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The activation of the P2X7 receptor as an ATP-gated ion channel,triggers the release of pro-inflammato-ry cytokines in tumor carring individuals and stimulate excitation of injury-causing neurons,thereby exacerbating the transmission of pain.In preclinical cancer pain models,it has the potential to serve as a new therapeutic target for cancer pain management.
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BACKGROUND:After peripheral facial nerve injury,glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor(GDNF)can play a protective role in facial neurons.It has been found that GDNF can regulate the level of autophagy through mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR),but it is unclear whether it can regulate facial neurons through the adenylate-activated protein kinase/Unc-51-like kinase 1(AMPK/ULK1)signaling pathway after facial nerve injury. OBJECTIVE:To establish a facial nerve injury model in Sprague-Dawley rats and explore the role of autophagy in facial nerve regeneration and the mechanism by which the GDNF/AMPK/ULK1 signaling pathway promotes facial nerve repair after injury. METHODS:Seventy-two Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham group,model group and autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine(3-MA)group,with 24 rats in each group.Only the main trunk of the facial nerve was exposed in the sham group,while the remaining two groups were modeled for the compression injury of the facial nerve trunk.After successful modeling,the model group was given intraperitoneal injection of normal saline(15 mg/kg),and the 3-MA group was given intraperitoneal injection of 3-MA(15 mg/kg),both once daily for 7 days.The rats in each group were scored on the Simone 10-point behavioral scale at 1,4,7,14,21 and 28 days after surgery.Nissl staining was performed to observe the morphology and number of facial neuron cells at 7,14,21,and 28 days.The expression levels of p-AMPK,p-ULK1,Beclin1 and GDNF in the facial neuron tissues of rats were detected by western blot assay. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Behavioral scoring showed that the improvement of facial paralysis symptoms in the 3-MA group was worse and later than that in the model group(P<0.05).Nissl staining showed that the morphology and number of Nissl bodies in facial neurons in the 3-MA group recovered poorly and the number was less than that in the model group(P<0.05).Western blot detection results showed that the expression of p-AMPK and Beclin1 in the model group was higher than that in the 3-MA group and the sham group(P<0.05).The protein expression of p-ULK1 in the model group was lower than that in the 3-MA group and the sham group(P<0.05).To conclude,autophagy inhibitor delays nerve repair after facial nerve injury,which may be related to down-regulation of GDNF expression,inactivation of AMPK,and phosphorylation of ULK1,thereby inhibiting neuronal autophagy levels.
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Contactin-1(CNTN1)is a neural cell adhesion molecule belonging to the subgroup of immunoglobulin superfamily.It is anchored on the cell surface through glycosyl phosphatidyl inositol-anchored neural membrane proteins and participates in axon guidance,synapse formation,growth and development of nervous systems,and occurrence of related disea-ses.In addition,CNTN1 can promote inflammatory response and signal communication between microglia and astrocytes through various mechanisms,playing a role in the pathological processes of various neurological and psychiatric disorders.This article discusses the role of CNTN1 in depression and cognitive dysfunction.
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Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of vision loss worldwide. More and more studies have suggested that glaucoma is a complicated retinal neurovascular disease. The homeostasis imbalance of retinal neurovascular unit(RNVU)composed of neurons, glial cells and microvascular cells not only induces changes in microvascular structure and glial cells, but also affects the nerve tissue of the retina, resulting in vision loss, which there is no effective treatment to reverse, currently. Exploring the cellular composition and molecular structure of RNVU and investigating the destruction mechanism of normal cellular environment and intercellular connections in glaucoma are of great significance in exploring the pathogenesis and the treatment of glaucoma. The research progress on structural changes and dysfunction of RNVU in glaucoma are reviewed, hoping to provide new ideas for the treatment of glaucoma.
