- Effects of Hydrocodone Overdose and Ceftriaxone on Astrocytic Glutamate Transporters and Glutamate Receptors, and Associated Signaling in Nucleus Accumbens as well as Locomotor Activity in C57/BL Miceby Woonyen Wong on April 27, 2024 at 10:00 am
Chronic opioid treatments dysregulate the glutamatergic system, inducing a hyperglutamatergic state in mesocorticolimbic brain regions. This study investigated the effects of exposure to hydrocodone overdose on locomotor activity, expression of target proteins related to the glutamatergic system, signaling kinases, and neuroinflammatory factors in the nucleus accumbens. The locomotor activity of mice was measured using the Comprehensive Laboratory Animal Monitoring System (CLAMS). CLAMS data…
- Transcriptional Responses of Different Brain Cell Types to Oxygen Declineby Camille Ravel-Godreuil on April 27, 2024 at 10:00 am
Brain hypoxia is associated with a wide range of physiological and clinical conditions. Although oxygen is an essential constituent of maintaining brain functions, our understanding of how specific brain cell types globally respond and adapt to decreasing oxygen conditions is incomplete. In this study, we exposed mouse primary neurons, astrocytes, and microglia to normoxia and two hypoxic conditions and obtained genome-wide transcriptional profiles of the treated cells. Analysis of…
- Gender-Specific Effects on the Cardiorespiratory System and Neurotoxicity of Intermittent and Permanent Low-Level Lead Exposuresby Liana Shvachiy on April 27, 2024 at 10:00 am
Lead exposure is a significant health concern, ranking among the top 10 most harmful substances for humans. There are no safe levels of lead exposure, and it affects multiple body systems, especially the cardiovascular and neurological systems, leading to problems such as hypertension, heart disease, cognitive deficits, and developmental delays, particularly in children. Gender differences are a crucial factor, with women’s reproductive systems being especially vulnerable, resulting in fertility…
- A Four-Week High-Fat Diet Induces Anxiolytic-like Behaviors through Mature BDNF in the mPFC of Miceby Huixian Huang on April 27, 2024 at 10:00 am
The effect of a high-fat diet (HFD) on mood is a widely debated topic, with the underlying mechanisms being poorly understood. This study explores the anxiolytic effects of a four-week HFD in C57BL/6 mice. Five-week-old mice were exposed to either an HFD (60% calories from fat) or standard chow diet (CD) for four weeks, followed by cannula implantation, virus infusion, behavioral tests, and biochemical assays. Results revealed that four weeks of an HFD induced anxiolytic-like behaviors and…
- Two Signaling Modes Are Better than One: Flux-Independent Signaling by Ionotropic Glutamate Receptors Is Coming of Ageby Valentina Brunetti on April 27, 2024 at 10:00 am
Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. Glutamatergic transmission can be mediated by ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs), which mediate rapid synaptic depolarization that can be associated with Ca^(2+) entry and activity-dependent change in the strength of synaptic transmission, as well as by metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs), which mediate slower postsynaptic responses through the recruitment of second messenger systems. A wealth of…
- The Role of SOX2 and SOX9 Transcription Factors in the Reactivation-Related Functional Properties of NT2/D1-Derived Astrocytesby Vanda Balint on April 27, 2024 at 10:00 am
Astrocytes are the main homeostatic cells in the central nervous system, with the unique ability to transform from quiescent into a reactive state in response to pathological conditions by reacquiring some precursor properties. This process is known as reactive astrogliosis, a compensatory response that mediates tissue damage and recovery. Although it is well known that SOX transcription factors drive the expression of phenotype-specific genetic programs during neurodevelopment, their roles in…
- Predicting Isocitrate Dehydrogenase Status in Non-Contrast-Enhanced Adult-Type Astrocytic Tumors Using Diffusion Tensor Imaging and (11)C-Methionine, (11)C-Choline, and (18)F-Fluorodeoxyglucose PETby Shoji Yasuda on April 27, 2024 at 10:00 am
We aimed to differentiate the isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) status among non-enhanced astrocytic tumors using preoperative MRI and PET. We analyzed 82 patients with non-contrast-enhanced, diffuse, supratentorial astrocytic tumors (IDH mutant [IDH-mut], 55 patients; IDH-wildtype [IDH-wt], 27 patients) who underwent MRI and PET between May 2012 and December 2022. We calculated the fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) values using diffusion tensor imaging. We evaluated the…
- The Effect of Reduced Fibrinogen on Cerebrovascular Permeability during Traumatic Brain Injury in Fibrinogen Gene Heterozygous Knockout Miceby Nurul Sulimai on April 27, 2024 at 10:00 am
