Long-term demyelination and aging-associated changes in mice corpus callosum; evidence for the role of accelerated aging in remyelination failure in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory and demyelinating disorder affecting the central nervous system. Evidence suggests that age-related neurodegeneration contributes to disability progression during the chronic stages of MS. Aging is characterized by decreased regeneration potential and impaired myelin repair in the brain. It is hypothesized that accelerated cellular aging contributes to the functional decline associated with neurodegenerative diseases. We assessed the impact of aging on myelin content in the corpus callosum (CC) and compared aging with the long-term demyelination (LTD) consequents induced by 12 weeks of feeding with a cuprizone (CPZ) diet. Initially, evaluating myelin content in 2-, 6-, and 18-month-old mice revealed a reduction in myelin content, particularly at 18 months. Myelin thickness was decreased and the g-ratio increased in aged mice. Although a lower myelin content and higher g-ratio were observed in LTD model mice, compared to the normally aged mice, both aging and LTD exhibited relatively similar myelin ultrastructure. Our findings provide evidence that LTD exhibits the hallmarks of aging such as elevated expression of senescence-associated genes, mitochondrial dysfunction, and high level of oxidative stress as observed following normal aging. We also investigated the senescence-associated ß-galactosidase activity in O4+ late oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs). The senescent O4+/ß-galactosidase+ cells were elevated in the CPZ diet. Our data showed that the myelin degeneration in CC occurs throughout the lifespan, and LTD induced by CPZ accelerates the aging process which may explain the impairment of myelin repair in patients with progressive MS.

The anti-platelet drug ticlopidine inhibits FapC fibrillation and biofilm production: Highlighting its antibiotic activity.

Multidrug resistance of bacteria and persistent infections related to biofilms, as well as the low availability of new antibacterial drugs, make it urgent to develop new antibiotics. Here, we evaluate the antibacterial and anti-biofilm properties of ticlopidine (TP), an anti-platelet aggregation drug, TP showed antibacterial activity against both gram-positive (MRSA) and gram-negative (E. coli, and P. aeruginosa) bacteria over a long treatment period. TP significantly reduced the survival of gram-negative bacteria in human blood though impact on gram-positives was more limited. TP may cause death in MRSA by inhibiting staphyloxanthin pigment synthesis, leading to oxidative stress, while scanning electron microscopy imaging indicate a loss of membrane integrity, damage, and consequent death due to lysis in gram-negative bacteria. TP showed good anti-biofilm activity against P. aeruginosa and MRSA, and a stronger biofilm degradation activity on P. aeruginosa compared to MRSA. Measuring fluorescence of the amyloid-reporter Thioflavin T (ThT) in biofilm implicated inhibition of amyloid formation as part of TP activity. This was confirmed by assays on the purified protein in P. aeruginosa, FapC, whose fibrillation kinetics was inhibited by TP. TP prolonged the lag phase of aggregation and reduced the subsequent growth rate and prolonging the lag phase to very long times provides ample opportunity to exert TP's antibacterial effect. We conclude that TP shows activity as an antibiotic against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria thanks to a broad range of activities, targeting bacterial metabolic processes, cellular structures and the biofilm matrix.

Investigating the role of endogenous opioid system in chloroquine-induced phospholipidosis in rat liver by morphological, biochemical and molecular modelling studies.

Drug-induced phospholipidosis (DIPL) is characterized by phospholipid storage in the lysosomes of affected tissues. Many severe effects and toxicities have been linked to DIPL. The aim of this study was to determine whether the endogenous opioid system is involved in chloroquine-induced phospholipidosis. The effect of naltrexone as an antagonist of opioid receptors in chloroquine-induced phospholipidosis in rat liver was investigated by morphological, biochemical, and molecular modelling studies. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that morphological characteristic changes of rat liver, including the number of lamellar bodies, grade of vacuolization and cell steatosis, were markedly attenuated in rats treated with naltrexone alone or in combination with chloroquine, in comparison with chloroquine-treated rats. The results of liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC/MS) showed that the concentrations of phenylacetylglycine (PAG) and hippuric acid (HA) were significantly decreased and increased, respectively, in target groups. Besides, the concentration ratio of PAG/HA was significantly decreased. Spectrophotometry resulted in a notable decrease in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities in target groups. The results from the molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulation studies demonstrated clear chloroquine interaction with the active site cavity of the µ opioid receptor. These data suggest that administration of naltrexone alone, or in combination with chloroquine, notably attenuates the side effects of chloroquine-induced phospholipidosis, as well as demonstrating an increased probability of the endogenous opioid system involvement in chloroquine-induced phospholipidosis in rat liver.

Polyphenols protect mitochondrial membrane against permeabilization induced by HEWL oligomers: Possible mechanism of action.

