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Najafi P, Reimer C, Gilthorpe JD, Jacobsen KR, Ramløse M, Paul NF, Simianer H, Tetens J, Falker-Gieske C. Genomic evidence for the suitability of Göttingen Minipigs with a rare seizure phenotype as a model for human epilepsy. Neurogenetics 2024; 25:103-117. [PMID: 38383918 PMCID: PMC11076379 DOI: 10.1007/s10048-024-00750-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Epilepsy is a complex genetic disorder that affects about 2% of the global population. Although the frequency and severity of epileptic seizures can be reduced by a range of pharmacological interventions, there are no disease-modifying treatments for epilepsy. The development of new and more effective drugs is hindered by a lack of suitable animal models. Available rodent models may not recapitulate all key aspects of the disease. Spontaneous epileptic convulsions were observed in few Göttingen Minipigs (GMPs), which may provide a valuable alternative animal model for the characterisation of epilepsy-type diseases and for testing new treatments. We have characterised affected GMPs at the genome level and have taken advantage of primary fibroblast cultures to validate the functional impact of fixed genetic variants on the transcriptome level. We found numerous genes connected to calcium metabolism that have not been associated with epilepsy before, such as ADORA2B, CAMK1D, ITPKB, MCOLN2, MYLK, NFATC3, PDGFD, and PHKB. Our results have identified two transcription factor genes, EGR3 and HOXB6, as potential key regulators of CACNA1H, which was previously linked to epilepsy-type disorders in humans. Our findings provide the first set of conclusive results to support the use of affected subsets of GMPs as an alternative and more reliable model system to study human epilepsy. Further neurological and pharmacological validation of the suitability of GMPs as an epilepsy model is therefore warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pardis Najafi
- Department of Animal Sciences, Georg-August-University, Burckhardtweg 2, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
- Center for Integrated Breeding Research, Georg-August-University, Albrecht-Thaer-Weg 3, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Christian Reimer
- Center for Integrated Breeding Research, Georg-August-University, Albrecht-Thaer-Weg 3, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Höltystr. 10, 31535, Neustadt, Germany
| | - Jonathan D Gilthorpe
- Department of Integrative Medical Biology, Umeå University, 901 87, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Kirsten R Jacobsen
- Ellegaard Göttingen Minipigs A/S, Sorø Landevej 302, 4261, Dalmose, Denmark
| | - Maja Ramløse
- Ellegaard Göttingen Minipigs A/S, Sorø Landevej 302, 4261, Dalmose, Denmark
| | - Nora-Fabienne Paul
- Department of Animal Sciences, Georg-August-University, Burckhardtweg 2, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Henner Simianer
- Department of Animal Sciences, Georg-August-University, Burckhardtweg 2, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
- Center for Integrated Breeding Research, Georg-August-University, Albrecht-Thaer-Weg 3, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jens Tetens
- Department of Animal Sciences, Georg-August-University, Burckhardtweg 2, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
- Center for Integrated Breeding Research, Georg-August-University, Albrecht-Thaer-Weg 3, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Clemens Falker-Gieske
- Department of Animal Sciences, Georg-August-University, Burckhardtweg 2, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
- Center for Integrated Breeding Research, Georg-August-University, Albrecht-Thaer-Weg 3, 37075, Göttingen, Germany.
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Lim D, Tapella L, Dematteis G, Talmon M, Genazzani AA. Calcineurin Signalling in Astrocytes: From Pathology to Physiology and Control of Neuronal Functions. Neurochem Res 2023; 48:1077-1090. [PMID: 36083398 PMCID: PMC10030417 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-022-03744-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2022] [Revised: 07/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Calcineurin (CaN), a Ca2+/calmodulin-activated serine/threonine phosphatase, acts as a Ca2+-sensitive switch regulating cellular functions through protein dephosphorylation and activation of gene transcription. In astrocytes, the principal homeostatic cells in the CNS, over-activation of CaN is known to drive pathological transcriptional remodelling, associated with neuroinflammation in diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy and brain trauma. Recent reports suggest that, in physiological conditions, the activity of CaN in astrocytes is transcription-independent and is required for maintenance of basal protein synthesis rate and activation of astrocytic Na+/K+ pump thereby contributing to neuronal functions such as neuronal excitability and memory formation. In this contribution we overview the role of Ca2+ and CaN signalling in astroglial pathophysiology focusing on the emerging physiological role of CaN in astrocytes. We propose a model for the context-dependent switch of CaN activity from the post-transcriptional regulation of cell proteostasis in healthy astrocytes to the CaN-dependent transcriptional activation in neuroinflammation-associated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitry Lim
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale "Amedeo Avogadro", Via Bovio 6, 28100, Novara, Italy.
| | - Laura Tapella
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale "Amedeo Avogadro", Via Bovio 6, 28100, Novara, Italy
| | - Giulia Dematteis
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale "Amedeo Avogadro", Via Bovio 6, 28100, Novara, Italy
| | - Maria Talmon
- Department of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Università del Piemonte Orientale "Amedeo Avogadro", Via Solaroli 17, 28100, Novara, Italy
| | - Armando A Genazzani
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale "Amedeo Avogadro", Via Bovio 6, 28100, Novara, Italy.