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ObjectiveTo investigate the expression of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor （GDNF） and androgen receptor （AR） in testicular peritubular cells （TPCs） of cryptorchidism mouse models and explore the theoretical significance of cryptorchidism-induced spermatogenesis dysfunction. MethodsA total of 30 five-week-old male ICR rats were divided randomly by using random number table method into 6 groups. Cryptorchidism was surgically induced in 3 randomly selected groups and the other 3 groups underwent sham surgery as the control groups. On days 4， 7 and 14 after surgery， we harvested the mice testes of the 3 groups and their corresponding control groups， then measured the testicular volumes， analyzed the testicular histopathology and detected the mRNA and protein expression levels of AR and GDNF in TPCs by immunofluorescence， real-time PCR and Western blot. ResultsIn normal control groups， on days 4， 7 and 14 after surgery， the testicular volumes were （125.58±19.22） mm3，（123.45±20.12） mm3， （140.09±13.62） mm3 ， respectively. Clear layers of spermatogenic cells were well arranged and abundant sperm cells were found. Peritubular cells were morphologically homogeneous， with slim-spindle appearance and normal cell thickness. The mRNA expression levels of AR were 1.00±0.05， 1.06±0.07 and 1.19±0.13； GDNF mRNA 1.00±0.04， 1.09±0.05， and 1.10±0.07. The protein expression levels of AR were 1.01±0.01， 0.79±0.02 and 1.01±0.04； GDNF protein （18.68±0.43） pg/mL， （14.39±0.36） pg/mL and （16.88±0.37） pg/mL. In cryptorchidism groups， on days 4， 7 and 14 after surgery， the testicular volumes were （115.64±3.91） mm3， （69.51±14.97） mm3 and （44.86±5.56） mm3， respectively. Spermatogenic cells were disorganized， seminiferous tubules were disrupted， peritubular cells shrank， bent and fractured. The mRNA expression levels of AR were 0.76±0.06， 0.53±0.04， and 0.29±0.02； GDNF mRNA 0.72±0.05， 0.42±0.02 and 0.30±0.03. The protein expression levels of AR were 0.54±0.02， 0.98±0.04 and 0.31±0.01； GDNF protein （8.50±0.34） pg/mL， （17.44±0.32） pg/mL and （6.83±0.34） pg/mL. Statistically significant differences （P < 0.05） were found in 7-day and 14-day testicular volumes between control and cryptorchidism groups but not in the 4-day testicular volume （P > 0.05）. Testicular volumes， AR and GDNF mRNA and protein expression in control groups had no statistically significant difference （P > 0.05）， while those in cryptorchidism groups showed a trend of gradual decline in the amount and the differences between groups were statistically significant （P < 0.05）. ConclusionsIn surgery-induced cryptorchidism mice， after the induction， the expression of AR and GDNF in TPCs showed a gradual decrease over time. AR and GDNF play a major role in mediating the TPCs damage in cryptorchidism. This study provides a theoretical basis for mechanism researches of cryptorchidism-induced spermatogenesis dysfunction.
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OBJECTIVE@#To explore the mechanism of electroacupuncture (EA) in promoting recovery of the facial function with the involvement of autophagy, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway.@*METHODS@#Seventy-two male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allocated into the control, sham-operated, facial nerve injury (FNI), EA, EA+3-methyladenine (3-MA), and EA+GDNF antagonist groups using a random number table, with 12 rats in each group. An FNI rat model was established with facial nerve crushing method. EA intervention was conducted at Dicang (ST 4), Jiache (ST 6), Yifeng (SJ 17), and Hegu (LI 4) acupoints for 2 weeks. The Simone's 10-Point Scale was utilized to monitor the recovery of facial function. The histopathological evaluation of facial nerves was performed using hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. The levels of Beclin-1, light chain 3 (LC3), and P62 were detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC), immunofluorescence, and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, respectively. Additionally, IHC was also used to detect the levels of GDNF, Rai, PI3K, and mTOR.@*RESULTS@#The facial functional scores were significantly increased in the EA group than the FNI group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). HE staining showed nerve axons and myelin sheaths, which were destroyed immediately after the injury, were recovered with EA treatment. The expressions of Beclin-1 and LC3 were significantly elevated and the expression of P62 was markedly reduced in FNI rats (P<0.01); however, EA treatment reversed these abnormal changes (P<0.01). Meanwhile, EA stimulation significantly increased the levels of GDNF, Rai, PI3K, and mTOR (P<0.01). After exogenous administration with autophagy inhibitor 3-MA or GDNF antagonist, the repair effect of EA on facial function was attenuated (P<0.05 or P<0.01).@*CONCLUSIONS@#EA could promote the recovery of facial function and repair the facial nerve damages in a rat model of FNI. EA may exert this neuroreparative effect through mediating the release of GDNF, activating the PI3K/mTOR signaling pathway, and further regulating the autophagy of facial nerves.
