1
|
A Time-Course Study of the Expression Level of Synaptic Plasticity-Associated Genes in Un-Lesioned Spinal Cord and Brain Areas in a Rat Model of Spinal Cord Injury: A Bioinformatic Approach. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22168606. [PMID: 34445312 PMCID: PMC8395345 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
"Neuroplasticity" is often evoked to explain adaptation and compensation after acute lesions of the Central Nervous System (CNS). In this study, we investigated the modification of 80 genes involved in synaptic plasticity at different times (24 h, 8 and 45 days) from the traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI), adopting a bioinformatic analysis. mRNA expression levels were analyzed in the motor cortex, basal ganglia, cerebellum and in the spinal segments rostral and caudal to the lesion. The main results are: (i) a different gene expression regulation is observed in the Spinal Cord (SC) segments rostral and caudal to the lesion; (ii) long lasting changes in the SC includes the extracellular matrix (ECM) enzymes Timp1, transcription regulators (Egr, Nr4a1), second messenger associated proteins (Gna1, Ywhaq); (iii) long-lasting changes in the Motor Cortex includes transcription regulators (Cebpd), neurotransmitters/neuromodulators and receptors (Cnr1, Gria1, Nos1), growth factors and related receptors (Igf1, Ntf3, Ntrk2), second messenger associated proteins (Mapk1); long lasting changes in Basal Ganglia and Cerebellum include ECM protein (Reln), growth factors (Ngf, Bdnf), transcription regulators (Egr, Cebpd), neurotransmitter receptors (Grin2c). These data suggest the molecular mapping as a useful tool to investigate the brain and SC reorganization after SCI.
Collapse
|
2
|
Alastra G, Aloe L, Baldassarro VA, Calzà L, Cescatti M, Duskey JT, Focarete ML, Giacomini D, Giardino L, Giraldi V, Lorenzini L, Moretti M, Parmeggiani I, Sannia M, Tosi G. Nerve Growth Factor Biodelivery: A Limiting Step in Moving Toward Extensive Clinical Application? Front Neurosci 2021; 15:695592. [PMID: 34335170 PMCID: PMC8319677 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.695592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Nerve growth factor (NGF) was the first-discovered member of the neurotrophin family, a class of bioactive molecules which exerts powerful biological effects on the CNS and other peripheral tissues, not only during development, but also during adulthood. While these molecules have long been regarded as potential drugs to combat acute and chronic neurodegenerative processes, as evidenced by the extensive data on their neuroprotective properties, their clinical application has been hindered by their unexpected side effects, as well as by difficulties in defining appropriate dosing and administration strategies. This paper reviews aspects related to the endogenous production of NGF in healthy and pathological conditions, along with conventional and biomaterial-assisted delivery strategies, in an attempt to clarify the impediments to the clinical application of this powerful molecule.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Alastra
- Interdepartmental Centre for Industrial Research in Health Sciences and Technologies, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | | | - Vito Antonio Baldassarro
- Interdepartmental Centre for Industrial Research in Health Sciences and Technologies, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Laura Calzà
- Interdepartmental Centre for Industrial Research in Health Sciences and Technologies, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- IRET Foundation, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | | | - Jason Thomas Duskey
- Nanotech Laboratory, TeFarTI Center, Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Maria Letizia Focarete
- Interdepartmental Centre for Industrial Research in Health Sciences and Technologies, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Chemistry “Giacomo Ciamician”, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Daria Giacomini
- Interdepartmental Centre for Industrial Research in Health Sciences and Technologies, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Chemistry “Giacomo Ciamician”, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Luciana Giardino
- IRET Foundation, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Valentina Giraldi
- Interdepartmental Centre for Industrial Research in Health Sciences and Technologies, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Chemistry “Giacomo Ciamician”, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Luca Lorenzini
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | | | - Irene Parmeggiani
- Nanotech Laboratory, TeFarTI Center, Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Michele Sannia
- Interdepartmental Centre for Industrial Research in Health Sciences and Technologies, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Giovanni Tosi
- Nanotech Laboratory, TeFarTI Center, Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Islam SU, Shehzad A, Ahmed MB, Lee YS. Intranasal Delivery of Nanoformulations: A Potential Way of Treatment for Neurological Disorders. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25081929. [PMID: 32326318 PMCID: PMC7221820 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25081929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Revised: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the global prevalence of neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, glioblastoma, epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis is steadily increasing, effective delivery of drug molecules in therapeutic quantities to the central nervous system (CNS) is still lacking. The blood brain barrier (BBB) is the major obstacle for the entry of drugs into the brain, as it comprises a tight layer of endothelial cells surrounded by astrocyte foot processes that limit drugs’ entry. In recent times, intranasal drug delivery has emerged as a reliable method to bypass the BBB and treat neurological diseases. The intranasal route for drug delivery to the brain with both solution and particulate formulations has been demonstrated repeatedly in preclinical models, including in human trials. The key features determining the efficacy of drug delivery via the intranasal route include delivery to the olfactory area of the nares, a longer retention time at the nasal mucosal surface, enhanced penetration of the drugs through the nasal epithelia, and reduced drug metabolism in the nasal cavity. This review describes important neurological disorders, challenges in drug delivery to the disordered CNS, and new nasal delivery techniques designed to overcome these challenges and facilitate more efficient and targeted drug delivery. The potential for treatment possibilities with intranasal transfer of drugs will increase with the development of more effective formulations and delivery devices.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Salman Ul Islam
- School of Life Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea; (S.U.I.); (M.B.A.)
| | - Adeeb Shehzad
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Institute for Research and Medical Consultations (IRMC), Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Muhammad Bilal Ahmed
- School of Life Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea; (S.U.I.); (M.B.A.)
| | - Young Sup Lee
- School of Life Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea; (S.U.I.); (M.B.A.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +82-53-950-6353; Fax: +82-53-943-2762
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Dong X. Current Strategies for Brain Drug Delivery. Am J Cancer Res 2018; 8:1481-1493. [PMID: 29556336 PMCID: PMC5858162 DOI: 10.7150/thno.21254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 498] [Impact Index Per Article: 83.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 11/30/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) has been a great hurdle for brain drug delivery. The BBB in healthy brain is a diffusion barrier essential for protecting normal brain function by impeding most compounds from transiting from the blood to the brain; only small molecules can cross the BBB. Under certain pathological conditions of diseases such as stroke, diabetes, seizures, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer disease, the BBB is disrupted. The objective of this review is to provide a broad overview on current strategies for brain drug delivery and related subjects from the past five years. It is hoped that this review could inspire readers to discover possible approaches to deliver drugs into the brain. After an initial overview of the BBB structure and function in both healthy and pathological conditions, this review re-visits, according to recent publications, some questions that are controversial, such as whether nanoparticles by themselves could cross the BBB and whether drugs are specifically transferred to the brain by actively targeted nanoparticles. Current non-nanoparticle strategies are also reviewed, such as delivery of drugs through the permeable BBB under pathological conditions and using non-invasive techniques to enhance brain drug uptake. Finally, one particular area that is often neglected in brain drug delivery is the influence of aging on the BBB, which is captured in this review based on the limited studies in the literature.
Collapse
|