Activation of microglia synergistically enhances neurodegeneration caused by MPP+ in human SH-SY5Y cells.

While MPP+ may not directly activate microglia, the initial neuronal damage inflicted by the toxin may trigger microglia, possibly leading to synergistic pro-apoptotic interaction between neuro-inflammation and toxin-induced neurotoxicity, which may further aggravate neurodegeneration. However, what molecular targets are synergistically up or downregulated during this interaction is not well understood. Here, we addressed this by co-culturing fully differentiated human SH-SY5Y cells treated with parkinsonian toxin 1-Methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+), with endotoxin-activated microglial cell line EOC 20 to determine how this interaction affects pro-apoptotic (p38, JNK, and bax:bcl2 ratios) and pro-survival (NF-κB, MEK1) signaling at both mRNA and protein levels. Concurrent MPP+ and endotoxin-treatment aggravated a decrease in SH-SY5Y cell viability and caused strong synergistic increases in the bax:bcl2 ratio, but also NF-κB and JNK signaling. These effects were attenuated by microglia inhibitor minocycline. Altogether, these data provide further molecular insights into the important role or even conditional requirement of microglia activation in the progressive neurodegenerative nature of PD.

Defense of Elevated Body Weight Setpoint in Diet-Induced Obese Rats on Low Energy Diet Is Mediated by Loss of Melanocortin Sensitivity in the Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus.

Some animals and humans fed a high-energy diet (HED) are diet-resistant (DR), remaining as lean as individuals who were naïve to HED. Other individuals become obese during HED exposure and subsequently defend the obese weight (Diet-Induced Obesity- Defenders, DIO-D) even when subsequently maintained on a low-energy diet. We hypothesized that the body weight setpoint of the DIO-D phenotype resides in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN), where anorexigenic melanocortins, including melanotan II (MTII), increase presynaptic GABA release, and the orexigenic neuropeptide Y (NPY) inhibits it. After prolonged return to low-energy diet, GABA inputs to PVN neurons from DIO-D rats exhibited highly attenuated responses to MTII compared with those from DR and HED-naïve rats. In DIO-D rats, melanocortin-4 receptor expression was significantly reduced in dorsomedial hypothalamus, a major source of GABA input to PVN. Unlike melanocortin responses, NPY actions in PVN of DIO-D rats were unchanged, but were reduced in neurons of the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus; in PVN of DR rats, NPY responses were paradoxically increased. MTII-sensitivity was restored in DIO-D rats by several weeks' refeeding with HED. The loss of melanocortin sensitivity restricted to PVN of DIO-D animals, and its restoration upon prolonged refeeding with HED suggest that their melanocortin systems retain the ability to up- and downregulate around their elevated body weight setpoint in response to longer-term changes in dietary energy density. These properties are consistent with a mechanism of body weight setpoint.

FRET based ratiometric Ca(2+) imaging to investigate immune-mediated neuronal and axonal damage processes in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

BACKGROUND: Irreversible axonal and neuronal damage are the correlate of disability in patients suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS). A sustained increase of cytoplasmic free [Ca(2+)] is a common upstream event of many neuronal and axonal damage processes and could represent an early and potentially reversible step. NEW METHOD: We propose a method to specifically analyze the neurodegenerative aspects of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis by Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) imaging of neuronal and axonal Ca(2+) dynamics by two-photon laser scanning microscopy (TPLSM). RESULTS: Using the genetically encoded Ca(2+) sensor TN-XXL expressed in neurons and their corresponding axons, we confirm the increase of cytoplasmic free [Ca(2+)] in axons and neurons of autoimmune inflammatory lesions compared to those in non-inflamed brains. We show that these relative [Ca(2+)] increases were associated with immune-neuronal interactions. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS: In contrast to Ca(2+)-sensitive dyes the use of a genetically encoded Ca(2+) sensor allows reliable intraaxonal free [Ca(2+)] measurements in living anesthetized mice in health and disease. This method detects early axonal damage processes in contrast to e.g. cell/axon morphology analysis, that rather detects late signs of neurodegeneration. CONCLUSIONS: Thus, we describe a method to analyze and monitor early neuronal damage processes in the brain in vivo.

IL-17 and related cytokines involved in the pathology and immunotherapy of multiple sclerosis: Current and future developments.

Multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune neurological disorder, is driven by self-reactive T helper (Th) cells. Research on the role of Th17 lymphocytes in MS pathogenesis has made significant progress in identifying various immunological as well as environmental factors that induce the differentiation and expansion of these cells, different subsets of Th17 cells with varying degrees of pathogenicity, and the role of the secreted effector cytokines. While approved therapies for MS offer significant benefit to patients, there remain unmet needs. Ongoing clinical trials aim to translate the advanced knowledge of Th17 cytokines to improved therapies. This review discusses the current status and future developments of research into the role of Th17 and related cytokines in MS pathogenesis and therapy.

Cognitive enhancement by omega-3 fatty acids from child-hood to old age: findings from animal and clinical studies.