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3
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Sompol P, Gollihue JL, Weiss BE, Lin RL, Case SL, Kraner SD, Weekman EM, Gant JC, Rogers CB, Niedowicz DM, Sudduth TL, Powell DK, Lin AL, Nelson PT, Thibault O, Wilcock DM, Norris CM. Targeting Astrocyte Signaling Alleviates Cerebrovascular and Synaptic Function Deficits in a Diet-Based Mouse Model of Small Cerebral Vessel Disease. J Neurosci 2023; 43:1797-1813. [PMID: 36746627 PMCID: PMC10010459 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1333-22.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the indispensable role that astrocytes play in the neurovascular unit, few studies have investigated the functional impact of astrocyte signaling in cognitive decline and dementia related to vascular pathology. Diet-mediated induction of hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) recapitulates numerous features of vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID). Here, we used astrocyte targeting approaches to evaluate astrocyte Ca2+ dysregulation and the impact of aberrant astrocyte signaling on cerebrovascular dysfunction and synapse impairment in male and female HHcy diet mice. Two-photon imaging conducted in fully awake mice revealed activity-dependent Ca2+ dysregulation in barrel cortex astrocytes under HHcy. Stimulation of contralateral whiskers elicited larger Ca2+ transients in individual astrocytes of HHcy diet mice compared with control diet mice. However, evoked Ca2+ signaling across astrocyte networks was impaired in HHcy mice. HHcy also was associated with increased activation of the Ca2+/calcineurin-dependent transcription factor NFAT4, which has been linked previously to the reactive astrocyte phenotype and synapse dysfunction in amyloid and brain injury models. Targeting the NFAT inhibitor VIVIT to astrocytes, using adeno-associated virus vectors, led to reduced GFAP promoter activity in HHcy diet mice and improved functional hyperemia in arterioles and capillaries. VIVIT expression in astrocytes also preserved CA1 synaptic function and improved spontaneous alternation performance on the Y maze. Together, the results demonstrate that aberrant astrocyte signaling can impair the major functional properties of the neurovascular unit (i.e., cerebral vessel regulation and synaptic regulation) and may therefore represent a promising drug target for treating VCID and possibly Alzheimer's disease and other related dementias.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The impact of reactive astrocytes in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias is poorly understood. Here, we evaluated Ca2+ responses and signaling in barrel cortex astrocytes of mice fed with a B-vitamin deficient diet that induces hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy), cerebral vessel disease, and cognitive decline. Multiphoton imaging in awake mice with HHcy revealed augmented Ca2+ responses in individual astrocytes, but impaired signaling across astrocyte networks. Stimulation-evoked arteriole dilation and elevated red blood cell velocity in capillaries were also impaired in cortex of awake HHcy mice. Astrocyte-specific inhibition of the Ca2+-dependent transcription factor, NFAT, normalized cerebrovascular function in HHcy mice, improved synaptic properties in brain slices, and stabilized cognition. Results suggest that astrocytes are a mechanism and possible therapeutic target for vascular-related dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pradoldej Sompol
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging
- Departments of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences
| | | | - Blaine E Weiss
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging
- Departments of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences
| | - Ruei-Lung Lin
- Departments of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences
| | - Sami L Case
- Departments of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences
| | | | | | - John C Gant
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging
- Departments of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences
| | | | | | | | | | - Ai-Ling Lin
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging
- Departments of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences
| | - Peter T Nelson
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging
- Pathology, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky 40536
| | - Olivier Thibault
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging
- Departments of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences
| | | | - Christopher M Norris
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging
- Departments of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences
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4
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Zhou SY, Guo ZN, Zhang DH, Qu Y, Jin H. The Role of Pericytes in Ischemic Stroke: Fom Cellular Functions to Therapeutic Targets. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:866700. [PMID: 35493333 PMCID: PMC9043812 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.866700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Ischemic stroke (IS) is a cerebrovascular disease causing high rates of disability and fatality. In recent years, the concept of the neurovascular unit (NVU) has been accepted by an increasing number of researchers and is expected to become a new paradigm for exploring the pathogenesis and treatment of IS. NVUs are composed of neurons, endothelial cells, pericytes, astrocytes, microglia, and the extracellular matrix. As an important part of the NVU, pericytes provide support for other cellular components and perform a variety of functions, including participating in the maintenance of the normal physiological function of the blood–brain barrier, regulating blood flow, and playing a role in inflammation, angiogenesis, and neurogenesis. Therefore, treatment strategies targeting pericyte functions, regulating pericyte epigenetics, and transplanting pericytes warrant exploration. In this review, we describe the reactions of pericytes after IS, summarize the potential therapeutic targets and strategies targeting pericytes for IS, and provide new treatment ideas for ischemic stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng-Yu Zhou
- Department of Neurology, Stroke Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Zhen-Ni Guo
- Clinical Trial and Research Center for Stroke, Department of Neurology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Dian-Hui Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Stroke Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yang Qu
- Department of Neurology, Stroke Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Hang Jin
- Department of Neurology, Stroke Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
- *Correspondence: Hang Jin,
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5
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Tapella L, Dematteis G, Ruffinatti FA, Ponzoni L, Fiordaliso F, Corbelli A, Albanese E, Pistolato B, Pagano J, Barberis E, Marengo E, Balducci C, Forloni G, Verpelli C, Sala C, Distasi C, Sala M, Manfredi M, Genazzani AA, Lim D. Deletion of calcineurin from astrocytes reproduces proteome signature of Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy and predisposes to seizures. Cell Calcium 2021; 100:102480. [PMID: 34607180 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceca.2021.102480] [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] [Received: 08/15/2021] [Revised: 09/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Calcineurin (CaN), acting downstream of intracellular calcium signals, orchestrates cellular remodeling in many cellular types. In astrocytes, major homeostatic players in the central nervous system (CNS), CaN is involved in neuroinflammation and gliosis, while its role in healthy CNS or in early neuro-pathogenesis is poorly understood. Here we report that in mice with conditional deletion of CaN in GFAP-expressing astrocytes (astroglial calcineurin KO, ACN-KO), at 1 month of age, transcription was largely unchanged, while the proteome was deranged in the hippocampus and cerebellum. Gene ontology analysis revealed overrepresentation of annotations related to myelin sheath, mitochondria, ribosome and cytoskeleton. Over-represented pathways were related to protein synthesis, oxidative phosphorylation, mTOR and neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and seizure disorder. Comparison with published proteomic datasets showed significant overlap with the proteome of a familial AD mouse model and of human subjects with drug-resistant seizures. ACN-KO mice showed no alterations of motor activity, equilibrium, anxiety or depressive state. However, in Barnes maze ACN-KO mice learned the task but adopted serial search strategy. Strikingly, beginning from about 5 months of age ACN-KO mice developed spontaneous tonic-clonic seizures with an inflammatory signature of epileptic brains. Altogether, our data suggest that the deletion of astroglial CaN produces features of neurological disorders and predisposes mice to seizures. We suggest that calcineurin in astrocytes may serve as a novel Ca2+-sensitive switch which regulates protein expression and homeostasis in the central nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Tapella
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale "Amedeo Avogadro", Via Bovio 6, 28100, Novara, Italy
| | - Giulia Dematteis
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale "Amedeo Avogadro", Via Bovio 6, 28100, Novara, Italy
| | - Federico Alessandro Ruffinatti
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale "Amedeo Avogadro", Via Bovio 6, 28100, Novara, Italy
| | - Luisa Ponzoni
- BIOMETRA, University of Milan and Fondazione Zardi-Gori, Milan, Italy
| | - Fabio Fiordaliso
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Alessandro Corbelli
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Enrico Albanese
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale "Amedeo Avogadro", Via Bovio 6, 28100, Novara, Italy
| | - Beatrice Pistolato
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale "Amedeo Avogadro", Via Bovio 6, 28100, Novara, Italy
| | | | - Elettra Barberis
- Department of Sciences and Technological Innovation, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Alessandria, Italy; Department of Translational Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
| | - Emilio Marengo
- Department of Sciences and Technological Innovation, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Alessandria, Italy
| | - Claudia Balducci
- Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Gianluigi Forloni
- Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Carlo Sala
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Carla Distasi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale "Amedeo Avogadro", Via Bovio 6, 28100, Novara, Italy
| | | | - Marcello Manfredi
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy; Center for Translational Research on Autoimmune and Allergic Diseases, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
| | - Armando A Genazzani
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale "Amedeo Avogadro", Via Bovio 6, 28100, Novara, Italy.
| | - Dmitry Lim
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale "Amedeo Avogadro", Via Bovio 6, 28100, Novara, Italy.
