Soluble ANPEP Released From Human Astrocytes as a Positive Regulator of Microglial Activation and Neuroinflammation: Brain Renin-Angiotensin System in Astrocyte-Microglia Crosstalk.

Astrocytes are major supportive glia and immune modulators in the brain; they are highly secretory in nature and interact with other cell types via their secreted proteomes. To understand how astrocytes communicate during neuroinflammation, we profiled the secretome of human astrocytes following stimulation with proinflammatory factors. A total of 149 proteins were significantly upregulated in stimulated astrocytes, and a bioinformatics analysis of the astrocyte secretome revealed that the brain renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is an important mechanism of astrocyte communication. We observed that the levels of soluble form of aminopeptidase N (sANPEP), an RAS component that converts angiotensin (Ang) III to Ang IV in a neuroinflammatory milieu, significantly increased in the astrocyte secretome. To elucidate the role of sANPEP and Ang IV in neuroinflammation, we first evaluated the expression of Ang IV receptors in human glial cells because Ang IV mediates biological effects through its receptors. The expression of angiotensin type 1 receptor was considerably upregulated in activated human microglial cells but not in human astrocytes. Moreover, interleukin-1ß release from human microglial cells was synergistically increased by cotreatment with sANPEP and its substrate, Ang III, suggesting the proinflammatory action of Ang IV generated by sANPEP. In a mouse neuroinflammation model, brain microglial activation and proinflammatory cytokine expression levels were increased by intracerebroventricular injection of sANPEP and attenuated by an enzymatic inhibitor and neutralizing antibody against sANPEP. Collectively, our results indicate that astrocytic sANPEP-induced increase in Ang IV exacerbates neuroinflammation by interacting with microglial proinflammatory receptor angiotensin type 1 receptor, highlighting an important role of indirect crosstalk between astrocytes and microglia through the brain RAS in neuroinflammation.

NSMF promotes the replication stress-induced DNA damage response for genome maintenance.

Proper activation of DNA repair pathways in response to DNA replication stress is critical for maintaining genomic integrity. Due to the complex nature of the replication fork (RF), problems at the RF require multiple proteins, some of which remain unidentified, for resolution. In this study, we identified the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor synaptonuclear signaling and neuronal migration factor (NSMF) as a key replication stress response factor that is important for ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related protein (ATR) activation. NSMF localizes rapidly to stalled RFs and acts as a scaffold to modulate replication protein A (RPA) complex formation with cell division cycle 5-like (CDC5L) and ATR/ATR-interacting protein (ATRIP). Depletion of NSMF compromised phosphorylation and ubiquitination of RPA2 and the ATR signaling cascade, resulting in genomic instability at RFs under DNA replication stress. Consistently, NSMF knockout mice exhibited increased genomic instability and hypersensitivity to genotoxic stress. NSMF deficiency in human and mouse cells also caused increased chromosomal instability. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that NSMF regulates the ATR pathway and the replication stress response network for genome maintenance and cell survival.

Comparative Phosphoproteomics of Neuro-2a Cells under Insulin Resistance Reveals New Molecular Signatures of Alzheimer's Disease.

Insulin in the brain is a well-known critical factor in neuro-development and regulation of adult neurogenesis in the hippocampus. The abnormality of brain insulin signaling is associated with the aging process and altered brain plasticity, and could promote neurodegeneration in the late stage of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The precise molecular mechanism of the relationship between insulin resistance and AD remains unclear. The development of phosphoproteomics has advanced our knowledge of phosphorylation-mediated signaling networks and could elucidate the molecular mechanisms of certain pathological conditions. Here, we applied a reliable phosphoproteomic approach to Neuro2a (N2a) cells to identify their molecular features under two different insulin-resistant conditions with clinical relevance: inflammation and dyslipidemia. Despite significant difference in overall phosphoproteome profiles, we found molecular signatures and biological pathways in common between two insulin-resistant conditions. These include the integrin and adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase pathways, and we further verified these molecular targets by subsequent biochemical analysis. Among them, the phosphorylation levels of acetyl-CoA carboxylase and Src were reduced in the brain from rodent AD model 5xFAD mice. This study provides new molecular signatures for insulin resistance in N2a cells and possible links between the molecular features of insulin resistance and AD.

