Sex-dependent effects of monomeric α-synuclein on calcium and cell death of lateral hypothalamic mouse neurons are altered by orexin.

Parkinson's Disease (PD) patients experience sleeping disorders in addition to the disease-defining symptomology of movement dysfunctions. The prevalence of PD is sex-based and presence of sleeping disorders in PD also shows sex bias with a stronger phenotype in males. In addition to loss of dopamine-containing neurons in the striatum, arousal-related, orexin-containing neurons in the lateral hypothalamus (LH) are lost in PD, which could contribute to state-related disorders. As orexin has been shown to be involved in sleeping disorders and to have neuroprotective effects, we asked whether orexin could protect sleep-related LH neurons from damage putatively from the protein α-synuclein (α-syn), which is found at high levels in the PD brain and that we have shown is associated with putatively excitotoxic rises in intracellular calcium in brainstem sleep-controlling nuclei, especially in males. Accordingly, we monitored intracellular calcium transients induced by α-syn and whether concurrent exposure to orexin affected those transients in LH cells of the mouse brain slice using calcium imaging. Further, we used an assay of cell death to determine whether LH cell viability was influenced when α-syn and orexin were co-applied when compared to exposure to α-syn alone. We found that excitatory calcium events induced by α-syn were reduced in amplitude and frequency when orexin was co-applied, and when data were evaluated by sex, this effect was found to be greater in females. In addition, α-syn exposure was associated with cell death that was higher in males, and interestingly, reduced cell death was noted when orexin was present, which did not show a sex bias. We interpret our findings to indicate that orexin is protective to α-syn-mediated damage to hypothalamic neurons, and the actions of orexin on α-syn-induced cellular effects differ between sexes, which could underlie sex-based differences in sleeping disorders in PD.

GLP-1-directed NMDA receptor antagonism for obesity treatment.

The N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor is a glutamate-activated cation channel that is critical to many processes in the brain. Genome-wide association studies suggest that glutamatergic neurotransmission and NMDA receptor-mediated synaptic plasticity are important for body weight homeostasis1. Here we report the engineering and preclinical development of a bimodal molecule that integrates NMDA receptor antagonism with glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonism to effectively reverse obesity, hyperglycaemia and dyslipidaemia in rodent models of metabolic disease. GLP-1-directed delivery of the NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 affects neuroplasticity in the hypothalamus and brainstem. Importantly, targeting of MK-801 to GLP-1 receptor-expressing brain regions circumvents adverse physiological and behavioural effects associated with MK-801 monotherapy. In summary, our approach demonstrates the feasibility of using peptide-mediated targeting to achieve cell-specific ionotropic receptor modulation and highlights the therapeutic potential of unimolecular mixed GLP-1 receptor agonism and NMDA receptor antagonism for safe and effective obesity treatment.

Lipid levels correlate with neuronal and dopaminergic markers during the differentiation of SH-SY5Y cells.

Parkinson's Disease (PD) is characterised by the loss of dopaminergic neurons and the deposition of protein inclusions called Lewy Bodies (LBs). LBs are heterogeneous structures composed of protein and lipid molecules and their main constituent is the presynaptic protein α-synuclein. SH-SY5Y cells are neuroblastoma cells commonly used to model PD because they express dopaminergic markers and α-synuclein and they can be differentiated into neuronal cells using established protocols. Despite increasing evidence pointing towards a role of lipids in PD, limited knowledge is available on the lipidome of undifferentiated and differentiated SH-SY5Y cells. Using a combination of lipidomics, proteomics, morphological and electrophysiological measurements, we identified specific lipids, including sphingolipids, whose levels are affected by the differentiation of SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells and found that the levels of these lipids correlate with those of neuronal and dopaminergic markers. These results provide a quantitative characterisation of the changes in lipidome associated with the differentiation of SH-SY5Y cells into more neuronal and dopaminergic-like phenotype and serve as a basis for further characterisation of lipid disruptions in association with PD and its risk factors in this dopaminergic-like neuronal cell model.

Resveratrol and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D decrease Lingo-1 levels, and improve behavior in harmaline-induced Essential tremor, suggesting potential therapeutic benefits.

