Expression of excitatory amino acid transporter-1 in brain macrophages and microglia of HIV-infected patients. A neuroprotective role for activated microglia?

Genes of the Glutamatergic System and Tardive Dyskinesia in Patients with Schizophrenia

Background: Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is an extrapyramidal side effect of the long-term use of antipsychotics. In the present study, the role of glutamatergic system genes in the pathogenesis of total TD, as well as two phenotypic forms, orofacial TD and limb-truncal TD, was studied. Methods: A set of 46 SNPs of the glutamatergic system genes (GRIN2A, GRIN2B, GRIK4, GRM3, GRM7, GRM8, SLC1A2, SLC1A3, SLC17A7) was studied in a population of 704 Caucasian patients with schizophrenia. Genotyping was performed using the MassARRAY Analyzer 4 (Agena Bioscience™). Logistic regression analysis was performed to test for the association of TD with the SNPs while adjusting for confounders. Results: No statistically significant associations between the SNPs and TD were found after adjusting for multiple testing. Since three SNPs of the SLC1A2 gene demonstrated nominally significant associations, we carried out a haplotype analysis for these SNPs. This analysis identified a risk haplotype for TD comprising CAT alleles of the SLC1A2 gene SNPs rs1042113, rs10768121, and rs12361171. Nominally significant associations were identified for SLC1A3 rs2229894 and orofacial TD, as well as for GRIN2A rs7192557 and limb-truncal TD. Conclusions: Genes encoding for mGlu3, EAAT2, and EAAT1 may be involved in the development of TD in schizophrenia patients.

Microglia: Key Players in Retinal Ageing and Neurodegeneration

Microglia are the resident immune cells of the central nervous system (CNS) and play a key role in maintaining the normal function of the retina and brain. During early development, microglia migrate into the retina, transform into a highly ramified phenotype, and scan their environment constantly. Microglia can be activated by any homeostatic disturbance that may endanger neurons and threaten tissue integrity. Once activated, the young microglia exhibit a high diversity in their phenotypes as well as their functions, which relate to either beneficial or harmful consequences. Microglial activation is associated with the release of cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors that can determine pathological outcomes. As the professional phagocytes in the retina, microglia are responsible for the clearance of pathogens, dead cells, and protein aggregates. However, their phenotypic diversity and phagocytic capacity is compromised with ageing. This may result in the accumulation of protein aggregates and myelin debris leading to retinal neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. In this review, we describe microglial phenotypes and functions in the context of the young and ageing retina, and the mechanisms underlying changes in ageing. Additionally, we review microglia-mediated retinal neuroinflammation and discuss the mechanisms of microglial involvement in retinal neurodegenerative diseases.

Glutamate-induced excitotoxicity in Parkinson's disease: The role of glial cells

Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. Glutamate transmission efficiency depends on the correct functionality and expression of a plethora of receptors and transporters, located both on neurons and glial cells. Of note, glutamate reuptake by dedicated transporters prevents its accumulation at the synapse as well as non-physiological spillover. Indeed, extracellular glutamate increase causes aberrant synaptic signaling leading to neuronal excitotoxicity and death. Moreover, extrasynaptic glutamate diffusion is strongly associated with glia reaction and neuroinflammation. Glutamate-induced excitotoxicity is mainly linked to an impaired ability of glial cells to reuptake and respond to glutamate, then this is considered a common hallmark in many neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease (PD). In this review, we discuss the function of astrocytes and microglia in glutamate homeostasis, focusing on how glial dysfunction causes glutamate-induced excitotoxicity leading to neurodegeneration in PD.

Microglia immunometabolism: From metabolic disorders to single cell metabolism

Since the observation that obesity-associated low-grade chronic inflammation is a crucial driver for the onset of systemic metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes, a number of studies have highlighted the role of both the innate and the adaptive immune system in such pathologies. Moreover, researchers have recently demonstrated that immune cells can modulate their intracellular metabolic profile to control their activation and effector functions. These discoveries represent the foundations of a research area known as "immunometabolism", an emerging field of investigation that may lead to the development of new-generation therapies for the treatment of inflammatory and metabolic diseases. Most of the studies in the field have focused their attention on both circulating white blood cells and leukocytes residing within metabolic tissues such as adipose tissue, liver and pancreas. However, immunometabolism of immune cells in non-metabolic tissues, including central nervous system microglia, have long been neglected. In this review, we highlight the most recent findings suggesting that microglial cells play a central role in metabolic disorders and that interfering with the metabolic profile of microglia can modulate their functionality and pathogenicity in neurological diseases.

Glutamine Synthetase: Localization Dictates Outcome

Glutamine synthetase (GS) is the adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-dependent enzyme that catalyses the synthesis of glutamine by condensing ammonium to glutamate. In the circulatory system, glutamine carries ammonia from muscle and brain to the kidney and liver. In brain reduction of GS activity has been suggested as a mechanism mediating neurotoxicity in neurodegenerative disorders. In cancer, the delicate balance between glutamine synthesis and catabolism is a critical event. In vitro evidence, confirmed in vivo in some cases, suggests that reduced GS activity in cancer cells associates with a more invasive and aggressive phenotype. However, GS is known to be highly expressed in cells of the tumor microenvironment, such as fibroblasts, adipocytes and immune cells, and their ability to synthesize glutamine is responsible for the acquisition of protumoral phenotypes. This has opened a new window into the complex scenario of the tumor microenvironment, in which the balance of glutamine consumption versus glutamine synthesis influences cellular function. Since GS expression responds to glutamine starvation, a lower glutamine synthesizing power due to the absence of GS in cancer cells might apply a metabolic pressure on stromal cells. This event might push stroma towards a GS-high/protumoral phenotype. When referred to stromal cells, GS expression might acquire a ‘bad’ significance to the point that GS inhibition might be considered a conceivable strategy against cancer metastasis.