An adiponectin receptor agonist antibody stimulates glucose uptake and fatty-acid oxidation by activating AMP-activated protein kinase.

Adiponectin (Ad) is a representative adipocytokine that regulates energy homeostasis including glucose transport and lipid oxidation through activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathways. Plasma levels of Ad are reduced in obesity, which contributes to type 2 diabetes. Therefore, agents that activate the Ad signaling pathway could ameliorate metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes. Here, we report the identification of a high-affinitive agonist antibody against Ad receptors. The antibody was selected by using phage display of human combinatorial antibody libraries. The selected antibody induced phosphorylation of the acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) and AMPK in skeletal muscle cells and stimulated glucose uptake and fatty-acid oxidation (FAO) in myotubes. In addition, the antibody significantly lowered blood glucose levels during a glucose challenge in normal mice as well as basal blood glucose levels in a type 2 diabetic mouse model. Taken together, these results suggest that the agonist antibody could be a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of metabolic syndrome such as type 2 diabetes.

Secretomics to Discover Regulators in Diseases.

Secretory proteins play important roles in the cross-talk of individual functional units, including cells. Since secretory proteins are essential for signal transduction, they are closely related with disease development, including metabolic and neural diseases. In metabolic diseases, adipokines, myokines, and hepatokines are secreted from respective organs under specific environmental conditions, and play roles in glucose homeostasis, angiogenesis, and inflammation. In neural diseases, astrocytes and microglia cells secrete cytokines and chemokines that play roles in neurotoxic and neuroprotective responses. Mass spectrometry-based secretome profiling is a powerful strategy to identify and characterize secretory proteins. This strategy involves stepwise processes such as the collection of conditioned medium (CM) containing secretome proteins and concentration of the CM, peptide preparation, mass analysis, database search, and filtering of secretory proteins; each step requires certain conditions to obtain reliable results. Proteomic analysis of extracellular vesicles has become a new research focus for understanding the additional extracellular functions of intracellular proteins. Here, we provide a review of the insights obtained from secretome analyses with regard to disease mechanisms, and highlight the future prospects of this technology. Continued research in this field is expected to provide valuable information on cell-to-cell communication and uncover new pathological mechanisms.

DRG2 Deficient Mice Exhibit Impaired Motor Behaviors with Reduced Striatal Dopamine Release.

Developmentally regulated GTP-binding protein 2 (DRG2) was first identified in the central nervous system of mice. However, the physiological function of DRG2 in the brain remains largely unknown. Here, we demonstrated that knocking out DRG2 impairs the function of dopamine neurons in mice. DRG2 was strongly expressed in the neurons of the dopaminergic system such as those in the striatum (Str), ventral tegmental area (VTA), and substantia nigra (SN), and on neuronal cell bodies in high-density regions such as the hippocampus (HIP), cerebellum, and cerebral cortex in the mouse brain. DRG2 knockout (KO) mice displayed defects in motor function in motor coordination and rotarod tests and increased anxiety. However, unexpectedly, DRG2 depletion did not affect the dopamine (DA) neuron population in the SN, Str, or VTA region or dopamine synthesis in the Str region. We further demonstrated that dopamine release was significantly diminished in the Str region of DRG2 KO mice and that treatment of DRG2 KO mice with l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA), a dopamine precursor, rescued the behavioral motor deficiency in DRG2 KO mice as observed with the rotarod test. This is the first report to identify DRG2 as a key regulator of dopamine release from dopamine neurons in the mouse brain.

Effects of cranio-cervical flexion with transcranial direct current stimulation on muscle activity and neck functions in patients with cervicogenic headache.

