Lesion-induced alterations in astrocyte glutamate transporter expression and function in the hippocampus

Modified black phosphorus quantum dots promotes spinal cord injury repair by targeting the AKT signaling pathway

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a serious refractory disease of the central nervous system (CNS), which mostly caused by high-energy trauma. Existing interventions such as hormone shock and surgery are insufficient options, which relate to the secondary inflammation and neuronal dysfunction. Hydrogel with neuron-protective behaviors attracts tremendous attention, and black phosphorus quantum dots (BPQDs) encapsulating with Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) hydrogels (E@BP) is designed for inflammatory modulation and SCI treatment in this study. E@BP displays good stability, biocompatibility and safety profiles. E@BP incubation alleviates lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation of primary neurons and enhances neuronal regeneration in vitro. Furthermore, E@BP reconstructs structural versus functional integrity of spinal cord tracts, which promotes recovery of motor neuron function in SCI rats after transplantation. Importantly, E@BP restarts the cell cycle and induces nerve regeneration. Moreover, E@BP diminishes local inflammation of SCI tissues, characterized by reducing accumulation of astrocyte, microglia, macrophages, and oligodendrocytes. Indeed, a common underlying mechanism of E@BP regulating neural regenerative and inflammatory responses is to promote the phosphorylation of key proteins related to AKT signaling pathway. Together, E@BP probably repairs SCI by reducing inflammation and promoting neuronal regeneration via the AKT signaling pathway.

NMDA receptors mediate synaptic plasticity impairment of hippocampal neurons due to arsenic exposure

Endemic arsenism is a worldwide health problem. Chronic arsenic exposure results in cognitive dysfunction due to arsenic and its metabolites accumulating in hippocampus. As the cellular basis of cognition, synaptic plasticity is pivotal in arsenic-induced cognitive dysfunction. N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) serve physiological functions in synaptic transmission. However, excessive NMDARs activity contributes to exitotoxicity and synaptic plasticity impairment. Here, we provide an overview of the mechanisms that NMDARs and their downstream signaling pathways mediate synaptic plasticity impairment due to arsenic exposure in hippocampal neurons, ways of arsenic exerting on NMDARs, as well as the potential therapeutic targets except for water improvement.

Oral administration of cyclic glycyl-proline facilitates task learning in a rat stroke model

Cyclic glycyl-proline (cGP) exerts neuroprotective effects against ischemic stroke and may promote neural plasticity or network remodeling. We sought to determine to what extent oral administration of cGP could facilitate task learning in rats with ischemic lesions. We trained rats to perform a choice reaction time task using their forepaws. One week after changing the food to pellets containing cGP (no cGP: 0 mg/kg; low cGP: 25 mg/kg; and high cGP: 75 mg/kg), we made a focal ischemic lesion on the left or right forepaw area of the sensorimotor cortex. After recovery of task performance, we altered the correct-response side of the task, and then analyzed the number of training days required for the rat to reach a learning criterion (error rate < 15%) and the regulation of adult neurogenesis in the subventricular zones (SVZs), taking lesion size into account. The low-cGP group required fewer training days for task learning than the no-cGP group. Unexpectedly, rats with larger lesions required fewer training days in the no-cGP and low-cGP groups, but more training days in the high-cGP group. The number of Ki67-immunopositive cells (indicating proliferative cells) in ipsilesional SVZ increased more rapidly in the low-cGP and high-cGP groups than in the no-cGP group. However, lesion size had only a small effect on required training days and the number of Ki67-immunopositive cells. We conclude that oral administration of cGP can facilitate task learning in rats with focal ischemic infarction through neural plasticity and network remodeling, even with minimal neuroprotective effects.

Quantitative Imaging of Changes in Astrocytic and Neuronal Adenosine Triphosphate Using Two Different Variants of ATeam