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Rats , Male , Animals , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Electroacupuncture , Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase/metabolism , Facial Nerve Injuries/therapy , Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism , Beclin-1 , Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor , Signal Transduction , TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases/metabolism , Autophagy , Mammals/metabolismABSTRACT
Objective:To explore the effect of Baduanjin on gait parameters and serum nerve growth factor in Parkinson disease (PD) patients with freezing of gait(FOG).Methods:From December 2021 to December 2022, thirty-eight PD patients with FOG who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were randomly divided into observation group ( n=18) and control group ( n=20) by random number table.The patients in both two groups received 4 weeks of drug therapy combined with basic rehabilitation treatment respectively, and the patients in observation group received additional Baduanjin training.Efficacy was evaluated 1 day before intervention and after 4 weeks of intervention through unified Parkinson's disease rating scale-Ⅱ(UPDRS-Ⅱ) item 14, freezing of gait questionnaire (FOGQ), gait starting time, gait cycle, stride length, dynamic plantar peak pressure and average pressure, while the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor(GDNF) in peripheral blood of patients were tested.SPSS 23.0 software was used to conduct Chi-square test, paired t-test, independent sample t-test and Mann-Whitney U test. Results:Before treatment, there were no significant differences in score of UPDRS-Ⅱ item 14, FOGQ score, gait starting time, gait cycle, stride length, dynamic planar peak pressure, average pressure, peripheral blood BDNF level and GDNF level between the two groups ( t=-0.542, 0.562, 0.490, 0.674, 0.440, 0.606, -0.835, -0.873, -0.250, all P>0.05). After treatment, compared with the control group, dynamic plantar peak pressure (control group (14.26±3.23) N/cm 2, observation group (11.40±4.13) N/cm 2, t=-2.389, P=0.022) and plantar average pressure (control group (3.34±0.72) N/cm 2, observation group (2.79±0.81) N/cm 2, t=-2.209, P=0.034) of the observation group were significantly decreased (both P<0.05). There were no significant differences in UPDRS-Ⅱ item 14, FOGQ score, gait starting time, gait cycle, stride length, BDNF and GDNF concentrations in peripheral blood between the two groups after treatment (all P>0.05). The difference between pre-treatment and post-treatment of FOGQ score (control group 1.00 (0.00, 1.00) , observation group 2.00 (0.75, 3.00), Z=-2.547, P=0.011), gait starting time (control group -1.04 (-1.86, -0.47)s, observation group -2.34 (-3.41, -1.03) s, Z=-2.280, P=0.023), gait cycle (control group 0.29 (0.08, 0.58)s, observation group 0.35 (0.16, 1.00) s, Z=-2.748, P=0.006), stride length(control group 0.19 (0.14, 0.24) m, observation group 0.26 (0.23, 0.38)m, Z=-1.360, P=0.005), the dynamic plantar peak pressure (control group -4.11 (-5.87, -2.57) N/cm 2, observation group -8.44 (-10.12, -4.81) N/cm 2, Z=-3.333, P=0.001) and average pressure (control group -0.55 (-1.00, -0.03) N/cm 2, observation group -1.11 (-1.51, -0.66) N/cm 2, Z=-2.062, P=0.009) in the observation group were better than those in the control group.After treatment, the BDNF level in peripheral blood in observation group was higher than before treatment( t=-2.315, P=0.033). Conclusion:Baduanjin can improve frozen gait score and gait parameters in PD patients with FOG, which may be related to the increase of peripheral blood BDNF.
