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Wang Z, Zhang X, Zhang G, Zheng YJ, Zhao A, Jiang X, Gan J. Astrocyte modulation in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury: A promising therapeutic strategy. Exp Neurol 2024; 378:114814. [PMID: 38762094 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2024.114814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
Cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI) poses significant challenges for drug development due to its complex pathogenesis. Astrocyte involvement in CIRI pathogenesis has led to the development of novel astrocyte-targeting drug strategies. To comprehensively review the current literature, we conducted a thorough analysis from January 2012 to December 2023, identifying 82 drugs aimed at preventing and treating CIRI. These drugs target astrocytes to exert potential benefits in CIRI, and their primary actions include modulation of relevant signaling pathways to inhibit neuroinflammation and oxidative stress, reduce cerebral edema, restore blood-brain barrier integrity, suppress excitotoxicity, and regulate autophagy. Notably, active components from traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) such as Salvia miltiorrhiza, Ginkgo, and Ginseng exhibit these important pharmacological properties and show promise in the treatment of CIRI. This review highlights the potential of astrocyte-targeted drugs to ameliorate CIRI and categorizes them based on their mechanisms of action, underscoring their therapeutic potential in targeting astrocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyu Wang
- School of Integrative Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiaolu Zhang
- School of Integrative Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Guangming Zhang
- School of Integrative Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Yu Jia Zheng
- School of Integrative Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Anliu Zhao
- School of Integrative Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Xijuan Jiang
- School of Integrative Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China.
| | - Jiali Gan
- School of Integrative Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China.
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2
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Miguel-Hidalgo JJ. Neuroprotective astroglial response to neural damage and its relevance to affective disorders. EXPLORATION OF NEUROPROTECTIVE THERAPY 2023; 3:328-345. [PMID: 37920189 PMCID: PMC10622120 DOI: 10.37349/ent.2023.00054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytes not only support neuronal function with essential roles in synaptic neurotransmission, action potential propagation, metabolic support, or neuroplastic and developmental adaptations. They also respond to damage or dysfunction in surrounding neurons and oligodendrocytes by releasing neurotrophic factors and other molecules that increase the survival of the supported cells or contribute to mechanisms of structural and molecular restoration. The neuroprotective responsiveness of astrocytes is based on their ability to sense signals of degeneration, metabolic jeopardy and structural damage, and on their aptitude to locally deliver specific molecules to remedy threats to the molecular and structural features of their cellular partners. To the extent that neuronal and other glial cell disturbances are known to occur in affective disorders, astrocyte responsiveness to those disturbances may help to better understand the roles astrocytes play in affective disorders. The astrocytic sensing apparatus supporting those responses involves receptors for neurotransmitters, purines, cell adhesion molecules and growth factors. Astrocytes also share with the immune system the capacity of responding to cytokines released upon neuronal damage. In addition, in responses to specific signals astrocytes release unique factors such as clusterin or humanin that have been shown to exert potent neuroprotective effects. Astrocytes integrate the signals above to further deliver structural lipids, removing toxic metabolites, stabilizing the osmotic environment, normalizing neurotransmitters, providing anti-oxidant protection, facilitating synaptogenesis and acting as barriers to contain varied deleterious signals, some of which have been described in brain regions relevant to affective disorders and related animal models. Since various of the injurious signals that activate astrocytes have been implicated in different aspects of the etiopathology of affective disorders, particularly in relation to the diagnosis of depression, potentiating the corresponding astrocyte neuroprotective responses may provide additional opportunities to improve or complement available pharmacological and behavioral therapies for affective disorders.
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3
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Zhang S, Zhang Y, Zheng Y, Zhu S, Sun J, Deng Y, Wang Q, Zhai Q. Dexmedetomidine attenuates sleep deprivation-induced inhibition of hippocampal neurogenesis via VEGF-VEGFR2 signaling and inhibits neuroinflammation. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 165:115085. [PMID: 37392656 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Long periods of sleep deprivation (SD) have serious effects on health. While the α2 adrenoceptor agonist dexmedetomidine (DEX) can improve sleep quality for patients who have insomnia, the effect of DEX on cognition and mechanisms after SD remains elusive. C57BL/6 mice were subjected to 20 h SD daily for seven days. DEX (100 μg/kg) was administered intravenously twice daily (at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.) during seven days of SD. We found that systemic administration of DEX attenuated cognitive deficits by performing the Y maze and novel object recognition tests and increased DCX+, SOX2+, Ki67+, and BrdU+NeuN+/NeuN+ cell numbers in the dentate gyrus (DG) region of SD mice by using immunofluorescence, western blotting, and BrdU staining. DEX did not reverse the decrease in DCX+, SOX2+, or Ki67+ cell numbers in SD mice after administration of the α2A-adrenoceptor antagonist BRL-44408. Furthermore, the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) expression was upregulated in SD+DEX mice compared with SD mice. Luminex analysis showed that the neurogenic effects of DEX were possibly related to the inhibition of neuroinflammation, including IL-1α, IL-2, CCL5, and CXCL1. Our results suggested that DEX alleviated the impaired learning and memory of SD mice potentially by inducing hippocampal neurogenesis via the VEGF-VEGFR2 signaling pathway and by suppressing neuroinflammation, and α2A adrenoceptors are required for the neurogenic effects of DEX after SD. This novel mechanism may add to our knowledge of DEX in the clinical treatment of impaired memory caused by SD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuyue Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Center for Brain Science, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, Shaanxi, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Center for Brain Science, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yige Zheng
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang 712046, Shaanxi, China
| | - Shan Zhu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Center for Brain Science, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jianyu Sun
- Department of Anesthesiology and Center for Brain Science, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yingying Deng
- Department of Anesthesiology and Center for Brain Science, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, Shaanxi, China
| | - Qiang Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Center for Brain Science, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, Shaanxi, China.
| | - Qian Zhai
- Department of Anesthesiology and Center for Brain Science, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, Shaanxi, China.
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4
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Tskitishvili E, Palazzo C, Foidart JM, Piel G, Pequeux C. Use of Liposome-encapsulated estetrol for treatment of Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic encephalopathy. Brain Res 2023; 1809:148369. [PMID: 37061081 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2023.148369] [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: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2023]
Abstract
Estetrol (E4) is a natural estrogen synthesized only during pregnancy. It has strong neuroprotective and antioxidative activities. The aim of the present study was to define the neuroprotective potency of E4 encapsulated either in liposome (Lipo-E4) or in drug-in cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) in liposome (DCL) system, and compare them with a single use of E4. In vitro studies were performed in an oxidative stress model of primary hippocampal neuronal cell cultures, followed by the lactate dehydrogenase activity and cell proliferation assays. In vivo studies were conducted by using a model of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy in immature rat pups. Brain samples were studied by (immuno)histochemistry for the detection of survived cells, expression of microtubule-associated protein-2, myelin basic protein, doublecortin and vascular-endothelial growth factor. Concentrations of glial fibrillary acidic protein in blood serum were studied by ELISA. In vitro, cell proliferation was significantly up-regulated in cultures treated either by DCL-E4 or E4 compared to the control cells, whereas DCL-E4 treated cells had significantly higher survival rate than the cells treated by E4 alone. Evaluation of brain samples showed that DCL-E4 and a high dose of E4 alone significantly preserve the grey and the white matter loses, and diminish GFAP expression in blood. Although DCL-E4 and E4 have similar effect on neurogenesis in the hippocampus and the cortex, DCL-E4 treatment significantly up-regulates angiogenesis in the hippocampus compared to a single use of E4. Present work reveals for the first time that liposome-encapsulated E4 might be a better alternative to a single use of E4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterine Tskitishvili
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology and Tumors, GIGA-Cancer, Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Liège, Belgium.