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6
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Sompol P, Gollihue JL, Kraner SD, Artiushin IA, Cloyd RA, Chishti EA, Koren SA, Nation GK, Abisambra JF, Huzian O, Nagy LI, Santha M, Hackler L, Puskas LG, Norris CM. Q134R: Small chemical compound with NFAT inhibitory properties improves behavioral performance and synapse function in mouse models of amyloid pathology. Aging Cell 2021; 20:e13416. [PMID: 34117818 PMCID: PMC8282246 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Revised: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Inhibition of the protein phosphatase calcineurin (CN) ameliorates pathophysiologic and cognitive changes in aging rodents and mice with aging-related Alzheimer's disease (AD)-like pathology. However, concerns over adverse effects have slowed the transition of common CN-inhibiting drugs to the clinic for the treatment of AD and AD-related disorders. Targeting substrates of CN, like the nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFATs), has been suggested as an alternative, safer approach to CN inhibitors. However, small chemical inhibitors of NFATs have only rarely been described. Here, we investigate a newly developed neuroprotective hydroxyquinoline derivative (Q134R) that suppresses NFAT signaling, without inhibiting CN activity. Q134R partially inhibited NFAT activity in primary rat astrocytes, but did not prevent CN-mediated dephosphorylation of a non-NFAT target, either in vivo, or in vitro. Acute (≤1 week) oral delivery of Q134R to APP/PS1 (12 months old) or wild-type mice (3-4 months old) infused with oligomeric Aβ peptides led to improved Y maze performance. Chronic (≥3 months) oral delivery of Q134R appeared to be safe, and, in fact, promoted survival in wild-type (WT) mice when given for many months beyond middle age. Finally, chronic delivery of Q134R to APP/PS1 mice during the early stages of amyloid pathology (i.e., between 6 and 9 months) tended to reduce signs of glial reactivity, prevented the upregulation of astrocytic NFAT4, and ameliorated deficits in synaptic strength and plasticity, without noticeably altering parenchymal Aβ plaque pathology. The results suggest that Q134R is a promising drug for treating AD and aging-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pradoldej Sompol
- Sanders‐Brown Center on Aging University of Kentucky College of Medicine Lexington KY USA
| | - Jenna L. Gollihue
- Sanders‐Brown Center on Aging University of Kentucky College of Medicine Lexington KY USA
| | - Susan D. Kraner
- Sanders‐Brown Center on Aging University of Kentucky College of Medicine Lexington KY USA
| | - Irina A. Artiushin
- Sanders‐Brown Center on Aging University of Kentucky College of Medicine Lexington KY USA
| | - Ryan A. Cloyd
- Sanders‐Brown Center on Aging University of Kentucky College of Medicine Lexington KY USA
| | - Emad A. Chishti
- Sanders‐Brown Center on Aging University of Kentucky College of Medicine Lexington KY USA
| | - Shon A. Koren
- Sanders‐Brown Center on Aging University of Kentucky College of Medicine Lexington KY USA
| | - Grant K. Nation
- Sanders‐Brown Center on Aging University of Kentucky College of Medicine Lexington KY USA
| | - Jose F. Abisambra
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease University of Florida Gainesville FL USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Christopher M. Norris
- Sanders‐Brown Center on Aging University of Kentucky College of Medicine Lexington KY USA
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7
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Tapella L, Soda T, Mapelli L, Bortolotto V, Bondi H, Ruffinatti FA, Dematteis G, Stevano A, Dionisi M, Ummarino S, Di Ruscio A, Distasi C, Grilli M, Genazzani AA, D'Angelo E, Moccia F, Lim D. Deletion of calcineurin from GFAP‐expressing astrocytes impairs excitability of cerebellar and hippocampal neurons through astroglial Na+/K+ATPase. Glia 2019; 68:543-560. [DOI: 10.1002/glia.23737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Revised: 10/02/2019] [Accepted: 10/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Tapella
- Department of Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversità del Piemonte Orientale “Amedeo Avogadro” Novara Italy
| | - Teresa Soda
- Department of Brain and Behavioral SciencesUniversity of Pavia Pavia Italy
| | - Lisa Mapelli
- Department of Brain and Behavioral SciencesUniversity of Pavia Pavia Italy
| | - Valeria Bortolotto
- Department of Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversità del Piemonte Orientale “Amedeo Avogadro” Novara Italy
| | - Heather Bondi
- Department of Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversità del Piemonte Orientale “Amedeo Avogadro” Novara Italy
| | - Federico A. Ruffinatti
- Department of Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversità del Piemonte Orientale “Amedeo Avogadro” Novara Italy
| | - Giulia Dematteis
- Department of Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversità del Piemonte Orientale “Amedeo Avogadro” Novara Italy
| | - Alessio Stevano
- Department of Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversità del Piemonte Orientale “Amedeo Avogadro” Novara Italy
| | - Marianna Dionisi
- Department of Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversità del Piemonte Orientale “Amedeo Avogadro” Novara Italy
| | - Simone Ummarino
- Center of Life ScienceMedical School Initiative for RNA Medicine, Harvard Medical School Boston Massachusetts
- Department of Translational MedicineUniversità del Piemonte Orientale Novara Italy
| | - Annalisa Di Ruscio
- Center of Life ScienceMedical School Initiative for RNA Medicine, Harvard Medical School Boston Massachusetts
- Department of Translational MedicineUniversità del Piemonte Orientale Novara Italy
| | - Carla Distasi
- Department of Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversità del Piemonte Orientale “Amedeo Avogadro” Novara Italy
| | - Mariagrazia Grilli
- Department of Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversità del Piemonte Orientale “Amedeo Avogadro” Novara Italy
| | - Armando A. Genazzani
- Department of Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversità del Piemonte Orientale “Amedeo Avogadro” Novara Italy
| | - Egidio D'Angelo
- Department of Brain and Behavioral SciencesUniversity of Pavia Pavia Italy
- IRCCS Mondino Foundation Pavia Italy
| | - Francesco Moccia
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology “Lazzaro Spallanzani”University of Pavia Pavia Italy
| | - Dmitry Lim
- Department of Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversità del Piemonte Orientale “Amedeo Avogadro” Novara Italy
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8
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Santos GSP, Magno LAV, Romano-Silva MA, Mintz A, Birbrair A. Pericyte Plasticity in the Brain. Neurosci Bull 2019; 35:551-560. [PMID: 30367336 PMCID: PMC6527663 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-018-0296-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cerebral pericytes are perivascular cells that stabilize blood vessels. Little is known about the plasticity of pericytes in the adult brain in vivo. Recently, using state-of-the-art technologies, including two-photon microscopy in combination with sophisticated Cre/loxP in vivo tracing techniques, a novel role of pericytes was revealed in vascular remodeling in the adult brain. Strikingly, after pericyte ablation, neighboring pericytes expand their processes and prevent vascular dilatation. This new knowledge provides insights into pericyte plasticity in the adult brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabryella S P Santos
- Departamento de Patologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Luiz A V Magno
- Department of Mental Health, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, 30130-100, Brazil
| | - Marco A Romano-Silva
- Department of Mental Health, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, 30130-100, Brazil
| | - Akiva Mintz
- Department of Radiology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Alexander Birbrair
- Departamento de Patologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil.