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@#Introduction: Astrocytes are responsible for many essential functions of neurons in CNS. It has been recognised that chronic stress affects the morphology of astrocyte. Natural antioxidant such as honey has been used as one of the therapeutic strategies to lessen the damaging effect of chronic stress on our body. Therefore, the aim of the study is to explore the effect of natural antioxidant, Tualang honey (TH) on the morphology of astrocytes following chronic stress exposure. Methods: Thirty-two male rats were randomly divided into the 4 groups: (i) control, (ii) stress, (iii) honey, (iv) stress plus honey groups.TH was administered via oral gavage at dose of 1.0 g/kg body weight pre and post experiment. Chronic stress was exposed to animals in group (ii) and (iv) for consecutive 21 days. Anti GFAP immunohistochemistry method was employed to label astrocytes in the medial prefrontal cortex. The number of GFAP+ astrocytes and several parameters related to astrocyte processes were measured. Results: The present study showed that chronic stress reduced the GFAP immunoreactive astrocyte number and percentage of GFAP immunoreactive material. Chronic stress also caused a reduction in astrocyte process ramification as indicated by a reduction in astrocyte total number of processes, average length of processes and maximum number of intersections. However, antioxidant treatment using TH could not reverse these stress-induced changes to the astrocytes. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that chronic stress decreases the number of GFAP immunoreactive astrocyte and cause shrinking of astrocyte processes in stress-sensitive brain region, but these changes cannot be reversed by antioxidant treatment.
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ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of Mingjing granules （MJKL） on the fibrovascular membrane of experimental wet age-related macular degeneration （nAMD） based on macrophages and glial cells and further explain the mechanism of MJKL in the treatment of nAMD. MethodThe experimental nAMD fibrovascular membrane model was established by two-stage laser photocoagulation. BN rats were randomly divided into three groups： model group， anti-vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF） group， and MJKL + anti-VEGF group. The model group was given distilled water for intragastric administration. Anti-VEGF group was injected with leizumab injection in the vitreous cavity. MJKL + anti-VEGF group was injected with leizumab injection in the vitreous cavity， and MJKL was intragastrically administered. Ten normal BN rats were not modeled and fed as controls. After 40 days of model making， fundus lesion morphology， lesion exudation area， and MD value were observed by fundus photography （FP）， fundus angiography （FFA）， optical coherence tomography （OCT）， and retinal pigment epithelium （RPE）-choroid-sclera film. The changes in retinal structure were observed by histopathology， and the expression and distribution of F4/80， Iba-1， and GFAP were detected by immunofluorescence. The relative expression levels of F4/80， Iba-1， and GFAP mRNA were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）. ResultThe fibrovascular membrane model was established 40d after two-stage laser modeling. The lesion exudation area， MD value， lesion height， and lesion area in the anti-VEGF group were significantly lower than those in the model group （P<0.05）， and the retinal structural damage degree was significantly improved. Compared with the anti-VEGF group， the MJKL + anti-VEGF group significantly decreased the MD value， lesion height， and lesion area （P<0.05）， and lesion area and retinal structural damage degree were significantly improved. The fluorescence intensity of F4/80 and Iba-1 in the model group was significantly higher than that in the normal group （P<0.05）， and that in the anti-VEGF group was significantly lower than that in the model group （P<0.05）. The fluorescence intensity in the MJKL + anti-VEGF group was significantly lower than that in the anti-VEGF group （P<0.05）. The fluorescence intensity of GFAP in the model group was significantly higher than that in the normal group （P<0.05）， and that in the anti-VEGF group was significantly lower than that in the model group （P<0.05）. The relative expression levels of F4/80， Iba-1， and GFAP mRNA in the model group were significantly increased compared with the normal group （P<0.05）， and the anti-VEGF group was significantly decreased compared with the model group （P<0.05）. The relative expression levels of F4/80， Iba-1， and GFAP mRNA in the MJKL + anti-VEGF group were significantly decreased compared with those in the anti-VEGF group （P<0.05）. ConclusionMJKL combined with anti-VEGF drugs can inhibit the growth of experimental nAMD fibrovascular membrane better than anti-VEGF drugs alone， and the mechanism may be related to inhibiting the participation of macrophages and glial cells in the formation of fibrovascular membrane.
