1
|
Gebicke-Haerter PJ. The computational power of the human brain. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1220030. [PMID: 37608987 PMCID: PMC10441807 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1220030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
At the end of the 20th century, analog systems in computer science have been widely replaced by digital systems due to their higher computing power. Nevertheless, the question keeps being intriguing until now: is the brain analog or digital? Initially, the latter has been favored, considering it as a Turing machine that works like a digital computer. However, more recently, digital and analog processes have been combined to implant human behavior in robots, endowing them with artificial intelligence (AI). Therefore, we think it is timely to compare mathematical models with the biology of computation in the brain. To this end, digital and analog processes clearly identified in cellular and molecular interactions in the Central Nervous System are highlighted. But above that, we try to pinpoint reasons distinguishing in silico computation from salient features of biological computation. First, genuinely analog information processing has been observed in electrical synapses and through gap junctions, the latter both in neurons and astrocytes. Apparently opposed to that, neuronal action potentials (APs) or spikes represent clearly digital events, like the yes/no or 1/0 of a Turing machine. However, spikes are rarely uniform, but can vary in amplitude and widths, which has significant, differential effects on transmitter release at the presynaptic terminal, where notwithstanding the quantal (vesicular) release itself is digital. Conversely, at the dendritic site of the postsynaptic neuron, there are numerous analog events of computation. Moreover, synaptic transmission of information is not only neuronal, but heavily influenced by astrocytes tightly ensheathing the majority of synapses in brain (tripartite synapse). At least at this point, LTP and LTD modifying synaptic plasticity and believed to induce short and long-term memory processes including consolidation (equivalent to RAM and ROM in electronic devices) have to be discussed. The present knowledge of how the brain stores and retrieves memories includes a variety of options (e.g., neuronal network oscillations, engram cells, astrocytic syncytium). Also epigenetic features play crucial roles in memory formation and its consolidation, which necessarily guides to molecular events like gene transcription and translation. In conclusion, brain computation is not only digital or analog, or a combination of both, but encompasses features in parallel, and of higher orders of complexity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peter J. Gebicke-Haerter
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Jin Z, Gao W, Guo F, Liao S, Hu M, Yu T, Yu S, Shi Q. Astragaloside IV alleviates neuronal ferroptosis in ischemic stroke by regulating fat mass and obesity-associated-N6-methyladenosine-acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 axis. J Neurochem 2023. [PMID: 37300304 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Ischemic stroke (IS) is a detrimental neurological disease with limited treatment options. Astragaloside IV (As-IV) was a promising bioactive constituent in the treatment of IS. However, the functional mechanism remains unclear. Here, IS cell and mouse models were established by oxygen glucose deprivation/re-oxygenation (OGD/R) and middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR), Western blotting, or Immunofluorescence staining measured related gene and protein expression of cells or mice brain tissues, and the results revealed altered expression of acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 (Acsl4), fat mass and obesity-associated (Fto), and activation transcription factor 3 (Atf3) after treatment with As-IV. Then, increased N6 -methyladenosine (m6 A) levels caused OGD/R or MCAO were reduced by As-IV according to the data from methylated RNA immunoprecipitation (MeRIP)-qPCR and dot blot assays. Moreover, through a series of functional experiments such as observing mitochondrial changes under transmission electron microscopy (TEM), evaluating cell viability by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), analyzing infract area of brain tissues by 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining, measuring levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), Fe2+ , solute carrier family 7 member 11 (Slc7a11) and glutathione peroxidase 4 (Gpx4) and concentration of glutathione (GSH), we found that Fto knockdown, Acsl4 overexpression or Atf3 knockdown promoted the viability of OGD/R cells, inhibited cell ferroptosis, reduced infract size, while As-IV treatment or Fto overexpression reversed these changes. In mechanism, the interplays of YTH N6 -methyladenosine RNA-binding protein 3 (Ythdf3)/Acsl4 and Atf3/Fto were analyzed by RNA-pull down, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and dual-luciferase reporter assay. Fto regulated the m6 A levels of Acsl4. Ythdf3 bound to Acsl4, and modulated its levels through m6 A modification. Atf3 bound to Fto and positively regulated its levels. Overall, As-IV promoted the transcription of Fto by upregulating Atf3, resulting in decreased m6 A levels of Acsl4, thus, improving neuronal injury in IS by inhibiting ferroptosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhenglong Jin
