Protein Network Analysis of the Serum and Their Functional Implication in Patients Subjected to Traumatic Brain Injury

PDGFBB facilitates tumorigenesis and malignancy of lung adenocarcinoma associated with PI3K-AKT/MAPK signaling

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains one of the most aggressive tumors and the efficacy of conventional treatment has been bleak. Nowadays, gene-targeted therapy has become a new favorite in tumor therapy. Herein, we investigated the effect of platelet derived growth factor BB (PDGFBB) on LUAD. Firstly, PDGFBB was upregulated in LUAD patients and closely linked with poor survival. Furthermore, the expression of PDGFBB and PDGFRα/β in LUAD cells was higher than that in normal lung cells. By loss-of-function with herpes simplex virus (HSV)-PDGFi-shRNA, we found that PDGFBB knockdown caused a significant decrease in proliferation and migration, but evoked apoptosis of LUAD cells in vitro. Conversely, exogenous PDGFBB held adverse effect. Additionally, A549 cells with PDGFBB knockdown had a low probability of tumorigenesis in vivo. Moreover, PDGFBB knockdown restrained the growth of xenografts derived from normal A549 cells. Mechanistically, PDGFBB knockdown suppressed PI3K/AKT and Ras/MAPK signaling, while PDGFBB was the opposite. Therefore, we concluded that PDGFBB might facilitate the tumorigenesis and malignancy of LUAD through its functional downstream nodes-PI3K/AKT and Ras/MAPK signaling, which supported that PDGFBB could serve as a rational therapeutic target for LUAD.

Sequential transcriptomic alterations in the cerebral cortex of mice after cerebral venous sinus thrombosis

To investigate the expression alterations of specific genes that occur after venous stroke, we identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between sham and damaged cortical tissues at 2 and 7 days after induction of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) model. The profiles of DEGs were analyzed using GO, KEGG, GSEA, and PPI, and the crucial gene was further verified by western blot and immunofluorescence. We found 969 and 883 DEGs at 2 and 7 days after CVST, respectively. A marked increase in biological-process categories, such as immune system process and inflammatory response, and a decrease in neuropeptide signaling pathway were observed both at 2 and 7 days post-CVST. The KEGG pathway was enriched to varying degrees on complement and coagulation cascades, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, and multiple immune-inflammatory signaling pathways at 2 and 7 days post-CVST, separately. Furthermore, GSEA highlights the potential roles of the NOD-like receptor signaling pathway and cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction in CVST. Importantly, numerous genes related to KEGG pathways above featured prominently in the PPI network analysis, with IL1b being one of the most conspicuous. These time-dependent alterations in gene profiles and enrichment pathways reveal the unique pathophysiological characteristics of CVST and indicate novel therapeutic targets for venous stroke. SIGNIFICANCE: Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is an underrated and potentially fatal cause of stroke with a reported mortality of 5-10% worldwide. Currently, in addition to anticoagulant and thrombolytic therapy, effective treatments targeting the injured brain parenchyma after CVST remain limited. Besides, accurate diagnostic markers are still sorely lacking. In the present study, we will detect the transcriptomic alterations of the cerebral cortex of mice post-CVST by RNA-sequencing, screen differentially expressed genes and abnormal pathways through bioinformatics methods, analyze the correlation of these signals and CVST pathology, and finally validate the key molecules through western blot and immunofluorescence assays. Collectively, the study aimed to offer a reference for the discovery of specific genes/pathway alterations in the damaged cortical tissues of CVST mice and further reveal the underlying pathogenesis, thereby providing evidence for the diagnosis and treatment of CVST.

Identifying the Target Traumatic Brain Injury Population for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) results from direct penetrating and indirect non-penetrating forces that alters brain functions, affecting millions of individuals annually. Primary injury following TBI is exacerbated by secondary brain injury; foremost is the deleterious inflammatory response. One therapeutic intervention being increasingly explored for TBI is hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), which is already approved clinically for treating open wounds. HBOT consists of 100% oxygen administration, usually between 1.5 and 3 atm and has been found to increase brain oxygenation levels after hypoxia in addition to decreasing levels of inflammation, apoptosis, intracranial pressure, and edema, reducing subsequent secondary injury. The following review examines recent preclinical and clinical studies on HBOT in the context of TBI with a focus on contributing mechanisms and clinical potential. Several preclinical studies have identified pathways, such as TLR4/NF-kB, that are affected by HBOT and contribute to its therapeutic effect. Thus far, the mechanisms mediating HBOT treatment have yet to be fully elucidated and are of interest to researchers. Nonetheless, multiple clinical studies presented in this review have examined the safety of HBOT and demonstrated the improved neurological function of TBI patients after HBOT, deeming it a promising avenue for treatment.

