Your browser doesn't support javascript.
loading
Show: 20 | 50 | 100
Results 1 - 20 de 117
Filter
Add more filters

Country/Region as subject
Publication year range
1.
J Anat ; 241(4): 938-950, 2022 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35808977

ABSTRACT

Maternal immune activation (MIA) during gestation has been implicated in the development of neurological disorders such as schizophrenia and autism. Epidemiological studies have suggested that the effect of MIA may depend on the gestational timing of the immune challenge and the region of the central nervous system (CNS) in question. This study investigated the effects of MIA with 100 µg/kg lipopolysaccharide at either Embryonic days (E)12 or E16 on the oligodendrocytes, microglia and astrocytes of the offspring spinal cord. At E16, MIA decreased the number of olig2+ and Iba-1+ cells in multiple grey and white matter regions of the developing spinal cord 5 h after injection. These decreases were not observed at postnatal day 14. In contrast, MIA at E12 did not alter Olig2+ or Iba-1+ cell number in the developing spinal cord 5 h after injection, however, Olig2+ cell number was decreased in the ventral grey matter of the P14 spinal cord. No changes were observed in glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression at P14 following MIA at either E12 or E16. These data suggest that E16 may be a window of immediate vulnerability to MIA during spinal cord development, however, the findings also suggest that the developmental process may be capable of compensation over time. Potential changes in P14 animals following the challenge at E12 are indicative of the complexity of the effects of MIA during the developmental process.


Subject(s)
Lipopolysaccharides , Spinal Cord , Animals , Astrocytes/physiology , Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein/metabolism , Lipopolysaccharides/metabolism , Microglia , Rats , Spinal Cord/metabolism
2.
Brain Behav Immun ; 102: 151-160, 2022 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35217173

ABSTRACT

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterised by nigrostriatal dopaminergic (DA) neurodegeneration. There is a critical need for neuroprotective therapies, particularly those that do not require direct intracranial administration. Small molecule inhibitors of histone deacetylases (HDIs) are neuroprotective in in vitro and in vivo models of PD, however it is unknown whether Class IIa-specific HDIs are neuroprotective when administered peripherally. Here we show that 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) treatment induces protein kinase C (PKC)-dependent nuclear accumulation of the Class IIa histone deacetylase (HDAC)5 in SH-SY5Y cells and cultured DA neurons in vitro. Treatment of these cultures with the Class IIa-specific HDI, MC1568, partially protected against 6-OHDA-induced cell death. In the intrastriatal 6-OHDA lesion in vivo rat model of PD, MC1568 treatment (0.5 mg/kg i.p.) for 7 days reduced forelimb akinesia and partially protected DA neurons in the substantia nigra and their striatal terminals from 6-OHDA-induced neurodegeneration. MC1568 treatment prevented 6-OHDA-induced increases in microglial activation in the striatum and substantia nigra. Furthermore, MC1568 treatment decreased 6-OHDA-induced increases in nuclear HDAC5 in nigral DA neurons. These data suggest that peripheral administration of Class IIa-specific HDIs may be a potential therapy for neuroprotective in PD.


Subject(s)
Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors , Hydroxamic Acids , Neuroprotective Agents , Parkinson Disease , Pyrroles , Animals , Corpus Striatum/metabolism , Disease Models, Animal , Dopaminergic Neurons/drug effects , Dopaminergic Neurons/metabolism , Dopaminergic Neurons/pathology , Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors/pharmacology , Histone Deacetylases/metabolism , Hydroxamic Acids/pharmacology , Neurodegenerative Diseases/metabolism , Neurodegenerative Diseases/pathology , Neurodegenerative Diseases/prevention & control , Neuroprotective Agents/metabolism , Neuroprotective Agents/pharmacology , Oxidopamine , Pyrroles/pharmacology , Rats , Substantia Nigra
3.
Pediatr Res ; 92(4): 1188-1194, 2022 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35079113