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Jiangmen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Ji'nan University, Jiangmen, China
| | - Wenying Gao
- Department of TCM Pediatrics, Jiangmen Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Jiangmen, China
| | - Fu Guo
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Jiangmen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Ji'nan University, Jiangmen, China
| | - Shaojun Liao
- Department of Spine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mingzhe Hu
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of TCM, Jinan, China
| | - Tao Yu
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Jiangmen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Ji'nan University, Jiangmen, China
| | - Shangzhen Yu
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Jiangmen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Ji'nan University, Jiangmen, China
| | - Qing Shi
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Jiangmen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Ji'nan University, Jiangmen, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Li J, Tong L, Schock BC, Ji LL. Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: Focus on Neuroinflammation. Mol Neurobiol 2023; 60:3963-3978. [PMID: 37004607 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03320-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2023]
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), gaining increasing attention, is a multifaceted psychiatric disorder that occurs following a stressful or traumatic event or series of events. Recently, several studies showed a close relationship between PTSD and neuroinflammation. Neuroinflammation, a defense response of the nervous system, is associated with the activation of neuroimmune cells such as microglia and astrocytes and with changes in inflammatory markers. In this review, we first analyzed the relationship between neuroinflammation and PTSD: the effect of stress-derived activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis on the main immune cells in the brain and the effect of stimulated immune cells in the brain on the HPA axis. We then summarize the alteration of inflammatory markers in brain regions related to PTSD. Astrocytes are neural parenchymal cells that protect neurons by regulating the ionic microenvironment around neurons. Microglia are macrophages of the brain that coordinate the immunological response. Recent studies on these two cell types provided new insight into neuroinflammation in PTSD. These contribute to promoting comprehension of neuroinflammation, which plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of PTSD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jimeng Li
- Department of 2nd Clinical College, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Lei Tong
- Department of Anatomy, College of Basic Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Bettina C Schock
- The Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, Queen's University Belfast Faculty of Medicine Health and Life Sciences, Belfast, UK
| | - Li-Li Ji
- Department of Anatomy, College of Basic Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Madaro A, Nilsson J, Whatmore P, Roh H, Grove S, Stien LH, Olsen RE. Acute stress response on Atlantic salmon: a time-course study of the effects on plasma metabolites, mucus cortisol levels, and head kidney transcriptome profile. FISH PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY 2023; 49:97-116. [PMID: 36574113 PMCID: PMC9935726 DOI: 10.1007/s10695-022-01163-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) welfare and performance can be strongly influenced by stress episodes caused by handling during farming practices. To better understand the changes occurring after an acute stress response, we exposed a group of Atlantic salmon parr to an acute stressor, which involved netting and transferring fish to several new holding tanks. We describe a time-course response to stress by sampling parr in groups before (T0) and 10, 20, 30, 45, 60, 120, 240, 300, and 330 min post-stress. A subgroup of fish was also subjected to the same stressor for a second time to assess their capacity to respond to the same challenge again within a short timeframe (ReStressed). Fish plasma was assessed for adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), cortisol, and ions levels. Mucus cortisol levels were analyzed and compared with the plasma cortisol levels. At 5 selected time points (T0, 60, 90, 120, 240, and ReStressed), we compared the head kidney transcriptome profile of 10 fish per time point. The considerably delayed increase of ACTH in the plasma (60 min post-stress), and the earlier rise of cortisol levels (10 min post-stress), suggests that cortisol release could be triggered by more rapidly responding factors, such as the sympathetic system. This hypothesis may be supported by a high upregulation of several genes involved in synaptic triggering, observed both during the first and the second stress episodes. Furthermore, while the transcriptome profile showed few changes at 60 min post-stress, expression of genes in several immune-related pathways increased markedly with each successive time point, demonstrating the role of the immune system in fish coping capacity. Although many of the genes discussed in this paper are still poorly characterized, this study provides new insights regarding the mechanisms occurring during the stress response of salmon parr and may form the basis for a useful guideline on timing of sampling protocols.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Paul Whatmore
