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Reyes-Esteves S, George DK, Cucchiara B. Sex differences in treatment effect in neuroprotectant trials for acute ischemic stroke: A systematic review. J Neurol Sci 2024; 460:122992. [PMID: 38579414 DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2024.122992] [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: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 02/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pre-clinical data suggest sex differences in mechanisms of cerebral ischemic injury. This might result in differential outcomes of putative neuroprotectants by sex, though little systematic data is available to assess this. METHODS We performed a systematic review of multicenter randomized controlled trials published from January 1980-June 2022 enrolling >100 subjects and testing neuroprotectants in acute ischemic stroke (AIS). For each trial, reported treatment effect by sex was extracted. When published results by sex were not available, we contacted individual authors to attempt to retrieve these data. RESULTS We identified 59 publications reporting 64 trials that met inclusion criteria. Of these, data on treatment effect by sex were published for 14/64 trials. Unpublished data for an additional 5 trials were obtained from trial investigators (19/64, or 29.7%). Two trials (one testing uric acid and one dexborneol) reported treatment benefit in women but not men. Pooled analysis of six trials of tirilazad reported worse treatment outcomes in women and no effect in men. No clear difference was apparent in the other trials. CONCLUSIONS Most trials did not report treatment effect by sex. Of those that did, there was little evidence of systematic sex differences in treatment response.
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Viudez-Martínez A, Torregrosa AB, Navarrete F, García-Gutiérrez MS. Understanding the Biological Relationship between Migraine and Depression. Biomolecules 2024; 14:163. [PMID: 38397400 PMCID: PMC10886628 DOI: 10.3390/biom14020163] [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: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Migraine is a highly prevalent neurological disorder. Among the risk factors identified, psychiatric comorbidities, such as depression, seem to play an important role in its onset and clinical course. Patients with migraine are 2.5 times more likely to develop a depressive disorder; this risk becomes even higher in patients suffering from chronic migraine or migraine with aura. This relationship is bidirectional, since depression also predicts an earlier/worse onset of migraine, increasing the risk of migraine chronicity and, consequently, requiring a higher healthcare expenditure compared to migraine alone. All these data suggest that migraine and depression may share overlapping biological mechanisms. Herein, this review explores this topic in further detail: firstly, by introducing the common epidemiological and risk factors for this comorbidity; secondly, by focusing on providing the cumulative evidence of common biological aspects, with a particular emphasis on the serotoninergic system, neuropeptides such as calcitonin-gene-related peptide (CGRP), pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP), substance P, neuropeptide Y and orexins, sexual hormones, and the immune system; lastly, by remarking on the future challenges required to elucidate the etiopathological mechanisms of migraine and depression and providing updated information regarding new key targets for the pharmacological treatment of these clinical entities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrián Viudez-Martínez
- Hospital Pharmacy Service, Hospital General Dr. Balmis de Alicante, 03010 Alicante, Spain;
| | - Abraham B. Torregrosa
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernández, 03550 San Juan de Alicante, Spain; (A.B.T.); (F.N.)
- Research Network on Primary Addictions, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, MICINN and FEDER, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de Alicante (ISABIAL), 03010 Alicante, Spain
| | - Francisco Navarrete
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernández, 03550 San Juan de Alicante, Spain; (A.B.T.); (F.N.)
- Research Network on Primary Addictions, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, MICINN and FEDER, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de Alicante (ISABIAL), 03010 Alicante, Spain
| | - María Salud García-Gutiérrez
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernández, 03550 San Juan de Alicante, Spain; (A.B.T.); (F.N.)
- Research Network on Primary Addictions, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, MICINN and FEDER, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de Alicante (ISABIAL), 03010 Alicante, Spain
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Wypych M, Domitrz I, Kochanowski J. Insulin-like growth factor 1 and its prognostic value in the course of acute ischemic cerebrovascular events. Arch Med Sci Atheroscler Dis 2023; 8:e146-e154. [PMID: 38283930 PMCID: PMC10811535 DOI: 10.5114/amsad/172970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction The aim of the study was to evaluate insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) as a predictor of the course of an acute cerebral ischemic event (AICE). This polypeptide, by activating receptors that are present in most tissues, including the brain, mediates the anabolic activity of growth hormone (GH) and its impact on growth and maturation processes, as well as organisms' survival time. AICE can occur in the form of a transient ischemic attack (TIA) or an ischemic stroke (IS). Material and methods The study included 86 participants. The correlation between serum IGF-1 concentration and the clinical status of 56 patients on days 1 and 9 of AICE, as well as risk factors and the course of the disease, were prospectively analyzed. The control group consisted of 30 healthy volunteers. Results Patients with a minor baseline neurological syndrome had higher serum IGF-1 concentrations than patients with severe baseline neurological dysfunctions. Multidimensional analyses showed that high IGF-1 values independently determined the worse course of the disease, especially in patients with a severe neurological deficit present on the first day of AICE. Conclusions Our results indicate that the high level of circulating IGF-1 on the first day of AICE is an independent factor determining the unfavorable course of the stroke, and this relationship is proportional to the severity of the baseline neurological deficit. The study also revealed a positive correlation between the decreased plasma IGF-1 concentration on the first day of AICE and the severity of neurological symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martyna Wypych
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Izabela Domitrz
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jan Kochanowski
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
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Pinson MR, Bake S, Hurst DA, Samiya NT, Sohrabji F, Miranda RC. Prenatal alcohol alters inflammatory signatures in enteric portal tissues following adult-onset cerebrovascular ischemic stroke. iScience 2023; 26:107920. [PMID: 37810225 PMCID: PMC10550726 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2022] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) impairs recovery from cerebrovascular ischemic stroke in adult rodents. Since the gut becomes dysbiotic following stroke, we assessed links between PAE and enteric portal inflammation. Adult control and PAE rat offspring received a unilateral endothelin-1-induced occlusion of the middle cerebral artery. Post-stroke behavioral disabilities and brain cytokines were assessed. Mesenteric adipose and liver transcriptomes were assessed from stroke-exposed and stroke-naive offspring. We identified, in the liver of stroke-naive animals, a moderate correlation between PAE and a gene network for inflammatory necroptosis. PAE inhibited the acute-phase brain inflammatory cytokine response to stroke. Post-stroke neurological function was correlated with an adipose gene network associated with B-lymphocyte differentiation and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling and with a liver pro-inflammatory gene network. Collectively, PAE inhibits brain inflammation but results in an inflammatory signature in enteric portal tissues after stroke, suggesting that PAE persistently and adversely impacts the gut-brain axis following adult-onset disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisa R Pinson
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M School of Medicine, Bryan, TX, USA
| | - Shameena Bake
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M School of Medicine, Bryan, TX, USA
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Texas A&M University School of Medicine, Bryan, TX, USA
| | - David A Hurst
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M School of Medicine, Bryan, TX, USA
| | - Nadia T Samiya
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M School of Medicine, Bryan, TX, USA
| | - Farida Sohrabji
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M School of Medicine, Bryan, TX, USA
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Texas A&M University School of Medicine, Bryan, TX, USA
| | - Rajesh C Miranda
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M School of Medicine, Bryan, TX, USA
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Texas A&M University School of Medicine, Bryan, TX, USA
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Branyan TE, Aleksa J, Lepe E, Kosel K, Sohrabji F. The aging ovary impairs acute stroke outcomes. J Neuroinflammation 2023; 20:159. [PMID: 37408003 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-023-02839-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In experimental stroke, ovariectomized (OVX) adult rats have larger infarct volumes and greater sensory-motor impairment as compared to ovary-intact females and is usually interpreted to indicate that ovarian hormones are neuroprotective for stroke. Previous work from our lab shows that middle-aged, acyclic reproductively senescent (RS) females have worse stroke outcomes as compared to adult (normally cycling) females. We hypothesized that if loss of ovarian estrogen is the critical determinant of stroke outcomes, then ovary-intact middle-aged acyclic females, who have reduced levels of estradiol, should have similar stroke outcomes as age-matched OVX. Instead, the data demonstrated that OVX RS animals showed better sensory-motor function after stroke and reduced infarct volume as compared to ovary-intact females. Inflammatory cytokines were decreased in the aging ovary after stroke as compared to non-stroke shams, which led to the hypothesis that immune cells may be extravasated from the ovaries post-stroke. Flow cytometry indicated reduced overall T cell populations in the aging ovary after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo), with a paradoxical increase in regulatory T cells (Tregs) and M2-like macrophages. Moreover, in the brain, OVX RS animals showed increased Tregs, increased M2-like macrophages, and increased MHC II + cells as compared to intact RS animals, which have all been shown to be correlated with better prognosis after stroke. Depletion of ovary-resident immune cells after stroke suggests that there may be an exaggerated response to ischemia and possible increased burden of the inflammatory response via extravasation of these cells into circulation. Increased anti-inflammatory cells in the brain of OVX RS animals further supports this hypothesis. These data suggest that stroke severity in aging females may be exacerbated by the aging ovary and underscore the need to assess immunological changes in this organ after stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor E Branyan
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, 8447 Riverside Pkwy, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA
- Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, College Station, TX, 77840, USA
| | - Jocelyn Aleksa
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, 8447 Riverside Pkwy, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA
| | - Esteban Lepe
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, 8447 Riverside Pkwy, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA
| | - Kelby Kosel
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, 8447 Riverside Pkwy, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA
| | - Farida Sohrabji
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, 8447 Riverside Pkwy, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA.
- Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, College Station, TX, 77840, USA.
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Zhang J, Yin J, Song X, Lai S, Zhong S, Jia Y. The effect of exogenous estrogen on depressive mood in women: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Psychiatr Res 2023; 162:21-29. [PMID: 37068417 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023]
Abstract
Sex differences exist in the prevalence of major depressive disorder (MDD). Comparing with males, females are at a higher risk of depression, especially in some reproductive statuses with significant changes in sex hormones. Based on the positive effect on menopausal symptoms in human and on depression-like behaviors in animals, exogenous estrogen was considered as a potential therapeutic approach to the treatment of female depression, however, with inconsistent conclusions in previous studies. In the present systematic review and meta-analysis, 14 eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included to investigate the effect of exogenous estrogen on depressive mood in women. The results indicated that exogenous estrogens were superior to the control group either alone or in combination with progesterone or antidepressants. Female individuals in perimenopause are more sensitive to estrogen than those in other reproductive statuses, which might be the reason that depressive mood during this stage is more associated with estrogen fluctuations, and exogenous estrogen supplementation can moderate these drastic changes. The finding of meta-regressions that the effect of exogenous estrogen was associated with age in perimenopause and post-menopause rather than the dose or administration of exogenous estrogen, showed again that a stable level of estrogen is more beneficial than a high serum level. This study provides strong evidence of the important role of estrogen fluctuations but not estrogen levels in female depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianzhao Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Jie Yin
- Department of Psychiatry, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Xiaodong Song
- Department of Psychiatry, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Shunkai Lai
- Department of Psychiatry, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Shuming Zhong
- Department of Psychiatry, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Yanbin Jia
- Department of Psychiatry, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China.