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Asthma is a chronic long-term inflammatory disease of the airways and is a major global health challenge. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the association between hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) and the risk of asthma at or before the age of seven years using the UK Millennium Cohort Study (MCS). METHODS: Overall, 18,552 families were recruited for wave one of the MCS when the child was 9 months old, and subsequently participated in waves two, three and four when they were three, five and seven years respectively. HDP were self-reported by mothers in wave one. The primary outcome was a parent-reported diagnosis of "ever asthma" at seven years, based on responses to a validated questionnaire. RESULTS: Following adjustment for a range of potential confounding factors, HDP was found to be associated with asthma in the offspring (adjusted odds ratio (AOR 1.35; 95% CI: 1.15-1.59)). A larger effect estimate was observed amongst children exposed to HDP and born preterm (AOR 1.81; 95% CI: 1.25-2.61) or small for gestational age (SGA) (AOR = 1.58; (95% CI: 1.15-2.18)). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, children exposed to HDP may be at increased odds of asthma diagnosis by age seven, particularly if they were born preterm or SGA. IMPACT: There is a paucity of data investigating the relationship between hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and childhood asthma, with recent studies showing conflicting results. Our study investigated this relationship using a large cohort with ample information on a wide range of confounding factors. Our study showed that individuals exposed to HDP may be at increased odds of asthma diagnosis by age seven years, particularly if they were also born SGA or preterm.


Subject(s)
Asthma , Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced , Infant, Newborn, Diseases , Pre-Eclampsia , Pregnancy , Infant, Newborn , Female , Humans , Child , Infant , Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced/diagnosis , Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced/epidemiology , Cohort Studies , Infant, Small for Gestational Age , Asthma/complications , Asthma/diagnosis , Asthma/epidemiology
4.
Mol Cell Neurosci ; 115: 103642, 2021 09.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34119632

ABSTRACT

Epigenetic modifications in neurodegenerative disease are under investigation for their roles in disease progression. Alterations in acetylation rates of certain Parkinson's disease (PD)-linked genes have been associated with the pathological progression of this disorder. In light of this, and given the lack of disease-modifying therapies for PD, HDAC inhibitors (HDIs) are under consideration as potential pharmacological agents. The neuroprotective effects of pan-HDACs and some class-specific inhibitors have been tested in in vivo and in vitro models of PD, with varying outcomes. Here we used gene co-expression analysis to identify HDACs that are associated with human dopaminergic (DA) neuron development. We identified HDAC3, HDAC5, HDAC6 and HDAC9 as being highly correlated with the DA markers, SLC6A3 and NR4A2. RT-qPCR revealed that mRNA expression of these HDACs exhibited similar temporal profiles during embryonic mouse midbrain DA (mDA) neuron development. We tested the neuroprotective potential of a number of class-specific small molecule HDIs on human SH-SY5Y cells, using neurite growth as a phenotypic readout of neurotrophic action. Neither the class I-specific HDIs, RGFP109 and RGFP966, nor the HDAC6 inhibitor ACY1215, had significant effects on neurite outgrowth. However, the class IIa HDI, LMK235 (a HDAC4/5 inhibitor), significantly increased histone acetylation and neurite outgrowth. We found that LMK235 increased BMP-Smad-dependent transcription in SH-SY5Y cells and that this was required for its neurite growth-promoting effects on SH-SY5Y cells and on DA neurons in primary cultures of embryonic day (E) 14 rat ventral mesencephalon (VM). These effects were also seen in SH-SY5Y cells transfected with HDAC5 siRNA. Furthermore, LMK235 treatment exerted neuroprotective effects against degeneration induced by the DA neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+), in both SH-SY5Y cells and cultured DA neurons. Treatment with LMK235 was also neuroprotective against axonal degeneration induced by overexpression of wild-type (WT) or A53T mutant α-synuclein in both SH-SY5Y cells and primary cultures of DA neurons. In summary, these data show the neuroprotective potential of the class IIa HDI, LMK235, in cell models of relevance to PD.


Subject(s)
Neurodegenerative Diseases , Parkinson Disease , Animals , Dopaminergic Neurons , Histone Deacetylases , Mice , Neurotoxins/pharmacology , Parkinson Disease/drug therapy , Rats , alpha-Synuclein/genetics
5.
J Child Psychol Psychiatry ; 61(2): 131-139, 2020 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31531876