- Department of eResearch, Queensland University of Technology, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, QLD, 4001, Australia
| | - HyeongJin Roh
- Institute of Marine Research, NO-5984, Matredal, Norway
| | - Søren Grove
- Institute of Marine Research, NO-5984, Matredal, Norway
- Fish Health Group, Norwegian Veterinary Institute, 1433, Ås, Norway
| | - Lars H Stien
- Institute of Marine Research, NO-5984, Matredal, Norway
| | - Rolf Erik Olsen
- Institute of Marine Research, NO-5984, Matredal, Norway
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491, Trondheim, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Akshaya R, Rohini M, He Z, Partridge N, Selvamurugan N. MiR-4638-3p regulates transforming growth factor-β1-induced activating transcription factor-3 and cell proliferation, invasion, and apoptosis in human breast cancer cells. Int J Biol Macromol 2022; 222:1974-1982. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.09.286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
|
6
|
Khilazheva ED, Belozor OS, Panina YA, Gorina YV, Mosyagina AI, Vasiliev AV, Malinovskaya NA, Komleva YK. The Role of Metaflammation in the Development of Senescence-Associated Secretory Phenotype and Cognitive Dysfunction in Aging Mice. J EVOL BIOCHEM PHYS+ 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s0022093022050222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
|
7
|
Zhou Y, Wu Y. Substrate Viscoelasticity Amplifies Distinctions between Transient and Persistent LPS-Induced Signals. Adv Healthc Mater 2022; 11:e2102271. [PMID: 34855279 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202102271] [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: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Macrophages settle in heterogeneous microenvironments rendered by other cells and extracellular matrices. It is well known that chemical stimuli direct macrophage behavior; however, the contributions of viscosity, which increases in inflammatory tissues but not in tumors, are ignored in immune responses including effective activation and timely attenuation. This paper demonstrates that transient lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated macrophages benefit from elastic substrates, whereas viscoelastic substrates with similar storage moduli support the inflammatory responses of macrophages under persistent stimulations and consequently amplify the distinctions between the transient and persistent LPS-induced transcriptional programs. Actin filaments (F-actin) fluctuate in line with transcriptional profiles and can be mathematically predicted by a clutch-like model. Moreover, viscosity modifies immune responses through transcription factors NF-κB and C/EBPδ, which act as switches discriminating transient and persistent infections. Interestingly, enhanced immune responses, consistent with the lower activated states, are attenuated promptly by the actin nucleation-related translocation of ATF3 to nuclei. These findings suggest that the substrate viscoelasticity induces more intense inflammation only in the case of persistent infection and promotes more sensitively perceiving the duration of infection through the F-actin correlated transcription factors. In addition, it may facilitate the cognition of immune response in inflammatory and cancerous microenvironments and have a wide range of applications in inflammatory regulations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yu‐Wei Zhou
- Department of Engineering Mechanics School of Aeronautics and Astronautics Zhejiang University Hangzhou Zhejiang 310027 China
| | - Yu Wu
- Department of Engineering Mechanics School of Aeronautics and Astronautics Zhejiang University Hangzhou Zhejiang 310027 China
- Key Laboratory of Soft Machines and Smart Devices of Zhejiang Province Zhejiang University Hangzhou Zhejiang 310027 China
- Soft Matter Research Center Zhejiang University Hangzhou Zhejiang 310027 China
- State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems Zhejiang University Hangzhou Zhejiang 310027 China
