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Sample records for calmodulin link brain-derived

  1. Differential inhibition of calmodulin-sensitive phosphodiesterase and Ca++-adenosine triphosphatase by chlorpromazine-linked calmodulin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Prozialeck, W.C.; Wallace, T.L.; Weiss, B.

    1987-01-01

    Upon irradiation with UV light, chlorpromazine binds irreversibly to calmodulin and inactivates it. To determine whether this chlorpromazine-calmodulin (CPZ-CaM) complex can inhibit the actions of native calmodulin, we examined its effects on the activity of calmodulin-sensitive cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase from rat brain and on the Ca++-adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) of human erythrocyte membranes. The CPZ-CaM complex was prepared by irradiating purified bovine brain calmodulin in the presence of chlorpromazine and Ca++. The sample was then dialyzed extensively to remove reversibly bound chlorpromazine and then assayed for its ability to activate calmodulin-sensitive phosphodiesterase and Ca++-ATPase, and for its ability to block the stimulatory effects of native calmodulin on these enzymes. The CPZ-CaM complex had no effect on the basal activity of either enzyme; it neither activated nor inhibited the enzymes when assayed in the absence of calmodulin. However, it affected differentially the activation of the two enzymes by native calmodulin. The CPZ-CaM complex totally inhibited calmodulin-stimulated phosphodiesterase but had no effect on the activation of the ATPase by calmodulin. Other studies showed that CPZ-CaM increased the activation constant (Ka) for the interaction of calmodulin with phosphodiesterase but did not affect the maximal activation (Vmax) of the enzyme by calmodulin. Neither calmodulin nor CPZ-CaM altered the Km for the interaction between phosphodiesterase and cyclic AMP. These results suggest that CPZ-CaM inhibits the calmodulin-induced activation of phosphodiesterase by competing with calmodulin for regulatory sites on the enzyme and not by interacting with calmodulin itself or by blocking the interaction of cyclic AMP with the enzyme

  2. Regulation of brain adenylate cyclase by calmodulin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Harrison, J.K.

    1988-01-01

    This thesis examined the interaction between the Ca 2+ -binding protein, calmodulin (CaM), and the cAMP synthesizing enzyme, adenylate cyclase. The regulation of guanyl nucleotide-dependent adenylate cyclase by CaM was examined in a particulate fraction from bovine striatum. CaM stimulated basal adenylate cyclase activity and enhanced the stimulation of the enzyme by GTP and dopamine (DA). The potentiation of GTP- and DA-stimulated adenylate cyclase activities by CaM was more sensitive to the concentration of CaM than was the stimulation of basal activity. A photoreactive CaM derivative was developed in order to probe the interactions between CaM and the adenylate cyclase components of bovine brain. Iodo-[ 125 I]-CaM-diazopyruvamide ( 125 I-CAM-DAP) behaved like native CaM with respect to Ca 2+ -enhanced mobility on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels and Ca 2+ -dependent stimulation of adenylate cyclase. 125 I-CaM-DAP cross-linked to CaM-binding proteins in a Ca 2+ -dependent, concentration-dependent, and CaM-specific manner. Photolysis of 125 I-CaM-DAP and forskolin-agarose purified CaM-sensitive adenylate cyclase produced an adduct with a molecular weight of 140,000

  3. Inhibition of calmodulin - regulated calcium pump activity in rat brain by toxaphene

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Trottman, C.H.; Moorthy, K.S.

    1986-01-01

    In vivo effects of toxaphene on calcium pump activity in rat brain synaptosomes was studied. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were dosed with toxaphene at 0,25,50, and 100 mg/kg/day for 3 days and sacrificed 24 h after last dose. Ca 2+ -ATPase activity and 45 Ca uptake were determined in brain P 2 fraction. Toxaphene inhibited both Ca 2+ -ATPase activity and 45 Ca 2+ uptake and the inhibition was dose dependent. Both substrate and Ca 2+ activation kinetics of Ca 2+ -ATPase indicated non-competitive type of inhibition as evidenced by decreased catalytic velocity but not enzyme-substrate affinity. The inhibited Ca 2+ -ATPase activity and Ca 2+ uptake were restored to normal level by exogenously added calmodulin which increased both velocity and affinity. The inhibition of Ca 2+ -ATPase activity and Ca 2+ uptake and restoration by calmodulin suggests that toxaphene may impair active calcium transport mechanisms by decreasing regulator protein calmodulin levels

  4. Calmodulin-activated cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase from brain. Relationship of subunit structure to activity assessed by radiation inactivation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kincaid, R.L.; Kemdner, E.; Manganiello, V.C.; Osborne, J.C.; Vaughan, M.

    1981-01-01

    The apparent target sizes of the basal and calmodulin-dependent activities of calmodulin-activated phosphodiesterase from bovine brain were estimated using target theory analysis of data from radiation inactivation experiments. Whether crude or highly purified samples were irradiated, the following results were obtained. Low doses of radiation caused a 10 to 15% increase in basal activity, which, with further irradiation, decayed with an apparent target size of approx.60,000 daltons. Calmodulin-dependent activity decayed with an apparent target size of approx.105,000 daltons. The percentage stimulation of enzyme activity by calmodulin decreased markedly as a function of radiation dosage. These observations are consistent with results predicted by computer-assisted modeling based on the assumptions that: 1) the calmodulin-activated phosphodiesterase exists as a mixture of monomers which are fully active in the absence of calmodulin and dimers which are inactive in the absence of calmodulin; 2) in the presence of calmodulin, a dimer exhibits activity equal to that of two monomers; 3) on radiation destruction of a dimer, an active monomer is generated. This monomer-dimer hypothesis provides a plausible explanation for and definition of basal and calmodulin-dependent phosphodiesterase activity

  5. Nonenzymatic glucosylation of neuronal calmodulin and its functional consequences

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kowluru, R.A.; Kowluru, A.; Bitensky, M.W.

    1986-01-01

    Glucosylation (NEG) (nonenzymatic) of proteins is a posttranslational protein modification that occurs readily in the diabetic environment. As a consequence of NEG some proteins are known to undergo a change in function. Their studies of red blood cell (RBC) cytoskeletal proteins indicate that calmodulin is glucosylated in the diabetic RBC and this is followed by a change in function. Here they present new data in support of their earlier findings. Purified bovine brain calmodulin was glucosylated in vitro in the presence of 28 mM glucose. After six days of incubation at room temperature 2.75 moles of glucose were incorporated per mole of calmodulin. Glucosylated calmodulin exhibited a marked reduction in calcium dependent functions. Its ability to stimulate neuronal phosphodiesterase (PDE) and adenylate cyclase was reduced by 65 and 80% respectively. Its ability to stimulate rat brain protein kinase was reduced by 40%. Glucosylated calmodulin exhibited a 56% drop in its 45 Ca binding as compared with unmodified calmodulin. These data provide an additional example in which NEG markedly alters protein function

  6. Edaravone Enhances Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Production in the Ischemic Mouse Brain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Satoshi Okuyama

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Edaravone, a clinical drug used to treat strokes, protects against neuronal cell death and memory loss in the ischemic brains of animal models through its antioxidant activity. In the present study, we subcutaneously administrated edaravone to mice (3 mg/kg/day for three days immediately after bilateral common carotid artery occlusion, and revealed through an immunohistochemical analysis that edaravone (1 accelerated increases in the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF in the hippocampus; (2 increased the number of doublecortin-positive neuronal precursor cells in the dentate gyrus subgranular zone; and (3 suppressed the ischemia-induced inactivation of calcium-calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II in the hippocampus. We also revealed through a Western blotting analysis that edaravone (4 induced the phosphorylation of cAMP response element-binding (CREB, a transcription factor that regulates BDNF gene expression; and (5 induced the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2, an upstream signal factor of CREB. These results suggest that the neuroprotective effects of edaravone following brain ischemia were mediated not only by the elimination of oxidative stress, but also by the induction of BDNF production.

  7. Fesselin is a target protein for calmodulin in a calcium-dependent manner

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    KoIakowski, Janusz; Wrzosek, Antoni; Dabrowska, Renata

    2004-01-01

    Fesselin is a basic protein isolated from smooth muscle which binds G-actin and accelerates its polymerization as well as cross-links assembled filaments [J. Muscle Res. Cell Motil. 20 (1999) 539; Biochemistry 40 (2001) 14252]. In this report experimental evidence is provided for the first time proving that fesselin can interact with calmodulin in a Ca 2+ -dependent manner in vitro. Using ion exchange, followed by calmodulin-affinity chromatography, enabled us to simplify and shorten the fesselin preparation procedure and increase its yield by about three times in comparison to the procedure described by Leinweber et al. [J. Muscle Res. Cell Motil. 20 (1999) 539]. Fesselin interaction with dansyl-labelled calmodulin causes a 2-fold increase in maximum fluorescence intensity of the fluorophore and a 21 nm blue shift of the spectrum. The transition of complex formation between fesselin and calmodulin occurs at submicromolar concentration of calcium ions. The dissociation constant of fesselin Ca 2+ /calmodulin complexes amounted to 10 -8 M. The results suggest the existence of a direct link between Ca 2+ /calmodulin and fesselin at the level of actin cytoskeleton dynamics in smooth muscle

  8. Calcium-dependent but calmodulin-independent protein kinase from soybean

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Harmon, A.C.; Putnam-Evans, C.; Cormier, M.J.

    1987-01-01

    A calcium-dependent protein kinase activity from suspension-cultured soybean cells (Glycine max L. Wayne) was shown to be dependent on calcium but not calmodulin. The concentrations of free calcium required for half-maximal histone H1 phosphorylation and autophosphorylation were similar (≥ 2 micromolar). The protein kinase activity was stimulated 100-fold by ≥ 10 micromolar-free calcium. When exogenous soybean or bovine brain calmodulin was added in high concentration (1 micromolar) to the purified kinase, calcium-dependent and -independent activities were weakly stimulated (≤ 2-fold). Bovine serum albumin had a similar effect on both activities. The kinase was separated from a small amount of contaminating calmodulin by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. After renaturation the protein kinase autophosphorylated and phosphorylated histone H1 in a calcium-dependent manner. Following electroblotting onto nitrocellulose, the kinase bound 45 Ca 2+ in the presence of KCl and MgCl 2 , which indicated that the kinase itself is a high-affinity calcium-binding protein. Also, the mobility of one of two kinase bands in SDS gels was dependent on the presence of calcium. Autophosphorylation of the calmodulin-free kinase was inhibited by the calmodulin-binding compound N-(6-aminohexyl)-5-chloro-1-naphthalene sulfonamide (W-7), showing that the inhibition of activity by W-7 is independent of calmodulin. These results show that soybean calcium-dependent protein kinase represents a new class of protein kinase which requires calcium but not calmodulin for activity

  9. Nitric Oxide Synthases Reveal a Role for Calmodulin in Controlling Electron Transfer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abu-Soud, Husam M.; Stuehr, Dennis J.

    1993-11-01

    Nitric oxide (NO) is synthesized within the immune, vascular, and nervous systems, where it acts as a wide-ranging mediator of mammalian physiology. The NO synthases (EC 1.14.13.39) isolated from neurons or endothelium are calmodulin dependent. Calmodulin binds reversibly to neuronal NO synthase in response to elevated Ca2+, triggering its NO production by an unknown mechanism. Here we show that calmodulin binding allows NADPH-derived electrons to pass onto the heme group of neuronal NO synthase. Calmodulin-triggered electron transfer to heme was independent of substrate binding, caused rapid enzymatic oxidation of NADPH in the presence of O_2, and was required for NO synthesis. An NO synthase isolated from cytokine-induced macrophages that contains tightly bound calmodulin catalyzed spontaneous electron transfer to its heme, consistent with bound calmodulin also enabling electron transfer within this isoform. Together, these results provide a basis for how calmodulin may regulate NO synthesis. The ability of calmodulin to trigger electron transfer within an enzyme is unexpected and represents an additional function for calcium-binding proteins in biology.

  10. MUTATIONS IN CALMODULIN GENES

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2013-01-01

    The present invention relates to an isolated polynucleotide encoding at least a part of calmodulin and an isolated polypeptide comprising at least a part of a calmodulin protein, wherein the polynucleotide and the polypeptide comprise at least one mutation associated with a cardiac disorder. The ...... the binding of calmodulin to ryanodine receptor 2 and use of such compound in a treatment of an individual having a cardiac disorder. The invention further provides a kit that can be used to detect specific mutations in calmodulin encoding genes....

  11. Interaction of calmodulin with the calmodulin binding domain of the plasma membrane Ca2+ pump

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vorherr, T.; James, P.; Krebs, J.; Carafoli, E.; McCormick, D.J.; Penniston, J.T.; Enyedi, A.

    1990-01-01

    Peptides corresponding to the calmodulin binding domain of the plasma membrane Ca 2+ pump were synthesized, and their interaction with calmodulin was studied with circular dichroism, infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, and fluorescence techniques. They corresponded to the complete calmodulin binding domain (28 residues), to its first 15 or 20 amino acids, and to its C-terminal 14 amino acids. The first three peptides interacted with calmodulin. The K value was similar to that of the intact enzyme in the 28 and 20 amino acid peptides, but increased substantially in the shorter 15 amino acid peptide. The 14 amino acid peptide corresponding to the C-terminal portion of the domain failed to bind calmodulin. 2D NMR experiments on the 20 amino acid peptides have indicated that the interaction occurred with the C-terminal half of calmodulin. A tryptophan that is conserved in most calmodulin binding domains of proteins was replaced by other amino acids, giving rise to modified peptides which had lower affinity for calmodulin. An 18 amino acid peptide corresponding to an acidic sequence immediately N-terminal to the calmodulin binding domain which is likely to be a Ca 2+ binding site in the pump was also synthesized. Circular dichroism experiments have shown that it interacted with calmodulin binding domain, supporting the suggestion that the latter, or a portion of it, may act as a natural inhibitor of the pump

  12. New human erythrocyte protein with binding sites for both spectrin and calmodulin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gardner, K.; Bennett, V.

    1986-01-01

    A new cytoskeletal protein that binds calmodulin has been purified to greater than 95% homogeneity from human erythrocyte cytoskeletons. The protein is a heterodimer with subunits of 103,000 and 97,000 and M/sub r/ = 197,000 calculated from its Stokes radius of 6.9 nm and sedimentation coefficient of 6.8. A binding affinity of this protein for calmodulin has been estimated to be 230 nM by displacement of two different concentrations of 125 I-azidocalmodulin with increasing concentrations of unmodified calmodulin followed by Dixon plot analysis. This protein is present in red cells at approximately 30,000 copies per cell and contains a very tight binding site(s) on cytoskeletons. The protein can be only partially solubilized from isolated cytoskeletons in buffers containing high salt, but can be totally solubilized from red cell ghost membranes by extraction in low ionic strength buffers. Affinity purified IgG against this calmodulin-binding protein identifies crossreacting polypeptide(s) in brain, kidney, testes and retina. Visualization of the calmodulin-binding protein by negative staining, rotary shadowing and unidirectional shadowing indicate that it is a flattened circular molecule with molecular height of 5.4 nm and a diameter of 12.4 nm. Preliminary cosedimentation studies with purified spectrin and F-actin indicate that the site of interaction of this calmodulin-binding protein with the cytoskeleton resides on spectrin

  13. Developmental differences in posttranslational calmodulin methylation in pea plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oh, Sukheung; Roberts, D.M.

    1990-01-01

    A calmodulin-N-methyltransferase was used to analyze the degree of lysine-115 methylation of pea calmodulin. Calmodulin was isolated from segments of developing roots of young etiolated and green pea plants and was tested for its ability to be methylated by the calmodulin methyltransferase in the presence of 3 H-methyl-S-adenosylmethionine. Calmodulin methylation levels were lower in apical root segments and in the young lateral roots compared with the mature, differentiated root tissues. The methylation of these calmodulin samples occurs specifically at lysine 115 since site-directed mutants of calmodulin with substitutions at this position were not methylated and competitively inhibited methylation. The present findings, combined with previous data showing differences in NAD kinase activation by methylated and unmethylated calmodulins, raise the possibility that posttranslational methylation could affect calmodulin action

  14. Tau regulates the subcellular localization of calmodulin

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Barreda, Elena Gomez de [Centro de Biologia Molecular ' Severo Ochoa' , CSIC/UAM, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid (Spain); Avila, Jesus, E-mail: javila@cbm.uam.es [Centro de Biologia Molecular ' Severo Ochoa' , CSIC/UAM, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid (Spain); CIBER de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, 28031 Madrid (Spain)

    2011-05-13

    Highlights: {yields} In this work we have tried to explain how a cytoplasmic protein could regulate a cell nuclear function. We have tested the role of a cytoplasmic protein (tau) in regulating the expression of calbindin gene. We found that calmodulin, a tau-binding protein with nuclear and cytoplasmic localization, increases its nuclear localization in the absence of tau. Since nuclear calmodulin regulates calbindin expression, a decrease in nuclear calmodulin, due to the presence of tau that retains it at the cytoplasm, results in a change in calbindin expression. -- Abstract: Lack of tau expression in neuronal cells results in a change in the expression of few genes. However, little is known about how tau regulates gene expression. Here we show that the presence of tau could alter the subcellular localization of calmodulin, a protein that could be located at the cytoplasm or in the nucleus. Nuclear calmodulin binds to co-transcription factors, regulating the expression of genes like calbindin. In this work, we have found that in neurons containing tau, a higher proportion of calmodulin is present in the cytoplasm compared with neurons lacking tau and that an increase in cytoplasmic calmodulin correlates with a higher expression of calbindin.

  15. Tau regulates the subcellular localization of calmodulin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barreda, Elena Gomez de; Avila, Jesus

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → In this work we have tried to explain how a cytoplasmic protein could regulate a cell nuclear function. We have tested the role of a cytoplasmic protein (tau) in regulating the expression of calbindin gene. We found that calmodulin, a tau-binding protein with nuclear and cytoplasmic localization, increases its nuclear localization in the absence of tau. Since nuclear calmodulin regulates calbindin expression, a decrease in nuclear calmodulin, due to the presence of tau that retains it at the cytoplasm, results in a change in calbindin expression. -- Abstract: Lack of tau expression in neuronal cells results in a change in the expression of few genes. However, little is known about how tau regulates gene expression. Here we show that the presence of tau could alter the subcellular localization of calmodulin, a protein that could be located at the cytoplasm or in the nucleus. Nuclear calmodulin binds to co-transcription factors, regulating the expression of genes like calbindin. In this work, we have found that in neurons containing tau, a higher proportion of calmodulin is present in the cytoplasm compared with neurons lacking tau and that an increase in cytoplasmic calmodulin correlates with a higher expression of calbindin.

  16. Changes in the structure of calmodulin induced by a peptide based on the calmodulin-binding domain of myosin light chain kinase

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Heidorn, D.B.; Seeger, P.A.; Rokop, S.E.; Blumenthal, D.K.; Means, A.R.; Crespi, H.; Trewhella, J.

    1989-01-01

    Small-angle X-ray and neutron scattering data were used to study the solution structure of calmodulin complexed with a synthetic peptide corresponding to residues 577-603 of rabbit skeletal muscle myosin light chain kinase. The X-ray data indicate that, in the presence of Ca 2+ , the calmodulin-peptide complex has a structure that is considerably more compact than uncomplexed calmodulin. The radius of gyration, R g , for the complex is approximately 20% smaller than that of uncomplexed Ca 2+ ·calmodulin, and the maximum dimension, d max , for the complex is also about 20% smaller. The peptide-induced conformational rearrangement of calmodulin is [Ca 2+ ] dependent. The length distribution function for the complex is more symmetric than that for uncomplexed Ca 2+ ·calmodulin, indicating that more of the mass is distributed toward the center of mass for the complex, compared with the dumbbell-shaped Ca 2+ ·calmodulin. The solvent contrast dependence of R g for neutron scattering indicates that the peptide is located more toward the center of the complex, while the calmodulin is located more peripherally, and that the centers of mass of the calmodulin and the peptide are not coincident. The scattering data support the hypothesis that the interconnecting helix region observed in the crystal structure for calmodulin is quite flexible in solution, allowing the two lobes of calmodulin to form close contacts on binding the peptide. This flexibility of the central helix may play a critical role in activating target enzymes such as myosin light chain kinase

  17. Kv7 channels can function without constitutive calmodulin tethering.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juan Camilo Gómez-Posada

    Full Text Available M-channels are voltage-gated potassium channels composed of Kv7.2-7.5 subunits that serve as important regulators of neuronal excitability. Calmodulin binding is required for Kv7 channel function and mutations in Kv7.2 that disrupt calmodulin binding cause Benign Familial Neonatal Convulsions (BFNC, a dominantly inherited human epilepsy. On the basis that Kv7.2 mutants deficient in calmodulin binding are not functional, calmodulin has been defined as an auxiliary subunit of Kv7 channels. However, we have identified a presumably phosphomimetic mutation S511D that permits calmodulin-independent function. Thus, our data reveal that constitutive tethering of calmodulin is not required for Kv7 channel function.

  18. Calcium/Calmodulin-dependent Protein Kinase II is a Ubiquitous Molecule in Human Long-term Memory Synaptic Plasticity: A Systematic Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ataei, Negar; Sabzghabaee, Ali Mohammad; Movahedian, Ahmad

    2015-01-01

    Background: Long-term memory is based on synaptic plasticity, a series of biochemical mechanisms include changes in structure and proteins of brain's neurons. In this article, we systematically reviewed the studies that indicate calcium/calmodulin kinase II (CaMKII) is a ubiquitous molecule among different enzymes involved in human long-term memory and the main downstream signaling pathway of long-term memory. Methods: All of the observational, case–control and review studies were considered and evaluated by the search engines PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and ScienceDirect Scopus between 1990 and February 2015. We did not carry out meta-analysis. Results: At the first search, it was fined 1015 articles which included “synaptic plasticity” OR “neuronal plasticity” OR “synaptic density” AND memory AND “molecular mechanism” AND “calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II” OR CaMKII as the keywords. A total of 335 articles were duplicates in the databases and eliminated. A total of 680 title articles were evaluated. Finally, 40 articles were selected as reference. Conclusions: The studies have shown the most important intracellular signal of long-term memory is calcium-dependent signals. Calcium linked calmodulin can activate CaMKII. After receiving information for learning and memory, CaMKII is activated by Glutamate, the most important neurotransmitter for memory-related plasticity. Glutamate activates CaMKII and it plays some important roles in synaptic plasticity modification and long-term memory. PMID:26445635

  19. dependent/calmodulin- stimulated protein kinase from moss

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Unknown

    stimulated protein kinase; CDPK, calmodulin domain-like protein kinase; KM14, 14 amino acid synthetic peptide; .... used were obtained from Sigma Chemical Company, USA, ..... Plant chimeric Ca2+/Calmodulin-dependent protein kinase.

  20. Brain derived neurotrophic factor

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mitchelmore, Cathy; Gede, Lene

    2014-01-01

    Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) is a neurotrophin with important functions in neuronal development and neuroplasticity. Accumulating evidence suggests that alterations in BDNF expression levels underlie a variety of psychiatric and neurological disorders. Indeed, BDNF therapies are curre......Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) is a neurotrophin with important functions in neuronal development and neuroplasticity. Accumulating evidence suggests that alterations in BDNF expression levels underlie a variety of psychiatric and neurological disorders. Indeed, BDNF therapies...

  1. A common brain network links development, aging, and vulnerability to disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Douaud, Gwenaëlle; Groves, Adrian R; Tamnes, Christian K; Westlye, Lars Tjelta; Duff, Eugene P; Engvig, Andreas; Walhovd, Kristine B; James, Anthony; Gass, Achim; Monsch, Andreas U; Matthews, Paul M; Fjell, Anders M; Smith, Stephen M; Johansen-Berg, Heidi

    2014-12-09

    Several theories link processes of development and aging in humans. In neuroscience, one model posits for instance that healthy age-related brain degeneration mirrors development, with the areas of the brain thought to develop later also degenerating earlier. However, intrinsic evidence for such a link between healthy aging and development in brain structure remains elusive. Here, we show that a data-driven analysis of brain structural variation across 484 healthy participants (8-85 y) reveals a largely--but not only--transmodal network whose lifespan pattern of age-related change intrinsically supports this model of mirroring development and aging. We further demonstrate that this network of brain regions, which develops relatively late during adolescence and shows accelerated degeneration in old age compared with the rest of the brain, characterizes areas of heightened vulnerability to unhealthy developmental and aging processes, as exemplified by schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease, respectively. Specifically, this network, while derived solely from healthy subjects, spatially recapitulates the pattern of brain abnormalities observed in both schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease. This network is further associated in our large-scale healthy population with intellectual ability and episodic memory, whose impairment contributes to key symptoms of schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease. Taken together, our results suggest that the common spatial pattern of abnormalities observed in these two disorders, which emerge at opposite ends of the life spectrum, might be influenced by the timing of their separate and distinct pathological processes in disrupting healthy cerebral development and aging, respectively.

  2. Tau-Induced Ca2+/Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase-IV Activation Aggravates Nuclear Tau Hyperphosphorylation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Yu-Ping; Ye, Jin-Wang; Wang, Xiong; Zhu, Li-Ping; Hu, Qing-Hua; Wang, Qun; Ke, Dan; Tian, Qing; Wang, Jian-Zhi

    2018-04-01

    Hyperphosphorylated tau is the major protein component of neurofibrillary tangles in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the mechanism underlying tau hyperphosphorylation is not fully understood. Here, we demonstrated that exogenously expressed wild-type human tau40 was detectable in the phosphorylated form at multiple AD-associated sites in cytoplasmic and nuclear fractions from HEK293 cells. Among these sites, tau phosphorylated at Thr205 and Ser214 was almost exclusively found in the nuclear fraction at the conditions used in the present study. With the intracellular tau accumulation, the Ca 2+ concentration was significantly increased in both cytoplasmic and nuclear fractions. Further studies using site-specific mutagenesis and pharmacological treatment demonstrated that phosphorylation of tau at Thr205 increased nuclear Ca 2+ concentration with a simultaneous increase in the phosphorylation of Ca 2+ /calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IV (CaMKIV) at Ser196. On the other hand, phosphorylation of tau at Ser214 did not significantly change the nuclear Ca 2+ /CaMKIV signaling. Finally, expressing calmodulin-binding protein-4 that disrupts formation of the Ca 2+ /calmodulin complex abolished the okadaic acid-induced tau hyperphosphorylation in the nuclear fraction. We conclude that the intracellular accumulation of phosphorylated tau, as detected in the brains of AD patients, can trigger nuclear Ca 2+ /CaMKIV signaling, which in turn aggravates tau hyperphosphorylation. Our findings provide new insights for tauopathies: hyperphosphorylation of intracellular tau and an increased Ca 2+ concentration may induce a self-perpetuating harmful loop to promote neurodegeneration.

  3. Linking brain, mind and behavior.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Makeig, Scott; Gramann, Klaus; Jung, Tzyy-Ping; Sejnowski, Terrence J; Poizner, Howard

    2009-08-01

    Cortical brain areas and dynamics evolved to organize motor behavior in our three-dimensional environment also support more general human cognitive processes. Yet traditional brain imaging paradigms typically allow and record only minimal participant behavior, then reduce the recorded data to single map features of averaged responses. To more fully investigate the complex links between distributed brain dynamics and motivated natural behavior, we propose the development of wearable mobile brain/body imaging (MoBI) systems that continuously capture the wearer's high-density electrical brain and muscle signals, three-dimensional body movements, audiovisual scene and point of regard, plus new data-driven analysis methods to model their interrelationships. The new imaging modality should allow new insights into how spatially distributed brain dynamics support natural human cognition and agency.

  4. Analysis of the state of posttranslational calmodulin methylation in developing pea plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oh, Sukheung; Roberts, D.M.

    1990-01-01

    A specific calmodulin-N-methyltransferase was used in a radiometric assay to analyze the degree of methylation of lysine-115 in pea (Pisum sativum) plants. Calmodulin was isolated from dissected segments of developing roots of young etiolated and green pea plants and was tested for its ability to be methylated by incubation with the calmodulin methyltransferase in the presence of [ 3 H]methyl-S-adenosylmethionine. By this approach, the presence of unmethylated calmodulins were demonstrated in pea tissues, and the levels of methylation varied depending on the developmental state of the tissue tested. Calmodulin methylation levels were lower in apical root segments of both etiolated and green plants, and in the young lateral roots compared with the mature, differentiated root tissues. The incorporation of methyl groups into these calmodulin samples appears to be specific for position 115 since site-directed mutants of calmodulin with substitutions at this position competitively inhibited methyl group incorporation. The present findings, combined with previous data showing differences in the ability of methylated and unmethylated calmodulins to activate pea NAD kinase raise the possibility that posttranslational methylation of calmodulin could be another mechanism for regulating calmodulin activity

  5. Calmodulin-lanthanide ion exchange kinetics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Buccigross, J.; O'Donnell, C.; Nelson, D.

