1
|
Herrera ML, Champarini LG, Basmadjian OM, Bellini MJ, Hereñú CB. IGF-1 gene therapy prevents spatial memory deficits and modulates dopaminergic neurodegeneration and inflammation in a parkinsonism model. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 119:851-866. [PMID: 38750702 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 04/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease is considered an indicator of the prodromal stages of this condition, occurring prior to the onset of classic and pathognomonic motor symptoms. Among other factors, neuroinflammation is increasingly recognized as a potential mediator of this neurodegenerative process, and glial cells are directly involved. However, the use of neurotrophic factors is associated with neuroprotection and cognitive improvements. Among all those factors, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) has attracted considerable attention. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of IGF-1 gene therapy in an early animal model of 6-hydroxidopamine (6-OHDA)- induced parkinsonism. For this purpose, we employed male Wistar rats. The animals were first divided into two groups according to the bilateral injection into de Caudate Putamen unit (CPu):(a) VEH group (vehicle solution) and (b) 6-OHDA group (neurotoxic solution). After that, the animals in each group were divided, according to the bilateral injection into the dorsal hippocampus, in a control group (who received a control virus RAd-DSRed) and an experimental group (who received a therapeutic virus (RAd-IGF1). After three weeks of exposure to 6-OHDA, our study showed that IGF-1 gene therapy improved cognitive deficits related to short-term and spatial working memory, it also increased expression levels of tyrosine hydroxylase in the CPu. In addition, the therapy resulted in significant changes in several parameters (area, perimeter, roundness, ramification, and skeleton ́s analyses) related to microglia and astrocyte phenotypes, particularly in the CPu and dorsal hippocampal areas. Our data support the use of IGF-1 as a therapeutic molecule for future gene transfer interventions, that will contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms correlating cognitive function and inflammatory process.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Macarena Lorena Herrera
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Departamento de Farmacología, Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), Córdoba, Argentina; Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata (INIBIOLP-CONICET-UNLP), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Leandro Gabriel Champarini
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Departamento de Farmacología, Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Osvaldo Martín Basmadjian
- Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra (INIMEC), CONICET-UNC, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - María José Bellini
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata (INIBIOLP-CONICET-UNLP), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Claudia Beatriz Hereñú
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Departamento de Farmacología, Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), Córdoba, Argentina.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Ma KT, Wu YJ, Yang YX, Wu T, Chen C, Peng F, Du JR, Peng C. A novel phthalein component ameliorates neuroinflammation and cognitive dysfunction by suppressing the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis in rats with vascular dementia. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 328:118117. [PMID: 38548120 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.118117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 03/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Chuanxiong, a plant of the Umbelliferae family, is a genuine medicinal herb from Sichuan Province. Phthalides are one of its main active components and exhibit good protective effect against cerebrovascular diseases. However, the mechanism by which phthalides exert neuroprotective effects is still largely unclear. AIM OF THE STUDY In this study, we extracted a phthalein component (named as QBT) from Ligusticum Chuanxiong, and investigated its neuroprotective effects against vascular dementia (VaD) rats and the underlying mechanism, focusing on the chemokine 12 (CXCL12)/chemokine (C-X-C motif) receptor 4 (CXCR4) axis. METHODS A rat model of VaD was established, and treated with QBT. Cognitive dysfunction in VaD rats was assessed using the Y-maze, new object recognition, and Morris water maze tests. Neuronal damage and inflammatory response in VaD rats were examined through Nissl staining, immunofluorescence, enzyme-linked immunospecific assay, and western blotting analysis. Furthermore, the effects of QBT on CXCL12/CXCR4 axis and its downstream signaling pathways, Janus kinase 2 (JAK2)/signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (STAT3) and phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), were investigated in VaD rats and BV2 microglial cells exposed to oxygen glucose deprivation. RESULTS QBT significantly alleviated cognitive dysfunction and neuronal damage in VaD rats, along with inhibition of VaD-induced over-activation of microglia and astrocytes and inflammatory response. Moreover, QBT exhibited anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis and its downstream JAK2/STAT3 and PI3K/AKT/NF-κB pathways, thereby attenuating the neuroinflammatory response both in vivo and in vitro. CONCLUSION QBT effectively mitigated neuronal damage and cognitive dysfunction in VaD rats, exerting neuroprotective effects by suppressing neuroinflammatory response through inhibition of the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kai-Ting Ma
- Department of Pharmacology, Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry and Sichuan Province, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yi-Jin Wu