Blockade of Glutamine Synthetase Enhances Inflammatory Response in Microglial Cells

AIMS

Microglial cells are brain-resident macrophages engaged in surveillance and maintained in a constant state of relative inactivity. However, their involvement in autoimmune diseases indicates that in pathological conditions microglia gain an inflammatory phenotype. The mechanisms underlying this change in the microglial phenotype are still unclear. Since metabolism is an important modulator of immune cell function, we focused our attention on glutamine synthetase (GS), a modulator of the response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) activation in other cell types, which is expressed by microglia.

RESULTS

GS inhibition enhances release of inflammatory mediators of LPS-activated microglia in vitro, leading to perturbation of the redox balance and decreased viability of cocultured neurons. GS inhibition also decreases insulin-mediated glucose uptake in microglia. In vivo, microglia-specific GS ablation enhances expression of inflammatory markers upon LPS treatment. In the spinal cords from experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), GS expression levels and glutamine/glutamate ratios are reduced.

INNOVATION

Recently, metabolism has been highlighted as mediator of immune cell function through the discovery of mechanisms that (behind these metabolic changes) modulate the inflammatory response. The present study shows for the first time a metabolic mechanism mediating microglial response to a proinflammatory stimulus, pointing to GS activity as a master modulator of immune cell function and thus unraveling a potential therapeutic target.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study highlights a new role of GS in modulating immune response in microglia, providing insights into the pathogenic mechanisms associated with inflammation and new strategies of therapeutic intervention. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 26, 351-363.

Glutamatergic Transmission: A Matter of Three

Glutamatergic transmission in the vertebrate brain requires the involvement of glia cells, in a continuous molecular dialogue. Glial glutamate receptors and transporters are key molecules that sense synaptic activity and by these means modify their physiology in the short and long term. Posttranslational modifications that regulate protein-protein interactions and modulate transmitter removal are triggered in glial cells by neuronal released glutamate. Moreover, glutamate signaling cascades in these cells are linked to transcriptional and translational control and are critically involved in the control of the so-called glutamate/glutamine shuttle and by these means in glutamatergic neurotransmission. In this contribution, we summarize our current understanding of the biochemical consequences of glutamate synaptic activity in their surrounding partners and dissect the molecular mechanisms that allow neurons to take control of glia physiology to ensure proper glutamate-mediated neuronal communication.

Astrocyte and microglial control of glutamatergic signalling: a primer on understanding the disruptive role of chronic stress

It is now well established that chronic stress can induce significant structural remodelling of astrocytes and microglia. Until recently, however, the full significance of these morphological disturbances has remained unclear. Clues to the significance of astroglial re-organisation following stress are beginning to emerge from a compelling literature describing how astrocytes contribute to glutamatergic neurotransmission. The present review briefly summarises these two fields of research, identifies points of overlap and, in doing so, pin-points future research directions for stress neurobiology. Ultimately, understanding how chronic stress can disrupt the interactions of astrocytes and microglia with neurones has the potential in the future to improve the development of therapeutics designed to treat stress-related illnesses such as depression.

Innate immune responses to HIV infection in the central nervous system

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) invades the brain early during infection and generates a chronic inflammatory microenvironment that can eventually result in neurological disease, even in the absence of significant viral replication. Thus, HIV-1 infection of the brain has been characterized both as a neuroimmunological and neurodegenerative disorder. While the brain and central nervous system (CNS) have historically been regarded as immune privileged or immunologically quiescent, newer concepts of CNS immunity suggest an important if not defining role for innate immune responses generated by glial cells. Innate immunity may be the first line of defense against HIV infection of the brain and CNS, with multiple cellular elements providing responses that can be anti-viral and neuroprotective, but also potentially neurotoxic, impairing neurogenesis and promoting neuronal apoptosis. To investigate the effects of HIV exposure on neurogenesis and neuronal survival, we have studied the responses of human neuroepithelial progenitor (NEP) cells, which undergo directed differentiation into astrocytes and neurons in vitro. We identified a group of genes that were differentially expressed in NEP-derived cells during virus exposure. This included genes that are strongly related to interferon-induced responses and antigen presentation. Moreover, we observed that the host factor apolipoprotein E influences the innate immune response expressed by these cells, with a more robust response in the apolipoprotein E3/E3 genotype cultures compared to the apolipoprotein E3/E4 counterparts. Thus, neuroepithelial progenitors and their differentiated progeny recognize HIV and respond to it by mounting an innate immune response with a vigor that is influenced by the host factor apolipoprotein E.

Opiate drug use and the pathophysiology of neuroAIDS

Opiate abuse and HIV-1 have been described as interrelated epidemics, and even in the advent of combined anti-retroviral therapy, the additional abuse of opiates appears to result in greater neurologic and cognitive deficits. The central nervous system (CNS) is particularly vulnerable to interactive opiate-HIV-1 effects, in part because of the unique responses of microglia and astroglia. Although neurons are principally responsible for behavior and cognition, HIV-1 infection and replication in the brain is largely limited to microglia, while astroglia and perhaps glial progenitors can be latently infected. Thus, neuronal dysfunction and injury result from cellular and viral toxins originating from HIV-1 infected/exposed glia. Importantly, subsets of glial cells including oligodendrocytes, as well as neurons, express µ-opioid receptors and therefore can be direct targets for heroin and morphine (the major metabolite of heroin in the CNS), which preferentially activate µ-opioid receptors. This review highlights findings that neuroAIDS is a glially driven disease, and that opiate abuse may act at multiple glial-cell types to further compromise neuron function and survival. The ongoing, reactive cross-talk between opiate drug and HIV-1 co-exposed microglia and astroglia appears to exacerbate critical proinflammatory and excitotoxic events leading to neuron dysfunction, injury, and potentially death. Opiates enhance synaptodendritic damage and a loss of synaptic connectivity, which is viewed as the substrate of cognitive deficits. We especially emphasize that opioid signaling and interactions with HIV-1 are contextual, differing among cell types, and even within subsets of the same cell type. For example, astroglia even within a single brain region are heterogeneous in their expression of µ-, δ-, and κ-opioid receptors, as well as CXCR4 and CCR5, and Toll-like receptors. Thus, defining the distinct targets engaged by opiates in each cell type, and among brain regions, is critical to an understanding of how opiate abuse exacerbates neuroAIDS.