- Department of Radiology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
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9
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Sompol P, Norris CM. Ca 2+, Astrocyte Activation and Calcineurin/NFAT Signaling in Age-Related Neurodegenerative Diseases. Front Aging Neurosci 2018; 10:199. [PMID: 30038565 PMCID: PMC6046440 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2018.00199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2018] [Accepted: 06/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Mounting evidence supports a fundamental role for Ca2+ dysregulation in astrocyte activation. Though the activated astrocyte phenotype is complex, cell-type targeting approaches have revealed a number of detrimental roles of activated astrocytes involving neuroinflammation, release of synaptotoxic factors and loss of glutamate regulation. Work from our lab and others has suggested that the Ca2+/calmodulin dependent protein phosphatase, calcineurin (CN), provides a critical link between Ca2+ dysregulation and the activated astrocyte phenotype. A proteolyzed, hyperactivated form of CN appears at high levels in activated astrocytes in both human tissue and rodent tissue around regions of amyloid and vascular pathology. Similar upregulation of the CN-dependent transcription factor nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT4) also appears in activated astrocytes in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease (ADs) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Major consequences of hyperactivated CN/NFAT4 signaling in astrocytes are neuroinflammation, synapse dysfunction and glutamate dysregulation/excitotoxicity, which will be covered in this review article.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pradoldej Sompol
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Christopher M Norris
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, United States.,Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, United States
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10
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Cai W, Liu H, Zhao J, Chen LY, Chen J, Lu Z, Hu X. Pericytes in Brain Injury and Repair After Ischemic Stroke. Transl Stroke Res 2016; 8:107-121. [PMID: 27837475 DOI: 10.1007/s12975-016-0504-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2016] [Revised: 10/09/2016] [Accepted: 10/13/2016] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Pericytes are functional components of the neurovascular unit (NVU). They provide support to other NVU components and maintain normal physiological functions of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The brain ischemia and reperfusion result in pathological alterations in pericytes. The intimate anatomical and functional interactions between pericytes and other NVU components play pivotal roles in the progression of stroke pathology. In this review, we depict the biology and functions of pericytes in the normal brain and discuss their effects in brain injury and repair after ischemia/reperfusion. Since ischemic stroke occurs mostly in elderly people, we also review age-related changes in pericytes and how these changes predispose aged brains to ischemic/reperfusion injury. Strategies targeting pericyte responses after ischemia and reperfusion may provide new therapies for ischemic stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Cai
- Department of Neurology, Pittsburgh Institute of Brain Disorders and Recovery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 200 Lothrop Street, SBST 506, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA.,Department of Neurology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yatsen University, 600 Tianhe Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510630, China
| | - Huan Liu
- Department of Neurology, Pittsburgh Institute of Brain Disorders and Recovery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 200 Lothrop Street, SBST 506, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Jingyan Zhao
- Department of Neurology, Pittsburgh Institute of Brain Disorders and Recovery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 200 Lothrop Street, SBST 506, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Lily Y Chen
- Department of Neurology, Pittsburgh Institute of Brain Disorders and Recovery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 200 Lothrop Street, SBST 506, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Jun Chen
- Department of Neurology, Pittsburgh Institute of Brain Disorders and Recovery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 200 Lothrop Street, SBST 506, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Zhengqi Lu
- Department of Neurology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yatsen University, 600 Tianhe Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510630, China.
| | - Xiaoming Hu
- Department of Neurology, Pittsburgh Institute of Brain Disorders and Recovery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 200 Lothrop Street, SBST 506, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA.
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11
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The Emerging Roles of the Calcineurin-Nuclear Factor of Activated T-Lymphocytes Pathway in Nervous System Functions and Diseases. J Aging Res 2016; 2016:5081021. [PMID: 27597899 PMCID: PMC5002468 DOI: 10.1155/2016/5081021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2016] [Accepted: 07/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The ongoing epidemics of metabolic diseases and increase in the older population have increased the incidences of neurodegenerative diseases. Evidence from murine and cell line models has implicated calcineurin-nuclear factor of activated T-lymphocytes (NFAT) signaling pathway, a Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent major proinflammatory pathway, in the pathogenesis of these diseases. Neurotoxins such as amyloid-β, tau protein, and α-synuclein trigger abnormal calcineurin/NFAT signaling activities. Additionally increased activities of endogenous regulators of calcineurin like plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase (PMCA) and regulator of calcineurin 1 (RCAN1) also cause neuronal and glial loss and related functional alterations, in neurodegenerative diseases, psychotic disorders, epilepsy, and traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries. Treatment with calcineurin/NFAT inhibitors induces some degree of neuroprotection and decreased reactive gliosis in the central and peripheral nervous system. In this paper, we summarize and discuss the current understanding of the roles of calcineurin/NFAT signaling in physiology and pathologies of the adult and developing nervous system, with an emphasis on recent reports and cutting-edge findings. Calcineurin/NFAT signaling is known for its critical roles in the developing and adult nervous system. Its role in physiological and pathological processes is still controversial. However, available data suggest that its beneficial and detrimental effects are context-dependent. In view of recent reports calcineurin/NFAT signaling is likely to serve as a potential therapeutic target for neurodegenerative diseases and conditions. This review further highlights the need to characterize better all factors determining the outcome of calcineurin/NFAT signaling in diseases and the downstream targets mediating the beneficial and detrimental effects.