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The environmental contribution of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is approximately 17%-50%, highlighting the importance of investigating factors potentially contributing to the likelihood of its development, and of gaining a greater understanding of the pathogenesis surrounding ASD. The objective of this study was to examine the association between preeclampsia and ASD using a population-based cohort study. METHODS: All singleton live births in Sweden from 1982 to 2010 were included, using data from Swedish National Registers. Exposures of interest included: (a) preeclampsia (classified according to ICD-8, ICD-9 and ICD-10) and (b) preeclampsia and small for gestational age (SGA) combined, used as a proxy for preeclampsia with placental dysfunction. ASD status was based on ICD-9 and ICD-10. The cohort consisted of 2,842,230 children, with 54,071 cases of ASD. Follow-up began from the child's first birthday, and data were censored at first diagnosis of ASD, death, migration or end of study period (31st December 2016). We conducted multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, adjusting for several perinatal and sociodemographic factors, selected a priori. We further controlled for shared genetic and familial confounding using sibling-matched analysis. RESULTS: In the adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, preeclampsia was associated with a 25% increase in the likelihood of ASD (Hazard Ratio (HR): 1.25, 95% CI:1.19, 1.30) compared with those unexposed to preeclampsia, while in the sibling-matched analysis the HR was 1.17 (95% CI: 1.06, 1.28). The HR for preeclampsia and SGA combined was 1.66 (95% CI: 1.49, 1.85) in the adjusted Cox model and 1.95 (95% CI: 1.53, 2.48) in the sibling-matched analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to preeclampsia or preeclampsia/SGA (i.e. SGA baby exposed to preeclampsia) was associated with ASD. The stronger association with preeclampsia/SGA than preeclampsia alone suggests that placental pathology may be a mechanism for the increased likelihood of ASD.


Subject(s)
Autism Spectrum Disorder/epidemiology , Infant, Small for Gestational Age , Placenta Diseases/epidemiology , Pre-Eclampsia/epidemiology , Adolescent , Adult , Autism Spectrum Disorder/etiology , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Male , Pregnancy , Proportional Hazards Models , Sweden/epidemiology , Young Adult
6.
Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol ; 55(9): 1231-1240, 2020 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31641827

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Global rates of caesarean section (CS) rates have increased rapidly in recent years. This is a growing public health concern as it has been proposed that CS may impact cognitive outcomes in childhood. However, the evidence for this association is limited and inconsistent. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between obstetric mode of delivery and longitudinal cognitive outcomes in childhood. METHODS: We examined this question using data from a longitudinal cohort study of 8845 participants from the Millennium Cohort Study, a nationally representative UK cohort, who completed a range of verbal and visual-spatial cognitive assessments at ages 3, 5, 7 and 11 years. RESULTS: We found a statistically significant association between planned CS and visual-spatial cognitive delay in the pattern construction assessment at age 5 (OR 1.31, 95% CI 0.99-1.72) and age 7 (OR 1.42, 95% CI 1.12-1.81). Additionally planned CS was also associated with increased odds of "early childhood delay" (OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.15-2.50) and borderline increased odds of "persistent delay" (OR 1.37, 95% CI 0.99-1.89) in visual-spatial cognitive tests. Mode of delivery was not associated with verbal ability or with patterns of delay at any age point in verbal cognitive tests. CONCLUSION: We have reported a small association between planned CS and visual-spatial cognitive delay in childhood. However, while this result should be interpreted with caution, it highlights the need to further explore this potential relationship and the causal basis of such an association.


Subject(s)
Cesarean Section , Cognition , Child , Child, Preschool , Cohort Studies , Data Collection , Delivery, Obstetric , Female , Humans , Longitudinal Studies , Pregnancy
7.
Matern Child Health J ; 24(6): 727-738, 2020 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32279147

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To examine the associations between preeclampsia and longitudinal child developmental and behavioural outcomes using data from a nationally representative study of children living in Ireland. METHODS: We used maternal-reported data from the Growing Up in Ireland longitudinal study of children. Data on preeclampsia and preeclampsia + small for gestational age (SGA) were collected when children were 9-months old. Data on child development and behavioural outcomes were collected at 9-months using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ), and at 3 years, 5 years and 7-8 years using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between preeclampsia exposure and failure of ASQ domains, and abnormal SDQ domains. Linear spline multilevel models were used to examine the association between preeclampsia and preeclampsia + SGA and repeated measures of SDQ. All models controlled for several perinatal and sociodemographic factors. RESULTS: A total of 10,692 children were included in the study at baseline, representing a weighted total of 70,791. Multivariate logistic regression suggested that preeclampsia was not associated with failing any ASQ domain. Preeclampsia was associated with abnormal SDQ cut-off of emotional (≥ 5) and hyperactivity (≥ 7) domains at age 5 years only. In the linear spline model, mean SDQ score was higher at each time point in exposed groups. CONCLUSIONS FOR PRACTICE: While we did not find strong evidence of associations between preeclampsia and child developmental and behavioural outcomes overall, some associations between preeclampsia-exposure and subtle behavioural issues did persist. Further research is needed to replicate these findings, and determine the clinical significance of changes in SDQ scores.