Physiology of microglia

Microglial cells are the resident macrophages in the central nervous system. These cells of mesodermal/mesenchymal origin migrate into all regions of the central nervous system, disseminate through the brain parenchyma, and acquire a specific ramified morphological phenotype termed "resting microglia." Recent studies indicate that even in the normal brain, microglia have highly motile processes by which they scan their territorial domains. By a large number of signaling pathways they can communicate with macroglial cells and neurons and with cells of the immune system. Likewise, microglial cells express receptors classically described for brain-specific communication such as neurotransmitter receptors and those first discovered as immune cell-specific such as for cytokines. Microglial cells are considered the most susceptible sensors of brain pathology. Upon any detection of signs for brain lesions or nervous system dysfunction, microglial cells undergo a complex, multistage activation process that converts them into the "activated microglial cell." This cell form has the capacity to release a large number of substances that can act detrimental or beneficial for the surrounding cells. Activated microglial cells can migrate to the site of injury, proliferate, and phagocytose cells and cellular compartments.

Microglial self-defence mediated through GLT-1 and glutathione

Glutamate is stored in synaptic vesicles in presynaptic neurons. It is released into the synaptic cleft to provide signalling to postsynaptic neurons. Normally, the astroglial glutamate transporters GLT-1 and GLAST take up glutamate to mediate a high signal-to-noise ratio in the synaptic signalling, and also to prevent excitotoxic effects by glutamate. In astrocytes, glutamate is transformed into glutamine, which is safely transported back to neurons. However, in pathological conditions, such as an ischemia or virus infection, astroglial transporters are down-regulated which could lead to excitotoxicity. Lately, it was shown that even microglia can express glutamate transporters during pathological events. Microglia have two systems for glutamate transport: GLT-1 for transport into the cells and the x (c) (-) system for transport out of the cells. We here review results from our work and others, which demonstrate that microglia in culture express GLT-1, but not GLAST, and transport glutamate from the extracellular space. We also show that TNF-α can induce increased microglial GLT-1 expression, possibly associating the expression with inflammatory systems. Furthermore, glutamate taken up through GLT-1 may be used for direct incorporation into glutathione and to fuel the intracellular glutamate pool to allow cystine uptake through the x (c) (-) system. This can lead to a defence against oxidative stress and have an antiviral function.

EAAT expression by macrophages and microglia: still more questions than answers

Glutamate is the main excitatory amino acid, but its presence in the extracellular milieu has deleterious consequences. It may induce excitotoxicity and also compete with cystine for the use of the cystine-glutamate exchanger, blocking glutathione neosynthesis and inducing an oxidative stress-induced cell death. Both mechanisms are critical in the brain where up to 20% of total body oxygen consumption occurs. In normal conditions, the astrocytes ensure that extracellular concentration of glutamate is kept in the micromolar range, thanks to their coexpression of high-affinity glutamate transporters (EAATs) and glutamine synthetase (GS). Their protective function is nevertheless sensitive to situations such as oxidative stress or inflammatory processes. On the other hand, macrophages and microglia do not express EAATs and GS in physiological conditions and are the principal effector cells of brain inflammation. Since the late 1990s, a number of studies have now shown that both microglia and macrophages display inducible EAAT and GS expression, but the precise significance of this still remains poorly understood. Brain macrophages and microglia are sister cells but yet display differences. Both are highly sensitive to their microenvironment and can perform a variety of functions that may oppose each other. However, in the very particular environment of the healthy brain, they are maintained in a repressed state. The aim of this review is to present the current state of knowledge on brain macrophages and microglial cells activation, in order to help clarify their role in the regulation of glutamate under pathological conditions as well as its outcome.

CNS inflammation and macrophage/microglial biology associated with HIV-1 infection

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection of the central nervous system (CNS) can result in neurological dysfunction with devastating consequences in a significant proportion of individuals with acquired immune deficiency syndrome. HIV-1 does not infect neurons directly but induces damage indirectly through the accumulation of activated macrophage/microglia (M/M) cells, some of which are infected, that release neurotoxic mediators including both cellular activation products and viral proteins. One mechanism for the accumulation of activated M/M involves the development in infected individuals of an activated peripheral blood monocyte population that traffics through the blood-brain barrier, a process that also serves to carry virus into CNS and establish local infection. A second mechanism involves the release by infected and activated M/M in the CNS of chemotactic mediators that recruit additional monocytes from the periphery. These activated M/M, some of which are infected, release a number of cytokines and small molecule mediators as well as viral proteins that act on bystander cells and in turn activate them, thus amplifying the cascade. These viral proteins and cellular products have neurotoxic properties as well, both directly and through induction of astrocyte dysfunction, which ultimately lead to neuronal injury and death. In patients effectively treated with antiretroviral therapy, frank dementia is now uncommon and has been replaced by milder forms of neurocognitive impairment, with less frequent and more focal neuropathology. This review summarizes key findings that support the critical role and mechanisms of monocyte/macrophage activation and inflammation as a major component for HIV-1 encephalitis or HIV-1 associated dementia.