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Yildirim F, Foddis M, Blumenau S, Müller S, Kajetan B, Holtgrewe M, Kola V, Beule D, Sassi C. Shared and oppositely regulated transcriptomic signatures in Huntington's disease and brain ischemia confirm known and unveil novel potential neuroprotective genes. Neurobiol Aging 2021; 104:122.e1-122.e17. [PMID: 33875290 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.03.001] [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: 02/23/2020] [Revised: 02/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease and subcortical vascular dementia display similar dementing features, shaped by different degrees of striatal atrophy, deep white matter degeneration and tau pathology. To investigate the hypothesis that Huntington's disease transcriptomic hallmarks may provide a window into potential protective genes upregulated during brain acute and subacute ischemia, we compared RNA sequencing signatures in the most affected brain areas of 2 widely used experimental mouse models: Huntington's disease, (R6/2, striatum and cortex and Q175, hippocampus) and brain ischemia-subcortical vascular dementia (BCCAS, striatum, cortex and hippocampus). We identified a cluster of 55 shared genes significantly differentially regulated in both models and we screened these in 2 different mouse models of Alzheimer's disease, and 96 early-onset familial and apparently sporadic small vessel ischemic disease patients. Our data support the prevalent role of transcriptional regulation upon genetic coding variability of known neuroprotective genes (Egr2, Fos, Ptgs2, Itga5, Cdkn1a, Gsn, Npas4, Btg2, Cebpb) and provide a list of potential additional ones likely implicated in different dementing disorders and worth further investigation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ferah Yildirim
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Marco Foddis
- Department of Experimental Neurology, Center for Stroke Research Berlin (CSB), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sonja Blumenau
- Department of Experimental Neurology, Center for Stroke Research Berlin (CSB), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Susanne Müller
- Department of Experimental Neurology, Center for Stroke Research Berlin (CSB), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Bentele Kajetan
- Berlin Institute of Health, BIH, Core Unit Bioinformatics, Berlin, Germany
| | - Manuel Holtgrewe
- Berlin Institute of Health, BIH, Core Unit Bioinformatics, Berlin, Germany
| | - Vasilis Kola
- Department of Experimental Neurology, Center for Stroke Research Berlin (CSB), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Dieter Beule
- Berlin Institute of Health, BIH, Core Unit Bioinformatics, Berlin, Germany
| | - Celeste Sassi
- Department of Experimental Neurology, Center for Stroke Research Berlin (CSB), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Phasuk S, Pairojana T, Suresh P, Yang CH, Roytrakul S, Huang SP, Chen CC, Pakaprot N, Chompoopong S, Nudmamud-Thanoi S, Liu IY. Enhanced contextual fear memory in peroxiredoxin 6 knockout mice is associated with hyperactivation of MAPK signaling pathway. Mol Brain 2021; 14:42. [PMID: 33632301 PMCID: PMC7908735 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-021-00754-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Fear dysregulation is one of the symptoms found in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients. The functional abnormality of the hippocampus is known to be implicated in the development of such pathology. Peroxiredoxin 6 (PRDX6) belongs to the peroxiredoxin family. This antioxidant enzyme is expressed throughout the brain, including the hippocampus. Recent evidence reveals that PRDX6 plays an important role in redox regulation and the modulation of several signaling molecules involved in fear regulation. Thus, we hypothesized that PRDX6 plays a role in the regulation of fear memory. We subjected a systemic Prdx6 knockout (Prdx6-/-) mice to trace fear conditioning and observed enhanced fear response after training. Intraventricular injection of lentivirus-carried mouse Prdx6 into the 3rd ventricle reduced the enhanced fear response in these knockout mice. Proteomic analysis followed by validation of western blot analysis revealed that several proteins in the MAPK pathway, such as NTRK2, AKT, and phospho-ERK1/2, cPLA2 were significantly upregulated in the hippocampus of Prdx6-/- mice during the retrieval stage of contextual fear memory. The distribution of PRDX6 found in the astrocytes was also observed throughout the hippocampus. This study identifies PRDX6 as a participant in the regulation of fear response. It suggests that PRDX6 and related molecules may have important implications for understanding fear-dysregulation associated disorders like PTSD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarayut Phasuk
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Tanita Pairojana
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
| | - Pavithra Suresh
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
| | - Chee-Hing Yang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Biotechnology, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
| | - Sittiruk Roytrakul
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Shun-Ping Huang
- Department of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Chang Chen
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Narawut Pakaprot
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Supin Chompoopong
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Sutisa Nudmamud-Thanoi
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
- Centre of Excellence in Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
| | - Ingrid Y. Liu