| | - Claudio Palazzo
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, CIRM, University of Liège, Belgium
| | - Jean-Michel Foidart
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology and Tumors, GIGA-Cancer, Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Liège, Belgium
| | - Géraldine Piel
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, CIRM, University of Liège, Belgium
| | - Christel Pequeux
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology and Tumors, GIGA-Cancer, Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Liège, Belgium
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5
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Ilhan Y, Ilhan R, Goksu S, Tatli A, Coskun H. The effect of using adjuvant aromatase inhibitors on cognitive functions in postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. J Cancer Res Ther 2022; 19:S0. [PMID: 37147957 DOI: 10.4103/jcrt.jcrt_632_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Introduction Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women worldwide. Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) are effective treatment options for both early-stage and advanced hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. Because of AIs are used long term in adjuvant therapy, side effects are also very important. It is considered that AIs may affect cognitive functions by decreasing the level of estrogen in the brain. The purpose of our study is that evaluate the relationship between duration of treatment and cognitive functions in patients with breast cancer who use AIs in adjuvant therapy. Methods Two-hundred patients diagnosed with breast cancer who were treated with AIs as adjuvant treatment were included. The patients were surveyed for demographic characteristics. Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and Standardized Mini-Mental State Examination (SMMT) tests were performed to evaluate patients' cognitive functions. The total scores of the tests and the orientation, short-time memory, visuospatial functions, attention, language, executive functions which are the MoCA subscales were evaluated separately. Patients were grouped as 0-6, 6-12, 12-24, 24-36, 36, and more months according to the duration of AIs using time. Results The total MoCA and SMMT scores were affected by factors such as age, education level, and employment status. There was no relationship between duration of treatment and cognitive functions in patients with breast cancer who use AIs in adjuvant therapy (P > 0.05). In addition, no statistically relationship was found in the evaluation of MoCA subscales (P > 0.05). Discussion Prolonged adjuvant treatment with AIs does not affect cognitive functions in hormone receptor-positive breast cancer patients.
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6
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Latzer P, Shchyglo O, Hartl T, Matschke V, Schlegel U, Manahan-Vaughan D, Theiss C. Blocking VEGF by Bevacizumab Compromises Electrophysiological and Morphological Properties of Hippocampal Neurons. Front Cell Neurosci 2019; 13:113. [PMID: 30971896 PMCID: PMC6445260 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2018] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
A hallmark of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is neoangiogenesis, mediated by the overexpression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Anti-VEGF antibodies, like bevacizumab, prolong progression-free survival in GBM, however, this treatment has been reported to be associated with a decline in neurocognitive function. Therefore, this study focused on the effects of bevacizumab on neuronal function and plasticity. We analyzed neuronal membrane properties and synaptic plasticity in rat hippocampal slices, as well as spine dynamics in dissociated hippocampal neurons, to examine the impact of bevacizumab on hippocampal function and viability. VEGF inhibition resulted in profound impairments in hippocampal synaptic plasticity as well as reductions in dendritic spine number and length. Physiological properties of hippocampal neurons were also affected. These effects of VEGF blockade on hippocampal function may play a role in compromising memory and information processing and thus, may contribute to neurocognitive dysfunction in GBM patients treated with bevacizumab.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Latzer
- Department of Cytology, Institute of Anatomy, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.,International Graduate School of Neuroscience, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Olena Shchyglo
- Department of Neurophysiology, Medical Faculty, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Tim Hartl
- International Graduate School of Neuroscience, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.,Department of Neurophysiology, Medical Faculty, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Veronika Matschke
- Department of Cytology, Institute of Anatomy, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Uwe Schlegel
- Department of Neurology, Knappschaftskrankenhaus, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | | | - Carsten Theiss
- Department of Cytology, Institute of Anatomy, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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7
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Ruihua Z, Shuwu X, Guoting L, Wenjie Y, Xiangjie G, Zhao L, Jieyun Z, Aying M, Yan Z. Hormone-like activities of Kuntai capsule in the uteri of ovariectomized rats and immature rabbits. J TRADIT CHIN MED 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/s0254-6272(18)30984-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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8
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Wang C, Li J, Ye S, Zhang Y, Li P, Wang L, Wang TH. Oestrogen Inhibits VEGF Expression And Angiogenesis In Triple-Negative Breast Cancer By Activating GPER-1. J Cancer 2018; 9:3802-3811. [PMID: 30405852 PMCID: PMC6216003 DOI: 10.7150/jca.29233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2018] [Accepted: 08/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most malignant type of breast cancer with ample vascularisation and high vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression. The sex steroid hormone oestrogen is involved in several cellular activities associated with TNBC regulation. However, the role of oestrogen in VEGF expression and angiogenesis in TNBC remains unclear. In this study, we found that treatment with 17β-oestradiol (E2) inhibited VEGF mRNA and protein expression in the TNBC cell lines MDA-MB-468 and MDA-MB-436. To further elaborate on the phenomenon of E2-regulated angiogenesis, we showed that conditioned medium from the TNBC cell line MDA-MB-468 treated with E2 inhibits the tube formation ability of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Additionally, the G-protein-coupled oestrogen receptor-1 (GPER-1)-specific agonist G-1 has a function similar to that of E2. While G-15, the selective antagonist of GPER-1, notably reversed the inhibitory effects of E2 and G-1 on VEGF expression and tube formation, suggesting that GPER-1 is involved in the E2-induced angiogenesis suppression in TNBC cells. Moreover, E2 inhibited in vivo tumour growth and angiogenesis and reduced the expression levels of VEGF, NF-κB/p65, STAT3, and the endothelial marker CD34 in MDA-MB-468 xenograft tumours. Our findings provide important evidence that E2 can inhibit VEGF expression and angiogenesis in TNBC by activating GPER-1, offering additional insight into tumour angiogenesis and targets for drug intervention in TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Wang
- Department of Physiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiehao Li
- Department of Physiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuang Ye
- Department of Physiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Yaxing Zhang
- Department of Physiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Ping Li
- Department of Physiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Ling Wang
- Department of Physiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Ting-Huai Wang
- Department of Physiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
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9
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Zhang N, Chen J, Ferraro GB, Wu L, Datta M, Jain RK, Plotkin SR, Stemmer-Rachamimov A, Xu L. Anti-VEGF treatment improves neurological function in tumors of the nervous system. Exp Neurol 2017; 299:326-333. [PMID: 28911884 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2017.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2017] [Revised: 07/05/2017] [Accepted: 09/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Research of various diseases of the nervous system has shown that VEGF has direct neuroprotective effects in the central and peripheral nervous systems, and indirect effects on improving neuronal vessel perfusion which leads to nerve protection. In the tumors of the nervous system, VEGF plays a critical role in tumor angiogenesis and tumor progression. The effect of anti-VEGF treatment on nerve protection and function has been recently reported - by normalizing the tumor vasculature, anti-VEGF treatment is able to relieve nerve edema and deliver oxygen more efficiently into the nerve, thus reducing nerve damage and improving nerve function. This review aims to summarize the divergent roles of VEGF in diseases of the nervous system and the recent findings of anti-VEGF therapy in nerve damage/regeneration and function in tumors, specifically, in Neurofibromatosis type 2 associated schwannomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Zhang
- Edwin Steele Laboratories, Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Jie Chen
- Edwin Steele Laboratories, Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Gino B Ferraro
- Edwin Steele Laboratories, Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Limeng Wu
- Edwin Steele Laboratories, Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Meenal Datta
- Edwin Steele Laboratories, Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Rakesh K Jain
- Edwin Steele Laboratories, Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Scott R Plotkin
- Department of Neurology and Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, USA
| | - Anat Stemmer-Rachamimov
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