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Bickel MA, Csik B, Gulej R, Ungvari A, Nyul-Toth A, Conley SM. Cell non-autonomous regulation of cerebrovascular aging processes by the somatotropic axis. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1087053. [PMID: 36755922 PMCID: PMC9900125 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1087053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Age-related cerebrovascular pathologies, ranging from cerebromicrovascular functional and structural alterations to large vessel atherosclerosis, promote the genesis of vascular cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID) and exacerbate Alzheimer's disease. Recent advances in geroscience, including results from studies on heterochronic parabiosis models, reinforce the hypothesis that cell non-autonomous mechanisms play a key role in regulating cerebrovascular aging processes. Growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) exert multifaceted vasoprotective effects and production of both hormones is significantly reduced in aging. This brief overview focuses on the role of age-related GH/IGF-1 deficiency in the development of cerebrovascular pathologies and VCID. It explores the mechanistic links among alterations in the somatotropic axis, specific macrovascular and microvascular pathologies (including capillary rarefaction, microhemorrhages, impaired endothelial regulation of cerebral blood flow, disruption of the blood brain barrier, decreased neurovascular coupling, and atherogenesis) and cognitive impairment. Improved understanding of cell non-autonomous mechanisms of vascular aging is crucial to identify targets for intervention to promote cerebrovascular and brain health in older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisa A. Bickel
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
| | - Boglarka Csik
- Vascular Cognitive Impairment, Neurodegeneration and Healthy Brain Aging Program, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
- Oklahoma Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
| | - Rafal Gulej
- Vascular Cognitive Impairment, Neurodegeneration and Healthy Brain Aging Program, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
- Oklahoma Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
| | - Anna Ungvari
- Oklahoma Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
- International Training Program in Geroscience, Department of Public Health, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Adam Nyul-Toth
- Vascular Cognitive Impairment, Neurodegeneration and Healthy Brain Aging Program, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
- Oklahoma Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
- International Training Program in Geroscience, Department of Public Health, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- Institute of Biophysics, Biological Research Centre, Eötvös Lorand Research Network (ELKH), Szeged, Hungary
| | - Shannon M. Conley
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
- Oklahoma Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
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Wang L, Wang J, Shan Q, Shu H, Guo JM. Involvement of baroreflex deficiency in the age-related loss of estrogen efficacy against cerebral ischemia. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1167170. [PMID: 37205058 PMCID: PMC10186347 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1167170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
For post-menopausal women, stroke is complicated by the variable effects of estrogen therapy and the age-related therapeutic consequences involved. Estrogen therapy has been shown to have an age-dimorphic effect, which is neuroprotective in young females, but non-neuroprotective, even neurotoxic in acyclic females. We hypothesized that arterial baroreflex (ABR) and its downstream acetylcholine-α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) anti-inflammatory pathways are involved in estrogen efficacy toward cerebral ischemic damage. Our data showed that estrogen supplements contributed to ABR improvement and neuroprotection in adult, not aged, ovariectomized (OVX) rats. In adult rats, OVX-induced estrogen deficiency aggravated middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), which induced brain infarction and reduced ABR function, with decreased α7nAChR expression of the brain and exaggerated inflammation following MCAO; these effects were significantly prevented by supplementation with estrogen. ABR impairment by sinoaortic denervation partly attenuated the estrogen effect on baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) and ischemic damage in adult rats, as well as α7nAChR expression and inflammatory response. These data suggested that ABR and acetylcholine-α7nAChR anti-inflammatory pathways are involved in the neuroprotection of estrogen in adult OVX rats. In contrast, aged rats exhibited more severe ischemic damage and inflammatory response than adult rats, as well as poorer baroreflex function and lower α7nAChR expression. Estrogen supplements did not improve BRS or confer neuroprotection in aged rats without affecting brain α7nAChR and post-ischemic inflammation. Most importantly, ketanserin restored ABR function and significantly postponed the onset of stroke in aged female strokeprone spontaneously hypertensive rats, whereas estrogen treatment failed to delay the development of stroke. Our findings reveal that estrogen is protective against ischemic stroke (IS) in adult female rats and that ABR played a role in this beneficial action. Dysfunction of ABR and unresponsiveness to estrogen in aged female rats may contribute to a reduced estrogen efficacy against cerebral ischemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Wang
- Department of Orthopedics, 960th Hospital of PLA, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Jia Wang
- Health Service Department, 960th Hospital of PLA, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Qing Shan
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong, China
| | - He Shu
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, 960th Hospital of PLA, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Jin-Min Guo
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, 960th Hospital of PLA, Jinan, Shandong, China
- *Correspondence: Jin-Min Guo,
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Bake S, Hurst DA, Miranda RC, Sohrabji F. Prenatal alcohol exposure exacerbates acute sensorimotor deficits and impedes long-term behavioral recovery from the effects of an adult-onset cerebrovascular ischemic stroke. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2022; 46:2267-2279. [PMID: 36203340 PMCID: PMC10100487 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14952] [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: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is a significant risk factor for developmental disability, although its health consequences across the lifespan are poorly understood. Here, we hypothesized that latent brain and systemic consequences of PAE influence resiliency to adult-onset neurological disease, specifically, cerebrovascular ischemic stroke. METHODS Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed episodically to ethanol during the fetal neurogenic period. Adult (5 months) male and female PAE and control offspring were subjected to endothelin-1-induced unilateral middle cerebral artery occlusion. In the acute injury phase outcomes including stroke volume and neurological, endocrine, and gut permeability markers were assessed. Because the effects of stroke in human populations evolve over months to years, we also assessed hippocampal- and amygdala-dependent memory function and social interaction preference up to 6 months following a stroke, in middle-aged offspring. RESULTS Prenatal alcohol exposure did not alter infarct volume, but significantly increased neurological deficits in both sexes, and impaired interhemispheric sensorimotor integration in PAE females. The IGF-1/IGFBP3 ratio, a measure of bioavailable IGF-1, was significantly reduced, while circulating levels of bacterial lipopolysaccharide, an inflammagen, were significantly increased in PAE males. In PAE females, the circulating IGF-1/IGFBP3 ratio was significantly increased and estradiol-17b levels were significantly reduced. The intestinal fatty acid binding protein, a surrogate marker of gut permeability was also significantly increased in PAE females. Longer-term deficits in hippocampal-associated memory and social interactions were observed in PAE males, while deficits in amygdala-dependent memory were observed in PAE females. CONCLUSIONS PAE contributes to adverse effects on brain health and decreased resiliency in response to a common adult-onset neurovascular disease, cerebrovascular ischemic stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shameena Bake
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, and Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan, Texas, USA
| | - David A Hurst
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, and Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan, Texas, USA
| | - Rajesh C Miranda
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, and Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan, Texas, USA
| | - Farida Sohrabji
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, and Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan, Texas, USA
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Earnest DJ, Burns S, Pandey S, Mani KK, Sohrabji F. Sex differences in the diathetic effects of shift work schedules on circulating cytokine levels and pathological outcomes of ischemic stroke during middle age. Neurobiol Sleep Circadian Rhythms 2022; 13:100079. [PMID: 35800977 PMCID: PMC9253906 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbscr.2022.100079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Shift work is associated with increased risk for vascular disease, including stroke- and cardiovascular-related mortality. However, evidence from these studies is inadequate to distinguish the effect of altered circadian rhythms in isolation from other risk factors for stroke associated with shift work (e.g., smoking, poor diet, lower socioeconomic status). Thus, the present study examined the diathetic effects of exposure to shifted LD cycles during early adulthood on circadian rhythmicity, inflammatory signaling and ischemic stroke pathology during middle age, when stroke risk is high and outcomes are more severe. Entrainment of circadian activity was stable in all animals maintained on a fixed light:dark 12:12 cycle but was severely disrupted during exposure to shifted LD cycles (12hr advance/5d). Following treatment, circadian entrainment in the shifted LD group was distinguished by increased daytime activity and decreased rhythm amplitude that persisted into middle-age. Circadian rhythm desynchronization in shifted LD males and females was accompanied by significant elevations in circulating levels of the inflammatory cytokine IL-17A and gut-derived inflammatory mediator lipopolysaccharide (LPS) during the post-treatment period. Middle-cerebral artery occlusion, 3 months after exposure to shifted LD cycles, resulted in greater post-stroke mortality in shifted LD females. In surviving subjects, sensorimotor performance, assessed 2- and 5-days post-stroke, was impaired in males of both treatment groups, whereas in females, recovery of function was observed in fixed but not shifted LD rats. Overall, these results indicate that early exposure to shifted LD cycles promotes an inflammatory phenotype that amplifies stroke impairments, specifically in females, later in life. Early exposure to shifted LD cycles alters circadian entrainment of the activity rhythm that persists into middle age. In conjunction with circadian dysregulation, shift work-like schedules promote the induction of key inflammatory mediators. In females, exposure to shift work-like schedules amplifies functional impairments caused by strokes arising later in life. Circadian dysregulation during shift work is a hysteretic risk factor in the overall severity of ischemic strokes. Shift work-related circadian dysregulation affects stroke outcomes independent of lifestyle vascular disease risk factors.
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11
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Wang YC, Chen YS, Hsieh ST. Neuroprotective Effects of a Cardioplegic Combination (Adenosine, Lidocaine, and Magnesium) in an Ischemic Stroke Model. Mol Neurobiol 2022; 59:7045-7055. [PMID: 36074233 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-022-03020-0] [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: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Adenosine, lidocaine, and magnesium (ALM) are clinically available cardioplegic solutions. We examined the effects of low-dose ALM on ischemic stroke in cell and animal models. Cobalt chloride (CoCl2)-treated SH-SY5Y cells were used as a surrogate model to mimic oxygen-glucose deprivation conditions. The cells were incubated with different dilutions of ALM authentic solution (1.0 mM adenosine, 2.0 mM lidocaine, and5 mM MgSO4 in Earle's balanced salt solution). At a concentration of 2.5%, ALM significantly reduced CoCl2-induced cell loss. This protective effect persisted even when ALM was administered 1 h after the insult. We used transient middle cerebral artery occlusion to investigate the therapeutic effects of ALM in vivo. Rats were randomly assigned to two groups-the experimental (ALM) and control (saline) groups-and infusion was administered during the ischemia for 1 h. The infarction area was significantly reduced in the ALM group compared with the control group (5.0% ± 2.0% vs. 23.5% ± 5.5%, p = 0.013). Neurological deficits were reduced in the ALM group compared with the control group (modified Longa score: 0 [0-1] vs. 2 [1-2], p = 0.047). This neuroprotective effect was substantiated by a reduction in the levels of various neuronal injury markers in plasma. These results demonstrate the neuroprotective effects of ALM and may provide a new therapeutic strategy for ischemic stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Chia Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine and National University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Graduate Institutes of Anatomy and Cell Biology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, 1 Jen-Ai Road, Section 1, Taipei, 100233, Taiwan
| | - Yih-Sharng Chen
- Department of Surgery, National Taiwan University College of Medicine and National University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Sung-Tsang Hsieh
- Graduate Institutes of Anatomy and Cell Biology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, 1 Jen-Ai Road, Section 1, Taipei, 100233, Taiwan.