[Purpose] To present an efficient treatment regimen for patients with cervicogenic headache by comparatively analyzing the neck disability index (NDI) and cervical muscle activity after an exercise intervention. [Participants and Methods] Thirty patients with cervicogenic headache were assigned to the cranio-cervical flexion group (n=15) and cranio-cervical flexion plus transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) group (n=15). Intervention was administered for four weeks, after which the participants' NDI and sternocleidomastoid muscle activity were measured. [Results] The treatment group demonstrated a significantly greater change in NDI after the intervention compared to the control group. The treatment group also showed a significantly greater change in sternocleidomastoid muscle activity than the control group. [Conclusion] Our results show that applying tDCS during cranio-cervical flexion exercise can strengthen the sternocleidomastoid muscle more effectively while improving pain and associated functions in patients with cervicogenic headache. These results would contribute towards developing a more efficient treatment for patients with cervicogenic headache.

Effects of extracorporeal shock wave therapy on upper extremity muscle tone in chronic stroke patients.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) on upper extremity muscle tone in chronic stroke patients. [Subjects and Methods] For this study, 30 stroke patients participated in this study and they were divided into ESWT group and sham-ESWT group, each group consisted of 15 patients. ESWT and sham-ESWT was performed by the patients for two times a week, for eight weeks. MyotonPRO was used to measure muscle tone. [Results] According to the results of the comparisons between the groups, after intervention, upper extremity muscle tone were significantly higher in the ESWT group than in the sham-ESWT group. [Conclusion] This study showed that ESWT is effective for improving decrease of muscle tone in chronic stroke patients.

Proteomic analysis of the palmitate-induced myotube secretome reveals involvement of the annexin A1-formyl peptide receptor 2 (FPR2) pathway in insulin resistance.

Elevated levels of the free fatty acid palmitate are found in the plasma of obese patients and induce insulin resistance. Skeletal muscle secretes myokines as extracellular signaling mediators in response to pathophysiological conditions. Here, we identified and characterized the skeletal muscle secretome in response to palmitate-induced insulin resistance. Using a quantitative proteomic approach, we identified 36 secretory proteins modulated by palmitate-induced insulin resistance. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that palmitate-induced insulin resistance induced cellular stress and modulated secretory events. We found that the decrease in the level of annexin A1, a secretory protein, depended on palmitate, and that annexin A1 and its receptor, formyl peptide receptor 2 agonist, played a protective role in the palmitate-induced insulin resistance of L6 myotubes through PKC-θ modulation. In mice fed with a high-fat diet, treatment with the formyl peptide receptor 2 agonist improved systemic insulin sensitivity. Thus, we identified myokine candidates modulated by palmitate-induced insulin resistance and found that the annexin A1- formyl peptide receptor 2 pathway mediated the insulin resistance of skeletal muscle, as well as systemic insulin sensitivity.

Analysis of mechanical properties of cervical muscles in patients with cervicogenic headache.

[Purpose] This study aimed to compare and analyze the mechanical properties of the upper cervical muscles in patients with cervicogenic headache to identify efficient methods of treatment and diagnosis. [Subjects and Methods] A total of 40 subjects including 20 healthy individuals and 20 patients with cervicogenic headache were selected. A MyotonPRO device was used to measure the tone (Hz), stiffness (N/m), and elasticity (log decrement) of the suboccipital muscles and upper trapezius of the subjects. [Results] There was no significant difference between the 2 groups in the elasticity of the suboccipital muscles and upper trapezius. However, there was a statistically significant difference in tone and stiffness. [Conclusion] This study showed that the tone and stiffness of the suboccipital muscles and upper trapezius in patients with cervicogenic headache had increased compared to healthy subjects.

Effects of cervical stretching and cranio-cervical flexion exercises on cervical muscle characteristics and posture of patients with cervicogenic headache.

[Purpose] The present study aimed to conduct a comparative analysis of changes in mechanical characteristics of cervical muscles and cervical posture in patients with cervicogenic headache following exercise program intervention in order to present effective treatment methods for such patients. [Subjects and Methods] A total of 30 patients with cervicogenic headache were recruited and 15 patients were allocated to cervical stretching exercise group and 15 to cervical stretching exercise and cranio-cervical flexion exercise group. After 3 weeks of exercise intervention, craniovertebral angle and tone (Hz) and stiffness (N/m) of the suboccipital and upper trapezius muscles were measured. [Results] After the exercise program intervention, a greater amount of change in tone of suboccipital and upper trapezius muscles was found in the experimental group, as compared to the control group, but the difference was not statistically significant. Greater amount of change in muscle stiffness and craniovertebral angle was found in the experimental group, as compared to the control group. [Conclusion] Findings of the present study showed that cranio-cervical exercise was an effective form of exercise for changing muscle characteristics and posture in patients with cervicogenic headache. Such findings will be helpful in providing effective treatments for patients with cervicogenic headache.