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Varinthra P, Ganesan K, Huang SP, Chompoopong S, Eurtivong C, Suresh P, Wen ZH, Liu IY. The 4-(Phenylsulfanyl) butan-2-one Improves Impaired Fear Memory Retrieval and Reduces Excessive Inflammatory Response in Triple Transgenic Alzheimer's Disease Mice. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:615079. [PMID: 33613267 PMCID: PMC7888344 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.615079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by an excessive inflammatory response and impaired memory retrieval, including spatial memory, recognition memory, and emotional memory. Acquisition and retrieval of fear memory help one avoid dangers and natural threats. Thus, it is crucial for survival. AD patients with impaired retrieval of fear memory are vulnerable to dangerous conditions. Excessive expression of inflammatory markers is known to impede synaptic transmission and reduce the efficiency of memory retrieval. In wild-type mice, reducing inflammation response can improve fear memory retrieval; however, this effect of this approach is not yet investigated in 3xTg-AD model mice. To date, no satisfactory drug or treatment can attenuate the symptoms of AD despite numerous efforts. In the past few years, the direction of therapeutic drug development for AD has been shifted to natural compounds with anti-inflammatory effect. In the present study, we demonstrate that the compound 4-(phenylsulfanyl) butan-2-one (4-PSB-2) is effective in enhancing fear memory retrieval of wild-type and 3xTg-AD mice by reducing the expression of TNF-α, COX-2, and iNOS. We also found that 4-PSB-2 helps increase dendritic spine density, postsynaptic density protein-95 (PSD-95) expression, and long-term potentiation (LTP) in the hippocampus of 3xTg-AD mice. Our study indicates that 4-PSB-2 may be developed as a promising therapeutic compound for treating fear memory impairment of AD patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Kiruthika Ganesan
- Department of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
| | - Shun-Ping Huang
- Department of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
| | - Supin Chompoopong
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Chatchakorn Eurtivong
- Program in Chemical Sciences, Chulabhorn Graduate Institute, Chulabhorn Royal Academy, Bangkok, Thailand.,Center of Excellence on Environmental Health and Toxicology (EHT), Commission on Higher Education (CHE), Ministry of Education, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Pavithra Suresh
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
| | - Zhi-Hong Wen
- Department of Marine Biotechnology and Resources, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Ingrid Y Liu
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Nyunt T, Britton M, Wanichthanarak K, Budamagunta M, Voss JC, Wilson DW, Rutledge JC, Aung HH. Mitochondrial oxidative stress-induced transcript variants of ATF3 mediate lipotoxic brain microvascular injury. Free Radic Biol Med 2019; 143:25-46. [PMID: 31356870 PMCID: PMC6848793 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2019.07.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2018] [Revised: 06/30/2019] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/06/2022]
Abstract
Elevation of blood triglycerides, primarily triglyceride-rich lipoproteins (TGRL), is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease and vascular dementia (VaD). Accumulating evidence indicates that both atherosclerosis and VaD are linked to vascular inflammation. However, the role of TGRL in vascular inflammation, which increases risk for VaD, remains largely unknown and its underlying mechanisms are still unclear. We strived to determine the effects of postprandial TGRL exposure on brain microvascular endothelial cells, the potential risk factor of vascular inflammation, resulting in VaD. We showed in Aung et al., J Lipid Res., 2016 that postprandial TGRL lipolysis products (TL) activate mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) and increase the expression of the stress-responsive protein, activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3), which injures human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs) in vitro. In this study, we deployed high-throughput sequencing (HTS)-based RNA sequencing methods and mito stress and glycolytic rate assays with an Agilent Seahorse XF analyzer and profiled the differential expression of transcripts, constructed signaling pathways, and measured mitochondrial respiration, ATP production, proton leak, and glycolysis of HBMECs treated with TL. Conclusions: TL potentiate ROS by mitochondria which activate mitochondrial oxidative stress, decrease ATP production, increase mitochondrial proton leak and glycolysis rate, and mitochondria DNA damage. Additionally, CPT1A1 siRNA knockdown suppresses oxidative stress and prevents mitochondrial dysfunction and vascular inflammation in TL treated HBMECs. TL activates ATF3-MAPKinase, TNF, and NRF2 signaling pathways. Furthermore, the NRF2 signaling pathway which is upstream of the ATF3-MAPKinase signaling pathway, is also regulated by the mitochondrial oxidative stress. We are the first to report differential inflammatory characteristics of transcript variants 4 (ATF3-T4) and 5 (ATF3-T5) of the stress responsive gene ATF3 in HBMECs induced by postprandial TL. Specifically, our data indicates that ATF3-T4 predominantly regulates the TL-induced brain microvascular inflammation and TNF signaling. Both siRNAs of ATF3-T4 and ATF3-T5 suppress cells apoptosis and lipotoxic brain microvascular endothelial cells. These novel signaling pathways triggered by oxidative stress-responsive transcript variants, ATF3-T4 and ATF3-T5, in the brain microvascular inflammation induced by TGRL lipolysis products may contribute to pathophysiological processes of vascular dementia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tun Nyunt
