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Zafeiropoulos S, Ahmed U, Bekiaridou A, Jayaprakash N, Mughrabi IT, Saleknezhad N, Chadwick C, Daytz A, Kurata-Sato I, Atish-Fregoso Y, Carroll K, Al-Abed Y, Fudim M, Puleo C, Giannakoulas G, Nicolls MR, Diamond B, Zanos S. Ultrasound Neuromodulation of an Anti-Inflammatory Pathway at the Spleen Improves Experimental Pulmonary Hypertension. Circ Res 2024; 135:41-56. [PMID: 38712557 DOI: 10.1161/circresaha.123.323679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Inflammation is pathogenically implicated in pulmonary arterial hypertension; however, it has not been adequately targeted therapeutically. We investigated whether neuromodulation of an anti-inflammatory neuroimmune pathway involving the splenic nerve using noninvasive, focused ultrasound stimulation of the spleen (sFUS) can improve experimental pulmonary hypertension. METHODS Pulmonary hypertension was induced in rats either by Sugen 5416 (20 mg/kg SQ) injection, followed by 21 (or 35) days of hypoxia (sugen/hypoxia model), or by monocrotaline (60 mg/kg IP) injection (monocrotaline model). Animals were randomized to receive either 12-minute-long sessions of sFUS daily or sham stimulation for 14 days. Catheterizations, echocardiography, indices of autonomic function, lung and heart histology and immunohistochemistry, spleen flow cytometry, and lung single-cell RNA sequencing were performed after treatment to assess the effects of sFUS. RESULTS Splenic denervation right before induction of pulmonary hypertension results in a more severe disease phenotype. In both sugen/hypoxia and monocrotaline models, sFUS treatment reduces right ventricular systolic pressure by 25% to 30% compared with sham treatment, without affecting systemic pressure, and improves right ventricular function and autonomic indices. sFUS reduces wall thickness, apoptosis, and proliferation in small pulmonary arterioles, suppresses CD3+ and CD68+ cell infiltration in lungs and right ventricular fibrosis and hypertrophy and lowers BNP (brain natriuretic peptide). Beneficial effects persist for weeks after sFUS discontinuation and are more robust with early and longer treatment. Splenic denervation abolishes sFUS therapeutic benefits. sFUS partially normalizes CD68+ and CD8+ T-cell counts in the spleen and downregulates several inflammatory genes and pathways in nonclassical and classical monocytes and macrophages in the lung. Differentially expressed genes in those cell types are significantly enriched for human pulmonary arterial hypertension-associated genes. CONCLUSIONS sFUS causes dose-dependent, sustained improvement of hemodynamic, autonomic, laboratory, and pathological manifestations in 2 models of experimental pulmonary hypertension. Mechanistically, sFUS normalizes immune cell populations in the spleen and downregulates inflammatory genes and pathways in the lung, many of which are relevant in human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanos Zafeiropoulos
- Elmezzi Graduate School of Molecular Medicine, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY (S. Zafeiropoulos, A.B., Y.A.-A., G.G., S. Zanos)
- Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine (S. Zafeiropoulos, U.A., A.B., N.J., I.T.M., N.S., A.D., Y.A.-A., S. Zanos), Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY
| | - Umair Ahmed
- Department of Neurology, Staten Island University Hospital, Staten Island, NY (U.A.)
- Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine (S. Zafeiropoulos, U.A., A.B., N.J., I.T.M., N.S., A.D., Y.A.-A., S. Zanos), Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY
| | - Alexandra Bekiaridou
- Elmezzi Graduate School of Molecular Medicine, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY (S. Zafeiropoulos, A.B., Y.A.-A., G.G., S. Zanos)
- Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine (S. Zafeiropoulos, U.A., A.B., N.J., I.T.M., N.S., A.D., Y.A.-A., S. Zanos), Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY
| | - Naveen Jayaprakash
- Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine (S. Zafeiropoulos, U.A., A.B., N.J., I.T.M., N.S., A.D., Y.A.-A., S. Zanos), Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY
| | - Ibrahim T Mughrabi
- Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine (S. Zafeiropoulos, U.A., A.B., N.J., I.T.M., N.S., A.D., Y.A.-A., S. Zanos), Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY
| | - Nafiseh Saleknezhad
- Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine (S. Zafeiropoulos, U.A., A.B., N.J., I.T.M., N.S., A.D., Y.A.-A., S. Zanos), Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY
| | | | - Anna Daytz
- Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine (S. Zafeiropoulos, U.A., A.B., N.J., I.T.M., N.S., A.D., Y.A.-A., S. Zanos), Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY
| | - Izumi Kurata-Sato
- Institute of Molecular Medicine (I.K.-S., Y.A.-F., K.C., B.D.), Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY
| | - Yemil Atish-Fregoso
- Institute of Molecular Medicine (I.K.-S., Y.A.-F., K.C., B.D.), Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY
| | - Kaitlin Carroll
- Institute of Molecular Medicine (I.K.-S., Y.A.-F., K.C., B.D.), Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY
| | - Yousef Al-Abed
- Elmezzi Graduate School of Molecular Medicine, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY (S. Zafeiropoulos, A.B., Y.A.-A., G.G., S. Zanos)
- Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine (S. Zafeiropoulos, U.A., A.B., N.J., I.T.M., N.S., A.D., Y.A.-A., S. Zanos), Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY
| | - Marat Fudim
- Division of Cardiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC (M.F.)