Subject(s)
Child Behavior Disorders/complications , Child Behavior Disorders/epidemiology , Child Development , Pre-Eclampsia/epidemiology , Adult , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Infant , Ireland/epidemiology , Longitudinal Studies , Male , Middle Aged , Pregnancy , Surveys and Questionnaires
8.
J Anat ; 234(2): 216-226, 2019 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30474148

ABSTRACT

Glycosylation is a major post-translational modification in which a carbohydrate known as a glycan is enzymatically attached to target proteins which regulate protein folding and stability. Glycans are strongly expressed in the developing nervous system where they play multiple roles during development. The importance of these glycan epitopes in neural development is highlighted by a group of conditions known as congenital disorders of glycosylation which lead to psychomotor difficulties, mental retardation, lissencephaly, microencephaly and epilepsy. One of these glycan epitopes, known as Lewis X, is recognised by the FORSE-1 antibody and is regionally expressed in the developing nervous system. In this study, we report the regional and temporal expression patterns of FORSE-1 immunolabelling during the periods of neurogenesis, gliogenesis and axonogenesis in developing mouse nervous system. We demonstrate the localisation of FORSE-1 on subsets of neuroepithelial cells and radial glial cells, and in compartments corresponding to axon tract formation. These spatial, temporal and regional expression patterns are suggestive of roles in the determination of different cell lineages and in the patterning of white matter during development, and help provide insights into the neuroanatomical regions affected by congenital disorders of glycosylation.


Subject(s)
Antigens, Surface/metabolism , Central Nervous System/metabolism , Neurogenesis , Animals , Central Nervous System/embryology , Central Nervous System/growth & development , Congenital Disorders of Glycosylation/embryology , Female , Lewis X Antigen/metabolism , Male , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Pregnancy , Primary Cell Culture
9.
Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol ; 54(11): 1299-1309, 2019 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31324962

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Exposure to prenatal stress has been reported to affect the risk of adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in the offspring; however, there is currently no clear consensus. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to examine the existing literature on the association between prenatal stress and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the offspring. METHODS: Based on a registered protocol, we searched several electronic databases for articles in accordance with a detailed search strategy. We performed this study following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). RESULTS: Prenatal stress was significantly associated with an increased risk of both ASD (pooled OR 1.64 [95% CI 1.15-2.34]; I2 = 90%; 15 articles) and ADHD (pooled OR 1.72 [95% CI 1.27-2.34]; I2 = 85%; 12 articles). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that prenatal stress may be associated with ASD and ADHD; however, several limitations in the reviewed literature should be noted including significant heterogeneity and there is a need for carefully controlled future studies in this area.


Subject(s)
Maternal Exposure/adverse effects , Neurodevelopmental Disorders/psychology , Pregnancy Complications/psychology , Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects/psychology , Stress, Psychological/complications , Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/psychology , Autism Spectrum Disorder/psychology , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Male , Pregnancy
11.
Brain Behav Immun ; 69: 418-427, 2018 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29355822

ABSTRACT

Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) resulting from intrauterine or perinatal hypoxic-ischemia (HI) is a leading cause of long-term neonatal neurodisability. While most studies of long-term outcome have focused on moderate and severe HIE in term infants, recent work has shown that those with mild HIE may have subtle neurological impairments. However, the impact of mild HI on pre-term infants is much less clear given that pre-term birth is itself a risk factor for neurodisability. Here we show that mild HI insult alters behaviour, inflammation and the corticosterone stress response in a rat model of pre-term HIE. Mild HI exposure led to social deficits in exposed offspring at postnatal day 30, without impairments in the novel object recognition test nor in the open field test. This was also accompanied by elevations in circulating adrenocorticotropic hormone and corticosterone indicating an exaggerated stress response. There were also elevations in il-1ß and il-6 but not tnf-α mRNA and protein in the brain and blood samples. In summary we find that a mild HI exposure leads to social deficits, central and peripheral inflammation, and an abnormal corticosterone response which are three core features of autism spectrum disorder. This shows that mild HI exposure may be a risk factor for an abnormal neurodevelopmental outcome in pre-term offspring.