    1985-01-01

    A flow dialysis apparatus suitable for the study of high affinity metal binding proteins has been utilized to study calmodulin-metal exchange kinetics. Calmodulin labeled with Eu-155 and Gd-153 was dialyzed against buffer containing various competing metal ions. The rate of metal exchange was monitored by a gamma-ray scintillation detector. The kinetics of exchange are first order, and the rates fall into two categories: Ca (II) and CD (II) in one, and the lanthanides Eu (III), Gd (III), and La (III) in the other

  6. Calcium-dependent regulation of SNARE-mediated membrane fusion by calmodulin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Di Giovanni, Jerome; Iborra, Cécile; Maulet, Yves; Lévêque, Christian; El Far, Oussama; Seagar, Michael

    2010-07-30

    Neuroexocytosis requires SNARE proteins, which assemble into trans complexes at the synaptic vesicle/plasma membrane interface and mediate bilayer fusion. Ca(2+) sensitivity is thought to be conferred by synaptotagmin, although the ubiquitous Ca(2+)-effector calmodulin has also been implicated in SNARE-dependent membrane fusion. To examine the molecular mechanisms involved, we examined the direct action of calmodulin and synaptotagmin in vitro, using fluorescence resonance energy transfer to assay lipid mixing between target- and vesicle-SNARE liposomes. Ca(2+)/calmodulin inhibited SNARE assembly and membrane fusion by binding to two distinct motifs located in the membrane-proximal regions of VAMP2 (K(D) = 500 nm) and syntaxin 1 (K(D) = 2 microm). In contrast, fusion was increased by full-length synaptotagmin 1 anchored in vesicle-SNARE liposomes. When synaptotagmin and calmodulin were combined, synaptotagmin overcame the inhibitory effects of calmodulin. Furthermore, synaptotagmin displaced calmodulin binding to target-SNAREs. These findings suggest that two distinct Ca(2+) sensors act antagonistically in SNARE-mediated fusion.

  7. Linking neuronal brain activity to the glucose metabolism

    OpenAIRE

    Göbel, Britta; Oltmanns, Kerstin M; Chung, Matthias

    2013-01-01

    Background Energy homeostasis ensures the functionality of the entire organism. The human brain as a missing link in the global regulation of the complex whole body energy metabolism is subject to recent investigation. The goal of this study is to gain insight into the influence of neuronal brain activity on cerebral and peripheral energy metabolism. In particular, the tight link between brain energy supply and metabolic responses of the organism is of interest. We aim to identifying regul...

  8. Zn2+, not Ca2+, is the most effective cation for activation of dolichol kinase of mammalian brain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakakihara, Y; Volpe, J J

    1985-12-15

    The cation specificity of dolichol kinase of mammalian brain and the potential involvement of a Ca2+-calmodulin system in regulation of this enzyme have been studied. Among 10 divalent cations examined, Zn2+ was found to be most effective for the activation of dolichol kinase of rat and calf brain and cultured C-6 glial cells. The activations with Ca2+, Co2+, and Mg2+ were 53%, 32%, and 18% of the full activation with Zn2+, respectively. No combinations of the cations could activate the enzyme as much as Zn2+ alone. A role for a Ca2+-calmodulin system in the regulation of brain dolichol kinase was not supported by our data. First, the concentration of free Ca2+ required for the maximum activation of dolichol kinase was two to three orders of magnitude greater than the concentration required by typical calmodulin-dependent enzymes. Second, neither the depletion of calmodulin from the microsomal fraction nor the addition of exogenous calmodulin caused an alteration in the activation of dolichol kinase by Ca2+ (or Zn2+). Third, antagonists of calmodulin failed to suppress the activation of the enzyme by Ca2+ (or Zn2+). The data raise the possibility that Zn2+ is involved in the regulation of dolichol kinase in brain.

  9. Calmodulin-regulated adenylyl cyclases and neuromodulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xia, Z; Storm, D R

    1997-06-01

    Coincidence detection and crosstalk between signal transduction systems play very important regulatory roles in the nervous system, particularly in the regulation of transcription. Coupling of the Ca2+ and cAMP regulatory systems by calmodulin-regulated adenylyl cyclases is hypothesized to be important for some forms of synaptic plasticity, neuroendocrine function, and olfactory detection. Recent studies of a mutant mouse deficient in type I calmodulin-sensitive adenylyl cyclase have provided the first evidence that adenylyl cyclases are important for synaptic plasticity, as well as for learning and memory in vertebrates.

  10. Human obesity associated with an intronic SNP in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor locus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays a key role in energy balance. In population studies, SNPs of the BDNF locus have been linked to obesity, but the mechanism by which these variants cause weight gain is unknown. Here, we examined human hypothalamic BDNF expression in association with 44 ...

  11. Calmodulin Mutations Associated with Recurrent Cardiac Arrest in Infants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crotti, Lia; Johnson, Christopher N.; Graf, Elisabeth; De Ferrari, Gaetano M.; Cuneo, Bettina F.; Ovadia, Marc; Papagiannis, John; Feldkamp, Michael D.; Rathi, Subodh G.; Kunic, Jennifer D.; Pedrazzini, Matteo; Wieland, Thomas; Lichtner, Peter; Beckmann, Britt-Maria; Clark, Travis; Shaffer, Christian; Benson, D. Woodrow; Kääb, Stefan; Meitinger, Thomas; Strom, Tim M.; Chazin, Walter J.; Schwartz, Peter J.; George, Alfred L.

    2013-01-01

    Background Life-threatening disorders of heart rhythm may arise during infancy and can result in the sudden and tragic death of a child. We performed exome sequencing on two unrelated infants presenting with recurrent cardiac arrest to discover a genetic cause. Methods and Results We ascertained two unrelated infants (probands) with recurrent cardiac arrest and dramatically prolonged QTc interval who were both born to healthy parents. The two parent-child trios were investigated using exome sequencing to search for de novo genetic variants. We then performed follow-up candidate gene screening on an independent cohort of 82 subjects with congenital long-QT syndrome without an identified genetic cause. Biochemical studies were performed to determine the functional consequences of mutations discovered in two genes encoding calmodulin. We discovered three heterozygous de novo mutations in either CALM1 or CALM2, two of the three human genes encoding calmodulin, in the two probands and in two additional subjects with recurrent cardiac arrest. All mutation carriers were infants who exhibited life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias combined variably with epilepsy and delayed neurodevelopment. Mutations altered residues in or adjacent to critical calcium binding loops in the calmodulin carboxyl-terminal domain. Recombinant mutant calmodulins exhibited several fold reductions in calcium binding affinity. Conclusions Human calmodulin mutations disrupt calcium ion binding to the protein and are associated with a life-threatening condition in early infancy. Defects in calmodulin function will disrupt important calcium signaling events in heart affecting membrane ion channels, a plausible molecular mechanism for potentially deadly disturbances in heart rhythm during infancy. PMID:23388215

  12. Calmodulin-mediated activation of Akt regulates survival of c-Myc-overexpressing mouse mammary carcinoma cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deb, Tushar B; Coticchia, Christine M; Dickson, Robert B

    2004-09-10

    c-Myc-overexpressing mammary epithelial cells are proapoptotic; their survival is strongly promoted by epidermal growth factor (EGF). We now demonstrate that EGF-induced Akt activation and survival in transgenic mouse mammary tumor virus-c-Myc mouse mammary carcinoma cells are both calcium/calmodulin-dependent. Akt activation is abolished by the phospholipase C-gamma inhibitor U-73122, by the intracellular calcium chelator BAPTA-AM, and by the specific calmodulin antagonist W-7. These results implicate calcium/calmodulin in the activation of Akt in these cells. In addition, Akt activation by serum and insulin is also inhibited by W-7. EGF-induced and calcium/calmodulin-mediated Akt activation occurs in both tumorigenic and non-tumorigenic mouse and human mammary epithelial cells, independent of their overexpression of c-Myc. These results imply that calcium/calmodulin may be a common regulator of Akt activation, irrespective of upstream receptor activator, mammalian species, and transformation status in mammary epithelial cells. However, only c-Myc-overexpressing mouse mammary carcinoma cells (but not normal mouse mammary epithelial cells) undergo apoptosis in the presence of the calmodulin antagonist W-7, indicating the vital selective role of calmodulin for survival of these cells. Calcium/calmodulin-regulated Akt activation is mediated directly by neither calmodulin kinases nor phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI-3 kinase). Pharmacological inhibitors of calmodulin kinase kinase and calmodulin kinases II and III do not inhibit EGF-induced Akt activation, and calmodulin antagonist W-7 does not inhibit phosphotyrosine-associated PI-3 kinase activation. Akt is, however, co-immunoprecipitated with calmodulin in an EGF-dependent manner, which is inhibited by calmodulin antagonist W-7. We conclude that calmodulin may serve a vital regulatory function to direct the localization of Akt to the plasma membrane for its activation by PI-3 kinase.

  13. Ca(2+)-calmodulin-dependent phosphorylation of islet secretory granule proteins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Watkins, D.T.

    1991-01-01

    The effect of Ca2+ and calmodulin on phosphorylation of islet secretory granule proteins was studied. Secretory granules were incubated in a phosphorylation reaction mixture containing [32P]ATP and test reagents. The 32P-labeled proteins were resolved by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the 32P content was visualized by autoradiography, and the relative intensities of specific bands were quantitated. When the reaction mixture contained EGTA and no added Ca2+, 32P was incorporated into two proteins with molecular weights of 45,000 and 13,000. When 10(-4) M Ca2+ was added without EGTA, two additional proteins (58,000 and 48,000 Mr) were phosphorylated, and the 13,000-Mr protein was absent. The addition of 2.4 microM calmodulin markedly enhanced the phosphorylation of the 58,000- and 48,000-Mr proteins and resulted in the phosphorylation of a major protein whose molecular weight (64,000 Mr) is identical to that of one of the calmodulin binding proteins located on the granule surface. Calmodulin had no effect on phosphorylation in the absence of Ca2+ but was effective in the presence of calcium between 10 nM and 50 microM. Trifluoperazine and calmidazolium, calmodulin antagonists, produced a dose-dependent inhibition of the calmodulin effect. 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate, a phorbol ester that activates protein kinase C, produced no increase in phosphorylation, and 1-(5-isoquinoline sulfonyl)-2-methyl piperazine dihydrochloride, an inhibitor of protein kinase C, had no effect. These results indicate that Ca(2+)-calmodulin-dependent protein kinases and endogenous substrates are present in islet secretory granules

  14. Sigma-1 receptor chaperone and brain-derived neurotrophic factor: emerging links between cardiovascular disease and depression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hashimoto, Kenji

    2013-01-01

    Epidemiological studies have demonstrated a close relationship between depression and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Although it is known that the central nervous system (CNS) contributes to this relationship, the detailed mechanisms involved in this process remain unclear. Recent studies suggest that the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) molecular chaperone sigma-1 receptor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) play a role in the pathophysiology of CVD and depression. Several meta-analysis studies have showed that levels of BDNF in the blood of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) are lower than normal controls, indicating that blood BDNF might be a biomarker for depression. Furthermore, blood levels of BDNF in patients with CVD are also lower than normal controls. A recent study using conditional BDNF knock-out mice in animal models of myocardial infarction highlighted the role of CNS-mediated mechanisms in the cardioprotective effects of BDNF. In addition, a recent study shows that decreased levels of sigma-1 receptor in the mouse brain contribute to the association between heart failure and depression. Moreover, sigma-1 receptor agonists, including the endogenous neurosteroid dehydroepiandosterone (DHEA) and the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) fluvoxamine, show potent cardioprotective and antidepressive effects in rodents, via sigma-1 receptor stimulation. Interestingly, agonist activation of sigma-1 receptors increased the secretion of mature BDNF from its precursor proBDNF via chaperone activity in the ER. Given the role of ER stress in the pathophysiology of CVD and MDD, the author will discuss the potential link between sigma-1 receptors and BDNF-TrkB pathway in the pathophysiology of these two diseases. Finally, the author will make a case for potent sigma-1 receptor agonists and TrkB agonists as new potential therapeutic drugs for depressive patients with CVD. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Non-invasive brain-to-brain interface (BBI: establishing functional links between two brains.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seung-Schik Yoo

    Full Text Available Transcranial focused ultrasound (FUS is capable of modulating the neural activity of specific brain regions, with a potential role as a non-invasive computer-to-brain interface (CBI. In conjunction with the use of brain-to-computer interface (BCI techniques that translate brain function to generate computer commands, we investigated the feasibility of using the FUS-based CBI to non-invasively establish a functional link between the brains of different species (i.e. human and Sprague-Dawley rat, thus creating a brain-to-brain interface (BBI. The implementation was aimed to non-invasively translate the human volunteer's intention to stimulate a rat's brain motor area that is responsible for the tail movement. The volunteer initiated the intention by looking at a strobe light flicker on a computer display, and the degree of synchronization in the electroencephalographic steady-state-visual-evoked-potentials (SSVEP with respect to the strobe frequency was analyzed using a computer. Increased signal amplitude in the SSVEP, indicating the volunteer's intention, triggered the delivery of a burst-mode FUS (350 kHz ultrasound frequency, tone burst duration of 0.5 ms, pulse repetition frequency of 1 kHz, given for 300 msec duration to excite the motor area of an anesthetized rat transcranially. The successful excitation subsequently elicited the tail movement, which was detected by a motion sensor. The interface was achieved at 94.0±3.0% accuracy, with a time delay of 1.59±1.07 sec from the thought-initiation to the creation of the tail movement. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of a computer-mediated BBI that links central neural functions between two biological entities, which may confer unexplored opportunities in the study of neuroscience with potential implications for therapeutic applications.

  16. Anti-calmodulins and tricyclic adjuvants in pain therapy block the TRPV1 channel.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zoltán Oláh

    2007-06-01

    Full Text Available Ca(2+-loaded calmodulin normally inhibits multiple Ca(2+-channels upon dangerous elevation of intracellular Ca(2+ and protects cells from Ca(2+-cytotoxicity, so blocking of calmodulin should theoretically lead to uncontrolled elevation of intracellular Ca(2+. Paradoxically, classical anti-psychotic, anti-calmodulin drugs were noted here to inhibit Ca(2+-uptake via the vanilloid inducible Ca(2+-channel/inflamatory pain receptor 1 (TRPV1, which suggests that calmodulin inhibitors may block pore formation and Ca(2+ entry. Functional assays on TRPV1 expressing cells support direct, dose-dependent inhibition of vanilloid-induced (45Ca(2+-uptake at microM concentrations: calmidazolium (broad range > or = trifluoperazine (narrow range chlorpromazine/amitriptyline>fluphenazine>>W-7 and W-13 (only partially. Most likely a short acidic domain at the pore loop of the channel orifice functions as binding site either for Ca(2+ or anti-calmodulin drugs. Camstatin, a selective peptide blocker of calmodulin, inhibits vanilloid-induced Ca(2+-uptake in intact TRPV1(+ cells, and suggests an extracellular site of inhibition. TRPV1(+, inflammatory pain-conferring nociceptive neurons from sensory ganglia, were blocked by various anti-psychotic and anti-calmodulin drugs. Among them, calmidazolium, the most effective calmodulin agonist, blocked Ca(2+-entry by a non-competitive kinetics, affecting the TRPV1 at a different site than the vanilloid binding pocket. Data suggest that various calmodulin antagonists dock to an extracellular site, not found in other Ca(2+-channels. Calmodulin antagonist-evoked inhibition of TRPV1 and NMDA receptors/Ca(2+-channels was validated by microiontophoresis of calmidazolium to laminectomised rat monitored with extracellular single unit recordings in vivo. These unexpected findings may explain empirically noted efficacy of clinical pain adjuvant therapy that justify efforts to develop hits into painkillers, selective to sensory Ca(2

  17. Mechanistic Links Between PARP, NAD, and Brain Inflammation After TBI

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-10-01

    1 AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-13-2-0091 TITLE: Mechanistic Links Between PARP, NAD , and Brain Inflammation After TBI PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR...COVERED 25 Sep 2014 - 24 Sep 2015 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Mechanistic Links Between PARP, NAD , and Brain Inflammation After TBI 5b. GRANT...efficacy of veliparib and NAD as agents for suppressing inflammation and improving outcomes after traumatic brain injury. The animal models include

  18. Calcium-sensitive MRI contrast agents based on superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles and calmodulin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Atanasijevic, Tatjana; Shusteff, Maxim; Fam, Peter; Jasanoff, Alan

    2006-10-03

    We describe a family of calcium indicators for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), formed by combining a powerful iron oxide nanoparticle-based contrast mechanism with the versatile calcium-sensing protein calmodulin and its targets. Calcium-dependent protein-protein interactions drive particle clustering and produce up to 5-fold changes in T2 relaxivity, an indication of the sensors' potency. A variant based on conjugates of wild-type calmodulin and the peptide M13 reports concentration changes near 1 microM Ca(2+), suitable for detection of elevated intracellular calcium levels. The midpoint and cooperativity of the response can be tuned by mutating the protein domains that actuate the sensor. Robust MRI signal changes are achieved even at nanomolar particle concentrations (calcium levels. When combined with technologies for cellular delivery of nanoparticulate agents, these sensors and their derivatives may be useful for functional molecular imaging of biological signaling networks in live, opaque specimens.

  19. Dual Regulation of a Chimeric Plant Serine/Threonine Kinase by Calcium and Calcium/Calmodulin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takezawa, D.; Ramachandiran, S.; Paranjape, V.; Poovaiah, B. W.

    1996-01-01

    A chimeric Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CCaMK) gene characterized by a catalytic domain, a calmodulin-binding domain, and a neural visinin-like Ca(2+)-binding domain was recently cloned from plants. The Escherichia coli-expressed CCaMK phosphorylates various protein and peptide substrates in a Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent manner. The calmodulin-binding region of CCAMK has similarity to the calmodulin-binding region of the alpha-subunit of multifunctional Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CaMKII). CCaMK exhibits basal autophosphorylation at the threonine residue(s) (0.098 mol of P-32/mol) that is stimulated 3.4-fold by Ca(2+) (0.339 mol of P-32/mol), while calmodulin inhibits Ca(2+)-stimulated autophosphorylation to the basal level. A deletion mutant lacking the visinin-like domain did not show Ca(2+)-simulated autophosphorylation activity but retained Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase activity at a reduced level. Ca(2+)-dependent mobility shift assays using E.coli-expressed protein from residues 358-520 revealed that Ca(2+) binds to the visinin-like domain. Studies with site-directed mutants of the visinin-like domain indicated that EF-hands II and III are crucial for Ca(2+)-induced conformational changes in the visinin-like domain. Autophosphorylation of CCaMK increases Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase activity by about 5-fold, whereas it did not affect its C(2+)-independent activity. This report provides evidence for the existence of a protein kinase in plants that is modulated by Ca(2+) and Ca(2+)/calmodulin. The presence of a visinin-like Ca(2+)-binding domain in CCaMK adds an additional Ca(2+)-sensing mechanism not previously known to exist in the Ca(2+)/calmodulin-mediated signaling cascade in plants.

  20. Functional, genetic and bioinformatic characterization of a calcium/calmodulin kinase gene in Sporothrix schenckii

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rodriguez-del Valle Nuri

    2007-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Sporothrix schenckii is a pathogenic, dimorphic fungus, the etiological agent of sporotrichosis, a subcutaneous lymphatic mycosis. Dimorphism in S. schenckii responds to second messengers such as cAMP and calcium, suggesting the possible involvement of a calcium/calmodulin kinase in its regulation. In this study we describe a novel calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase gene in S. schenckii, sscmk1, and the effects of inhibitors of calmodulin and calcium/calmodulin kinases on the yeast to mycelium transition and the yeast cell cycle. Results Using the PCR homology approach a new member of the calcium/calmodulin kinase family, SSCMK1, was identified in this fungus. The cDNA sequence of sscmk1 revealed an open reading frame of 1,221 nucleotides encoding a 407 amino acid protein with a predicted molecular weight of 45.6 kDa. The genomic sequence of sscmk1 revealed the same ORF interrupted by five introns. Bioinformatic analyses of SSCMK1 showed that this protein had the distinctive features that characterize a calcium/calmodulin protein kinase: a serine/threonine protein kinase domain and a calmodulin-binding domain. When compared to homologues from seven species of filamentous fungi, SSCMK1 showed substantial similarities, except for a large and highly variable region that encompasses positions 330 – 380 of the multiple sequence alignment. Inhibition studies using calmodulin inhibitor W-7, and calcium/calmodulin kinase inhibitors, KN-62 and lavendustin C, were found to inhibit budding by cells induced to re-enter the yeast cell cycle and to favor the yeast to mycelium transition. Conclusion This study constitutes the first evidence of the presence of a calcium/calmodulin kinase-encoding gene in S. schenckii and its possible involvement as an effector of dimorphism in this fungus. These results suggest that a calcium/calmodulin dependent signaling pathway could be involved in the regulation of dimorphism in this fungus

  1. 43. Calmodulin regulating calcium sensitivity of Na channels

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. Vegiraju

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available By extrapolating information from existing research and observing previous assumptions regarding the structure of the Na Channel, this experiment was conducted under the hypothesis that the Na Channel is in part regulated by the calmodulin protein, as a result proving calcium sensitivity of the Na Channel. Furthermore, we assume that there is a one to one stoichiometry between the Na Channel and the Calmodulin. There has been extensive research into the functionality and structure of sodium ion channels (Na channels, as several diseases are associated with the lack of regulation of sodium ions, that is caused by the disfunction of these Na channels. However, one highly controversial matter in the field is the importance of the protein calmodulin (CaM and calcium in Na channel function. Calmodulin is a protein that is well known for its role as a calcium binding messenger protein, and that association is believed to play an indirect role in regulating the Na channel through the Na channel’s supposed calcium sensitivity. While there are proponents for both sides, there has been relatively little research that provides strong evidence for either case. In this experiment, the effect of calmodulin on NaV 1.5 is tested by preparing a set of cardiac cells (of the human specie with the NaV 1.5 C-Termini and CaM protein, which were then to be placed in solutions with varying concentrations of calcium. We took special care to test multiple concentrations of calcium, as previous studies have tested very low concentrations, with Manu Ben-Johny’s team from the John Hopkins laboratory in particular testing up to a meager 50 micromolar, despite producing a well-respected paper (By comparison, the average Na channel can naturally sustain a concentration of almost 1-2 millimolar and on some occasions, reaching even higher concentrations. After using light scattering and observing the signals given off by the calcium interacting with these Nav1.5/Ca

  2. Characterization and Functional Analysis of the Calmodulin-Binding Domain of Rac1 GTPase

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Bing; Chelikani, Prashen; Bhullar, Rajinder P.

    2012-01-01

    Rac1, a member of the Rho family of small GTPases, has been shown to promote formation of lamellipodia at the leading edge of motile cells and affect cell migration. We previously demonstrated that calmodulin can bind to a region in the C-terminal of Rac1 and that this interaction is important in the activation of platelet Rac1. Now, we have analyzed amino acid residue(s) in the Rac1-calmodulin binding domain that are essential for the interaction and assessed their functional contribution in Rac1 activation. The results demonstrated that region 151–164 in Rac1 is essential for calmodulin binding. Within the 151–164 region, positively-charged amino acids K153 and R163 were mutated to alanine to study impact on calmodulin binding. Mutant form of Rac1 (K153A) demonstrated significantly reduced binding to calmodulin while the double mutant K153A/R163A demonstrated complete lack of binding to calmodulin. Thrombin or EGF resulted in activation of Rac1 in CHRF-288-11 or HeLa cells respectively and W7 inhibited this activation. Immunoprecipitation studies demonstrated that higher amount of CaM was associated with Rac1 during EGF dependent activation. In cells expressing mutant forms of Rac1 (K153A or K153A/R163A), activation induced by EGF was significantly decreased in comparison to wild type or the R163A forms of Rac1. The lack of Rac1 activation in mutant forms was not due to an inability of GDP-GTP exchange or a change in subcelllular distribution. Moreover, Rac1 activation was decreased in cells where endogenous level of calmodulin was reduced using shRNA knockdown and increased in cells where calmodulin was overexpressed. Docking analysis and modeling demonstrated that K153 in Rac1 interacts with Q41 in calmodulin. These results suggest an important role for calmodulin in the activation of Rac1 and thus, in cytoskeleton reorganization and cell migration. PMID:22905193

  3. Characterization and functional analysis of the calmodulin-binding domain of Rac1 GTPase.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bing Xu

    Full Text Available Rac1, a member of the Rho family of small GTPases, has been shown to promote formation of lamellipodia at the leading edge of motile cells and affect cell migration. We previously demonstrated that calmodulin can bind to a region in the C-terminal of Rac1 and that this interaction is important in the activation of platelet Rac1. Now, we have analyzed amino acid residue(s in the Rac1-calmodulin binding domain that are essential for the interaction and assessed their functional contribution in Rac1 activation. The results demonstrated that region 151-164 in Rac1 is essential for calmodulin binding. Within the 151-164 region, positively-charged amino acids K153 and R163 were mutated to alanine to study impact on calmodulin binding. Mutant form of Rac1 (K153A demonstrated significantly reduced binding to calmodulin while the double mutant K153A/R163A demonstrated complete lack of binding to calmodulin. Thrombin or EGF resulted in activation of Rac1 in CHRF-288-11 or HeLa cells respectively and W7 inhibited this activation. Immunoprecipitation studies demonstrated that higher amount of CaM was associated with Rac1 during EGF dependent activation. In cells expressing mutant forms of Rac1 (K153A or K153A/R163A, activation induced by EGF was significantly decreased in comparison to wild type or the R163A forms of Rac1. The lack of Rac1 activation in mutant forms was not due to an inability of GDP-GTP exchange or a change in subcelllular distribution. Moreover, Rac1 activation was decreased in cells where endogenous level of calmodulin was reduced using shRNA knockdown and increased in cells where calmodulin was overexpressed. Docking analysis and modeling demonstrated that K153 in Rac1 interacts with Q41 in calmodulin. These results suggest an important role for calmodulin in the activation of Rac1 and thus, in cytoskeleton reorganization and cell migration.

  4. Modulation of calmodulin lobes by different targets: an allosteric model with hemiconcerted conformational transitions.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Massimo Lai

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Calmodulin is a calcium-binding protein ubiquitous in eukaryotic cells, involved in numerous calcium-regulated biological phenomena, such as synaptic plasticity, muscle contraction, cell cycle, and circadian rhythms. It exibits a characteristic dumbell shape, with two globular domains (N- and C-terminal lobe joined by a linker region. Each lobe can take alternative conformations, affected by the binding of calcium and target proteins. Calmodulin displays considerable functional flexibility due to its capability to bind different targets, often in a tissue-specific fashion. In various specific physiological environments (e.g. skeletal muscle, neuron dendritic spines several targets compete for the same calmodulin pool, regulating its availability and affinity for calcium. In this work, we sought to understand the general principles underlying calmodulin modulation by different target proteins, and to account for simultaneous effects of multiple competing targets, thus enabling a more realistic simulation of calmodulin-dependent pathways. We built a mechanistic allosteric model of calmodulin, based on an hemiconcerted framework: each calmodulin lobe can exist in two conformations in thermodynamic equilibrium, with different affinities for calcium and different affinities for each target. Each lobe was allowed to switch conformation on its own. The model was parameterised and validated against experimental data from the literature. In spite of its simplicity, a two-state allosteric model was able to satisfactorily represent several sets of experiments, in particular the binding of calcium on intact and truncated calmodulin and the effect of different skMLCK peptides on calmodulin's saturation curve. The model can also be readily extended to include multiple targets. We show that some targets stabilise the low calcium affinity T state while others stabilise the high affinity R state. Most of the effects produced by calmodulin targets can be

  5. Linking neuronal brain activity to the glucose metabolism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Göbel, Britta; Oltmanns, Kerstin M; Chung, Matthias

    2013-08-29

    Energy homeostasis ensures the functionality of the entire organism. The human brain as a missing link in the global regulation of the complex whole body energy metabolism is subject to recent investigation. The goal of this study is to gain insight into the influence of neuronal brain activity on cerebral and peripheral energy metabolism. In particular, the tight link between brain energy supply and metabolic responses of the organism is of interest. We aim to identifying regulatory elements of the human brain in the whole body energy homeostasis. First, we introduce a general mathematical model describing the human whole body energy metabolism. It takes into account the two central roles of the brain in terms of energy metabolism. The brain is considered as energy consumer as well as regulatory instance. Secondly, we validate our mathematical model by experimental data. Cerebral high-energy phosphate content and peripheral glucose metabolism are measured in healthy men upon neuronal activation induced by transcranial direct current stimulation versus sham stimulation. By parameter estimation we identify model parameters that provide insight into underlying neurophysiological processes. Identified parameters reveal effects of neuronal activity on regulatory mechanisms of systemic glucose metabolism. Our examinations support the view that the brain increases its glucose supply upon neuronal activation. The results indicate that the brain supplies itself with energy according to its needs, and preeminence of cerebral energy supply is reflected. This mechanism ensures balanced cerebral energy homeostasis. The hypothesis of the central role of the brain in whole body energy homeostasis as active controller is supported.