Traumatic MicroRNAs: Deconvolving the Signal After Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

History of traumatic brain injury (TBI) represents a significant risk factor for development of dementia and neurodegenerative disorders in later life. While histopathological sequelae and neurological diagnostics of TBI are well defined, the molecular events linking the post-TBI signaling and neurodegenerative cascades remain unknown. It is not only due to the brain's inaccessibility to direct molecular analysis but also due to the lack of well-defined and highly informative peripheral biomarkers. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) in blood are promising candidates to address this gap. Using integrative bioinformatics pipeline including miRNA:target identification, pathway enrichment, and protein-protein interactions analysis we identified set of genes, interacting proteins, and pathways that are connected to previously reported peripheral miRNAs, deregulated following severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI) in humans. This meta-analysis revealed a spectrum of genes closely related to critical biological processes, such as neuroregeneration including axon guidance and neurite outgrowth, neurotransmission, inflammation, proliferation, apoptosis, cell adhesion, and response to DNA damage. More importantly, we have identified molecular pathways associated with neurodegenerative conditions, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, based on purely peripheral markers. The pathway signature after acute sTBI is similar to the one observed in chronic neurodegenerative conditions, which implicates a link between the post-sTBI signaling and neurodegeneration. Identified key hub interacting proteins represent a group of novel candidates for potential therapeutic targets or biomarkers.

Future Perspectives in Spinal Cord Repair: Brain as Saviour? TSCI with Concurrent TBI: Pathophysiological Interaction and Impact on MSC Treatment

Traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI), commonly caused by high energy trauma in young active patients, is frequently accompanied by traumatic brain injury (TBI). Although combined trauma results in inferior clinical outcomes and a higher mortality rate, the understanding of the pathophysiological interaction of co-occurring TSCI and TBI remains limited. This review provides a detailed overview of the local and systemic alterations due to TSCI and TBI, which severely affect the autonomic and sensory nervous system, immune response, the blood-brain and spinal cord barrier, local perfusion, endocrine homeostasis, posttraumatic metabolism, and circadian rhythm. Because currently developed mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based therapeutic strategies for TSCI provide only mild benefit, this review raises awareness of the impact of TSCI-TBI interaction on TSCI pathophysiology and MSC treatment. Therefore, we propose that unravelling the underlying pathophysiology of TSCI with concomitant TBI will reveal promising pharmacological targets and therapeutic strategies for regenerative therapies, further improving MSC therapy.

Combined Scutellarin and C18H17NO6 Imperils the Survival of Glioma: Partly Associated With the Repression of PSEN1/PI3K-AKT Signaling Axis

Glioma, the most common intracranial tumor, harbors great harm. Since the treatment for it has reached the bottleneck stage, the development of new drugs becomes a trend. Therefore, we focus on the effect of scutellarin (SCU) and its combination with C₁₈H₁₇NO₆ (abbreviated as combination) on glioma and its possible mechanism in this study. Firstly, SCU and C₁₈H₁₇NO₆ both suppressed the proliferation of U251 and LN229 cells in a dose-dependent manner, and C₁₈H₁₇NO₆ augmented the inhibition effect of SCU on U251 and LN229 cells in vitro. Moreover, there was an interactive effect between them. Secondly, SCU and C₁₈H₁₇NO₆ decreased U251 cells in G2 phase and LN229 cells in G2 and S phases but increased U251 cells in S phase, respectively. Meanwhile, the combination could further reduce U251 cells in G2 phase and LN229 cells in G2 and S phases. Thirdly, SCU and C₁₈H₁₇NO₆ both induced the apoptosis of U251 and LN229. The combination further increased the apoptosis rate of both cells compared with the two drugs alone. Furthermore, SCU and C₁₈H₁₇NO₆ both inhibited the lateral and vertical migration of both cells, which was further repressed by the combination. More importantly, the effect of SCU and the combination was better than positive control-temozolomide, and the toxicity was low. Additionally, SCU and C₁₈H₁₇NO₆ could suppress the growth of glioma in vivo, and the effect of the combination was better. Finally, SCU and the combination upregulated the presenilin 1 (PSEN1) level but inactivated the phosphatidylinositol 3−kinase (PI3K)-protein kinase B (AKT) signaling in vitro and in vivo. Accordingly, we concluded that scutellarin and its combination with C₁₈H₁₇NO₆ suppressed the proliferation/growth and migration and induced the apoptosis of glioma, in which the mechanism might be associated with the repression of PSEN1/PI3K-AKT signaling axis.

The role of exosomal microRNAs in central nervous system diseases

MicroRNAs (miRNA), endogenous non-coding RNAs approximately 22 nucleotides long, regulate gene expression by mediating translational inhibition or mRNA degradation. Exosomes are a tool for intercellular transmission of information in which miRNA exchange plays an important role. Under pathophysiological conditions in the central nervous system (CNS), cellular transmission of exosomal miRNAs can regulate signaling pathways. Exosomal miRNAs are involved in the occurrence and development of diverse CNS diseases, such as traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, stroke, neurodegenerative diseases, epilepsy, and glioma. The use of exosomes as transport vehicles for certain miRNAs provides a novel therapeutic strategy for CNS diseases. Furthermore, the exosomes in body fluids change with the occurrence of diseases, indicating that subtle changes in physiological and pathological processes in vivo could be recognized by analyzing exosomes. Exosomal analysis is expected to act as a novel tool for diagnosis and prediction of neurological diseases. In this review, we present the current understanding of the implications of miRNAs in CNS diseases and summarize the role and mechanism of action of exosomal miRNA in nervous system disease models.