Essential tremor (ET) is a neurological disease that impairs motor and cognitive functioning. A variant of the Lingo-1 genetic locus is associated with a heightened ET risk, and increased expression of cerebellar Lingo-1. Lingo-1 has been associated with neurodegenerative processes; however, neuroprotection from ET-associated degeneration can be conferred by the protein Sirt1. Sirt1 activity can be promoted by Resveratrol (Res) and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (VitD3), and thus these factors may exert neuroprotective properties through a Sirt1 mechanism. As Res and VitD3 are linked to Sirt1, enhancing Sirt1 could counteract the negative effects of increased Lingo-1. Therefore, we hypothesized that a combination of Res-VitD3 in a harmaline injection model of ET would modulate Sirt1 and Lingo-1 levels. As expected, harmaline exposure (10 mg/kg/every other day; i.p.) impaired motor coordination, enhanced tremors, rearing, and cognitive dysfunction. When Res (5 mg/kg/day; i.p.) and VitD3 (0.1 mg/kg/day; i.p.) were given to adult rats (n = 8 per group) an hour before harmaline, tremor severity, rearing, and memory impairment were reduced. Individual treatment with Res and VitD3 decreased Lingo-1 gene expression levels in qPCR assays. Co-treatment with Res and VitD3 increased and decreased Sirt1 and Lingo-1 gene expression levels, respectively, and in some cases, beneficial effects on behavior were noted, which were not seen when Res or VitD3 were individually applied. Taken together, our study found that Res and VitD3 improved locomotor and cognitive deficits, modulated Sirt1 and Lingo-1. Therefore, we would recommend co-treatment of VitD3 and Res to leverage complementary effects for the management of ET symptoms.

Decanoic Acid Rescues Differences in AMPA-Mediated Calcium Rises in Hippocampal CA1 Astrocytes and Neurons in the 5xFAD Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD), a devastating neurodegenerative disease characterized by cognitive dysfunctions, is associated with high levels of amyloid beta 42 (Aß42), which is believed to play a role in cellular damage and signaling changes in AD. Decanoic acid has been shown to be therapeutic in AD. Glutamatergic signaling within neurons and astrocytes of the CA1 region of the hippocampus is critical in cognitive processes, and previous work has indicated deficiencies in this signaling in a mouse model of AD. In this study, we investigated glutamate-mediated signaling by evaluating AMPA-mediated calcium rises in female and male CA1 neurons and astrocytes in a mouse model of AD and examined the potential of decanoic acid to normalize this signaling. In brain slices from 5xFAD mice in which there are five mutations leading to increasing levels of Aß42, AMPA-mediated calcium transients in CA1 neurons and astrocytes were significantly lower than that seen in wildtype controls in both females and males. Interestingly, incubation of 5xFAD slices in decanoic acid restored AMPA-mediated calcium levels in neurons and astrocytes in both females and males to levels indistinguishable from those seen in wildtype, whereas similar exposure to decanoic acid did not result in changes in AMPA-mediated transients in neurons or astrocytes in either sex in the wildtype. Our data indicate that one mechanism by which decanoic acid could improve cognitive functioning is through normalizing AMPA-mediated signaling in CA1 hippocampal cells.

In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation of Pellotine: A Hypnotic Lophophora Alkaloid.

Quality of life is often reduced in patients with sleep-wake disorders. Insomnia is commonly treated with benzodiazepines, despite their well-known side effects. Pellotine (1), a Lophophora alkaloid, has been reported to have short-acting sleep-inducing properties in humans. In this study, we set out to evaluate various in vitro and in vivo properties of 1. We demonstrate that 1 undergoes slow metabolism; e.g. in mouse liver microsomes 65% remained, and in human liver microsomes virtually no metabolism was observed after 4 h. In mouse liver microsomes, two phase I metabolites were identified: 7-desmethylpellotine and pellotine-N-oxide. In mice, the two diastereomers of pellotine-O-glucuronide were additionally identified as phase II metabolites. Furthermore, we demonstrated by DESI-MSI that 1 readily enters the central nervous system of rodents. Furthermore, radioligand-displacement assays showed that 1 is selective for the serotonergic system and in particular the serotonin (5-HT)1D, 5-HT6, and 5-HT7 receptors, where it binds with affinities in the nanomolar range (117, 170, and 394 nM, respectively). Additionally, 1 was functionally characterized at 5-HT6 and 5-HT7, where it was found to be an agonist at the former (EC50 = 94 nM, Emax = 32%) and an inverse agonist at the latter (EC50 = 291 nM, Emax = -98.6). Finally, we demonstrated that 1 dose-dependently decreases locomotion in mice, inhibits REM sleep, and promotes sleep fragmentation. Thus, we suggest that pellotine itself, and not an active metabolite, is responsible for the hypnotic effects and that these effects are possibly mediated through modulation of serotonergic receptors.