- Department of Neurology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine and National University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
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Li Y, Yang W, Li J, Zhang Y, Zhang L, Chen S, He L, Zhang Y. Relationship between serum insulin-like growth factor 1 levels and ischaemic stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Open 2022; 12:e045776. [PMID: 35705353 PMCID: PMC9204407 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-045776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess the association of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) with the risk of incident ischaemic stroke and outcome after ischaemic stroke. DESIGN A systematic review of primary studies. SETTING Hospitals in Western Sweden, Italy, China and Denmark. METHODS A search was carried out in eligible studies in electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Web of Science) updated to 29 December 2020. The relevant data were extracted in order to conduct the meta-analysis. Review Manager V.5.2 was used to pool data and calculate the mean difference (MD) and its 95% CI. Heterogeneity, subgroup analysis, sensitivity analysis and publication bias were also performed in this meta-analysis. RESULTS A total of 2277 patients were included in 17 studies. This meta-analysis indicated that higher serum IGF-1 levels were significantly correlated with less risk of ischaemic stroke (MD=-45.32 95% CI -63.70 to -26.94], p < 0.00001, I2=99%) and better improvement of outcome after ischaemic stroke (MD=27.52, 95% CI 3.89 to 51.14, p=0.02, I2=96%). According to subgroup analysis, heterogeneity comes from country, sample size, male and the time from symptom onset to blood collection. Sensitivity analysis showed that there was no significant influence of any individual study on the pooled MD. The effect of high heterogeneity on result credibility was eliminated when four included studies were merged (MD=-30.32, 95% CI -36.52 to -24.11, p< 0.00001, I2=0%). Moreover, no potential publication bias was discovered in this meta-analysis. CONCLUSION Higher serum IGF-1 was significantly correlated with a lower risk of ischaemic stroke. In view of the high degree of heterogeneity, it may need more studies to confirm the prognostic value of serum IGF-1 levels in ischaemic stroke and explore the sources of heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangni Li
- Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Weinan Yang
- Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jinhui Li
- Department of Rehabilitation and Traditional Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yishu Zhang
- Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | | | - Simiao Chen
- Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lan He
- Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yuyan Zhang
- Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
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13
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Branyan TE, Selvamani A, Park MJ, Korula KE, Kosel KF, Srinivasan R, Sohrabji F. Functional Assessment of Stroke-Induced Regulation of miR-20a-3p and Its Role as a Neuroprotectant. Transl Stroke Res 2022; 13:432-448. [PMID: 34570349 PMCID: PMC9046320 DOI: 10.1007/s12975-021-00945-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2021] [Revised: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
MicroRNAs have gained popularity as a potential treatment for many diseases, including stroke. This study identifies and characterizes a specific member of the miR-17-92 cluster, miR-20a-3p, as a possible stroke therapeutic. A comprehensive microRNA screening showed that miR-20a-3p was significantly upregulated in astrocytes of adult female rats, which typically have better stroke outcomes, while it was profoundly downregulated in astrocytes of middle-aged females and adult and middle-aged males, groups that typically have more severe stroke outcomes. Assays using primary human astrocytes and neurons show that miR-20a-3p treatment alters mitochondrial dynamics in both cell types. To assess whether stroke outcomes could be improved by elevating astrocytic miR-20a-3p, we created a tetracycline (Tet)-induced recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) construct where miR-20a-3p was located downstream a glial fibrillary acidic protein promoter. Treatment with doxycycline induced miR-20-3p expression in astrocytes, reducing mortality and modestly improving sensory motor behavior. A second Tet-induced rAAV construct was created in which miR-20a-3p was located downstream of a neuron-specific enolase (NSE) promoter. These experiments demonstrate that neuronal expression of miR-20a-3p is vastly more neuroprotective than astrocytic expression, with animals receiving the miR-20a-3p vector showing reduced infarction and sensory motor improvement. Intravenous injections, which are a therapeutically tractable treatment route, with miR-20a-3p mimic 4 h after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) significantly improved stroke outcomes including infarct volume and sensory motor performance. Improvement was not observed when miR-20a-3p was given immediately or 24 h after MCAo, identifying a unique delayed therapeutic window. Overall, this study identifies a novel neuroprotective microRNA and characterizes several key pathways by which it can improve stroke outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor E Branyan
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA
- Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, College Station, TX, 77840, USA
| | - Amutha Selvamani
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA
| | - Min Jung Park
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA
| | - Kriti E Korula
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA
| | - Kelby F Kosel
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA
| | - Rahul Srinivasan
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA
- Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, College Station, TX, 77840, USA
| | - Farida Sohrabji
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA.
- Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, College Station, TX, 77840, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, 8447 Riverside Pkwy, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA.
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14
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Bao Z, Zhang Z, Zhou G, Zhang A, Shao A, Zhou F. Novel Mechanisms and Therapeutic Targets for Ischemic Stroke: A Focus on Gut Microbiota. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:871720. [PMID: 35656406 PMCID: PMC9152006 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.871720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ischemic stroke is the most common type of stroke with limited treatment options. Although the pathological mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets of ischemic stroke have been comprehensively studied, no effective therapies were translated into clinical practice. Gut microbiota is a complex and diverse dynamic metabolic ecological balance network in the body, including a large number of bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotes. The composition, quantity and distribution in gut microbiota are found to be associated with the pathogenesis of many diseases, such as individual immune abnormalities, metabolic disorders, and neurodegeneration. New insight suggests that ischemic stroke may lead to changes in the gut microbiota and the alterations of gut microbiota may determine stroke outcomes in turn. The link between gut microbiota and stroke is expected to provide new perspectives for ischemic stroke treatment. In this review, we discuss the gut microbiota alterations during ischemic stroke and gut microbiota-related stroke pathophysiology and complications. Finally, we highlight the role of the gut microbiota as a potential therapeutic target for ischemic stroke and summarize the microbiome-based treatment options that can improve the recovery of stroke patients.
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15
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Tang T, Hu L, Liu Y, Fu X, Li J, Yan F, Cao S, Chen G. Sex-Associated Differences in Neurovascular Dysfunction During Ischemic Stroke. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:860959. [PMID: 35431804 PMCID: PMC9012443 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.860959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurovascular units (NVUs) are basic functional units in the central nervous system and include neurons, astrocytes and vascular compartments. Ischemic stroke triggers not only neuronal damage, but also dissonance of intercellular crosstalk within the NVU. Stroke is sexually dimorphic, but the sex-associated differences involved in stroke-induced neurovascular dysfunction are studied in a limited extend. Preclinical studies have found that in rodent models of stroke, females have less neuronal loss, stronger repairing potential of astrocytes and more stable vascular conjunction; these properties are highly related to the cerebroprotective effects of female hormones. However, in humans, these research findings may be applicable only to premenopausal stroke patients. Women who have had a stroke usually have poorer outcomes compared to men, and because stoke is age-related, hormone replacement therapy for postmenopausal women may exacerbate stroke symptoms, which contradicts the findings of most preclinical studies. This stark contrast between clinical and laboratory findings suggests that understanding of neurovascular differences between the sexes is limited. Actually, apart from gonadal hormones, differences in neuroinflammation as well as genetics and epigenetics promote the sexual dimorphism of NVU functions. In this review, we summarize the confirmed sex-associated differences in NVUs during ischemic stroke and the possible contributing mechanisms. We also describe the gap between clinical and preclinical studies in terms of sexual dimorphism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianchi Tang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Libin Hu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Ultrasonography, Shanghai General Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiongjie Fu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jianru Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Feng Yan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shenglong Cao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Shenglong Cao,
| | - Gao Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Gao Chen,
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16
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Blaya MO, Raval AP, Bramlett HM. Traumatic brain injury in women across lifespan. Neurobiol Dis 2022; 164:105613. [PMID: 34995753 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2022.105613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and disability and a global public health challenge. Every year more than 50 million people suffer a TBI, and it is estimated that 50% of the global population will experience at least one TBI in their lifetime. TBI affects both men and women of all ages, however there is a male bias in TBI research as women have frequently been left out of the literature despite irrefutable evidence of male and female dimorphism in several posttraumatic measures. Women uniquely experience distinct life stages marked by levels of endogenous circulating sex hormones, as well as by physiological changes that are nonexistent in men. In addition to generalized sex-specific differences, a woman's susceptibility, neurological outcomes, and treatment success may vary considerably depending upon when in her lifespan she incurred a traumatic insult. How women impacted by TBI might differ from other women as a factor of age and physiology is not well understood. Furthermore, there is a gap in the knowledge of what happens when TBI occurs in the presence of certain sex-specific and sex-nonspecific variables, such as during pregnancy, with oral contraceptive use, in athletics, in cases of addiction and nicotine consumption, during perimenopause, postmenopause, in frailty, among others. Parsing out how hormone-dependent and hormone-independent lifespan variables may influence physiological, neurodegenerative, and functional outcomes will greatly contribute to future investigative studies and direct therapeutic strategies. The goal of this review is to aggregate the knowledge of prevalence, prognosis, comorbid risk, and response of women incurring TBI at differing phases of lifespan. We strive to illuminate commonalities and disparities among female populations, and to pose important questions to highlight gaps in the field in order to further the endeavor of targeted treatment interventions in a patient-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan O Blaya
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA; The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Ami P Raval
- Peritz Scheinberg Cerebral Vascular Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Helen M Bramlett
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA; The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA; Bruce W. Carter Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, Florida, USA.
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17
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Dai YY, Ba XH. Effects of exogenous vitamin D on endoplasmic reticulum stress-related factors in the vitamin D deficiency rats with cerebral ischemia. Neurosci Lett 2021; 761:136115. [PMID: 34274437 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2021.136115] [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: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
We observed the potential neuroprotective effect of exogenous vitamin D on cerebral ischemia in vitamin D deficiency rats and explored its mechanism. Sixty Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups including control (CON) group, vitamin D deficiency (VDD) group and vitamin D deficiency combined with exogenous vitamin D (VDD + VD) group, with 20 rats in each group. The rats in the CON group were fed with normal diet, while the rats in the VDD and VDD + VD groups with vitamin D-deficient diet for 8 weeks, and then underwent middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Six hours later, exogenous 25-hydroxyvitaminD (25-VD3) was intravenously injected into the rats of the VDD + VD group every 24 h for 4 times. Motor behaviors were significantly better and 25-VD3 level in the left brain tissue was significantly higher in the CON group than in the VDD and VDD + VD groups 102 h after MCAO (all P < 0.05). Although the motor behaviors, infarct volume and 25-VD3 level in brain tissue showed a good tendency in the VDD + VD group as compared with VDD group, the two groups were not significantly different (all P > 0.05). GPR78 was significantly higher, but apoptosis and CHOP significantly lower in the VDD + VD group than in the VDD group (all P < 0.05). The aggravation of cerebral ischemia caused by vitamin D deficiency is possibly due to up-regulating GRP78 and down-regulating CHOP in brain tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong-Yi Dai
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, 121001, China
| | - Xiao-Hong Ba
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, 121001, China.
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18
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Clinical impact of estradiol/testosterone ratio in patients with acute ischemic stroke. BMC Neurol 2021; 21:91. [PMID: 33632142 PMCID: PMC7908649 DOI: 10.1186/s12883-021-02116-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sex hormones may be associated with a higher incidence of ischemic stroke or stroke-related events. In observational studies, lower testosterone concentrations are associated with infirmity, vascular disease, and adverse cardiovascular risk factors. Currently, female sexual hormones are considered neuroprotective agents. The purpose of this study was to assess the role of sex hormones and the ratio of estradiol/testosterone (E/T) in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). METHODS Between January 2011 and December 2016, 146 male patients with AIS and 152 age- and sex-matched control subjects were included in this study. Sex hormones, including estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone, were evaluated in the AIS patient and control groups. We analyzed the clinical and physiological levels of sex hormones and hormone ratios in these patients. RESULTS The E/T ratio was significantly elevated among patients in the stroke group compared to those in the control group (P = 0.001). Categorization of data into tertiles revealed that patients with the highest E/T ratio were more likely to have AIS [odds ratio (OR) 3.084; 95% Confidence interval (CI): 1.616-5.886; P < 0.001) compared with those in the first tertile. The E/T ratio was also an independent unfavorable outcome predictor with an adjusted OR of 1.167 (95% CI: 1.053-1.294; P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS These findings support the hypothesis that increased estradiol and reduced testosterone levels are associated with AIS in men.