| | - Lei Xu
- Edwin Steele Laboratories, Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
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10
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Krcek R, Matschke V, Theis V, Adamietz IA, Bühler H, Theiss C. Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor, Irradiation, and Axitinib Have Diverse Effects on Motility and Proliferation of Glioblastoma Multiforme Cells. Front Oncol 2017; 7:182. [PMID: 28879167 PMCID: PMC5572260 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2017.00182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2017] [Accepted: 08/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common primary brain tumor. It is highly aggressive with an unfavorable prognosis for the patients despite therapies including surgery, irradiation, and chemotherapy. One important characteristic of highly vascularized GBM is the strong expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). VEGF has become a new target in the treatment of GBM, and targeted therapies such as the VEGF-receptor blocker axitinib are in clinical trials. Most studies focus on VEGF-induced angiogenesis, but only very few investigations analyze autocrine or paracrine effects of VEGF on the tumor cells. In this study, we examined the impact of VEGF, irradiation, and axitinib on cell proliferation and cell motility in human GBM cell lines U-251 and U-373. VEGF receptor 2 was shown to be expressed within both cell lines by using PCR and immunochemistry. Moreover, we performed 24-h videography to analyze motility, and a viability assay for cell proliferation. We observed increasing effects of VEGF and irradiation on cell motility in both cell lines, as well as strong inhibiting effects on cellular motility by VEGF-receptor blockade using axitinib. Moreover, axitinib diminished irradiation induced accelerating effects. While VEGF stimulation or irradiation did not affect cell proliferation, axitinib significantly decreased cell proliferation in both cell lines. Therefore, the impairment of VEGF signaling might have a crucial role in the treatment of GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reinhardt Krcek
- Department of Cytology, Institute of Anatomy, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Veronika Matschke
- Department of Cytology, Institute of Anatomy, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Verena Theis
- Department of Cytology, Institute of Anatomy, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Irenäus Anton Adamietz
- Department of Radiotherapy and Radio-Oncology, University Medical Centre Marien Hospital, Ruhr-University Bochum, Herne, Germany
| | - Helmut Bühler
- Institute for Molecular Oncology, Radio-Biology and Experimental Radiotherapy, University Medical Centre Marien Hospital, Ruhr-University Bochum, Herne, Germany
| | - Carsten Theiss
- Department of Cytology, Institute of Anatomy, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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11
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Abstract
The brain has long been known as a dimorphic organ and as a target of sex steroids. It is also a site for their synthesis. Sex steroids in numerous ways can modify cerebral physiology, and along with many processes adult neurogenesis is also modulated by sex steroids. This review will focus on the effects of the main steroids, estrogens, androgens and progestogens, and unveil some aspects of their partly disclosed mechanisms of actions. Gonadal steroids act on different steps of neurogenesis: cell proliferation seems to be increased by estrogens only, while androgens and progestogens favor neuronal renewal by increasing cell survival; differentiation is a common target. Aging is characterized by a cognitive deficiency, paralleled by a decrease in the rate of neuronal renewal and in the levels of circulating gonadal hormones. Therefore, the effects of gonadal hormones on the aging brain are important to consider. The review will also be expanded to related molecules which are agonists to the nuclear receptors. Sex steroids can modify adult neuronal renewal and the extensive knowledge of their actions on neurogenesis is essential, as it can be a leading pathway to therapeutic perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Heberden
- Micalis Institute, INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France.
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12
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Moretto JN, Duffy ÁM, Scharfman HE. Acute restraint stress decreases c-fos immunoreactivity in hilar mossy cells of the adult dentate gyrus. Brain Struct Funct 2017; 222:2405-2419. [PMID: 28190104 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-016-1349-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2016] [Accepted: 12/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Although a great deal of information is available about the circuitry of the mossy cells (MCs) of the dentate gyrus (DG) hilus, their activity in vivo is not clear. The immediate early gene c-fos can be used to gain insight into the activity of MCs in vivo, because c-fos protein expression reflects increased neuronal activity. In prior work, it was identified that control rats that were perfusion-fixed after removal from their home cage exhibited c-fos immunoreactivity (ir) in the DG in a spatially stereotyped pattern: ventral MCs and dorsal granule cells (GCs) expressed c-fos protein (Duffy et al., Hippocampus 23:649-655, 2013). In this study, we hypothesized that restraint stress would alter c-fos-ir, because MCs express glucocorticoid type 2 receptors and the DG is considered to be involved in behaviors related to stress or anxiety. We show that acute restraint using a transparent nose cone for just 10 min led to reduced c-fos-ir in ventral MCs compared to control rats. In these comparisons, c-fos-ir was evaluated 30 min after the 10 min-long period of restraint, and if evaluation was later than 30 min c-fos-ir was no longer suppressed. Granule cells (GCs) also showed suppressed c-fos-ir after acute restraint, but it was different than MCs, because the suppression persisted for over 30 min after the restraint. We conclude that c-fos protein expression is rapidly and transiently reduced in ventral hilar MCs after a brief period of restraint, and suppressed longer in dorsal GCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jillian N Moretto
- The Nathan Kline Institute of Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, 10962, USA
| | - Áine M Duffy
- The Nathan Kline Institute of Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, 10962, USA
| | - Helen E Scharfman
- The Nathan Kline Institute of Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, 10962, USA. .,Departments of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Physiology and Neuroscience, and Psychiatry, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
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13
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Obuchowicz E, Nowacka M, Paul-Samojedny M, Bielecka-Wajdman AM, Małecki A. Sex differences in the effect of acute peripheral IL-1β administration on the brain and serum BDNF and VEGF expression in rats. Cytokine 2017; 90:6-13. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2016.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2016] [Revised: 09/07/2016] [Accepted: 10/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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14
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Shtaya A, Millar J, Sparrow O. Multimodality management and outcomes of brain arterio-venous malformations (AVMs) in children: personal experience and review of the literature, with specific emphasis on age at first AVM bleed. Childs Nerv Syst 2017; 33:573-581. [PMID: 28324183 PMCID: PMC5382178 DOI: 10.1007/s00381-017-3383-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2016] [Accepted: 03/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The purpose of this paper is to study the presentation and analyse the results of multimodality treatment of brain arterio-venous malformations (AVMs) in children at our centre and review age at first AVM rupture in the literature. METHODS Of 52 patients aged <18 years, 47 with brain AVMs (27 males and 20 females) aged 4-17 years (mean 12.2) were retrospectively reviewed. PubMed search revealed five additional studies including 267 patients where the prevalence of age-related AVMs rupture was analysed. RESULTS In our study, 37 patients had bled, 9 were symptomatic without haemorrhage and 1 was incidental. Spetzler-Martin score distribution was 5 cases grade I, 18 grade II, 21 grade III and 3 grade IV. Appropriate imaging was performed, either CT/MRI angiogram only (in emergency cases) or catheter angiogram, prior to definitive treatment. There were 40 supratentorial and 7 infratentorial AVMs. Twenty-nine patients had microsurgery alone and 9 patients were treated by radiosurgery only. Three patients were embolised, all followed by radiosurgery, with one requiring surgery too, while 4 patients had combined surgery and radiosurgery. One patient is awaiting radiosurgery while another was not treated. Good outcomes, classified as modified Rankin score (mRS) 0-2 improved significantly after intervention to 89.4% from 38.3% pre-treatment (p value <0.0001). Angiography confirmed 96.6% obliteration after first planned operation. Repeat cerebral angiogram around age 18 was negative in all previously cured patients. Reviewing the literature, 82.0% (95% CI = [77-87]; N = 267) of children diagnosed with brain AVMs (mean age 11.4 ± 0.4) presented with a bleed in the last 22 years. Males significantly outnumbered females (136 vs 84) (p < 0.001). Ninety-five patients underwent surgical intervention alone when compared to other treatment modalities (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Microsurgical excision of surgically accessible intracranial AVMs remains the primary treatment option with very good outcomes. A significant number of patients' AVMs ruptured around puberty; therefore, understanding the pathophysiology of AVM instability at this age may aid future therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anan Shtaya
- Wessex Neurological Centre, University Hospital Southampton, Southampton, UK. .,Atkinson Morley Neurosurgery Centre, Academic Neurosurgery Unit, St George's, University of London, London, SW17 0RE, UK.