Increasing body of evidence suggests that polyphenols frequently interacting with amyloid aggregates and/or interfering with aggregate species to bind biomembranes may serve as a therapeutic approach for the treatment of amyloid-related diseases. Hence, in the present study, the possible effects of three naturally occurring polyphenols including Curcumin, Quercetin, and Resveratrol on mitochondrial membrane permeabilization induced by Hen Egg White Lysozyme (HEWL) oligomers were investigated. Our results indicated that pre-incubation of mitochondrial homogenate with polyphenols considerably inhibit membrane permeabilization in a concentration dependent manner. In parallel, HEWL oligomers, which were co-incubated with the polyphenols, showed less effectiveness on membrane permeabilization, suggesting that toxicity of oligomers was hindered. Using a range of techniques including fluorescence quenching, Nile red binding assay, zeta potential and size measurements, CD (far- and near-UV) spectroscopy, and molecular docking, we found that the polyphenols, structure-dependently, interact with and induce conformational changes in HEWL oligomers, thereby inhibit their toxicity. We proposed a mechanism by which selected polyphenols induce their protective effects through binding to mitochondria and interfering with HEWL oligomer-membrane interactions and/or by direct interaction with HEWL oligomers, induction of conformational changes, and generating far less toxic species. However, additional studies are needed to elucidate the detailed mechanisms involved.

Interaction of Aß(25-35) fibrillation products with mitochondria: Effect of small-molecule natural products.

The 25-35 fragment of the amyloid ß (Aß) peptide is a naturally occurring proteolytic by-product that retains the pathophysiology of its larger parent molecule, whose deposition has been shown to involve mitochondrial dysfunction. Hence, disruption of Aß(25-35) aggregates could afford an effective remedial strategy for Alzheimer's disease (AD). In the present study, the effect of a number of selected small-molecule natural products (polyphenols: resveratrol, quercetin, biochanin A, and indoles: indole-3-acetic acid, indole-3-carbinol (I3C)) on Aß(25-35) fibrillogenesis was explored under physiological conditions, and interaction of the resulting structures with rat brain mitochondria was investigated. Several techniques, including fluorescence, circular dichroism, and transmission electron microscopy were utilized to characterize the aggregation products, and possible mitochondrial membrane permeabilization was determined following release of marker enzymes. Results demonstrate the capacity of Aß(25-35) fibrils to damage mitochondria and suggest how small molecules may afford protection. While I3C appeared more effective in inhibiting the fibrillation process, all natural products behaved similarly in destabilizing preformed aggregates. It is concluded that elucidation of such protection may provide important insights into the development of preventive and therapeutic agents for AD.

Dependence on morphine impairs the induction of long-term potentiation in the CA1 region of rat hippocampal slices.

The effect of chronic morphine treatment on hippocampal CA1-long-term potentiation (LTP) was examined in vitro. The field excitatory postsynaptic potential (fEPSP) was recorded from stratum radiatum of area CA1 following stimulation of Schaffer collaterals in slices taken from control and morphine-dependent rats. To induce LTP, a 100-Hz primed burst stimulation (PBs) was used. Slices from rats exposed to chronic morphine showed no effect on baseline synaptic responses. Slices from control rats or rats exposed to chronic morphine maintained in ACSF with either morphine or naloxone also had no effect on baseline synaptic responses. Control slices perfused with medium containing either morphine or naloxone as well as both drugs exhibited hippocampal CA1 LTP. Similarly, slices from morphine-dependent rats maintained in ACSF with either naloxone or just morphine free ACSF also exhibited hippocampal CA1 LTP. However, slices from morphine-dependent rats maintained in ACSF with morphine significantly attenuated hippocampal CA1 LTP. These findings suggest that hippocampal CA1-LTP can still be achieved in slices from morphine-dependent rats exhibiting morphine withdrawal through mechanisms that may be inhibited by opiate exposure. Such studies can be helpful in understanding the neurophysiological substrate of memory deficits seen in opiate addicts.

Dependence on morphine leads to a prominent sharing among the different mechanisms of long-term potentiation in the CA1 region of rat hippocampus.

Here, we examined chronic exposure to morphine to determine if this treatment shifted LTP mechanism in the CA1 field in vitro. Long-term potentiation (LTP) of population spikes induced by a 200 Hz theta pattern primed bursts (PBs) stimulation. Verapamil was used to isolate NMDA-dependent LTP. In control slices, a 200 Hz tetanus induced a compound potentiation, consisted of two pharmacologically separable components: nmdaLTP and vdccLTP. LTP in slices taken from morphine dependent rats was completely abolished by either APV or verapamil. These data suggest that morphine dependence in rats does not interfere with the induction and maintenance of hippocampal CA1 LTP. While in control rats both NMDA and voltage-dependent Ca(2+) channel (VDCC) antagonists must have been used concurrently to prevent the induction of LTP, in morphine-dependent rats, each of the antagonist could prevent the LTP induction suggesting a tighter coupling between these two calcium influx regulating processes.

Nicotine potentiation of morphine-induced catalepsy in mice.

In the present study, effects of nicotine on catalepsy induced by morphine in mice have been investigated. Morphine but not nicotine induced a dose-dependent catalepsy. The response of morphine was potentiated by nicotine. Intraperitoneal administration of atropine, naloxone, mecamylamine, and hexamethonium to mice reduced catalepsy induced by a combination of morphine with nicotine. Intracerebroventricular injection of atropine, hexamethonium, and naloxone also decreased catalepsy induced by morphine plus nicotine. Intraperitoneal administration of atropine, but not intraperitoneal or intracerebroventricular injection of hexamethonium, decreased the effect of a single dose of morphine. It was concluded that morphine catalepsy can be elicited by opioid and cholinergic receptors, and the potentiation of morphine induced by nicotine may also be mediated through cholinergic receptor mechanisms.