- Department of Pharmacology, Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry and Sichuan Province, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yu-Xin Yang
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Ting Wu
- Department of Pharmacology, Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry and Sichuan Province, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Chu Chen
- Laboratory of Quality and Innovation Research of Chinese Materia Medica, Sichuan Academy of Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Fu Peng
- Department of Pharmacology, Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry and Sichuan Province, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jun-Rong Du
- Department of Pharmacology, Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry and Sichuan Province, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
| | - Cheng Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Shaikh A, Ahmad F, Teoh SL, Kumar J, Yahaya MF. Targeting dopamine transporter to ameliorate cognitive deficits in Alzheimer's disease. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1292858. [PMID: 38026688 PMCID: PMC10679733 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1292858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by the pathologic deposition of amyloid and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain, leading to neuronal damage and defective synapses. These changes manifest as abnormalities in cognition and behavior. The functional deficits are also attributed to abnormalities in multiple neurotransmitter systems contributing to neuronal dysfunction. One such important system is the dopaminergic system. It plays a crucial role in modulating movement, cognition, and behavior while connecting various brain areas and influencing other neurotransmitter systems, making it relevant in neurodegenerative disorders like AD and Parkinson's disease (PD). Considering its significance, the dopaminergic system has emerged as a promising target for alleviating movement and cognitive deficits in PD and AD, respectively. Extensive research has been conducted on dopaminergic neurons, receptors, and dopamine levels as critical factors in cognition and memory in AD. However, the exact nature of movement abnormalities and other features of extrapyramidal symptoms are not fully understood yet in AD. Recently, a previously overlooked element of the dopaminergic system, the dopamine transporter, has shown significant promise as a more effective target for enhancing cognition while addressing dopaminergic system dysfunction in AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ammara Shaikh
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Fairus Ahmad
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Seong Lin Teoh
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Jaya Kumar
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Mohamad Fairuz Yahaya
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Liu T, Zuo H, Ma D, Song D, Zhao Y, Cheng O. Cerebrospinal fluid GFAP is a predictive biomarker for conversion to dementia and Alzheimer's disease-associated biomarkers alterations among de novo Parkinson's disease patients: a prospective cohort study. J Neuroinflammation 2023; 20:167. [PMID: 37475029 PMCID: PMC10357612 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-023-02843-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dementia is a prevalent non-motor manifestation among individuals with advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) is an inflammatory marker derived from astrocytes. Research has demonstrated the potential of plasma GFAP to forecast the progression to dementia in PD patients with mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI). However, the predictive role of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) GFAP on future cognitive transformation and alterations in Alzheimer's disease (AD)-associated CSF biomarkers in newly diagnosed PD patients has not been investigated. METHODS 210 de novo PD patients from the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative were recruited. Cognitive progression in PD participants was evaluated using Cox regression. Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between baseline CSF GFAP and cognitive function and AD-related CSF biomarkers were evaluated using multiple linear regression and generalized linear mixed model. RESULTS At baseline, the mean age of PD participants was 60.85 ± 9.78 years, including 142 patients with normal cognition (PD-NC) and 68 PD-MCI patients. The average follow-up time was 6.42 ± 1.69 years. A positive correlation was observed between baseline CSF GFAP and age (β = 0.918, p < 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in baseline CSF GFAP levels between PD-NC and PD-MCI groups. Higher baseline CSF GFAP predicted greater global cognitive decline over time in early PD patients (Montreal Cognitive Assessment, β = - 0.013, p = 0.014). Furthermore, Cox regression showed that high baseline CSF GFAP levels were associated with a high risk of developing dementia over an 8-year period in the PD-NC group (adjusted HR = 3.070, 95% CI 1.119-8.418, p = 0.029). In addition, the baseline CSF GFAP was positively correlated with the longitudinal changes of not only CSF α-synuclein (β = 0.313, p < 0.001), but also CSF biomarkers associated with AD, namely, amyloid-β 42 (β = 0.147, p = 0.034), total tau (β = 0.337, p < 0.001) and phosphorylated tau (β = 0.408, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS CSF GFAP may be a valuable prognostic tool that can predict the severity and progression of cognitive deterioration, accompanied with longitudinal changes in AD-associated pathological markers in early PD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Liu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016 China
| | - Hongzhou Zuo
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016 China
| | - Di Ma
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016 China
| | - Dan Song
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016 China
| | - Yuying Zhao
