Syndecan-1 Expression Is Increased in the Aortic Wall of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes but Is Unrelated to Elevated Fasting Plasma Glucagon-Like Peptide-1.

A reduced prevalence of a thoracic aortic aneurysm (thoracic AA) is observed in type 2 diabetes (T2D). Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)/GLP-1-based anti-diabetic therapy has indicated protective effects in thoracic AA and regulates the processes controlling the vascular tissue expression of Syndecan-1 (Sdc-1). Sdc-1 expression on macrophages infiltrating the aortic tissue contributes to a counter-regulatory response to thoracic AA formation in animal models through the interplay with inflammation/proteolytic activity. We hypothesized that elevated fasting plasma GLP-1 (fpGLP-1) increases the aortic Sdc-1 expression in T2D, which may contribute to a reduced prevalence of thoracic AA. Consequently, we determined whether T2D/thoracic AA associates with an altered Sdc-1 expression in the aortic tissue and the possible associations with fpGLP-1 and inflammation/proteolytic activity. From a cohort of surgical patients with an aortic valve pathology, we compared different disease groups (T2D/thoracic AA) with the same sub-cohort group of controls (patients without T2D and thoracic AA). The MMP-2 activity and Sdc-1, GLP-1R and CD68 expression were analyzed in the aortic tissue. GLP-1, Sdc-1 and cytokines were analyzed in the plasma. The aortic Sdc-1 expression was increased in T2D patients but did not correlate with fpGLP-1. Thoracic AA was associated with an increased aortic expression of Sdc-1 and the macrophage marker CD68. CD68 was not detected in T2D. In conclusion, an increased aortic Sdc-1 expression may contribute to a reduced prevalence of thoracic AA in T2D.

Exposure to the saturated free fatty acid palmitate alters BV-2 microglia inflammatory response.

Elevated levels of free fatty acids (FFAs) in plasma and increased incidence of chronic systemic inflammation are associated with obesity. In the brain, activated microglia are believed to play different roles during inflammation that may either be neuroprotective or promote neurodegeneration. Here, we have investigated the effects of FFAs on microglial response to inflammatory stimuli. Our results indicate that the saturated FFA palmitate on its own induces alternative activation of BV-2 microglia cells. Further, pre-exposure to palmitate changed the response of microglia to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We show that palmitate affects the mRNA levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1ß and interleukin-6. The transcription factor CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein δ is also affected by pre-exposure to palmitate. Furthermore, the phagocytic activity of microglia was investigated using fluorescent beads. By analyzing the bead uptake by fluorescence-activated cell sorting, we found that palmitate alone, as well as together with LPS, stimulated the phagocytic activity of microglia. Taken together, our results suggest that exposure of microglia to increased levels of free fatty acids may alter the consequences of classical inflammatory stimuli.

GLP-1 secretion by microglial cells and decreased CNS expression in obesity.

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a strong risk factor for developing neurodegenerative pathologies. T2D patients have a deficiency in the intestinal incretin hormone GLP-1, which has been shown to exert neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties in the brain. METHODS: Here we investigate potential sources of GLP-1 in the CNS and the effect of diabetic conditions on the proglucagon mRNA expression in the CNS. The obese mouse model ob/ob, characterized by its high levels of free fatty acids, and the microglia cell line BV-2 were used as models. mRNA expression and protein secretion were analyzed by qPCR, immunofluorescence and ELISA. RESULTS: We show evidence for microglia as a central source of GLP-1 secretion. Furthermore, we observed that expression and secretion are stimulated by cAMP and dependent on microglial activation state. We also show that insulin-resistant conditions reduce the central mRNA expression of proglucagon. CONCLUSION: The findings that microglial mRNA expression of proglucagon and GLP-1 protein expression are affected by high levels of free fatty acids and that both mRNA expression levels of proglucagon and secretion levels of GLP-1 are affected by inflammatory stimuli could be of pathogenic importance for the premature neurodegeneration and cognitive decline commonly seen in T2D patients, and they may also be harnessed to advantage in therapeutic efforts to prevent or treat such disorders.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor activation reduces ischaemic brain damage following stroke in Type 2 diabetic rats.

