients showed, to different extents, cognitive impairment. Cognitive decline was predominant in men and was associated with disease duration, Kurtzke Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score, a low level of education, and, interestingly, the epsilon4 allele of the APOE gene. By contrast, cognitive impairment in women was independent of any investigated variable. CONCLUSION The findings demonstrate that clinical and genetic factors play a role in men affected by MS developing cognitive impairment.
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Abstract
The objective of this study was to find out which N-terminal segment/s of amyloid precursor protein (APP) has any neurotrophic properties, since soluble APP-alpha (sAPP-alpha) has neurotrophic effects. We investigated neurotrophic properties of eight peptide segments of N-terminal APP. The APP63-73 was able to enhance neuronal growth; augment axonal and cell body growth in human neuroblastoma cell line, SH-SY5Y. Neurotrophic effects of chronic APP63-73 treatment were assessed in vivo using streptozotocin-induced diabetes and ovariectomized rats. Thus, this study demonstrated that APP63-73 peptide has neurotrophic effects both in vivo and in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Wang
- Neuro-Biochemistry Laboratory, Beijing Xuan-Wu Hospital, Capital University of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100053, China
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Feng Z, Cheng Y, Zhang JT. Long-term effects of melatonin or 17 beta-estradiol on improving spatial memory performance in cognitively impaired, ovariectomized adult rats. J Pineal Res 2004; 37:198-206. [PMID: 15357665 DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-079x.2004.00158.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Melatonin is an endogenously generated potent antioxidant. Our previous studies indicate that melatonin improved learning and memory deficits in APP695 transgenic mouse of Alzheimer's disease. An ovariectomized (OVX) rat model which is characterized by progressive memory deficits, central cholinergic nerve system degeneration and differentiation/apoptosis imbalance is the ideal in vivo model in which to test the neuroprotective effects of melatonin. OVX Sprague-Dawley rats received daily injections of melatonin (5, 10 and 20 mg/kg) or 17 beta-estradiol (E2, 80 microg/kg) or sesame oil for 16 wk. Morris water maze results showed that ovarian steroid deprivation resulted in spatial memory impairment, while melatonin and E2 significantly ameliorated spatial memory deficits in OVX rats. The latency to find the hidden platform and the distance to reach the platform become shorter in both melatonin and E2-treated rats compared with those that were only OVX. Four months after OVX, the choline acetyltransferase activity in the frontal cortex and hippocampus were greatly decreased in comparison with the controls. Melatonin and E2 antagonized the effects induced by OVX. Interestingly, the activity of the acetylcholinesterase was not altered in any group of rats. DNA fragmentation was presented in the front cortex of the OVX rats. Melatonin and E2 reduced the number of apoptotic neurons. These findings demonstrate the important effects of melatonin and E2 on cholinergic neurons and support the potential application of melatonin in the treatment of dementia in postmenopausal women. Our results indicate that neuroprotection by melatonin partly correlated to modulation of apoptosis and protection of the cholinergic system. Early long-term melatonin application is a promising strategy which could potentially be applied in a clinic setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Feng
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 10050, P.R. China.
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