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19
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El-Hakim Y, Mani KK, Eldouh A, Pandey S, Grimaldo MT, Dabney A, Pilla R, Sohrabji F. Sex differences in stroke outcome correspond to rapid and severe changes in gut permeability in adult Sprague-Dawley rats. Biol Sex Differ 2021; 12:14. [PMID: 33451354 PMCID: PMC7811247 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-020-00352-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sex differences in experimental stroke outcomes are well documented, such that adult males have a greater infarct volume, increased stroke-induced mortality, and more severe sensory-motor impairment. Based on recent evidence that the gut is an early responder to stroke, the present study tested the hypothesis that sex differences in stroke severity will be accompanied by rapid and greater permeability of the gut-blood barrier and gut dysbiosis in males as compared to females. METHOD Male and female Sprague-Dawley rats (5-7 months of age) were subject to endothelin (ET)-1-induced middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo). Sensory-motor tests were conducted pre- and 2 days after MCAo. Gut permeability was assessed in serum samples using biomarkers of gut permeability as well as functional assays using size-graded dextrans. Histological analysis of the gut was performed with H&E staining, periodic acid-Schiff for mucus, and immunohistochemistry for the tight junction protein, ZO-1. Fecal samples obtained pre- and post-stroke were analyzed for bacterial taxa and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). RESULTS After stroke, males displayed greater mortality, worse sensory-motor deficit, and higher serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines IL-17A, MCP-1, and IL-5 as compared to females. MCAo-induced gut permeability was rapid and severe in males as indicated by dextran extravasation from the gut to the blood in the hyperacute (< 2 h) and early acute (2 days) phase of stroke. This was accompanied by dysmorphology of the gut villi and dysregulation of the tight junction protein ZO-1 in the acute phase. Fecal 16s sequencing showed no differences in bacterial diversity in the acute phase of stroke. Predictive modeling indicated that markers of gut permeability were associated with acute sensory-motor impairment and infarct volume. CONCLUSIONS These data show that extensive leakiness of the gut barrier is associated with severe post-stroke disability and suggest that reinforcing this barrier may improve stroke outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yumna El-Hakim
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University-Health, 8447 Riverside Pkwy, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA
| | - Kathiresh Kumar Mani
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University-Health, 8447 Riverside Pkwy, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA
| | - Amir Eldouh
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University-Health, 8447 Riverside Pkwy, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA
| | - Sivani Pandey
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University-Health, 8447 Riverside Pkwy, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA
| | - Maria T Grimaldo
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University-Health, 8447 Riverside Pkwy, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA
| | - Alan Dabney
- Department of Statistics, College of Science, College Station, USA
| | - Rachel Pilla
- Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Farida Sohrabji
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University-Health, 8447 Riverside Pkwy, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA.
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20
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McCarthy M, Raval AP. The peri-menopause in a woman's life: a systemic inflammatory phase that enables later neurodegenerative disease. J Neuroinflammation 2020; 17:317. [PMID: 33097048 PMCID: PMC7585188 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-020-01998-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The peri-menopause or menopausal transition—the time period that surrounds the final years of a woman’s reproductive life—is associated with profound reproductive and hormonal changes in a woman’s body and exponentially increases a woman’s risk of cerebral ischemia and Alzheimer’s disease. Although our understanding of the exact timeline or definition of peri-menopause is limited, it is clear that there are two stages to the peri-menopause. These are the early menopausal transition, where menstrual cycles are mostly regular, with relatively few interruptions, and the late transition, where amenorrhea becomes more prolonged and lasts for at least 60 days, up to the final menstrual period. Emerging evidence is showing that peri-menopause is pro-inflammatory and disrupts estrogen-regulated neurological systems. Estrogen is a master regulator that functions through a network of estrogen receptors subtypes alpha (ER-α) and beta (ER-β). Estrogen receptor-beta has been shown to regulate a key component of the innate immune response known as the inflammasome, and it also is involved in regulation of neuronal mitochondrial function. This review will present an overview of the menopausal transition as an inflammatory event, with associated systemic and central nervous system inflammation, plus regulation of the innate immune response by ER-β-mediated mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Micheline McCarthy
- Department of Neurology, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, 33136, USA
| | - Ami P Raval
- Peritz Scheinberg Cerebral Vascular Disease Research Laboratory, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, 1420 NW 9th Avenue, Neurology Research Building, Room # 203H, Miami, FL, 33136, USA. .,Department of Neurology, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, 33136, USA.
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21
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Panta A, Montgomery K, Nicolas M, Mani KK, Sampath D, Sohrabji F. Mir363-3p Treatment Attenuates Long-Term Cognitive Deficits Precipitated by an Ischemic Stroke in Middle-Aged Female Rats. Front Aging Neurosci 2020; 12:586362. [PMID: 33132904 PMCID: PMC7550720 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2020.586362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Cognitive impairment and memory loss are commonly seen after stroke and a third of patients will develop signs of dementia a year after stroke. Despite a large number of studies on the beneficial effects of neuroprotectants, few studies have examined the effects of these compounds/interventions on long-term cognitive impairment. Our previous work showed that the microRNA mir363-3p reduced infarct volume and sensory-motor impairment in the acute stage of stroke in middle-aged females but not males. Thus, the present study determined the impact of mir363-3p treatment on stroke-induced cognitive impairment in middle-aged females. Sprague–Dawley female rats (12 months of age) were subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo; or sham surgery) and injected (iv) with mir363-3p mimic (MCAo + mir363-3p) or scrambled oligos (MCAo + scrambled) 4 h later. Sensory-motor performance was assessed in the acute phase (2–5 days after stroke), while all other behaviors were tested 6 months after MCAo (18 months of age). Cognitive function was assessed by the novel object recognition test (declarative memory) and the Barnes maze (spatial memory). The MCAo + scrambled group showed reduced preference for a novel object after the stroke and poor learning in the spatial memory task. In contrast, mir363-3p treated animals were similar to either their baseline performance or to the sham group. Histological analysis showed significant deterioration of specific white matter tracts due to stroke, which was attenuated in mir363-3p treated animals. The present data builds on our previous finding to show that a neuroprotectant can abrogate the long-term effects of stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditya Panta
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan, TX, United States
| | - Karienn Montgomery
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan, TX, United States
| | - Marissa Nicolas
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan, TX, United States
| | - Kathiresh K Mani
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan, TX, United States
| | - Dayalan Sampath
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan, TX, United States
| | - Farida Sohrabji
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan, TX, United States
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22
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Taxier LR, Gross KS, Frick KM. Oestradiol as a neuromodulator of learning and memory. Nat Rev Neurosci 2020; 21:535-550. [PMID: 32879508 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-020-0362-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Although hormones such as glucocorticoids have been broadly accepted in recent decades as general neuromodulators of memory processes, sex steroid hormones such as the potent oestrogen 17β-oestradiol have been less well recognized by the scientific community in this capacity. The predominance of females in studies of oestradiol and memory and the general (but erroneous) perception that oestrogens are 'female' hormones have probably prevented oestradiol from being more widely considered as a key memory modulator in both sexes. Indeed, although considerable evidence supports a crucial role for oestradiol in regulating learning and memory in females, a growing body of literature indicates a similar role in males. This Review discusses the mechanisms of oestradiol signalling and provides an overview of the effects of oestradiol on spatial, object recognition, social and fear memories. Although the primary focus is on data collected in females, effects of oestradiol on memory in males will be discussed, as will sex differences in the molecular mechanisms that regulate oestrogenic modulation of memory, which may have important implications for the development of future cognitive therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa R Taxier
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Kellie S Gross
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Karyn M Frick
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
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23
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Stewart CE, Sohrabji F. Gonadal hormones and stroke risk: PCOS as a case study. Front Neuroendocrinol 2020; 58:100853. [PMID: 32640267 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2020.100853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2020] [Revised: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
It is well known that stroke incidence and outcome is sex-dependent and influenced by age and gonadal hormones. In post-menopausal and/or aged females, declining estrogen levels increases stroke risk. However, women who experience early menopause also have an increase in stroke risk. This suggests that, regardless of age, gonadal hormones regulate stroke risk and severity. This review discusses prolonged gonadal hormone dysfunction in a common female endocrine disorder known as polycystic ovarian syndrome, PCOS, and the associated increased risk of stroke due to resulting hyperandrogenism and metabolic comorbidities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney E Stewart
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
| | - Farida Sohrabji
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, Bryan, TX 77807, USA.
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Saldanha CJ. Estrogen as a Neuroprotectant in Both Sexes: Stories From the Bird Brain. Front Neurol 2020; 11:497. [PMID: 32655477 PMCID: PMC7324752 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.00497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Estrogens such as estradiol (E2) are potent effectors of neural structure and function via peripheral and central synthesis. In the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata), neural E2 synthesis is among the highest reported in homeotherms due to the abundant constitutive expression of aromatase (E-synthase) in discrete neuronal pools across the forebrain. Following penetrating or concussive trauma, E2 synthesis increases even further via the induced expression of aromatase in reactive astrocytes around the site of damage. Injury-associated astrocytic aromatization occurs in the brains of both sexes regardless of the site of injury and can remain elevated for weeks following trauma. Interestingly, penetrating injury induces astrocytic aromatase more rapidly in females compared to males, but this sex difference is not detectable 24 h posttrauma. Indeed, unilateral penetrating injury can increase E2 content 4-fold relative to the contralateral uninjured hemisphere, suggesting that glial aromatization may be a powerful source of neural E2 available to circuits. Glial aromatization is neuroprotective as inhibition of injury-induced aromatase increases neuroinflammation, gliosis, necrosis, apoptosis, and infarct size. These effects are ameliorated upon replacement with E2, suggesting that the songbird may have evolved a rapidly responsive neurosteroidogenic system to protect vulnerable brain circuits. The precise signals that induce aromatase expression in astrocytes include elements of the inflammatory cascade and underscore the sentinel role of the innate immune system as a crucial effector of trauma-associated E2 provision in the vertebrate brain. This review will describe the inductive signals of astroglial aromatase and the neuroprotective role for glial E2 synthesis in the adult songbird brains of both sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin J Saldanha
- Departments of Neuroscience, Biology, Psychology & The Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, American University, Washington, DC, United States
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Pennuto M, Pandey UB, Polanco MJ. Insulin-like growth factor 1 signaling in motor neuron and polyglutamine diseases: From molecular pathogenesis to therapeutic perspectives. Front Neuroendocrinol 2020; 57:100821. [PMID: 32006533 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2020.100821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Revised: 01/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The pleiotropic peptide insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-I) regulates human body homeostasis and cell growth. IGF-I activates two major signaling pathways, namely phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (PKB/Akt) and Ras/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), which contribute to brain development, metabolism and function as well as to neuronal maintenance and survival. In this review, we discuss the general and tissue-specific effects of the IGF-I pathways. In addition, we present a comprehensive overview examining the role of IGF-I in neurodegenerative diseases, such as spinal and muscular atrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and polyglutamine diseases. In each disease, we analyze the disturbances of the IGF-I pathway, the modification of the disease protein by IGF-I signaling, and the therapeutic strategies based on the use of IGF-I developed to date. Lastly, we highlight present and future considerations in the use of IGF-I for the treatment of these disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Pennuto
- Department of Biomedical Sciences (DBS), University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy; Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), Via Orus 2, 35129 Padova, Italy; Padova Neuroscience Center (PNC), 35131 Padova, Italy; Myology Center (CIR-Myo), 35131 Padova, Italy.
| | - Udai Bhan Pandey
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA; Division of Child Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA; Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - María José Polanco
- Department of Pharmaceutic and Health Science, University San Pablo CEU, Campus Montepríncipe, 28925 Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain.