| | - John Millar
- 0000000103590315grid.123047.3Wessex Neurological Centre, University Hospital Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Owen Sparrow
- 0000000103590315grid.123047.3Wessex Neurological Centre, University Hospital Southampton, Southampton, UK
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15
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Acaz-Fonseca E, Avila-Rodriguez M, Garcia-Segura LM, Barreto GE. Regulation of astroglia by gonadal steroid hormones under physiological and pathological conditions. Prog Neurobiol 2016; 144:5-26. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2016.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2015] [Accepted: 06/05/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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16
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Li C, Zhou C, Li R. Can Exercise Ameliorate Aromatase Inhibitor-Induced Cognitive Decline in Breast Cancer Patients? Mol Neurobiol 2016; 53:4238-4246. [PMID: 26223800 PMCID: PMC5651179 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-015-9341-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2015] [Accepted: 07/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) have been commonly used as an effective adjuvant therapy in treatment of breast cancer, especially for menopausal women with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. Due to the nature of aromatase, the key enzyme for endogenous estrogen synthesis, inhibitory of aromatase-induced side effects, such as cognitive impairment has been reported in both human and animal studies. While extensive evidence suggested that physical exercises can improve learning and memory activity and even prevent age-related cognitive decline, basic research revealed some common pathways between exercise and estrogen signaling that affected cognitive function. This review draws on clinical and basic studies to assess the potential impact of exercise in cognitive function from women treated with AIs for breast cancer and explore the potential mechanism and effects of exercise on estrogen-related cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cuicui Li
- Department of Sport Psychology, School of Sport Science, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Chenglin Zhou
- Department of Sport Psychology, School of Sport Science, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, 200438, China.
| | - Rena Li
- Department of Sport Psychology, School of Sport Science, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, 200438, China.
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital and Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100012, China.
- Center for Hormone Advanced Science and Education, Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, FL, 34243, USA.
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17
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Doke M, Matsuwaki T, Yamanouchi K, Nishihara M. Lack of estrogen receptor α in astrocytes of progranulin-deficient mice. J Reprod Dev 2016; 62:547-551. [PMID: 27440553 PMCID: PMC5177971 DOI: 10.1262/jrd.2016-067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Progranulin (PGRN) is a multifunctional growth factor with functions in neuroprotection, anti-inflammation, and neural progenitor cell proliferation. These
functions largely overlap with the actions of estrogen in the brain. Indeed, we have previously shown that PGRN mediates the functions of estrogen, such as
masculinizing the rodent brain and promoting adult neurogenesis. To evaluate the underlying mechanism of PGRN in mediating the actions of estrogen, the
localization of estrogen receptor α (ERα) in the brains of wild-type (WT) and PGRN-deficient (KO) mice was investigated. First, double-labeling
immunofluorescence was performed for ERα with neuronal nuclei (NeuN), ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba1), and glial fibrillary acidic protein
(GFAP), as markers for neurons, microglia, and astrocytes, respectively, in female mice in diestrous and estrous stages. ERα-immunoreactive (IR) cells were
widespread and co-localized with NeuN in brain sections analyzed (bregma –1.06 to –3.16 mm) of both WT and KO mice. In contrast, expression of ERα was not
observed in Iba1-IR cells from both genotypes. Interestingly, although ERα was co-localized with GFAP in WT mice, virtually no ERα expression was discernible in
GFAP-IR cells in KO mice. Next, the brains of ovariectomized adult female, adult male, and immature female mice were subjected to immunostaining for ERα and
GFAP. Again, co-localization of ERα with GFAP was observed in WT mice, whereas this co-localization was not detected in KO mice. These results suggest that PGRN
plays a crucial role in the expression of ERα in astrocytes regardless of the estrous cycle stage, sex, and maturity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mio Doke
- Department of Veterinary Physiology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
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18
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Duman RS, Aghajanian GK, Sanacora G, Krystal JH. Synaptic plasticity and depression: new insights from stress and rapid-acting antidepressants. Nat Med 2016; 22:238-49. [PMID: 26937618 PMCID: PMC5405628 DOI: 10.1038/nm.4050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1020] [Impact Index Per Article: 127.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2015] [Accepted: 01/21/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Depression is a common, devastating illness. Current pharmacotherapies help many patients, but high rates of a partial response or no response, and the delayed onset of the effects of antidepressant therapies, leave many patients inadequately treated. However, new insights into the neurobiology of stress and human mood disorders have shed light on mechanisms underlying the vulnerability of individuals to depression and have pointed to novel antidepressants. Environmental events and other risk factors contribute to depression through converging molecular and cellular mechanisms that disrupt neuronal function and morphology, resulting in dysfunction of the circuitry that is essential for mood regulation and cognitive function. Although current antidepressants, such as serotonin-reuptake inhibitors, produce subtle changes that take effect in weeks or months, it has recently been shown that treatment with new agents results in an improvement in mood ratings within hours of dosing patients who are resistant to typical antidepressants. Within a similar time scale, these new agents have also been shown to reverse the synaptic deficits caused by stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald S Duman
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - George K Aghajanian
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Gerard Sanacora
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - John H Krystal
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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Latzer P, Schlegel U, Theiss C. Morphological Changes of Cortical and Hippocampal Neurons after Treatment with VEGF and Bevacizumab. CNS Neurosci Ther 2016; 22:440-50. [PMID: 26861512 PMCID: PMC5067574 DOI: 10.1111/cns.12516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2015] [Revised: 12/21/2015] [Accepted: 01/02/2016] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Aims Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a hallmark of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and plays an important role in brain development and function. Recently, it has been reported that treatment of GBM patients with bevacizumab, an anti‐VEGF antibody, may cause a decline in neurocognitive function and compromise quality of life. Therefore, we investigated the effects of VEGF and bevacizumab on the morphology and on survival of neurons and glial cells. Methods Dissociated cortical and hippocampal cell cultures of juvenile rats were treated with VEGF, bevacizumab, and VEGF + bevacizumab. Neuronal and glial cell viability was analyzed, and the morphology of neurons was objectified by morphometric analysis. Results In cortical cultures, bevacizumab significantly decreased the number of neurons after 20 days and the number of glial cells subsequent 30 days. Additionally, an increase in the dendritic length of cortical neurons was obvious after 10 days of incubation with bevacizumab, but returned to control level after 30 days. In hippocampal cultures, cell viability was not affected by bevacizumab; however, dendritic length increased at day 10, but decreased after long‐term treatment. Conclusion Therefore, bevacizumab obviously has a cytotoxic effect in cortical cultures and decreases the dendritic length in hippocampal neurons after long‐term treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Latzer
- Department of Cytology, Institute of Anatomy, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Uwe Schlegel
- Department of Neurology, Knappschaftskrankenhaus, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Carsten Theiss
- Department of Cytology, Institute of Anatomy, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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20
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Sartorius CA, Hanna CT, Gril B, Cruz H, Serkova NJ, Huber KM, Kabos P, Schedin TB, Borges VF, Steeg PS, Cittelly DM. Estrogen promotes the brain metastatic colonization of triple negative breast cancer cells via an astrocyte-mediated paracrine mechanism. Oncogene 2015; 35:2881-92. [PMID: 26411365 PMCID: PMC4809801 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2015.353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2015] [Revised: 07/21/2015] [Accepted: 08/17/2015] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Brain metastases (BM) are a devastating consequence of breast cancer. BM occur more frequently in patients with estrogen receptor-negative (ER−) breast cancer subtypes; HER2 overexpressing (HER2+) tumors and triple-negative (TN) (ER−, progesterone receptor-negative (PR−) and normal HER2) tumors. Young age is an independent risk factor for development of BM, thus we speculated that higher circulating estrogens in young, pre-menopausal women could exert paracrine effects through the highly estrogen-responsive brain microenvironment. Using a TN experimental metastases model, we demonstrate that ovariectomy decreased the frequency of MRI detectable lesions by 56% as compared to estrogen supplementation, and that the combination of ovariectomy and letrozole further reduced the frequency of large lesions to 14.4% of the estrogen control. Human BM expressed 4.2-48.4% ER+ stromal area, particularly ER+ astrocytes. In vitro, E2-treated astrocytes increased proliferation, migration and invasion of 231BR-EGFP cells in an ER-dependent manner. E2 upregulated EGFR ligands Egf, Ereg, and Tgfa mRNA and protein levels in astrocytes, and activated EGFR in brain metastatic cells. Co-culture of 231BR-EGFP cells with E2-treated astrocytes led to upregulation of the metastatic mediator S100 Calcium-binding protein A4 (S100A4) (1.78-fold, P<0.05). Exogenous EGF increased S100A4 mRNA levels in 231BR-EGFP cells (1.40±0.02 fold, P<0.01 compared to vehicle-control) and an EGFR/HER2 inhibitor blocked this effect, suggesting that S100A4 is a downstream effector of EGFR activation. ShRNA-mediated S100A4 silencing in 231BR-EGFP cells decreased their migration and invasion in response to E2-CM, abolished their increased proliferation in co-cultures with E2-treated astrocytes, and decreased brain metastatic colonization. Thus, S100A4 is one effector of the paracrine action of E2 in brain metastatic cells. These studies provide a novel mechanism by which estrogens, acting through ER+ astrocytes in the brain microenvironment, can promote BM of TN breast cancers, and suggests existing endocrine agents may provide some clinical benefit towards reducing and managing BM.