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, NC (M.F.)
| | | | - George Giannakoulas
- Elmezzi Graduate School of Molecular Medicine, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY (S. Zafeiropoulos, A.B., Y.A.-A., G.G., S. Zanos)
- Department of Cardiology, AHEPA University Hospital, Aristotle University School of Medicine, Thessaloniki, Greece (G.G.)
| | - Mark R Nicolls
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, CA (M.R.N.)
| | - Betty Diamond
- Institute of Molecular Medicine (I.K.-S., Y.A.-F., K.C., B.D.), Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY
- Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY (B.D., S. Zanos)
| | - Stavros Zanos
- Elmezzi Graduate School of Molecular Medicine, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY (S. Zafeiropoulos, A.B., Y.A.-A., G.G., S. Zanos)
- Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine (S. Zafeiropoulos, U.A., A.B., N.J., I.T.M., N.S., A.D., Y.A.-A., S. Zanos), Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY
- Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY (B.D., S. Zanos)
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Nasrollahian S, Moradi F, Hadi N, Ranjbar S, Ranjbar R. An update on alternative therapy for Escherichia coli causing urinary tract infections; a narrative review. Photodiagnosis Photodyn Ther 2024; 46:104075. [PMID: 38574879 DOI: 10.1016/j.pdpdt.2024.104075] [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: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most common type of nosocomial infection and severe health issues because of the difficulties and frequent recurrence. Today, alternative methods such as sonodynamic therapy (SDT), photodynamic therapy (PDT) and herbal materials use for treating infections like UTI in many countries. METHOD We conducted searches of the biomedical databases (Google Scholar, Scopus, PubMed, and Web of sciences) to identify related studies from 2008 to 2023. RESULT SDT aims to use ultrasound to activate a sonosensitizer, which causes a biological effect by raising reactive oxygen species (ROS). When bacteria are exposed to ROS, several important effects occur: oxidative damage, DNA damage, protein dysfunction etc. SDT with herbal medicine significantly reduced the number of colony-forming units and bactericidal activity for Klebsiella pneumonia and E. coli. PDT is a promising treatment for cancer and microbial infections, combining a photosensitiser, light and tissue molecular oxygen. It involves a photosensitizer, light source, and oxygen, with variations affecting microbial binding and bactericidal activity. Factors affecting antibacterial properties include plant type, growing conditions, harvesting, and processing. This review highlights the recent advancements in sonodynamic, photodynamic, herbal, and bio-material-based approaches in the treatment of E. coli infections. CONCLUSIONS These alternative therapies offer exciting prospects for addressing UTIs, especially in cases where traditional antibiotic treatments may be less effective. Further research and clinical studies are warranted to fully explore the potential of these innovative treatment modalities in combating UTIs and improving patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sina Nasrollahian
- Department of Bacteriology and Virology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Farhad Moradi
- Department of Bacteriology and Virology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Nahal Hadi
- Department of Bacteriology and Virology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Sina Ranjbar
- Department of Microbiology, Shahr-e-Qods Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Reza Ranjbar
- Molecular Biology Research Center, Systems Biology and Poisonings Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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Mughrabi IT, Gerber M, Jayaprakash N, Palandira SP, Al-Abed Y, Datta-Chaudhuri T, Smith C, Pavlov VA, Zanos S. Voltammetry in the spleen assesses real-time immunomodulatory norepinephrine release elicited by autonomic neurostimulation. J Neuroinflammation 2023; 20:236. [PMID: 37848937 PMCID: PMC10583388 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-023-02902-x] [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: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The noradrenergic innervation of the spleen is implicated in the autonomic control of inflammation and has been the target of neurostimulation therapies for inflammatory diseases. However, there is no real-time marker of its successful activation, which hinders the development of anti-inflammatory neurostimulation therapies and mechanistic studies in anti-inflammatory neural circuits. METHODS In mice, we performed fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) in the spleen during intravenous injections of norepinephrine (NE), and during stimulation of the vagus, splanchnic, or splenic nerves. We defined the stimulus-elicited charge generated at the oxidation potential for NE (~ 0.88 V) as the "NE voltammetry signal" and quantified the dependence of the signal on NE dose and intensity of neurostimulation. We correlated the NE voltammetry signal with the anti-inflammatory effect of splenic nerve stimulation (SpNS) in a model of lipopolysaccharide- (LPS) induced endotoxemia, quantified as suppression of TNF release. RESULTS The NE voltammetry signal is proportional to the estimated peak NE blood concentration, with 0.1 μg/mL detection threshold. In response to SpNS, the signal increases within seconds, returns to baseline minutes later, and is blocked by interventions that deplete NE or inhibit NE release. The signal is elicited by efferent, but not afferent, electrical or optogenetic vagus nerve stimulation, and by splanchnic nerve stimulation. The magnitude of the signal during SpNS is inversely correlated with subsequent TNF suppression in endotoxemia and explains 40% of the variance in TNF measurements. CONCLUSIONS FSCV in the spleen provides a marker for real-time monitoring of anti-inflammatory activation of the splenic innervation during autonomic stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ibrahim T Mughrabi
- Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, USA
| | - Michael Gerber
- Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, USA
- Donald & Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, USA
| | - Naveen Jayaprakash
- Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, USA
| | - Santhoshi P Palandira
- Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, USA
- Elmezzi Graduate School of Molecular Medicine, Manhasset, NY, USA
| | - Yousef Al-Abed
- Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, USA
- Donald & Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, USA
- Elmezzi Graduate School of Molecular Medicine, Manhasset, NY, USA
| | - Timir Datta-Chaudhuri
- Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, USA
- Donald & Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, USA
| | - Corey Smith
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Valentin A Pavlov
- Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, USA
- Donald & Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, USA
- Elmezzi Graduate School of Molecular Medicine, Manhasset, NY, USA
| | - Stavros Zanos
- Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, USA.
- Donald & Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, USA.
- Elmezzi Graduate School of Molecular Medicine, Manhasset, NY, USA.
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Sfera A, Rahman L, Zapata-Martín Del Campo CM, Kozlakidis Z. Long COVID as a Tauopathy: Of "Brain Fog" and "Fusogen Storms". Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12648. [PMID: 37628830 PMCID: PMC10454863 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241612648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Long COVID, also called post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2, is characterized by a multitude of lingering symptoms, including impaired cognition, that can last for many months. This symptom, often called "brain fog", affects the life quality of numerous individuals, increasing medical complications as well as healthcare expenditures. The etiopathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2-induced cognitive deficit is unclear, but the most likely cause is chronic inflammation maintained by a viral remnant thriving in select body reservoirs. These viral sanctuaries are likely comprised of fused, senescent cells, including microglia and astrocytes, that the pathogen can convert into neurotoxic phenotypes. Moreover, as the enteric nervous system contains neurons and glia, the virus likely lingers in the gastrointestinal tract as well, accounting for the intestinal symptoms of long COVID. Fusogens are proteins that can overcome the repulsive forces between cell membranes, allowing the virus to coalesce with host cells and enter the cytoplasm. In the intracellular compartment, the pathogen hijacks the actin cytoskeleton, fusing host cells with each other and engendering pathological syncytia. Cell-cell fusion enables the virus to infect the healthy neighboring cells. We surmise that syncytia formation drives cognitive impairment by facilitating the "seeding" of hyperphosphorylated Tau, documented in COVID-19. In our previous work, we hypothesized that the SARS-CoV-2 virus induces premature endothelial senescence, increasing the permeability of the intestinal and blood-brain barrier. This enables the migration of gastrointestinal tract microbes and/or their components into the host circulation, eventually reaching the brain where they may induce cognitive dysfunction. For example, translocated lipopolysaccharides or microbial DNA can induce Tau hyperphosphorylation, likely accounting for memory problems. In this perspective article, we examine the pathogenetic mechanisms and potential biomarkers of long COVID, including microbial cell-free DNA, interleukin 22, and phosphorylated Tau, as well as the beneficial effect of transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adonis Sfera
- Paton State Hospital, 3102 Highland Ave, Patton, CA 92369, USA
- School of Behavioral Health, Loma Linda University, 11139 Anderson St., Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, Riverside 900 University Ave, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Leah Rahman
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, 222 Huestis Hall, Eugene, OR 97401, USA
| | | | - Zisis Kozlakidis
- International Agency for Research on Cancer, World Health Organization, 69000 Lyon, France