Genetically encoded nanosensors such as the FRET-based adenosine triphosphate (ATP) sensor ATeam enable the measurement of changes in ATP levels inside cells, promoting our understanding of metabolic interactions between astrocytes and neurons. The sensors are usually well characterized in vitro but display altered properties when expressed inside cells, precluding a meaningful conversion of changes in FRET ratios into changes in intracellular ATP concentrations ([ATP]) on the basis of their in vitro properties. Here, we present an experimental strategy for the intracellular calibration of two different variants of ATeam in organotypic tissue slice culture of the mouse brain. After cell-type-specific expression of the sensors in astrocytes or neurons, slices were first perfused with a saline containing the saponin β-escin to permeabilize plasma membranes for ATP. Next, cells were depleted of ATP by perfusion with ATP-free saline containing metabolic inhibitors. Finally, ATP was re-added at defined concentrations and resulting changes in the FRET ratio recorded. When employing this protocol, ATeam1.03 expressed in astrocytes reliably responds to changes in [ATP], exhibiting an apparent K_D of 9.4 mM. The high-affinity sensor ATeam1.03^YEMK displayed a significantly lower intracellular K_D of 2.7 mM. On the basis of these calibrations, we found that induction of a recurrent neuronal network activity resulted in an initial transient increase in astrocytic [ATP] by ~0.12 mM as detected by ATeam1.03^YEMK, a result confirmed using ATeam1.03. In neurons, in contrast, [ATP] immediately started to decline upon initiation of a network activity, amounting to a decrease by an average of 0.29 mM after 2 min. Taken together, our results demonstrate that ATeam1.03^YEMK and ATeam1.03 display a significant increase in their apparent K_D when expressed inside cells as compared with in vitro. Moreover, they show that both ATeam variants enable the quantitative detection of changes of astrocytic and neuronal [ATP] in the physiological range. ATeam1.03^YEMK, however, seems preferable because its K_D is close to baseline ATP levels. Finally, our data support the idea that synchronized neuronal activity initially stimulates the generation of ATP in astrocytes, presumably through increased glycolysis, whereas ATP levels in neurons decline.

Upregulation of GLT-1 via PI3K/Akt Pathway Contributes to Neuroprotection Induced by Dexmedetomidine

Perioperative ischemic stroke usually leads to neurological dysfunction caused by neuron death. During the ischemic condition, excitotoxity due to extracellular glutamate accumulation is a main mechanism of neuron damage. The clearance of glutamate mainly depends on glutamate transporter-1 (GLT-1) which is expressed in astrocytes. Dexmedetomidine, an α2 adrenergic receptor agonist, is proved to induce neuroprotection. This study was set out to investigate the glutamate-related mechanism involved in the neuroprotective effect of dexmedetomidine. Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was used as a model of ischemic stroke in our study. We determined Neurological deficit scores (NDS) and Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at three points (2, 6, and 24 h) after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) to evaluate the neuroprotective effect of dexmedetomidine. Besides, we performed western blot (6 and 24 h after MACO) and immunofluorescent staining (24 h after MCAO) to observe the expression of GLT-1. The effect and mechanism of dexmedetomidine on GLT-1 in primary cultured astrocytes were investigated using western blot and RT-PCR. Our results showed that pretreatment with dexmedetomidine improved NDS and reduced infarct volume as well as upregulating GLT-1 expression. Furthermore, using Atipamezole and LY294002, we found that dexmedetomidine significantly increased GLT-1 levels in astrocytes via activating α2 adrenergic receptor and PI3K/AKT pathway both in vitro and in vivo study. Overall, our present study indicated that dexmedetomidine had neuroprotective effects on ischemia stroke and upregulation of GLT-1 levels by PI3K/AKT dependent pathway might be the potential mechanism.

Genetic and pharmacological manipulation of glial glutamate transporters does not alter infection-induced seizure activity

The contribution of glial transporters to glutamate movement across the membrane has been identified as a potential target for anti-seizure therapies. Two such glutamate transporters, GLT-1 and system x_c^-, are expressed on glial cells, and modulation of their expression and function have been identified as a means by which seizures, neuronal injury, and gliosis can be reduced in models of brain injury. While GLT-1 is responsible for the majority of glutamate uptake in the brain, system x_c^- releases glutamate in the extracellular cleft in exchange for cystine and represents as such the major source of hippocampal extracellular glutamate. Using the Theiler's Murine Encephalomyelitis Virus (TMEV) model of viral-induced epilepsy, we have taken two well-studied approaches, one pharmacological, one genetic, to investigate the potential role(s) of GLT-1 and system x_c^- in TMEV-induced pathology. Our findings suggest that the methods we utilized to modulate these glial transporters, while effective in other models, are not sufficient to reduce the number or severity of behavioral seizures in TMEV-infected mice. However, genetic knockout of xCT, the specific subunit of system x_c^-, may have cellular effects, as we observed a slight decrease in neuronal injury caused by TMEV and an increase in astrogliosis in the CA1 region of the hippocampus. Furthermore, xCT knockout caused an increase in GLT-1 expression selectively in the cortex. These findings have significant implications for both the characterization of the TMEV model as well as for future efforts to discover novel and effective anti-seizure drugs.

