Role of berberine nanoformulation in epilepsy: A novel therapeutic strategy.

The aim of the present study was to develop a novel formulation of berberine (BBR) and demonstrate its anti-seizure effect in pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) induced kindling model in rats. Nanoparticles of BBR were formulated using Poly Lactic-co-Glycolic Acid (PLGA) as a polymer. Emulsification and solvent evaporation technique was used. PTZ induced kindling model in male wistar rat was used to demonstrate the anti-seizure effect of nano-BBR. The particle size obtained for the final formulation was 242.8 ± 67.35 nm with a PDI of 0.140 ± 0.01. PLGA encapsulated BBR nanoparticles showed the % encapsulation efficiency of 87.33 ± 2.42 % and % drug loading of 48.47 ± 1.34 %. In-vitro drug release data showed sustained release of nano-BBR as compared to BBR. Kinetic study data showed increase in AUC of nano-BBR (35,429.46 h.ng/ml) as compared to BBR (28,211.07 h.ng/ml). Cmax for nano- BBR (2251.90 ng/ml) is approximately 1.6 times greater than BBR (1505.50 ng/ml). Nano- BBR has shown the significant effect on the seizure score. The PLGA encapsulated berberine nanoparticles were prepared by an innovative simple method and offers excellent potential as an antiepileptic agent.

Novel TMPRSS6 variants and their impact on iron-refractory iron deficiency anaemia in pregnancy: A North Indian genotype phenotype study.

Iron-refractory iron deficiency anaemia (IRIDA) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder, distinguished by hypochromic microcytic anaemia, low transferrin levels and inappropriately elevated hepcidin (HEPC) levels. It is caused by mutations in TMPRSS6 gene. Systematic screening of 500 pregnant women with iron deficiency anaemia having moderate to severe microcytosis with no other causes of anaemia were enrolled to rule out oral iron refractoriness. It identified a final cohort of 10 (2.15% prevalence) individuals with IRIDA phenotype. Haematological and biochemical analysis revealed significant differences between iron responders and iron non-responders, with iron non-responders showing lower haemoglobin, red blood cell count, serum iron and serum ferritin levels, along with elevated HEPC (9.47 ± 2.75 ng/mL, p = 0.0009) and erythropoietin (4.58 ± 4.07 µ/mL, p = 0.0196) levels. Genetic sequencing of the TMPRSS6 gene in this final cohort identified 10 novel variants, including seven missense and three frame-shift mutations, with four missense variants showing high functional impact defining the IRIDA phenotype. Structural analysis revealed significant damage caused by two variants (p.L83R and p.S235R). This study provides valuable insights into IRIDA among pregnant women in the Indian subcontinent, unveiling its underlying causes of unresponsiveness, genetic mechanisms and prevalence. Furthermore, research collaboration is essential to validate these findings and develop effective treatments.

Foraging behaviour of Pheidole latinoda: An impetus for employing a heuristic approach to address optimization challenges.

The primary goal of the binary model in this study was to understand the convergence pattern of the Pheidole latinoda ants. Forager and scout ants on the hunt for food use path integration. When they find a food source, they leave a trail pheromone to alert other nest mates. Every ant starts following that trail and reinforces it on their way back home. To investigate the ant convergence pattern, binary and ternary bridges of varying lengths are used. Each bridge is built in such a way that one end is connected to a food source whilst the other end is connected to the nest. The food source is surrounded by water-filled islands. The Pheidole latinoda ant's convergence pattern has been observed following the successful installation of a bridge near the ants' nest. This species took between 1 and 3 and 3-4 min to find the shortest possible path. Numerous studies looking for optimal solutions, such as those addressing the challenges of travelling salesmen, routing in communication networks, etc., may use this convergence or path optimization as their new starting point.

Exploring the effect of 6-BIO and sulindac in modulation of Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway in chronic phase of temporal lobe epilepsy.