Subject(s)
Autism Spectrum Disorder/etiology , Behavior, Animal/physiology , Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain/complications , Inflammation/etiology , Animals , Animals, Newborn , Autism Spectrum Disorder/metabolism , Brain/metabolism , Disease Models, Animal , Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain/metabolism , Inflammation/metabolism , Interleukin-1beta/metabolism , Interleukin-6/metabolism , Rats , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism
12.
Brain Behav Immun ; 63: 21-34, 2017 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27266391

ABSTRACT

The dopaminergic system is involved in motivation, reward and the associated motor activities. Mesodiencephalic dopaminergic neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) regulate motivation and reward, whereas those in the substantia nigra (SN) are essential for motor control. Defective VTA dopaminergic transmission has been implicated in schizophrenia, drug addiction and depression whereas dopaminergic neurons in the SN are lost in Parkinson's disease. Maternal immune activation (MIA) leading to in utero inflammation has been proposed to be a risk factor for these disorders, yet it is unclear how this stimulus can lead to the diverse disturbances in dopaminergic-driven behaviors that emerge at different stages of life in affected offspring. Here we report that gestational age is a critical determinant of the subsequent alterations in dopaminergic-driven behavior in rat offspring exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced MIA. Behavioral analysis revealed that MIA on gestational day 16 but not gestational day 12 resulted in biphasic impairments in motor behavior. Specifically, motor impairments were evident in early life, which were resolved by adolescence, but subsequently re-emerged in adulthood. In contrast, reward seeking behaviors were altered in offspring exposed MIA on gestational day 12. These changes were not due to a loss of dopaminergic neurons per se in the postnatal period, suggesting that they reflect functional changes in dopaminergic systems. This highlights that gestational age may be a key determinant of how MIA leads to distinct alterations in dopaminergic-driven behavior across the lifespan of affected offspring.


Subject(s)
Motor Activity/immunology , Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects/immunology , Animals , Dopamine/metabolism , Dopaminergic Neurons/immunology , Dopaminergic Neurons/physiology , Female , Gestational Age , Inflammation/immunology , Male , Motor Activity/physiology , Pregnancy , Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects/physiopathology , Rats , Rats, Sprague-Dawley/immunology , Reward , Substantia Nigra/immunology , Substantia Nigra/metabolism , Ventral Tegmental Area/immunology , Ventral Tegmental Area/metabolism
14.
J Undergrad Neurosci Educ ; 16(1): A14-A22, 2017.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29371836

ABSTRACT

Providing opportunities for undergraduate science students to develop causal reasoning skills and the ability to think like research scientists is a crucial part of their preparation for professional practice as a scientist and/or a clinician. This has led many to question whether the traditional academic in-class lecture still has a functional role in today's undergraduate science education. Here, we performed a case study to attempt to maximize the use of in-class time to create a more authentic learning opportunity for undergraduate neuroscience students in our institution, the majority of whom go on to be research active scientists. We hypothesised that using seminal research papers as a teaching tool in a flipped classroom setting would model for neuroscience students what it means to think like a research scientist, would provide an opportunity for them to develop their causal reasoning skills and allow them to become more comfortable with the nature of professional practice (i.e., research) in the context of the discipline. We describe the design and implementation of this teaching approach to undergraduate final year neuroscience students, and evaluate their perception of it. We provide evidence that this approach models for the students what it means to reason like a research scientist, and discuss the implications of these findings for future practice. We propose that these findings will help add to the educational experience of all Neuroscience students whether they are on pre-med or on a research track.