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Heterozygous loss-of-function variants of FOXP4 are associated with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) that exhibit delayed speech development, intellectual disability, and congenital abnormalities. The etiology of NDDs is unclear. Here we found that FOXP4 and N-cadherin are expressed in the nuclei and apical end-feet of radial glial cells (RGCs), respectively, in the mouse neocortex during early gestation. Knockdown or dominant-negative inhibition of Foxp4 abolishes the apical condensation of N-cadherin in RGCs and the integrity of neuroepithelium in the ventricular zone (VZ). Inhibition of Foxp4 leads to impeded radial migration of cortical neurons and ectopic neurogenesis from the proliferating VZ. The ectopic differentiation and deficient migration disappear when N-cadherin is over-expressed in RGCs. The data indicate that Foxp4 is essential for N-cadherin-based adherens junctions, the loss of which leads to periventricular heterotopias. We hypothesize that FOXP4 variant-associated NDDs may be caused by disruption of the adherens junctions and malformation of the cerebral cortex.
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Mice , Animals , Ependymoglial Cells/physiology , Cadherins , Neurons/metabolism , Cerebral Cortex/metabolism , Cell Differentiation , Cell MovementABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate the relationship between serum glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) levels and neuroimaging changes and cognitive impairment in patients with cerebral small vascular disease (CSVD).Methods:135 patients with CSVD recruited from the Department of Neurology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University from September 2021 to July 2022 were assessed by cranial multimodal magnetic resonance imaging and Montreal cognitive function assessment (MoCA), and the basic data were analyzed at the same time.The serum GDNF concentration of all patients was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). According to the median GDNF concentration, the patients were divided into low GDNF group and high GDNF group. The baseline data, MoCA score and imaging markers of the two groups were compared by Mann-Whitney U test, chi-square test, logistic regression, Kruskal-Wallis H test and Jonckheere-Terpstra trend test, and the correlation between serum GDNF level and imaging markers and cognitive function of patients with CSVD was analyzed. Results:The median serum GDNF concentration of all CSVD patients was 16.66 pg/mL. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that low serum GDNF level was a risk factor for white matter hyperintensity and total image load in patients with CSVD. Serum GDNF level was a protective factor of cognitive impairment in patients with CSVD in multiple logistic regression analysis. The area under the curve of ROC curve analysis of cognitive impairment after CSVD predicted by serum GDNF level was 0.735, the sensitivity was 66.4%, and the specificity was 71.4%. The level of serum GDNF was positively related with visual space and executive function, attention and computational power, delayed recall and orientation( r=0.267, 0.187, 0.219, 0.215, all P<0.05). Conclusion:The serum GDNF level is related to white matter hyperintensities, total imaging load and cognitive impairment in patients with CSVD. Serum GDNF level may play a predictive role in CSVD and cognitive impairment.
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Human cortical radial glial cells are primary neural stem cells that give rise to cortical glutaminergic projection pyramidal neurons, glial cells (oligodendrocytes and astrocytes) and olfactory bulb GABAergic interneurons. One of prominent features of the human cortex is enriched with glial cells, but there are major gaps in understanding how these glial cells are generated. Herein, by integrating analysis of published human cortical single-cell RNA-Seq datasets with our immunohistochemistical analyses, we show that around gestational week 18, EGFR-expressing human cortical truncated radial glial cells (tRGs) give rise to basal multipotent intermediate progenitors (bMIPCs) that express EGFR, ASCL1, OLIG2 and OLIG1. These bMIPCs undergo several rounds of mitosis and generate cortical oligodendrocytes, astrocytes and olfactory bulb interneurons. We also characterized molecular features of the cortical tRG. Integration of our findings suggests a general picture of the lineage progression of cortical radial glial cells, a fundamental process of the developing human cerebral cortex.