Reptin regulates pluripotency of embryonic stem cells and somatic cell reprogramming through Oct4-dependent mechanism.

Oct4 has been implicated in regulation of pluripotency in embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and reprogramming of somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem cells. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in Oct4-dependent regulation of pluripotency and reprogramming have not been clear. To gain insight into the mechanism of regulation of Oct4-mediated self-renewal of ESCs and reprogramming of somatic cells, we attempted to identify Oct4-binding proteins using affinity purification and mass spectrometry. We identified Reptin, a key component of ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complexes, as an Oct4-binding protein. Depletion of endogenous Reptin using lentiviral short hairpin RNA (shRNA) led to a decrease in the number and size of alkaline phosphatase-positive colonies of mouse ESCs. In addition, shRNA-mediated silencing of Reptin resulted in decreased expression of pluripotency-specific marker genes, including Oct4, Sox2, Nanog, and SSEA-1. Results of the Oct4 reporter assay showed synergism between Oct4 and Reptin, and depletion of endogenous Reptin abolished Oct4 transcriptional activity. Results of a chromatin immunoprecipitation assay showed the overlapping interaction of Reptin and Oct4 to CR4 in the Oct4 enhancer in ESCs. Knockdown of Reptin using shRNA suppressed the reprogramming of mouse embryonic fibroblasts to induced pluripotent stem cells, whereas overexpression of Reptin resulted in enhanced efficiency of induced pluripotent stem cell generation. These results strongly suggest that Reptin plays a key role in maintaining the pluripotency of ESCs and in establishing the pluripotency during reprogramming of somatic cells by regulation of Oct4-mediated gene regulation.

Endothelial deletion of phospholipase D2 reduces hypoxic response and pathological angiogenesis.

OBJECTIVE: Aberrant regulation of the proliferation, survival, and migration of endothelial cells (ECs) is closely related to the abnormal angiogenesis that occurs in hypoxia-induced pathological situations, such as cancer and vascular retinopathy. Hypoxic conditions and the subsequent upregulation of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α and target genes are important for the angiogenic functions of ECs. Phospholipase D2 (PLD2) is a crucial signaling mediator that stimulates the production of the second messenger phosphatidic acid. PLD2 is involved in various cellular functions; however, its specific roles in ECs under hypoxia and in vivo angiogenesis remain unclear. In the present study, we investigated the potential roles of PLD2 in ECs under hypoxia and in hypoxia-induced pathological angiogenesis in vivo. APPROACH AND RESULTS: Pld2 knockout ECs exhibited decreased hypoxia-induced cellular responses in survival, migration, and thus vessel sprouting. Analysis of hypoxia-induced gene expression revealed that PLD2 deficiency disrupted the upregulation of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α target genes, including VEGF, PFKFB3, HMOX-1, and NTRK2. Consistent with this, PLD2 contributed to hypoxia-induced hypoxia-inducible factor-1α expression at the translational level. The roles of PLD2 in hypoxia-induced in vivo pathological angiogenesis were assessed using oxygen-induced retinopathy and tumor implantation models in endothelial-specific Pld2 knockout mice. Pld2 endothelial-specific knockout retinae showed decreased neovascular tuft formation, despite a larger avascular region. Tumor growth and tumor blood vessel formation were also reduced in Pld2 endothelial-specific knockout mice. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate a novel role for endothelial PLD2 in the survival and migration of ECs under hypoxia via the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α and in pathological retinal angiogenesis and tumor angiogenesis in vivo.

Proteomic analysis of hypoxia-induced U373MG glioma secretome reveals novel hypoxia-dependent migration factors.