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Zanos S, Ntiloudi D, Pellerito J, Ramdeo R, Graf J, Wallace K, Cotero V, Ashe J, Moon J, Addorisio M, Shoudy D, Coleman TR, Brines M, Puleo C, Tracey KJ, Chavan SS. Focused ultrasound neuromodulation of the spleen activates an anti-inflammatory response in humans. Brain Stimul 2023; 16:703-711. [PMID: 37055009 PMCID: PMC10330863 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2023.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Focused ultrasound stimulation (FUS) activates mechanosensitive ion channels and is emerging as a method of noninvasive neuromodulation. In preclinical studies, FUS of the spleen (sFUS) activates an anti-inflammatory neural pathway which suppresses acute and chronic inflammation. However, the relevance of sFUS for regulating inflammatory responses in humans is unknown. Here, we used a modified diagnostic ultrasound imaging system to target the spleen of healthy human subjects with 3 min of continuously swept or stationary focused pulsed ultrasound, delivered at three different energy levels within allowable safety exposure limits. Potential anti-inflammatory effects of sFUS were assessed by measuring sFUS-elicited changes in endotoxin-induced tumor necrosis factor (TNF) production in whole blood samples from insonified subjects. We found that stimulation with either continuously swept or focused pulsed ultrasound has an anti-inflammatory effect: sFUS lowers TNF production for >2 h, with TNF returning to baseline by 24 h following sFUS. This response is independent of anatomical target (i.e., spleen hilum or parenchyma) or ultrasound energy level. No clinical, biochemical, or hematological parameters are adversely impacted. This is the first demonstration that sFUS suppresses the normal inflammatory response in humans, with potential implications for noninvasive bioelectronic therapy of inflammatory disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stavros Zanos
- Institute for Bioelectronic Medicine, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, 11030, USA; Elmezzi Graduate School of Molecular Medicine, Manhasset, NY, USA; Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, USA.
| | - Despoina Ntiloudi
- Institute for Bioelectronic Medicine, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, 11030, USA
| | - John Pellerito
- Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, USA; Department of Radiology, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY, 11030, USA
| | - Richard Ramdeo
- Institute for Bioelectronic Medicine, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, 11030, USA
| | - John Graf
- General Electric (GE) Research, Niskayuna, NY, USA, 12309
| | - Kirk Wallace
- General Electric (GE) Research, Niskayuna, NY, USA, 12309
| | | | - Jeff Ashe
- General Electric (GE) Research, Niskayuna, NY, USA, 12309
| | - Jessica Moon
- Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, USA
| | - Meghan Addorisio
- Institute for Bioelectronic Medicine, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, 11030, USA
| | - David Shoudy
- General Electric (GE) Research, Niskayuna, NY, USA, 12309
| | - Thomas R Coleman
- Institute for Bioelectronic Medicine, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, 11030, USA
| | - Michael Brines
- Institute for Bioelectronic Medicine, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, 11030, USA
| | - Chris Puleo
- General Electric (GE) Research, Niskayuna, NY, USA, 12309
| | - Kevin J Tracey
- Institute for Bioelectronic Medicine, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, 11030, USA; Elmezzi Graduate School of Molecular Medicine, Manhasset, NY, USA; Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, USA
| | - Sangeeta S Chavan
- Institute for Bioelectronic Medicine, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, 11030, USA; Elmezzi Graduate School of Molecular Medicine, Manhasset, NY, USA; Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, USA.
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Keever KR, Yakubenko VP, Hoover DB. Neuroimmune nexus in the pathophysiology and therapy of inflammatory disorders: role of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Pharmacol Res 2023; 191:106758. [PMID: 37028776 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.106758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
The α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) is a key protein in the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway (CAP) that links the nervous and immune systems. Initially, the pathway was discovered based on the observation that vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) reduced the systemic inflammatory response in septic animals. Subsequent studies form a foundation for the leading hypothesis about the central role of the spleen in CAP activation. VNS evokes noradrenergic stimulation of ACh release from T cells in the spleen, which in turn activates α7nAChRs on the surface of macrophages. α7nAChR-mediated signaling in macrophages reduces inflammatory cytokine secretion and modifies apoptosis, proliferation, and macrophage polarization, eventually reducing the systemic inflammatory response. A protective role of the CAP has been demonstrated in preclinical studies for multiple diseases including sepsis, metabolic disease, cardiovascular diseases, arthritis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, endometriosis, and potentially COVID-19, sparking interest in using bioelectronic and pharmacological approaches to target α7nAChRs for treating inflammatory conditions in patients. Despite a keen interest, many aspects of the cholinergic pathway are still unknown. α7nAChRs are expressed on many other subsets of immune cells that can affect the development of inflammation differently. There are also other sources of ACh that modify immune cell functions. How the interplay of ACh and α7nAChR on different cells and in various tissues contributes to the anti-inflammatory responses requires additional study. This review provides an update on basic and translational studies of the CAP in inflammatory diseases, the relevant pharmacology of α7nAChR-activated drugs and raises some questions that require further investigation.