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Reproductive Senescence and Ischemic Stroke Remodel the Gut Microbiome and Modulate the Effects of Estrogen Treatment in Female Rats. Transl Stroke Res 2019; 11:812-830. [PMID: 31845185 DOI: 10.1007/s12975-019-00760-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Revised: 10/29/2019] [Accepted: 11/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Our previous work has shown that reproductively senescent (or middle-aged; 10-12-month-old) Sprague-Dawley female rats, that are naturally estrogen-deficient, have worse stroke outcomes as compared to normally estrous-cycling adult (5-6-month-old) females. Paradoxically, estrogen replacement to this middle-aged group exacerbates stroke outcomes, while it is neuroprotective in adult females. Recent studies reveal an important role for the gut microbiome and gut metabolites in cardiovascular health, including stroke outcomes. To determine whether gut dysbiosis underlies stroke severity in reproductive senescent females, and underlies the anomalous effects of estrogen on stroke, we compared the gut microbiota and gut metabolites pre and post stroke in (a) gonadally intact adult and middle-aged females, (b) in ovariectomized and estrogen-treated (OVX+E) adult and OVX+E middle-aged females, and (c) in middle-aged OVX+E females after fecal microbiome transfer. Our data show significant gut dysbiosis in reproductive senescent females at baseline and after stroke as indicated by an elevated ratio of the major phyla, Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F:B), reduced alpha diversity, and significant shifts in beta diversity as compared with adult females. Specific bacterial families were also altered as a result of reproductive aging, as well as gut metabolites, including elevated serum endotoxin levels and decreased short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), with a concomitant increase in IL-17A, indicating that reproductive senescence significantly affects gut communities under pathologic conditions. Despite the differences in gonadally intact adult and middle-aged females, estrogen-treated ovariectomized (OVX+E) females of either age group displayed no differences in the major phyla, but there was increased abundance in specific bacterial taxa, including Prevotella and Lactobacillus. The SCFA butyrate was significantly reduced at baseline in the middle-aged OVX+E females, while circulating endotoxin LPS were elevated in this group after stroke, suggesting that gut metabolites were differently affected by estrogen treatment in the two age groups. A fecal transfer from adult OVX+E females to middle-aged OVX+E females significantly reduced infarct volume, improved behavioral recovery and transiently reduced IL-17A expression. These data provide the first evidence that microbial gut communities and metabolites are altered by reproductive senescence in female rats at baseline and after stroke, and suggest that estrogen may impact stroke recovery differently in adult and reproductive senescent females due to an age-specific effect on gut microbiota and metabolites.
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27
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Eid RS, Lieblich SE, Wong SJ, Galea LAM. Ovarian status dictates the neuroinflammatory and behavioral consequences of sub-chronic stress exposure in middle-aged female mice. Neurobiol Stress 2019; 12:100199. [PMID: 31871960 PMCID: PMC6909340 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2019.100199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Revised: 10/09/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Ovarian hormones influence the outcomes of stress exposure and are implicated in stress-related disorders including depression, yet their roles are often complex and seemingly contradictory. Importantly, depression and stress exposure are associated with immune dysregulation, and ovarian hormones have immunomodulatory properties. However, how ovarian hormones can influence the inflammatory outcomes of stress exposure is poorly understood. Here, we examined the effects of long-term ovariectomy on the behavioral and neuroinflammatory outcomes of sub-chronic stress exposure in middle-aged mice. Briefly, sham-operated and ovariectomized mice were assigned to non-stress groups or exposed to 6 days of variable stress. Mice were assessed on a battery of behavioral tests, and cytokine concentrations were quantified in the frontal cortex and hippocampus. In the frontal cortex, postsynaptic density protein-95 expression was examined as an index of excitatory synapse number and/or stability, and phosphorylated mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) were measured to explore potential cell signaling pathways elicited by stress exposure and/or ovarian hormones. Long-term ovariectomy modified the central cytokine profile by robustly reducing cytokine concentrations in the frontal cortex and modestly increasing concentrations in the hippocampus. Under non-stress conditions, long-term ovariectomy also reduced extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphoprotein expression in the frontal cortex and increased some measures of depressive-like behavior. The effects of sub-chronic stress exposure were however more pronounced in sham-operated mice. Notably, in sham-operated mice only, sub-chronic stress exposure increased IL-1β and IL-6:IL-10 ratio in the frontal cortex and hippocampus and reduced pERK1/2 expression in the frontal cortex. Further, although sub-chronic stress exposure increased anhedonia-like behavior regardless of ovarian status, it increased passive-coping behavior in sham-operated mice only. These data indicate that long-term ovariectomy has potent effects on the central cytokine milieu and dictates the neuroinflammatory and behavioral effects of sub-chronic stress exposure in middle-aged mice. These findings therefore suggest that the immunomodulatory properties of ovarian hormones are of relevance in the context of stress and possibly depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rand S Eid
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Stephanie E Lieblich
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Sarah J Wong
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Liisa A M Galea
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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28
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Cohan CH, Youbi M, Saul I, Ruiz AA, Furones CC, Patel P, Perez E, Raval AP, Dave KR, Zhao W, Dong C, Rundek T, Koch S, Sacco RL, Perez-Pinzon MA. Sex-Dependent Differences in Physical Exercise-Mediated Cognitive Recovery Following Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion in Aged Rats. Front Aging Neurosci 2019; 11:261. [PMID: 31619985 PMCID: PMC6759590 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2019.00261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2019] [Accepted: 09/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Stroke remains a leading cause of death and disability in the United States. No current treatments exist to promote cognitive recovery in survivors of stroke. A previous study from our laboratory determined that an acute bout of forced treadmill exercise was able to promote cognitive recovery in 3 month old male rats after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo). In this study, we tested the hypothesis that 6 days of intense acute bout of forced treadmill exercise (physical exercise – PE) promotes cognitive recovery in 11–14 month old male rats. We determined that PE was able to ameliorate cognitive deficits as determined by contextual fear conditioning. Additionally, we also tested the hypothesis that PE promotes cognitive recovery in 11–13 month old reproductive senescent female rats. In contrast to males, the same intensity of exercise that decrease cognitive deficits in males was not able to promote cognitive recovery in female rats. Additionally, we determined that exercise did not lessen infarct volume in both male and female rats. There are many factors that contribute to higher stroke mortality and morbidities in women and thus, future studies will investigate the effects of PE in aged female rats to identify sex differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles H Cohan
- Peritz Scheinberg Cerebral Vascular Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Neurology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Mehdi Youbi
- Peritz Scheinberg Cerebral Vascular Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Neurology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Isabel Saul
- Peritz Scheinberg Cerebral Vascular Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Neurology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Alex A Ruiz
- Peritz Scheinberg Cerebral Vascular Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Neurology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Concepcion C Furones
- Peritz Scheinberg Cerebral Vascular Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Neurology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Pujan Patel
- Peritz Scheinberg Cerebral Vascular Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Neurology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Edwin Perez
- Peritz Scheinberg Cerebral Vascular Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Neurology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Ami P Raval
- Peritz Scheinberg Cerebral Vascular Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Neurology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Kunjan R Dave
- Peritz Scheinberg Cerebral Vascular Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Neurology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Weizhao Zhao
- Peritz Scheinberg Cerebral Vascular Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Neurology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Chuanhui Dong
- Peritz Scheinberg Cerebral Vascular Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Neurology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Tatjana Rundek
- Peritz Scheinberg Cerebral Vascular Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Neurology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Sebastian Koch
- Peritz Scheinberg Cerebral Vascular Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Neurology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Ralph L Sacco
- Peritz Scheinberg Cerebral Vascular Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Neurology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Miguel A Perez-Pinzon
- Peritz Scheinberg Cerebral Vascular Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Neurology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
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29
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Verma S, Ranawat P, Sharma N, Nehru B. Ginkgo biloba attenuates aluminum lactate-induced neurotoxicity in reproductive senescent female rats: behavioral, biochemical, and histopathological study. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2019; 26:27148-27167. [PMID: 31321719 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-019-05743-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Extensive use of aluminum (Al) in industry, cooking utensils, and wrapping or freezing the food items, due to its cheapness and abundance in the environment, has become a major concern. Growing evidence supports that environmental pollutant Al promotes the aggregation of amyloid beta (Aβ) in the brain, which is the main pathological marker of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Further, AD- and Al-induced neurotoxic effects are more common among women following reproductive senescence due to decline in estrogen. Though clinically Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) has been exploited as a memory enhancer, its role in Al-induced neurotoxicity in reproductive senescent female rats needs to be evaluated. Animals were exposed to intraperitoneal dose (10 mg/kg b.wt) of Al and oral dose (100 mg/kg b.wt.) of GBE daily for 6 weeks. A significant decline in the Al-induced Aβ aggregates was observed in hippocampal and cortical regions of the brain with GBE supplementation, as confirmed by thioflavin (ThT) and Congo red staining. GBE administration significantly decreased the reactive oxygen species, lipid peroxidation, nitric oxide, and citrulline levels in comparison to Al-treated rats. On the contrary, a significant increase in the reduced glutathione, GSH/GSSG ratio as well as in the activities of antioxidant enzymes was observed with GBE administration. Based on the above results, GBE prevented the neuronal loss in the hippocampus and cortex, hence caused significant improvement in the learning and memory of the animals in terms of AChE activity, serotonin levels, Morris water maze, and active and passive avoidance tests. In conclusion, GBE has alleviated the behavioral, biochemical, and histopathological alterations due to Al toxicity in rats. However, molecular studies are going on to better understand the mechanism of GBE protection against the environmental toxicant Al exposure. Graphical abstract .
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Verma
- Department of Biophysics, South Campus, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160014, India
| | - Pavitra Ranawat
- Department of Biophysics, South Campus, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160014, India
| | - Neha Sharma
- Department of Biophysics, South Campus, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160014, India
| | - Bimla Nehru
- Department of Biophysics, South Campus, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160014, India.
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30
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Kim T, Chelluboina B, Chokkalla AK, Vemuganti R. Age and sex differences in the pathophysiology of acute CNS injury. Neurochem Int 2019; 127:22-28. [PMID: 30654116 PMCID: PMC6579702 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2019.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2018] [Accepted: 01/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Despite the immeasurable burden on patients and families, no effective therapies to protect the CNS after an acute injury are available yet. Furthermore, the underlying mechanisms that promote neuronal death and functional deficits after injury remain to be poorly understood. The prevalence, age of onset, pathophysiology, and symptomatology of many CNS insults differ significantly between males and females. In the case of stroke, younger males tend to show a higher risk than younger females, while this trend reverses with age. Accumulating evidence from preclinical studies have shown that sex hormones play a crucial role in providing neuroprotection following ischemic stroke and other acute CNS injuries. Estrogen, in particular, exerts a neuroprotective effect by modulating the immune responses after injury. In addition, there exists a sexual dimorphism in cell death pathways between males and females that are independent of hormones. Meanwhile, recent studies suggest that microRNAs are critically involved in the sex-specific mechanisms of cell death. This review discusses the current knowledge on the contribution of sex and age to outcome after stroke. Implication of the interplay between these two factors on other CNS injuries (spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury) from the experimental evidence were also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- TaeHee Kim
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Bharath Chelluboina
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Anil K Chokkalla
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA; Cellular and Molecular Pathology Program, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Raghu Vemuganti
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA; Cellular and Molecular Pathology Program, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA; William S. Middleton Veterans Administration Hospital, Madison, WI, USA.