The prospective involvement of the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway in epilepsy, with the proposed therapeutic uses of its modulators, has been suggested; however, comprehensive knowledge in this regard is currently limited. Despite postulations about the pathway's significance and treatment potential, a systematic investigation is required to better understand its implications in chronic epilepsy. We investigated the role of key proteins like ß-catenin, GSK-3ß, and their modulators sulindac and 6-BIO, in Wnt/ß-catenin pathway during chronic phase of temporal lobe epilepsy. We also evaluated the role of modulators in seizure score, seizure frequency and neurobehavioral parameters in temporal lobe epilepsy. We developed status epilepticus model using lithium-pilocarpine. The assessment of neurobehavioral parameters was done followed by histopathological examination and immunohistochemistry staining of hippocampus as well as RT-qPCR and western blotting to analyse gene and protein expression. In SE rats, seizure score and frequency were significantly high compared to control rats, with notable changes in neurobehavioral parameters and neuronal damage observed in hippocampus. Our study also revealed a substantial upregulation of the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway in chronic epilepsy, as evidenced by gene and protein expression studies. Sulindac emerged as a potent modulator, reducing seizure score, frequency, neuronal damage, apoptosis, and downregulating the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway when compared to 6-BIO. Our findings emphasize the potential of GSK-3ß and ß-catenin as promising drug targets for chronic temporal lobe epilepsy, offering valuable treatment options for chronic epilepsy. The promising outcomes with sulindac encourages further exploration in clinical trials to assess its therapeutic potential.

Detection and Characterization of Apoptosis-Related Proteins in Hippocampal Neurodegeneration: From mRNA Expression to Protein Quantification.

The involvement of apoptosis in neurodegeneration can be detected by quantifying the apoptotic proteins in hippocampal lysate. Apoptosis can occur due to the overproduction of apoptotic proteins under the influence of external trigger or due to the overexpression of the apoptotic genes. Thus, the imbalance in the production of apoptotic proteins can be quantified using the Western blotting technique and the overexpression of apoptotic genes in hippocampal DNA can be quantified using the real-time quantification of mRNA expression of the apoptotic proteins. Here we provide the methodology of detecting the apoptosis-related proteins like Bax and Bcl-2 and their mRNA expression in hippocampal neurodegeneration. In this chapter, we have described the methodology for quantification of mRNA expression of these apoptosis-related proteins in the hippocampal lysate using the real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) technique and the methodology of detection and characterization of respective protein expression in the hippocampal lysate using the Western blotting technique.

Evaluation of Wnt/ß-catenin signaling and its modulators in repeated dose lithium-pilocarpine rat model of status epilepticus: An acute phase study.

The role of the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway in epilepsy and the effects of its modulators as efficacious treatment options, though postulated, has not been sufficiently investigated. We evaluated the involvement of ß-catenin and GSK-3ß, the significant proteins in this pathway, in the lithium chloride-pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus model in rodents to study acute phase of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). The modulators studied were 6-BIO, a GSK-3ß inhibitor and Sulindac, a Dvl protein inhibitor. The disease group exhibited increased seizure score and seizure frequency, and the assessment of neurobehavioral parameters indicated notable alterations. Furthermore, histopathological examination of hippocampal brain tissues revealed significant neurodegeneration. Immunohistochemical study of hippocampus revealed neurogenesis in 6-BIO and sulindac groups. The gene and protein expression by RT-qPCR and western blotting studies indicated Wnt/ß-catenin pathway downregulation and increased apoptosis in the acute phase of TLE. 6-BIO was very efficient in upregulating the Wnt pathway, decreasing neuronal damage, increasing neurogenesis in hippocampus and decreasing seizure score and frequency in comparison to sulindac. This suggests that both GSK-3ß and ß-catenin are potential and novel drug targets for acute phase of TLE, and treatment options targeting these proteins could be beneficial in successfully managing acute epilepsy. Further evaluation of 6-BIO to explore its therapeutic potential in other models of epilepsy should be conducted.