  6. Proposed link rates in the human brain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Putten, Michael J A M

    2003-07-15

    There is increasing experimental evidence that neuronal synchronization is necessary for the large-scale integration of distributed neuronal activity to realize various time-dependent coherent neuronal assemblies in the brain. Phase synchronization seems a promising candidate to quantify the time-dependent, frequency specific, synchrony between simultaneously recorded electroencephalogram (EEG) signals that may partially reflect this former process. We introduce a link rate (LR) as a measure of the spatial-temporal incidence of phase synchronization and phase de-synchronization. The concept is exemplified in its application to the analysis of spontaneous phase synchronization. To this end, three scalp EEG recordings are used: a normal control, a patient suffering from epileptic seizures and a patient with diffuse brain damage due to anoxia, showing a burst-suppression EEG. In addition, the method is applied to surrogate data (white noise). We find in the normal control that LR(control)=13.90+/-0.04 (mean+/-S.E.M.), which is different from the surrogate data, where we find that LR(surr)=15.36+/-0.05. In the two pathological conditions, the LR is significantly and strongly reduced to LR(burst)=4.52+/-0.05 and LR(seizure)=5.40+/-0.08. The derived LR seems a sensitive measure to relevant changes in synchronization, as these occur in the dynamic process of generating different spatial-temporal networks, both in physiological and pathological conditions.

  7. Effect of childhood maltreatment and brain-derived neurotrophic factor on brain morphology

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Velzen, Laura S.; Schmaal, Lianne; Jansen, Rick; Milaneschi, Yuri; Opmeer, Esther M.; Elzinga, Bernet M.; van der Wee, Nic J. A.; Veltman, Dick J.; Penninx, Brenda W. J. H.

    2016-01-01

    Childhood maltreatment (CM) has been associated with altered brain morphology, which may partly be due to a direct impact on neural growth, e.g. through the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) pathway. Findings on CM, BDNF and brain volume are inconsistent and have never accounted for the

  8. A dynamic model of interactions of Ca2+, calmodulin, and catalytic subunits of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shirley Pepke

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available During the acquisition of memories, influx of Ca2+ into the postsynaptic spine through the pores of activated N-methyl-D-aspartate-type glutamate receptors triggers processes that change the strength of excitatory synapses. The pattern of Ca2+influx during the first few seconds of activity is interpreted within the Ca2+-dependent signaling network such that synaptic strength is eventually either potentiated or depressed. Many of the critical signaling enzymes that control synaptic plasticity,including Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII, are regulated by calmodulin, a small protein that can bindup to 4 Ca2+ ions. As a first step toward clarifying how the Ca2+-signaling network decides between potentiation or depression, we have created a kinetic model of the interactions of Ca2+, calmodulin, and CaMKII that represents our best understanding of the dynamics of these interactions under conditions that resemble those in a postsynaptic spine. We constrained parameters of the model from data in the literature, or from our own measurements, and then predicted time courses of activation and autophosphorylation of CaMKII under a variety of conditions. Simulations showed that species of calmodulin with fewer than four bound Ca2+ play a significant role in activation of CaMKII in the physiological regime,supporting the notion that processing of Ca2+ signals in a spine involves competition among target enzymes for binding to unsaturated species of CaM in an environment in which the concentration of Ca2+ is fluctuating rapidly. Indeed, we showed that dependence of activation on the frequency of Ca2+ transients arises from the kinetics of interaction of fluctuating Ca2+with calmodulin/CaMKII complexes. We used parameter sensitivity analysis to identify which parameters will be most beneficial to measure more carefully to improve the accuracy of predictions. This model provides a quantitative base from which to build more complex dynamic

  9. Identification and Characterization of the Interaction Site between cFLIPL and Calmodulin.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gabriel Gaidos

    Full Text Available Overexpression of the cellular FLICE-like inhibitory protein (cFLIP has been reported in a number of tumor types. As an inactive procaspase-8 homologue, cFLIP is recruited to the intracellular assembly known as the Death Inducing Signaling Complex (DISC where it inhibits apoptosis, leading to cancer cell proliferation. Here we characterize the molecular details of the interaction between cFLIPL and calmodulin, a ubiquitous calcium sensing protein. By expressing the individual domains of cFLIPL, we demonstrate that the interaction with calmodulin is mediated by the N-terminal death effector domain (DED1 of cFLIPL. Additionally, we mapped the interaction to a specific region of the C-terminus of DED1, referred to as DED1 R4. By designing DED1/DED2 chimeric constructs in which the homologous R4 regions of the two domains were swapped, calmodulin binding properties were transferred to DED2 and removed from DED1. Furthermore, we show that the isolated DED1 R4 peptide binds to calmodulin and solve the structure of the peptide-protein complex using NMR and computational refinement. Finally, we demonstrate an interaction between cFLIPL and calmodulin in cancer cell lysates. In summary, our data implicate calmodulin as a potential player in DISC-mediated apoptosis and provide evidence for a specific interaction with the DED1 of cFLIPL.

  10. Catalytic properties of inositol trisphosphate kinase: activation by Ca2+ and calmodulin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ryu, S.H.; Lee, S.Y.; Lee, K.Y.; Rhee, S.G.

    1987-01-01

    Inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (Ins-1,4,5-P 3 ) is an important second-messenger molecule that mobilizes Ca 2+ from intracellular stores in response to the occupancy of receptor by various Ca 2+ -mobilizing agonists. The fate of Ins-1,4,5-P 3 is determined by two enzymes, a 3-kinase and a 5-phosphomonoesterase. The first enzyme converts Ins-1,4,5-P 3 to Ins-1,3,4,5-P 4 , whereas the latter forms Ins-1,4-P 2 . Recent studies suggest that Ins-1,3,4,5-P 4 might modulate the entry of Ca 2+ from an extracellular source. In the current report, the authors describe the partial purification of the 3-kinase from the cytosolic fraction of bovine brain and studies of its catalytic properties. They found that the 3-kinase activity is significantly activated by the Ca 2+ /calmodulin complex. Therefore, they propose that Ca 2+ mobilized from endoplasmic reticulum by the action of Ins-1,4,5-P 3 forms a complex with calmodulin, and that the Ca 2+ /calmodulin complex stimulates the conversion of Ins-1,4,5-P 3 , and intracellular Ca 2+ mobilizer, to Ins-1,3,4,5-P 4 , an extracellular Ca 2+ mobilizer. A rapid assay method for the 3-kinase was developed that is based on the separation of [3- 32 P]Ins-1,3,4,5-P 4 and [γ- 32 P]ATP by thin-layer chromatography. Using this new assay method, they evaluated kinetic parameters (K/sub m/ for ATP = 40 μM, K/sub m/ for Ins-1,4,5-P 3 = 0.7 μM, K/sub i/ for ADP = 12 μM) and divalent cation specificity (Mg 2+ > > Mn 2+ > Ca 2+ ) for the 3-kinase

  11. The Adsorption of Calmoduline via Nicotinamide Immobilized Poly(HEMA-GMA Cryogels

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kadir Erol

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The separation and purification methods for the isolation of an important biomolecule calmoduline protein is extremely important. Among these methods, the adsorption technique is extremely popular, and the cryogels as adsorbents with the macro porous structure and interconnected flow channels cryogel they have are preferred in this field. In this study, the adsorption of calmoduline via Ca(II immobilized poly (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-glycidyl methacrylate, poly (HEMA-GMA, cryogels through changing interaction time, calmoduline initial concentration and temperature conditions. For the characterization of cryogels, the swelling test, Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR Spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM, surface area (BET, elemental analysis and ICP-OES methods were performed. Nicotinamide molecule was used as Ca (II chelating agent and the adsorption capacity of the cryogels was estimated as 1.812 mg calmoduline / g cryogel. The adsorption models of the adsorption reaction were examined by the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models and was determined to be more appropriate for Langmuir isotherm model.

  12. Activation of AMP-activated protein kinase by kainic acid mediates brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression through a NF-kappaB dependent mechanism in C6 glioma cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoon, Hana; Oh, Young Taek; Lee, Jung Yeon; Choi, Ji Hyun; Lee, Ju Hie; Baik, Hyung Hwan; Kim, Sung Soo; Choe, Wonchae; Yoon, Kyung-Sik; Ha, Joohun; Kang, Insug

    2008-01-01

    AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a key regulator of energy homeostasis. Kainic acid (KA), a prototype excitotoxin is known to induce brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in brain. In this study, we examined the role of AMPK in KA-induced BDNF expression in C6 glioma cells. We showed that KA and KA receptor agonist induced activation of AMPK and KA-induced AMPK activation was blocked by inhibition of Ca 2+ /calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase (CaMKK) β. We then showed that inhibition of AMPK by compound C, a selective inhibitor of AMPK, or small interfering RNA of AMPKα1 blocked KA-induced BDNF mRNA and protein expression. Inhibition of AMPK blocked KA-induced phosphorylation of CaMKII and I kappaB kinase (IKK) in C6 cells. Finally, we showed that inhibition of AMPK reduced DNA binding and transcriptional activation of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) in KA-treated cells. These results suggest that AMPK mediates KA-induced BDNF expression by regulating NF-κB activation

  13. Mutations in calmodulin cause ventricular tachycardia and sudden cardiac death

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nyegaard, Mette; Overgaard, Michael Toft; Sondergaard, M.T.

    2012-01-01

    a substantial part of sudden cardiac deaths in young individuals. Mutations in RYR2, encoding the cardiac sarcoplasmic calcium channel, have been identified as causative in approximately half of all dominantly inherited CPVT cases. Applying a genome-wide linkage analysis in a large Swedish family with a severe......Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) is a devastating inherited disorder characterized by episodic syncope and/or sudden cardiac arrest during exercise or acute emotion in individuals without structural cardiac abnormalities. Although rare, CPVT is suspected to cause...... calmodulin-binding-domain peptide at low calcium concentrations. We conclude that calmodulin mutations can cause severe cardiac arrhythmia and that the calmodulin genes are candidates for genetic screening of individual cases and families with idiopathic ventricular tachycardia and unexplained sudden cardiac...

  14. Effect of brain-derived neurotrophic factor on the formation of psycho-vegetative syndrome with brain injury

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Selyanina N.V.

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Aim: to determine the role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the formation and forecasting of psycho-vegetative syndrome in patients with cerebral mild to moderate injury. Material and Methods. There have been 150 patients with contusion of the brain, examined. Indicators of neurological, psycho-vegetative status, quantitative content of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF and nerve growth factor (NGF in the serum were studied. Results. At patients with brain contusion neurological, psycho-vegetative disturbances and decrease neurotrophic factors are determined. It was found to depend of the content of BDNF and psycho-vegetative indicators. Conclusion. The level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor serum (less than 300 pg/ml is a predictor of psycho-vegetative syndrome in the long term of the brain injury.

  15. Extracellular calmodulin regulates growth and cAMP-mediated chemotaxis in Dictyostelium discoideum

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    O’Day, Danton H.; Huber, Robert J.; Suarez, Andres

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Extracellular calmodulin is present throughout growth and development in Dictyostelium. ► Extracellular calmodulin localizes within the ECM during development. ► Extracellular calmodulin inhibits cell proliferation and increases chemotaxis. ► Extracellular calmodulin exists in eukaryotic microbes. ► Extracellular calmodulin may be functionally as important as intracellular calmodulin. -- Abstract: The existence of extracellular calmodulin (CaM) has had a long and controversial history. CaM is a ubiquitous calcium-binding protein that has been found in every eukaryotic cell system. Calcium-free apo-CaM and Ca 2+ /CaM exert their effects by binding to and regulating the activity of CaM-binding proteins (CaMBPs). Most of the research done to date on CaM and its CaMBPs has focused on their intracellular functions. The presence of extracellular CaM is well established in a number of plants where it functions in proliferation, cell wall regeneration, gene regulation and germination. While CaM has been detected extracellularly in several animal species, including frog, rat, rabbit and human, its extracellular localization and functions are less well established. In contrast the study of extracellular CaM in eukaryotic microbes remains to be done. Here we show that CaM is constitutively expressed and secreted throughout asexual development in Dictyostelium where the presence of extracellular CaM dose-dependently inhibits cell proliferation but increases cAMP mediated chemotaxis. During development, extracellular CaM localizes within the slime sheath where it coexists with at least one CaMBP, the matricellular CaM-binding protein CyrA. Coupled with previous research, this work provides direct evidence for the existence of extracellular CaM in the Dictyostelium and provides insight into its functions in this model amoebozoan.

  16. Exercise impacts brain-derived neurotrophic factor plasticity by engaging mechanisms of epigenetic regulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gomez-Pinilla, F; Zhuang, Y; Feng, J; Ying, Z; Fan, G

    2011-02-01

    We have evaluated the possibility that the action of voluntary exercise on the regulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a molecule important for rat hippocampal learning, could involve mechanisms of epigenetic regulation. We focused the studies on the Bdnf promoter IV, as this region is highly responsive to neuronal activity. We have found that exercise stimulates DNA demethylation in Bdnf promoter IV, and elevates levels of activated methyl-CpG-binding protein 2, as well as BDNF mRNA and protein in the rat hippocampus. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay showed that exercise increases acetylation of histone H3, and protein assessment showed that exercise elevates the ratio of acetylated :total for histone H3 but had no effects on histone H4 levels. Exercise also reduces levels of the histone deacetylase 5 mRNA and protein implicated in the regulation of the Bdnf gene [N.M. Tsankova et al. (2006)Nat. Neurosci., 9, 519-525], but did not affect histone deacetylase 9. Exercise elevated the phosphorylated forms of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II and cAMP response element binding protein, implicated in the pathways by which neural activity influences the epigenetic regulation of gene transcription, i.e. Bdnf. These results showing the influence of exercise on the remodeling of chromatin containing the Bdnf gene emphasize the importance of exercise on the control of gene transcription in the context of brain function and plasticity. Reported information about the impact of a behavior, inherently involved in the daily human routine, on the epigenome opens exciting new directions and therapeutic opportunities in the war against neurological and psychiatric disorders. © 2010 The Authors. European Journal of Neuroscience © 2010 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  17. Electrically induced brain-derived neurotrophic factor release from Schwann cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Beier; Huang, Jinghui; Lu, Lei; Hu, Xueyu; Luo, Zhuojing; Li, Ming

    2014-07-01

    Regulating the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in Schwann cells (SCs) is critical for their application in traumatic nerve injury, neurodegenerative disorders, and demyelination disease in both central and peripheral nervous systems. The present study investigated the possibility of using electrical stimulation (ES) to activate SCs to release BDNF. We found that short-term ES was capable of promoting BDNF production from SCs, and the maximal BDNF release was achieved by ES at 6 V (3 Hz, 30 min). We further examined the involvement of intracellular calcium ions ([Ca2+]i) in the ES-induced BDNF production in SCs by pharmacological studies. We found that the ES-induced BDNF release required calcium influx through T-type voltage-gated calcium channel (VGCC) and calcium mobilization from internal calcium stores, including inositol triphosphate-sensitive stores and caffeine/ryanodine-sensitive stores. In addition, calcium-calmodulin dependent protein kinase IV (CaMK IV), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) were found to play important roles in the ES-induced BDNF release from SCs. In conclusion, ES is capable of activating SCs to secrete BDNF, which requires the involvement of calcium influx through T-type VGCC and calcium mobilization from internal calcium stores. In addition, activation of CaMK IV, MAPK, and CREB were also involved in the ES-induced BDNF release. The findings indicate that ES can improve the neurotrophic ability in SCs and raise the possibility of developing electrically stimulated SCs as a source of cell therapy for nerve injury in both peripheral and central nervous systems. Copyright © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  18. Protein phosphorylation systems in postmortem human brain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Walaas, S.I.; Perdahl-Wallace, E.; Winblad, B.; Greengard, P.

    1989-01-01

    Protein phosphorylation systems regulated by cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP), or calcium in conjunction with calmodulin or phospholipid/diacylglycerol, have been studied by phosphorylation in vitro of particulate and soluble fractions from human postmortem brain samples. One-dimensional or two-dimensional gel electrophoretic protein separations were used for analysis. Protein phosphorylation catalyzed by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase was found to be highly active in both particulate and soluble preparations throughout the human CNS, with groups of both widely distributed and region-specific substrates being observed in different brain nuclei. Dopamine-innervated parts of the basal ganglia and cerebral cortex contained the phosphoproteins previously observed in rodent basal ganglia. In contrast, calcium/phospholipid-dependent and calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein phosphorylation systems were less prominent in human postmortem brain than in rodent brain, and only a few widely distributed substrates for these protein kinases were found. Protein staining indicated that postmortem proteolysis, particularly of high-molecular-mass proteins, was prominent in deeply located, subcortical regions in the human brain. Our results indicate that it is feasible to use human postmortem brain samples, when obtained under carefully controlled conditions, for qualitative studies on brain protein phosphorylation. Such studies should be of value in studies on human neurological and/or psychiatric disorders

  19. Calmodulin stimulation of calcium transport in carrot microsomal vesicles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pierce, W.S.; Sze, H.

    1987-01-01

    ATP-dependent 45 Ca 2+ uptake into microsomal vesicles isolated from cultured carrot cells (Daucus carota Danvers) was stimulated 2-3 fold by 5 ug/ml calmodulin (CaM). Microsomal vesicles separated with a linear sucrose gradient showed two peaks with CaM-stimulated Ca 2+ uptake activities. One peak (at 1.12 g/cc) comigrated with the activity of the antimycin A-insensitive NADH-dependent cytochrome c reductase. This transport activity was enhanced 10-20 fold by 10 mM oxalate and appeared to be associates with vesicles derived primarily from the ER. The other peak of CaM-stimulated Ca 2+ uptake (at 1.17 g/cc) was not affected by oxalate. These vesicles are probably derived from the plasma membrane. Preliminary experiments with the low-density vesicles (ER) vesicles, indicate that inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate caused a transient reduction in intravesicular Ca 2+ . These results are consistent with the ER being an important site of intracellular Ca 2+ regulation

  20. Role of calmodulin and calcineurin in regulating flagellar motility and wave polarity in Leishmania.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mukhopadhyay, Aakash Gautam; Dey, Chinmoy Sankar

    2017-11-01

    We have previously reported the involvement of cyclic AMP in regulating flagellar waveforms in Leishmania. Here, we investigated the roles of calcium, calmodulin, and calcineurin in flagellar motility regulation in L. donovani. Using high-speed videomicroscopy, we show that calcium-independent calmodulin and calcineurin activity is necessary for motility in Leishmania. Inhibition of calmodulin and calcineurin induced ciliary beats interrupting flagellar beating in both live (in vivo) and ATP-reactivated (in vitro) parasites. Our results indicate that signaling mediated by calmodulin and calcineurin operates antagonistically to cAMP signaling in regulating the waveforms of Leishmania flagellum. These two pathways are possibly involved in maintaining the balance between the two waveforms, essential for responding to environmental cues, survival, and infectivity.

  1. Repeated forced swimming impairs prepulse inhibition and alters brain-derived neurotrophic factor and astroglial parameters in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borsoi, Milene; Antonio, Camila Boque; Müller, Liz Girardi; Viana, Alice Fialho; Hertzfeldt, Vivian; Lunardi, Paula Santana; Zanotto, Caroline; Nardin, Patrícia; Ravazzolo, Ana Paula; Rates, Stela Maris Kuze; Gonçalves, Carlos-Alberto

    2015-01-01

    Glutamate perturbations and altered neurotrophin levels have been strongly associated with the neurobiology of neuropsychiatric disorders. Environmental stress is a risk factor for mood disorders, disrupting glutamatergic activity in astrocytes in addition to cognitive behaviours. Despite the negative impact of stress-induced neuropsychiatric disorders on public health, the molecular mechanisms underlying the response of the brain to stress has yet to be fully elucidated. Exposure to repeated swimming has proven useful for evaluating the loss of cognitive function after pharmacological and behavioural interventions, but its effect on glutamate function has yet to be fully explored. In the present study, rats previously exposed to repeated forced swimming were evaluated using the novel object recognition test, object location test and prepulse inhibition (PPI) test. In addition, quantification of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA expression and protein levels, glutamate uptake, glutathione, S100B, GluN1 subunit of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor and calmodulin were evaluated in the frontal cortex and hippocampus after various swimming time points. We found that swimming stress selectively impaired PPI but did not affect memory recognition. Swimming stress altered the frontal cortical and hippocampal BDNF expression and the activity of hippocampal astrocytes by reducing hippocampal glutamate uptake and enhancing glutathione content in a time-dependent manner. In conclusion, these data support the assumption that astrocytes may regulate the activity of brain structures related to cognition in a manner that alters complex behaviours. Moreover, they provide new insight regarding the dynamics immediately after an aversive experience, such as after behavioural despair induction, and suggest that forced swimming can be employed to study altered glutamatergic activity and PPI disruption in rodents. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  2. Structure of calmodulin complexed with an olfactory CNG channel fragment and role of the central linker: Residual dipolar couplings to evaluate calmodulin binding modes outside the kinase family

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Contessa, Gian Marco; Orsale, Maria; Melino, Sonia; Torre, Vincent; Paci, Maurizio; Desideri, Alessandro; Cicero, Daniel O.

    2005-01-01

    The NMR high-resolution structure of calmodulin complexed with a fragment of the olfactory cyclic-nucleotide gated channel is described. This structure shows features that are unique for this complex, including an active role of the linker connecting the N- and C-lobes of calmodulin upon binding of the peptide. Such linker is not only involved in the formation of an hydrophobic pocket to accommodate a bulky peptide residue, but it also provides a positively charged region complementary to a negative charge of the target. This complex of calmodulin with a target not belonging to the kinase family was used to test the residual dipolar coupling (RDC) approach for the determination of calmodulin binding modes to peptides. Although the complex here characterized belongs to the (1--14) family, high Q values were obtained with all the 1:1 complexes for which crystalline structures are available. Reduction of the RDC data set used for the correlation analysis to structured regions of the complex allowed a clear identification of the binding mode. Excluded regions comprise calcium binding loops and loops connecting the EF-hand motifs

  3. Structure of Calmodulin Bound to a Calcineurin Peptide: A New Way of Making an Old Binding Mode

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ye, Q.; Li, X.; Wong, A.; Wei, Q.; Jia, Z.

    2006-01-01

    Calcineurin is a calmodulin-binding protein in brain and the only serine/threonine protein phosphatase under the control of Ca 2+ /calmodulin (CaM), which plays a critical role in coupling Ca 2+ signals to cellular responses. CaM up-regulates the phosphatase activity of calcineurin by binding to the CaM-binding domain (CBD) of calcineurin subunit A. Here, we report crystal structural studies of CaM bound to a CBD peptide. The chimeric protein containing CaM and the CBD peptide forms an intimate homodimer, in which CaM displays a native-like extended conformation and the CBD peptide shows -helical structure. Unexpectedly, the N-terminal lobe from one CaM and the C-terminal lobe from the second molecule form a combined binding site to trap the peptide. Thus, the dimer provides two binding sites, each of which is reminiscent of the fully collapsed conformation of CaM commonly observed in complex with, for example, the myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) peptide. The interaction between the peptide and CaM is highly specific and similar to MLCK

  4. Derivation of the gauge link in light cone gauge

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gao Jianhua

    2010-01-01

    In light cone gauge, a gauge link at light cone infinity is necessary for transverse momentum-dependent parton distribution to restore the gauge invariance in some specific boundary conditions. We derive such transverse gauge link in a more regular and general method. We find the gauge link at light cone infinity naturally arises from the contribution of the pinched poles: one is from the quark propagator and the other is hidden in the gauge vector field in light cone gauge. Actually, in the amplitude level, we have obtained a more general gauge link over the hypersurface at light cone infinity which is beyond the transverse direction. The difference of such gauge link between semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering and Drell-Yan processes can also be obtained directly and clearly in our derivation.

  5. An edge-centric perspective on the human connectome: link communities in the brain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Reus, Marcel A; Saenger, Victor M; Kahn, René S; van den Heuvel, Martijn P

    2014-10-05

    Brain function depends on efficient processing and integration of information within a complex network of neural interactions, known as the connectome. An important aspect of connectome architecture is the existence of community structure, providing an anatomical basis for the occurrence of functional specialization. Typically, communities are defined as groups of densely connected network nodes, representing clusters of brain regions. Looking at the connectome from a different perspective, instead focusing on the interconnecting links or edges, we find that the white matter pathways between brain regions also exhibit community structure. Eleven link communities were identified: five spanning through the midline fissure, three through the left hemisphere and three through the right hemisphere. We show that these link communities are consistently identifiable and investigate the network characteristics of their underlying white matter pathways. Furthermore, examination of the relationship between link communities and brain regions revealed that the majority of brain regions participate in multiple link communities. In particular, the highly connected and central hub regions showed a rich level of community participation, supporting the notion that these hubs play a pivotal role as confluence zones in which neural information from different domains merges. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

  6. Altered binding of 125I-labeled calmodulin to a 46.5-kilodalton protein in skin fibroblasts cultured from patients with cystic fibrosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tallant, E.A.; Wallace, R.W.

    1987-01-01

    The levels of calmodulin and calmodulin-binding proteins have been determined in cultured skin fibroblasts from patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) and age- and sex-matched controls. Calmodulin ranged from 0.20 to 0.76 microgram/mg protein; there was no difference between calmodulin concentration in fibroblasts from CF patients and controls. Calmodulin-binding proteins of 230, 212, 204, 164, 139, 70, 59, 46.5, and 41 kD were identified. A protein with a mobility identical to the 59-kD calmodulin-binding protein was labeled by antiserum against calmodulin-dependent phosphatase. Although Ca 2+ /calmodulin-dependent phosphatase activity was detected, there was no different in activity between control and CF fibroblasts or in the level of phosphatase protein as determined by radioimmunoassay. Lower amounts of 125 I-calmodulin were bound to the 46.5-kD calmodulin-binding protein in CF fibroblasts as compared with controls. The 46.5-kD calmodulin-binding protein may be reduced in CF fibroblasts or its structure may be altered resulting in a reduced binding capacity and/or affinity for calmodulin and perhaps reflecting, either directly or indirectly, the genetic defect responsible for cystic fibrosis

  7. Calmodulin Gene Expression in Response to Mechanical Wounding and Botrytis cinerea Infection in Tomato Fruit

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hui Peng

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Calmodulin, a ubiquitous calcium sensor, plays an important role in decoding stress-triggered intracellular calcium changes and regulates the functions of numerous target proteins involved in various plant physiological responses. To determine the functions of calmodulin in fleshy fruit, expression studies were performed on a family of six calmodulin genes (SlCaMs in mature-green stage tomato fruit in response to mechanical injury and Botrytis cinerea infection. Both wounding and pathogen inoculation triggered expression of all those genes, with SlCaM2 being the most responsive one to both treatments. Furthermore, all calmodulin genes were upregulated by salicylic acid and methyl jasmonate, two signaling molecules involved in plant immunity. In addition to SlCaM2, SlCaM1 was highly responsive to salicylic acid and methyl jasmonate. However, SlCaM2 exhibited a more rapid and stronger response than SlCaM1. Overexpression of SlCaM2 in tomato fruit enhanced resistance to Botrytis-induced decay, whereas reducing its expression resulted in increased lesion development. These results indicate that calmodulin is a positive regulator of plant defense in fruit by activating defense pathways including salicylate- and jasmonate-signaling pathways, and SlCaM2 is the major calmodulin gene responsible for this event.