Vascular contribution to cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID) is a term referring to all types of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular disease-related cognitive decline, spanning many neuroinflammatory diseases including traumatic brain injury (TBI). This becomes particularly important during mild-to-moderate TBI (m-mTBI), which is characterized by short-term memory (STM) decline. Enhanced cerebrovascular permeability for proteins is typically observed during m-mTBI. We have previously shown…
- KYNA Ameliorates Glutamate Toxicity of HAND by Enhancing Glutamate Uptake in A2 Astrocytesby Jie Chen on April 27, 2024 at 10:00 am
Reactive astrocytes are key players in HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND), and different types of reactive astrocytes play opposing roles in the neuropathologic progression of HAND. A recent study by our group found that gp120 mediates A1 astrocytes (neurotoxicity), which secrete proinflammatory factors and promote HAND disease progression. Here, by comparing the expression of A2 astrocyte (neuroprotective) markers in the brains of gp120 tgm mice and gp120^(+)/α7nAChR^(-/-) mice, we…
- Neuroinflammation and Epilepsy: From Pathophysiology to Therapies Based on Repurposing Drugsby Pascual Sanz on April 27, 2024 at 10:00 am
Neuroinflammation and epilepsy are different pathologies, but, in some cases, they are so closely related that the activation of one of the pathologies leads to the development of the other. In this work, we discuss the three main cell types involved in neuroinflammation, namely (i) reactive astrocytes, (ii) activated microglia, and infiltration of (iii) peripheral immune cells in the central nervous system. Then, we discuss how neuroinflammation and epilepsy are interconnected and describe the…
- Effect of Regulation of Chemerin/Chemokine-like Receptor 1/Stimulator of Interferon Genes Pathway on Astrocyte Recruitment to Abeta Plaquesby Zhen Liu on April 27, 2024 at 10:00 am
Recruitment and accumulation of reactive astrocytes around senile plaques are common pathological features of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), with unclear mechanisms. Chemerin, an adipokine implicated in neuroinflammation, acts through its receptor, chemokine-like receptor 1 (CMKLR1), which also functions as a receptor for amyloid β (Aβ). The impact of the chemerin/CMKLR1 axis on astrocyte migration towards Aβ plaques is unknown. Here we investigated the effect of CMKLR1 on astrocyte migration around…
- Long-Term Alterations in Motor Skills, Neurogenesis and Astrocyte Numbers following Transient Cerebral Ischemia in Miceby Vladimirs Pilipenko on April 27, 2024 at 10:00 am
Background and Objectives. Neurogenesis is an integral process in post-stroke recovery, involving the recruitment of proliferating neuroblasts from neurogenic niches of the mammal brain. However, the role of neurogenesis in the long-term restoration following ischemic stroke is fragmented. Post-stroke motor dysfunction includes challenges in the proper, coordinated use of hands and is present in roughly two-thirds of human patients. In this study, we investigated chronic behavioral and…
- Molecular Role of HIV-1 Human Receptors (CCL5-CCR5 Axis) in neuroAIDS: A Systematic Reviewby Marcos Jessé Abrahão Silva on April 27, 2024 at 10:00 am
Chronic HIV-1 infection can cause neurological illness, also known as HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). The elevated level of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, such as C-C Chemokine Ligand 5 (CCL5/RANTES), is one of the ways of causing HIV-1-mediated neuroinflammation. C-C Chemokine Receptor 5 (CCR5) is the main coreceptor for viral entry into host cells and for mediating induction of CCL5/RANTES. CCR5 and CCL5 are part of a correlated axis of immune pathways used for…
- Discovery of Small Molecule Glycolytic Stimulants for Enhanced ApoE Lipidation in Alzheimer’s Disease Cell Modelby Sachin P Patil on April 27, 2024 at 10:00 am
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by pathophysiological deposits of extracellular amyloid beta (Aβ) peptides and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles of tau. The central role of Aβ in AD pathology is well-established, with its increased deposition attributed mainly to its decreased cerebral clearance. Here, it is noteworthy that apolipoprotein E (ApoE), the most significant risk factor for AD, has been shown to play an isoform-specific role in…
- Exploring Cannabinoids with Enhanced Binding Affinity for Targeting the Expanded Endocannabinoid System: A Promising Therapeutic Strategy for Alzheimer’s Disease Treatmentby Gabriela Dumitrita Stanciu on April 27, 2024 at 10:00 am
Despite decades of rigorous research and numerous clinical trials, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) stands as a notable healthcare challenge of this century, with effective therapeutic solutions remaining elusive. Recently, the endocannabinoid system (ECS) has emerged as an essential therapeutic target due to its regulatory role in different physiological processes, such as neuroprotection, modulation of inflammation, and synaptic plasticity. This aligns with previous research showing that cannabinoid…