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Pleiss MM, Sompol P, Kraner SD, Abdul HM, Furman JL, Guttmann RP, Wilcock DM, Nelson PT, Norris CM. Calcineurin proteolysis in astrocytes: Implications for impaired synaptic function. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2016; 1862:1521-32. [PMID: 27212416 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2016.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2015] [Revised: 05/14/2016] [Accepted: 05/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Mounting evidence suggests that astrocyte activation, found in most forms of neural injury and disease, is linked to the hyperactivation of the protein phosphatase calcineurin. In many tissues and cell types, calcineurin hyperactivity is the direct result of limited proteolysis. However, little is known about the proteolytic status of calcineurin in activated astrocytes. Here, we developed a polyclonal antibody to a high activity calcineurin proteolytic fragment in the 45-48kDa range (ΔCN) for use in immunohistochemical applications. When applied to postmortem human brain sections, the ΔCN antibody intensely labeled cell clusters in close juxtaposition to amyloid deposits and microinfarcts. Many of these cells exhibited clear activated astrocyte morphology. The expression of ΔCN in astrocytes near areas of pathology was further confirmed using confocal microscopy. Multiple NeuN-positive cells, particularly those within microinfarct core regions, also labeled positively for ΔCN. This observation suggests that calcineurin proteolysis can also occur within damaged or dying neurons, as reported in other studies. When a similar ΔCN fragment was selectively expressed in hippocampal astrocytes of intact rats (using adeno-associated virus), we observed a significant reduction in the strength of CA3-CA1 excitatory synapses, indicating that the hyperactivation of astrocytic calcineurin is sufficient for disrupting synaptic function. Together, these results suggest that proteolytic activation of calcineurin in activated astrocytes may be a central mechanism for driving and/or exacerbating neural dysfunction during neurodegenerative disease and injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie M Pleiss
- Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, USA.
| | - Pradoldej Sompol
- Sanders Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, USA.
| | - Susan D Kraner
- Sanders Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, USA.
| | - Hafiz Mohmmad Abdul
- Sanders Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, USA.
| | - Jennifer L Furman
- Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, USA.
| | - Rodney P Guttmann
- Department of Psychology, University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL, USA.
| | - Donna M Wilcock
- Sanders Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, USA; Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, USA.
| | - Peter T Nelson
- Sanders Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, USA; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, USA.
| | - Christopher M Norris
- Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, USA; Sanders Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, USA.
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13
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Iddings JA, Kim KJ, Zhou Y, Higashimori H, Filosa JA. Enhanced parenchymal arteriole tone and astrocyte signaling protect neurovascular coupling mediated parenchymal arteriole vasodilation in the spontaneously hypertensive rat. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 2015; 35:1127-36. [PMID: 25757753 PMCID: PMC4640269 DOI: 10.1038/jcbfm.2015.31] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2014] [Revised: 01/27/2015] [Accepted: 02/04/2015] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Functional hyperemia is the regional increase in cerebral blood flow upon increases in neuronal activity which ensures that the metabolic demands of the neurons are met. Hypertension is known to impair the hyperemic response; however, the neurovascular coupling mechanisms by which this cerebrovascular dysfunction occurs have yet to be fully elucidated. To determine whether altered cortical parenchymal arteriole function or astrocyte signaling contribute to blunted neurovascular coupling in hypertension, we measured parenchymal arteriole reactivity and vascular smooth muscle cell Ca(2+) dynamics in cortical brain slices from normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) rats. We found that vasoconstriction in response to the thromboxane A2 receptor agonist U46619 and basal vascular smooth muscle cell Ca(2+) oscillation frequency were significantly increased in parenchymal arterioles from SHR. In perfused and pressurized parenchymal arterioles, myogenic tone was significantly increased in SHR. Although K(+)-induced parenchymal arteriole dilations were similar in WKY and SHR, metabotropic glutamate receptor activation-induced parenchymal arteriole dilations were enhanced in SHR. Further, neuronal stimulation-evoked parenchymal arteriole dilations were similar in SHR and WKY. Our data indicate that neurovascular coupling is not impaired in SHR, at least at the level of the parenchymal arterioles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer A Iddings
- Department of Physiology, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, Georgia, USA
| | - Ki Jung Kim
- Department of Physiology, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, Georgia, USA
| | - Yiqiang Zhou
- Department of Physiology, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, Georgia, USA
| | - Haruki Higashimori
- Department of Physiology, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, Georgia, USA
| | - Jessica A Filosa
- Department of Physiology, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, Georgia, USA
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14
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Lacoste B, Gu C. Control of cerebrovascular patterning by neural activity during postnatal development. Mech Dev 2015; 138 Pt 1:43-9. [PMID: 26116138 DOI: 10.1016/j.mod.2015.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2014] [Revised: 05/26/2015] [Accepted: 06/16/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The brain represents only a small portion of the body mass and yet consumes almost a quarter of the available energy, and has a limited ability to store energy. The brain is therefore highly dependent on oxygen and nutrient supply from the blood circulation, which makes it vulnerable to vascular pathologies. Key vascular determinants will ensure proper brain maturation and function: the establishment of vascular networks, the formation of the blood-brain barrier, and the regulation of blood flow. Recent evidence suggests that the phenomenon of neurovascular coupling, during which increased neural activity normally leads to increased blood flow, is not functional until few weeks after birth, implying that the developing brain must rely on alternative mechanisms to adequately couple blood supply to increasing energy demands. This review will focus on these alternative mechanisms, which have been partly elucidated recently via the demonstration that neural activity influences the maturation of cerebrovascular networks. We also propose possible mechanisms underlying activity-induced vascular plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baptiste Lacoste
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Chenghua Gu
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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15
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Astroglia-Microglia Cross Talk during Neurodegeneration in the Rat Hippocampus. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2015; 2015:102419. [PMID: 25977914 PMCID: PMC4419226 DOI: 10.1155/2015/102419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2014] [Revised: 01/16/2015] [Accepted: 03/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Brain injury triggers a progressive inflammatory response supported by a dynamic astroglia-microglia interplay. We investigated the progressive chronic features of the astroglia-microglia cross talk in the perspective of neuronal effects in a rat model of hippocampal excitotoxic injury. N-Methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) injection triggered a process characterized within 38 days by atrophy, neuronal loss, and fast astroglia-mediated S100B increase. Microglia reaction varied with the lesion progression. It presented a peak of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) secretion at one day after the lesion, and a transient YM1 secretion within the first three days. Microglial glucocorticoid receptor expression increased up to day 5, before returning progressively to sham values. To further investigate the astroglia role in the microglia reaction, we performed concomitant transient astroglia ablation with L-α-aminoadipate and NMDA-induced lesion. We observed a striking maintenance of neuronal death associated with enhanced microglial reaction and proliferation, increased YM1 concentration, and decreased TNF-α secretion and glucocorticoid receptor expression. S100B reactivity only increased after astroglia recovery. Our results argue for an initial neuroprotective microglial reaction, with a direct astroglial control of the microglial cytotoxic response. We propose the recovery of the astroglia-microglia cross talk as a tissue priority conducted to ensure a proper cellular coordination that retails brain damage.