Sex-dependent neuronal effects of α-synuclein reveal that GABAergic transmission is neuroprotective of sleep-controlling neurons.

BACKGROUND: Sleep disorders (SDs) are a symptom of the prodromal phase of neurodegenerative disorders that are mechanistically linked to the protein α-synuclein (α-syn) including Parkinson's disease (PD). SDs during the prodromal phase could result from neurodegeneration induced in state-controlling neurons by accumulation of α-syn predominant early in the disease, and consistent with this, we reported the monomeric form of α-syn (monomeric α-syn; α-synM) caused cell death in the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus (LDT), which controls arousal as well as the sleep and wakefulness state. However, we only examined the male LDT, and since sex is considered a risk factor for the development of α-syn-related diseases including prodromal SDs, the possibility exists of sex-based differences in α-synM effects. Accordingly, we examined the hypothesis that α-synM exerts differential effects on membrane excitability, intracellular calcium, and cell viability in the LDT of females compared to males. METHODS: Patch clamp electrophysiology, bulk load calcium imaging, and cell death histochemistry were used in LDT brain slices to monitor responses to α-synM and effects of GABA receptor acting agents. RESULTS: Consistent with our hypothesis, we found differing effects of α-synM on female LDT neurons when compared to male. In females, α-synM induced a decrease in membrane excitability and heightened reductions in intracellular calcium, which were reliant on functional inhibitory acid transmission, as well as decreased the amplitude and frequency of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs) with a concurrent reduction in action potential firing rate. Cell viability studies showed higher α-synM-mediated neurodegeneration in males compared to females that depended on inhibitory amino acid transmission. Further, presence of GABA receptor agonists was associated with reduced cell death in males. CONCLUSIONS: When taken together, we conclude that α-synM induces a sex-dependent effect on LDT neurons involving a GABA receptor-mediated mechanism that is neuroprotective. Understanding the potential sex differences in neurodegenerative processes, especially those occurring early in the disease, could enable implementation of sex-based strategies to identify prodromal PD cases, and promote efforts to illuminate new directions for tailored treatment and management of PD.

Preventive putative effect of agmatine on cognitive and molecular outcomes in ventral tegmental area of male offspring following physical and psychological prenatal stress.

Prenatal stress (PS) results from a maternal experience of stressful events during pregnancy, which has been associated with an increased risk of behavioral disorders including substance abuse and anxiety in the offspring. PS is known to result in heightened dopamine release in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), in part through the effects of corticotropin-releasing hormone, which directly excites dopaminergic cells. It has recently been suggested that agmatine plays a role in modulating anxiety-like behaviors. In this study, we investigated whether agmatine could reduce negative cognitive outcomes in male mice prenatally exposed to psychological/physical stress, and whether this could be associated with molecular changes in VTA. Agmatine (37.5 mg/kg) was administrated 30 min prior to PS induction in pregnant Swiss mice. Male offspring were evaluated in a series of behavioral and molecular assays. Findings demonstrated that agmatine reduced the impairment in locomotor activity induced by both psychological and physical PS. Agmatine also decreased heightened conditioned place preference to morphine seen in PS offspring. Moreover, agmatine ameliorated the anxiety-like behavior and drug-seeking behavior induced by PS in the male offspring. Molecular effects were seen in VTA as the enhanced brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) induced by PS in the VTA was reduced by agmatine. Behavioral tests indicate that agmatine exerts a protective effect on PS-induced impairments in male offspring, which could be due in part to agmatine-associated molecular alterations in the VTA. Taken together, our data suggest that prenatal treatment with agmatine exerts protective effect against negative consequences of PS on the development of affective circuits in the offspring.