High-grade gliomas are one of the most common brain tumors and notorious for poor prognosis due to their malignant nature. Gliomas have an extensive area of hypoxia, which is critical for glioma progression by inducing aggressiveness and activating the angiogenesis process in the tumor microenvironment. To resolve the factors responsible for the highly malignant nature of gliomas, we comprehensively profiled the U373MG glioma cell secretome-exosome and soluble fraction under hypoxic and normoxic conditions. A total of 239 proteins were identified from the exosome and soluble fractions. Vascular endothelial growth factor, stanniocalcin 1 (STC1) and stanniocalcin 2, and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 and 6, enriched in the soluble fraction, and lysyl oxidase homolog 2 enriched in the exosomal fraction were identified as upregulated proteins by hypoxia based on a label-free quantitative analysis. STCs and insulin-like growth factor binding proteins, which were identified as secretory proteins under hypoxic conditions, were highly correlated with glioma grade in human patients by microarray analysis. An in vitro scratch wound assay revealed that STC1 and 2 have important functions in the induction of cell migration in a hypoxia-dependent manner, suggesting that they are hypoxia-dependent migration factors.

CXCL12 secreted from adipose tissue recruits macrophages and induces insulin resistance in mice.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Obesity-induced inflammation is initiated by the recruitment of macrophages into adipose tissue. The recruited macrophages, called adipose tissue macrophages, secrete several proinflammatory cytokines that cause low-grade systemic inflammation and insulin resistance. The aim of this study was to find macrophage-recruiting factors that are thought to provide a crucial connection between obesity and insulin resistance. METHODS: We used chemotaxis assay, reverse phase HPLC and tandem MS analysis to find chemotactic factors from adipocytes. The expression of chemokines and macrophage markers was evaluated by quantitative RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry and FACS analysis. RESULTS: We report our finding that the chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 12 (CXCL12, also known as stromal cell-derived factor 1), identified from 3T3-L1 adipocyte conditioned medium, induces monocyte migration via its receptor chemokine (C-X-C motif) receptor 4 (CXCR4). Diet-induced obese mice demonstrated a robust increase of CXCL12 expression in white adipose tissue (WAT). Treatment of obese mice with a CXCR4 antagonist reduced macrophage accumulation and production of proinflammatory cytokines in WAT, and improved systemic insulin sensitivity. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: In this study we found that CXCL12 is an adipocyte-derived chemotactic factor that recruits macrophages, and that it is a required factor for the establishment of obesity-induced adipose tissue inflammation and systemic insulin resistance.

Emodin regulates glucose utilization by activating AMP-activated protein kinase.

AMP-activated protein kinase has been described as a key signaling protein that can regulate energy homeostasis. Here, we aimed to characterize novel AMP-activated kinase (AMPK)-activating compounds that have a much lower effective concentration than metformin. As a result, emodin, a natural anthraquinone derivative, was shown to stimulate AMPK activity in skeletal muscle and liver cells. Emodin enhanced GLUT4 translocation and [(14)C]glucose uptake into the myotube in an AMPK-dependent manner. Also, emodin inhibited glucose production by suppressing the expression of key gluconeogenic genes, such as phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and glucose-6-phosphatase, in hepatocytes. Furthermore, we found that emodin can activate AMPK by inhibiting mitochondrial respiratory complex I activity, leading to increased reactive oxygen species and Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase activity. Finally, we confirmed that a single dose administration of emodin significantly decreased the fasting plasma glucose levels and improved glucose tolerance in C57Bl/6J mice. Increased insulin sensitivity was also confirmed after daily injection of emodin for 8 days using an insulin tolerance test and insulin-stimulated PI3K phosphorylation in wild type and high fat diet-induced diabetic mouse models. Our study suggests that emodin regulates glucose homeostasis in vivo by AMPK activation and that this may represent a novel therapeutic principle in the treatment of type 2 diabetic models.

Integrative approach of omics and imaging data to discover new insights for understanding brain diseases.