FRET-based imaging of intracellular ATP in organotypic brain slices

Active neurons require a substantial amount of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to re-establish ion gradients degraded by ion flux across their plasma membranes. Despite this fact, neurons, in contrast to astrocytes, do not contain any significant stores of energy substrates. Recent work has provided evidence for a neuro-metabolic coupling between both cell types, in which increased glycolysis and lactate production in astrocytes support neuronal metabolism. Here, we established the cell type-specific expression of the Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) based nanosensor ATeam1.03^YEMK ("Ateam") for dynamic measurement of changes in intracellular ATP levels in organotypic brain tissue slices. To this end, adeno-associated viral vectors coding for Ateam, driven by either the synapsin- or glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) promoter were employed for specific transduction of neurons or astrocytes, respectively. Chemical ischemia, induced by perfusion of tissue slices with metabolic inhibitors of cellular glycolysis and mitochondrial respiration, resulted in a rapid decrease in the cellular Ateam signal to a new, low level, indicating nominal depletion of intracellular ATP. Increasing the extracellular potassium concentration to 8 mM, thereby mimicking the release of potassium from active neurons, did not alter ATP levels in neurons. It, however, caused in an increase in ATP levels in astrocytes, a result which was confirmed in acutely isolated tissue slices. In summary, our results demonstrate that organotypic cultured slices are a reliable tool for FRET-based dynamic imaging of ATP in neurons and astrocytes. They moreover provide evidence for an increased ATP synthesis in astrocytes, but not neurons, during periods of elevated extracellular potassium concentrations.

The glutamate clearance function of adipose stromal cells-derived astrocytes

ADSCs-derived astrocytes qualify the morphology, ultrastructure and membrane electrical potential, which are all unique to astrocytes. But whether they have the glutamate clearance function like mature astrocytes is under exploration. ADSCs were extracted, cultured and induced into astrocytes for 48 h, 7d, 14d and 21d in vitro. Inverted phase contrast microscope was used to observe the morphology of the cells in each group. Immunocytochemistry assay, immunofluorescence assay and Western blotting were used to detect the expression of GFAP, EAAT2 and GS of the cells in each group. The cells were cultured in glutamate solution for 1, 2, 3 and 4 h respectively before the solution collected. The glutamate concentration of the solution was detected using Glutamate Colorimetric Assay Hit. ADSCs-derived astrocytes expressed GFAP, EAAT2 and GS, all of which increased gradually and reached peak when induced for 14 days. In induction for 48 h, 7d and 14d groups, the extracellular glutamate concentration decreased gradually during the cells cultured in glutamate solution for 1, 2, 3 and 4 h, among which the decrease extent was most prominent in 14d group, while the extracellular glutamate concentration had no change in uninduction and induction for 21d group. ADSCs-derived astrocytes expressed EAAT2 and GS, meanwhile had the function of clearing glutamate, which was prominent when induced into astrocytes for 7-14 days.

Reactive Astrocytes as Drug Target in Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by deposition of extracellular amyloid-β, intracellular neurofibrillary tangles, and loss of cortical neurons. However, the mechanism underlying neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains to be explored. Many of the researches on AD have been primarily focused on neuronal changes. Current research, however, broadens to give emphasis on the importance of nonneuronal cells, such as astrocytes. Astrocytes play fundamental roles in several cerebral functions and their dysfunctions promote neurodegeneration and, eventually, retraction of neuronal synapses, which leads to cognitive deficits found in AD. Astrocytes become reactive as a result of deposition of Aβ, which in turn have detrimental consequences, including decreased glutamate uptake due to reduced expression of uptake transporters, altered energy metabolism, altered ion homeostasis (K⁺ and Ca⁺), increased tonic inhibition, and increased release of cytokines and inflammatory mediators. In this review, recent insights on the involvement of, tonic inhibition, astrocytic glutamate transporters and aquaporin in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease are provided. Compounds which increase expression of GLT1 have showed efficacy for AD in preclinical studies. Tonic inhibition mediated by GABA could also be a promising target and drugs that block the GABA synthesizing enzyme, MAO-B, have shown efficacy. However, there are contradictory evidences on the role of AQP4 in AD.