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31
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Saraf J, Sarmah D, Vats K, Kaur H, Pravalika K, Wanve M, Kalia K, Borah A, Dave KR, Yavagal DR, Bhattacharya P. Intra-arterial stem cell therapy modulates neuronal calcineurin and confers neuroprotection after ischemic stroke. Int J Neurosci 2019; 129:1039-1044. [PMID: 31203689 DOI: 10.1080/00207454.2019.1633315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Aim: Calcineurin (CaN) is a threonine/phosphatase which play roles in neuronal homeostasis. Ischemic stroke induces hyperactivation of CaN which further triggers apoptotic signaling. CaN inhibition has limited therapeutic output and neurotoxicity due to its intricate roles in the neuronal network and requires a strategic modulation. Intra-arterial (IA) mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have shown to interact with the milieu in a paracrine manner as compared to CaN inhibitors to ameliorate the neuronal damage triggered by ischemia/reperfusion injury. The present study investigates the role of IA MSCs in modulating neuronal CaN after stroke onset. Materials and methods: To validate, middle-aged ovariectomized female rats exposed to MCAo (90 min) were treated with IA MSCs (1 × 105 MSCs) or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) at 6 hours to check CaN expression in different groups.Tests for assessing functional and motor coordination were performed along with biochemical estimations. Furthermore, an inhibition study by non-selective inhibitor of neuronal calcium channel, flunarizine, was performed to explore the possible underlying mechanism by which IA MSCs may interact with CaN. Results: The study suggests that IA MSCs seemingly reduce the expression of CaN after ischemic stroke. IA MSCs have shown to improve the functional outcome and normalize oxidative parameters. Conclusion: Our study provides a preliminary evidence of role of IA MSCs in modulating CaN expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jackson Saraf
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Ahmedabad , Gandhinagar , Gujarat , India
| | - Deepaneeta Sarmah
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Ahmedabad , Gandhinagar , Gujarat , India
| | - Kanchan Vats
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Ahmedabad , Gandhinagar , Gujarat , India
| | - Harpreet Kaur
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Ahmedabad , Gandhinagar , Gujarat , India
| | - Kanta Pravalika
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Ahmedabad , Gandhinagar , Gujarat , India
| | - Madhuri Wanve
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Ahmedabad , Gandhinagar , Gujarat , India
| | - Kiran Kalia
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Ahmedabad , Gandhinagar , Gujarat , India
| | - Anupom Borah
- Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Life Science and Bioinformatics, Assam University , Silchar , Assam , India
| | - Kunjan R Dave
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine , Miami , Florida , USA
| | - Dileep R Yavagal
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine , Miami , Florida , USA
| | - Pallab Bhattacharya
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Ahmedabad , Gandhinagar , Gujarat , India
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Toro CA, Zhang L, Cao J, Cai D. Sex differences in Alzheimer's disease: Understanding the molecular impact. Brain Res 2019; 1719:194-207. [PMID: 31129153 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2019.05.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2019] [Revised: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 05/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder that presents with cognitive impairment and behavioral disturbance. Approximately 5.5 million people in the United States live with AD, most of whom are over the age of 65 with two-thirds being woman. There have been major advancements over the last decade or so in the understanding of AD neuropathological changes and genetic involvement. However, studies of sex impact in AD have not been adequately integrated into the investigation of disease development and progression. It becomes indispensable to acknowledge in both basic science and clinical research studies the importance of understanding sex-specific differences in AD pathophysiology and pathogenesis, which could guide future effort in the discovery of novel targets for AD. Here, we review the latest and most relevant literature on this topic, highlighting the importance of understanding sex dimorphism from a molecular perspective and its association to clinical trial design and development in AD research field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos A Toro
- National Center for the Medical Consequences of Spinal Cord Injury, James J Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10468, United States; Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States.
| | - Larry Zhang
- Research and Development, James J Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10468, United States; Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States
| | - Jiqing Cao
- Research and Development, James J Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10468, United States; Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States.
| | - Dongming Cai
- Research and Development, James J Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10468, United States; Neurology Section, James J Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10468, United States; Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States.
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Sohrabji F, Okoreeh A, Panta A. Sex hormones and stroke: Beyond estrogens. Horm Behav 2019; 111:87-95. [PMID: 30713101 PMCID: PMC6527470 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2018.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2018] [Revised: 10/22/2018] [Accepted: 10/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Stroke risk and poor stroke outcomes in postmenopausal women have usually beeen attributed to decreased levels of estrogen. However, two lines of evidence suggest that this hormone may not be solely responsible for elevated stroke risk in this population. First, the increased risk for CVD and stroke occurs much earlier than menopause at a time when estrogen levels are not yet reduced. Second, estrogen therapy has not successfully reduced stroke risk in all studies. Other sex hormones may therefore also contribute to stroke risk. Prior to menopause, levels of the gonadotrophin Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) are elevated while levels of the gonadal peptide inhibin are lowered, indicating an overall decrease in ovarian reserve. Similarly, reduced estrogen levels at menopause significantly increase the ratio of androgens to estrogens. In view of the evidence that androgens may be unfavorable for CVD and stroke, this elevated ratio of testosterone to estrogen may also contribute to the postmenopause-associated stroke risk. This review synthesizes evidence from different clinical populations including natural menopause, surgical menopause, women on chemotherapy, and preclinical stroke models to dissect the role of ovarian hormones and stroke risk and outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farida Sohrabji
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M College of Medicine, Bryan, TX 77807, United States of America.
| | - Andre Okoreeh
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M College of Medicine, Bryan, TX 77807, United States of America
| | - Aditya Panta
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M College of Medicine, Bryan, TX 77807, United States of America
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34
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Mir363-3p attenuates post-stroke depressive-like behaviors in middle-aged female rats. Brain Behav Immun 2019; 78:31-40. [PMID: 30639697 PMCID: PMC6488367 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2019.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2018] [Revised: 11/26/2018] [Accepted: 01/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Women are more likely to develop Post Stroke Depression (PSD) than men and generally do not respond well to anti-depressants with age. This study investigated the effect of microRNA mir363-3p treatment on PSD using a physiologically-relevant animal model. Our previous work showed that mir363-3p treatment, delivered post-stroke, effectively reduces infarct volume in the acute phase of stroke in middle-aged females but not males. Middle-aged female Sprague Dawley rats were tested for baseline sensory motor function and depressive-like behaviors, and then subjected to ischemic stroke via middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) or sham surgery. Animals received either control oligos (MCAo+scrambled, Sham+scrambled) or mir363-3p (MCAo+mir363-3p, Sham+mir363-3p) treatment 4 h later. Sensory motor function and depressive-like behaviors were reassessed up to 100 d after stroke, and circulating levels of IL-6, TNF-alpha and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) were quantified at regular intervals. Prior to termination, Fluorogold was injected into the striatum to assess meso-striatal projections. MCAo+scrambled animals had impaired sensorimotor performance in the acute phase (5 days) of stroke and developed anhedonia, decreased sociability and increased helplessness in the chronic phase. MCAo+mir363-3p animals showed significantly less sensory motor impairment and fewer depressive-like behaviors. IL-6 and TNF-alpha were elevated transiently at 4 weeks after MCAo in both groups. BDNF levels decreased progressively after stroke in the MCAo+scrambled group, and this was attenuated in the mir363-3p group. The number of retrogradely-labeled SNc and VTA cells was reduced in the ischemic hemisphere of the MCAo+scrambled group. In contrast, there was no interhemispheric difference in the number of retrogradely-labeled SNc and VTA cells of MCAo+mir363-3p treated animals. Our results support a therapeutic role for mir363-3p for long-term stroke disability.
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Morrison HW, Filosa JA. Stroke and the neurovascular unit: glial cells, sex differences, and hypertension. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2019; 316:C325-C339. [PMID: 30601672 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00333.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
A functional neurovascular unit (NVU) is central to meeting the brain's dynamic metabolic needs. Poststroke damage to the NVU within the ipsilateral hemisphere ranges from cell dysfunction to complete cell loss. Thus, understanding poststroke cell-cell communication within the NVU is of critical importance. Loss of coordinated NVU function exacerbates ischemic injury. However, particular cells of the NVU (e.g., astrocytes) and those with ancillary roles (e.g., microglia) also contribute to repair mechanisms. Epidemiological studies support the notion that infarct size and recovery outcomes are heterogeneous and greatly influenced by modifiable and nonmodifiable factors such as sex and the co-morbid condition common to stroke: hypertension. The mechanisms whereby sex and hypertension modulate NVU function are explored, to some extent, in preclinical laboratory studies. We present a review of the NVU in the context of ischemic stroke with a focus on glial contributions to NVU function and dysfunction. We explore the impact of sex and hypertension as modifiable and nonmodifiable risk factors and the underlying cellular mechanisms that may underlie heterogeneous stroke outcomes. Most of the preclinical investigative studies of poststroke NVU dysfunction are carried out primarily in male stroke models lacking underlying co-morbid conditions, which is very different from the human condition. As such, the evolution of translational medicine to target the NVU for improved stroke outcomes remains elusive; however, it is attainable with further research.
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Shaheen H, Sobhy S, El Mously S, Niazi M, Gomaa M. Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 in Acute Ischemic Stroke. THE EGYPTIAN JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY, PSYCHIATRY AND NEUROSURGERY 2018; 54:42. [PMID: 30595648 PMCID: PMC6290716 DOI: 10.1186/s41983-018-0042-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2018] [Accepted: 11/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Cerebrovascular ischemic stroke is highly prevalent in the general population and is considered one of the frequent causes of mortality and disability. Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is recognized as an important neuro-protective factor against cerebral vascular ischemic insult. Aim of the work To study the relationship between serum IGF-1 levels and acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in the Egyptian population. Patients and methods Two hundred patients with AIS (within the first 24 h) were subjected to full neurological examination, assessment of stroke severity using National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and measurement of serum IGF-1 levels. The control group included 100 subjects matched for age, gender, and conventional vascular risk factors. Results Serum IGF-1 levels were significantly reduced in cases of first AIS compared to control group. A reduced serum IGF-1 level was an independent risk factor for ischemic stroke with cut off value less than 148.3 ng/ml associated with increased AIS risk. Conclusion Lower IGF-1 levels are significantly related to risk of ischemic stroke occurrence, independent from other conventional risk factors in the Egyptian population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hala Shaheen
- Faculty of Medicine, Fayoum University, Keman Fares area, Fayoum City, 63611 Egypt
| | - Sayed Sobhy
- Faculty of Medicine, Fayoum University, Keman Fares area, Fayoum City, 63611 Egypt
| | - Sherine El Mously
- Faculty of Medicine, Fayoum University, Keman Fares area, Fayoum City, 63611 Egypt
| | - Manal Niazi
- Faculty of Medicine, Fayoum University, Keman Fares area, Fayoum City, 63611 Egypt
| | - Mohammed Gomaa
- Faculty of Medicine, Fayoum University, Keman Fares area, Fayoum City, 63611 Egypt
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Sohrabji F, Selvamani A. Sex differences in miRNA as therapies for ischemic stroke. Neurochem Int 2018; 127:56-63. [PMID: 30391509 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2018.10.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2018] [Revised: 10/25/2018] [Accepted: 10/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
MicroRNAs, a subset of non-coding RNAs, are present in virtually all tissues including body fluids and are global regulators of the transcriptome. In view of the expanding number of microRNAs and the large number of gene targets that each microRNA can potentially regulate, they have been compared to hormones in the scope of their effects. MicroRNA have been implicated as biomarkers for several diseases including stroke, as well as chronic conditions that are associated with stroke. Recent research has focused on manipulating miRNA to improve stroke outcomes. Although several miRNAs have been shown to have neuroprotective properties, the overwhelming majority of these studies have employed only male animals. This review will focus on two miRNAs, Let7f and mir363-3p, whose effectiveness as a stroke neuroprotectant is sex-specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farida Sohrabji
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M College of Medicine, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA.
| | - Amutha Selvamani
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M College of Medicine, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA
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Bake S, Okoreeh A, Khosravian H, Sohrabji F. Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF)-1 treatment stabilizes the microvascular cytoskeleton under ischemic conditions. Exp Neurol 2018; 311:162-172. [PMID: 30287160 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2018.09.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2018] [Revised: 08/29/2018] [Accepted: 09/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Our previous studies showed that Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF)-1 reduced blood brain barrier permeability and decreased infarct volume caused by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) in middle aged female rats. Similarly, cultures of primary brain microvessel endothelial cells from middle-aged female rats and exposed to stroke-like conditions (oxygen glucose deprivation; OGD) confirmed that IGF-1 reduced dye transfer across this cell monolayer. Surprisingly, IGF-1 did not attenuate endothelial cell death caused by OGD. To reconcile these findings, the present study tested the hypothesis that, at the earliest phase of ischemia, IGF-1 promotes barrier function by increasing anchorage and stabilizing cell geometry of surviving endothelial cells. Cultures of human brain microvessel endothelial cells were subject to oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) in the presence of IGF-1, IGF-1 + JB-1 (IGFR inhibitor) or vehicle. OGD disrupted the cell monolayer and reduced cell-cell interactions, which was preserved in IGF-1-treated cultures and reversed by concurrent treatment with JB-1. IGF-1-mediated preservation of the endothelial monolayer was reversed with LY294002 treatment, but not by Rapamycin, indicating that IGF-1 s actions on cell-cell contacts are likely mediated via the PI3K pathway. In vivo, microvessel morphology was evaluated in middle-aged female rats that were subjected to ischemia by MCAo, and treated ICV with IGFI, IGF-1 + JB-1, or artificial CSF (aCSF; vehicle) after reperfusion. Compared to vehicle controls, IGF-1 treated animals displayed larger microvessel diameters in the peri-infarct area and increased staining density for vinculin, an anchorage protein. Both these measures were reversed by concurrent IGF-1 + JB-1 treatment. Moreover these effects were restricted to 24 h after ischemia-reperfusion and no treatment effects were seen at 5d post stroke. Collectively, these data suggest that in the earliest hours during ischemia, IGF-1 promotes receptor-mediated anchorage of endothelial cells, and its actions may be accurately characterized as vasculoprotective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shameena Bake
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M College of Medicine, Bryan, TX 77807, United States
| | - Andre Okoreeh
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M College of Medicine, Bryan, TX 77807, United States
| | - Homa Khosravian
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77840, United States
| | - Farida Sohrabji
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M College of Medicine, Bryan, TX 77807, United States.