Ameliorating effect of pioglitazone on prenatal valproic acid-induced behavioral and neurobiological abnormalities in autism spectrum disorder in rats.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopment disorder that mainly arises due to abnormalities in different brain regions, resulting in behavioral deficits. Besides its diverse phenotypical features, ASD is associated with complex and varied etiology, presenting challenges in understanding its precise neuro-pathophysiology. Pioglitazone was reported to have a fundamental role in neuroprotection in various other neurological disorders. The present study aimed to investigate the therapeutic potential of pioglitazone in the prenatal valproic acid (VPA)-model of ASD in Wistar rats. Pregnant female Wistar rats received VPA on Embryonic day (E.D12.5) to induce autistic-like-behavioral and neurobiological alterations in their offspring. VPA-exposed rats presented core behavioral symptoms of ASD such as deficits in social interaction, poor spatial and learning behavior, increased anxiety, locomotory and repetitive activity, and decreased exploratory activity. Apart from these, VPA exposure also stimulated neurochemical and histopathological neurodegeneration in various brain regions. We administered three different doses of pioglitazone i.e., 2.5, 5, and 10 mg/kg in rats to assess various parameters. Of all the doses, our study highlighted that 10 mg/kg pioglitazone efficiently attenuated the autistic symptoms along with other neurochemical alterations such as oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and apoptosis. Moreover, pioglitazone significantly attenuated the neurodegeneration by restoring the neuronal loss in the hippocampus and cerebellum. Taken together, our study suggests that pioglitazone exhibits therapeutic potential in alleviating behavioral abnormalities induced by prenatal VPA exposure in rats. However, further research is needed to fully understand and establish pioglitazone's effectiveness in treating ASD.

Differential Regulation of Wnt/ß-catenin Signaling in Acute and Chronic Epilepsy in Repeated Low Dose Lithium-Pilocarpine Rat Model of Status Epilepticus.

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological complication characterized by unprovoked seizure episodes due to the imbalance between excitatory and inhibitory neurons. The epileptogenesis process has been reported to be involved in chronic epilepsy however, the mechanism underlying epileptogenesis remains unclear. Recent studies have shown the possible involvement of Wnt/ß-catenin signaling in the neurogenesis and neuronal reorganization in epileptogenesis. In this study, we used repeated low dose lithium-pilocarpine model of status epilepsy (SE) to study the involvement of Wnt/ß-catenin signaling at acute and chronic stages post SE induction. The acute study ranged from day 0 to day 28 post SE induction and the chronic study ranged from day 0 to day 56 post SE induction. Several neurobehavioral parameters and seizure score and seizure frequency was analysed until the end of the study. The proteins involved in the regulation of Wnt/ß-catenin signaling and downstream cascading were analysed using western blot and quantitative real-time PCR analysis. The Wnt/ß-catenin pathway was found inactive in acute SE, while the same was found activated at the chronic stage. Our findings suggest that the activated Wnt/ß-catenin signaling in chronic epilepsy might be the possible mechanism underlying epileptogenesis as indicated by increased neuronal count, increased synaptic density, astrogliosis and apoptosis in chronic epilepsy. These findings can help target the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway differentially depending upon the type of epilepsy. The acute stage characterized by SE can be improved by targeting GSK-3ß levels and the chronic stage characterized by temporal lobe epilepsy can be improved by targeting ß-catenin and disheveled proteins.

Neuroprotective effect of Berberine Nanoparticles Against Seizures in Pentylenetetrazole Induced Kindling Model of Epileptogenesis: Role of Anti-Oxidative, Anti-Inflammatory, and Anti-Apoptotic Mechanisms.