Impaired astrocytes and diffuse activation of microglia in the cerebral cortex in simian immunodeficiency virus-infected Macaques without simian immunodeficiency virus encephalitis

Various types of neuronal damage have been reported in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) dementia. We previously demonstrated that inflammation and cortical damage occur independently according to viral tropism in a simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-infected macaque model of AIDS dementia. To elucidate the pathogenesis of cortical degeneration, we examined the frontal cortex of SIV-infected macaques and found apoptosis and decreased expression of the excitatory amino acid transporter 2 in astrocytes and diffuse activation of microglia in association with limited neuronal damage. Some activated microglia also expressed excitatory amino acid transporter 2 but not proinflammatory cytokines. No inflammatory changes were seen in the cortex or the white matter, and SIV-infected cells were not detected in or around cortical lesions either by immunohistochemistry or by the polymerase chain reaction detection of SIV genomes of extracted DNA from microdissected tissue samples. These results indicate that an astrocytic abnormality and a compensatory activation of microglia might provide a protective effect against neuronal degeneration in the frontal cortex of SIV-infected macaques without SIV encephalitis.

Neuroprotective immunity: T cell-derived glutamate endows astrocytes with a neuroprotective phenotype

A well-controlled T cell response to CNS injury may result in increased neuronal survival. However, the precise mechanism of T cell-induced neuroprotection is unknown. In this study, we report the unexpected finding that during culture of T cells, high levels of glutamate accumulate, which are efficiently cleared if T cells are cocultured with astrocytes. The T cell-derived glutamate elicits in turn, the release of neuroprotective thiols (cysteine, glutathione, and cysteinyl-glycine) and lactate from astrocytes. Media obtained from astrocytes conditioned in the presence of T cells reduce neuronal apoptosis induced by oxidative stress in primary neuronal cultures from 48 +/- 14 to 9 +/- 4% (p < 0.001). Inhibition of glutamate-dependent signaling during astrocyte-T cell cocultivation by a glutamate uptake inhibitor, l-aspartic acid beta-hydroxamate, abolishes this neuroprotective effect. The ability of astrocytes to clear extracellular glutamate is impaired under conditions of oxidative stress. We demonstrate that T cells, via secreted cytokines, restore glutamate clearance capacity of astrocytes under oxidative conditions. Furthermore, under normoxic conditions, glutamate-buffering capacity of astrocytes is increased upon cocultivation with T cells. It is known that, following CNS injury, astrocytes can respond with beneficial or destructive effects on neurons. However, the context and signaling mechanisms for this dual astrocytic response are unknown. Our results implicate T cells as potential determinants of the context that elicits a protective role for astrocytes in the damaged CNS.

Neuroinflammation and regulation of glial glutamate uptake in neurological disorders

Oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and excitotoxicity are frequently considered distinct but common hallmarks of several neurological disorders, including Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, and Alzheimer's disease. Although neuron degeneration and death are the ultimate consequences of these pathological processes, it is now widely accepted that alterations in the function of surrounding glial cells are key features in the progression of these diseases. In response to alteration in their local environment, microglia, commonly considered the resident immune cells of the nervous parenchyma, become activated and release a variety of soluble factors. Among these, proinflammatory cytokines and free radicals actively participate in the degenerative insults. In addition, excitotoxic neuronal damage resulting from excessive glutamate is frequently associated with impaired handling of extracellular glutamate by gliotic astrocytes. Although several research projects have focused on the biochemical mechanisms of the regulation of glial glutamate transporters, a relationship between activation of microglia and modulation of astrocytic glutamate uptake is now suggested. The aim of this review is to summarize and discuss the data showing an influence of inflammatory mediators and related free radicals on the expression and activity of glial glutamate transporters.

Neuropathologic contributions to understanding AIDS and the central nervous system

This historical review describes the evolution of the pathogenetic concepts associated with infection by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), with emphasis on the pathology of the nervous system. Although the first descriptions of damage to the nervous system in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) only appeared in 1982, the dramatic diffusion of the epidemic worldwide and the invariably rapidly fatal outcome of the disease, before the introduction of efficient treatment, generated from the beginning an enormous amount of research with rethinking on a number of pathogenetic concepts. Less than 25 years after the first autopsy series of AIDS patients were published and the virus responsible for AIDS was identified, satisfactory definition and classification of a number of neuropathological complications of HIV infection have been established, leading to accurate clinical radiological and biological diagnosis of the main neurological complications of the disease, which remain a major cause of disability and death in AIDS patients. Clinical and experimental studies have provided essential insight into the pathogenesis of CNS lesions and natural history of the disease. The relatively recent introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in 1995-1996 has dramatically improved the course and prognosis of HIV disease. However, there remain a number of unsolved pathogenetic issues, the most puzzling of which remains the precise mechanism of neuronal damage underlying the specific HIV-related cognitive disorders (HIV dementia). In addition, although HAART has changed the course of neurological complications of HIV infection, new issues have emerged such as the lack of improvement or even paradoxical deterioration of the neurological status in treated patients. Interpretation of these latter data remains largely speculative partly because of the small number of neuropathological studies related to the beneficial consequence of this treatment.