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Monica Britton
- Genome Center and Bioinformatics Core Facility, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Kwanjeera Wanichthanarak
- West Coast Metabolomics Center, Genome Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Siriraj Metabolomics and Phenomics Center, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Madhu Budamagunta
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - John C Voss
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Dennis W Wilson
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - John C Rutledge
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Hnin H Aung
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Engram-specific transcriptome profiling of contextual memory consolidation. Nat Commun 2019; 10:2232. [PMID: 31110186 PMCID: PMC6527697 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09960-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2018] [Accepted: 03/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Sparse populations of neurons in the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus are causally implicated in the encoding of contextual fear memories. However, engram-specific molecular mechanisms underlying memory consolidation remain largely unknown. Here we perform unbiased RNA sequencing of DG engram neurons 24 h after contextual fear conditioning to identify transcriptome changes specific to memory consolidation. DG engram neurons exhibit a highly distinct pattern of gene expression, in which CREB-dependent transcription features prominently (P = 6.2 × 10−13), including Atf3 (P = 2.4 × 10−41), Penk (P = 1.3 × 10−15), and Kcnq3 (P = 3.1 × 10−12). Moreover, we validate the functional relevance of the RNAseq findings by establishing the causal requirement of intact CREB function specifically within the DG engram during memory consolidation, and identify a novel group of CREB target genes involved in the encoding of long-term memory. The molecular mechanisms underlying contextual fear memory consolidation by sparse dentate gyrus (DG) neuronal populations remain unclear. Here using unbiased RNA sequencing of DG engram neurons the authors identify persistent transcriptome modifications during memory consolidation, in which CREB-dependent transcription features prominently
Collapse
|
13
|
Rohini M, Arumugam B, Vairamani M, Selvamurugan N. Stimulation of ATF3 interaction with Smad4 via TGF-β1 for matrix metalloproteinase 13 gene activation in human breast cancer cells. Int J Biol Macromol 2019; 134:954-961. [PMID: 31082421 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2019.05.062] [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: 04/27/2019] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
We previously reported that transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) stimulated the sustained and prolonged expression of activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3) in highly metastatic and invasive human breast cancer cells (MDA-MB231), in contrast to normal human mammary epithelial cells. However, the mechanism behind the stability of ATF3 expression is not yet known. Based on an in silico approach with co-immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometric analyses, we identified a number of proteins, including Smad4, that interacted with ATF3 after TGF-β1 treatment in MDA-MB231 cells. The knockdown of Smad4 using the siRNA technique resulted in a significant loss of ATF3 expression in these cells. Chromatin immunoprecipitation was then used to identify the formation of an ATF3 and Smad4 complex at the matrix metalloproteinase 13 (MMP13) promoter upon TGF-β1-treatment, and the knockdown of Smad4 decreased MMP13 promoter activity in MDA-MB231 cells. Our findings indicate that Smad4 is a pre-requisite for providing stability to ATF3 via TGF-β1 in human breast cancer cells. The targeting of Smad4 may thus provide the sustainable loss of ATF3 expression that is needed to control breast cancer progression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M Rohini
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur 603 203, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - B Arumugam
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur 603 203, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - M Vairamani
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur 603 203, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - N Selvamurugan
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur 603 203, Tamil Nadu, India.
| |
Collapse
|