  8. Calmodulin and calmodulin-binding proteins in cystic fibrosis and normal human fibroblasts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tallant, E.A.; Wallace, R.W.

    1986-01-01

    The authors have investigated the possibility that a lesion in a calmodulin (CaM)-dependent regulatory mechanism may be involved in cystic fibrosis (CF). The level of CaM, CaM-binding proteins (CaM-BP) and a CaM-dependent phosphatase (CaM-Ptase) have been compared in cultured fibroblasts from CF patients versus age- and sex-matched control subjects. The CaM concentration, measured by radioimmunoassay, ranged from 0.20 to 0.76 μg/mg protein (n=8); there was no significant difference in the average CaM concentration from CF patients vs controls. Using Western blotting techniques with 125 I-CaM, they detected at least ten distinct CaM-BPs in fibroblasts with molecular weights ranging from 230K to 37K; the only consistent difference between control and CF cell lines was in a 46.5K CaM-BP, which was depressed in all three CF samples. The 46.5 K CaM-BP was found only in the particulate fraction. A 59K CaM-BP was identified as a CaM-Ptase by its crossreactivity with an antibody against a brain CaM-Ptase. There was no significant difference in CaM-Ptase activity or in the amount of the phosphatase as determined by radioimmunoassay in CF vs. normal samples (n=8). Thus, the level of CaM as well as its various enzymes and proteins do not appear to be altered in CF fibroblasts except for a CaM-BP of 46.5K, the identity of which is currently being investigated

  9. Calmodulin Gene Expression in Response to Mechanical Wounding and Botrytis cinerea Infection in Tomato Fruit

    OpenAIRE

    Peng, Hui; Yang, Tianbao; Jurick, Wayne M.

    2014-01-01

    Calmodulin, a ubiquitous calcium sensor, plays an important role in decoding stress-triggered intracellular calcium changes and regulates the functions of numerous target proteins involved in various plant physiological responses. To determine the functions of calmodulin in fleshy fruit, expression studies were performed on a family of six calmodulin genes (SlCaMs) in mature-green stage tomato fruit in response to mechanical injury and Botrytis cinerea infection. Both wounding and pathogen in...

  10. Functional domains of plant chimeric calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase: regulation by autoinhibitory and visinin-like domains

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramachandiran, S.; Takezawa, D.; Wang, W.; Poovaiah, B. W.

    1997-01-01

    A novel calcium-binding calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CCaMK) with a catalytic domain, calmodulin-binding domain, and a neural visinin-like domain was cloned and characterized from plants [Patil et al., (1995) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 92, 4797-4801; Takezawa et al. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 8126-8132]. The mechanisms of CCaMK activation by calcium and calcium/calmodulin were investigated using various deletion mutants. The use of deletion mutants of CCaMK lacking either one, two, or all three calcium-binding EF hands indicated that all three calcium-binding sites in the visinin-like domain were crucial for the full calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase activity. As each calcium-binding EF hand was deleted, there was a gradual reduction in calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase activity from 100 to 4%. Another mutant (amino acids 1-322) which lacks both the visinin-like domain containing three EF hands and the calmodulin-binding domain was constitutively active, indicating the presence of an autoinhibitory domain around the calmodulin-binding domain. By using various synthetic peptides and the constitutively active mutant, we have shown that CCaMK contains an autoinhibitory domain within the residues 322-340 which overlaps its calmodulin-binding domain. Kinetic studies with both ATP and the GS peptide substrate suggest that the autoinhibitory domain of CCaMK interacts only with the peptide substrate binding motif of the catalytic domain, but not with the ATP-binding motif.

  11. Two distinct calmodulin binding sites in the third intracellular loop and carboxyl tail of angiotensin II (AT(1A receptor.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Renwen Zhang

    Full Text Available In this study, we present data that support the presence of two distinct calmodulin binding sites within the angiotensin II receptor (AT(1A, at juxtamembrane regions of the N-terminus of the third intracellular loop (i3, amino acids 214-231 and carboxyl tail of the receptor (ct, 302-317. We used bioluminescence resonance energy transfer assays to document interactions of calmodulin with the AT(1A holo-receptor and GST-fusion protein pull-downs to demonstrate that i3 and ct interact with calmodulin in a Ca²⁺-dependent fashion. The former is a 1-12 motif and the latter belongs to 1-5-10 calmodulin binding motif. The apparent Kd of calmodulin for i3 is 177.0±9.1 nM, and for ct is 79.4±7.9 nM as assessed by dansyl-calmodulin fluorescence. Replacement of the tryptophan (W219 for alanine in i3, and phenylalanine (F309 or F313 for alanine in ct reduced their binding affinities for calmodulin, as predicted by computer docking simulations. Exogenously applied calmodulin attenuated interactions between G protein βγ subunits and i3 and ct, somewhat more so for ct than i3. Mutations W219A, F309A, and F313A did not alter Gβγ binding, but reduced the ability of calmodulin to compete with Gβγ, suggesting that calmodulin and Gβγ have overlapping, but not identical, binding requirements for i3 and ct. Calmodulin interference with the Gβγ binding to i3 and ct regions of the AT(1A receptor strongly suggests that calmodulin plays critical roles in regulating Gβγ-dependent signaling of the receptor.

  12. Two Distinct Calmodulin Binding Sites in the Third Intracellular Loop and Carboxyl Tail of Angiotensin II (AT1A) Receptor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Renwen; Liu, Zhijie; Qu, Youxing; Xu, Ying; Yang, Qing

    2013-01-01

    In this study, we present data that support the presence of two distinct calmodulin binding sites within the angiotensin II receptor (AT1A), at juxtamembrane regions of the N-terminus of the third intracellular loop (i3, amino acids 214–231) and carboxyl tail of the receptor (ct, 302–317). We used bioluminescence resonance energy transfer assays to document interactions of calmodulin with the AT1A holo-receptor and GST-fusion protein pull-downs to demonstrate that i3 and ct interact with calmodulin in a Ca2+-dependent fashion. The former is a 1–12 motif and the latter belongs to 1-5-10 calmodulin binding motif. The apparent Kd of calmodulin for i3 is 177.0±9.1 nM, and for ct is 79.4±7.9 nM as assessed by dansyl-calmodulin fluorescence. Replacement of the tryptophan (W219) for alanine in i3, and phenylalanine (F309 or F313) for alanine in ct reduced their binding affinities for calmodulin, as predicted by computer docking simulations. Exogenously applied calmodulin attenuated interactions between G protein βγ subunits and i3 and ct, somewhat more so for ct than i3. Mutations W219A, F309A, and F313A did not alter Gβγ binding, but reduced the ability of calmodulin to compete with Gβγ, suggesting that calmodulin and Gβγ have overlapping, but not identical, binding requirements for i3 and ct. Calmodulin interference with the Gβγ binding to i3 and ct regions of the AT1A receptor strongly suggests that calmodulin plays critical roles in regulating Gβγ-dependent signaling of the receptor. PMID:23755207

  13. Interaction between the C-terminal region of human myelin basic protein and calmodulin: analysis of complex formation and solution structure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hayashi Nobuhiro

    2008-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The myelin sheath is a multilamellar membrane structure wrapped around the axon, enabling the saltatory conduction of nerve impulses in vertebrates. Myelin basic protein, one of the most abundant myelin-specific proteins, is an intrinsically disordered protein that has been shown to bind calmodulin. In this study, we focus on a 19-mer synthetic peptide from the predicted calmodulin-binding segment near the C-terminus of human myelin basic protein. Results The interaction of native human myelin basic protein with calmodulin was confirmed by affinity chromatography. The binding of the myelin basic protein peptide to calmodulin was tested with isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC in different temperatures, and Kd was observed to be in the low μM range, as previously observed for full-length myelin basic protein. Surface plasmon resonance showed that the peptide bound to calmodulin, and binding was accompanied by a conformational change; furthermore, gel filtration chromatography indicated a decrease in the hydrodynamic radius of calmodulin in the presence of the peptide. NMR spectroscopy was used to map the binding area to reside mainly within the hydrophobic pocket of the C-terminal lobe of calmodulin. The solution structure obtained by small-angle X-ray scattering indicates binding of the myelin basic protein peptide into the interlobal groove of calmodulin, while calmodulin remains in an extended conformation. Conclusion Taken together, our results give a detailed structural insight into the interaction of calmodulin with a C-terminal segment of a major myelin protein, the myelin basic protein. The used 19-mer peptide interacts mainly with the C-terminal lobe of calmodulin, and a conformational change accompanies binding, suggesting a novel mode of calmodulin-target protein interaction. Calmodulin does not collapse and wrap around the peptide tightly; instead, it remains in an extended conformation in the solution structure

  14. Engineering of a novel Ca2+-regulated kinesin molecular motor using a calmodulin dimer linker

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shishido, Hideki; Maruta, Shinsaku

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Engineered kinesin–M13 and calmodulin involving single cysteine were prepared. ► CaM mutant was cross-linked to dimer by bifunctional thiol reactive reagent. ► Kinesin–M13 was dimerized via CaM dimer in the presence of calcium. ► Function of the engineered kinesin was regulated by a Ca 2+ -calmodulin dimer linker. -- Abstract: The kinesin–microtubule system holds great promise as a molecular shuttle device within biochips. However, one current barrier is that such shuttles do not have “on–off” control of their movement. Here we report the development of a novel molecular motor powered by an accelerator and brake system, using a kinesin monomer and a calmodulin (CaM) dimer. The kinesin monomer, K355, was fused with a CaM target peptide (M13 peptide) at the C-terminal part of the neck region (K355–M13). We also prepared CaM dimers using CaM mutants (Q3C), (R86C), or (A147C) and crosslinkers that react with cysteine residues. Following induction of K355–M13 dimerization with CaM dimers, we measured K355–M13 motility and found that it can be reversibly regulated in a Ca 2+ -dependent manner. We also found that velocities of K355–M13 varied depending on the type and crosslink position of the CaM dimer used; crosslink length also had a moderate effect on motility. These results suggest Ca 2+ -dependent dimerization of K355–M13 could be used as a novel molecular shuttle, equipped with an accelerator and brake system, for biochip applications.

  15. Caveolin versus calmodulin. Counterbalancing allosteric modulators of endothelial nitric oxide synthase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Michel, J B; Feron, O; Sase, K; Prabhakar, P; Michel, T

    1997-10-10

    Nitric oxide is synthesized in diverse mammalian tissues by a family of calmodulin-dependent nitric oxide synthases. The endothelial isoform of nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) is targeted to the specialized signal-transducing membrane domains termed plasmalemmal caveolae. Caveolin, the principal structural protein in caveolae, interacts with eNOS and leads to enzyme inhibition in a reversible process modulated by Ca2+-calmodulin (Michel, J. B., Feron, O., Sacks, D., and Michel, T. (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 15583-15586). Caveolin also interacts with other structurally distinct signaling proteins via a specific region identified within the caveolin sequence (amino acids 82-101) that appears to subserve the role of a "scaffolding domain." We now report that the co-immunoprecipitation of eNOS with caveolin is completely and specifically blocked by an oligopeptide corresponding to the caveolin scaffolding domain. Peptides corresponding to this domain markedly inhibit nitric oxide synthase activity in endothelial membranes and interact directly with the enzyme to inhibit activity of purified recombinant eNOS expressed in Escherichia coli. The inhibition of purified eNOS by the caveolin scaffolding domain peptide is competitive and completely reversed by Ca2+-calmodulin. These studies establish that caveolin, via its scaffolding domain, directly forms an inhibitory complex with eNOS and suggest that caveolin inhibits eNOS by abrogating the enzyme's activation by calmodulin.

  16. Multiple Brain Markers are Linked to Age-Related Variation in Cognition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hedden, Trey; Schultz, Aaron P.; Rieckmann, Anna; Mormino, Elizabeth C.; Johnson, Keith A.; Sperling, Reisa A.; Buckner, Randy L.

    2016-01-01

    Age-related alterations in brain structure and function have been challenging to link to cognition due to potential overlapping influences of multiple neurobiological cascades. We examined multiple brain markers associated with age-related variation in cognition. Clinically normal older humans aged 65–90 from the Harvard Aging Brain Study (N = 186) were characterized on a priori magnetic resonance imaging markers of gray matter thickness and volume, white matter hyperintensities, fractional anisotropy (FA), resting-state functional connectivity, positron emission tomography markers of glucose metabolism and amyloid burden, and cognitive factors of processing speed, executive function, and episodic memory. Partial correlation and mediation analyses estimated age-related variance in cognition shared with individual brain markers and unique to each marker. The largest relationships linked FA and striatum volume to processing speed and executive function, and hippocampal volume to episodic memory. Of the age-related variance in cognition, 70–80% was accounted for by combining all brain markers (but only ∼20% of total variance). Age had significant indirect effects on cognition via brain markers, with significant markers varying across cognitive domains. These results suggest that most age-related variation in cognition is shared among multiple brain markers, but potential specificity between some brain markers and cognitive domains motivates additional study of age-related markers of neural health. PMID:25316342

  17. Characterization and functional analysis of Calmodulin and Calmodulin-like genes in Fragaria vesca

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kai Zhang

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Calcium is a universal messenger that is involved in the modulation of diverse developmental and adaptive processes in response to various stimuli. Calmodulin (CaM and calmodulin-like (CML proteins are major calcium sensors in all eukaryotes, and they have been extensively investigated for many years in plants and animals. However, little is known about CaMs and CMLs in woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca. In this study, we performed a genome-wide analysis of the strawberry genome and identified 4 CaM and 36 CML genes. Bioinformatics analyses, including gene structure, phylogenetic tree, synteny and three-dimensional model assessments, revealed the conservation and divergence of FvCaMs and FvCMLs, thus providing insight regarding their functions. In addition, the transcript abundance of four FvCaM genes and the four most related FvCML genes were examined in different tissues and in response to multiple stress and hormone treatments. Moreover, we investigated the subcellular localization of several FvCaMs and FvCMLs, revealing their potential interactions based on the localizations and potential functions. Furthermore, overexpression of five FvCaM and FvCML genes could not induce a hypersensitive response, but four of the five genes could increase resistance to Agrobacterium tumefaciens in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. This study provides evidence for the biological roles of FvCaM and CML genes, and the results lay the foundation for future functional studies of these genes.

  18. Hydrogen peroxide-mediated oxidative stress disrupts calcium binding on calmodulin: More evidence for oxidative stress in vitiligo

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schallreuter, K.U.; Gibbons, N.C.J.; Zothner, C.; Abou Elloof, M.M.; Wood, J.M.

    2007-01-01

    Patients with acute vitiligo have low epidermal catalase expression/activities and accumulate 10 -3 M H 2 O 2 . One consequence of this severe oxidative stress is an altered calcium homeostasis in epidermal keratinocytes and melanocytes. Here, we show decreased epidermal calmodulin expression in acute vitiligo. Since 10 -3 M H 2 O 2 oxidises methionine and tryptophan residues in proteins, we examined calcium binding to calmodulin in the presence and absence of H 2 O 2 utilising 45 calcium. The results showed that all four calcium atoms exchanged per molecule of calmodulin. Since oxidised calmodulin looses its ability to activate calcium ATPase, enzyme activities were followed in full skin biopsies from lesional skin of patients with acute vitiligo (n = 6) and healthy controls (n = 6). The results yielded a 4-fold decrease of ATPase activities in the patients. Computer simulation of native and oxidised calmodulin confirmed the loss of all four calcium ions from their specific EF-hand domains. Taken together H 2 O 2 -mediated oxidation affects calcium binding in calmodulin leading to perturbed calcium homeostasis and perturbed L-phenylalanine-uptake in the epidermis of acute vitiligo

  19. In SilicoModel-driven Assessment of the Effects of Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor Deficiency on Glutamate and Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid: Implications for Understanding Schizophrenia Pathophysiology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agrawal, Rimjhim; Kalmady, Sunil Vasu; Venkatasubramanian, Ganesan

    2017-05-31

    Deficient brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is one of the important mechanisms underlying the neuroplasticity abnormalities in schizophrenia. Aberration in BDNF signaling pathways directly or circuitously influences neurotransmitters like glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). For the first time, this study attempts to construct and simulate the BDNF-neurotransmitter network in order to assess the effects of BDNF deficiency on glutamate and GABA. Using CellDesigner, we modeled BDNF interactions with calcium influx via N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR)- Calmodulin activation; synthesis of GABA via cell cycle regulators protein kinase B, glycogen synthase kinase and β-catenin; transportation of glutamate and GABA. Steady state stability, perturbation time-course simulation and sensitivity analysis were performed in COPASI after assigning the kinetic functions, optimizing the unknown parameters using random search and genetic algorithm. Study observations suggest that increased glutamate in hippocampus, similar to that seen in schizophrenia, could potentially be contributed by indirect pathway originated from BDNF. Deficient BDNF could suppress Glutamate decarboxylase 67-mediated GABA synthesis. Further, deficient BDNF corresponded to impaired transport via vesicular glutamate transporter, thereby further increasing the intracellular glutamate in GABAergic and glutamatergic cells. BDNF also altered calcium dependent neuroplasticity via NMDAR modulation. Sensitivity analysis showed that Calmodulin, cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) and CREB regulated transcription coactivator-1 played significant role in this network. The study presents in silico quantitative model of biochemical network constituting the key signaling molecules implicated in schizophrenia pathogenesis. It provides mechanistic insights into putative contribution of deficient BNDF towards alterations in neurotransmitters and neuroplasticity that are consistent with current

  20. Specific nuclear localizing sequence directs two myosin isoforms to the cell nucleus in calmodulin-sensitive manner.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dzijak, Rastislav; Yildirim, Sukriye; Kahle, Michal; Novák, Petr; Hnilicová, Jarmila; Venit, Tomáš; Hozák, Pavel

    2012-01-01

    Nuclear myosin I (NM1) was the first molecular motor identified in the cell nucleus. Together with nuclear actin, they participate in crucial nuclear events such as transcription, chromatin movements, and chromatin remodeling. NM1 is an isoform of myosin 1c (Myo1c) that was identified earlier and is known to act in the cytoplasm. NM1 differs from the "cytoplasmic" myosin 1c only by additional 16 amino acids at the N-terminus of the molecule. This amino acid stretch was therefore suggested to direct NM1 into the nucleus. We investigated the mechanism of nuclear import of NM1 in detail. Using over-expressed GFP chimeras encoding for truncated NM1 mutants, we identified a specific sequence that is necessary for its import to the nucleus. This novel nuclear localization sequence is placed within calmodulin-binding motif of NM1, thus it is present also in the Myo1c. We confirmed the presence of both isoforms in the nucleus by transfection of tagged NM1 and Myo1c constructs into cultured cells, and also by showing the presence of the endogenous Myo1c in purified nuclei of cells derived from knock-out mice lacking NM1. Using pull-down and co-immunoprecipitation assays we identified importin beta, importin 5 and importin 7 as nuclear transport receptors that bind NM1. Since the NLS sequence of NM1 lies within the region that also binds calmodulin we tested the influence of calmodulin on the localization of NM1. The presence of elevated levels of calmodulin interfered with nuclear localization of tagged NM1. We have shown that the novel specific NLS brings to the cell nucleus not only the "nuclear" isoform of myosin I (NM1 protein) but also its "cytoplasmic" isoform (Myo1c protein). This opens a new field for exploring functions of this molecular motor in nuclear processes, and for exploring the signals between cytoplasm and the nucleus.

  1. Structure and mechanism of calmodulin binding to a signaling sphingolipid reveal new aspects of lipid-protein interactions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kovacs, Erika; Harmat, Veronika; Tóth, Judit; Vértessy, Beáta G.; Módos, Károly; Kardos, József; Liliom, Károly

    2010-01-01

    Lipid-protein interactions are rarely characterized at a structural molecular level due to technical difficulties; however, the biological significance of understanding the mechanism of these interactions is outstanding. In this report, we provide mechanistic insight into the inhibitory complex formation of the lipid mediator sphingosylphosphorylcholine with calmodulin, the most central and ubiquitous regulator protein in calcium signaling. We applied crystallographic, thermodynamic, kinetic, and spectroscopic approaches using purified bovine calmodulin and bovine cerebral microsomal fraction to arrive at our conclusions. Here we present 1) a 1.6-Å resolution crystal structure of their complex, in which the sphingolipid occupies the conventional hydrophobic binding site on calmodulin; 2) a peculiar stoichiometry-dependent binding process: at low or high protein-to-lipid ratio calmodulin binds lipid micelles or a few lipid molecules in a compact globular conformation, respectively, and 3) evidence that the sphingolipid displaces calmodulin from its targets on cerebral microsomes. We have ascertained the specificity of the interaction using structurally related lipids as controls. Our observations reveal the structural basis of selective calmodulin inhibition by the sphingolipid. On the basis of the crystallographic and biophysical characterization of the calmodulin–sphingosylphosphorylcholine interaction, we propose a novel lipid-protein binding model, which might be applicable to other interactions as well.—Kovacs, E., Harmat, V., Tóth, J., Vértessy, B. G., Módos, K., Kardos, J., Liliom, K. Structure and mechanism of calmodulin binding to a signaling sphingolipid reveal new aspects of lipid-protein interactions. PMID:20522785

  2. Hemopressins and other hemoglobin-derived peptides in mouse brain: Comparison between brain, blood, and heart peptidome and regulation in Cpefat/fat mice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gelman, Julia S.; Sironi, Juan; Castro, Leandro M.; Ferro, Emer S.; Fricker, Lloyd D.

    2010-01-01

    Many hemoglobin-derived peptides are present in mouse brain, and several of these have bioactive properties including the hemopressins, a related series of peptides that bind to cannabinoid CB1 receptors. Although hemoglobin is a major component of red blood cells, it is also present in neurons and glia. To examine whether the hemoglobin-derived peptides in brain are similar to those present in blood and heart, we used a peptidomics approach involving mass spectrometry. Many hemoglobin-derived peptides are found only in brain and not in blood, whereas all hemoglobin-derived peptides found in heart were also seen in blood. Thus, it is likely that the majority of the hemoglobin-derived peptides detected in brain are produced from brain hemoglobin and not erythrocytes. We also examined if the hemopressins and other major hemoglobin-derived peptides were regulated in the Cpefat/fat mouse; previously these mice were reported to have elevated levels of several hemoglobin-derived peptides. Many, but not all of the hemoglobin-derived peptides were elevated in several brain regions of the Cpefat/fat mouse. Taken together, these findings suggest that the post-translational processing of alpha and beta hemoglobin into the hemopressins, as well as other peptides, is upregulated in some but not all Cpefat/fat mouse brain regions. PMID:20202081

  3. Facilitation of plateau potentials in turtle motoneurones by a pathway dependent on calcium and calmodulin

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Perrier, J F; Mejia-Gervacio, S; Hounsgaard, J

    2000-01-01

    1. The involvement of intracellular calcium and calmodulin in the modulation of plateau potentials in motoneurones was investigated using intracellular recordings from a spinal cord slice preparation. 2. Chelation of intracellular calcium with BAPTA-AM or inactivation of calmodulin with W-7 or tr...

  4. Calmodulin affects sensitization of Drosophila melanogaster odorant receptors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Latha eMukunda

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Flying insects have developed a remarkably sensitive olfactory system to detect faint and turbulent odor traces. This ability is linked to the olfactory receptors class of odorant receptors (ORs, occurring exclusively in winged insects. ORs form heteromeric complexes of an odorant specific receptor protein (OrX and a highly conserved co-receptor protein (Orco. The ORs form ligand gated ion channels that are tuned by intracellular signaling systems. Repetitive subthreshold odor stimulation of olfactory sensory neurons sensitizes insect ORs. This OR sensitization process requires Orco activity. In the present study we first asked whether OR sensitization can be monitored with heterologously expressed OR proteins. Using electrophysiological and calcium imaging methods we demonstrate that D. melanogaster OR proteins expressed in CHO cells show sensitization upon repeated weak stimulation. This was found for OR channels formed by Orco as well as by Or22a or Or56a and Orco. Moreover, we show that inhibition of calmodulin (CaM action on OR proteins, expressed in CHO cells, abolishes any sensitization. Finally, we investigated the sensitization phenomenon using an ex vivo preparation of olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs expressing Or22a inside the fly’s antenna. Using calcium imaging, we observed sensitization in the dendrites as well as in the soma. Inhibition of calmodulin with W7 disrupted the sensitization within the outer dendritic shaft, whereas the sensitization remained in the other OSN compartments. Taken together, our results suggest that CaM action is involved in sensitizing the OR complex and that this mechanisms accounts for the sensitization in the outer dendrites, whereas further mechanisms contribute to the sensitization observed in the other OSN compartments. The use of heterologously expressed OR proteins appears to be suitable for further investigations on the mechanistic basis of OR sensitization, while investigations on native

  5. Pivoting between calmodulin lobes triggered by calcium in the Kv7.2/calmodulin complex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alaimo, Alessandro; Alberdi, Araitz; Gomis-Perez, Carolina; Fernández-Orth, Juncal; Bernardo-Seisdedos, Ganeko; Malo, Covadonga; Millet, Oscar; Areso, Pilar; Villarroel, Alvaro

    2014-01-01

    Kv7.2 (KCNQ2) is the principal molecular component of the slow voltage gated M-channel, which strongly influences neuronal excitability. Calmodulin (CaM) binds to two intracellular C-terminal segments of Kv7.2 channels, helices A and B, and it is required for exit from the endoplasmic reticulum. However, the molecular mechanisms by which CaM controls channel trafficking are currently unknown. Here we used two complementary approaches to explore the molecular events underlying the association between CaM and Kv7.2 and their regulation by Ca(2+). First, we performed a fluorometric assay using dansylated calmodulin (D-CaM) to characterize the interaction of its individual lobes to the Kv7.2 CaM binding site (Q2AB). Second, we explored the association of Q2AB with CaM by NMR spectroscopy, using (15)N-labeled CaM as a reporter. The combined data highlight the interdependency of the N- and C-lobes of CaM in the interaction with Q2AB, suggesting that when CaM binds Ca(2+) the binding interface pivots between the N-lobe whose interactions are dominated by helix B and the C-lobe where the predominant interaction is with helix A. In addition, Ca(2+) makes CaM binding to Q2AB more difficult and, reciprocally, the channel weakens the association of CaM with Ca(2+).

  6. Pivoting between calmodulin lobes triggered by calcium in the Kv7.2/calmodulin complex.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alessandro Alaimo

    Full Text Available Kv7.2 (KCNQ2 is the principal molecular component of the slow voltage gated M-channel, which strongly influences neuronal excitability. Calmodulin (CaM binds to two intracellular C-terminal segments of Kv7.2 channels, helices A and B, and it is required for exit from the endoplasmic reticulum. However, the molecular mechanisms by which CaM controls channel trafficking are currently unknown. Here we used two complementary approaches to explore the molecular events underlying the association between CaM and Kv7.2 and their regulation by Ca(2+. First, we performed a fluorometric assay using dansylated calmodulin (D-CaM to characterize the interaction of its individual lobes to the Kv7.2 CaM binding site (Q2AB. Second, we explored the association of Q2AB with CaM by NMR spectroscopy, using (15N-labeled CaM as a reporter. The combined data highlight the interdependency of the N- and C-lobes of CaM in the interaction with Q2AB, suggesting that when CaM binds Ca(2+ the binding interface pivots between the N-lobe whose interactions are dominated by helix B and the C-lobe where the predominant interaction is with helix A. In addition, Ca(2+ makes CaM binding to Q2AB more difficult and, reciprocally, the channel weakens the association of CaM with Ca(2+.

  7. Down-regulation of a calmodulin-related gene during transformation of human mammary epithelial cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yaswen, P.; Smoll, A.; Stampfer, M.R.; Peehl, D.M.; Trask, D.K.; Sager, R.