Microglial GLT-1 is upregulated in response to herpes simplex virus infection to provide an antiviral defence via glutathione

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) can enter the central nervous system and cause encephalitis (HSV-1) or meningitis (HSV-2). Microglia, the immunocompetent cells of the central nervous system, are potentially able to detect viral infections. Microglia have been shown to express the glutamate transporter GLT-1 during pathological events, leading to increased microglial glutamate uptake and glutathione synthesis. This study aims to address the role of GLT-1 and glutathione, a major antioxidant with antiviral properties, during HSV infections. Using neuron-enriched mixed primary cultures from rat, it was found that microglia have higher resistance to HSV infections than neurons or astrocytes after 24 h incubation with HSV. Purified microglia in culture were used to further address this. It was found that microglia were able to detect HSV and responded by releasing tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and upregulating GLT-1 after 24 h incubation with 1 PFU/cell HSV-1 or HSV-2. Furthermore, the microglial glutathione levels were not significantly diminished after 24 h. Inhibition of the microglial glutathione synthesis with 200 microM buthionine sulfoximide (BSO) led to significantly more infected cells after 24 h incubation with 1 PFU/cell HSV-1 or HSV-2. These data indicate that the higher resistance in microglia against HSV infections may be due to the expression of GLT-1, which can maintain the glutathione levels and provide a mechanism for microglial self-defense against HSV.

Dissociation between hippocampal neuronal loss, astroglial and microglial reactivity after pharmacologically induced reverse glutamate transport

The inflammatory central nervous system response that involves activated microglia and reactive astrocytes may both heal and harm neurons, as inflammatory mediators lead to neuroprotection or excitation at one dose but to injury at a different concentration. To investigate these complex cellular interactions, L-trans-pyrrolidine-2,4-dicarboxylate (PDC), a selective substrate inhibitor of glutamate transport, was infused during 14 days in the rat hippocampus at three different rates: 5, 10 and 25 nmol/h. A microglial reaction appeared at the 5 nmol/h PDC rate in absence of astroglial reaction and neuronal loss. Microgliosis and neuronal death were observed at PDC 10 nmol/h in absence of astrogliosis and calcium precipitation, whereas all four aspects were present at the highest rate. This dissociation between neuronal loss and astroglial reactivity took place in presence of a permanent microglial reaction. These data suggest a specific response of microglia to PDC whose neuronal effects may differ with the infused dose.

Transporters for L-glutamate: an update on their molecular pharmacology and pathological involvement

L-Glutamate (Glu) is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the mammalian CNS and five types of high-affinity Glu transporters (EAAT1-5) have been identified. The transporters EAAT1 and EAAT2 in glial cells are responsible for the majority of Glu uptake while neuronal EAATs appear to have specialized roles at particular types of synapses. Dysfunction of EAATs is specifically implicated in the pathology of neurodegenerative conditions such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, epilepsy, Huntington's disease, Alzheimer's disease and ischemic stroke injury, and thus treatments that can modulate EAAT function may prove beneficial in these conditions. Recent advances have been made in our understanding of the regulation of EAATs, including their trafficking, splicing and post-translational modification. This article summarises some recent developments that improve our understanding of the roles and regulation of EAATs.

Inflammatory changes parallel the early stages of Alzheimer disease

Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most prominent cause of dementia in the elderly. To determine changes in the AD brain that may mediate the transition into dementia, the gene expression of approximately 10,000 full-length genes was compared in mild/moderate dementia cases to non-demented controls that exhibited high AD pathology. Including this latter group distinguishes this work from previous studies in that it allows analysis of early cognitive loss. Compared to non-demented high-pathology controls, the hippocampus of AD cases with mild/moderate dementia had increased gene expression of the inflammatory molecule major histocompatibility complex (MHC) II, as assessed with microarray analysis. MHC II protein levels were also increased and inversely correlated with cognitive ability. Interestingly, the mild/moderate AD dementia cases also exhibited decreased number of T cells in the hippocampus and the cortex compared to controls. In conclusion, transition into AD dementia correlates with increased MHC II(+) microglia-mediated immunity and is paradoxically paralleled by a decrease in T cell number, suggesting immune dysfunction.

The glutamate-glutamine cycle as an inducible, protective face of macrophage activation

Neuronal damage in HIV infection results mainly from chronic activation of brain tissue and involves inflammation, oxidative stress, and glutamate-related neurotoxicity. Glutamate toxicity acts via two distinct pathways: an excitotoxic one, in which glutamate receptors are hyperactivated, and an oxidative one, in which cystine uptake is inhibited, resulting in glutathione depletion, oxidative stress, and cell degeneration. A number of studies have shown that astrocytes normally take up glutamate, keeping extracellular glutamate concentration low in the brain and preventing excitotoxicity. They, in turn, provide the trophic amino acid glutamine via their expression of glutamine synthetase. These protective and trophic actions are inhibited in HIV infection, probably as a result of the effects of inflammatory mediators and viral proteins. In vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated that activated microglia and brain macrophages (AMM) express the transporters and enzymes of the glutamate cycle. This suggests that in addition to their recognized neurotoxic properties in HIV infection, these cells exhibit some neuroprotective properties, which may partly compensate for the inhibited astrocytic function. This hypothesis might explain the discrepancy between microglial activation, which occurs early in the disease, and neuronal apoptosis and neuronal loss, which are late events. In this review, we discuss the possible neuroprotective and neurotrophic roles of AMM and their relationships with inflammation and oxidative stress.