There is an unmet need to develop alternative therapeutic strategies to not only restrain seizures but also to alleviate the underlying pathologies and sequelae. Berberine (BBR), an isoquinoline alkaloid, has shown promising effect in the kindling model of epileptogenesis, but due to the poor oral bioavailability its clinical application is limited. So, the present study was designed to study the neuroprotective effect of BBR nanoparticles (enhanced bioavailability as compared to BBR) against seizures in pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) induced kindling model of epileptogenesis. Kindling model was established in male Wistar rats by intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of PTZ (30 mg/kg) on every alternate day till the animal became fully kindled or till 6 weeks. Three doses of BBR (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) and nano-BBR (25, 50, 100 mg/kg) were studied for seizure score, percentage of animal kindled, histopathological score, oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis in PTZ treated rats by conducting cytokines, gene expression and protein expression analysis. BBR nanoparticles showed significant effect on the seizure score and percentage of animal kindled, histopathological score, neurobehavioral parameters (Forced swim test, Rotarod), oxidative (MDA, SOD, GSH, GPx) and inflammatory (IL-1beta, TNF-alpha) parameters, apoptotic parameters (Bax and iNOS), and gene (Nrf2, NQO1, HO1) and protein expression (Nrf2) as compared to both PTZ and BBR. BBR nanoparticles showed neuroprotective effect in PTZ induced kindling model of epileptogenesis and proves to be a promising antiepileptogenic therapy for the patients who are at high risk of developing seizures.

Phosphodiesterase inhibitor, ibudilast alleviates core behavioral and biochemical deficits in the prenatal valproic acid exposure model of autism spectrum disorder.

BACKGROUND: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is categorized as a neurodevelopmental disorder, presenting with a variety of aetiological and phenotypical features. Ibudilast is known to produce beneficial effects in several neurological disorders including neuropathic pain, multiple sclerosis, etc. by displaying its neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties. Here, in our study, the pharmacological outcome of ibudilast administration was investigated in the prenatal valproic acid (VPA)-model of ASD in Wistar rats. METHODS: Autistic-like symptoms were induced in Wistar male pups of dams administered with Valproic acid (VPA) on embryonic day 12.5. VPA-exposed male pups were administered with two doses of ibudilast (5 and10 mg/kg) and all the groups were evaluated for behavioral parameters like social interaction, spatial memory/learning, anxiety, locomotor activity, and nociceptive threshold. Further, the possible neuroprotective effect of ibudilast was evaluated by assessing oxidative stress, neuroinflammation (IL-1ß, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10) in the hippocampus, % area of Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-positive cells and neuronal damage in the cerebellum. KEY FINDINGS: Treatment with ibudilast significantly attenuated prenatal VPA exposure associated social interaction and spatial learning/memory deficits, anxiety, hyperactivity, and increased nociceptive threshold, and it decreased oxidative stress markers, pro-inflammatory markers (IL-1ß, TNF-α, IL-6), and % area of GFAP-positive cells and restored neuronal damage. CONCLUSIONS: Ibudilast treatment has restored crucial ASD-related behavioural abnormalities, potentially through neuroprotection. Therefore, benefits of ibudilast administration in animal models of ASD suggest that ibudilast may have therapeutic potential in the treatment of ASD.

Modernising autism spectrum disorder model engineering and treatment via CRISPR-Cas9: A gene reprogramming approach.

A neurological abnormality called autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects how a person perceives and interacts with others, leading to social interaction and communication issues. Limited and recurring behavioural patterns are another feature of the illness. Multiple mutations throughout development are the source of the neurodevelopmental disorder autism. However, a well-established model and perfect treatment for this spectrum disease has not been discovered. The rising era of the clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-associated protein 9 (Cas9) system can streamline the complexity underlying the pathogenesis of ASD. The CRISPR-Cas9 system is a powerful genetic engineering tool used to edit the genome at the targeted site in a precise manner. The major hurdle in studying ASD is the lack of appropriate animal models presenting the complex symptoms of ASD. Therefore, CRISPR-Cas9 is being used worldwide to mimic the ASD-like pathology in various systems like in vitro cell lines, in vitro 3D organoid models and in vivo animal models. Apart from being used in establishing ASD models, CRISPR-Cas9 can also be used to treat the complexities of ASD. The aim of this review was to summarize and critically analyse the CRISPR-Cas9-mediated discoveries in the field of ASD.