    1990-01-01

    A human cDNA library obtained from cultured normal mammary epithelial cells (HMECs) was searched by subtractive hybridization for genes whose decrease in expression might be relevant to epithelial transformation. One clone identified by this procedure corresponded to a 1.4 kilobase mRNA, designated NB-1, whose expression was decreased >50-fold in HMECs tumorigenically transformed in vitro after exposure to benzo[α]pyrene and Kirsten sarcoma virus. Sequence analysis of NB-1 cDNA revealed an open reading frame with a high degree of homology to calmodulin. NB-1 expression could be demonstrated by polymerase chain reaction amplification in normal breast, prostate, cervix, and epidermal tissues. The presence of NB-1 transcripts was variable in primary breast carcinoma tissues and undetectable in tumor-derived cell lines of breast, prostate, or other origins. NB-1 mRNA expression could be down-regulated in cultured HMECs by exposure to reconstituted extracellular matrix material, while exposure to transforming growth factor type β increased its relative abundance. The protein encoded by NB-1 may have Ca 2 plus binding properties and perform functions similar to those of authentic calmodulin. Its possible roles in differentiation and/or suppression of tumorigenicity in epithelial tissues remain to be examined

  8. Human umbilical cord blood-derived stem cells and brain-derived neurotrophic factor protect injured optic nerve: viscoelasticity characterization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xue-man Lv

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The optic nerve is a viscoelastic solid-like biomaterial. Its normal stress relaxation and creep properties enable the nerve to resist constant strain and protect it from injury. We hypothesized that stress relaxation and creep properties of the optic nerve change after injury. More-over, human brain-derived neurotrophic factor or umbilical cord blood-derived stem cells may restore these changes to normal. To validate this hypothesis, a rabbit model of optic nerve injury was established using a clamp approach. At 7 days after injury, the vitreous body re-ceived a one-time injection of 50 µg human brain-derived neurotrophic factor or 1 × 106 human umbilical cord blood-derived stem cells. At 30 days after injury, stress relaxation and creep properties of the optic nerve that received treatment had recovered greatly, with patho-logical changes in the injured optic nerve also noticeably improved. These results suggest that human brain-derived neurotrophic factor or umbilical cord blood-derived stem cell intervention promotes viscoelasticity recovery of injured optic nerves, and thereby contributes to nerve recovery.

  9. Cloning and expression of calmodulin gene in Scoparia dulcis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saitoh, Daisuke; Asakura, Yuki; Nkembo, Marguerite Kasidimoko; Shite, Masato; Sugiyama, Ryuji; Lee, Jung-Bum; Hayashi, Toshimitsu; Kurosaki, Fumiya

    2007-06-01

    A homology-based cloning strategy yielded a cDNA clone, designated Sd-cam, encoding calmodulin protein from Scoparia dulcis. The restriction digests of genomic DNA of S. dulcis showed a single hybridized signal when probed with the fragment of this gene in Southern blot analyses, suggesting that Sd-cam occurs as a sole gene encoding calmodulin in the plant. The reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed that Sd-cam was appreciably expressed in leaf, root and stem tissues. It appeared that transcription of this gene increased transiently when the leaf cultures of S. dulcis were treated with methyl jasmonate and calcium ionophore A23187. These results suggest that transcriptional activation of Sd-cam is one of the early cellular events of the methyl jasmonate-induced responses of S. dulcis.

  10. Thyroxin treatment protects against white matter injury in the immature brain via brain-derived neurotrophic factor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hung, Pi-Lien; Huang, Chao-Ching; Huang, Hsiu-Mei; Tu, Dom-Gene; Chang, Ying-Chao

    2013-08-01

    Low level of thyroid hormone is a strong independent risk factor for white matter (WM) injury, a major cause of cerebral palsy, in preterm infants. Thyroxin upregulates brain-derived neurotrophic factor during development. We hypothesized that thyroxin protected against preoligodendrocyte apoptosis and WM injury in the immature brain via upregulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Postpartum (P) day-7 male rat pups were exposed to hypoxic ischemia (HI) and intraperitoneally injected with thyroxin (T4; 0.2 mg/kg or 1 mg/kg) or normal saline immediately after HI at P9 and P11. WM damage was analyzed for myelin formation, axonal injury, astrogliosis, and preoligodendrocyte apoptosis. Neurotrophic factor expression was assessed by real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. Neuromotor functions were measured using open-field locomotion (P11 and P21), inclined plane climbing (P11), and beam walking (P21). Intracerebroventricular injection of TrkB-Fc or systemic administration of 7,8-dihydroxyflavone was performed. On P11, the HI group had significantly lower blood T4 levels than the controls. The HI group showed ventriculomegaly and marked reduction of myelin basic protein immunoreactivities in the WM. T4 (1 mg/kg) treatment after HI markedly attenuated axonal injury, astrocytosis, and microgliosis, and increased preoligodendrocyte survival. In addition, T4 treatment significantly increased myelination and selectively upregulated brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression in the WM, and improved neuromotor deficits after HI. The protective effect of T4 on WM myelination and neuromotor performance after HI was significantly attenuated by TrkB-Fc. Systemic 7,8-dihydroxyflavone treatment ameliorated hypomyelination after HI injury. T4 protects against WM injury at both pathological and functional levels via upregulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor-TrkB signaling in the immature brain.

  11. Green Mind Theory: How Brain-Body-Behaviour Links into Natural and Social Environments for Healthy Habits

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jules Pretty

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available We propose a Green Mind Theory (GMT to link the human mind with the brain and body, and connect the body into natural and social environments. The processes are reciprocal: environments shape bodies, brains, and minds; minds change body behaviours that shape the external environment. GMT offers routes to improved individual well-being whilst building towards greener economies. It builds upon research on green exercise and nature-based therapies, and draws on understanding derived from neuroscience and brain plasticity, spiritual and wisdom traditions, the lifeways of original cultures, and material consumption behaviours. We set out a simple metaphor for brain function: a bottom brain stem that is fast-acting, involuntary, impulsive, and the driver of fight and flight behaviours; a top brain cortex that is slower, voluntary, the centre for learning, and the driver of rest and digest. The bottom brain reacts before thought and directs the sympathetic nervous system. The top brain is calming, directing the parasympathetic nervous system. Here, we call the top brain blue and the bottom brain red; too much red brain is bad for health. In modern high-consumption economies, life has often come to be lived on red alert. An over-active red mode impacts the gastrointestinal, immune, cardiovascular, and endocrine systems. We develop our knowledge of nature-based interventions, and suggest a framework for the blue brain-red brain-green mind. We show how activities involving immersive-attention quieten internal chatter, how habits affect behaviours across the lifecourse, how long habits take to be formed and hard-wired into daily practice, the role of place making, and finally how green minds could foster prosocial and greener economies. We conclude with observations on twelve research priorities and health interventions, and ten calls to action.

  12. Green Mind Theory: How Brain-Body-Behaviour Links into Natural and Social Environments for Healthy Habits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pretty, Jules; Rogerson, Mike; Barton, Jo

    2017-06-30

    We propose a Green Mind Theory (GMT) to link the human mind with the brain and body, and connect the body into natural and social environments. The processes are reciprocal: environments shape bodies, brains, and minds; minds change body behaviours that shape the external environment. GMT offers routes to improved individual well-being whilst building towards greener economies. It builds upon research on green exercise and nature-based therapies, and draws on understanding derived from neuroscience and brain plasticity, spiritual and wisdom traditions, the lifeways of original cultures, and material consumption behaviours. We set out a simple metaphor for brain function: a bottom brain stem that is fast-acting, involuntary, impulsive, and the driver of fight and flight behaviours; a top brain cortex that is slower, voluntary, the centre for learning, and the driver of rest and digest. The bottom brain reacts before thought and directs the sympathetic nervous system. The top brain is calming, directing the parasympathetic nervous system. Here, we call the top brain blue and the bottom brain red; too much red brain is bad for health. In modern high-consumption economies, life has often come to be lived on red alert. An over-active red mode impacts the gastrointestinal, immune, cardiovascular, and endocrine systems. We develop our knowledge of nature-based interventions, and suggest a framework for the blue brain-red brain-green mind. We show how activities involving immersive-attention quieten internal chatter, how habits affect behaviours across the lifecourse, how long habits take to be formed and hard-wired into daily practice, the role of place making, and finally how green minds could foster prosocial and greener economies. We conclude with observations on twelve research priorities and health interventions, and ten calls to action.

  13. Determinants of serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bus, B. A. A.; Molendijk, M. L.; Penninx, B. J. W. H.; Buitelaar, J. K.; Kenis, G.; Prickaerts, J.; Elzinga, B. M.; Voshaar, R. C. Oude

    Background: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) belongs to the neurotrophin family of growth factors and affects the survival and plasticity of neurons in the adult central nervous system. The high correlation between cortical and serum BDNF levels has led to many human studies on BDNF levels

  14. A novel calmodulin-regulated Ca2+-ATPase (ACA2) from Arabidopsis with an N-terminal autoinhibitory domain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harper, J. F.; Hong, B.; Hwang, I.; Guo, H. Q.; Stoddard, R.; Huang, J. F.; Palmgren, M. G.; Sze, H.; Evans, M. L. (Principal Investigator)

    1998-01-01

    To study transporters involved in regulating intracellular Ca2+, we isolated a full-length cDNA encoding a Ca2+-ATPase from a model plant, Arabidopsis, and named it ACA2 (Arabidopsis Ca2+-ATPase, isoform 2). ACA2p is most similar to a "plasma membrane-type" Ca2+-ATPase, but is smaller (110 kDa), contains a unique N-terminal domain, and is missing a long C-terminal calmodulin-binding regulatory domain. In addition, ACA2p is localized to an endomembrane system and not the plasma membrane, as shown by aqueous-two phase fractionation of microsomal membranes. ACA2p was expressed in yeast as both a full-length protein (ACA2-1p) and an N-terminal truncation mutant (ACA2-2p; Delta residues 2-80). Only the truncation mutant restored the growth on Ca2+-depleted medium of a yeast mutant defective in both endogenous Ca2+ pumps, PMR1 and PMC1. Although basal Ca2+-ATPase activity of the full-length protein was low, it was stimulated 5-fold by calmodulin (50% activation around 30 nM). In contrast, the truncated pump was fully active and insensitive to calmodulin. A calmodulin-binding sequence was identified within the first 36 residues of the N-terminal domain, as shown by calmodulin gel overlays on fusion proteins. Thus, ACA2 encodes a novel calmodulin-regulated Ca2+-ATPase distinguished by a unique N-terminal regulatory domain and a non-plasma membrane localization.

  15. Three synonymous genes encode calmodulin in a reptile, the Japanese tortoise, Clemmys japonica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kouji Shimoda

    2002-01-01

    Full Text Available Three distinct calmodulin (CaM-encoding cDNAs were isolated from a reptile, the Japanese tortoise (Clemmys japonica, based on degenerative primer PCR. Because of synonymous codon usages, the deduced amino acid (aa sequences were exactly the same in all three genes and identical to the aa sequence of vertebrate CaM. The three cDNAs, referred to as CaM-A, -B, and -C, seemed to belong to the same type as CaMI, CaMII, and CaMIII, respectively, based on their sequence identity with those of the mammalian cDNAs and the glutamate codon biases. Northern blot analysis detected CaM-A and -B as bands corresponding to 1.8 kb, with the most abundant levels in the brain and testis, while CaM-C was detected most abundantly in the brain as bands of 1.4 and 2.0 kb. Our results indicate that, in the tortoise, CaM protein is encoded by at least three non-allelic genes, and that the ‘multigene-one protein' principle of CaM synthesis is applicable to all classes of vertebrates, from fishes to mammals.

  16. Fluorescence Spectra Studies on the Interaction between Lanthanides and Calmodulin

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    1999-01-01

    The conformation of Calmodulin(CaM) induced by lanthanides has been examined using fluorescence methods.With the addition of lanthanide (Ln3+), the intrinsic fluorescence intensity of CaM without calcium ions (Apo-CaM) first increases and then decreases.Ln3+ causes the decrease of intrinsic fluorescence intensity of calcium saturated CaM (Ca2+4-CaM) only at high concentrations.At low concentrations, Ln3+ results not only in the enhancement of fluorescence intensity of Apo-CaM, but also in a blue shift of the maximum emission wavelengh of dansyl labeled calmodulin(Apo-D-CaM).The molecular mechanism of the interaction between Ln3+ and CaM has been discussed in the light of the fluorescence spectra.

  17. W342F Mutation in CCaMK Enhances Its Affinity to Calmodulin But Compromises Its Role in Supporting Root Nodule Symbiosis in Medicago truncatula

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edgard Jauregui

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available The calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CCaMK is regulated by free Ca2+ and Ca2+-loaded calmodulin. This dual binding is believed to be involved in its regulation and associated physiological functions, although direct experimental evidence for this is lacking. Here we document that site-directed mutations in the calmodulin-binding domain of CCaMK alters its binding capacity to calmodulin, providing an effective approach to study how calmodulin regulates CCaMK in terms of kinase activity and regulation of rhizobial symbiosis in Medicago truncatula. We observed that mutating the tryptophan at position 342 to phenylalanine (W342F markedly increased the calmodulin-binding capability of the mutant. The mutant CCaMK underwent autophosphorylation and catalyzed substrate phosphorylation in the absence of calcium and calmodulin. When the mutant W342F was expressed in ccamk-1 roots, the transgenic roots exhibited an altered nodulation phenotype. These results indicate that altering the calmodulin-binding domain of CCaMK could generate a constitutively activated kinase with a negative role in the physiological function of CCaMK.

  18. Evidence for a release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor from the brain during exercise

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasmussen, Peter; Brassard, Patrice; Adser, Helle

    2009-01-01

    Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has an important role in regulating maintenance, growth and survival of neurons. However, the main source of circulating BDNF in response to exercise is unknown. To identify whether the brain is a source of BDNF during exercise, eight volunteers rowed for 4...... h while simultaneous blood samples were obtained from the radial artery and the internal jugular vein. To further identify putative cerebral region(s) responsible for BDNF release, mouse brains were dissected and analysed for BDNF mRNA expression following treadmill exercise. In humans, a BDNF...... release from the brain was observed at rest (P BDNF, while that contribution decreased following 1 h of recovery. In mice, exercise induced a three...

  19. Polarized axonal surface expression of neuronal KCNQ potassium channels is regulated by calmodulin interaction with KCNQ2 subunit.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John P Cavaretta

    Full Text Available KCNQ potassium channels composed of KCNQ2 and KCNQ3 subunits give rise to the M-current, a slow-activating and non-inactivating voltage-dependent potassium current that limits repetitive firing of action potentials. KCNQ channels are enriched at the surface of axons and axonal initial segments, the sites for action potential generation and modulation. Their enrichment at the axonal surface is impaired by mutations in KCNQ2 carboxy-terminal tail that cause benign familial neonatal convulsion and myokymia, suggesting that their correct surface distribution and density at the axon is crucial for control of neuronal excitability. However, the molecular mechanisms responsible for regulating enrichment of KCNQ channels at the neuronal axon remain elusive. Here, we show that enrichment of KCNQ channels at the axonal surface of dissociated rat hippocampal cultured neurons is regulated by ubiquitous calcium sensor calmodulin. Using immunocytochemistry and the cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4 membrane protein as a trafficking reporter, we demonstrate that fusion of KCNQ2 carboxy-terminal tail is sufficient to target CD4 protein to the axonal surface whereas inhibition of calmodulin binding to KCNQ2 abolishes axonal surface expression of CD4 fusion proteins by retaining them in the endoplasmic reticulum. Disruption of calmodulin binding to KCNQ2 also impairs enrichment of heteromeric KCNQ2/KCNQ3 channels at the axonal surface by blocking their trafficking from the endoplasmic reticulum to the axon. Consistently, hippocampal neuronal excitability is dampened by transient expression of wild-type KCNQ2 but not mutant KCNQ2 deficient in calmodulin binding. Furthermore, coexpression of mutant calmodulin, which can interact with KCNQ2/KCNQ3 channels but not calcium, reduces but does not abolish their enrichment at the axonal surface, suggesting that apo calmodulin but not calcium-bound calmodulin is necessary for their preferential targeting to the axonal

  20. Investigations into the binding of 125I-calmodulin to CA++ transport ATPase of human erythrocytes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sterk, V.

    1983-01-01

    The study described was carried out in order to investigate the binding of 125 I-calmodulin to Ca ++ transport ATPase using different Ca ++ concentrations and temperatures. The data obtained from these experiments were subsequently analysed in such as a way as to yield meaningful information relating to the mechanisms underlying the attachment of calmodulin to Ca ++ transport ATPase, the % proportion of membrane protein that was attributable to the enzyme as well as the number of calmodulin receptor sites on the individual erythrocytes, etc. Comparisons with data from the relevant literature permitted conclusions to be drawn concerning the mode of Ca ++ transport at the level of the erythrocytes. A new methodology and processing technique had to be developed prior to the beginning of the experiments. (orig./MG) [de

  1. Brain transcriptome perturbations in the Hfe(-/-) mouse model of genetic iron loading.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnstone, Daniel; Graham, Ross M; Trinder, Debbie; Delima, Roheeth D; Riveros, Carlos; Olynyk, John K; Scott, Rodney J; Moscato, Pablo; Milward, Elizabeth A

    2012-04-11

    Severe disruption of brain iron homeostasis can cause fatal neurodegenerative disease, however debate surrounds the neurologic effects of milder, more common iron loading disorders such as hereditary hemochromatosis, which is usually caused by loss-of-function polymorphisms in the HFE gene. There is evidence from both human and animal studies that HFE gene variants may affect brain function and modify risks of brain disease. To investigate how disruption of HFE influences brain transcript levels, we used microarray and real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction to assess the brain transcriptome in Hfe(-/-) mice relative to wildtype AKR controls (age 10 weeks, n≥4/group). The Hfe(-/-) mouse brain showed numerous significant changes in transcript levels (pgenes relating to transcriptional regulation (FBJ osteosarcoma oncogene Fos, early growth response genes), neurotransmission (glutamate NMDA receptor Grin1, GABA receptor Gabbr1) and synaptic plasticity and memory (calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IIα Camk2a). As previously reported for dietary iron-supplemented mice, there were altered levels of transcripts for genes linked to neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis, a disease characterized by excessive lipofuscin deposition. Labile iron is known to enhance lipofuscin generation which may accelerate brain aging. The findings provide evidence that iron loading disorders can considerably perturb levels of transcripts for genes essential for normal brain function and may help explain some of the neurologic signs and symptoms reported in hemochromatosis patients. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Identification of the divergent calmodulin binding motif in yeast Ssb1/Hsp75 protein and in other HSP70 family members.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heinen, R C; Diniz-Mendes, L; Silva, J T; Paschoalin, V M F

    2006-11-01

    Yeast soluble proteins were fractionated by calmodulin-agarose affinity chromatography and the Ca2+/calmodulin-binding proteins were analyzed by SDS-PAGE. One prominent protein of 66 kDa was excised from the gel, digested with trypsin and the masses of the resultant fragments were determined by MALDI/MS. Twenty-one of 38 monoisotopic peptide masses obtained after tryptic digestion were matched to the heat shock protein Ssb1/Hsp75, covering 37% of its sequence. Computational analysis of the primary structure of Ssb1/Hsp75 identified a unique potential amphipathic alpha-helix in its N-terminal ATPase domain with features of target regions for Ca2+/calmodulin binding. This region, which shares 89% similarity to the experimentally determined calmodulin-binding domain from mouse, Hsc70, is conserved in near half of the 113 members of the HSP70 family investigated, from yeast to plant and animals. Based on the sequence of this region, phylogenetic analysis grouped the HSP70s in three distinct branches. Two of them comprise the non-calmodulin binding Hsp70s BIP/GR78, a subfamily of eukaryotic HSP70 localized in the endoplasmic reticulum, and DnaK, a subfamily of prokaryotic HSP70. A third heterogeneous group is formed by eukaryotic cytosolic HSP70s containing the new calmodulin-binding motif and other cytosolic HSP70s whose sequences do not conform to those conserved motif, indicating that not all eukaryotic cytosolic Hsp70s are target for calmodulin regulation. Furthermore, the calmodulin-binding domain found in eukaryotic HSP70s is also the target for binding of Bag-1 - an enhancer of ADP/ATP exchange activity of Hsp70s. A model in which calmodulin displaces Bag-1 and modulates Ssb1/Hsp75 chaperone activity is discussed.

  3. Identification of the divergent calmodulin binding motif in yeast Ssb1/Hsp75 protein and in other HSP70 family members

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R.C. Heinen

    2006-11-01

    Full Text Available Yeast soluble proteins were fractionated by calmodulin-agarose affinity chromatography and the Ca2+/calmodulin-binding proteins were analyzed by SDS-PAGE. One prominent protein of 66 kDa was excised from the gel, digested with trypsin and the masses of the resultant fragments were determined by MALDI/MS. Twenty-one of 38 monoisotopic peptide masses obtained after tryptic digestion were matched to the heat shock protein Ssb1/Hsp75, covering 37% of its sequence. Computational analysis of the primary structure of Ssb1/Hsp75 identified a unique potential amphipathic alpha-helix in its N-terminal ATPase domain with features of target regions for Ca2+/calmodulin binding. This region, which shares 89% similarity to the experimentally determined calmodulin-binding domain from mouse, Hsc70, is conserved in near half of the 113 members of the HSP70 family investigated, from yeast to plant and animals. Based on the sequence of this region, phylogenetic analysis grouped the HSP70s in three distinct branches. Two of them comprise the non-calmodulin binding Hsp70s BIP/GR78, a subfamily of eukaryotic HSP70 localized in the endoplasmic reticulum, and DnaK, a subfamily of prokaryotic HSP70. A third heterogeneous group is formed by eukaryotic cytosolic HSP70s containing the new calmodulin-binding motif and other cytosolic HSP70s whose sequences do not conform to those conserved motif, indicating that not all eukaryotic cytosolic Hsp70s are target for calmodulin regulation. Furthermore, the calmodulin-binding domain found in eukaryotic HSP70s is also the target for binding of Bag-1 - an enhancer of ADP/ATP exchange activity of Hsp70s. A model in which calmodulin displaces Bag-1 and modulates Ssb1/Hsp75 chaperone activity is discussed.

  4. Small-angle scattering studies show distinct conformations of calmodulin in its complexes with two peptides based on the regulatory domain of the catalytic subunit of phosphorylase kinase

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Trewhella, J.; Blumenthal, D.K.; Rokop, S.E.; Seeger, P.A.

    1990-01-01

    Small-angle X-ray and neutron scattering have been used to study the solution structures of calmodulin complexed with synthetic peptides corresponding to residues 342-366 and 301-326, designated PhK5 and PhK13, respectively, in the regulatory domain of the catalytic subunit of skeletal muscle phosphorylase kinase. The scattering data show that binding of PhK5 to calmodulin induces a dramatic contraction of calmodulin, similar to that previously observed when calmodulin is complexed with the calmodulin-binding domain peptide from rabbit skeletal muscle myosin light chain kinase. In contrast, calmodulin remains extended upon binding PhK13. In the presence of both peptides, calmodulin also remains extended. Apparently, the presence of PhK13 inhibits calmodulin from undergoing the PhK5-induced contraction. These data indicate that there is a fundamentally different type of calmodulin-target enzyme interaction in the case of the catalytic subunit of phosphorylase kinase compared with that for myosin light chain kinase

  5. A calmodulin-like protein (LCALA) is a new Leishmania amazonensis candidate for telomere end-binding protein.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morea, Edna G O; Viviescas, Maria Alejandra; Fernandes, Carlos A H; Matioli, Fabio F; Lira, Cristina B B; Fernandez, Maribel F; Moraes, Barbara S; da Silva, Marcelo S; Storti, Camila B; Fontes, Marcos R M; Cano, Maria Isabel N

    2017-11-01

    Leishmania spp. telomeres are composed of 5'-TTAGGG-3' repeats associated with proteins. We have previously identified LaRbp38 and LaRPA-1 as proteins that bind the G-rich telomeric strand. At that time, we had also partially characterized a protein: DNA complex, named LaGT1, but we could not identify its protein component. Using protein-DNA interaction and competition assays, we confirmed that LaGT1 is highly specific to the G-rich telomeric single-stranded DNA. Three protein bands, with LaGT1 activity, were isolated from affinity-purified protein extracts in-gel digested, and sequenced de novo using mass spectrometry analysis. In silico analysis of the digested peptide identified them as a putative calmodulin with sequences identical to the T. cruzi calmodulin. In the Leishmania genome, the calmodulin ortholog is present in three identical copies. We cloned and sequenced one of the gene copies, named it LCalA, and obtained the recombinant protein. Multiple sequence alignment and molecular modeling showed that LCalA shares homology to most eukaryotes calmodulin. In addition, we demonstrated that LCalA is nuclear, partially co-localizes with telomeres and binds in vivo the G-rich telomeric strand. Recombinant LCalA can bind specifically and with relative affinity to the G-rich telomeric single-strand and to a 3'G-overhang, and DNA binding is calcium dependent. We have described a novel candidate component of Leishmania telomeres, LCalA, a nuclear calmodulin that binds the G-rich telomeric strand with high specificity and relative affinity, in a calcium-dependent manner. LCalA is the first reported calmodulin that binds in vivo telomeric DNA. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Modulation of myometrium mitochondrial membrane potential by calmodulin antagonists

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. G. Shlykov

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Influence of calmodulin antagonists on mitochondrial membrane potential was investigated using­ a flow cytometry method, confocal microscopy and fluorescent potential-sensitive probes TMRM and MTG. Influence of different concentrations of calmodulin antagonists on mitochondrial membrane potential was studied using flow cytometry method and a fraction of myometrium mitochondria of unpregnant rats. It was shown that 1-10 µМ calmidazolium gradually reduced mitochondria membrane potential. At the same time 10-100 µМ trifluope­razine influenced as follows: 10 µМ – increased polarization, while 100 µМ – caused almost complete depolarization of mitochondrial membranes. In experiments which were conducted with the use of confocal microscopy method and myometrium cells it was shown, that MTG addition to the incubation medium­ led to the appearance of fluorescence signal in a green range. Addition of the second probe (ТМRM resulted in the appearance of fluorescent signal in a red range. Mitochondrial membrane depolarization by 1µМ СССР or 10 mМ NaN3 was accompanied by the decline of “red” fluo­rescence intensity, “green” fluorescence was kept. The 10-15 minute incubation of myometrium cells in the presen­ce 10 µМ calmidazolium or 100 µМ trifluoperazine was accompanied by almost complete decrease of the TMRM fluorescent signal. Thus, with the use of potential-sensitive fluorescent probes TMRM and MTG it was shown, that calmodulin antagonists modulate mitochondrial membrane potential of myometrium cells.

  7. Cotranslocational processing of the protein substrate calmodulin by an AAA+ unfoldase occurs via unfolding and refolding intermediates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Augustyniak, Rafal; Kay, Lewis E

    2018-05-22

    Protein remodeling by AAA+ enzymes is central for maintaining proteostasis in a living cell. However, a detailed structural description of how this is accomplished at the level of the substrate molecules that are acted upon is lacking. Here, we combine chemical cross-linking and methyl transverse relaxation-optimized NMR spectroscopy to study, at atomic resolution, the stepwise unfolding and subsequent refolding of the two-domain substrate calmodulin by the VAT AAA+ unfoldase from Thermoplasma acidophilum By engineering intermolecular disulphide bridges between the substrate and VAT we trap the substrate at different stages of translocation, allowing structural studies throughout the translocation process. Our results show that VAT initiates substrate translocation by pulling on intrinsically unstructured N or C termini of substrate molecules without showing specificity for a particular amino acid sequence. Although the B1 domain of protein G is shown to unfold cooperatively, translocation of calmodulin leads to the formation of intermediates, and these differ on an individual domain level in a manner that depends on whether pulling is from the N or C terminus. The approach presented generates an atomic resolution picture of substrate unfolding and subsequent refolding by unfoldases that can be quite different from results obtained via in vitro denaturation experiments.

  8. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor and early-life stress

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    2016-10-24

    Oct 24, 2016 ... The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a key regulator of neural development and ... forms are produced by splicing individual non-coding ..... VII and. IX m. RNA. ↑. mBDNF. ↓. (MS). 5. BDNF expression was unch;.

  9. The use of dansyl-calmodulin to study interactions with channels and other proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alaimo, Alessandro; Malo, Covadonga; Areso, Pilar; Aloria, Kerman; Millet, Oscar; Villarroel, Alvaro

    2013-01-01

    Steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy is a biophysical technique widely employed to characterize -interactions between proteins in vitro. Only a few proteins naturally fluoresce in cells, but by covalently attaching fluorophores virtually all proteins can be monitored. One of the first extrinsic fluorescent probes to be developed, and that is still in use, is dansyl chloride. We have used this method to monitor the interaction of a variety of proteins, including ion channels, with the Ca(2+)-dependent regulatory protein calmodulin. Here we describe the preparation and use of dansyl-calmodulin (D-CaM).