Microglial glutamate uptake is coupled to glutathione synthesis and glutamate release

The physiological function of microglial glutamate uptake has been debated as it is about 10% of that measured for astrocytes. This study addresses how glutamate, taken up from the extracellular space, is utilized by microglia. It was found that purified rat microglia incubated for 60 min with (3)H-glutamate had an increased intracellular accumulation of (3)H-glutamate after 12 h incubation with tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) but not after incubation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Furthermore, LPS- but not TNF-alpha-treated cells showed an increased efflux of (3)H-labelled compounds, presumably glutamate through the X(C) (-) system and treatment with LPS or TNF-alpha increased the microglial glutathione concentrations and led to an increased incorporation of (3)H-glutamate into glutathione. Depending on the stimuli, 3-6% of the total labelled contents were found in the form of glutathione and 25-35% in the form of glutamate. These results show that microglial glutamate uptake is directly coupled to glutathione synthesis and release of glutamate and/or glutamate metabolites. Additionally, the increased glutathione contents after LPS or TNF-alpha treatment were able to reduce microglial cell death after H(2)O(2) challenge, showing a potential (self)-protective function for microglial glutamate transporter expression and glutathione synthesis.

Viruses and the brain: from inflammation to dementia

Many viruses cause encephalitis, but understanding the mechanisms by which viral infection leads to encephalopathy or dementia remain elusive. In many cases, inflammation generated by the host's attempt to combat the infection is itself implicated as a primary factor in causing neuronal dysfunction or degeneration. In this review, we outline the current state of knowledge regarding the pathophysiology of CNS (central nervous system) injury in viral infection. We focus our review on the neuropathogenesis of HIV type 1 (HIV-1)-associated dementia, because, within this class of infection, it is the best studied. We will also discuss the key similarities and differences in the pathological mechanisms of other important viral encephalitides. Understanding these mechanisms should ultimately enable development of immunomodulatory therapies for treating these infections, as well as other neuro-inflammatory conditions.

Behavioral and morphological effects of minocycline in the 6-hydroxydopamine rat model of Parkinson's disease

The neuropathology in many neurodegenerative diseases is mediated by inflammatory cascades that influence neuronal dysfunction and death. Minocycline reduces the neurodegeneration observed in various models of Parkinson's. We exploited the unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesion model to assess the effect of minocycline on related neurodegeneration. Thirty Fisher 344 rats were divided into three daily treatment groups: (1) after: 45 mg/kg of minocycline beginning 24 h after lesioning; (2) before: 45 mg/kg of minocycline beginning 3 days before 6-OHDA lesioning; (3) control: corresponding saline-treated controls. Animals were assessed for apomorphine-induced rotations for 4 weeks. A longitudinal model for repeated measures showed that both after and before groups had significantly lower rotations than controls (P < 0.001 for both comparisons). Pair-wise group comparisons showed that the before animals rotated less compared to controls (mean rotations: 164 +/- 38 versus 386 +/- 49, respectively, P = 0.001). After animals also rotated significantly less then controls (mean rotations: 125 +/- 41 versus 386 +/- 49, respectively, P < 0.001). Animals receiving minocycline displayed reduced tyrosine hydroxylase-positive cell loss in the lesioned nigra versus contralateral nonlesioned nigra, compared to controls (mean differences: 5065 for after, 3550 for before, and 6483 for controls; P = 0.158 for after versus controls, P = 0.019 for before versus controls). The remaining lesioned nigral cells of both minocycline-treated groups were larger than controls, with the most robust cell size and fiber density observed in the after group. These data suggest that the therapeutic potential of minocycline may depend on the time of drug administration relative to neuropathogenic event.

Glutamate metabolism in HIV-infected macrophages: implications for the CNS

Central nervous system disorders are still a common complication of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and can lead to dementia and death. They are mostly the consequences of an inflammatory macrophagic activation and relate to glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity. However, recent studies also suggest neuroprotective aspects of macrophage activation through the expression of glutamate transporters and glutamine synthetase. We thus aimed to study whether HIV infection or activation of macrophages could modulate glutamate metabolism in these cells. We assessed the effect of HIV infection on glutamate transporter expression as well as on glutamate uptake by macrophages and showed that glutamate transport was partially decreased in the course of virus replication, whereas excitatory amino acid transporter-2 (EAAT-2) gene expression was dramatically increased. The consequences of HIV infection on glutamine synthetase were also measured and for the first time we show the functional expression of this key enzyme in macrophages. This expression was repressed during virus production. We then quantified EAAT-1 and EAAT-2 gene expression as well as glutamate uptake in differentially activated macrophages and show that the effects of HIV are not directly related to pro- or anti-inflammatory mediators. Finally, this study shows that glutamate transport by macrophages is less affected than what has been described in astrocytes. Macrophages may thus play a role in neuroprotection against glutamate in the infected brain, through their expression of both EAATs and glutamine synthetase. Because glutamate metabolism by activated macrophages is sensitive to both HIV infection and inflammation, it may thus be of potential interest as a therapeutic target in HIV encephalitis.

Microarrays and expression profiling in microglia research and in inflammatory brain disorders

Expression profiling by using microarrays is a powerful tool for investigating transcriptional changes in a variety of diseases. In this survey, microarray data selected from the literature from in vivo and in vitro studies are scrutinized to find differentially expressed genes in common within specific inflammatory conditions in brain or microglial cell cultures, if there are at least two independent investigations available. Viral encephalitis, multiple sclerosis, epileptic seizures, ischemic lesions, and traumatic brain injury are the disorders covered. Moreover, by taking into account expression data obtained from cultured microglia, two examples are presented of how one can deal (or should not deal) with lists of candidate genes showing up in these kinds of studies without sophisticated software programs. Finally, some general remarks are made about pivotal issues when beginning to use microarray technology.