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016 China
| | - Oumei Cheng
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016 China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Champarini LG, Herrera ML, Comas Mutis RG, Espejo PJ, Molina VA, Calfa GD, Hereñú CB. Effect of intra-BLA overexpression of IGF-1 on the expression of a contextual fear memory trace. Hippocampus 2022; 32:765-775. [PMID: 36000813 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Growth factors, such as insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), among others are known for their critical involvement in learning and memory processes. IGF-1 regulates cognitive functions, synapse density, neurotransmission, and adult neurogenesis and induces structural and synaptic plasticity-specific changes. Although IGF-1 has been suggested to participate in different memory processes, its role in memories associated with negative emotional experiences still remains to be elucidated. The principal aim of the present study was to test whether IGF-1 overexpression using adenoviral vectors in basolateral amygdala (BLA) influences both the expression and formation of contextual fear memory, as well as the hippocampal structural plasticity associated with such memory trace. We found that IGF-1 overexpression promotes the formation and expression of a specific contextual fear memory trace, and such effect persisted at least 7 days after recall. Moreover, the overexpression of this growth factor in BLA upregulates the activation of the ERK/MAPK pathway in this brain structure. In addition, intra-BLA IGF-1 overexpression causes dorsal hippocampus (DH) structural plasticity modifications promoting changes in the proportion of mature dendritic spines in the CA1 region, after a weak conditioning protocol. The present findings contribute to the knowledge underlying BLA-DH trace memory of fear and reveal important new insights into the neurobiology and neurochemistry of fear acquisition modulated by IGF-1 overexpression. The understanding of how IGF-1 modulates the formation of a fear contextual trace may pave the way for the development of novel therapeutic strategies focused on fear, anxiety, and trauma-related disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leandro Gabriel Champarini
- Departamento de Farmacología, Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Cordoba, Argentina
| | - Macarena Lorena Herrera
- Departamento de Farmacología, Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Cordoba, Argentina
| | - Ramiro Gabriel Comas Mutis
- Departamento de Farmacología, Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Cordoba, Argentina
| | - Pablo Javier Espejo
- Departamento de Farmacología, Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Cordoba, Argentina
| | - Victor Alejandro Molina
- Departamento de Farmacología, Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Cordoba, Argentina
| | - Gastón Diego Calfa
- Departamento de Farmacología, Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Cordoba, Argentina
| | - Claudia Beatriz Hereñú
- Departamento de Farmacología, Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Cordoba, Argentina
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Herrera ML, Bandín S, Champarini LG, Hereñú CB, Bellini MJ. Intramuscular insulin-like growth factor-1 gene therapy modulates reactive microglia after traumatic brain injury. Brain Res Bull 2021; 175:196-204. [PMID: 34339780 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2021.07.023] [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: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Reactive gliosis is a key feature and an important pathophysiological mechanism underlying chronic neurodegeneration following traumatic brain injury (TBI). In this study, we have explored the effects of intramuscular IGF-1 gene therapy on reactive gliosis and functional outcome after an injury of the cerebral cortex. Young adult male rats were intramuscularly injected with a recombinant adenoviral construct harboring the cDNA of human IGF-1 (RAd-IGF1), with a control vector expressing green fluorescent protein (RAd-GFP) or PBS as control. Three weeks after the intramuscular injections of adenoviral vectors, animals were subjected to a unilateral penetrating brain injury. The data revealed that RAd-IGF1 gene therapy significantly increased serum IGF1 levels and improved working memory performance after one week of TBI as compared to PBS or RAd-GFP lesioned animals. At the same time, when we analyzed the effects of therapy on glial scar formation, the treatment with RAd-IGF1 did not modify the number of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) positive cells, but we observed a decrease in vimentin immunoreactive astrocytes at 7 days post-lesion in the injured hemisphere compared to RAd-GFP group. Moreover, IGF-1 gene therapy reduced the number of Iba1+ cells with reactive phenotype and the number of MHCII + cells in the injured hemisphere. These results suggest that intramuscular IGF-1 gene therapy may represent a new approach to prevent traumatic brain injury outcomes in rats.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Macarena Lorena Herrera
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Departamento de Farmacología, Córdoba, Argentina; Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), Córdoba, Argentina; Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata (INIBIOLP-CONICET), La Plata, Argentina
| | - Sandra Bandín
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 28002 Madrid, Spain
| | - Leandro Gabriel Champarini
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Departamento de Farmacología, Córdoba, Argentina; Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Claudia Beatriz Hereñú
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Departamento de Farmacología, Córdoba, Argentina; Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Maria Jose Bellini
- Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata (INIBIOLP-CONICET), La Plata, Argentina.
| |
Collapse
|