Sleep Deprivation Distinctly Alters Glutamate Transporter 1 Apposition and Excitatory Transmission to Orexin and MCH Neurons

Glutamate transporter 1 (GLT1) is the main astrocytic transporter that shapes glutamatergic transmission in the brain. However, whether this transporter modulates sleep-wake regulatory neurons is unknown. Using quantitative immunohistochemical analysis, we assessed perisomatic GLT1 apposition with sleep-wake neurons in the male rat following 6 h sleep deprivation (SD) or following 6 h undisturbed conditions when animals were mostly asleep (Rest). We found that SD decreased perisomatic GLT1 apposition with wake-promoting orexin neurons in the lateral hypothalamus compared with Rest. Reduced GLT1 apposition was associated with tonic presynaptic inhibition of excitatory transmission to these neurons due to the activation of Group III metabotropic glutamate receptors, an effect mimicked by a GLT1 inhibitor in the Rest condition. In contrast, SD resulted in increased GLT1 apposition with sleep-promoting melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) neurons in the lateral hypothalamus. Functionally, this decreased the postsynaptic response of MCH neurons to high-frequency synaptic activation without changing presynaptic glutamate release. The changes in GLT1 apposition with orexin and MCH neurons were reversed after 3 h of sleep opportunity following 6 h SD. These SD effects were specific to orexin and MCH neurons, as no change in GLT1 apposition was seen in basal forebrain cholinergic or parvalbumin-positive GABA neurons. Thus, within a single hypothalamic area, GLT1 differentially regulates excitatory transmission to wake- and sleep-promoting neurons depending on sleep history. These processes may constitute novel astrocyte-mediated homeostatic mechanisms controlling sleep-wake behavior.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Sleep-wake cycles are regulated by the alternate activation of sleep- and wake-promoting neurons. Whether and how astrocytes can regulate this reciprocal neuronal activity are unclear. Here we report that, within the lateral hypothalamus, where functionally opposite wake-promoting orexin neurons and sleep-promoting melanin-concentrating hormone neurons codistribute, the glutamate transporter GLT1, mainly present on astrocytes, distinctly modulates excitatory transmission in a cell-type-specific manner and according to sleep history. Specifically, GLT1 is reduced around the somata of orexin neurons while increased around melanin-concentrating hormone neurons following sleep deprivation, resulting in different forms of synaptic plasticity. Thus, astrocytes can fine-tune the excitability of functionally discrete neurons via glutamate transport, which may represent novel regulatory mechanisms for sleep.

Functional Indicators of Glutamate Transport in Single Striatal Astrocytes and the Influence of Kir4.1 in Normal and Huntington Mice

This study evaluates single-cell indicators of glutamate transport in sulforhodamine 101-positive astrocytes of Q175 mice, a knock-in model of Huntington's disease (HD). Transport-related fluorescent ratio signals obtained with sodium-binding benzofuran isophtalate (SBFI) AM from unperturbed or voltage-clamped astrocytes and respective glutamate transporter currents (GTCs) were induced by photolytic or synaptic glutamate release and isolated pharmacologically. The HD-induced deficit ranged from -27% (GTC maximum at -100 mV in Ba(2+)) to -41% (sodium transients in astrocytes after loading SBFI-AM). Our specific aim was to clarify the mechanism(s) by which Kir4.1 channels can influence glutamate transport, as determined by either Na(+) imaging or transport-associated electrical signals. A decrease of Kir4.1 conductance was mimicked with Ba(2+) (200 μm), and an increase of Kir4.1 expression was obtained by intravenous administration of AAV9-gfaABC1D-Kir4.1-EGFP. The decrease of Kir4.1 conductance reduced the sodium transients but increased the amplitudes of somatic GTCs. Accordingly, after genetic upregulation of Kir4.1, somatic GTCs were found to be decreased. In individual cells, there was a negative correlation between Kir4.1 currents and GTCs. The relative effect of the Kir4.1 conductance was higher in the astrocyte periphery. These and other results suggest that the Kir4.1 conductance affects glutamate transporter activity in a dual manner: (1) by providing the driving force (voltage dependency of the transport itself) and (2) by limiting the lateral charge transfer (thereby reducing the interference with other electrogenic transporter functions). This leads to the testable prediction that restoring the high conductance state of passive astrocytes will not only normalize glutamate uptake but also restore other astrocytic transporter activities afflicted with HD.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT

Insufficiency of astrocytic glutamate uptake is a major element in the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases. Considering the heterogeneity of astrocytes and their differential susceptibility to therapeutic interventions, it becomes necessary to evaluate the determinants of transport activity in individual astroglial cells. We have examined intracellular Na(+) transients and glutamate transporter currents as the most telling indicators of glutamate clearance after synaptic or photolytic release of glutamate in striatal slices. The results show that, in Huntington's disease, glutamate uptake activity critically depends on Kir4.1. These channels enable the high conductance state of the astrocytic plasma membrane, which ensures the driving force for glutamate transport and dumps the transport-associated depolarization along the astrocyte processes. This has significant implications for developing therapeutic targets.