Cross talk between growth factors and viral and cellular factors alters neuronal signaling pathways: implication for HIV-associated dementia

HIV-associated dementia (HAD) is a serious neurological disorder affecting about 7% of people with AIDS. In the brain, HIV-1 infects a restricted number of cell types, being primarily present in macrophages and microglial cells, less abundant in astrocytes, and rarely seen in oligodendrocytes and neurons. Lack of a productive HIV-1 infection of neuronal cells suggests the presence of an indirect pathway by which the virus may determine the brain pathology and neuronal dysfunction seen in AIDS patients. Among the participants in this event, viral proteins including gp120 and Tat, along with host factors including cytokines, chemokines, and several signaling pathways have received considerable attention. In this article, we discuss the most recent concepts pertaining to the mechanisms of HIV-1-induced neuronal dysfunction by highlighting the interplay between signal transduction pathways activated by viral and host factors and their consequences in neuronal cell function.

Macrophages and HIV-1: dangerous liaisons

HIV-1, like the other lentiviruses, has evolved the ability to infect nondividing cells including macrophages. HIV-1 replication in monocytes/macrophages entails peculiar features and differs in many respects from that in CD4 T lymphocytes. HIV-1 exhibits different tropism for CD4 T cells and macrophages. The virus can enter macrophages via several routes. Mitosis is not required for nuclear import of viral DNA or for its integration into the host cell genome. Specific cellular factors are required for HIV-1 transcription in macrophages. The assembly and budding of viral particles in macrophages take place in late endosomal compartments. Viral particles can use the exosome pathway to exit cells. Given their functions in host defence against pathogens and the regulation of the immune response plus their permissivity to HIV-1 infection, monocytes/macrophages exert a dual role in HIV infection. They contribute to the establishment and persistence of HIV-1 infection, and may activate surrounding T cells favouring their infection. Furthermore, monocytes/macrophages act as a Trojan horse to transmit HIV-1 to the central nervous system. They also exhibit antiviral activity and express many molecules that inhibit HIV-1 replication. Activated microglia and macrophages may also exert a neurotrophic and neuroprotective effect on infected brain regulating glutamate metabolism or by secretion of neurotrophins. This review will discuss specific aspects of viral replication in monocytes/macrophages and the role of their interactions with the cellular environment in HIV-1 infection swinging between protection and pathogenesis.

Lipopolysaccharide increases microglial GLT-1 expression and glutamate uptake capacity in vitro by a mechanism dependent on TNF-α

This study investigates the effect of microglial activation on microglial glutamate transporters in vitro. Stimuli known to activate microglia and/or to be associated with pathological conditions with an impaired astroglial glutamate uptake were compared. Morphological changes and marked increases in ED1 antigen expression were found after 8-h incubation of rat microglia in 56 mM KCl, 1 ng/ml lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and 100 microM glutamate, as well as in acidic and basic conditions, showing that the cells were activated. Of the stimuli used, only LPS induced a significant release of the proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), and was the only stimulus that increased microglial GLT-1 expression and glutamate uptake capacity after 12-h incubation. This effect was probably mediated by TNF-alpha, since this cytokine mimicked the effect of LPS. Furthermore, the effect of LPS was blocked by thalidomide, an inhibitor of TNF-alpha synthesis. Additionally, neutralizing antibodies against TNF-alpha also blocked the increase, indicating TNF-alpha as an inducer of GLT-1 expression in microglia. It was also found that preincubation with glutamate dose-dependently inhibited the microglial glutamate uptake. This could suggest different physiological functions for microglial and astroglial glutamate uptake and might indicate a reciprocal control of GLT-1 expression between microglia and astrocytes.

Glutamate-mediated glial injury: Mechanisms and clinical importance

Primary and/or secondary glial cell death can cause and/or aggravate human diseases of the central nervous system (CNS). Like neurons, glial cells are vulnerable to glutamate insults. Astrocytes, microglia, and oligodendrocytes express a wide variety of glutamate receptors and transporters that mediate many of the deleterious effects of glutamate. Astrocytes are responsible for most glutamate uptake in synaptic and nonsynaptic areas and consequently, are the major regulators of glutamate homeostasis. Microglia in turn may secrete cytokines, which can impair glutamate uptake and reduce the expression of glutamate transporters. Finally, oligodendrocytes, the myelinating cells of the CNS, are very sensitive to excessive glutamate signaling, which can lead to the apoptosis or necrosis of these cells. This review aims at summarizing the mechanisms leading to glial cell death as a consequence of alterations in glutamate signaling, and their clinical relevance. A thorough understanding of these events will undoubtedly lead to better therapeutic strategies to treat CNS diseases affecting glia and in particular, those that involve damage to white matter tracts.

Role of microglia in central nervous system infections

The nature of microglia fascinated many prominent researchers in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and in a classic treatise in 1932, Pio del Rio-Hortega formulated a number of concepts regarding the function of these resident macrophages of the brain parenchyma that remain relevant to this day. However, a renaissance of interest in microglia occurred toward the end of the 20th century, fueled by the recognition of their role in neuropathogenesis of infectious agents, such as human immunodeficiency virus type 1, and by what appears to be their participation in other neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory disorders. During the same period, insights into the physiological and pathological properties of microglia were gained from in vivo and in vitro studies of neurotropic viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites, and prions, which are reviewed in this article. New concepts that have emerged from these studies include the importance of cytokines and chemokines produced by activated microglia in neurodegenerative and neuroprotective processes and the elegant but astonishingly complex interactions between microglia, astrocytes, lymphocytes, and neurons that underlie these processes. It is proposed that an enhanced understanding of microglia will yield improved therapies of central nervous system infections, since such therapies are, by and large, sorely needed.