  10. Brain Potentials for Derivational Morphology: An ERP Study of Deadjectival Nominalizations in Spanish

    Science.gov (United States)

    Havas, Viktoria; Rodriguez-Fornells, Antoni; Clahsen, Harald

    2012-01-01

    This study investigates brain potentials to derived word forms in Spanish. Two experiments were performed on derived nominals that differ in terms of their productivity and semantic properties but are otherwise similar, an acceptability judgment task and a reading experiment using event-related brain potentials (ERPs) in which correctly and…

  11. Potential of commercial microwave link network derived rainfall for river runoff simulations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smiatek, Gerhard; Keis, Felix; Chwala, Christian; Fersch, Benjamin; Kunstmann, Harald

    2017-03-01

    Commercial microwave link networks allow for the quantification of path integrated precipitation because the attenuation by hydrometeors correlates with rainfall between transmitter and receiver stations. The networks, operated and maintained by cellphone companies, thereby provide completely new and country wide precipitation measurements. As the density of traditional precipitation station networks worldwide is significantly decreasing, microwave link derived precipitation estimates receive increasing attention not only by hydrologists but also by meteorological and hydrological services. We investigate the potential of microwave derived precipitation estimates for streamflow prediction and water balance analyses, exemplarily shown for an orographically complex region in the German Alps (River Ammer). We investigate the additional value of link derived rainfall estimations combined with station observations compared to station and weather radar derived values. Our river runoff simulation system employs a distributed hydrological model at 100 × 100 m grid resolution. We analyze the potential of microwave link derived precipitation estimates for two episodes of 30 days with typically moderate river flow and an episode of extreme flooding. The simulation results indicate the potential of this novel precipitation monitoring method: a significant improvement in hydrograph reproduction has been achieved in the extreme flooding period that was characterized by a large number of local strong precipitation events. The present rainfall monitoring gauges alone were not able to correctly capture these events.

  12. Cognitive disorder and changes in cholinergic receptors, N-methyl-D aspartate receptors, neural cell adhesion molecule, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor following brain injury

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Weiliang Zhao; Dezhi Kang; Yuanxiang Lin

    2008-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Learning and memory damage is one of the most permanent and the severest symptoms of traumatic brain injury; it can seriously influence the normal life and work of patients. Some research has demonstrated that cognitive disorder is closely related to nicotine cholinergic receptors, N-methyl-D aspartate receptors, neural cell adhesion molecule, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor. OBJECTIVE: To summarize the cognitive disorder and changes in nicotine cholinergic receptors, N-methyl-D aspartate receptors, neural cell adhesion molecule, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor following brain injury. RETRIEVAL STRATEGY: A computer-based online search was conducted in PUBMED for English language publications containing the key words "brain injured, cognitive handicap, acetylcholine, N-methyl-D aspartate receptors, neural cell adhesion molecule, brain-derived neurotrophic factor" from January 2000 to December 2007. There were 44 papers in total. Inclusion criteria: ① articles about changes in nicotine cholinergic receptors, N-methyl-D aspartate receptors, neural cell adhesion molecule, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor following brain injury; ② articles in the same researching circle published in authoritative journals or recently published. Exclusion criteria: duplicated articles.LITERATURE EVALUATION: References were mainly derived from research on changes in these four factors following brain injury. The 20 included papers were clinical or basic experimental studies. DATA SYNTHESIS: After craniocerebral injury, changes in these four factors in brain were similar to those during recovery from cognitive disorder, to a certain degree. Some data have indicated that activation of nicotine cholinergic receptors, N-methyl-D aspartate receptors, neural cell adhesion molecule, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor could greatly improve cognitive disorder following brain injury. However, there are still a lot of questions remaining; for example, how do these

  13. Calcium ion binding properties of Medicago truncatula calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Swainsbury, David J K; Zhou, Liang; Oldroyd, Giles E D; Bornemann, Stephen

    2012-09-04

    A calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CCaMK) is essential in the interpretation of calcium oscillations in plant root cells for the establishment of symbiotic relationships with rhizobia and mycorrhizal fungi. Some of its properties have been studied in detail, but its calcium ion binding properties and subsequent conformational change have not. A biophysical approach was taken with constructs comprising either the visinin-like domain of Medicago truncatula CCaMK, which contains EF-hand motifs, or this domain together with the autoinhibitory domain. The visinin-like domain binds three calcium ions, leading to a conformational change involving the exposure of hydrophobic surfaces and a change in tertiary but not net secondary or quaternary structure. The affinity for calcium ions of visinin-like domain EF-hands 1 and 2 (K(d) = 200 ± 50 nM) was appropriate for the interpretation of calcium oscillations (~125-850 nM), while that of EF-hand 3 (K(d) ≤ 20 nM) implied occupancy at basal calcium ion levels. Calcium dissociation rate constants were determined for the visinin-like domain of CCaMK, M. truncatula calmodulin 1, and the complex between these two proteins (the slowest of which was 0.123 ± 0.002 s(-1)), suggesting the corresponding calcium association rate constants were at or near the diffusion-limited rate. In addition, the dissociation of calmodulin from the protein complex was shown to be on the same time scale as the dissociation of calcium ions. These observations suggest that the formation and dissociation of the complex between calmodulin and CCaMK would substantially mirror calcium oscillations, which typically have a 90 s periodicity.

  14. Cognitive genomics: Linking genes to behavior in the human brain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Genevieve Konopka

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Correlations of genetic variation in DNA with functional brain activity have already provided a starting point for delving into human cognitive mechanisms. However, these analyses do not provide the specific genes driving the associations, which are complicated by intergenic localization as well as tissue-specific epigenetics and expression. The use of brain-derived expression datasets could build upon the foundation of these initial genetic insights and yield genes and molecular pathways for testing new hypotheses regarding the molecular bases of human brain development, cognition, and disease. Thus, coupling these human brain gene expression data with measurements of brain activity may provide genes with critical roles in brain function. However, these brain gene expression datasets have their own set of caveats, most notably a reliance on postmortem tissue. In this perspective, I summarize and examine the progress that has been made in this realm to date, and discuss the various frontiers remaining, such as the inclusion of cell-type-specific information, additional physiological measurements, and genomic data from patient cohorts.

  15. Reconstruction of calmodulin single-molecule FRET states, dye interactions, and CaMKII peptide binding by MultiNest and classic maximum entropy

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeVore, Matthew S.; Gull, Stephen F.; Johnson, Carey K.

    2013-08-01

    We analyzed single molecule FRET burst measurements using Bayesian nested sampling. The MultiNest algorithm produces accurate FRET efficiency distributions from single-molecule data. FRET efficiency distributions recovered by MultiNest and classic maximum entropy are compared for simulated data and for calmodulin labeled at residues 44 and 117. MultiNest compares favorably with maximum entropy analysis for simulated data, judged by the Bayesian evidence. FRET efficiency distributions recovered for calmodulin labeled with two different FRET dye pairs depended on the dye pair and changed upon Ca2+ binding. We also looked at the FRET efficiency distributions of calmodulin bound to the calcium/calmodulin dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) binding domain. For both dye pairs, the FRET efficiency distribution collapsed to a single peak in the case of calmodulin bound to the CaMKII peptide. These measurements strongly suggest that consideration of dye-protein interactions is crucial in forming an accurate picture of protein conformations from FRET data.

  16. Reconstruction of Calmodulin Single-Molecule FRET States, Dye-Interactions, and CaMKII Peptide Binding by MultiNest and Classic Maximum Entropy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Devore, Matthew S; Gull, Stephen F; Johnson, Carey K

    2013-08-30

    We analyze single molecule FRET burst measurements using Bayesian nested sampling. The MultiNest algorithm produces accurate FRET efficiency distributions from single-molecule data. FRET efficiency distributions recovered by MultiNest and classic maximum entropy are compared for simulated data and for calmodulin labeled at residues 44 and 117. MultiNest compares favorably with maximum entropy analysis for simulated data, judged by the Bayesian evidence. FRET efficiency distributions recovered for calmodulin labeled with two different FRET dye pairs depended on the dye pair and changed upon Ca 2+ binding. We also looked at the FRET efficiency distributions of calmodulin bound to the calcium/calmodulin dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) binding domain. For both dye pairs, the FRET efficiency distribution collapsed to a single peak in the case of calmodulin bound to the CaMKII peptide. These measurements strongly suggest that consideration of dye-protein interactions is crucial in forming an accurate picture of protein conformations from FRET data.

  17. Novel flurbiprofen derivatives with improved brain delivery: synthesis, in vitro and in vivo evaluations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Dan; Shuai, Xiao; Li, Yanping; Zhou, Peng; Gong, Tao; Sun, Xun; Zhang, Zhirong

    2016-09-01

    Tarenflurbil (R-flurbiprofen) was acknowledged as a promising candidate in Alzheimer's disease (AD) therapy. However, the Phase III study of tarenflurbil was extremely restricted by its poor delivery efficiency to the brain. To tackle this problem, the novel carriers for tarenflurbil, racemic flurbiprofen (FLU) derivatives (FLU-D1 and FLU-D2) modified by N,N-dimethylethanolamine-related structures were synthesized and characterized. These derivatives showed good safety level in vitro and they possessed much higher cellular uptake efficiency in brain endothelial cells than FLU did. More importantly, the uptake experiments suggested that they were internalized via active transport mechanisms. Biodistribution studies in rats also illustrated a remarkably enhanced accumulation of these derivatives in the brain. FLU-D2, the ester linkage form of these derivatives, achieved a higher brain-targeting efficiency. Its C max and AUC 0- t were enhanced by 12.09-fold and 4.61-fold, respectively compared with those of FLU. Additionally, it could be hydrolyzed by esterase in the brain to release the parent FLU, which might facilitate its therapeutic effect. These in vitro and in vivo results highlighted the improvement of the brain-targeted delivery of FLU by making use of N,N-dimethylethanolamine ligand, with which an active transport mechanism was involved.

  18. Cryptococcus neoformans-derived microvesicles enhance the pathogenesis of fungal brain infection.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sheng-He Huang

    Full Text Available Cryptococcal meningoencephalitis is the most common fungal disease in the central nervous system. The mechanisms by which Cryptococcus neoformans invades the brain are largely unknown. In this study, we found that C. neoformans-derived microvesicles (CnMVs can enhance the traversal of the blood-brain barrier (BBB by C. neoformans invitro. The immunofluorescence imaging demonstrates that CnMVs can fuse with human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs, the constituents of the BBB. This activity is presumably due to the ability of the CnMVs to activate HBMEC membrane rafts and induce cell fusogenic activity. CnMVs also enhanced C. neoformans infection of the brain, found in both infected brains and cerebrospinal fluid. In infected mouse brains, CnMVs are distributed inside and around C. neoformans-induced cystic lesions. GFAP (glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive astrocytes were found surrounding the cystic lesions, overlapping with the 14-3-3-GFP (14-3-3-green fluorescence protein fusion signals. Substantial changes could be observed in areas that have a high density of CnMV staining. This is the first demonstration that C. neoformans-derived microvesicles can facilitate cryptococcal traversal across the BBB and accumulate at lesion sites of C. neoformans-infected brains. Results of this study suggested that CnMVs play an important role in the pathogenesis of cryptococcal meningoencephalitis.

  19. Calmodulin and calcium differentially regulate the neuronal Nav1.1 voltage-dependent sodium channel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gaudioso, Christelle; Carlier, Edmond; Youssouf, Fahamoe [INSERM U641, Institut Jean Roche, Marseille F-13344 (France); Universite de la Mediterranee, Faculte de Medecine Secteur Nord, IFR 11, Marseille F-13344 (France); Clare, Jeffrey J. [Eaton Pharma Consulting, Eaton Socon, Cambridgeshire PE19 8EF (United Kingdom); Debanne, Dominique [INSERM U641, Institut Jean Roche, Marseille F-13344 (France); Universite de la Mediterranee, Faculte de Medecine Secteur Nord, IFR 11, Marseille F-13344 (France); Alcaraz, Gisele, E-mail: gisele.alcaraz@univmed.fr [INSERM U641, Institut Jean Roche, Marseille F-13344 (France); Universite de la Mediterranee, Faculte de Medecine Secteur Nord, IFR 11, Marseille F-13344 (France)

    2011-07-29

    Highlights: {yields} Both Ca{sup ++}-Calmodulin (CaM) and Ca{sup ++}-free CaM bind to the C-terminal region of Nav1.1. {yields} Ca{sup ++} and CaM have both opposite and convergent effects on I{sub Nav1.1}. {yields} Ca{sup ++}-CaM modulates I{sub Nav1.1} amplitude. {yields} CaM hyperpolarizes the voltage-dependence of activation, and increases the inactivation rate. {yields} Ca{sup ++} alone antagonizes CaM for both effects, and depolarizes the voltage-dependence of inactivation. -- Abstract: Mutations in the neuronal Nav1.1 voltage-gated sodium channel are responsible for mild to severe epileptic syndromes. The ubiquitous calcium sensor calmodulin (CaM) bound to rat brain Nav1.1 and to the human Nav1.1 channel expressed by a stably transfected HEK-293 cell line. The C-terminal region of the channel, as a fusion protein or in the yeast two-hybrid system, interacted with CaM via a consensus C-terminal motif, the IQ domain. Patch clamp experiments on HEK1.1 cells showed that CaM overexpression increased peak current in a calcium-dependent way. CaM had no effect on the voltage-dependence of fast inactivation, and accelerated the inactivation kinetics. Elevating Ca{sup ++} depolarized the voltage-dependence of fast inactivation and slowed down the fast inactivation kinetics, and for high concentrations this effect competed with the acceleration induced by CaM alone. Similarly, the depolarizing action of calcium antagonized the hyperpolarizing shift of the voltage-dependence of activation due to CaM overexpression. Fluorescence spectroscopy measurements suggested that Ca{sup ++} could bind the Nav1.1 C-terminal region with micromolar affinity.

  20. Brain Structure Linking Delay Discounting and Academic Performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Song; Kong, Feng; Zhou, Ming; Chen, Taolin; Yang, Xun; Chen, Guangxiang; Gong, Qiyong

    2017-08-01

    As a component of self-discipline, delay discounting refers to the ability to wait longer for preferred rewards and plays a pivotal role in shaping students' academic performance. However, the neural basis of the association between delay discounting and academic performance remains largely unknown. Here, we examined the neuroanatomical substrates underlying delay discounting and academic performance in 214 adolescents via voxel-based morphometry (VBM) by performing structural magnetic resonance imaging (S-MRI). Behaviorally, we confirmed the significant correlation between delay discounting and academic performance. Neurally, whole-brain regression analyses indicated that regional gray matter volume (rGMV) of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) was associated with both delay discounting and academic performance. Furthermore, delay discounting partly accounted for the association between academic performance and brain structure. Differences in the rGMV of the left DLPFC related to academic performance explained over one-third of the impact of delay discounting on academic performance. Overall, these results provide the first evidence for the common neural basis linking delay discounting and academic performance. Hum Brain Mapp 38:3917-3926, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  1. Involvement of Calmodulin and Calmodulin-like Proteins in Plant Responses to Abiotic Stresses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B W Poovaiah

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Transient changes in intracellular Ca2+ concentration have been well recognized to act as cell signals coupling various environmental stimuli to appropriate physiological responses with accuracy and specificity in plants. Calmodulin (CaM and calmodulin-like proteins (CMLs are major Ca2+ sensors, playing critical roles in interpreting encrypted Ca2+ signals. Ca2+-loaded CaM/CMLs interact and regulate a broad spectrum of target proteins such as channels/pumps/antiporters for various ions, transcription factors, protein kinases, protein phosphatases, metabolic enzymes and proteins with unknown biochemical functions. Many of the target proteins of CaM/CMLs directly or indirectly regulate plant responses to environmental stresses. Basic information about stimulus-induced Ca2+ signal and overview of Ca2+ signal perception and transduction are briefly discussed in the beginning of this review. How CaM/CMLs are involved in regulating plant responses to abiotic stresses are emphasized in this review. Exciting progress has been made in the past several years, such as the elucidation of Ca2+/CaM-mediated regulation of AtSR1/CAMTA3 and plant responses to chilling and freezing stresses, Ca2+/CaM-mediated regulation of CAT3, MAPK8 and MKP1 in homeostasis control of ROS signals, discovery of CaM7 as a DNA-binding transcription factor regulating plant response to light signals. However, many key questions in Ca2+/CaM-mediated signaling warrant further investigation. Ca2+/CaM-mediated regulation of most of the known target proteins is presumed based on their interaction. The downstream targets of CMLs are mostly unknown, and how specificity of Ca2+ signaling could be realized through the actions of CaM/CMLs and their target proteins is largely unknown. Future breakthroughs in Ca2+/CaM-mediated signaling will not only improve our understanding of how plants respond to environmental stresses, but also provide the knowledge base to improve stress-tolerance of crops.

  2. Linking EEG signals, brain functions and mental operations: Advantages of the Laplacian transformation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vidal, Franck; Burle, Boris; Spieser, Laure; Carbonnell, Laurence; Meckler, Cédric; Casini, Laurence; Hasbroucq, Thierry

    2015-09-01

    Electroencephalography (EEG) is a very popular technique for investigating brain functions and/or mental processes. To this aim, EEG activities must be interpreted in terms of brain and/or mental processes. EEG signals being a direct manifestation of neuronal activity it is often assumed that such interpretations are quite obvious or, at least, straightforward. However, they often rely on (explicit or even implicit) assumptions regarding the structures supposed to generate the EEG activities of interest. For these assumptions to be used appropriately, reliable links between EEG activities and the underlying brain structures must be established. Because of volume conduction effects and the mixture of activities they induce, these links are difficult to establish with scalp potential recordings. We present different examples showing how the Laplacian transformation, acting as an efficient source separation method, allowed to establish more reliable links between EEG activities and brain generators and, ultimately, with mental operations. The nature of those links depends on the depth of inferences that can vary from weak to strong. Along this continuum, we show that 1) while the effects of experimental manipulation can appear widely distributed with scalp potentials, Laplacian transformation allows to reveal several generators contributing (in different manners) to these modulations, 2) amplitude variations within the same set of generators can generate spurious differences in scalp potential topographies, often interpreted as reflecting different source configurations. In such a case, Laplacian transformation provides much more similar topographies, evidencing the same generator(s) set, and 3) using the LRP as an index of response activation most often produces ambiguous results, Laplacian-transformed response-locked ERPs obtained over motor areas allow resolving these ambiguities. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. From the genome to the phenome and back: linking genes with human brain function and structure using genetically informed neuroimaging

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Siebner, H R; Callicott, J H; Sommer, T

    2009-01-01

    In recent years, an array of brain mapping techniques has been successfully employed to link individual differences in circuit function or structure in the living human brain with individual variations in the human genome. Several proof-of-principle studies provided converging evidence that brain...... imaging can establish important links between genes and behaviour. The overarching goal is to use genetically informed brain imaging to pinpoint neurobiological mechanisms that contribute to behavioural intermediate phenotypes or disease states. This special issue on "Linking Genes to Brain Function...... in Health and Disease" provides an overview over how the "imaging genetics" approach is currently applied in the various fields of systems neuroscience to reveal the genetic underpinnings of complex behaviours and brain diseases. While the rapidly emerging field of imaging genetics holds great promise...

  4. Calmodulin and CaMKII modulate ENaC activity by regulating the association of MARCKS and the cytoskeleton with the apical membrane.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alli, Abdel A; Bao, Hui-Fang; Liu, Bing-Chen; Yu, Ling; Aldrugh, Summer; Montgomery, Darrice S; Ma, He-Ping; Eaton, Douglas C

    2015-09-01

    Phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate (PIP2) regulates epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) open probability. In turn, myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate (MARCKS) protein or MARCKS-like protein 1 (MLP-1) at the plasma membrane regulates the delivery of PIP2 to ENaC. MARCKS and MLP-1 are regulated by changes in cytosolic calcium; increasing calcium promotes dissociation of MARCKS from the membrane, but the calcium-regulatory mechanisms are unclear. However, it is known that increased intracellular calcium can activate calmodulin and we show that inhibition of calmodulin with calmidazolium increases ENaC activity presumably by regulating MARCKS and MLP-1. Activated calmodulin can regulate MARCKS and MLP-1 in two ways. Calmodulin can bind to the effector domain of MARCKS or MLP-1, inactivating both proteins by causing their dissociation from the membrane. Mutations in MARCKS that prevent calmodulin association prevent dissociation of MARCKS from the membrane. Calmodulin also activates CaM kinase II (CaMKII). An inhibitor of CaMKII (KN93) increases ENaC activity, MARCKS association with ENaC, and promotes MARCKS movement to a membrane fraction. CaMKII phosphorylates filamin. Filamin is an essential component of the cytoskeleton and promotes association of ENaC, MARCKS, and MLP-1. Disruption of the cytoskeleton with cytochalasin E reduces ENaC activity. CaMKII phosphorylation of filamin disrupts the cytoskeleton and the association of MARCKS, MLP-1, and ENaC, thereby reducing ENaC open probability. Taken together, these findings suggest calmodulin and CaMKII modulate ENaC activity by destabilizing the association between the actin cytoskeleton, ENaC, and MARCKS, or MLP-1 at the apical membrane. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

  5. MIPS: a calmodulin-binding protein of Gracilaria lemaneiformis under heat shock.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xuan; Zhou, Huiyue; Zang, Xiaonan; Gong, Le; Sun, Hengyi; Zhang, Xuecheng

    2014-08-01

    To study the Ca(2+)/Calmodulin (CaM) signal transduction pathway of Gracilaria lemaneiformis under heat stress, myo-inositol-1-phosphate synthase (MIPS), a calmodulin-binding protein, was isolated using the yeast two-hybrid system. cDNA and DNA sequences of mips were cloned from G. lemaneiformis by using 5'RACE and genome walking procedures. The MIPS DNA sequence was 2,067 nucleotides long, containing an open reading frame (ORF) of 1,623 nucleotides with no intron. The mips ORF was predicted to encode 540 amino acids, which included the conserved MIPS domain and was 61-67 % similar to that of other species. After analyzing the amino acid sequence of MIPS, the CaM-Binding Domain (CaMBD) was inferred to be at a site spanning from amino acid 212 to amino acid 236. The yeast two-hybrid results proved that MIPS can interact with CaM and that MIPS is a type of calmodulin-binding protein. Next, the expression of CaM and MIPS in wild-type G. lemaneiformis and a heat-tolerant G. lemaneiformis cultivar, "981," were analyzed using real-time PCR under a heat shock of 32 °C. The expression level displayed a cyclical upward trend. Compared with wild type, the CaM expression levels of cultivar 981 were higher, which might directly relate to its resistance to high temperatures. This paper indicates that MIPS and CaM may play important roles in the high-temperature resistance of G. lemaneiformis.

  6. Measurements of brain-derived neurotrophic factor

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Trajkovska, Viktorija; Klein, Anders Bue; Vinberg, Maj

    2007-01-01

    Although numerous studies have dealt with changes in blood brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), methodological issues about BDNF measurements have only been incompletely resolved. We validated BDNF ELISA with respect to accuracy, reproducibility and the effect of storage and repeated freezing...... (18.6+/-1.3 ng/ml versus 16.5+/-1.4 ng/ml), and showed a right-skewed BDNF concentration distribution. No association between whole blood BDNF concentrations and thrombocyte count, age, or BDNF genotype was found. In conclusion, the BDNF ELISA assay determines whole blood BDNF accurately and with high...

  7. A calcium-dependent protein kinase can inhibit a calmodulin-stimulated Ca2+ pump (ACA2) located in the endoplasmic reticulum of Arabidopsis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hwang, I.; Sze, H.; Harper, J. F.; Evans, M. L. (Principal Investigator)

    2000-01-01

    The magnitude and duration of a cytosolic Ca(2+) release can potentially be altered by changing the rate of Ca(2+) efflux. In plant cells, Ca(2+) efflux from the cytoplasm is mediated by H(+)/Ca(2+)-antiporters and two types of Ca(2+)-ATPases. ACA2 was recently identified as a calmodulin-regulated Ca(2+)-pump located in the endoplasmic reticulum. Here, we show that phosphorylation of its N-terminal regulatory domain by a Ca(2+)-dependent protein kinase (CDPK isoform CPK1), inhibits both basal activity ( approximately 10%) and calmodulin stimulation ( approximately 75%), as shown by Ca(2+)-transport assays with recombinant enzyme expressed in yeast. A CDPK phosphorylation site was mapped to Ser(45) near a calmodulin binding site, using a fusion protein containing the N-terminal domain as an in vitro substrate for a recombinant CPK1. In a full-length enzyme, an Ala substitution for Ser(45) (S45/A) completely blocked the observed CDPK inhibition of both basal and calmodulin-stimulated activities. An Asp substitution (S45/D) mimicked phosphoinhibition, indicating that a negative charge at this position is sufficient to account for phosphoinhibition. Interestingly, prior binding of calmodulin blocked phosphorylation. This suggests that, once ACA2 binds calmodulin, its activation state becomes resistant to phosphoinhibition. These results support the hypothesis that ACA2 activity is regulated as the balance between the initial kinetics of calmodulin stimulation and CDPK inhibition, providing an example in plants for a potential point of crosstalk between two different Ca(2+)-signaling pathways.

  8. Effect of Three Calmodulin Antagonists on Subpopulations of CD44 ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research is indexed by Science Citation Index (SciSearch), Scopus,. International Pharmaceutical ... cancer stem cells. It is not known, however, whether targeting CD44 can alter the fate of cancer stem cells themselves. In this study, the effect of the calmodulin antagonists (N-(10-.

  9. Brain mast cells link the immune system to anxiety-like behavior

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nautiyal, Katherine M.; Ribeiro, Ana C.; Pfaff, Donald W.; Silver, Rae

    2008-01-01

    Mast cells are resident in the brain and contain numerous mediators, including neurotransmitters, cytokines, and chemokines, that are released in response to a variety of natural and pharmacological triggers. The number of mast cells in the brain fluctuates with stress and various behavioral and endocrine states. These properties suggest that mast cells are poised to influence neural systems underlying behavior. Using genetic and pharmacological loss-of-function models we performed a behavioral screen for arousal responses including emotionality, locomotor, and sensory components. We found that mast cell deficient KitW−sh/W−sh (sash−/−) mice had a greater anxiety-like phenotype than WT and heterozygote littermate control animals in the open field arena and elevated plus maze. Second, we show that blockade of brain, but not peripheral, mast cell activation increased anxiety-like behavior. Taken together, the data implicate brain mast cells in the modulation of anxiety-like behavior and provide evidence for the behavioral importance of neuroimmune links. PMID:19004805

  10. The missing link: leadership, identity, and the social brain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Vugt, Mark

    2012-05-01

    How the cohesion of a social network is being maintained in spite of having different layers of social interaction is an important question. I argue that the evolution of both (political) hierarchy and social identity play a crucial role in scaling up and bonding social networks. Together they are missing links in the social brain hypothesis, and further research is needed to understand the functions of leadership and social identity. ©2011 The British Psychological Society.

  11. Calcium modulates calmodulin/α-actinin 1 interaction with and agonist-dependent internalization of the adenosine A2A receptor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piirainen, Henni; Taura, Jaume; Kursula, Petri; Ciruela, Francisco; Jaakola, Veli-Pekka

    2017-04-01

    Adenosine receptors are G protein-coupled receptors that sense extracellular adenosine to transmit intracellular signals. One of the four adenosine receptor subtypes, the adenosine A 2A receptor (A 2A R), has an exceptionally long intracellular C terminus (A 2A R-ct) that mediates interactions with a large array of proteins, including calmodulin and α-actinin. Here, we aimed to ascertain the α-actinin 1/calmodulin interplay whilst binding to A 2A R and the role of Ca 2+ in this process. First, we studied the A 2A R-α-actinin 1 interaction by means of native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, isothermal titration calorimetry, and surface plasmon resonance, using purified recombinant proteins. α-Actinin 1 binds the A 2A R-ct through its distal calmodulin-like domain in a Ca 2+ -independent manner with a dissociation constant of 5-12μM, thus showing an ~100 times lower affinity compared to the A 2A R-calmodulin/Ca 2+ complex. Importantly, calmodulin displaced α-actinin 1 from the A 2A R-ct in a Ca 2+ -dependent fashion, disrupting the A 2A R-α-actinin 1 complex. Finally, we assessed the impact of Ca 2+ on A 2A R internalization in living cells, a function operated by the A 2A R-α-actinin 1 complex. Interestingly, while Ca 2+ influx did not affect constitutive A 2A R endocytosis, it abolished agonist-dependent internalization. In addition, we demonstrated that the A 2A R/α-actinin interaction plays a pivotal role in receptor internalization and function. Overall, our results suggest that the interplay of A 2A R with calmodulin and α-actinin 1 is fine-tuned by Ca 2+ , a fact that might power agonist-mediated receptor internalization and function. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Calmodulin interacts with PAC1 and VPAC2 receptors and regulates PACAP-induced FOS expression in human neuroblastoma cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Falktoft, B.; Georg, B.; Fahrenkrug, J.