Current and emerging therapeutic approaches for colorectal cancer: A comprehensive review.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) affects 1 in 23 males and 1 in 25 females, making it the third most common cancer. With roughly 608000 deaths worldwide, CRC accounts for 8% of all cancer-related deaths, making it the second most common cause of death due to cancer. Standard and conventional CRC treatments include surgical expurgation for resectable CRC and radiotherapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and their combinational regimen for non-resectable CRC. Despite these tactics, nearly half of patients develop incurable recurring CRC. Cancer cells resist the effects of chemotherapeutic drugs in a variety of ways, including drug inactivation, drug influx and efflux modifications, and ATP-binding cassette transporter overexpression. These constraints necessitate the development of new target-specific therapeutic strategies. Emerging therapeutic approaches, such as targeted immune boosting therapies, non-coding RNA-based therapies, probiotics, natural products, oncolytic viral therapies, and biomarker-driven therapies, have shown promising results in preclinical and clinical studies. We tethered the entire evolutionary trends in the development of CRC treatments in this review and discussed the potential of new therapies and how they might be used in conjunction with conventional treatments as well as their advantages and drawbacks as future medicines.

Role of genomic DNA methylation in PCOS pathogenesis: a systematic review and meta-analysis involving case-controlled clinical studies.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is often associated with aberrant DNA methylation. Despite the advances in diagnostics and treatment of PCOS, the pathophysiological mechanism remains unknown. Several genes are epigenetically dysregulated in PCOS and associated with pathological consequences of PCOS and metabolic comorbidities; however, the methylation status of specific genes and to what extent the genes are deregulated in terms of methylation pattern are unknown. This review aimed to analyse the existing data for specific genes and find conclusive evidence of their involvement in PCOS and associated risks. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in five electronic databases. The case-controlled clinical studies using both PCOS and healthy women and evaluating the methylation pattern without any treatment or intervention were included in the study. A random-effect model was used to extract the data for meta-analysis, and outcomes were expressed as standardized mean difference with a 95% CI. From 541 screened records, 41 studies were included in the review and 21 of them were used for meta-analysis of 20 genes. Meta-analysis revealed a significant global DNA hypomethylation in different tissues and peripheral blood of patients with PCOS compared to healthy controls. Specific gene methylation assessment revealed that genes associated with several functions were significantly hypomethylated and hypermethylated in patients with PCOS. This review provides conclusive evidence of epigenetic deregulation of specific genes in PCOS. These genes can potentially be used to develop diagnostic biomarkers or as targets for personalized therapy.

An insight into crosstalk among multiple signaling pathways contributing to epileptogenesis.

Despite the years of research, epilepsy remains uncontrolled in one-third of afflicted individuals and poses a health and economic burden on society. Currently available anti-epileptic drugs mainly target the excitatory-inhibitory imbalance despite targeting the underlying pathophysiology of the disease. Recent research focuses on understanding the pathophysiologic mechanisms that lead to seizure generation and on possible new treatment avenues for preventing epilepsy after a brain injury. Various signaling pathways, including the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAP-ERK) pathway, JAK-STAT pathway, wnt/ß-catenin signaling, cAMP pathway, and jun kinase pathway, have been suggested to play an essential role in this regard. Recent work suggests that the mTOR pathway intervenes epileptogenesis and proposes that mTOR inhibitors may have antiepileptogenic properties for epilepsy. In the same way, several animal studies have indicated the involvement of the Wnt signaling pathway in neurogenesis and neuronal death induced by seizures in different phases (acute and chronic) of seizure development. Various studies have also documented the activation of JAK-STAT signaling in epilepsy and cAMP involvement in epileptogenesis through CREB (cAMP response element-binding protein). Although studies are there, the mechanism for how components of these pathways mediate epileptogenesis requires further investigation. This review summarises the current role of various signaling pathways involved in epileptogenesis and the crosstalk among them. Furthermore, we will also discuss the mechanical base for the interaction between these pathways and how these interactions could be a new emerging promising target for future epilepsy therapies.