Administration of agmatine prior to physical or psychological stress in pregnant mice ameliorates behavioural and cognitive deficits in female offspring.

Physical or psychological stress experienced by a mother during gestation is often associated with serious behavioural and cognitive deficits in newborns. Investigations of protective agents, which could prevent the adverse outcomes of prenatal stress (PS), are warranted. Agmatine is a neurotransmitter putatively involved in the physiological response to stress, and exogenous administration of agmatine has been shown to produce a variety of neuroprotective effects. In this study, we aimed to assess whether prenatal agmatine exposure could ameliorate behavioural and cognitive deficits in female offspring born to prenatally stressed mice. Pregnant Swiss Webster (SW) mice were exposed to physical or psychological stress from the 11th to 17th days of gestation. Agmatine (37.5 mg/kg, i.p.) was administrated 30 min before the induction of stress for seven consecutive days. The pups were assessed using a variety of behavioural tests and molecular assays on postnatal days 40 to 47. Agmatine attenuated impairments in locomotor activity, anxiety-like behaviour, and drug-seeking behaviour associated with both physical and psychological PS. Furthermore, agmatine reduced PS-induced impairments in passive avoidance memory and learning. Neither PS nor agmatine treatment affected the mRNA expression level of hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) or tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). Taken together, our findings highlight the protective effects of prenatally administered agmatine on PS-mediated behavioural and cognitive deficits of the offspring. Future studies are needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms, which could allow for more targeted prenatal treatments.

Cannabis during pregnancy: A way to transfer an impairment to later life.

Epidemiological studies examining the influence of cannabis across the lifespan show that exposure to cannabis during gestation or during the perinatal period is associated with later-life mental health issues that manifest during childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. The risk of later-life negative outcomes following early exposure is particularly high in persons who have specific genetic variants, implying that cannabis usage interacts with genetics to heighten mental health risks. Prenatal and perinatal exposure to psychoactive components has been shown in animal research to be associated with long-term effects on neural systems relevant to psychiatric and substance use disorders. The long-term molecular, epigenetic, electrophysiological, and behavioral consequences of prenatal and perinatal exposure to cannabis are discussed in this article. Animal and human studies, as well as in vivo neuroimaging methods, are used to provide insights into the changes induced in the brain by cannabis. Here, based on the literature from both animal models and humans, it can be concluded that prenatal cannabis exposure alters the developmental route of several neuronal regions with correlated functional consequences evidenced as changes in social behavior and executive functions throughout life.

GLP-1 and nicotine combination therapy engages hypothalamic and mesolimbic pathways to reverse obesity.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists promote nicotine avoidance. Here, we show that the crosstalk between GLP-1 and nicotine extends beyond effects on nicotine self-administration and can be exploited pharmacologically to amplify the anti-obesity effects of both signals. Accordingly, combined treatment with nicotine and the GLP-1R agonist, liraglutide, inhibits food intake and increases energy expenditure to lower body weight in obese mice. Co-treatment with nicotine and liraglutide gives rise to neuronal activity in multiple brain regions, and we demonstrate that GLP-1R agonism increases excitability of hypothalamic proopiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons and dopaminergic neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). Further, using a genetically encoded dopamine sensor, we reveal that liraglutide suppresses nicotine-induced dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens in freely behaving mice. These data support the pursuit of GLP-1R-based therapies for nicotine dependence and encourage further evaluation of combined treatment with GLP-1R agonists and nicotinic receptor agonists for weight loss.

Pharmacologic antagonism of CB1 receptors improves electrophysiological alterations in Purkinje cells exposed to 3-AP.