Multiple actions of the human immunodeficiency virus type-1 Tat protein on microglial cell functions

The human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) regulatory protein Tat is produced in the early phase of infection and is essential for virus replication. Together with other viral products, Tat has been implicated in the pathogenesis of HIV-1-associated dementia (HAD). As HIV-1 infection in the brain is very limited and macrophage/microglial cells are the only cellular type productively infected by the virus, it has been proposed that many of the viral neurotoxic effects are mediated by microglial products. We and others have shown that Tat affects the functional state of microglial cells, supporting the hypothesis that activated microglia play a role in the neuropathology associated with HIV-1 infection. This review describes the experimental evidence indicating that Tat stimulates microglia to synthesize potentially neurotoxic molecules, including proinflammatory cytokines and free radicals, and interferes with molecular mechanisms controlling cAMP levels, intracellular [Ca2+], and ion channel expression.

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress induced by a neurovirulent mouse retrovirus is associated with prolonged BiP binding and retention of a viral protein in the ER

Some murine retroviruses cause a spongiform neurodegenerative disease exhibiting pathology resembling that observed in transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. The neurovirulence of these "spongiogenic retroviruses" is determined by the sequence of their respective envelope proteins, although the mechanisms of neurotoxicity are not understood. We have studied a highly neurovirulent virus called FrCasE that causes a rapidly progressive form of this disease. Recently, transcriptional markers of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress were detected during the early preclinical period in the brains of FrCasE-infected mice. In contrast, ER stress was not observed in mice infected with an avirulent virus, F43, which carries a different envelope gene, suggesting a role for ER stress in disease pathogenesis. Here we have examined in NIH 3T3 cells the cause of this cellular stress response. The envelope protein of F43 bound BiP, a major ER chaperone, transiently and was processed normally through the secretory pathway. In contrast, the envelope protein of FrCasE bound to BiP for a prolonged period, was retained in the ER, and was degraded by the proteasome. Furthermore, engagement of the FrCasE envelope protein by ER quality control pathways resulted in decreased steady-state levels of this protein, relative to that of F43, both in NIH 3T3 cells and in the brains of infected mice. Thus, the ER stress induced by FrCasE appears to be initiated by inefficient folding of its viral envelope protein, suggesting that the neurodegenerative disease caused by this virus represents a protein misfolding disorder.

Glutamate transporters: animal models to neurologic disease

Glutamate is the primary excitatory amino acid neurotransmitter in the central nervous system and its activity is carefully modulated in the synaptic cleft by glutamate transporters. A number of glutamate transporters have been identified in the central nervous system and each has a unique physiologic property and distribution. Glutamate transporter dysfunction may either be an initiating event or part of a cascade leading to cellular dysfunction and ultimately cell death. Animal models of glutamate transporter dysfunction have revealed a significant role for these proteins in pathologic conditions such as neurodegenerative diseases, epilepsy, stroke, and central nervous system tumors. Recent work has focused on glutamate transporter biology in human diseases with an emphasis on how manipulation of these transporter proteins may lead to therapeutic interventions in neurologic disease.

Neurotoxicité et neuroprotection, les deux facettes de l’activation microgliale au cours de l’infection par le virus de l’immunodéficience humaine (VIH)

Microglial cells and macrophages are the only cells within the central nervous system, in which productive HIV infection has been unquestionably demonstrated. Those cells play a key role in the origin of the neuronal dysfunction underlying HIV-related cognitive disorders. The neurotoxicity of the cells is both direct, related to HIV proteins, and indirect, through the release by activated macrophages and microglial cells (AMM) of multiple neurotoxic factors. The mechanisms of neuronal damage, the final irreversible stage of which is neuronal apoptosis, are only partly understood but appear to involve oxidative stress and glutamate-receptor mediated toxicity. On the other hand, recent experimental in vitro and in vivo studies, and neuropathological studies in HIV infected patients at different stages of the disease, tend to show that AMM express excitatory amino acid transporters (EAAT) suggesting that in addition to their neurotoxic properties, they also have a neuroprotective role by clearing extra-cellular glutamate and producing antioxidant glutathione. This neuroprotective role could counteract, at least in the early stages of the disease, the neurotoxicity of AMM explaining the discrepancy between the conspicuous microglial activation at that stage and the absence of cognitive disorder, neuronal loss and neuronal apoptosis. It could also explain the regression of the cognitive disorders in some patients who received highly active antiretroviral treatment.

Up-regulation of glutamate concentration in the putamen and in the prefrontal cortex of asymptomatic SIVmac251-infected macaques without major brain involvement

We quantified putamen and prefrontal cortex metabolites in macaques with simian immunodeficiency virus infection and searched for virological and histological correlates. Fourteen asymptomatic macaques infected since 8-78 months (median: 38) were compared with eight uninfected ones. Absolute concentrations of acetate, alanine, aspartate, choline, creatine, GABA, glutamate, glutamine, lactate, myo-inositol, N-acetylaspartate, taurine and valine were determined by ex vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Glutamate concentration in the CSF was determined by HPLC. Gliosis was assessed by glial fibrillary acidic protein and CD68 immunohistochemistry. Glutamate concentration was slightly increased in the prefrontal cortex (19%, p = 0.0152, t-test) and putamen (13%, p = 0.0354, t-test) of the infected macaques, and was unaffected in the CSF. Myo-inositol concentration was increased in the prefrontal cortex only (27%, p = 0.0136). The concentrations of glutamate and myo-inositol in the prefrontal cortex were higher in the animals with marked or intense microgliosis (p = 0.0114). The other studied metabolites, including N-acetylaspartate, were not altered. Glutamate concentration may thus increase in the cerebral parenchyma in asymptomatic animals, but is not accompanied by a detectable decrease in N-acetylaspartate concentration (neuronal dysfunction). Thus, there are probably compensatory mechanisms that may limit glutamate increase and/or counterbalance its effects.