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Affiliation(s)
- C A Sartorius
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - C T Hanna
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - B Gril
- Women's Malignancies Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - H Cruz
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - N J Serkova
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - K M Huber
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - P Kabos
- Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - T B Schedin
- Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - V F Borges
- Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - P S Steeg
- Women's Malignancies Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - D M Cittelly
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
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Pintzka CW, Håberg AK. Perimenopausal hormone therapy is associated with regional sparing of the CA1 subfield: a HUNT MRI study. Neurobiol Aging 2015; 36:2555-62. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2015.05.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2015] [Revised: 05/05/2015] [Accepted: 05/31/2015] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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22
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D'Amour J, Magagna-Poveda A, Moretto J, Friedman D, LaFrancois JJ, Pearce P, Fenton AA, MacLusky NJ, Scharfman HE. Interictal spike frequency varies with ovarian cycle stage in a rat model of epilepsy. Exp Neurol 2015; 269:102-19. [PMID: 25864929 PMCID: PMC4446145 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2015.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2014] [Revised: 12/27/2014] [Accepted: 04/02/2015] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
In catamenial epilepsy, seizures exhibit a cyclic pattern that parallels the menstrual cycle. Many studies suggest that catamenial seizures are caused by fluctuations in gonadal hormones during the menstrual cycle, but this has been difficult to study in rodent models of epilepsy because the ovarian cycle in rodents, called the estrous cycle, is disrupted by severe seizures. Thus, when epilepsy is severe, estrous cycles become irregular or stop. Therefore, we modified kainic acid (KA)- and pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus (SE) models of epilepsy so that seizures were rare for the first months after SE, and conducted video-EEG during this time. The results showed that interictal spikes (IIS) occurred intermittently. All rats with regular 4-day estrous cycles had IIS that waxed and waned with the estrous cycle. The association between the estrous cycle and IIS was strong: if the estrous cycles became irregular transiently, IIS frequency also became irregular, and when the estrous cycle resumed its 4-day pattern, IIS frequency did also. Furthermore, when rats were ovariectomized, or males were recorded, IIS frequency did not show a 4-day pattern. Systemic administration of an estrogen receptor antagonist stopped the estrous cycle transiently, accompanied by transient irregularity of the IIS pattern. Eventually all animals developed severe, frequent seizures and at that time both the estrous cycle and the IIS became irregular. We conclude that the estrous cycle entrains IIS in the modified KA and pilocarpine SE models of epilepsy. The data suggest that the ovarian cycle influences more aspects of epilepsy than seizure susceptibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- James D'Amour
- The Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, 140 Old Orangeburg Rd., Bldg. 35, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA; Cantonal Hospital of Basel, Land Institute of Pathology, Mühlemattstrasse 11, CH-4410 Liestal, Switzerland; Sackler Program in Biomedical Sciences, New York University Langone Medical Center, 550 First Ave., New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Alejandra Magagna-Poveda
- Cantonal Hospital of Basel, Land Institute of Pathology, Mühlemattstrasse 11, CH-4410 Liestal, Switzerland
| | - Jillian Moretto
- The Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, 140 Old Orangeburg Rd., Bldg. 35, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA
| | - Daniel Friedman
- The Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, 140 Old Orangeburg Rd., Bldg. 35, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA; Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, 334 34th St., New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - John J LaFrancois
- The Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, 140 Old Orangeburg Rd., Bldg. 35, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA
| | - Patrice Pearce
- Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Andre A Fenton
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, 4 Washington Place, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Neil J MacLusky
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Helen E Scharfman
- The Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, 140 Old Orangeburg Rd., Bldg. 35, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA; Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Physiology & Neuroscience, and Psychiatry, New York University Langone Medical Center, One Park Ave, New York, NY 10016, USA.
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Fathpour P, Obad N, Espedal H, Stieber D, Keunen O, Sakariassen PØ, Niclou SP, Bjerkvig R. Bevacizumab treatment for human glioblastoma. Can it induce cognitive impairment? Neuro Oncol 2015; 16:754-6. [PMID: 24733853 DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/nou013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent results from 2 double-blind, placebo-controlled phase III trials (RTOG 0825) and (AVAglio) for first-line treatment of glioblastoma patients with the VEGF antibody bevacizumab, showed similar results, related to overall and progression-free survival. The RTOG 0825 trial indicated, opposed to the AVAglio trial, that patients treated with bevacizumab showed a decline in global neurocognitive function compared to untreated patients, -a decline that was most obvious after prolonged treatment. At present, there is a considerably controversy related to these observations. In the present work we point at the possibility that bevacizumab treatment of the normal brain can reduce synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus. We believe that such a phenomenon may partly explain the reduced cognitive function observed in patients in the RTOG 0825 trial. Since the same effects were not clearly defined in the AVAglio trial, further studies on putative neurocognitive effects after bevacizumab treatment are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pakzad Fathpour
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Norway (P.F., N.O., H.E.,P.Ø.S., R.B); Centre de Recherche Public de la Santé, Luxembourg (D.S., O.K., S.P.N.)
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Uzum G, Bahçekapılı N, Baltaci A, Mogulkoc R, Ziylan Y. Pre- and post-estrogen administration in global cerebral ischemia reduces blood-brain barrier breakdown in ovariectomized rats. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 102:60-6. [DOI: 10.1556/aphysiol.102.2015.1.6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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25
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Bag AK, Kim H, Gao Y, Bolding M, Warren PP, Fathallah-Shaykh HM, Gurler D, Markert JM, Fiveash J, Beasley TM, Khawaja A, Friedman GK, Chapman PR, Nabors LB, Han X. Prolonged treatment with bevacizumab is associated with brain atrophy: a pilot study in patients with high-grade gliomas. J Neurooncol 2015; 122:585-93. [PMID: 25711673 DOI: 10.1007/s11060-015-1751-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2014] [Accepted: 02/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Bevacizumab is widely used for treatment of high-grade gliomas and other malignancies. Because bevacizumab has been shown to be associated with neurocognitive decline, this study is designed to investigate whether prolonged treatment with bevacizumab is also associated with brain atrophy. We identified 12 high-grade glioma patients who received bevacizumab for 12 months at the first recurrence and 13 matched controls and blindly compared the volumes of the contralateral hemispheres and contralateral ventricle in these two groups at baseline and after 12 ± 2 months of the baseline scan by two independent analyses. The volumes of the contralateral hemispheres and ventricles did not differ significantly between the two groups at baseline. Whereas, in the control group the volumes of the contralateral hemisphere changed subtly from baseline to follow-up (p = 0.23), in the bevacizumab-treated group the volumes significantly decreased from baseline to follow-up (p = 0.03). There was significant increase in the contralateral ventricle volume from base line to follow-up scans in both the control group (p = 0.01) and in the bevacizumab group (p = 0.005). Both the absolute and the percentage changes of contralateral hemisphere volumes and contralateral ventricular volumes between the two patient groups were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Results of this study demonstrate prolonged treatment with bevacizumab is associated with atrophy of the contralateral brain hemisphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asim K Bag
- Department of Radiology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, USA
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Borrow AP, Cameron NM. Estrogenic mediation of serotonergic and neurotrophic systems: implications for female mood disorders. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2014; 54:13-25. [PMID: 24865152 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2014.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2014] [Revised: 05/13/2014] [Accepted: 05/14/2014] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Clinical research has demonstrated a significant sex difference in the occurrence of depressive disorders. Beginning at pubertal onset, women report a higher incidence of depression than men. Women are also vulnerable to the development of depressive disorders such as premenstrual dysphoric disorder, postpartum depression, and perimenopausal depression. These disorders are associated with reproductive stages involving changes in gonadal hormone levels. Specifically, female depression and female affective behaviors are influenced by estradiol levels. This review argues two major mechanisms by which estrogens influence depression and depressive-like behavior: through interactions with neurotrophic factors and through an influence on the serotonergic system. In particular, estradiol increases brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels within the brain, and alters serotonergic expression in a receptor subtype-specific manner. We will take a regional approach, examining these effects of estrogens in the major brain areas implicated in depression. Finally, we will discuss the gaps in our current knowledge of the effects of estrogens on female depression, and the potential utility for estrogen receptor modulators in treatment for this disorder.