Omega-(n)-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), including docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) are major components of neuronal membranes and have a wide range of functions, from modulating synaptic plasticity and neurochemistry, to neuroimmune-modulation and neuroprotection. Thus, it is not surprising that n-3 PUFA are widely acknowledged to have cognitive-enhancing effects. Although clinical evidence is somewhat conflicting, probably in large part due to methodological issues, animal studies have consistently demonstrated that n-3 PUFA are indispensable for proper brain development, may enhance cognitive function in healthy, adult individuals and attenuate cognitive impairment in aging and age-related disorders, such as dementia. This review discusses and integrates up to date evidence from clinical and animal studies investigating the cognitive-enhancing effects of n-3 PUFA during development, child- and adult-hood, as well as old-age with associated neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease. Furthermore, we cover the major underlying biochemical and neurophysiological mechanisms by which n-3 PUFA mediate these effects on cognition. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled 'Cognitive Enhancers'.

ω-3 fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid attenuates MPP+-induced neurodegeneration in fully differentiated human SH-SY5Y and primary mesencephalic cells.

Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), a neuroactive omega-3 fatty acid, has been demonstrated to exert neuroprotective effects in experimental models of Parkinson's disease (PD), but the cellular mechanisms of protection are unknown. Here, we studied the effects of EPA in fully differentiated human SH-SY5Y cells and primary mesencephalic neurons treated with MPP(+) . In both in-vitro models of PD, EPA attenuated an MPP(+) -induced reduction in cell viability. EPA also prevented the presence of electron-dense cytoplasmic inclusions in SH-SY5Y cells. Then, possible mechanisms of the neuroprotection were studied. In primary neurons, EPA attenuated an MPP(+) -induced increase in Tyrosine-related kinase B (TrkB) receptors. In SH-SY5Y cells, EPA down-regulated reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide. This antioxidant effect of EPA may have been mediated by its inhibition of neuronal NADPH oxidase and cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2), as MPP(+) increased the expression of these enzymes. Furthermore, EPA prevented an increase in cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2), an enzyme linked with COX-2 in the potentially pro-inflammatory arachidonic acid cascade. Lastly, EPA attenuated an increase in the bax:bcl-2 ratio, and cytochrome c release. However, EPA did not prevent mitochondrial enlargement or a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential. This study demonstrated cellular mechanisms by which EPA provided neuroprotective effects in experimental PD.

Ethyl-eicosapentaenoate modulates changes in neurochemistry and brain lipids induced by parkinsonian neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium in mouse brain slices.

Evidence suggests a link between Parkinson's disease and the dietary intake of omega (n)-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Presently, we investigated whether an acute dose of parkinsonian neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP(+)) affects brain n-3 and n-6 PUFA content and expression of fatty acid metabolic enzymes cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in brain slices from C57Bl/6 mice. Furthermore, we investigated whether feeding a diet of n-3 PUFA ethyl-eicosapentaenoate (E-EPA) to these mice can attenuate the MPP(+) induced changes in brain PUFA content and expression of cPLA2 and COX-2, and attenuate MPP(+) induced changes in neurotransmitters and metabolites and apoptotic markers, bax, bcl-2 and caspase-3. MPP(+) increased brain content of n-6 PUFAs linoleic acid and arachidonic acid, and increased the mRNA expression of cPLA2. MPP(+) also depleted striatal dopamine levels and increased dopamine turnover, and depleted noradrenaline levels in the frontal cortex. The neurotoxin induced increases in bax, bcl-2 and caspase-3 mRNA expression that approached significance. E-EPA by itself increased brain n-3 content, including EPA and docosapentaenoic acid (C22:5, n-3), and increased cortical dopamine. More importantly, E-EPA attenuated the MPP(+) induced increase in n-6 fatty acids content, partially attenuated the striatal dopaminergic turnover, and prevented the increases of pro-apoptotic bax and caspase-3 mRNAs. In conclusion, increases in n-6 PUFAs in the acute stage of exposure to parkinsonian neurotoxins may promote pro-inflammatory conditions. EPA may provide modest beneficial effects in Parkinson's disease, but further investigation is warranted.

Behavior, neurotransmitters and inflammation in three regimens of the MPTP mouse model of Parkinson's disease.

Three common dosing regimens of the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced model of Parkinson's disease (PD) were compared in C57BL/6 mice on behavior, striatal and extra-striatal neurotransmission, and brain cytokines, to clarify the differences between regimens on these variables. Acute regimen: Rotorod performance and open field grooming were decreased. Striatal dopamine (DA) was depleted, but DA turnover increased. Striatal noradrenalin (NA), frontal cortex serotonin (5-HT) and midbrain NA and DA were all depleted. Sub-acute regimen: Opposite to the acute regimen, rotorod and pole test performance, and open field grooming were all increased. Striatal DA was depleted, but DA turnover was increased more than in the acute regimen. Striatal 5-HT turnover and cortical NA were increased as well. Chronic regimen: Rotorod performance was impaired, but open field distance moved increased. Striatal DA was severely depleted and DA and 5-HT turnover strongly increased. Striatal 5-HT, frontal cortex NA and DA, and cortical DA were all depleted. Pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1beta, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interferon (IFN)-gamma, granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and IL-10 were only increased in the chronic regimen, but these cytokines were found to be similarly related to striatal DA turnover in all regimens. The study demonstrated that the presence of behavioral differences between regimens may depend on the type of behavioral tests used and the extent to which dopaminergic, non-dopaminergic and extra-striatal neurotransmission are affected in the regimens. The study also provided additional evidence for the validity of the relatively new chronic MPTP/probenecid model. In all, the results suggested that dosing regimens should be carefully pre-considered.