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Ramiro-Diaz JM, Nitta CH, Maston LD, Codianni S, Giermakowska W, Resta TC, Gonzalez Bosc LV. NFAT is required for spontaneous pulmonary hypertension in superoxide dismutase 1 knockout mice. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2013; 304:L613-25. [PMID: 23475768 PMCID: PMC3652021 DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00408.2012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2012] [Accepted: 03/04/2013] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Elevated reactive oxygen species are implicated in pulmonary hypertension (PH). Superoxide dismutase (SOD) limits superoxide bioavailability, and decreased SOD activity is associated with PH. A decrease in SOD activity is expected to increase superoxide and reduce hydrogen peroxide levels. Such an imbalance of superoxide/hydrogen peroxide has been implicated as a mediator of nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) activation in epidermal cells. We have shown that NFATc3 is required for chronic hypoxia-induced PH. However, it is unknown whether NFATc3 is activated in the pulmonary circulation in a mouse model of decreased SOD1 activity and whether this leads to PH. Therefore, we hypothesized that an elevated pulmonary arterial superoxide/hydrogen peroxide ratio activates NFATc3, leading to PH. We found that SOD1 knockout (KO) mice have elevated pulmonary arterial wall superoxide and decreased hydrogen peroxide levels compared with wild-type (WT) littermates. Right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) was elevated in SOD1 KO and was associated with pulmonary arterial remodeling. Vasoreactivity to endothelin-1 was also greater in SOD1 KO vs. WT mice. NFAT activity and NFATc3 nuclear localization were increased in pulmonary arteries from SOD1 KO vs. WT mice. Administration of A-285222 (selective NFAT inhibitor) decreased RVSP, arterial wall thickness, vasoreactivity, and NFAT activity in SOD1 KO mice to WT levels. The SOD mimetic, tempol, also reduced NFAT activity, NFATc3 nuclear localization, and RVSP to WT levels. These findings suggest that an elevated superoxide/hydrogen peroxide ratio activates NFAT in pulmonary arteries, which induces vascular remodeling and increases vascular reactivity leading to PH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Manuel Ramiro-Diaz
- Vascular Physiology Group, Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
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17
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Neria F, del Carmen Serrano-Perez M, Velasco P, Urso K, Tranque P, Cano E. NFATc3 promotes Ca(2+) -dependent MMP3 expression in astroglial cells. Glia 2013; 61:1052-66. [PMID: 23625833 DOI: 10.1002/glia.22494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2012] [Accepted: 02/14/2013] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Increase in intracellular calcium ([Ca(2+) ]i ) is a key mediator of astrocyte signaling, important for activation of the calcineurin (CN)/nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) pathway, a central mediator of inflammatory events. We analyzed the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 3 (Mmp3) in response to increases in [Ca(2+) ]i and the role of the CN/NFAT pathway in this regulation. Astrocyte Mmp3 expression was induced by overexpression of a constitutively active form of NFATc3, whereas other MMPs and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP) were unaffected. Mmp3 mRNA and protein expression was also induced by calcium ionophore (Io) and 2'(3')-O-(4-benzoylbenzoyl) adenosine 5'-triphosphate (Bz-ATP) and Mmp3 upregulation was prevented by the CN inhibitor cyclosporin A (CsA). Ca(2+) -dependent astrocyte Mmp3 expression was also inhibited by actinomycin D, and a Mmp3 promoter luciferase reporter was efficiently activated by increased [Ca(2+) ]i , indicating regulation at the transcriptional level. Furthermore, Ca(2+) /CN/NFAT dependent Mmp3 expression was confirmed in pure astrocyte cultures derived from neural stem cells (Ast-NSC), demonstrating that the induced Mmp3 expression occurs in astrocytes, and not microglial cells. In an in vivo stab-wound model of brain injury, MMP3 expression was detected in NFATc3-positive scar-forming astrocytes. Because [Ca(2+) ]i increase is an early event in most brain injuries, these data support an important role for Ca(2+) /CN/NFAT-induced astrocyte MMP3 expression in the early neuroinflammatory response. Understanding the molecular pathways involved in this regulation could provide novel therapeutic targets and approaches to promoting recovery of the injured brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Neria
- Unidad de Neuroinflamación, Área de Biología Celular y del Desarrollo, Unidad Funcional de Investigación en Enfermedades Crónicas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
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18
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Sinka L, Kovari E, Santos M, Herrmann FR, Gold G, Hof PR, Bouras C, Giannakopoulos P. Microvascular changes in late-life schizophrenia and mood disorders: stereological assessment of capillary diameters in anterior cingulate cortex. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol 2012; 38:696-709. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2990.2012.01263.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
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19
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Foss CA, Mease RC, Cho SY, Kim HJ, Pomper MG. GCPII imaging and cancer. Curr Med Chem 2012; 19:1346-59. [PMID: 22304713 DOI: 10.2174/092986712799462612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2011] [Revised: 12/26/2011] [Accepted: 12/27/2011] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Glutamate carboxypeptidase II (GCPII) in the central nervous system is referred to as the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) in the periphery. PSMA serves as a target for imaging and treatment of prostate cancer and because of its expression in solid tumor neovasculature has the potential to be used in this regard for other malignancies as well. An overview of GCPII/PSMA in cancer, as well as a discussion of imaging and therapy of prostate cancer using a wide variety of PSMA-targeting agents is provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- C A Foss
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins Medical School, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
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20
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Cisneros IE, Ghorpade A. HIV-1, methamphetamine and astrocyte glutamate regulation: combined excitotoxic implications for neuro-AIDS. Curr HIV Res 2012; 10:392-406. [PMID: 22591363 PMCID: PMC3580828 DOI: 10.2174/157016212802138832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2011] [Revised: 04/18/2012] [Accepted: 04/18/2012] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Glutamate, the most abundant excitatory transmitter in the brain can lead to neurotoxicity when not properly regulated. Excitotoxicity is a direct result of abnormal regulation of glutamate concentrations in the synapse, and is a common neurotoxic mediator associated with neurodegenerative disorders. It is well accepted that methamphetamine (METH), a potent central nervous stimulant with high abuse potential, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 are implicated in the progression of neurocognitive malfunction. Both have been shown to induce common neurodegenerative effects such as astrogliosis, compromised blood brain barrier integrity, and excitotoxicity in the brain. Reduced glutamate uptake from neuronal synapses likely leads to the accumulation of glutamate in the extracellular spaces. Astrocytes express the glutamate transporters responsible for majority of the glutamate uptake from the synapse, as well as for vesicular glutamate release. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms of astrocyte-mediated excitotoxicity in the context of METH and HIV-1 are undefined. Topics reviewed include dysregulation of the glutamate transporters, specifically excitatory amino acid transporter-2, metabotropic glutamate receptor(s) expression and the release of glutamate by vesicular exocytosis. We also discuss glutamate concentration dysregulation through astrocytic expression of enzymes for glutamate synthesis and metabolism. Lastly, we discuss recent evidence of various astrocyte and neuron crosstalk mechanisms implicated in glutamate regulation. Astrocytes play an essential role in the neuropathologies associated with METH/HIV-1-induced excitotoxicity. We hope to shed light on common cellular and molecular pathways astrocytes share in glutamate regulation during drug abuse and HIV-1 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anuja Ghorpade