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Morton C, Cotero V, Ashe J, Ginty F, Puleo C. Accelerating cutaneous healing in a rodent model of type II diabetes utilizing non-invasive focused ultrasound targeted at the spleen. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:1039960. [PMID: 36478877 PMCID: PMC9721138 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.1039960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Healing of wounds is delayed in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), and new treatment approaches are urgently needed. Our earlier work showed that splenic pulsed focused ultrasound (pFUS) alters inflammatory cytokines in models of acute endotoxemia and pneumonia via modulation of the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway (CAP) (ref below). Based on these earlier results, we hypothesized that daily splenic exposure to pFUS during wound healing would accelerate closure rate via altered systemic cytokine titers. In this study, we applied non-invasive ultrasound directed to the spleen of a rodent model [Zucker Diabetic Sprague Dawley (ZDSD) rats] of T2DM with full thickness cutaneous excisional wounds in an attempt to accelerate wound healing via normalization of T2DM-driven aberrant cytokine expression. Daily (1x/day, Monday-Friday) pFUS pulses were targeted externally to the spleen area for 3 min over the course of 15 days. Wound diameter was measured daily, and levels of cytokines were evaluated in spleen and wound bed lysates. Non-invasive splenic pFUS accelerated wound closure by up to 4.5 days vs. sham controls. The time to heal in all treated groups was comparable to that of healthy rats from previously published studies (ref below), suggesting that the pFUS treatment restored a normal wound healing phenotype to the ZDSD rats. IL-6 was lower in stimulated spleen (-2.24 ± 0.81 Log2FC, p = 0.02) while L-selectin was higher in the wound bed of stimulated rodents (2.53 ± 0.72 Log2FC, p = 0.003). In summary, splenic pFUS accelerates healing in a T2DM rat model, demonstrating the potential of the method to provide a novel, non-invasive approach for wound care in diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Fiona Ginty
- Biology and Applied Physics, GE Research, Niskayuna, NY, United States
| | - Christopher Puleo
- GE Research, Niskayuna, NY, United States
- *Correspondence: Christopher Puleo,
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Katayama PL, Leirão IP, Kanashiro A, Menani JV, Zoccal DB, Colombari DSA, Colombari E. The carotid body: A novel key player in neuroimmune interactions. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1033774. [PMID: 36389846 PMCID: PMC9644854 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1033774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The idea that the nervous system communicates with the immune system to regulate physiological and pathological processes is not new. However, there is still much to learn about how these interactions occur under different conditions. The carotid body (CB) is a sensory organ located in the neck, classically known as the primary sensor of the oxygen (O2) levels in the organism of mammals. When the partial pressure of O2 in the arterial blood falls, the CB alerts the brain which coordinates cardiorespiratory responses to ensure adequate O2 supply to all tissues and organs in the body. A growing body of evidence, however, has demonstrated that the CB is much more than an O2 sensor. Actually, the CB is a multimodal sensor with the extraordinary ability to detect a wide diversity of circulating molecules in the arterial blood, including inflammatory mediators. In this review, we introduce the literature supporting the role of the CB as a critical component of neuroimmune interactions. Based on ours and other studies, we propose a novel neuroimmune pathway in which the CB acts as a sensor of circulating inflammatory mediators and, in conditions of systemic inflammation, recruits a sympathetic-mediated counteracting mechanism that appears to be a protective response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro L. Katayama
- Department of Physiology and Pathology, School of Dentistry, São Paulo State University, Araraquara, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Isabela P. Leirão
- Department of Physiology and Pathology, School of Dentistry, São Paulo State University, Araraquara, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Alexandre Kanashiro
- Department of Neurosciences and Behavior, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - José V. Menani
- Department of Physiology and Pathology, School of Dentistry, São Paulo State University, Araraquara, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Daniel B. Zoccal
- Department of Physiology and Pathology, School of Dentistry, São Paulo State University, Araraquara, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Débora S. A. Colombari
- Department of Physiology and Pathology, School of Dentistry, São Paulo State University, Araraquara, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Colombari
- Department of Physiology and Pathology, School of Dentistry, São Paulo State University, Araraquara, São Paulo, Brazil
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