INTRODUCTION: Although ataxia is associated with cerebellar dysfunction, little is known about the effects of 3-AP exposure on Purkinje cell electrophysiological properties. Here, we evaluated these parameters in cerebellar vermis brain slices. METHODS: Purkinje cells were exposed to artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF) (control) or to 1 mM 3-acetylpyridine (3-AP) in the recording chamber. The effects of a cannabinoid agonist (WIN; 7.5 nmol) and a cannabinoid antagonist (AM; 20 nmol) were evaluated under both conditions. RESULTS: Exposure to 3-AP induced dramatic changes in cellular excitability that likely would affect Purkinje cell output. In whole-cell current clamp recordings, 3-AP-exposed Purkinje cells demonstrated a significantly higher frequency of action potentials, a larger afterhyperpolarization (AHP), and a larger rebound of action potentials. In addition, 3-AP caused a significant decrease in the interspike interval (ISI), half-width, and first spike latency. Remarkably, the action potential frequency, AHP amplitude, rebound, ISI, action potential halfwidth, and first spike latency were no longer different from controls in 3-AP cells treated with AM. Sag percentage, on the other hand, showed no significant difference under any treatment condition, indicating that cannabinoids' actions on 3-AP-mediated Purkinje cell changes may not include effects on neuronal excitability through changes of Ih. CONCLUSIONS: These data show that cannabinoid antagonists reduce the excitability of Purkinje cells following exposure to 3-AP and suggest their potential as therapeutics in cerebellar dysfunctions.

Sex differences in the vulnerability of the hippocampus to prenatal stress.

Distressing events during pregnancy that engage activity of the body's endocrine stress response have been linked with later life cognitive deficits in offspring and associated with developmental changes in cognitive-controlling neural regions. Interestingly, prenatal stress (PS)-induced alterations have shown some sex specificity. Here, we review the literature of animal studies examining sex-specific effect of physical PS on the function and structure of the hippocampus as hippocampal impairments likely underlie PS-associated deficits in learning and memory. Furthermore, the connectivity between the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the hippocampus as well as the heavy presence of glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) in the hippocampus suggests this structure plays an important role in modulation of activity within stress circuitry in a sex-specific pattern. We hope that better understanding of sex-specific, PS-related hippocampal impairment will assist in uncovering the molecular mechanisms behind sex-based risk factors in PS populations across development, and perhaps contribute to greater precision in management of cognitive disturbances in this vulnerable population.

Probable role of the hyperpolarization-activated current in the dual effects of CB1R antagonism on behaviors in a Parkinsonism mouse model.

Recent evidence from genetic and pharmacological animal models of Parkinson's disease (PD) suggests alteration in activity of hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channels (HCN) occurs following dopamine (DA) depletion. Further, based on data from our lab and others, the endocannabinoid system (ECBS) appears to be involved in PD-related processes. Therefore, we compared the motor and non-motor effects of an intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of the cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1R) agonist WIN 55,212-2 (WIN) and selective antagonist AM251 (AM) on motor and non-motor symptoms (NMS) of PD in a mouse model generated by an i.c.v. injection of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA). To provide further knowledge about the link between CB1R and the hyperpolarization-activated current (Ih), we conducted ex vivo investigations in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). In the current study, pharmacological antagonism of CB1R ameliorated explorative behaviors, balance, muscle strength, and passive avoidance memory deficits induced by 6-OHDA, however, anxious, and depressive-like behaviors were heightened. AM was also effective in reducing a 6-OHDA-induced TH level deficit. 6-OHDA exposure induced severe alterations in the spontaneous and evoked firing behavior of DA neurons, as evidenced by a significant increase in the mean number of spikes and a decrease in spike half-width, respectively. Interestingly, an increase in the amplitude of the sag voltage and in the amplitude of the steady state Ih current was seen. Consistent with an effect of increasing Ih, WIN exacerbated 6-OHDA-induced actions by further reducing the spike half-width and increasing the firing frequency. In addition, greater amplitudes of sEPSPs were elicited. The effects of 6-OHDA on sag voltage, Ih current amplitude, and firing frequency were reversed by administration of AM. These results suggest that ECBs might be involved in some of the 6-OHDA-induced electrophysiological alterations in VTA DA neurons in this animal model of PD. In addition, the CB1R antagonistic mechanism could be effective in modulating the devastating effects of 6-OHDA.

The apelin/APJ signaling system and cytoprotection: Role of its cross-talk with kappa opioid receptor.