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Whole Body Vibration Therapy after Ischemia Reduces Brain Damage in Reproductively Senescent Female Rats. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19092749. [PMID: 30217051 PMCID: PMC6164360 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19092749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2018] [Revised: 09/03/2018] [Accepted: 09/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
A risk of ischemic stroke increases exponentially after menopause. Even a mild-ischemic stroke can result in increased frailty. Frailty is a state of increased vulnerability to adverse outcomes, which subsequently increases risk of cerebrovascular events and severe cognitive decline, particularly after menopause. Several interventions to reduce frailty and subsequent risk of stroke and cognitive decline have been proposed in laboratory animals and patients. One of them is whole body vibration (WBV). WBV improves cerebral function and cognitive ability that deteriorates with increased frailty. The goal of the current study is to test the efficacy of WBV in reducing post-ischemic stroke frailty and brain damage in reproductively senescent female rats. Reproductively senescent Sprague-Dawley female rats were exposed to transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) and were randomly assigned to either WBV or no-WBV groups. Animals placed in the WBV group underwent 30 days of WBV (40 Hz) treatment performed twice daily for 15 min each session, 5 days each week. The motor functions of animals belonging to both groups were tested intermittently and at the end of the treatment period. Brains were then harvested for inflammatory markers and histopathological analysis. The results demonstrate a significant reduction in inflammatory markers and infarct volume with significant increases in brain-derived neurotrophic factor and improvement in functional activity after tMCAO in middle-aged female rats that were treated with WBV as compared to the no-WBV group. Our results may facilitate a faster translation of the WBV intervention for improved outcome after stroke, particularly among frail women.
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Gubbi S, Quipildor GF, Barzilai N, Huffman DM, Milman S. 40 YEARS of IGF1: IGF1: the Jekyll and Hyde of the aging brain. J Mol Endocrinol 2018; 61:T171-T185. [PMID: 29739805 PMCID: PMC5988994 DOI: 10.1530/jme-18-0093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) signaling pathway has emerged as a major regulator of the aging process, from rodents to humans. However, given the pleiotropic actions of IGF1, its role in the aging brain remains complex and controversial. While IGF1 is clearly essential for normal development of the central nervous system, conflicting evidence has emerged from preclinical and human studies regarding its relationship to cognitive function, as well as cerebrovascular and neurodegenerative disorders. This review delves into the current state of the evidence examining the role of IGF1 in the aging brain, encompassing preclinical and clinical studies. A broad examination of the data indicates that IGF1 may indeed play opposing roles in the aging brain, depending on the underlying pathology and context. Some evidence suggests that in the setting of neurodegenerative diseases that manifest with abnormal protein deposition in the brain, such as Alzheimer's disease, reducing IGF1 signaling may serve a protective role by slowing disease progression and augmenting clearance of pathologic proteins to maintain cellular homeostasis. In contrast, inducing IGF1 deficiency has also been implicated in dysregulated function of cognition and the neurovascular system, suggesting that some IGF1 signaling may be necessary for normal brain function. Furthermore, states of acute neuronal injury, which necessitate growth, repair and survival signals to persevere, typically demonstrate salutary effects of IGF1 in that context. Appreciating the dual, at times opposing 'Dr Jekyll' and 'Mr Hyde' characteristics of IGF1 in the aging brain, will bring us closer to understanding its impact and devising more targeted IGF1-related interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sriram Gubbi
- Institute for Aging ResearchAlbert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
- Department of Internal MedicineJacobi Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Gabriela Farias Quipildor
- Institute for Aging ResearchAlbert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
- Department of Molecular PharmacologyAlbert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
- Division of EndocrinologyDepartment of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Nir Barzilai
- Institute for Aging ResearchAlbert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
- Division of EndocrinologyDepartment of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
- Division of GeriatricsDepartment of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
- Department of GeneticsAlbert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Derek M Huffman
- Institute for Aging ResearchAlbert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
- Department of Molecular PharmacologyAlbert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
- Division of EndocrinologyDepartment of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Sofiya Milman
- Institute for Aging ResearchAlbert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
- Division of EndocrinologyDepartment of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
- Division of GeriatricsDepartment of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
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Carlson SW, Saatman KE. Central Infusion of Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 Increases Hippocampal Neurogenesis and Improves Neurobehavioral Function after Traumatic Brain Injury. J Neurotrauma 2018; 35:1467-1480. [PMID: 29455576 PMCID: PMC5998830 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2017.5374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) produces neuronal dysfunction and cellular loss that can culminate in lasting impairments in cognitive and motor abilities. Therapeutic agents that promote repair and replenish neurons post-TBI hold promise in improving recovery of function. Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is a neurotrophic factor capable of mediating neuroprotective and neuroplasticity mechanisms. Targeted overexpression of IGF-1 enhances the generation of hippocampal newborn neurons in brain-injured mice; however, the translational neurogenic potential of exogenously administered IGF-1 post-TBI remains unknown. In a mouse model of controlled cortical impact, continuous intracerebroventricular infusion of recombinant human IGF-1 (hIGF) for 7 days, beginning 15 min post-injury, resulted in a dose-dependent increase in the number of immature neurons in the hippocampus. Infusion of 10 μg/day of IGF-1 produced detectable levels of hIGF-1 in the cortex and hippocampus and a concomitant increase in protein kinase B activation in the hippocampus. Both motor function and cognition were improved over 7 days post-injury in IGF-1-treated cohorts. Vehicle-treated brain-injured mice showed reduced hippocampal immature neuron density relative to sham controls at 7 days post-injury. In contrast, the density of hippocampal immature neurons in brain-injured mice receiving acute onset IGF-1 infusion was significantly higher than in injured mice receiving vehicle and equivalent to that in sham-injured control mice. Importantly, the neurogenic effect of IGF-1 was maintained with as much as a 6-h delay in the initiation of infusion. These data suggest that central infusion of IGF-1 enhances the generation of immature neurons in the hippocampus, with a therapeutic window of at least 6 h post-injury, and promotes neurobehavioral recovery post-TBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaun W. Carlson
- Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky
| | - Kathryn E. Saatman
- Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky
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Pedersen AL, Brownrout JL, Saldanha CJ. Neuroinflammation and neurosteroidogenesis: Reciprocal modulation during injury to the adult zebra finch brain. Physiol Behav 2018; 187:51-56. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2017.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2017] [Revised: 10/11/2017] [Accepted: 10/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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Choleris E, Galea LAM, Sohrabji F, Frick KM. Sex differences in the brain: Implications for behavioral and biomedical research. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 85:126-145. [PMID: 29287628 PMCID: PMC5751942 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 137] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2017] [Accepted: 07/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Biological differences between males and females are found at multiple levels. However, females have too often been under-represented in behavioral neuroscience research, which has stymied the study of potential sex differences in neurobiology and behavior. This review focuses on the study of sex differences in the neurobiology of social behavior, memory, emotions, and recovery from brain injury, with particular emphasis on the role of estrogens in regulating forebrain function. This work, presented by the authors at the 2016 meeting of the International Behavioral Neuroscience Society, emphasizes varying approaches from several mammalian species in which sex differences have not only been documented, but also become the focus of efforts to understand the mechanistic basis underlying them. This information may provide readers with useful experimental tools to successfully address recently introduced regulations by granting agencies that either require (e.g. the National Institutes of Health in the United States and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research in Canada) or recommend (e.g. Horizon 2020 in Europe) the inclusion of both sexes in biomedical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Choleris
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, MacKinnon Bldg. Room 4020, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada.
| | - Liisa A M Galea
- Department of Psychology, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T1Z3, Canada
| | - Farida Sohrabji
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M HSC College of Medicine, Bryan, TX 77807, United States
| | - Karyn M Frick
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, United States
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Labandeira-Garcia JL, Costa-Besada MA, Labandeira CM, Villar-Cheda B, Rodríguez-Perez AI. Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 and Neuroinflammation. Front Aging Neurosci 2017; 9:365. [PMID: 29163145 PMCID: PMC5675852 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2017.00365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2017] [Accepted: 10/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) effects on aging and neurodegeneration is still controversial. However, it is widely admitted that IGF-1 is involved in the neuroinflammatory response. In peripheral tissues, several studies showed that IGF-1 inhibited the expression of inflammatory markers, although other studies concluded that IGF-1 has proinflammatory functions. Furthermore, proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α impaired IGF-1 signaling. In the brain, there are controversial results on effects of IGF-1 in neuroinflammation. In addition to direct protective effects on neurons, several studies revealed anti-inflammatory effects of IGF-1 acting on astrocytes and microglia, and that IGF-1 may also inhibit blood brain barrier permeability. Altogether suggests that the aging-related decrease in IGF-1 levels may contribute to the aging-related pro-inflammatory state. IGF-1 inhibits the astrocytic response to inflammatory stimuli, and modulates microglial phenotype (IGF-1 promotes the microglial M2 and inhibits of M1 phenotype). Furthermore, IGF-1 is mitogenic for microglia. IGF-1 and estrogen interact to modulate the neuroinflammatory response and microglial and astrocytic phenotypes. Brain renin-angiotensin and IGF-1 systems also interact to modulate neuroinflammation. Induction of microglial IGF-1 by angiotensin, and possibly by other pro-inflammatory inducers, plays a major role in the repression of the M1 microglial neurotoxic phenotype and the enhancement of the transition to an M2 microglial repair/regenerative phenotype. This mechanism is impaired in aged brains. Aging-related decrease in IGF-1 may contribute to the loss of capacity of microglia to undergo M2 activation. Fine tuning of IGF-1 levels may be critical for regulating the neuroinflammatory response, and IGF-1 may be involved in inflammation in a context-dependent mode.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose L Labandeira-Garcia
- Laboratory of Neuroanatomy and Experimental Neurology, Department of Morphological Sciences, CIMUS, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.,Networking Research Center on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Maria A Costa-Besada
- Laboratory of Neuroanatomy and Experimental Neurology, Department of Morphological Sciences, CIMUS, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.,Networking Research Center on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmen M Labandeira
- Department of Clinical Neurology, Hospital Alvaro Cunqueiro, University Hospital Complex, Vigo, Spain
| | - Begoña Villar-Cheda
- Laboratory of Neuroanatomy and Experimental Neurology, Department of Morphological Sciences, CIMUS, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.,Networking Research Center on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana I Rodríguez-Perez
- Laboratory of Neuroanatomy and Experimental Neurology, Department of Morphological Sciences, CIMUS, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.,Networking Research Center on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
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Engler-Chiurazzi EB, Brown CM, Povroznik JM, Simpkins JW. Estrogens as neuroprotectants: Estrogenic actions in the context of cognitive aging and brain injury. Prog Neurobiol 2017; 157:188-211. [PMID: 26891883 PMCID: PMC4985492 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2015.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 133] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2015] [Revised: 11/06/2015] [Accepted: 12/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
There is ample empirical evidence to support the notion that the biological impacts of estrogen extend beyond the gonads to other bodily systems, including the brain and behavior. Converging preclinical findings have indicated a neuroprotective role for estrogen in a variety of experimental models of cognitive function and brain insult. However, the surprising null or even detrimental findings of several large clinical trials evaluating the ability of estrogen-containing hormone treatments to protect against age-related brain changes and insults, including cognitive aging and brain injury, led to hesitation by both clinicians and patients in the use of exogenous estrogenic treatments for nervous system outcomes. That estrogen-containing therapies are used by tens of millions of women for a variety of health-related applications across the lifespan has made identifying conditions under which benefits with estrogen treatment will be realized an important public health issue. Here we provide a summary of the biological actions of estrogen and estrogen-containing formulations in the context of aging, cognition, stroke, and traumatic brain injury. We have devoted special attention to highlighting the notion that estrogen appears to be a conditional neuroprotectant whose efficacy is modulated by several interacting factors. By developing criteria standards for desired beneficial peripheral and neuroprotective outcomes among unique patient populations, we can optimize estrogen treatments for attenuating the consequences of, and perhaps even preventing, cognitive aging and brain injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- E B Engler-Chiurazzi
- Center for Basic and Translational Stroke Research, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, United States; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, United States.