- University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA
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21
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de Frutos S, Diaz JMR, Nitta CH, Sherpa ML, Bosc LVG. Endothelin-1 contributes to increased NFATc3 activation by chronic hypoxia in pulmonary arteries. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2011; 301:C441-50. [PMID: 21525433 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00029.2011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Chronic hypoxia (CH) activates the Ca(2+)-dependent transcription factor nuclear factor of activated T cells isoform c3 (NFATc3) in mouse pulmonary arteries. However, the mechanism of this response has not been explored. Since we have demonstrated that NFATc3 is required for CH-induced pulmonary arterial remodeling, establishing how CH activates NFATc3 is physiologically significant. The goal of this study was to test the hypothesis that endothelin-1 (ET-1) contributes to CH-induced NFATc3 activation. We propose that this mechanism requires increased pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cell (PASMC) intracellular Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) and stimulation of RhoA/Rho kinase (ROK), leading to calcineurin activation and actin cytoskeleton polymerization, respectively. We found that: 1) CH increases pulmonary arterial pre-pro-ET-1 mRNA expression and lung RhoA activity; 2) inhibition of ET receptors, calcineurin, L-type Ca(2+) channels, and ROK blunts CH-induced NFATc3 activation in isolated intrapulmonary arteries from NFAT-luciferase reporter mice; and 3) both ET-1-induced NFATc3 activation in isolated mouse pulmonary arteries ex vivo and ET-1-induced NFATc3-green fluorescence protein nuclear import in human PASMC depend on ROK and actin polymerization. This study suggests that CH increases ET-1 expression, thereby elevating PASMC [Ca(2+)](i) and RhoA/ROK activity. As previously demonstrated, elevated [Ca(2+)](i) is required to activate calcineurin, which dephosphorylates NFATc3, allowing its nuclear import. Here, we demonstrate that ROK increases actin polymerization, thus providing structural support for NFATc3 nuclear transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio de Frutos
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
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22
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Bonkowski D, Katyshev V, Balabanov RD, Borisov A, Dore-Duffy P. The CNS microvascular pericyte: pericyte-astrocyte crosstalk in the regulation of tissue survival. Fluids Barriers CNS 2011; 8:8. [PMID: 21349156 PMCID: PMC3042982 DOI: 10.1186/2045-8118-8-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 139] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2010] [Accepted: 01/18/2011] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The French scientist Charles Benjamin Rouget identified the pericyte nearly 140 years ago. Since that time the role of the pericyte in vascular function has been difficult to elucidate. It was not until the development of techniques to isolate and culture pericytes that scientists have begun to understand the true impact of this unique cell in the maintenance of tissue homeostasis. In the brain the pericyte is an integral cellular component of the blood-brain barrier and, together with other cells of the neurovascular unit (endothelial cells, astrocytes and neurons) the pericyte makes fine-tuned regulatory adjustments and adaptations to promote tissue survival. These regulatory changes involve trans-cellular communication networks between cells. In this review we consider evidence for cell-to-cell crosstalk between pericytes and astrocytes during development and in adult brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Drew Bonkowski
- Department of Neurology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 421 East Canfield Road, Detroit, Michigan 48201, USA.
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23
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Serrano-Pérez MC, Martín ED, Vaquero CF, Azcoitia I, Calvo S, Cano E, Tranque P. Response of transcription factor NFATc3 to excitotoxic and traumatic brain insults: Identification of a subpopulation of reactive astrocytes. Glia 2010; 59:94-107. [DOI: 10.1002/glia.21079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2010] [Accepted: 08/23/2010] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
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24
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Hamilton NB, Attwell D, Hall CN. Pericyte-mediated regulation of capillary diameter: a component of neurovascular coupling in health and disease. FRONTIERS IN NEUROENERGETICS 2010; 2. [PMID: 20725515 PMCID: PMC2912025 DOI: 10.3389/fnene.2010.00005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 333] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2010] [Accepted: 04/28/2010] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Because regional blood flow increases in association with the increased metabolic demand generated by localized increases in neural activity, functional imaging researchers often assume that changes in blood flow are an accurate read-out of changes in underlying neural activity. An understanding of the mechanisms that link changes in neural activity to changes in blood flow is crucial for assessing the validity of this assumption, and for understanding the processes that can go wrong during disease states such as ischaemic stroke. Many studies have investigated the mechanisms of neurovascular regulation in arterioles but other evidence suggests that blood flow regulation can also occur in capillaries, because of the presence of contractile cells, pericytes, on the capillary wall. Here we review the evidence that pericytes can modulate capillary diameter in response to neuronal activity and assess the likely importance of neurovascular regulation at the capillary level for functional imaging experiments. We also discuss evidence suggesting that pericytes are particularly sensitive to damage during pathological insults such as ischaemia, Alzheimer's disease and diabetic retinopathy, and consider the potential impact that pericyte dysfunction might have on the development of therapeutic interventions and on the interpretation of functional imaging data in these disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola B Hamilton
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London London, UK
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25
