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de Miranda AS, Brant F, Campos AC, Vieira LB, Rocha NP, Cisalpino D, Binda NS, Rodrigues DH, Ransohoff RM, Machado FS, Rachid MA, Teixeira AL. Evidence for the contribution of adult neurogenesis and hippocampal cell death in experimental cerebral malaria cognitive outcome. Neuroscience 2014; 284:920-933. [PMID: 25451296 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.10.062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2014] [Revised: 10/09/2014] [Accepted: 10/27/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive dysfunction is a major sign of cerebral malaria (CM). However, the underlying mechanisms of CM cognitive outcome remain poorly understood. A body of evidence suggests that adult neurogenesis may play a role in learning and memory processes. It has also been reported that these phenomena can be regulated by the immune system. We hypothesized that memory dysfunction in CM results from hippocampal neurogenesis impairment mediated by the deregulated immune response during the acute phase of CM. C57Bl/6 mice were infected with Plasmodium berghei ANKA (PbA) strain, using a standardized inoculation of 10(6) parasitized erythrocytes. Long-term working memory was evaluated using the novel object recognition test. The mRNA expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), tropomyosin-receptor-kinase (TRK-B) and nerve growth factor (NGF) in the frontal cortex and hippocampus was estimated by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The protein levels of cytokine interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, interferon-γ (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and CCL11 and neurotrophins BDNF and NGF were determined using a cytometric bead array (CBA) kit or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Cell viability in the hippocampus was analyzed by Confocal Microscopy. Neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus was determined through quantification of doublecortin (DCX) positive cells. PbA-infected mice presented working memory impairment on day 5 post-infection. At this same time point, CM mice exhibited a decrease in DCX-positive cells in the dentate gyrus in parallel with increased cell death and elevated inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ and CCL11) in the hippocampus and frontal cortex. A significant reduction of BDNF mRNA expression was also found. IL-6 and TNF-α correlated negatively with BDNF and NGF levels in the hippocampus of CM mice. In summary, we provide further evidence that neuroinflammation following PbA-infection influences neurotrophin expression, impairs adult hippocampal neurogenesis and increases hippocampal cell death in association with memory impairment following CM course. The current study identified potential mediators of memory impairment in CM.
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Affiliation(s)
- A S de Miranda
- Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences: Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil; Immunopharmacology Group, Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil; Neuroscience Branch, Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Medical Investigation, School of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil; Neuroinflammation Research Center, Department of Neuroscience, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
| | - F Brant
- Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences: Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil; Immunopharmacology Group, Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - A C Campos
- Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences: Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil; Immunopharmacology Group, Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - L B Vieira
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - N P Rocha
- Immunopharmacology Group, Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil; Neuroscience Branch, Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Medical Investigation, School of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil; Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - D Cisalpino
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - N S Binda
- National Institute of Science and Technology in Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - D H Rodrigues
- Immunopharmacology Group, Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil; Neuroscience Branch, Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Medical Investigation, School of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - R M Ransohoff
- Neuroinflammation Research Center, Department of Neuroscience, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - F S Machado
- Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences: Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil; Immunopharmacology Group, Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - M A Rachid
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - A L Teixeira
- Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences: Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil; Immunopharmacology Group, Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil; Neuroscience Branch, Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Medical Investigation, School of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
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Comini-Frota ER, Rodrigues DH, Miranda EC, Brum DG, Kaimen-Maciel DR, Donadi EA, Teixeira AL. Serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor correlate with the number of T2 MRI lesions in multiple sclerosis. Braz J Med Biol Res 2011; 45:68-71. [PMID: 22183248 PMCID: PMC3854145 DOI: 10.1590/s0100-879x2011007500165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2011] [Accepted: 11/21/2011] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The objective of the present study was to determine if there is a relationship between serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and the number of T2/fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (T2/FLAIR) lesions in multiple sclerosis (MS). The use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has revolutionized the study of MS. However, MRI has limitations and the use of other biomarkers such as BDNF may be useful for the clinical assessment and the study of the disease. Serum was obtained from 28 MS patients, 18-50 years old (median 38), 21 women, 0.5-10 years (median 5) of disease duration, EDSS 1-4 (median 1.5) and 28 healthy controls, 19-49 years old (median 33), 19 women. BDNF levels were measured by ELISA. T1, T2/FLAIR and gadolinium-enhanced lesions were measured by a trained radiologist. BDNF was reduced in MS patients (median [range] pg/mL; 1160 [352.6-2640]) compared to healthy controls (1640 [632.4-4268]; P = 0.03, Mann-Whitney test) and was negatively correlated (Spearman correlation test, r = -0.41; P = 0.02) with T2/FLAIR (11-81 lesions, median 42). We found that serum BDNF levels were inversely correlated with the number of T2/FLAIR lesions in patients with MS. BDNF may be a promising biomarker of MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- E R Comini-Frota
- Unidade de Neurologia, Hospital Universitário, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.
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Miranda AS, Vieira LB, Lacerda-Queiroz N, Souza AH, Rodrigues DH, Vilela MC, Gomez MV, Machado FS, Rachid MA, Teixeira AL. Increased levels of glutamate in the central nervous system are associated with behavioral symptoms in experimental malaria. Braz J Med Biol Res 2010; 43:1173-7. [PMID: 21085889 DOI: 10.1590/s0100-879x2010007500130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2010] [Accepted: 10/27/2010] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Cerebral malaria (CM) is a severe complication resulting from Plasmodium falciparum infection. This condition has been associated with cognitive, behavioral and motor dysfunctions, seizures and coma. The underlying mechanisms of CM are incompletely understood. Glutamate and other metabolites such as lactate have been implicated in its pathogenesis. In the present study, we investigated the involvement of glutamate in the behavioral symptoms of CM. Seventeen female C57BL/6 mice (20-25 g) aged 6-8 weeks were infected with P. berghei ANKA by the intraperitoneal route using a standardized inoculation of 10⁶ parasitized red blood cells suspended in 0.2 mL PBS. Control animals (N = 17) received the same volume of PBS. Behavioral and neurological symptoms were analyzed by the SmithKline/Harwell/Imperial College/Royal Hospital/Phenotype Assessment (SHIRPA) battery. Glutamate release was measured in the cerebral cortex and cerebrospinal fluid of infected and control mice by fluorimetric assay. All functional categories of the SHIRPA battery were significantly altered in the infected mice at 6 days post-infection (dpi) (P ≤ 0.05). In parallel to CM symptoms, we found a significant increase in glutamate levels in the cerebral cortex (mean ± SEM; control: 11.62 ± 0.90 nmol/mg protein; infected at 3 dpi: 10.36 ± 1.17 nmol/mg protein; infected at 6 dpi: 26.65 ± 0.73 nmol/mg protein; with EGTA, control: 5.60 ± 1.92 nmol/mg protein; infected at 3 dpi: 6.24 ± 1.87 nmol/mg protein; infected at 6 dpi: 14.14 ± 0.84 nmol/mg protein) and in the cerebrospinal fluid (control: 128 ± 51.23 pmol/mg protein; infected: 301.4 ± 22.52 pmol/mg protein) of infected mice (P ≤ 0.05). These findings suggest a role of glutamate in the central nervous system dysfunction found in CM.
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Affiliation(s)
- A S Miranda
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.
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