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Antidepressant-induced vascular dynamics in the hippocampus of adult mouse brain. Cell Tissue Res 2014; 358:43-55. [PMID: 24962546 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-014-1933-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2013] [Accepted: 05/23/2014] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
New neurons are continuously added to hippocampal circuitry involved with spatial learning and memory throughout life. These new neurons originate from neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) in the subgranular zone (SGZ) of the dentate gyrus (DG). Recent studies indicate that vascular reconstruction is closely connected with neurogenesis, but little is known about its mechanism. We have examined vascular reconstruction in the hippocampus of adult mouse brain after the administration of the antidepressant fluoxetine, a potent inducer of hippocampal neurogenesis. The immunohistochemistry of laminin and CD31 showed that filopodia of endothelial cells sprouted from existing thick microvessels and often formed a bridge between two thick microvessels. These filopodia were frequently seen at the molecular layer and dentate hilus of the DG, the stratum lacunosum-moleculare of the CA1, and the stratum oriens of the CA3. The filopodia were exclusively localized along cellular processes of astrocytes, but such intimate association was not seen with cell bodies and processes of NSPCs. The administration of fluoxetine significantly increased vascular density by enlarging the luminal size of microvessels and eliminating the filopodia of endothelial cells in the molecular layer and dentate hilus. Treatment with fluoxetine increased the number of proliferating NSPCs in the granule cell layer and dentate hilus, and that of endothelial cells in the granule cell layer. Thus, antidepressant-induced vascular dynamics in the DG are possibly attributable to the alteration of the luminal size of microvessels rather than to proliferation of endothelial cells.
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28
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Acaz-Fonseca E, Sanchez-Gonzalez R, Azcoitia I, Arevalo MA, Garcia-Segura LM. Role of astrocytes in the neuroprotective actions of 17β-estradiol and selective estrogen receptor modulators. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2014; 389:48-57. [PMID: 24444786 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2014.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2013] [Revised: 01/08/2014] [Accepted: 01/08/2014] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Neuroprotective actions of 17β-estradiol (estradiol) are in part mediated by direct actions on neurons. Astrocytes, which play an essential role in the maintenance of the homeostasis of neural tissue, express estrogen receptors and are also involved in the neuroprotective actions of estradiol in the brain. Estradiol controls gliosis and regulates neuroinflammation, edema and glutamate transport acting on astrocytes. In addition, the hormone regulates the release of neurotrophic factors and other neuroprotective molecules by astrocytes. In addition, reactive astrocytes are a local source of neuroprotective estradiol for the injured brain. Since estradiol therapy is not free from peripheral risks, alternatives for the hormone have been explored. Some selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), which are already in use in clinical practice for the treatment of breast cancer, osteoporosis or menopausal symptoms, exert similar actions to estradiol on astrocytes. Therefore, SERMs represent therapeutic alternatives to estradiol for the activation of astroglia-mediated neuroprotective mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Iñigo Azcoitia
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Biología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, E-28040 Madrid, Spain
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Yoshida M, Watanabe Y, Yamanishi K, Yamashita A, Yamamoto H, Okuzaki D, Shimada K, Nojima H, Yasunaga T, Okamura H, Matsunaga H, Yamanishi H. Analysis of genes causing hypertension and stroke in spontaneously hypertensive rats: gene expression profiles in the brain. Int J Mol Med 2014; 33:887-96. [PMID: 24452243 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2014.1631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2013] [Accepted: 01/09/2014] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and stroke-prone SHR (SHRSP) are frequently used as rat models not only of essential hypertension and stroke, but also of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) are used as the control rats in these cases. An increasing number of studies has demonstrated the critical role of the central nervous system in the development and maintenance of hypertension. In a previous study, we analyzed the gene expression profiles in the adrenal glands of SHR. Thus, in this study, we analyzed gene expression profiles in the brains of SHR in order to identify the genes responsible for causing hypertension and stroke, as well as those involved in ADHD. Using genome-wide microarray technology, we examined the gene expression profiles in the brains of 3 rat strains (SHR, SHRSP and WKY) when the rats were 3 and 6 weeks of age, a period in which the rats are considered to be in a pre-hypertensive state. Gene expression profiles in the brain were compared between SHR and WKY, and between SHRSP and SHR. A total of 179 genes showing a >4- or <-4-fold change in expression were isolated, and candidate genes were selected using two different web tools: the first tool was the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID), which was used to search for significantly enriched genes, and categorized them using Gene Ontology (GO) terms, and the second was the network explorer of Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA), which was used to search for interaction networks among SHR- and SHRSP-specific genes. The IPA of SHR-specific genes revealed that prostaglandin E receptor 4 (Ptger4) is one of the candidate genes responsible for causing hypertension in SHR, and that albumin (Alb) and chymase 1 (Cma1) are also responsible for causing hypertension in SHR in the presence of angiotensinogen (Agt). Similar analyses of SHRSP-specific genes revealed that the angiotensin II receptor-associated gene (Agtrap) interacts with the FBJ osteosarcoma oncogene (Fos), and with the angiotensin II receptor type-1b (Agtr1b). As Agtrap and Agtr1b not only participate in the 'uptake of norepinephrine' and 'blood pressure', but also in the 'behavior' of SHRSP at 6 weeks of age, our data demonstrate a close association between hypertension and ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Momoko Yoshida
- Hirakata General Hospital for Developmental Disorders, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0122, Japan
| | - Yuko Watanabe
- Hirakata General Hospital for Developmental Disorders, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0122, Japan
| | - Kyosuke Yamanishi
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Hyogo 663-8501, Japan
| | - Akifumi Yamashita
- Department of Genome Informatics, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Yamamoto
- Institute for Advanced Medical Sciences, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Hyogo 663-8501, Japan
| | - Daisuke Okuzaki
- DNA-Chip Development Center for Infectious Diseases, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Kazunori Shimada
- Hirakata General Hospital for Developmental Disorders, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0122, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Nojima
- DNA-Chip Development Center for Infectious Diseases, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Teruo Yasunaga
- Department of Genome Informatics, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Haruki Okamura
- Institute for Advanced Medical Sciences, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Hyogo 663-8501, Japan
| | - Hisato Matsunaga
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Hyogo 663-8501, Japan
| | - Hiromichi Yamanishi
- Hirakata General Hospital for Developmental Disorders, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0122, Japan
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Duffy AM, Schaner MJ, Chin J, Scharfman HE. Expression of c-fos in hilar mossy cells of the dentate gyrus in vivo. Hippocampus 2013; 23:649-55. [PMID: 23640815 PMCID: PMC3732572 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.22138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/17/2013] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Granule cells (GCs) of the dentate gyrus (DG) are considered to be quiescent--they rarely fire action potentials. In contrast, the other glutamatergic cell type in the DG, hilar mossy cells (MCs) often have a high level of spontaneous activity based on recordings in hippocampal slices. MCs project to GCs, so activity in MCs could play an important role in activating GCs. Therefore, we investigated whether MCs were active under basal conditions in vivo, using the immediate early gene c-fos as a tool. We hypothesized that MCs would exhibit c-fos expression even if rats were examined randomly, under normal housing conditions. Therefore, adult male rats were perfused shortly after removal from their home cage and transfer to the laboratory. Remarkably, most c-fos immunoreactivity (ir) was in the hilus, especially temporal hippocampus. C-fos-ir hilar cells co-expressed GluR2/3, suggesting that they were MCs. C-fos-ir MCs were robust even when the animal was habituated to the investigator and laboratory where they were euthanized. However, c-fos-ir in dorsal MCs was reduced under these circumstances, suggesting that ventral and dorsal MCs are functionally distinct. Interestingly, there was an inverse relationship between MC and GC layer c-fos expression, with little c-fos expression in the GC layer in ventral sections where MC expression was strong, and the opposite in dorsal hippocampus. The results support the hypothesis that a subset of hilar MCs are spontaneously active in vivo and provide other DG neurons with tonic depolarizing input.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aine M. Duffy