15.
J Undergrad Neurosci Educ ; 16(1): A28-A33, 2017.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29371838

ABSTRACT

Advances in technology have seen a significant growth in the integration of e-learning into university education. Coupled with this trend are the learning approaches used by "Generation Connected" or GenC students, whose prolific use of digital technology is a defining characteristic. This has resulted in questions being asked as to whether in-class university lecture time is still relevant to university education. Here we conducted a case study with a group of undergraduate neuroscience students to assess their views on the relevance of attending lectures, why they attend or the reasons for non-attendance, and on what makes a good lecture. This is with a view to informing the design of new teaching approaches that may be more beneficial in maximising student engagement, and facilitating learning. The survey instrument was a ten-item questionnaire that collected both qualitative and quantitative data. Over 90% of students were of the view that lectures were beneficial to their learning, while only 4% thought they were an outdated mode of education. Three main themes emerged when students were asked what makes a good lecture: 1. Engagement, 2. Time, and 3. Varied format. We discuss the implications of these findings and suggest how these student views could be woven into the design of teaching approaches to increase the relevance of in-class lecture time in undergraduate neuroscience education.

16.
Expert Rev Mol Med ; 17: e8, 2015 May 13.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25997719

ABSTRACT

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterised by the progressive loss of midbrain dopaminergic neurons, which causes motor impairments. Current treatments involve dopamine replacement to address the disease symptoms rather than its cause. Factors that promote the survival of dopaminergic neurons have been proposed as novel therapies for PD. Several dopaminergic neurotrophic factors (NTFs) have been examined for their ability to protect and/or restore degenerating dopaminergic neurons, both in animal models and in clinical trials. These include glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor, neurturin, cerebral dopamine neurotrophic factor and growth/differentiation factor 5. Delivery of these NTFs via injection or infusion to the brain raises several practical problems. A new delivery approach for NTFs involves the use of recombinant viral vectors to enable long-term expression of these factors in brain cells. Vectors used include those based on adenoviruses, adeno-associated viruses and lentiviruses. Here we review progress to date on the potential of each of these four NTFs as novel therapeutic strategies for PD, as well as the challenges that have arisen, from pre-clinical analysis to clinical trials. We conclude by discussing recently-developed approaches to optimise the delivery of NTF-carrying viral vectors to the brain.


Subject(s)
Adenoviridae/genetics , Dependovirus/genetics , Genetic Vectors/genetics , Lentivirus/genetics , Nerve Growth Factors/genetics , Nerve Growth Factors/metabolism , Parkinson Disease/genetics , Parkinson Disease/therapy , Animals , Dopamine/metabolism , Dopaminergic Neurons/metabolism , Dopaminergic Neurons/pathology , Genetic Therapy , Humans
17.
J Pediatr ; 167(2): 269-73.e2, 2015 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26001314

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression profile of microRNA (miRNA) in umbilical cord blood from infants with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). STUDY DESIGN: Full-term infants with perinatal asphyxia were identified under strict enrollment criteria. Degree of encephalopathy was defined using both continuous multichannel electroencephalogram in the first 24 hours of life and modified Sarnat score. Seventy infants (18 controls, 33 with perinatal asphyxia without HIE, and 19 infants with HIE [further graded as 13 mild, 2 moderate, and 4 severe]) were included in the study. MiRNA expression profiles were determined using a microarray assay and confirmed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Seventy miRNAs were differentially expressed between case and control groups. Of these hsa-miR-374a was the most significantly downregulated in infants with HIE vs controls. Validation of hsa-miR-374a expression using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction confirmed a significant reduction in expression among infants with HIE compared with those with perinatal asphyxia and healthy controls (mean relative quantification [SD] = 0.52 [0.37] vs 1.10 [1.52] vs 1.76 [1.69], P < .02). CONCLUSIONS: We have shown a significant step-wise downregulation of hsa-miR-374a expression in cord blood of infants with perinatal asphyxia and subsequent HIE.


Subject(s)
Asphyxia Neonatorum/blood , Fetal Blood/metabolism , Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain/blood , MicroRNAs/blood , Down-Regulation , Electroencephalography , Female , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Male , Microarray Analysis , Pregnancy , Prospective Studies , Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction , Severity of Illness Index
18.
Cytokine ; 71(2): 360-5, 2015 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25510903

ABSTRACT

Pre-eclampsia is a multi-system condition in pregnancy that is characterised by the onset of hypertension and proteinuria in women after the 20th week and it remains a leading cause of maternal and fetal mortality. Despite this the causative molecular basis of pre-eclampsia remains poorly understood. As a result, an intensive research effort has focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in pre-eclampsia and using this information to identify new pre-symptomatic bio-markers of the condition. Activin A and its receptor, ACVR2A, have been extensively studied in this regard. Activin A is a member of the transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß superfamily that has a wide range of biological functions depending on the cellular context. Recent work has shown that polymorphisms in ACVR2A may be a genetic risk factor for pre-eclampsia. Furthermore, both placenta and serum levels of Activin A are significantly increased in pre-eclampsia suggesting that Activin A may be a possible biomarker for the condition. Here we review the latest advances in this field and link these with new molecular data that suggest that the oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory cytokine production seen in pre-eclampsia may result in increased placental Activin A secretion in an attempt to maintain placental function.