Diabetes is a strong risk factor for premature and severe stroke. The GLP-1R (glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor) agonist Ex-4 (exendin-4) is a drug for the treatment of T2D (Type 2 diabetes) that may also have neuroprotective effects. The aim of the present study was to determine the efficacy of Ex-4 against stroke in diabetes by using a diabetic animal model, a drug administration paradigm and a dose that mimics a diabetic patient on Ex-4 therapy. Furthermore, we investigated inflammation and neurogenesis as potential cellular mechanisms underlying the Ex-4 efficacy. A total of seven 9-month-old Type 2 diabetic Goto­Kakizaki rats were treated peripherally for 4 weeks with Ex-4 at 0.1, 1 or 5 µg/kg of body weight before inducing stroke by transient middle cerebral artery occlusion and for 2­4 weeks thereafter. The severity of ischaemic damage was measured by evaluation of stroke volume and by stereological counting of neurons in the striatum and cortex. We also quantitatively evaluated stroke-induced inflammation, stem cell proliferation and neurogenesis. We show a profound anti-stroke efficacy of the clinical dose of Ex-4 in diabetic rats, an arrested microglia infiltration and an increase of stroke-induced neural stem cell proliferation and neuroblast formation, while stroke-induced neurogenesis was not affected by Ex-4. The results show a pronounced anti-stroke, neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effect of peripheral and chronic Ex-4 treatment in middle-aged diabetic animals in a preclinical setting that has the potential to mimic the clinical treatment. Our results should provide strong impetus to further investigate GLP-1R agonists for their neuroprotective action in diabetes, and for their possible use as anti-stroke medication in non-diabetic conditions.

The CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) δ is differently regulated by fibrillar and oligomeric forms of the Alzheimer amyloid-ß peptide.

BACKGROUND: The transcription factors CCAAT/enhancer binding proteins (C/EBP) α, ß and δ have been shown to be expressed in brain and to be involved in regulation of inflammatory genes in concert with nuclear factor κB (NF-κB). In general, C/EBPα is down-regulated, whereas both C/EBPß and δ are up-regulated in response to inflammatory stimuli. In Alzheimer's disease (AD) one of the hallmarks is chronic neuroinflammation mediated by astrocytes and microglial cells, most likely induced by the formation of amyloid-ß (Aß) deposits. The inflammatory response in AD has been ascribed both beneficial and detrimental roles. It is therefore important to delineate the inflammatory mediators and signaling pathways affected by Aß deposits with the aim of defining new therapeutic targets. METHODS: Here we have investigated the effects of Aß on expression of C/EBP family members with a focus on C/EBPδ in rat primary astro-microglial cultures and in a transgenic mouse model with high levels of fibrillar Aß deposits (tg-ArcSwe) by western blot analysis. Effects on DNA binding activity were analyzed by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Cross-talk between C/EBPδ and NF-κB was investigated by analyzing binding to a κB site using a biotin streptavidin-agarose pull-down assay. RESULTS: We show that exposure to fibril-enriched, but not oligomer-enriched, preparations of Aß inhibit up-regulation of C/EBPδ expression in interleukin-1ß-activated glial cultures. Furthermore, we observed that, in aged transgenic mice, C/EBPα was significantly down-regulated and C/EBPß was significantly up-regulated. C/EBPδ, on the other hand, was selectively down-regulated in the forebrain, a part of the brain showing high levels of fibrillar Aß deposits. In contrast, no difference in expression levels of C/EBPδ between wild type and transgenic mice was detected in the relatively spared hindbrain. Finally, we show that interleukin-1ß-induced C/EBPδ DNA binding activity to both C/EBP and κB sites is abolished after exposure to Aß. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that both expression and function of C/EBPδ are dysregulated in Alzheimer's disease. C/EBPδ seems to be differently regulated in response to different conformations of Aß. We propose that Aß induces an imbalance between NF-κB and C/EBP transcription factors that may result in abnormal responses to inflammatory stimuli.