- Center for Dementia Research, The Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, New York 10962
| | - Michael J. Schaner
- Center for Dementia Research, The Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, New York 10962
| | - Jeannie Chin
- Department of Neuroscience, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107
| | - Helen E. Scharfman
- Center for Dementia Research, The Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, New York 10962
- Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychiatry, Physiology & Neuroscience, New York University Langone, Medical Center, New York, NY 10016
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FTY720 treatment in the convalescence period improves functional recovery and reduces reactive astrogliosis in photothrombotic stroke. PLoS One 2013; 8:e70124. [PMID: 23936150 PMCID: PMC3729514 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0070124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2013] [Accepted: 06/17/2013] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) signaling pathway is known to influence pathophysiological processes within the brain and the synthetic S1P analog FTY720 has been shown to provide neuroprotection in experimental models of acute stroke. However, the effects of a manipulation of S1P signaling at later time points after experimental stroke have not yet been investigated. We examined whether a relatively late initiation of a FTY720 treatment has a positive effect on long-term neurological outcome with a focus on reactive astrogliosis, synapses and neurotrophic factors. METHODS We induced photothrombotic stroke (PT) in adult C57BL/6J mice and allowed them to recover for three days. Starting on post-stroke day 3, mice were treated with FTY720 (1 mg/kg b.i.d.) for 5 days. Behavioral outcome was observed until day 31 after photothrombosis and periinfarct cortical tissue was analyzed using tandem mass-spectrometry, TaqMan®analysis and immunofluorescence. RESULTS FTY720 treatment results in a significantly better functional outcome persisting up to day 31 after PT. This is accompanied by a significant decrease in reactive astrogliosis and larger post-synaptic densities as well as changes in the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor α (VEGF α). Within the periinfarct cortex, S1P is significantly increased compared to healthy brain tissue. CONCLUSION Besides its known neuroprotective effects in the acute phase of experimental stroke, the initiation of FTY720 treatment in the convalescence period has a positive impact on long-term functional outcome, probably mediated through reduced astrogliosis, a modulation in synaptic morphology and an increased expression of neurotrophic factors.
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Evaluation of hypoxia inducible factor expression in inflammatory and neurodegenerative brain models. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2013; 45:1377-88. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2013.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2013] [Revised: 04/05/2013] [Accepted: 04/06/2013] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
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Rapid progression and brain atrophy in anti-AMPA receptor encephalitis. J Neuroimmunol 2013; 261:129-33. [PMID: 23796872 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2013.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2013] [Revised: 05/14/2013] [Accepted: 05/17/2013] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Anti-α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptor encephalitis is an anti-neuronal surface antigen autoimmune encephalitis that is rarely reported. Our study evaluated the first known patient who developed anti-AMPA receptor encephalitis during pregnancy. Initial brain MRI revealed bilateral limbic encephalitis. However, rapid brain atrophy on MRI with extensive hypometabolism of cerebral cortices, caudate nuclei and brain stem hypoperfusion on (18)F-FDG PET developed when clinically progressed. IgG index of serial CSF studies reflected the clinical improvements after plasmapheresis and plasma exchange. The clinical spectrum of anti-AMPA receptor encephalitis may be expanded from limited limbic involvement to extended central nervous system.
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Licht T, Keshet E. Delineating multiple functions of VEGF-A in the adult brain. Cell Mol Life Sci 2013; 70:1727-37. [PMID: 23475068 PMCID: PMC11113886 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-013-1280-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2013] [Revised: 01/28/2013] [Accepted: 01/28/2013] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Vascular endothelial growth factor-A (abbreviated throughout this review as VEGF) is mostly known for its angiogenic activity, for its activity as a vascular permeability factor, and for its vascular survival activity [1]. There is a growing body of evidence, however, that VEGF fulfills additional less 'traditional' functions in multiple organs, both during development, as well as homeostatic functions in fully developed organs. This review focuses on the multiple roles of VEGF in the adult brain and is less concerned with the roles played by VEGF during brain development, functions described elsewhere in this review series. Most functions of VEGF that are essential for proper brain development are, in fact, dispensable in the adult brain as was clearly demonstrated using a conditional brain-specific VEGF loss-of-function (LOF) approach. Thus, in contrast to VEGF LOF in the developing brain, a process which is detrimental for the growth and survival of blood vessels and leads to massive neuronal apoptosis [2-4], continued signaling by VEGF in the mature brain is no longer required for maintaining already established cerebral vasculature and its inhibition does not cause appreciable vessel regression, hypoxia or apoptosis [4-7]. Yet, VEGF continues to be expressed in the adult brain in a constitutive manner. Moreover, VEGF is expressed in the adult brain in a region-specific manner and in distinctive spatial patterns incompatible with an angiogenic role (see below), strongly suggesting angiogenesis-independent and possibly also perfusion-independent functions. Here we review current knowledge on some of these 'non-traditional', often unexpected homeostatic VEGF functions, including those unrelated to its effects on the brain vasculature. These effects could be mediated directly (on non-vascular cells expressing cognate VEGF receptors) or indirectly (via the endothelium). Experimental approaches aimed at distinguishing between these possibilities for each particular VEGF function will be described. This review is only concerned with homeostatic functions of VEGF in the normal, non-injured brain. The reader is referred elsewhere in this series for a review on VEGF actions in response to various forms of brain injury and/or brain pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamar Licht
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Hadassah Medical School, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Eli Keshet
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Hadassah Medical School, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
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Huang JH, Chiu WC, Hsu MI, Chen YJ. Effects of androgen on vascular and inflammatory biomarkers in a female hypertensive population. Gynecol Endocrinol 2013; 29:340-4. [PMID: 23327657 DOI: 10.3109/09513590.2012.743015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Androgen is a steroid hormone associated with high blood pressure (BP). The effect of androgen on BP in females is unknown. METHODS Androgen, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin (IL)-6 and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 were evaluated in females with menstruation disorders (n = 135, 28 ± 5 years old) and normal BP, pre-hypertension, stage 1 hypertension, and stage 2 hypertension. RESULTS Normal-BP (n = 57), pre-hypertension (n = 44), stage-1-hypertension (n = 21), and stage-2-hypertension (n = 13) females had similar androgen (3.3 ± 1.5, 2.7 ± 1.2, 3.1 ± 1.4, and 3.5 ± 1.3 ng/ml, p > 0.05) and IL-6 levels (1.7 ± 2.2, 1.9 ± 2.6, 1.3 ± 1.2 and 2.4 ± 3.3 pg/ml, p > 0.05). However, normal BP females had lower MMP-9 (609 ± 307 versus 891 ± 385 ng/ml, p < 0.05) than stage-1-hypertension females. In addition, normal BP females had lower VEGF (166 ± 103 versus 255 ± 139, 272 ± 128 and 301 ± 216 pg/ml, p < 0.05) than the other three groups. In normal-androgen females, VEGF levels were similar among the four groups. However, in high-androgen females, normal BP groups had lower VEGF levels than pre-hypertension, stage-1, and stage-2 hypertension groups (166 ± 94 versus 294 ± 153, 281 ± 160 and 357 ± 253 p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Androgen can modulate growth factors and extracellular matrix proteins, which may contribute to the pathophysiology of hypertension in young females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jen-Hung Huang
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