    2009-01-01

    is a well-known marker of neuronal activation, so we used a human neuroblastoma cell line NB-1 to explore the role of calmodulin in PACAP-induced FOS gene expression. We observed both short-term and prolonged altered PACAP-mediated activation of the FOS gene in the presence of the calmodulin-antagonist W-7...

  13. Clicked bis-PEG-peptide conjugates for studying calmodulin-Kv7.2 channel binding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonache, M Angeles; Alaimo, Alessandro; Malo, Covadonga; Millet, Oscar; Villarroel, Alvaro; González-Muñiz, Rosario

    2014-11-28

    The recombinant Kv7.2 calmodulin (CaM) binding site (Q2AB CaMBD) shows a high tendency to aggregate, thus complicating biochemical and structural studies. To facilitate these studies we have conceived bis-PEG-peptide CaMBD-mimetics linking helices A and B in single, easy to handle molecules. Short PEG chains were selected as spacers between the two peptide molecules, and a Cu(i)-catalyzed cycloaddition (CuAAC) protocol was used to assemble the final bis-PEG-peptide conjugate, by the convenient functionalization of PEG arms with azide and alkyne groups. The resulting conjugates, with a certain helical character in TFE solutions (CD), showed nanomolar affinity in a fluorescence CaM binding in vitro assay, higher than just the sum of the precursor PEG-peptide affinities, thus validating our design. The approach to these first described examples of Kv7.2 CaMBD-mimetics could pave the way to chimeric conjugates merging helices A and B from different Kv7 subunits.

  14. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor: role in depression and suicide

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yogesh Dwivedi

    2009-08-01

    Full Text Available Yogesh DwivediPsychiatric Institute, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USAAbstract: Depression and suicidal behavior have recently been shown to be associated with disturbances in structural and synaptic plasticity. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF, one of the major neurotrophic factors, plays an important role in the maintenance and survival of neurons and in synaptic plasticity. Several lines of evidence suggest that BDNF is involved in depression, such that the expression of BDNF is decreased in depressed patients. In addition, antidepressants up-regulate the expression of BDNF. This has led to the proposal of the “neurotrophin hypothesis of depression”. Increasing evidence demonstrates that suicidal behavior is also associated with lower expression of BDNF, which may be independent from depression. Recent genetic studies also support a link of BDNF to depression/suicidal behavior. Not only BDNF, but abnormalities in its cognate receptor tropomycin receptor kinase B (TrkB and its splice variant (TrkB.T1 have also been reported in depressed/suicidal patients. It has been suggested that epigenetic modulation of the Bdnf and Trkb genes may contribute to their altered expression and functioning. More recently, impairment in the functioning of pan75 neurotrophin receptor has been reported in suicide brain specimens. pan75 neurotrophin receptor is a low-affinity neurotrophin receptor that, when expressed in conjunction with low availability of neurotropins/Trks, induces apoptosis. Overall, these studies suggest the possibility that BDNF and its mediated signaling may participate in the pathophysiology of depression and suicidal behavior. This review focuses on the critical evidence demonstrating the involvement of BDNF in depression and suicide.Keywords: BDNF, neurotrophins, p75NTR, Trk receptor, depression, antidepressants, suicide, genetics, epigenetics

  15. The Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Personality

    OpenAIRE

    Christian Montag

    2014-01-01

    The study of the biological basis of personality is a timely research endeavor, with the aim of deepening our understanding of human nature. In recent years, a growing body of research has investigated the role of the brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the context of individual differences across human beings, with a focus on personality traits. A large number of different approaches have been chosen to illuminate the role of BDNF for personality, ranging from the measurement of BDNF...

  16. Theobromine up-regulates cerebral brain-derived neurotrophic factor and facilitates motor learning in mice

    OpenAIRE

    Yoneda, Mitsugu; Sugimoto, Naotoshi; Katakura, Masanori; Matsuzaki, Kentaro; Tanigami, Hayate; Yachie, Akihiro; Ohno-Shosaku, Takako; Shido, Osamu

    2017-01-01

    Theobromine, which is a caffeine derivative, is the primary methylxanthine produced by Theobroma cacao. Theobromine works as a phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitor to increase intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). cAMP activates the cAMP-response element-binding protein (CREB), which is involved in a large variety of brain processes, including the induction of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF supports cell survival and neuronal functions, including learning and m...

  17. DNA repair in human cells: Methods for the determination of calmodulin involvement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Charp, P.A.

    1987-01-01

    Exposure of DNA to either physical or chemical agents can result in the formation of a number of different lesions which must be repaired enzymatically in order for DNA to carry on normal replication and transcription. In most cases, the enzymes involved in this repair of damaged DNA include endonucleases, exonucleases, glycosylases, polymerases, and ligases. Each group of enzymes is involved in precise steps in DNA repair. Exposure to physical agents such as ultraviolet light (UV) at a wavelength of 254 nm is repaired by two distinct and different mechanisms. One mode of enzymatic repair of pyrimidine dimers is accomplished in situ by photoreactivation of UV-induced pyrimidine dimers by photoreactivating light. The second mode of enzymatic repair is the excision repair of pyrimidine dimers involving several different enzymes including endonuclease, exonuclease, and DNA ligase. A summary of the sequence of enzymatic steps involved is shown. It has been observed that specific drugs which bind to and alter the action of calmodulin in cells block DNA synthesis. This suggests that calmodulin may play a role both in normal DNA replication and repair. Others using an indirect method measuring the degree of DNA nucleoid sedimentation, showed that the specific anti-calmodulin agent W-13 slowed the rate of DNA repair. Others showed that DNA synthesis in T51B rat liver cells could be blocked with the addition of either chlorpromazine or trifluoperazine

  18. Rat vas deferens SERCA2 is modulated by Ca2+/calmodulin protein kinase II-mediated phosphorylation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rodriguez, J.B.R.; Muzi-Filho, H.; Valverde, R.H.F.; Quintas, L.E.M.; Noel, F.; Einicker-Lamas, M.; Cunha, V.M.N.

    2013-01-01

    Ca 2+ pumps are important players in smooth muscle contraction. Nevertheless, little information is available about these pumps in the vas deferens. We have determined which subtype of sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca 2+ -ATPase isoform (SERCA) is expressed in rat vas deferens (RVD) and its modulation by calmodulin (CaM)-dependent mechanisms. The thapsigargin-sensitive Ca 2+ -ATPase from a membrane fraction containing the highest SERCA levels in the RVD homogenate has the same molecular mass (∼115 kDa) as that of SERCA2 from the rat cerebellum. It has a very high affinity for Ca 2+ (Ca 0.5 = 780 nM) and a low sensitivity to vanadate (IC 50 = 41 µM). These facts indicate that SERCA2 is present in the RVD. Immunoblotting for CaM and Ca 2+ /calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) showed the expression of these two regulatory proteins. Ca 2+ and CaM increased serine-phosphorylated residues of the 115-kDa protein, indicating the involvement of CaMKII in the regulatory phosphorylation of SERCA2. Phosphorylation is accompanied by an 8-fold increase of thapsigargin-sensitive Ca 2+ accumulation in the lumen of vesicles derived from these membranes. These data establish that SERCA2 in the RVD is modulated by Ca 2+ and CaM, possibly via CaMKII, in a process that results in stimulation of Ca 2+ pumping activity

  19. Linking state regulation, brain laterality, and self-reported ADHD symptoms in adults

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mohamed, Saleh

    2016-01-01

    Aim: Difficulties in regulating the motor activation state and atypical brain laterality have been suggested to be key factors in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). So far, the link between the two factors has not been directly tested, which is the aim of the present study. Method:

  20. Alzheimer's disease amyloid-beta links lens and brain pathology in Down syndrome.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juliet A Moncaster

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Down syndrome (DS, trisomy 21 is the most common chromosomal disorder and the leading genetic cause of intellectual disability in humans. In DS, triplication of chromosome 21 invariably includes the APP gene (21q21 encoding the Alzheimer's disease (AD amyloid precursor protein (APP. Triplication of the APP gene accelerates APP expression leading to cerebral accumulation of APP-derived amyloid-beta peptides (Abeta, early-onset AD neuropathology, and age-dependent cognitive sequelae. The DS phenotype complex also includes distinctive early-onset cerulean cataracts of unknown etiology. Previously, we reported increased Abeta accumulation, co-localizing amyloid pathology, and disease-linked supranuclear cataracts in the ocular lenses of subjects with AD. Here, we investigate the hypothesis that related AD-linked Abeta pathology underlies the distinctive lens phenotype associated with DS. Ophthalmological examinations of DS subjects were correlated with phenotypic, histochemical, and biochemical analyses of lenses obtained from DS, AD, and normal control subjects. Evaluation of DS lenses revealed a characteristic pattern of supranuclear opacification accompanied by accelerated supranuclear Abeta accumulation, co-localizing amyloid pathology, and fiber cell cytoplasmic Abeta aggregates (approximately 5 to 50 nm identical to the lens pathology identified in AD. Peptide sequencing, immunoblot analysis, and ELISA confirmed the identity and increased accumulation of Abeta in DS lenses. Incubation of synthetic Abeta with human lens protein promoted protein aggregation, amyloid formation, and light scattering that recapitulated the molecular pathology and clinical features observed in DS lenses. These results establish the genetic etiology of the distinctive lens phenotype in DS and identify the molecular origin and pathogenic mechanism by which lens pathology is expressed in this common chromosomal disorder. Moreover, these findings confirm increased Abeta

  1. An ion-current mutant of Paramecium tetraurelia with defects in the primary structure and post-translational N-methylation of calmodulin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wallen-Friedman, M.A.

    1988-01-01

    My work on pantophobiac A 2 (pntA 2 ), a behavioral mutant of Paramecium tetraurelia, suggest that the Ca ++ -binding protein calmodulin (CaM), and post-translation N-methylation of CaM, are important for Ca ++ -related ion-current function. Calmodulin from wild-type Paramecium has two sites of lysine-N-methylation. Both of these sites are almost fully methylated in vivo; thus wild-type calmodulin is a poor substrate for N-methylation in vitro. In contrast, pntA/ 2 CaM can be heavily N-methylated in vitro, suggesting that the mutant calmodulin is under-methylated in vivo. Amino-acid composition analysis showed that CaM lysine 115 is undermethylated in pntA 2 . Once pntA 2 CaM is N-methylated, the [methyl- 3 H] group does not turn over in either wild-type or pntA 2 cytoplasmic fractions. The methylating enzymes in pntA 2 high-speed supernatant fractions are active, but may be less robust than those of the wild type, suggesting a possible control of these enzymes by CaM

  2. Calmodulin/CaMKII inhibition improves intercellular communication and impulse propagation in the heart and is antiarrhythmic under conditions when fibrosis is absent

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Takanari, Hiroki; Bourgonje, Vincent J A; Fontes, Magda S C; Raaijmakers, Antonia J A; Driessen, Helen; Jansen, John A.; Van Der Nagel, Roel; Kok, Bart; Van Stuijvenberg, Leonie; Boulaksil, Mohamed; Takemoto, Yoshio; Yamazaki, Masatoshi; Tsuji, Yukiomi; Honjo, Haruo; Kamiya, Kaichiro; Kodama, Itsuo; Anderson, Mark E.; Van Der Heyden, Marcel A G; Van Rijen, Harold V M; van Veen, AAB; Vos, Marc A.

    2016-01-01

    Aim In healthy hearts, ventricular gap junctions are mainly composed by connexin43 (Cx43) and localize in the intercalated disc, enabling appropriate electrical coupling. In diseased hearts, Cx43 is heterogeneously down-regulated, whereas activity of calmodulin/calcium-calmodulin protein kinase II

  3. Calmodulin/CaMKII inhibition improves intercellular communication and impulse propagation in the heart and is antiarrhythmic under conditions when fibrosis is absent

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Takanari, H.; Bourgonje, V.J.; Fontes, M.S.; Raaijmakers, A.J.; Driessen, H.; Jansen, JA; Nagel, R. van der; Kok, B; Stuijvenberg, L. van; Boulaksil, M.; Takemoto, Y.; Yamazaki, M.; Tsuji, Y.; Honjo, H.; Kamiya, K.; Kodama, I.; Anderson, M.E.; Heyden, M.A. van der; Rijen, H.V. van; Veen, T.A. van; Vos, M.A.

    2016-01-01

    AIM: In healthy hearts, ventricular gap junctions are mainly composed by connexin43 (Cx43) and localize in the intercalated disc, enabling appropriate electrical coupling. In diseased hearts, Cx43 is heterogeneously down-regulated, whereas activity of calmodulin/calcium-calmodulin protein kinase II

  4. Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Predicts Mortality Risk in Older Women

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Krabbe, K.S.; Mortensen, E.L.; Avlund, K.

    2009-01-01

    OBJECTIVES To test the hypothesis that low circulating brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a secretory member of the neurotrophin family that has a protective role in neurodegeneration and stress responses and a regulatory role in metabolism, predicts risk of all-cause mortality in 85-year...

  5. Microbiome-Derived Lipopolysaccharide Enriched in the Perinuclear Region of Alzheimer’s Disease Brain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuhai Zhao

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Abundant clinical, epidemiological, imaging, genetic, molecular, and pathophysiological data together indicate that there occur an unusual inflammatory reaction and a disruption of the innate-immune signaling system in Alzheimer’s disease (AD brain. Despite many years of intense study, the origin and molecular mechanics of these AD-relevant pathogenic signals are still not well understood. Here, we provide evidence that an intensely pro-inflammatory bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS, part of a complex mixture of pro-inflammatory neurotoxins arising from abundant Gram-negative bacilli of the human gastrointestinal (GI tract, are abundant in AD-affected brain neocortex and hippocampus. For the first time, we provide evidence that LPS immunohistochemical signals appear to aggregate in clumps in the parenchyma in control brains, and in AD, about 75% of anti-LPS signals were clustered around the periphery of DAPI-stained nuclei. As LPS is an abundant secretory product of Gram-negative bacilli resident in the human GI-tract, these observations suggest (i that a major source of pro-inflammatory signals in AD brain may originate from internally derived noxious exudates of the GI-tract microbiome; (ii that due to aging, vascular deficits or degenerative disease these neurotoxic molecules may “leak” into the systemic circulation, cerebral vasculature, and on into the brain; and (iii that this internal source of microbiome-derived neurotoxins may play a particularly strong role in shaping the human immune system and contributing to neural degeneration, particularly in the aging CNS. This “Perspectives” paper will further highlight some very recent developments that implicate GI-tract microbiome-derived LPS as an important contributor to inflammatory-neurodegeneration in the AD brain.

  6. Effect of maternal excessive sodium intake on postnatal brain development in rat offspring.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shin, Jung-a; Ahn, Young-mo; Lee, Hye-ah; Park, Hyesook; Kim, Young-ju; Lee, Hwa-young

    2015-04-01

    Postnatal brain development is affected by the in utero environment. Modern people usually have a high sodium intake. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of sodium hyperingestion during pregnancy on the postnatal brain development of rat offspring. The sodium-overloaded rats received 1.8% NaCl in their drinking water for 7 days during the last week of gestation. Their body weight, urine, and blood levels of sodium and other parameters were measured. Some rats were sacrificed at pregnancy day 22 and the weight and length of the placenta and foetus were measured. The cerebral cortex and hippocampus were obtained from their offspring at postnatal day 1 and at postnatal weeks 1, 2, 4, and 8. Western blot analyses were conducted with brain tissue lysates. The sodium-overloaded animals had decreased weight gain in the last week of gestation as well as decreased food intake, increased water intake, urine volume, urine sodium, and serum sodium. There were no differences in placental weight and length. The foetuses of sodium-overloaded rats showed decreased body weight and size, and this difference was maintained postnatally for 2 weeks. In the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of the offspring, the protein levels of myelin basic protein, calmodulin/calcium-dependent protein kinase II, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor were decreased or aberrantly expressed. The present data suggest that increased sodium intake during pregnancy affects the brain development of the offspring.

  7. Role of exercise-induced brain-derived neurotrophic factor production in the regulation of energy homeostasis in mammals

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, Bente K; Pedersen, Maria; Krabbe, Karen S

    2009-01-01

    identifies BDNF as a player not only in central metabolism, but also in regulating energy metabolism in peripheral organs. Low levels of BDNF are found in patients with neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease and major depression. In addition, BDNF levels are low in obesity...... and independently so in patients with type 2 diabetes. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor is expressed in non-neurogenic tissues, including skeletal muscle, and exercise increases BDNF levels not only in the brain and in plasma, but in skeletal muscle as well. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor mRNA and protein...... diabetes may explain the clustering of these diseases. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor is likely to mediate some of the beneficial effects of exercise with regard to protection against dementia and type 2 diabetes....

  8. Rat vas deferens SERCA2 is modulated by Ca{sup 2+}/calmodulin protein kinase II-mediated phosphorylation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rodriguez, J.B.R.; Muzi-Filho, H. [Programa de Farmacologia e Inflamação, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Valverde, R.H.F. [Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Quintas, L.E.M. [Programa de Farmacologia e Inflamação, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Noel, F. [Programa de Desenvolvimento de Fármacos, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Einicker-Lamas, M. [Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Cunha, V.M.N. [Programa de Farmacologia e Inflamação, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

    2013-03-19

    Ca{sup 2+} pumps are important players in smooth muscle contraction. Nevertheless, little information is available about these pumps in the vas deferens. We have determined which subtype of sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca{sup 2+}-ATPase isoform (SERCA) is expressed in rat vas deferens (RVD) and its modulation by calmodulin (CaM)-dependent mechanisms. The thapsigargin-sensitive Ca{sup 2+}-ATPase from a membrane fraction containing the highest SERCA levels in the RVD homogenate has the same molecular mass (∼115 kDa) as that of SERCA2 from the rat cerebellum. It has a very high affinity for Ca{sup 2+} (Ca{sub 0.5} = 780 nM) and a low sensitivity to vanadate (IC{sub 50} = 41 µM). These facts indicate that SERCA2 is present in the RVD. Immunoblotting for CaM and Ca{sup 2+}/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) showed the expression of these two regulatory proteins. Ca{sup 2+} and CaM increased serine-phosphorylated residues of the 115-kDa protein, indicating the involvement of CaMKII in the regulatory phosphorylation of SERCA2. Phosphorylation is accompanied by an 8-fold increase of thapsigargin-sensitive Ca{sup 2+} accumulation in the lumen of vesicles derived from these membranes. These data establish that SERCA2 in the RVD is modulated by Ca{sup 2+} and CaM, possibly via CaMKII, in a process that results in stimulation of Ca{sup 2+} pumping activity.

  9. Brain structure links everyday creativity to creative achievement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Wenfeng; Chen, Qunlin; Tang, Chaoying; Cao, Guikang; Hou, Yuling; Qiu, Jiang

    2016-03-01

    Although creativity is commonly considered to be a cornerstone of human progress and vital to all realms of our lives, its neural basis remains elusive, partly due to the different tasks and measurement methods applied in research. In particular, the neural correlates of everyday creativity that can be experienced by everyone, to some extent, are still unexplored. The present study was designed to investigate the brain structure underlying individual differences in everyday creativity, as measured by the Creative Behavioral Inventory (CBI) (N=163). The results revealed that more creative activities were significantly and positively associated with larger gray matter volume (GMV) in the regional premotor cortex (PMC), which is a motor planning area involved in the creation and selection of novel actions and inhibition. In addition, the gray volume of the PMC had a significant positive relationship with creative achievement and Art scores, which supports the notion that training and practice may induce changes in brain structures. These results indicate that everyday creativity is linked to the PMC and that PMC volume can predict creative achievement, supporting the view that motor planning may play a crucial role in creative behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  10. Changes in calmodulin concentration and cyclic 3',5'-nucleotide phosphodiesterase activity in skeletal muscle of hyper- and hypothyroid rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mano, T; Iwase, K; Yoshimochi, I; Sawai, Y; Oda, N; Nishida, Y; Mokuno, T; Kotake, M; Nakai, A; Hayakawa, N

    1995-08-01

    Hyper- and hypothyroid states occasionally induce skeletal muscle dysfunction i.e. periodic paralysis and thyroid myopathy. The etiology of these diseases remains unclear, but several findings suggest that the catecholamine-beta-receptor-cAMP system or other messenger systems are disturbed in these diseases. In this context, we evaluated changes in the cyclic 3',5'-nucleotide metabolic enzyme, cyclic 3',5'-nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PDE) and calmodulin concentrations in skeletal muscles of hyper- and hypothyroid rats. Activities of cyclic AMP-PDE were low in skeletal muscle both from hyper- and hypothyroid rats, and calmodulin concentration was high in hyperthyroid and low in hypothyroid rats, as compared with normal rats. DE-52 column chromatographic analysis showed that the cGMP hydrolytic activity in peak I and the cAMP hydrolytic activity in peak II were decreased in hypothyroid rats, whereas cAMP hydrolytic activity in peak III was unchanged. The cAMP hydrolytic activity in peak III was decreased in hyperthyroid rats, but the activities in peaks I and II were unchanged. These findings indicate that cAMP and calmodulin may have some role in skeletal muscle function in the hyperthyroid state, and that cAMP and calmodulin-dependent metabolism may be suppressed in the hypothyroid state.

  11. Urinary brain-derived neurotrophic factor as a biomarker of executive functioning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koven, Nancy S; Collins, Larisa R

    2014-01-01

    Neurotrophins such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) are vital for neuronal survival and adaptive plasticity. With high BDNF gene expression in the prefrontal cortex, BDNF is a potential regulatory factor for building and maintaining cognitive reserves. Recent studies suggest that individual differences in executive functioning, a broad cognitive domain reliant upon frontal lobe structure and function, are governed in part by variance in BDNF polymorphisms. However, as neurogenetic data are not necessarily indicative of in vivo neurochemistry, this study examines the relationship between executive functioning and the neurotransmitter by measuring peripheral BDNF levels. Fifty-two healthy young adults completed a battery of standardized executive function tests. BDNF levels, adjusted for creatinine, were quantified with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of urine samples taken at the time of testing. BDNF concentration was positively associated with cognitive flexibility but had no relationship with working memory, abstract reasoning/planning, self-monitoring/response inhibition, or fluency. These results individuate cognitive flexibility as the specific facet of executive functioning associated with in vivo BDNF levels. This study also validates urinary BDNF as a peripheral biomarker of cognition in healthy adults. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  12. EGR3 Immediate Early Gene and the Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor in Bipolar Disorder

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bianca Pfaffenseller

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Bipolar disorder (BD is a severe psychiatric illness with a consistent genetic influence, involving complex interactions between numerous genes and environmental factors. Immediate early genes (IEGs are activated in the brain in response to environmental stimuli, such as stress. The potential to translate environmental stimuli into long-term changes in brain has led to increased interest in a potential role for these genes influencing risk for psychiatric disorders. Our recent finding using network-based approach has shown that the regulatory unit of early growth response gene 3 (EGR3 of IEGs family was robustly repressed in postmortem prefrontal cortex of BD patients. As a central transcription factor, EGR3 regulates an array of target genes that mediate critical neurobiological processes such as synaptic plasticity, memory and cognition. Considering that EGR3 expression is induced by brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF that has been consistently related to BD pathophysiology, we suggest a link between BDNF and EGR3 and their potential role in BD. A growing body of data from our group and others has shown that peripheral BDNF levels are reduced during mood episodes and also with illness progression. In this same vein, BDNF has been proposed as an important growth factor in the impaired cellular resilience related to BD. Taken together with the fact that EGR3 regulates the expression of the neurotrophin receptor p75NTR and may also indirectly induce BDNF expression, here we propose a feed-forward gene regulatory network involving EGR3 and BDNF and its potential role in BD.

  13. MicroRNA and protein profiling of brain metastasis competent cell-derived exosomes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura Camacho

    Full Text Available Exosomes are small membrane vesicles released by most cell types including tumor cells. The intercellular exchange of proteins and genetic material via exosomes is a potentially effective approach for cell-to-cell communication and it may perform multiple functions aiding to tumor survival and metastasis. We investigated microRNA and protein profiles of brain metastatic (BM versus non-brain metastatic (non-BM cell-derived exosomes. We studied the cargo of exosomes isolated from brain-tropic 70W, MDA-MB-231BR, and circulating tumor cell brain metastasis-selected markers (CTC1BMSM variants, and compared them with parental non-BM MeWo, MDA-MB-231P and CTC1P cells, respectively. By performing microRNA PCR array we identified one up-regulated (miR-210 and two down-regulated miRNAs (miR-19a and miR-29c in BM versus non-BM exosomes. Second, we analyzed the proteomic content of cells and exosomes isolated from these six cell lines, and detected high expression of proteins implicated in cell communication, cell cycle, and in key cancer invasion and metastasis pathways. Third, we show that BM cell-derived exosomes can be internalized by non-BM cells and that they effectively transport their cargo into cells, resulting in increased cell adhesive and invasive potencies. These results provide a strong rationale for additional investigations of exosomal proteins and miRNAs towards more profound understandings of exosome roles in brain metastasis biogenesis, and for the discovery and application of non-invasive biomarkers for new therapies combating brain metastasis.

  14. The effect of physical activity on the brain derived neurotrophic factor: from animal to human studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zoladz, J A; Pilc, A

    2010-10-01

    It is well documented that physical activity can induce a number of various stimuli which are able to enhance the strength and endurance performance of muscles. Moreover, regular physical activity can preserve or delay the appearance of several metabolic disorders in the human body. Physical exercise is also known to enhance the mood and cognitive functions of active people, although the physiological backgrounds of these effects remain unclear. In recent years, since the pioneering study in the past showed that physical activity increases the expression of the brain derived neurothophic factor (BDNF) in the rat brain, a number of studies were undertaken in order to establish the link between that neurothrophin and post-exercise enhancement of mood and cognitive functions in humans. It was recently demonstrated that physical exercise can increase plasma and/or serum BDNF concentration in humans. It was also reported that physical exercise or electrical stimulation can increase the BDNF expression in the skeletal muscles. In the present review, we report the current state of research concerning the effect of a single bout of exercise and training on the BDNF expression in the brain, in both the working muscles as well as on its concentrations in the blood. We have concluded that there may be potential benefits of the exercise-induced enhancement of the BDNF expression and release in the brain as well as in the peripheral tissues, resulting in the improvement of the functioning of the body, although this effect, especially in humans, requires more research.

  15. Peripheral blood brain-derived neurotrophic factor in bipolar disorder

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Munkholm, K; Vinberg, M; Kessing, L V

    2016-01-01

    Peripheral blood brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been proposed as a potential biomarker related to disease activity and neuroprogression in bipolar disorder, speculated to mirror alterations in brain expression of BDNF. The research area is rapidly evolving; however, recent...... investigations have yielded conflicting results with substantial variation in outcomes, highlighting the need to critically assess the state of current evidence. The aims of the study were to investigate differences in peripheral blood BDNF concentrations between bipolar disorder patients and healthy control...... subjects and between affective states in bipolar disorder patients, including assessment of the effect of treatment of acute episodes on BDNF levels. A systematic review of English language studies without considering publication status was conducted in PubMed (January 1950-November 2014), Embase (1974...

  16. The experience of beauty derived from sorrow.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ishizu, Tomohiro; Zeki, Semir

    2017-08-01

    We studied the neural mechanisms that are engaged during the experience of beauty derived from sorrow and from joy, two experiences that share a common denominator (beauty) but are linked to opposite emotional valences. Twenty subjects viewed and rerated, in a functional magnetic resonance imaging scanner, 120 images which each had classified into the following four categories: beautiful and sad; beautiful and joyful; neutral; ugly. The medial orbito-frontal cortex (mOFC) was active during the experience of both types of beauty. Otherwise, the two experiences engaged different parts of the brain: joyful beauty engaged areas linked to positive emotions while sorrowful beauty engaged areas linked to negative experiences. Separate regions of the cerebellum were engaged during experience of the two conditions. A functional connectivity analysis indicated that the activity within the mOFC was modulated by the supplementary motor area/middle cingulate cortex, known to be engaged during empathetic experiences provoked by other peoples' sadness. Hum Brain Mapp 38:4185-4200, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 The Authors Human Brain Mapping Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  17. Human Obesity Associated with an Intronic SNP in the Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Locus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zongyang Mou

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF plays a key role in energy balance. In population studies, SNPs of the BDNF locus have been linked to obesity, but the mechanism by which these variants cause weight gain is unknown. Here, we examined human hypothalamic BDNF expression in association with 44 BDNF SNPs. We observed that the minor C allele of rs12291063 is associated with lower human ventromedial hypothalamic BDNF expression (p < 0.001 and greater adiposity in both adult and pediatric cohorts (p values < 0.05. We further demonstrated that the major T allele for rs12291063 possesses a binding capacity for the transcriptional regulator, heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein D0B, knockdown of which disrupts transactivation by the T allele. Binding and transactivation functions are both disrupted by substituting C for T. These findings provide a rationale for BDNF augmentation as a targeted treatment for obesity in individuals who have the rs12291063 CC genotype.