Subject(s)
Activins/physiology , Biomarkers/metabolism , Pre-Eclampsia/diagnosis , Pre-Eclampsia/metabolism , Signal Transduction , Clinical Trials as Topic , Cytokines/metabolism , Female , Genetic Predisposition to Disease , Humans , Inflammation , Oxidative Stress , Placenta/metabolism , Polymorphism, Genetic , Pre-Eclampsia/genetics , Pregnancy , Risk Factors , Transforming Growth Factor beta/metabolism
19.
Differentiation ; 88(4-5): 124-30, 2014.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25582843

ABSTRACT

During development, the growth of neural processes is regulated by an array of cellular and molecular mechanisms which influence growth rate, direction and branching. Recently, many members of the TNF superfamily have been shown to be key regulators of neurite growth during development. The founder member of this family, TNFα can both promote and inhibit neurite growth depending on the cellular context. Specifically, transmembrane TNFα promotes neurite growth, while soluble TNFα inhibits it. While the growth promoting effects of TNFα are restricted to a defined developmental window of early postnatal development, whether the growth inhibitory effects of soluble TNFα occur throughout development is unknown. In this study we used the extensively studied, well characterised neurons of the superior cervical ganglion to show that the growth inhibitory effects of soluble TNFα are restricted to a specific period of late embryonic and early postnatal development. Furthermore, we show that this growth inhibitory effect of soluble TNFα requires NF-κB signalling at all developmental stages at which soluble TNFα inhibits neurite growth. These findings raise the possibility that increases in the amount of soluble TNFα in vivo, for example as a result of maternal inflammation, could negatively affect neurite growth in developing neurons at specific stages of development.


Subject(s)
Neurites/drug effects , Neurogenesis , Sympathetic Nervous System/cytology , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/pharmacology , Animals , Cells, Cultured , Mice , Mice, Inbred C57BL , NF-kappa B/metabolism , Neurites/metabolism , Neurites/physiology , Rats , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Sympathetic Nervous System/embryology , Sympathetic Nervous System/growth & development
20.
Int J Neurosci ; 125(1): 70-7, 2015 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24628580

ABSTRACT

It is well established that neuroinflammation is associated with the progression of many neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease (PD). Activated microglia and elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) have been found in the brain and cerebrospinal fluid of PD patients, suggesting that IL-1ß may be involved in the pathogenesis of this disease. This study aimed to knock down the expression of the interleukin-1 type 1 receptor (IL-1R1) to evaluate any potential therapeutic effect of limiting the action of IL-1ß in the substantia nigra following a unilateral intrastriatal 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesion in rats. Adult Sprague-Dawley rats received intranigral injections of shRNA specific for IL-1R1, followed 2 weeks later by intrastriatal 6-OHDA. Injection of IL-1R1 shRNA did not prevent 6-OHDA-induced loss of motor function or loss of nigral dopamine neurons. IL-1R1 expression was increased in the midbrain following 6-OHDA injection; this effect was attenuated in 6-OHDA-treated animals that had received IL-1R1 shRNA. These data suggest that while IL-1R1 was increased in 6-OHDA-treated animals and reduced following shRNA injection, the neurodegeneration induced by 6-OHDA was not mediated through IL-1R1.


Subject(s)
Corpus Striatum/physiology , Parkinson Disease/pathology , Parkinson Disease/prevention & control , Receptors, Interleukin-1 Type I/metabolism , Adrenergic Agents/toxicity , Amphetamines , Analysis of Variance , Animals , Corpus Striatum/drug effects , Disease Models, Animal , Male , Oxidopamine/toxicity , Parkinson Disease/etiology , RNA, Small Interfering/administration & dosage , Rats , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Receptors, Interleukin-1 Type I/genetics , Stereotyped Behavior/drug effects , Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase/metabolism
SELECTION OF CITATIONS
SEARCH DETAIL