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Ma Y, Lovekamp-Swan T, Bekele W, Dohi A, Schreihofer DA. Hypoxia-inducible factor and vascular endothelial growth factor are targets of dietary soy during acute stroke in female rats. Endocrinology 2013; 154:1589-97. [PMID: 23456363 DOI: 10.1210/en.2012-2120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Dietary soy and soy isoflavones are neuroprotective in experimental cerebral ischemia. Because these isoflavones have estrogenic properties, we hypothesized that, like estrogens, they would inhibit acute vascular injury and the detrimental acute increase in hypoxia-induced vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) that leads to cerebral edema after stroke. Mature ovariectomized female Sprague Dawley rats were fed soy-free or soy-containing diets for 4 weeks followed by 90 minutes of transient middle cerebral artery occlusion. Similar to estrogens, dietary soy significantly reduced cerebral edema and vascular apoptosis 24 hours after stroke. Soy also inhibited the ischemia-induced increase in cortical VEGF and VEGF receptor (VEGFR)-2 protein expression observed 4 and 24 hours after stroke, although mRNA levels increased. The reduction in VEGF/VEGFR-2 was associated both with decreases in receptor phosphorylation and signaling to AKT and endothelial nitric oxide synthase. Furthermore degradation of the VEGFR-2 was increased with dietary soy. The primary ischemic stimulus for VEGF, hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF1α), was similarly reduced by dietary soy 4 hours after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion in both the cortex and striatum. The inhibition of HIF1α activity was further confirmed by a significant decrease in the HIF1α-activated apoptotic mediator BCL2/adenovirus E1B 19 kDa protein-interacting protein 3 (Nip3-like protein X). These data suggest that soy isoflavones target events early in the ischemic cascade as part of their neuroprotective actions and counterbalance some of the detrimental effects of the endogenous response to cerebral injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulin Ma
- Department of Physiology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia 30912, USA
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Ritzel RM, Capozzi LA, McCullough LD. Sex, stroke, and inflammation: the potential for estrogen-mediated immunoprotection in stroke. Horm Behav 2013; 63:238-53. [PMID: 22561337 PMCID: PMC3426619 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2012.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2011] [Revised: 04/13/2012] [Accepted: 04/14/2012] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Stroke is the third leading cause of death and the primary cause of disability in the developed world. Experimental and clinical data indicate that stroke is a sexually dimorphic disease, with males demonstrating an enhanced intrinsic sensitivity to ischemic damage throughout most of their lifespan. The neuroprotective role of estrogen in the female brain is well established, however, estrogen exposure can also be deleterious, especially in older women. The mechanisms for this remain unclear. Our current understanding is based on studies examining estrogen as it relates to neuronal injury, yet cerebral ischemia also induces a robust sterile inflammatory response involving local and systemic immune cells. Despite the potent anti-inflammatory effects of estrogen, few studies have investigated the contribution of estrogen to sex differences in the inflammatory response to stroke. This review examines the potential role for estrogen-mediated immunoprotection in ischemic injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodney M Ritzel
- University of Connecticut Health Center, Department of Neuroscience, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
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Wnuk A, Korol DL, Erickson KI. Estrogens, hormone therapy, and hippocampal volume in postmenopausal women. Maturitas 2012; 73:186-90. [PMID: 22858056 DOI: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2012.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2012] [Accepted: 07/01/2012] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The brain atrophies in late life. However, there are many factors that either magnify or mitigate the rate of atrophy. Loss of estrogens during menopause and administration of hormone therapy have both been hypothesized as sources of individual variation in the prevalence of cortical and subcortical atrophy and loss of cognitive function in late adulthood. In this review we critically summarize and assess the extant rodent and human neuroimaging studies that examine the link between estrogens and hippocampal morphology and function and focus predominantly on human studies of the hippocampus in postmenopausal women. Several cross-sectional studies report that the size of the hippocampus is larger in women receiving hormone therapy while several other cross-sectional studies report either negligible effects or smaller volumes in women receiving hormone therapy. We suggest that these differences might be caused by the variation between studies in the age of the samples studied, the duration of therapy, and the age at which hormone therapy is initiated. Unfortunately, all of the human studies reviewed here are cross-sectional in nature. With the lack of well-controlled randomized trials with neuroimaging measures on postmenopausal women both before and after some exposure interval, the effect of hormone therapy on hippocampal atrophy will remain equivocal and poorly understood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis Wnuk
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15260, United States
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Wuestefeld R, Chen J, Meller K, Brand-Saberi B, Theiss C. Impact of vegf on astrocytes: analysis of gap junctional intercellular communication, proliferation, and motility. Glia 2012; 60:936-47. [PMID: 22431192 DOI: 10.1002/glia.22325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2011] [Accepted: 02/16/2012] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) on gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC), cell proliferation, and cell dynamics in primary astrocytes. VEGF is known as a dimeric polypeptide that potentially binds to two receptors, VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2, however many effects are mediated by VEGFR-2, for example, actin polymerization, forced cell migration, angiogenesis, and cell proliferation. Recently it has been shown that in case of hypoxia, ischemia or injury VEGF is upregulated to stimulate angiogenesis and cell proliferation. Besides this, VEGF reveals a potent therapeutical target for averting tumor vascularization, emerging in bevacizumab, the first humanized anti-VEGF-A antibody for treating recurrent Glioblastoma multiforme. To expand our knowledge about VEGF effects in glial cells, we cultivated rat astrocytes in medium containing VEGF for 1 and 2 days. To investigate the effects of VEGF on GJIC, we microinjected neurobiotin into a single cell and monitored dye-spreading into adjacent cells. These experiments showed that VEGF significantly enhances astrocytic GJIC compared with controls. Cell proliferation measured by BrdU-labeling also revealed a significant increase of astrocytic mitose rates subsequent to 1 day of VEGF exposure, whereas longer VEGF treatment for 2 days did not have additive effects. To study cell-dynamics of astrocytes subsequent to VEGF treatment, we additionally transfected astrocytes with LifeAct-RFP. Live-cell imaging and quantitative analysis of these cells with aid of confocal laser scanning microscopy revealed higher process movement of VEGF-treated astrocytes. In conclusion, VEGF strongly affects cell proliferation, GJIC, and motility in astrocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricarda Wuestefeld
- Institute of Anatomy and Molecular Embryology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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Ohlin KE, Francardo V, Lindgren HS, Sillivan SE, O'Sullivan SS, Luksik AS, Vassoler FM, Lees AJ, Konradi C, Cenci MA. Vascular endothelial growth factor is upregulated by L-dopa in the parkinsonian brain: implications for the development of dyskinesia. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011; 134:2339-57. [PMID: 21771855 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awr165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Angiogenesis and increased permeability of the blood-brain barrier have been reported to occur in animal models of Parkinson's disease and l-dopa-induced dyskinesia, but the significance of these phenomena has remained unclear. Using a validated rat model of l-dopa-induced dyskinesia, this study demonstrates that chronic treatment with l-dopa dose dependently induces the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in the basal ganglia nuclei. Vascular endothelial growth factor was abundantly expressed in astrocytes and astrocytic processes in the proximity of blood vessels. When co-administered with l-dopa, a small molecule inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor signalling significantly attenuated the development of dyskinesia and completely blocked the angiogenic response and associated increase in blood-brain barrier permeability induced by the treatment. The occurrence of angiogenesis and vascular endothelial growth factor upregulation was verified in post-mortem basal ganglia tissue from patients with Parkinson's disease with a history of dyskinesia, who exhibited increased microvascular density, microvascular nestin expression and an upregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor messenger ribonucleic acid. These congruent findings in the rat model and human patients indicate that vascular endothelial growth factor is implicated in the pathophysiology of l-dopa-induced dyskinesia and emphasize an involvement of the microvascular compartment in the adverse effects of l-dopa pharmacotherapy in Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Elisabet Ohlin
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
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