Apelin, a regulatory peptide, is an endogenous ligand of the apelin receptor (APJ), which belongs to the G protein-coupled receptor family. The peptide and its receptor are distributed in animal and human tissues, including the cardiovascular and central nervous systems, and studies indicate that apelin signaling could play a role in cytoprotection of cells where it is found. Apelin activity may be modulated by interactions of the APJ receptor with other receptors that result in heteromerization. The interaction of the APJ with other receptor systems increases the signaling repertoire of apelin, thereby allowing it to exert a widened degree of control over cellular physiological functions. This article reviews studies which provide evidence for the physiological importance of APJ/Kappa opioid receptor (KOR) heterodimers in several critical cellular processes, including cell proliferation, and results are discussed that support a role of this peptide and the APJ receptor in functioning of the cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and central nervous systems under normal conditions and pathology, as well as novel signal transduction characteristics resulting following the interaction of APJ and KOR. A better understanding of the cellular protective actions of apelin, and the physiological outcomes from interaction of its receptor with other receptor types could lead to new pharmaceutical targets for various diseases affecting among other organs, the heart, the gastrointestinal system and the brain.

The neglected role of endocannabinoid actions at TRPC channels in ataxia.

Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels are highly expressed in cells of the cerebellum including in the dendrites and somas of Purkinje cells (PCs). Their endogenous activation promotes influx of Ca2+ and Na+, resulting in depolarization. TRP channels can be activated by endogenous endocannabinoids (eCBs) and activity of TRP channels has been shown to modulate GABA and glutamate transmission. Ataxia is caused by disruption of multiple intracellular pathways which often involve changes in Ca2+ homeostasis that can result in neural cellular dysfunction and cell death. Based on available literature, alteration of transmission of eCBs would be expected to change activity of cerebellar TRP channels. Antagonists of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) including enzymes which break eCBs down have been shown to result in reductions in postsynaptic excitatory activity mediated by TRPC channels. Further, TRPC channel antagonists could modulate both pre and postsynaptically-mediated glutamatergic and GABAergic transmission, resulting in reductions in cell death due to excitotoxicity and dysfunctions caused by abnormal inhibitory signaling. Accordingly, TRP channels, and in particular the TRPC channel, represent a potential therapeutic target for management of ataxia.

The cannabinoid antagonist, AM251 attenuates ataxia related deficiencies in a cerebellar ataxic model.

Aim: Disruption in cerebellar inputs, as well as dysfunction of Purkinje cells (PCs), causes a change in the timing of electrical signaling in the cerebellum resulting in disorders such as cerebellar ataxia. Although much clinical and molecular genetics research has been conducted to understand this disorder, there is no specific treatment for cerebellar ataxia. As cannabinoid type 1 receptors (CB1Rs) are highly expressed in the cerebellum and have been suggested as a therapeutic strategy, we determined whether AM251, a cannabinoid receptor antagonist, was neuroprotective of PCs in a rat cerebellar ataxic model.Materials and methods: To this end, we conducted behavioral and histological tests in the 3-acetylpyridine (3AP) rat cerebellar ataxia model, to explore whether AM251 was protective against induction of ataxia and cell death.Results: Rats with chemical degeneration of the inferior olive induced by 3AP (55 mg/kg, i.p.) clearly showed cerebellar ataxic symptoms. The locomotor activity and motor coordination of the ataxic animals were clearly disrupted compared to the control group. Further, histological analysis showed cell death and PCs degenerated with loss of cell membrane integrity associated with 3AP. Pre-treatment by AM251 improved the locomotor activity of the ataxic animals, and AM251 almost prevented PCs neuronal degeneration.Conclusion: Our data which show protection of cerebellar PCs and motor improvement in the ataxic rat model by treatment with AM251 suggests that targeting cannabinoid receptors should be considered for therapeutic intervention in cerebellar ataxia. HIGHLIGHTS:AM251 was protective against induction of ataxia and cell death.CBR antagonist typically ameliorated 3AP induced Ataxia.AM251 affected explorative and gait disturbances induced by 3AP.CBR antagonist improved impairments of anxiety-like behaviors following 3AP.

Modulation of the CB1 cannabinoid receptor has potential therapeutic utility in the 3-acetylpyridine cerebellar ataxia rat model.