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Humans , Astrocytes , Cell Differentiation , Cerebral Cortex , Neuroglia , OligodendrogliaABSTRACT
The majority of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) are sporadic, and less than 10% of cases are hereditary or part of familial syndromes. Glial cell missing 2 (GCM2) was confirmed to be a new pathogenic gene of PHPT in 2016. At present, four GCM2 mutations have been confirmed to have certain correlations with familial or sporadic PHPT. The purpose of this review is to summarize the pathogenesis and clinical features of GCM2 mutation related primary hyperparathyroidism.
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Objective:To explore the perivascular activation of reactive pericytes after status epilepticus(SE), and the relationship between pericytes and glial cells in proliferation and function.Methods:Eighty rats were randomly divided into control group( n=16) and model group( n=64, 16 for each group in SE1d, SE3d, SE7d, SE28d). The SE model was induced by intraperitoneal injection of lithium chloride and pilocarpine, and hematoxylin-eosin staining was performed on brain tissue sections to observe basic pathological changes.Use immunohistochemistry and Western blot to detect(neuron-glial antigen 2, NG2) expression, and use immunofluorescence technology to double stain NG2 and(glial fibrillary acidic protein, GFAP) to observe their relationship. Results:In the model group, the neurons were arranged disorderly, losing the ribbon structure, and the neurons appeared degeneration and necrosis.It was observed that the nuclei of the neurons were blurred, and the cytoplasm was agglomerated.There were more glial cells proliferation.Compared with the control group, it was found in model group that NG2 showed a dynamic high expression after SE( P<0.05). The number of pericytes increased significantly, reaching a peak at 7d, and the results of Western blot were consistent with the results of histochemistry( P<0.05). The aggregation of glial cells were induced in the surrounding area, and pericytes participated in the signal transduction of glial cells. Conclusion:Pericytes can induce the aggregation of glial cells and participate in the repairment in the form of glial scars after SE brain injury.
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Objective:To investigate the effects of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12 on hippocampal neuroinflammation and cognitive function of mice after whole brain radiotherapy. Methods:A total of sixty male C57BL/6J mice aged 7-8 weeks were randomly divided into 5 groups with 12 mice in each group: control group (Con group), probiotic group (BB-12 group), irradiation group (IR group), irradiation and Memantine group (IR+ Memantine group), irradiation and probiotic group (IR+ BB-12 group). The model of radiation-induced brain injury of mice was established by 10 Gy whole brain radiotherapy with a medical linear accelerator. Y-maze test was used to evaluate the cognitive function. The activation of microglia and astrocytes was observed by immunofluorescence staining. The expressions of inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were detected by quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (QRT-PCR) and Western blot.Results:Y-maze test showed that, compared with Con group, the percentage of the times of reaching the novel arm in the total times of the three arms decreased significantly in the IR group ( t=5.04, P<0.05). BB-12 mitigated radiation-induced cognitive dysfunction ( t=4.72, P<0.05). Compared with Con group, the number ( t=3.05, 7.18, P<0.05) and circularity index ( t=6.23, 2.52, P<0.05) of Iba1 and GFAP positive cells were increased, the microglia and astrocytes were activated in the hippocampus of IR group, but these alterations were eliminated by BB-12. After whole brain IR, the mRNA and protein expression levels of inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in the hippocampus of mice were significantly increased compared with Con group ( tmRNA =4.10, 3.04, 4.18, P<0.05; tprotein=11.49, 7.04, 8.42, P<0.05), which were also significantly reduced by BB-12 compared with IR group ( tmRNA=4.20, 3.40, 2.84, P<0.05; tprotein=6.36, 4.03, 3.75, P<0.05). Conclusions:Bifidobacterium animalis BB-12 can suppress neuroinflammation mediated by microglia and astrocytes in the hippocampus of mice after radiotherapy and alleviates IR-induced cognitive dysfunction. Therefore, BB-12 has potential application in alleviating radiation induced brain injury.