| | - C M Brown
- Center for Basic and Translational Stroke Research, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, United States; Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, United States.
| | - J M Povroznik
- Center for Basic and Translational Stroke Research, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, United States; Department of Pediatrics, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, United States.
| | - J W Simpkins
- Center for Basic and Translational Stroke Research, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, United States; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, United States.
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Raghava N, Das BC, Ray SK. Neuroprotective effects of estrogen in CNS injuries: insights from animal models. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 6:15-29. [PMID: 28845391 PMCID: PMC5567743 DOI: 10.2147/nan.s105134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Among the estrogens that are biosynthesized in the human body, 17β-estradiol (estradiol or E2) is the most common and the best estrogen for neuroprotection in animal models of the central nervous system (CNS) injuries such as spinal cord injury (SCI), traumatic brain injury (TBI), and ischemic brain injury (IBI). These CNS injuries are not only serious health problems, but also enormous economic burden on the patients, their families, and the society at large. Studies from animal models of these CNS injuries provide insights into the multiple neuroprotective mechanisms of E2 and also suggest the possibility of translating the therapeutic efficacy of E2 in the treatment SCI, TBI, and IBI in humans in the near future. The pathophysiology of these injuries includes loss of motor function in the limbs, arms and their extremities, cognitive deficit, and many other serious consequences including life-threatening paralysis, infection, and even death. The potential application of E2 therapy to treat the CNS injuries may become a trend as the results are showing significant therapeutic benefits of E2 for neuroprotection when administered into the animal models of SCI, TBI, and IBI. This article describes the plausible mechanisms how E2 works with or without the involvement of estrogen receptors and provides an overview of the known neuroprotective effects of E2 in these three CNS injuries in different animal models. Because activation of estrogen receptors has profound implications in maintaining and also affecting normal physiology, there are notable impediments in translating E2 therapy to the clinics for neuroprotection in CNS injuries in humans. While E2 may not yet be the sole molecule for the treatment of CNS injuries due to the controversies surrounding it, the neuroprotective effects of its metabolite and derivative or combination of E2 with another therapeutic agent are showing significant impacts in animal models that can potentially shape the new treatment strategies for these CNS injuries in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Narayan Raghava
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Bhaskar C Das
- Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Swapan K Ray
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA
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Selvamani A, Sohrabji F. Mir363-3p improves ischemic stroke outcomes in female but not male rats. Neurochem Int 2017; 107:168-181. [PMID: 27773791 PMCID: PMC5398946 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2016.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2016] [Revised: 10/10/2016] [Accepted: 10/17/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
With age, stroke prevalence is higher, and stroke outcome, worse, in women. Thus there is an urgent need to identify stroke neuroprotectants for this population. Using a preclinical stroke model, our studies focused on microRNAs (miRNAs), a class of translational repressors, as neuroprotectants. Analysis of circulating miRNA in the acute phase of stroke indicated potential neuroprotective capacity for miR363. Specifically, mir363 is elevated in serum of adult female rats that typically have small infarct volumes, but is deficient in age-matched males or middle-aged males and females, groups that have greater stroke-associated impairment. To directly test the effect of mir363 on stroke outcomes, first, adult females were treated with antagomirs to mir363 post stroke and next, middle-aged females were treated with mimic to mir363-3p post stroke. Antagomir treatment to adult females significantly increased infarct volume and impaired sensory motor performance. Reciprocally, mir363 mimic to middle-aged females reduced infarct volume, preserved forebrain microvessels and improved sensory motor performance. In the early acute stroke phase, mir363-3p mimic reduced the expression and functional activity of caspase-3, a critical component of the apoptotic cell cascade. In contrast, mir363-3p mimic treatment had no effect on stroke outcomes or caspase regulation in young males. Collectively, these studies show that mir363 is neuroprotective for stroke in females and implicates caspase-3 as a sex-specific miRNA-sensitive node for recovery from ischemic stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amutha Selvamani
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M College of Medicine, Bryan TX 77807, United States
| | - Farida Sohrabji
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M College of Medicine, Bryan TX 77807, United States.
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Stroke triggers nigrostriatal plasticity and increases alcohol consumption in rats. Sci Rep 2017; 7:2501. [PMID: 28566754 PMCID: PMC5451385 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-02714-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2017] [Accepted: 04/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Excessive alcohol consumption is a known risk factor for stroke, but the effect of stroke on alcohol intake is unknown. The dorsomedial striatum (DMS) and midbrain areas of the nigrostriatal circuit are critically associated to stroke and alcohol addiction. Here we sought to explore the influence of stroke on alcohol consumption and to uncover the underlying nigrostriatal mechanism. Rats were trained to consume alcohol using a two-bottle choice or operant self-administration procedure. Retrograde beads were infused into the DMS or midbrain to label specific neuronal types, and ischemic stroke was induced in the dorsolateral striatum (DLS). Slice electrophysiology was employed to measure excitability and synaptic transmission in DMS and midbrain neurons. We found that ischemic stroke-induced DLS infarction produced significant increases in alcohol preference, operant self-administration, and relapse. These increases were accompanied by enhanced excitability of DMS and midbrain neurons. In addition, glutamatergic inputs onto DMS D1-neurons was potentiated, whereas GABAergic inputs onto DMS-projecting midbrain dopaminergic neurons was suppressed. Importantly, systemic inhibition of dopamine D1 receptors attenuated the stroke-induced increase in operant alcohol self-administration. Our results suggest that the stroke-induced DLS infarction evoked abnormal plasticity in nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons and DMS D1-neurons, contributing to increased post-stroke alcohol-seeking and relapse.
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Reddy DS, Bhimani A, Kuruba R, Park MJ, Sohrabji F. Prospects of modeling poststroke epileptogenesis. J Neurosci Res 2017; 95:1000-1016. [PMID: 27452210 PMCID: PMC5266751 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.23836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2016] [Revised: 06/22/2016] [Accepted: 06/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
This Review describes the current status of poststroke epilepsy (PSE) with an emphasis on poststroke epileptogenesis modeling for testing new therapeutic agents. Stroke is a leading cause of epilepsy in an aging population. Late-onset "epileptic" seizures have been reported in up to 30% cases after stroke. Nevertheless, the overall prevalence of PSE is 2-4%. Rodent models of stroke have contributed to our understanding of the relationship between seizures and the underlying ischemic damage to neurons. To understand whether acutely generated stroke events lead to a chronic phenotype more closely resembling PSE with recurrent seizures, a limited variety of approaches emerged in early 2000s. These limited methods of causing an occlusion in mice and rats show different infarct size and neurological deficits. The most often employed procedure for inducing focal ischemia is the middle cerebral artery occlusion. This mimics the pathophysiology seen in humans in terms of extent of damage to cortex and striatum. Photothrombosis and endothelin-1 models can similarly evoke episodes of ischemic stroke. These models are well suited to studying mechanisms and biomarkers of epileptogenesis or optimizing novel drug discoveries. However, modeling of PSE is tedious, is highly variable, and lacks validity; therefore, it is not widely implemented in epilepsy research. Moreover, the relevance of ischemic models to specific forms of human stroke remains unclear. Stroke modeling in young male rodents lacks clinical relevance to elderly populations and especially to women, likely as a result of sex differences. Nevertheless, because of the neuronal damage and epileptogenic insult that these models trigger, they are helpful tools in studying acquired epilepsy and prophylactic drug therapy. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doodipala Samba Reddy
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
| | - Aamir Bhimani
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
| | - Ramkumar Kuruba
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
| | - Min Jung Park
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
| | - Farida Sohrabji
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
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Okoreeh AK, Bake S, Sohrabji F. Astrocyte-specific insulin-like growth factor-1 gene transfer in aging female rats improves stroke outcomes. Glia 2017; 65:1043-1058. [PMID: 28317235 DOI: 10.1002/glia.23142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2016] [Revised: 02/26/2017] [Accepted: 02/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Middle aged female rats sustain larger stroke infarction and disability than younger female rats. This older group also shows age-related reduction of insulin like growth factor (IGF)-1 in serum and in astrocytes, a cell type necessary for poststroke recovery. To determine the impact of astrocytic IGF-1 for ischemic stroke, these studies tested the hypothesis that gene transfer of IGF-1 to astrocytes will improve stroke outcomes in middle aged female rats. Middle aged (10-12 month old), acyclic female rats were injected with recombinant adeno-associated virus serotype 5 (AAV5) packaged with the coding sequence of the human (h)IGF-1 gene downstream of an astrocyte-specific promoter glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) (AAV5-GFP-hIGF-1) into the striatum and cortex. The AAV5-control consisted of an identical shuttle vector construct without the hIGF-1 gene (AAV5-GFAP-control). Six to eight weeks later, animals underwent transient (90 min) middle cerebral artery occlusion via intraluminal suture. While infarct volume was not altered, AAV5-GFAP-hIGF-1 treatment significantly improved blood pressure and neurological score in the early acute phase of stroke (2 days) and sensory-motor performance at both the early and late (5 days) acute phase of stroke. AAV5-GFAP-hIGF-1 treatment also reduced circulating serum levels of GFAP, a biomarker for blood brain barrier permeability. Flow cytometry analysis of immune cells in the brain at 24 hr poststroke showed that AAV5-GFAP-hIGF-1 altered the type of immune cells trafficked to the ischemic hemisphere, promoting an anti-inflammatory profile. Collectively, these studies show that targeted enhancement of IGF-1 in astrocytes of middle-aged females improves stroke-induced behavioral impairment and neuroinflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andre K Okoreeh
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M College of Medicine, Bryan, Texas, 77807
| | - Shameena Bake
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M College of Medicine, Bryan, Texas, 77807
| | - Farida Sohrabji
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M College of Medicine, Bryan, Texas, 77807
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