Treatments that can completely resolve brain diseases have yet to be discovered. Omics is a novel technology that allows researchers to understand the molecular pathways underlying brain diseases. Multiple omics, including genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics, and brain imaging technologies, such as MRI, PET and EEG, have contributed to brain disease-related therapeutic target detection. However, new treatment discovery remains challenging. We focused on establishing brain multi-molecular maps using an integrative approach of omics and imaging to provide insights into brain disease diagnosis and treatment. This approach requires precise data collection using omics and imaging technologies, data processing and normalization. Incorporating a brain molecular map with the advanced technologies through artificial intelligence will help establish a system for brain disease diagnosis and treatment through regulation at the molecular level.

Anatomical topology of extrahippocampal projections from dorsoventral CA pyramidal neurons in mice.

The hippocampus primarily functions through a canonical trisynaptic circuit, comprised of dentate granule cells and CA1-CA3 pyramidal neurons (PNs), which exhibit significant heterogeneity along the dorsoventral axis. Among these, CA PNs are known to project beyond the hippocampus into various limbic areas, critically influencing cognitive and affective behaviors. Despite accumulating evidence of these extrahippocampal projections, the specific topological patterns-particularly variations among CA PN types and between their dorsal and ventral subpopulations within each type-remain to be fully elucidated. In this study, we utilized cell type-specific Cre mice injected with fluorescent protein-expressing AAVs to label each CA PN type distinctly. This method further enabled the dual-fluorescence labeling of dorsal and ventral subpopulations using EGFP and tdTomato, respectively, allowing a comprehensive comparison of their axonal projections in an animal. Our findings demonstrate that CA1 PNs predominantly form unilateral projections to the frontal cortex (PFC), amygdala (Amy), nucleus accumbens (NAc), and lateral septum (LS), unlike CA2 and CA3 PNs making bilateral innervation to the LS only. Moreover, the innervation patterns especially within LS subfields differ according to the CA PN type and their location along the dorsoventral axis of the hippocampus. This detailed topographical mapping provides the neuroanatomical basis of the underlying functional distinctions among CA PN types.

Paradigm shift required for translational research on the brain.

Biomedical research on the brain has led to many discoveries and developments, such as understanding human consciousness and the mind and overcoming brain diseases. However, historical biomedical research on the brain has unique characteristics that differ from those of conventional biomedical research. For example, there are different scientific interpretations due to the high complexity of the brain and insufficient intercommunication between researchers of different disciplines owing to the limited conceptual and technical overlap of distinct backgrounds. Therefore, the development of biomedical research on the brain has been slower than that in other areas. Brain biomedical research has recently undergone a paradigm shift, and conducting patient-centered, large-scale brain biomedical research has become possible using emerging high-throughput analysis tools. Neuroimaging, multiomics, and artificial intelligence technology are the main drivers of this new approach, foreshadowing dramatic advances in translational research. In addition, emerging interdisciplinary cooperative studies provide insights into how unresolved questions in biomedicine can be addressed. This review presents the in-depth aspects of conventional biomedical research and discusses the future of biomedical research on the brain.

Retinoic acid modulation of granule cell activity and spatial discrimination in the adult hippocampus.

Retinoic acid (RA), derived from vitamin A (retinol), plays a crucial role in modulating neuroplasticity within the adult brain. Perturbations in RA signaling have been associated with memory impairments, underscoring the necessity to elucidate RA's influence on neuronal activity, particularly within the hippocampus. In this study, we investigated the cell type and sub-regional distribution of RA-responsive granule cells (GCs) in the mouse hippocampus and delineated their properties. We discovered that RA-responsive GCs tend to exhibit a muted response to environmental novelty, typically remaining inactive. Interestingly, chronic dietary depletion of RA leads to an abnormal increase in GC activation evoked by a novel environment, an effect that is replicated by the localized application of an RA receptor beta (RARß) antagonist. Furthermore, our study shows that prolonged RA deficiency impairs spatial discrimination-a cognitive function reliant on the hippocampus-with such impairments being reversible with RA replenishment. In summary, our findings significantly contribute to a better understanding of RA's role in regulating adult hippocampal neuroplasticity and cognitive functions.