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Objective @#To explore the mechanism of motor symptoms in Parkinson' s disease ( PD) aggravated by decreased glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor ( GDNF) in striatum．@*Methods @#Male C57 / BL mouse (6 －8 weeks) ，were administered of PBS，AAV-GDNF or AAV-shGDNF in striatum by brain stereoscopic injection，com- binated with sub-acute PD model ，1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1，2，3，6-tetrahydropyridine ( MPTP) 30 mg / ( kg · d) was administered through intraperitoneal injection for five consecutive days ; subsequently，mice were randomly divided into PBS group，negative control ( NC) group，AAV-shGDNF group ，MPTP group ，MPTP + AAV-GDNF group， MPTP + AAV-shGDNF group．Behavior tests (rotarod，pole and field) were applied for assessing the motor ability of mice ; ELISA kit was used to detect striatal glutamic acid ( Glu) content ; Western blot and other techniques were carried out to detect the expression and distribution of GLAST，GLT-1 and GluN2B in striatum ; TUNEL stainingwas applied for observing the apoptosis of neurons in striatum. @*Results @#Compared with the NC group，the mice of the AAV-shGDNF group，with down-regulation of GDNF in striatum，had poor motor ability，decreased Glu trans- porter ( GLAST and GLT-1) ，and increased Glu content． Compared with the PBS group，the mice of the MPTP group had increased Glu content and decreased GluN2B in striatum．Compared with the MPTP group，the mice of the MPTP + AAV-GDNF group showed enhanced motor ability ，along with decreased Glu content ，increased GluN2B and less neurons apoptosis in striatum ; while，the mice of the MPTP + AAV-GDNF group showed worse motor ability，along with augmented Glu content，reduced GluN2B and more neurons apoptosis in striatum．@*Conclusion@#In PD pathological process ，decreased striatal GDNF may promote the neurons apoptosis by enhancing Glu excitotoxicity，thereby leading to the aggravation of motor symptoms.
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@#Objective To investigate the expression differences of serum endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS3) and glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) in patients with arteriosclerotic cerebral infarction and their role in the prognosis of patients.Methods A total of 126 patients with atherosclerotic cerebral infarction admitted to our hospital from January 2021 to January 2022 and 130 healthy people in the same period were selected.Patients were divided into groups according to infarct volume,dysfunction and prognosis,and serum NOS3 and GDNF levels were compared between different groups.ROC curve was used to analyze the predictive value of NOS3 and GDNF for poor prognosis.Results The proportion of diabetes and hypertension in patients with atherosclerotic cerebral infarction increased,and the serum levels of NOS3 and GDNF decreased (P<0.05).There was no significant difference in the levels of NOS3 and GDNF among patients with different infarct volumes (P>0.05).The levels of NOS3 and GDNF in mild dysfunction group,moderate dysfunction group and severe dysfunction group decreased successively (P<0.05).The AUC of NOS3 and GDNF levels in predicting poor prognosis were 0.858 and 0.779,respectively.Conclusion The serum levels of NOS3 and GDNF in patients with atherosclerotic cerebral infarction are decreased,and their levels are related to the degree of neurological impairment and prognosis of patients,which is expected to be a biological indicator to evaluate the prognosis of patients.
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The capacity for neurogenesis in the adult mammalian brain is extremely limited and highly restricted to a few regions, which greatly hampers neuronal regeneration and functional restoration after neuronal loss caused by injury or disease. Meanwhile, transplantation of exogenous neuronal stem cells into the brain encounters several serious issues including immune rejection and the risk of tumorigenesis. Recent discoveries of direct reprogramming of endogenous glial cells into functional neurons have provided new opportunities for adult neuro-regeneration. Here, we extensively review the experimental findings of the direct conversion of glial cells to neurons in vitro and in vivo and discuss the remaining issues and challenges related to the glial subtypes and the specificity and efficiency of direct cell-reprograming, as well as the influence of the microenvironment. Although in situ glial cell reprogramming offers great potential for neuronal repair in the injured or diseased brain, it still needs a large amount of research to pave the way to therapeutic application.