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de Frutos S, Nitta CH, Caldwell E, Friedman J, González Bosc LV. Regulation of soluble guanylyl cyclase-alpha1 expression in chronic hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension: role of NFATc3 and HuR. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2009; 297:L475-86. [PMID: 19592461 DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00060.2009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The nitric oxide/soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) signal transduction pathway plays an important role in smooth muscle relaxation and phenotypic regulation. However, the transcriptional regulation of sGC gene expression is largely unknown. It has been shown that sGC expression increases in pulmonary arteries from chronic hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertensive animals. Since the transcription factor NFATc3 is required for the upregulation of the smooth muscle hypertrophic/differentiation marker alpha-actin in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells from chronically hypoxic mice, we hypothesized that NFATc3 is required for the regulation of sGC-alpha1 expression during chronic hypoxia. Exposure to chronic hypoxia for 2 days induced a decrease in sGC-alpha1 expression in mouse pulmonary arteries. This reduction was independent of NFATc3 but mediated by nuclear accumulation of the mRNA-stabilizing protein human antigen R (HuR). Consistent with our hypothesis, chronic hypoxia (21 days) upregulated pulmonary artery sGC-alpha1 expression, bringing it back to the level of the normoxic controls. This response was prevented in NFATc3 knockout and cyclosporin (calcineurin/NFATc inhibitor)-treated mice. Furthermore, we identified effective binding sites for NFATc in the mouse sGC-alpha1 promoter. Activation of NFATc3 increased sGC-alpha1 promoter activity in human embryonic derived kidney cells, rat aortic-derived smooth muscle cells, and human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells. Our results suggest that NFATc3 and HuR are important regulators of sGC-alpha1 expression in pulmonary vascular smooth muscle cells during chronic hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio de Frutos
- Vascular Physiology Group, Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA
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Panzer U, Steinmetz OM, Turner JE, Meyer-Schwesinger C, von Ruffer C, Meyer TN, Zahner G, Gómez-Guerrero C, Schmid RM, Helmchen U, Moeckel GW, Wolf G, Stahl RAK, Thaiss F. Resolution of renal inflammation: a new role for NF-kappaB1 (p50) in inflammatory kidney diseases. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol 2009; 297:F429-39. [PMID: 19458123 DOI: 10.1152/ajprenal.90435.2008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In renal tissue injury, activation of the transcription factor NF-kappaB has a central role in the induction of proinflammatory gene expression, which are involved in the development of progressive renal inflammatory disease. The function of NF-kappaB during the switch from the inflammatory process toward resolution, however, is largely unknown. Therefore, we assessed the time-dependent activation and function of NF-kappaB in two different models of acute nephritis. Our experiments demonstrate a biphasic activation of NF-kappaB in the anti-Thy-1 model of glomerulonephritis in rats and the LPS-induced nephritis in mice, with a first peak during the induction phase and a second peak during the resolution period. After induction of glomerular immune injury in rats, predominantly NF-kappaB p65/p50 heterodimer complexes are shifted to the nucleus whereas during the resolution phase predominantly p50 homodimers could be demonstrated in the nuclear compartment. In addition, we could demonstrate that p50 protein plays a pivotal role in the resolution of LPS-induced renal inflammation since NF-kappaB p50 knockout mice demonstrate significantly higher chemokine expression, prolonged renal inflammatory cell infiltration with consecutive tissue injury, and reduced survival. In conclusion, our studies indicate that NF-kappaB subunit p50 proteins have critical in vivo functions in immunologically mediated renal disease by downregulating inflammation during the resolution period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulf Panzer
- III. Medizinische Klinik, Zentrum für Innere Medizin, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
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Nilsson LM, Nilsson-Ohman J, Zetterqvist AV, Gomez MF. Nuclear factor of activated T-cells transcription factors in the vasculature: the good guys or the bad guys? Curr Opin Lipidol 2008; 19:483-90. [PMID: 18769229 DOI: 10.1097/mol.0b013e32830dd545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT) proteins are a family of Ca/calcineurin-dependent transcription factors that were first characterized in T-lymphocytes as inducers of cytokine gene expression. Since then, NFAT proteins have been shown to play varied roles outside of the immune system, including in the cardiovascular system. Cells in the vessel wall display a diverse array of Ca signaling modalities, which are subject to change during disease. The fact that NFAT proteins are able to decode and translate these signals into changes in gene expression makes them potential regulators of vascular pathogenesis. RECENT FINDINGS It is now clear that NFAT signaling is required for normal vascular patterning during embryogenesis and for vascular endothelial growth factor-induced angiogenesis. The overall role of NFAT signaling in the vasculature, however, is less clear during adult life. This review aims to give an update on mechanisms that regulate NFAT activation in vascular cells, with an emphasis on the role of mitochondria and of upstream activators such as lipids and glucose. It also addresses recent work implicating NFAT proteins as mediators of vascular disease. SUMMARY A better understanding of the NFAT-signaling pathway in the vasculature may open up an unexplored area for the development of new therapeutic approaches for treating vascular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa M Nilsson
- Department of Clinical Sciences in Malmö, Lund University, Malmo, Sweden
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Bibliography. Current world literature. Atherosclerosis: cell biology and lipoproteins. Curr Opin Lipidol 2008; 19:525-35. [PMID: 18769235 DOI: 10.1097/mol.0b013e328312bffc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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de Frutos S, Duling L, Alò D, Berry T, Jackson-Weaver O, Walker M, Kanagy N, González Bosc L. NFATc3 is required for intermittent hypoxia-induced hypertension. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2008; 294:H2382-90. [PMID: 18359899 DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00132.2008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Sleep apnea, defined as intermittent respiratory arrest during sleep, is associated with increased incidence of hypertension and peripheral vascular disease. Exposure of rodents to brief periods of intermittent hypercarbia/hypoxia (H-IH) during sleep mimics the cyclical hypoxia-normoxia of sleep apnea. Endothelin-1, an upstream activator of nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT), is increased during H-IH. Therefore, we hypothesized that NFATc3 is activated by H-IH and is required for H-IH-induced hypertension. Consistent with this hypothesis, we found that H-IH (20 brief exposures per hour to 5% O(2)-5% CO(2) for 7 h/day) induces systemic hypertension in mice [mean arterial pressure (MAP) = 97 +/- 2 vs. 124 +/- 2 mmHg, P < 0.05, n = 5] and increases NFATc3 transcriptional activity in aorta and mesenteric arteries. Cyclosporin A, an NFAT inhibitor, and genetic ablation of NFATc3 [NFATc3 knockout (KO)] prevented NFAT activation. More importantly, H-IH-induced hypertension was attenuated in cyclosporin A-treated mice and prevented in NFATc3 KO mice. MAP was significantly elevated in wild-type mice (Delta = 23.5 +/- 6.1 mmHg), but not in KO mice (Delta = -3.9 +/- 5.7). These results indicate that H-IH-induced increases in MAP require NFATc3 and that NFATc3 may contribute to the vascular changes associated with H-IH-induced hypertension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio de Frutos
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
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