Prostaglandin E2 Produced by Alginate-Encapsulated Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Modulates the Astrocyte Inflammatory Response

Astroglia are well known for their role in propagating secondary injury following brain trauma. Modulation of this injury cascade, including inflammation, is essential to repair and recovery. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have been demonstrated as trophic mediators in several models of secondary CNS injury, however, there has been varied success with the use of direct implantation due to a failure to persist at the injury site. To achieve sustained therapeutic benefit, we have encapsulated MSCs in alginate microspheres and evaluated the ability of these encapsulated MSCs to attenuate neuro-inflammation. In this study, astroglial cultures were administered lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce inflammation and immediately co-cultured with encapsulated or monolayer human MSCs. Cultures were assayed for the pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) produced by astroglia, MSC-produced prostaglandin E2, and expression of neurotrophin-associated genes. We found that encapsulated MSCs significantly reduced TNF-α produced by LPS-stimulated astrocytes, more effectively than monolayer MSCs, and this enhanced benefit commences earlier than that of monolayer MSCs. Furthermore, in support of previous findings, encapsulated MSCs constitutively produced high levels of PGE2, while monolayer MSCs required the presence of inflammatory stimuli to induce PGE2 production. The early, constitutive presence of PGE2 significantly reduced astrocyte-produced TNF-α, while delayed administration had no effect. Finally, MSC-produced PGE2 was not only capable of modulating inflammation, but appears to have an additional role in stimulating astrocyte neurotrophin production. Overall, these results support the enhanced benefit of encapsulated MSC treatment, both in modulating the inflammatory response and providing neuroprotection.

Molecular and cellular physiology of sodium-dependent glutamate transporters

Glutamate is the major excitatory transmitter in the vertebrate brain. After its release from presynaptic nerve terminals, it is rapidly taken up by high-affinity sodium-dependent plasma membrane transporters. While both neurons and glial cells express these excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs), the majority of glutamate uptake is accomplished by astrocytes, which convert synaptically-released glutamate to glutamine or feed it into their own metabolism. Glutamate uptake by astrocytes not only shapes synaptic transmission by regulating the availability of glutamate to postsynaptic neuronal receptors, but also protects neurons from hyper-excitability and subsequent excitotoxic damage. In the present review, we provide an overview of the molecular and cellular characteristics of sodium-dependent glutamate transporters and their associated anion permeation pathways, with a focus on astrocytic glutamate transport. We summarize their functional properties and roles within tripartite synapses under physiological and pathophysiological conditions, exemplifying the intricate interactions and interrelationships between neurons and glial cells in the brain.

Neuroprotection by Combined Administration with Maslinic Acid, a Natural Product from Olea europaea, and MK-801 in the Cerebral Ischemia Model

Glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity is a major cause of ischemic brain damage. MK-801 confers neuroprotection by attenuating the activation of the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, but it failed in clinical use due to the short therapeutic window. Here we aim to investigate the effects of maslinic acid, a natural product from Olea europaea, on the therapeutic time window and dose range for the neuroprotection of MK-801. Rats were administered with maslinic acid intracerebroventricularly and cerebral ischemia was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) followed by reperfusion. MK-801 was administered at 1 h, 2 h, 3 h and 4 h after ischemia, respectively. The cerebral infarct volume was determined by 2,3,5-Triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining, neuronal damage was assessed by Haematoxylin Eosin (H&E) staining, and the expression of glial glutamate transporters and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and Western blot post-ischemia. Results showed that the presence of maslinic acid extended the therapeutic time window for MK-801 from 1 h to 3 h. Co-treatment of maslinic acid and MK-801 at a subthreshold dosage obviously induced neuroprotection after ischemia. The combination of these two compounds improved the outcome in ischemic rats. Moreover, maslinic acid treatment promoted the expression of GLT-1 and GFAP post-ischemia. These data suggest that the synergistic effect of maslinic acid on neurological protection might be associated with the improvement of glial function, especially with the increased expression of GLT-1. The combination therapy of maslinic acid and MK-801 may prove to be a potential strategy for treating acute ischemic stroke.