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Animals , Cellular Reprogramming , Nerve Regeneration , Neurogenesis , Neuroglia , NeuronsABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo investigate whether Xiayuxue decoction exerts an anti-liver fibrosis effect by inhibiting glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF). MethodsA total of 24 C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into control group, model group, and Xiayuxue decoction group. The mice in the model group and the Xiayuxue decoction group were given intraperitoneal injection of 10% CCl4, and those in the Xiayuxue decoction group were given 0.4678 g/kg Xiayuxue decoction by gavage since week 4. The liver function parameters alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were measured, and liver histopathology was observed. Immunohistochemistry was used to measure the protein expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and GDNF. GFP-Col-HSC and human primary hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) were treated with GDNF (10 ng/ml), and HSC activation was measured. A one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison of continuous data between multiple groups, and the least significant difference t-test was used for further comparison between two groups. ResultsCompared with the control group, the model group had significant increases in the levels of ALT and AST, and compared with the model group, the Xiayuxue decoction group had significant reductions in the levels of ALT and AST (all P＜0.01). Liver histopathology showed that the model group had marked inflammatory cell infiltration and formation of fibrous septa by proliferated collagen fibers, and the Xiayuxue decoction group had loose fibrous septa and alleviated inflammatory cell infiltration. Immunohistochemistry showed that compared with the control group, the model group had significant increases in the expression of α-SMA and GDNF (both P＜0.01), which were observed in fibrous septa, and compared with the model group, the Xiayuxue decoction group had significant reductions in the expression of α-SMA and GDNF (both P＜0.05). Western blotting showed that the control group had relatively low expression of GDNF in liver tissue, the formation of liver fibrosis at week 6 of CCl4 modeling, and an around 10-fold increase in the expression of GDNF, and the Xiayuxue decoction group had significantly inhibited protein expression of GDNF (P＜0.01); there were significant increases in the expression of α-SMA and collagen type I α1 (Col1) in mice with liver fibrosis, with significant reductions in α-SMA and Col1 after treatment with Xiayuxue decoction (all P＜0.01). The in vitro experiment showed that GDNF induced the significant increases in the protein expression of α-SMA and Col1 in HSCs, which was significantly inhibited by Xiayuxue decoction (all P＜0.01). ConclusionThe expression of GDNF is significantly upregulated in the formation of liver fibrosis. GDNF can induce HSC activation, and Xiayuxue decoction can exert an anti-liver fibrosis effect by inhibiting GDNF.
ABSTRACT
When ischemia or hemorrhagic stroke occurs, astrocytes are activated by a variety of endogenous regulatory factors to become reactive astrocytes. Subsequently, reactive astrocytes proliferate, differentiate, and migrate around the lesion to form glial scar with the participation of microglia, neuron-glial antigen 2(NG2) glial cells, and extracellular matrix. The role of glial scars at different stages of stroke injury is different. At the middle and late stages of the injury, the secreted chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan and chondroitin sulfate are the main blockers of axon regeneration and nerve function recovery. Targeted regulation of glial scars is an important pathway for neurological rehabilitation after stroke. Chinese medicine has been verified to be effective in stroke rehabilitation in clinical practice, possibly because it has the functions of promoting blood resupply, anti-inflammation, anti-oxidative stress, inhibiting cell proliferation and differentiation, and benign intervention in glial scars. This study reviewed the pathological process and signaling mechanisms of glial scarring after stroke, as well as the intervention of traditional Chinese medicine upon glial scar, aiming to provide theoretical reference and research evidence for developing Chinese medicine against stroke in view of targeting glial scarring.