Cerebellar ataxia is a neurodegenerative disorder leading to severe motor incoordination. Recently, it has been suggested that cannabinoids play a role in modulating ataxic symptoms. To understand the possible therapeutic effect of cannabinoids for the management of cerebellar ataxia, we used cannabinoid agonist/antagonists to target the cannabinoid type 1 receptor (CB1R) in the 3 acetyl pyridine (3AP) rat model of ataxia. The role of the CB1R was examined using three different doses of the CB1R agonist, WIN-55,212-2 (WIN; 0.1, 0.5, 1 mg/kg) administrated 30 min prior to 3AP (55 mg/kg, i.p.) which leads to motor impairment through destruction of the inferior olive. In some groups, the CB1R antagonist AM251 (1 mg/kg) was given in combination with WIN. Locomotor activity and motor coordination were impaired by 3AP, and the application of WIN did not ameliorate this effect. However, the abnormal gait, rearing and grooming caused by 3AP were prevented by co-administration of AM251 with WIN. While the addition of the CB1R antagonist improved some ataxic symptoms, there was no effect of AM251 on balance or locomotor activity when co-administrated with WIN. Behavioral testing indicated that not only did WIN fail to exert any protective effect on ataxic symptoms; it exacerbated ataxic symptoms, suggesting that CB1R agonists may not be the ideal therapeutic drug in this disorder. When taken together, the findings from the present study indicate that cannabinoid modulation of ataxia symptoms may not act solely through CB1Rs and other cannabinoid receptors should be considered in future studies.

Sleep-controlling neurons are sensitive and vulnerable to multiple forms of α-synuclein: implications for the early appearance of sleeping disorders in α-synucleinopathies.

Parkinson's disease, Multiple System Atrophy, and Lewy Body Dementia are incurable diseases called α-synucleinopathies as they are mechanistically linked to the protein, α-synuclein (α-syn). α-syn exists in different structural forms which have been linked to clinical disease distinctions. However, sleeping disorders (SDs) are common in the prodromal phase of all three α-synucleinopathies, which suggests that sleep-controlling neurons are affected by multiple forms of α-syn. To determine whether a structure-independent neuronal impact of α-syn exists, we compared and contrasted the cellular effect of three different α-syn forms on neurotransmitter-defined cells of two sleep-controlling nuclei located in the brainstem: the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus and the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus. We utilized size exclusion chromatography, fluorescence spectroscopy, circular dichroism spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy to precisely characterize ​​timepoints in the α-syn aggregation process with three different dominating forms of this protein (monomeric, oligomeric and fibril) and we conducted an in-depth investigation of the underlying neuronal mechanism behind cellular effects of the different forms of the protein using electrophysiology, multiple-cell calcium imaging, single-cell calcium imaging and live-location tracking with fluorescently-tagged α-syn. Interestingly, α-syn altered membrane currents, enhanced firing, increased intracellular calcium and facilitated cell death in a structure-independent manner in sleep-controlling nuclei, and postsynaptic actions involved a G-protein-mediated mechanism. These data are novel as the sleep-controlling nuclei are the first brain regions reported to be affected by α-syn in this structure-independent manner. These regions may represent highly important targets for future neuroprotective therapy to modify or delay disease progression in α-synucleinopathies.

Erythropoietin attenuates locomotor and cognitive impairments in male rats subjected to physical and psychological stress.

Physical and cognitive problems associated with stress are believed to result from stress-related damage to neurons involved in motor and cognitive control. In general, there are two types of stress, physical and psychological which both negatively impact neuronal function. Erythropoietin (EPO) has been shown to exert a neuroprotective effect in various models of physical brain injury; however, its actions on stress-related changes in behavior are unknown. The aim of the current study was to determine whether EPO ameliorated stress-induced locomotor and cognitive impairments, and to compare the effects of EPO on behavioral changes induced by the two different types of stressors. In this study, male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups and placed under physical or psychological stress for 10 consecutive days while erythropoietin was injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) every other day (500 U/kg/i.p.) 30 min before stress induction. Exploratory, anxiety-related behaviors, learning and memory were assessed by using open field, plus maze and Morris Water Maze (MWM) tests respectively. Our data showed physical and psychological stress induced dysfunction in locomotion, reduced explorative skills, heightened anxiety-like behavior and reduced memory, which could be partly reversed by EPO. We conclude that EPO reduces adverse effects of both psychological and physical stress, putatively through protection of locomotor and cognitive-controlling neurons vulnerable to the damaging effects of stress. However, future studies need to elucidate the neural mechanisms of the protective effects of EPO.