  18. Brain readiness and the nature of language.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bouchard, Denis

    2015-01-01

    To identify the neural components that make a brain ready for language, it is important to have well defined linguistic phenotypes, to know precisely what language is. There are two central features to language: the capacity to form signs (words), and the capacity to combine them into complex structures. We must determine how the human brain enables these capacities. A sign is a link between a perceptual form and a conceptual meaning. Acoustic elements and content elements, are already brain-internal in non-human animals, but as categorical systems linked with brain-external elements. Being indexically tied to objects of the world, they cannot freely link to form signs. A crucial property of a language-ready brain is the capacity to process perceptual forms and contents offline, detached from any brain-external phenomena, so their "representations" may be linked into signs. These brain systems appear to have pleiotropic effects on a variety of phenotypic traits and not to be specifically designed for language. Syntax combines signs, so the combination of two signs operates simultaneously on their meaning and form. The operation combining the meanings long antedates its function in language: the primitive mode of predication operative in representing some information about an object. The combination of the forms is enabled by the capacity of the brain to segment vocal and visual information into discrete elements. Discrete temporal units have order and juxtaposition, and vocal units have intonation, length, and stress. These are primitive combinatorial processes. So the prior properties of the physical and conceptual elements of the sign introduce combinatoriality into the linguistic system, and from these primitive combinatorial systems derive concatenation in phonology and combination in morphosyntax. Given the nature of language, a key feature to our understanding of the language-ready brain is to be found in the mechanisms in human brains that enable the unique

  19. Brain readiness and the nature of language

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Denis eBouchard

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available To identify the neural components that make a brain ready for language, it is important to have well defined linguistic phenotypes, to know precisely what language is. There are two central features to language: the capacity to form signs (words, and the capacity to combine them into complex structures. We must determine how the human brain enables these capacities.A sign is a link between a perceptual form and a conceptual meaning. Acoustic elements and content elements, are already brain-internal in non-human animals, but as categorical systems linked with brain-external elements. Being indexically tied to objects of the world, they cannot freely link to form signs. A crucial property of a language-ready brain is the capacity to process perceptual forms and contents offline, detached from any brain-external phenomena, so their representations may be linked into signs. These brain systems appear to have pleiotropic effects on a variety of phenotypic traits and not to be specifically designed for language.Syntax combines signs, so the combination of two signs operates simultaneously on their meaning and form. The operation combining the meanings long antedates its function in language: the primitive mode of predication operative in representing some information about an object. The combination of the forms is enabled by the capacity of the brain to segment vocal and visual information into discrete elements. Discrete temporal units have order and juxtaposition, and vocal units have intonation, length, and stress. These are primitive combinatorial processes. So the prior properties of the physical and conceptual elements of the sign introduce combinatoriality into the linguistic system, and from these primitive combinatorial systems derive concatenation in phonology and combination in morphosyntax.Given the nature of language, a key feature to our understanding of the language-ready brain is to be found in the mechanisms in human brains that

  20. Human umbilical cord blood stem cells and brain-derived neurotrophic factor for optic nerve injury: a biomechanical evaluation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhong-jun Zhang

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Treatment for optic nerve injury by brain-derived neurotrophic factor or the transplantation of human umbilical cord blood stem cells has gained progress, but analysis by biomechanical indicators is rare. Rabbit models of optic nerve injury were established by a clamp. At 7 days after injury, the vitreous body received a one-time injection of 50 μg brain-derived neurotrophic factor or 1 × 10 6 human umbilical cord blood stem cells. After 30 days, the maximum load, maximum stress, maximum strain, elastic limit load, elastic limit stress, and elastic limit strain had clearly improved in rabbit models of optical nerve injury after treatment with brain-derived neurotrophic factor or human umbilical cord blood stem cells. The damage to the ultrastructure of the optic nerve had also been reduced. These findings suggest that human umbilical cord blood stem cells and brain-derived neurotrophic factor effectively repair the injured optical nerve, improve biomechanical properties, and contribute to the recovery after injury.

  1. Ginseng gintonin activates the human cardiac delayed rectifier K+ channel: involvement of Ca2+/calmodulin binding sites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Sun-Hye; Lee, Byung-Hwan; Kim, Hyeon-Joong; Jung, Seok-Won; Kim, Hyun-Sook; Shin, Ho-Chul; Lee, Jun-Hee; Kim, Hyoung-Chun; Rhim, Hyewhon; Hwang, Sung-Hee; Ha, Tal Soo; Kim, Hyun-Ji; Cho, Hana; Nah, Seung-Yeol

    2014-09-01

    Gintonin, a novel, ginseng-derived G protein-coupled lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) receptor ligand, elicits [Ca(2+)]i transients in neuronal and non-neuronal cells via pertussis toxin-sensitive and pertussis toxin-insensitive G proteins. The slowly activating delayed rectifier K(+) (I(Ks)) channel is a cardiac K(+) channel composed of KCNQ1 and KCNE1 subunits. The C terminus of the KCNQ1 channel protein has two calmodulin-binding sites that are involved in regulating I(Ks) channels. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms of gintonin-mediated activation of human I(Ks) channel activity by expressing human I(Ks) channels in Xenopus oocytes. We found that gintonin enhances IKs channel currents in concentration- and voltage-dependent manners. The EC50 for the I(Ks) channel was 0.05 ± 0.01 μg/ml. Gintonin-mediated activation of the I(Ks) channels was blocked by an LPA1/3 receptor antagonist, an active phospholipase C inhibitor, an IP3 receptor antagonist, and the calcium chelator BAPTA. Gintonin-mediated activation of both the I(Ks) channel was also blocked by the calmodulin (CaM) blocker calmidazolium. Mutations in the KCNQ1 [Ca(2+)]i/CaM-binding IQ motif sites (S373P, W392R, or R539W)blocked the action of gintonin on I(Ks) channel. However, gintonin had no effect on hERG K(+) channel activity. These results show that gintonin-mediated enhancement of I(Ks) channel currents is achieved through binding of the [Ca(2+)]i/CaM complex to the C terminus of KCNQ1 subunit.

  2. Cerebellar Kainate Receptor-Mediated Facilitation of Glutamate Release Requires Ca2+-Calmodulin and PKA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rafael Falcón-Moya

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available We elucidated the mechanisms underlying the kainate receptor (KAR-mediated facilitatory modulation of synaptic transmission in the cerebellum. In cerebellar slices, KA (3 μM increased the amplitude of evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents (eEPSCs at synapses between axon terminals of parallel fibers (PF and Purkinje neurons. KA-mediated facilitation was antagonized by NBQX under condition where AMPA receptors were previously antagonized. Inhibition of protein kinase A (PKA suppressed the effect of KA on glutamate release, which was also obviated by the prior stimulation of adenylyl cyclase (AC. KAR-mediated facilitation of synaptic transmission was prevented by blocking Ca2+ permeant KARs using philanthotoxin. Furthermore, depletion of intracellular Ca2+ stores by thapsigargin, or inhibition of Ca2+-induced Ca2+-release by ryanodine, abrogated the synaptic facilitation by KA. Thus, the KA-mediated modulation was conditional on extracellular Ca2+ entry through Ca2+-permeable KARs, as well as and mobilization of Ca2+ from intracellular stores. Finally, KAR-mediated facilitation was sensitive to calmodulin inhibitors, W-7 and calmidazolium, indicating that the increased cytosolic [Ca2+] sustaining KAR-mediated facilitation of synaptic transmission operates through a downstream Ca2+/calmodulin coupling. We conclude that, at cerebellar parallel fiber-Purkinje cell synapses, presynaptic KARs mediate glutamate release facilitation, and thereby enhance synaptic transmission through Ca2+-calmodulin dependent activation of adenylyl cyclase/cAMP/protein kinase A signaling.

  3. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor mediates estradiol-induced dendritic spine formation in hippocampal neurons

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murphy, Diane D.; Cole, Nelson B.; Segal, Menahem

    1998-01-01

    Dendritic spines are of major importance in information processing and memory formation in central neurons. Estradiol has been shown to induce an increase of dendritic spine density on hippocampal neurons in vivo and in vitro. The neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) recently has been implicated in neuronal maturation, plasticity, and regulation of GABAergic interneurons. We now demonstrate that estradiol down-regulates BDNF in cultured hippocampal neurons to 40% of control values within 24 hr of exposure. This, in turn, decreases inhibition and increases excitatory tone in pyramidal neurons, leading to a 2-fold increase in dendritic spine density. Exogenous BDNF blocks the effects of estradiol on spine formation, and BDNF depletion with a selective antisense oligonucleotide mimics the effects of estradiol. Addition of BDNF antibodies also increases spine density, and diazepam, which facilitates GABAergic neurotransmission, blocks estradiol-induced spine formation. These observations demonstrate a functional link between estradiol, BDNF as a potent regulator of GABAergic interneurons, and activity-dependent formation of dendritic spines in hippocampal neurons. PMID:9736750

  4. Blood-brain barrier disruption: mechanistic links between Western diet consumption and dementia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ted Menghsiung Hsu

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Both obesity and Alzheimer’s disease are major health burdens in Western societies. While commonly viewed as having separate etiologies, this review highlights data suggesting that intake of Western diets, diets high in saturated fatty acids and simple carbohydrates, may pose a common environmental risk factor contributing to the development of both of these adverse pathologies. We discuss the effects of Western Diet intake on learning and memory processes that are dependent on the hippocampus, as well as the importance of this brain region in both obesity development and the onset of Alzheimer’s and other dementias. A putative mechanism is discussed that mechanistically links Western diet consumption, blood brain barrier degradation, and subsequent hippocampal damage and dementia pathology.

  5. Modulation of neutrophil superoxide generation by inhibitors of protein kinase C, calmodulin, diacylglycerol and myosin light chain kinases, and peptidyl prolyl cis-trans isomerase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bergstrand, H; Eriksson, T; Hallberg, A; Johansson, B; Karabelas, K; Michelsen, P; Nybom, A

    1992-12-01

    To assess the role of protein kinase C (PKC) in the respiratory burst of adherent human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL), reduction of ferricytochrome C by cells triggered with a phorbol ester (PMA), ionophore A23187, serum-treated zymosan (STZ) or three lipid derivatives, 3-decanoyl-sn-glycerol (G-3-OCOC9), (R,R)-1,4-diethyl-2-O-decyl-L-tartrate (Tt-2-OC10) and 3-decyloxy-5-hydroxymethylphenol (DHP) was examined in a microtiter plate procedure in the presence of inhibitors of PKC and, for comparison, inhibitors of calmodulin, diacylglycerol and myosin light chain kinases and the peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase activity of fujiphilin. 1) Of the protein kinase inhibitors examined, Ro 31-7549 and staurosporine reduced responses to all stimuli except possibly STZ; in contrast, K252a and the myosin light chain kinase inhibitors ML-7 and ML-9 blocked responses to A23187 and STZ better than those triggered by PMA. H-7 reduced responses to A23187, DHP and G-3-OCOC9, and calphostin, palmitoyl carnitine, sphingosine and the multifunctional drugs TMB-8 and W-7 reduced A23187; they also, when examined, reduced decane derivative-induced O2- production more effectively than PMA- and STZ-triggered responses. Polymyxin B, 4 alpha-PMA and retinal displayed no inhibitory capacity. 2) Of the selective calmodulin antagonists, CGS 9343B, Ro 22-4839 and calmidazolium did not inhibit the oxidative response irrespective of the stimulus used, whereas metofenazate reduced those evoked by A23187, DHP, G-3-OCOC9 and STZ.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

  6. Potential roles of cell-derived microparticles in ischemic brain disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Horstman, Lawrence L; Jy, Wenche; Bidot, Carlos J; Nordberg, Mary L; Minagar, Alireza; Alexander, J Steven; Kelley, Roger E; Ahn, Yeon S

    2009-10-01

    The objective of this study is to review the role of cell-derived microparticles in ischemic cerebrovascular diseases. An extensive PubMed search of literature pertaining to this study was performed in April 2009 using specific keyword search terms related to cell-derived microparticles and ischemic stroke. Some references are not cited here as it is not possible to be all inclusive or due to space limitation. Cell-derived microparticles are small membranous vesicles released from the plasma membranes of platelets, leukocytes, red cells and endothelial cells in response to diverse biochemical agents or mechanical stresses. They are the main carriers of circulating tissue factor, the principal initiator of intravascular thrombosis, and are implicated in a variety of thrombotic and inflammatory disorders. This review outlines evidence suggesting that cell-derived microparticles are involved predominantly with microvascular, as opposed to macrovascular, thrombosis. More specifically, cell-derived microparticles may substantially contribute to ischemic brain disease in several settings, as well as to neuroinflammatory conditions. If further work confirms this hypothesis, novel therapeutic strategies for minimizing cell-derived microparticles-mediated ischemia are available or can be developed, as discussed.

  7. Modification of hippocampal markers of synaptic plasticity by memantine in animal models of acute and repeated restraint stress: implications for memory and behavior.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amin, Shaimaa Nasr; El-Aidi, Ahmed Amro; Ali, Mohamed Mostafa; Attia, Yasser Mahmoud; Rashed, Laila Ahmed

    2015-06-01

    Stress is any condition that impairs the balance of the organism physiologically or psychologically. The response to stress involves several neurohormonal consequences. Glutamate is the primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, and its release is increased by stress that predisposes to excitotoxicity in the brain. Memantine is an uncompetitive N-methyl D-aspartate glutamatergic receptors antagonist and has shown beneficial effect on cognitive function especially in Alzheimer's disease. The aim of the work was to investigate memantine effect on memory and behavior in animal models of acute and repeated restraint stress with the evaluation of serum markers of stress and the expression of hippocampal markers of synaptic plasticity. Forty-two male rats were divided into seven groups (six rats/group): control, acute restraint stress, acute restraint stress with Memantine, repeated restraint stress, repeated restraint stress with Memantine and Memantine groups (two subgroups as positive control). Spatial working memory and behavior were assessed by performance in Y-maze. We evaluated serum cortisol, tumor necrotic factor, interleukin-6 and hippocampal expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, synaptophysin and calcium-/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II. Our results revealed that Memantine improved spatial working memory in repeated stress, decreased serum level of stress markers and modified the hippocampal synaptic plasticity markers in both patterns of stress exposure; in ARS, Memantine upregulated the expression of synaptophysin and brain-derived neurotrophic factor and downregulated the expression of calcium-/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II, and in repeated restraint stress, it upregulated the expression of synaptophysin and downregulated calcium-/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II expression.

  8. Sex-specific expression of the X-linked histone demethylase gene Jarid1c in brain.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jun Xu

    Full Text Available Jarid1c, an X-linked gene coding for a histone demethylase, plays an important role in brain development and function. Notably, JARID1C mutations cause mental retardation and increased aggression in humans. These phenotypes are consistent with the expression patterns we have identified in mouse brain where Jarid1c mRNA was detected in hippocampus, hypothalamus, and cerebellum. Jarid1c expression and associated active histone marks at its 5'end are high in P19 neurons, indicating that JARID1C demethylase plays an important role in differentiated neuronal cells. We found that XX mice expressed Jarid1c more highly than XY mice, independent of their gonadal types (testes versus ovaries. This increased expression in XX mice is consistent with Jarid1c escape from X inactivation and is not compensated by expression from the Y-linked paralogue Jarid1d, which is expressed at a very low level compared to the X paralogue in P19 cells. Our observations suggest that sex-specific expression of Jarid1c may contribute to sex differences in brain function.

  9. Global diffusion tensor imaging derived metrics differentiate glioblastoma multiforme vs. normal brains by using discriminant analysis: introduction of a novel whole-brain approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roldan-Valadez, Ernesto; Rios, Camilo; Cortez-Conradis, David; Favila, Rafael; Moreno-Jimenez, Sergio

    2014-06-01

    Histological behavior of glioblastoma multiforme suggests it would benefit more from a global rather than regional evaluation. A global (whole-brain) calculation of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) derived tensor metrics offers a valid method to detect the integrity of white matter structures without missing infiltrated brain areas not seen in conventional sequences. In this study we calculated a predictive model of brain infiltration in patients with glioblastoma using global tensor metrics. Retrospective, case and control study; 11 global DTI-derived tensor metrics were calculated in 27 patients with glioblastoma multiforme and 34 controls: mean diffusivity, fractional anisotropy, pure isotropic diffusion, pure anisotropic diffusion, the total magnitude of the diffusion tensor, linear tensor, planar tensor, spherical tensor, relative anisotropy, axial diffusivity and radial diffusivity. The multivariate discriminant analysis of these variables (including age) with a diagnostic test evaluation was performed. The simultaneous analysis of 732 measures from 12 continuous variables in 61 subjects revealed one discriminant model that significantly differentiated normal brains and brains with glioblastoma: Wilks' λ = 0.324, χ(2) (3) = 38.907, p tensor and linear tensor. These metrics might be clinically applied for diagnosis, follow-up, and the study of other neurological diseases.

  10. Melatonin modulates rat myotube-acetylcholine receptors by inhibiting calmodulin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Almeida-Paula, Lidiana Duarte; Costa-Lotufo, Leticia V; Silva Ferreira, Zulma; Monteiro, Amanda Elisa G; Isoldi, Mauro Cesar; Godinho, Rosely O; Markus, Regina P

    2005-11-21

    Melatonin, the pineal gland hormone, modulates alpha-bungarotoxin sensitive nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in sympathetic nerve terminals, cerebellum and chick retina imposing a diurnal variation in functional responses [Markus, R.P., Zago, W.M., Carneiro, R.C., 1996. Melatonin modulation of presynaptic nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the rat vas deferens. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 279, 18-22; Markus, R.P., Santos, J.M., Zago, W., Reno, L.A., 2003. Melatonin nocturnal surge modulates nicotinic receptors and nicotine-induced [3HI] glutamate release in rat cerebellum slices. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 305, 525-530; Sampaio, L.F.S., Hamassaki-Britto, D.E., Markus, R.P., 2005. Influence of melatonin on the development of functional nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in cultured chick retinal cells. Braz. J. Med. Biol. Res. 38, 603-613]. Here we show that in rat myotubes forskolin and melatonin reduced the number of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors expressed in plasma membrane. In addition, these cells expressed melatonin MT1 receptors, which are known to be coupled to G(i)-protein. However, the pharmacological profile of melatonin analogs regarding the reduction in cyclic AMP accumulation and number of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors did not point to a mechanism mediated by activation of G(i)-protein coupled receptors. On the other hand, calmidazolium, a classical inhibitor of calmodulin, reduced in a similar manner both effects. Considering that one isoform of adenylyl cyclase present in rat myotubes is regulated by Ca2+/calmodulin, we propose that melatonin modulates the number of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors via reduction in cyclic AMP accumulation.

  11. [BRAIN-DERIVED NEUROTROPHIC FACTOR (BDNF): NEUROBIOLOGY AND MARKER VALUE IN NEUROPSYCHIATRY].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levada, O A; Cherednichenko, N V

    2015-01-01

    In this review current publications about neurobiology and marker value of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in neuropsychiatry are analyzed. It is shown that BDNF is an important member of the family of neurotrophins which widely represented in various structures of the CNS. In prenatal period BDNF is involved in all stages of neuronal networks formation, and in the postnatal period its main role is maintaining the normal brain architectonics, involvement in the processes of neurogenesis and realization of neuroprotective functions. BDNF plays an important role in learning and memory organization, food and motor behavior. BDNF brain expression decreases with age, as well as in degenerative and vascular dementias, affective, anxiety, and behavioral disorders. The reducing of BDNF serum, level reflects the decreasing of its cerebral expression and could be used as a neurobiological marker of these pathological processes but the rising of its concentration could indicate the therapy effectiveness.

  12. Interaction between actinides and protein: the calmodulin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brulfert, Florian

    2016-01-01

    Considering the environmental impact of the Fukushima nuclear accident, it is fundamental to study the mechanisms governing the effects of the released radionuclides on the biosphere and thus identify the molecular processes generating the transport and deposition of actinides, such as neptunium and uranium. However, the information about the microscopic aspect of the interaction between actinides and biological molecules (peptides, proteins...) is scarce. The data being mostly reported from a physiological point of view, the structure of the coordination sites remains largely unknown. These microscopic data are indeed essential for the understanding of the interdependency between structural aspect, function and affinity.The Calmodulin (CaM) (abbreviation for Calcium-Modulated protein), also known for its affinity towards actinides, acts as a metabolic regulator of calcium. This protein is a Ca carrier, which is present ubiquitously in the human body, may also bind other metals such as actinides. Thus, in case of a contamination, actinides that bind to CaM could avoid the protein to perform properly and lead to repercussions on a large range of vital functions.The complexation of Np and U was studied by EXAFS spectroscopy which showed that actinides were incorporated in a calcium coordination site. Once the thermodynamical and structural aspects studied, the impact of the coordination site distortion on the biological efficiency was analyzed. In order to evaluate these consequences, a calorimetric method based on enzyme kinetics was developed. This experiment, which was conducted with both uranium (50 - 500 nM) and neptunium (30 - 250 nM) showed a decrease of the heat produced by the enzymatic reaction with an increasing concentration of actinides in the medium. Our findings showed that the Calmodulin actinide complex works as an enzymatic inhibitor. Furthermore, at higher neptunium (250 nM) and uranium (500 nM) concentration the metals seem to have a poison

  13. The Second Brain: Is the Gut Microbiota a Link Between Obesity and Central Nervous System Disorders?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ochoa-Repáraz, Javier; Kasper, Lloyd H

    2016-03-01

    The gut-brain axis is a bi-directional integrated system composed by immune, endocrine, and neuronal components by which the gap between the gut microbiota and the brain is significantly impacted. An increasing number of different gut microbial species are now postulated to regulate brain function in health and disease. The westernized diet is hypothesized to be the cause of the current obesity levels in many countries, a major socio-economical health problem. Experimental and epidemiological evidence suggest that the gut microbiota is responsible for significant immunologic, neuronal, and endocrine changes that lead to obesity. We hypothesize that the gut microbiota, and changes associated with diet, affect the gut-brain axis and may possibly contribute to the development of mental illness. In this review, we discuss the links between diet, gut dysbiosis, obesity, and immunologic and neurologic diseases that impact brain function and behavior.

  14. Tailoring the properties of cholecyst-derived extracellular matrix using carbodiimide cross-linking.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Burugapalli, Krishna

    2009-01-01

    Modulation of properties of extracellular matrix (ECM) based scaffolds is key for their application in the clinical setting. In the present study, cross-linking was used as a tool for tailoring the properties of cholecyst-derived extracellular matrix (CEM). CEM was cross-linked with varying cross-linking concentrations of N,N-(3-dimethyl aminopropyl)-N\\'-ethyl carbodiimide (EDC) in the presence of N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS). Shrink temperature measurements and ATR-FT-IR spectra were used to determine the degree of cross-linking. The effect of cross-linking on degradation was tested using the collagenase assay. Uniaxial tensile properties and the ability to support fibroblasts were also evaluated as a function of cross-linking. Shrink temperature increased from 59 degrees C for non-cross-linked CEM to 78 degrees C for the highest EDC cross-linking concentration, while IR peak area ratios for the free -NH(2) group at 3290 cm(-1) to that of the amide I band at 1635 cm(-1) decreased with increasing EDC cross-linking concentration. Collagenase assay demonstrated that degradation rates for CEM can be tailored. EDC concentrations 0 to 0.0033 mmol\\/mg CEM were the cross-linking concentration range in which CEM showed varied susceptibility to collagenase degradation. Furthermore, cross-linking concentrations up to 0.1 mmol EDC\\/mg CEM did not have statistically significant effect on the uniaxial tensile strength, as well as morphology, viability and proliferation of fibroblasts on CEM. In conclusion, the degradation rates of CEM can be tailored using EDC-cross-linking, while maintaining the mechanical properties and the ability of CEM to support cells.

  15. Purification and sequencing of radish seed calmodulin antagonists phosphorylated by calcium-dependent protein kinase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Polya, G M; Chandra, S; Condron, R

    1993-02-01

    A family of radish (Raphanus sativus) calmodulin antagonists (RCAs) was purified from seeds by extraction, centrifugation, batch-wise elution from carboxymethyl-cellulose, and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) on an SP5PW cation-exchange column. This RCA fraction was further resolved into three calmodulin antagonist polypeptides (RCA1, RCA2, and RCA3) by denaturation in the presence of guanidinium HCl and mercaptoethanol and subsequent reverse-phase HPLC on a C8 column eluted with an acetonitrile gradient in the presence of 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid. The RCA preparation, RCA1, RCA2, RCA3, and other radish seed proteins are phosphorylated by wheat embryo Ca(2+)-dependent protein kinase (CDPK). The RCA preparation contains other CDPK substrates in addition to RCA1, RCA2, and RCA3. The RCA preparation, RCA1, RCA2, and RCA3 inhibit chicken gizzard calmodulin-dependent myosin light chain kinase assayed with a myosin-light chain-based synthetic peptide substrate (fifty percent inhibitory concentrations of RCA2 and RCA3 are about 7 and 2 microM, respectively). N-terminal sequencing by sequential Edman degradation of RCA1, RCA2, and RCA3 revealed sequences having a high homology with the small subunit of the storage protein napin from Brassica napus and with related proteins. The deduced amino acid sequences of RCA1, RCA2, RCA3, and RCA3' (a subform of RCA3) have agreement with average molecular masses from electrospray mass spectrometry of 4537, 4543, 4532, and 4560 kD, respectively. The only sites for serine phosphorylation are near or at the C termini and hence adjacent to the sites of proteolytic precursor cleavage.

  16. Peripheral lipopolysaccharide administration transiently affects expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, corticotropin and proopiomelanocortin in mouse brain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schnydrig, Sabine; Korner, Lukas; Landweer, Svenja; Ernst, Beat; Walker, Gaby; Otten, Uwe; Kunz, Dieter

    2007-12-11

    Peripheral inflammation induced by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is known to cause functional impairments in the brain affecting memory and learning. One of mechanisms may be the interference with neurotrophin (NT) expression and function. In the current study we administered a single, high dose of LPS (3mg/kg, i.p.) into mice and investigated changes in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene expression within 1-6 days after LPS injection. Crude synaptosomes were isolated from brain tissue and subjected to Western-blot analyses. We found transient reductions in synaptosomal proBDNF- and BDNF protein expression, with a maximal decrease at day 3 as compared to saline injected controls. The time course of reduction of BDNF mRNA in whole brain extracts parallels the decrease in protein levels in synaptosomes. LPS effects in the central nervous system (CNS) are known to crucially involve the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. We analysed the time course of corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH)- and proopiomelanocortin (POMC) mRNA expression. As observed for BDNF-, CRH- and POMC mRNA levels are also significantly reduced on day 3 indicating a comparable time course. These results suggest that peripheral inflammation causes a reduction of trophic supply in the brain, including BDNF at synaptic sites. The mechanisms involved could be a negative feedback of the activated HPA axis.

  17. Aerobic Fitness Linked to Cortical Brain Development in Adolescent Males: Preliminary Findings Suggest a Possible Role of BDNF Genotype.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herting, Megan M; Keenan, Madison F; Nagel, Bonnie J

    2016-01-01

    Aerobic exercise has been shown to impact brain structure and cognition in children and adults. Exercise-induced activation of a growth protein known as brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is thought to contribute to such relationships. To date, however, no study has examined how aerobic fitness relates to cortical brain structure during development and if BDNF genotype moderates these relationships. Using structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and FreeSurfer, the current study examined how aerobic fitness relates to volume, thickness, and surface area in 34 male adolescents, 15 to 18 years old. Moreover, we examined if the val66met BDNF genotype moderated these relationships. We hypothesized that aerobic fitness would relate to greater thickness and volumes in frontal, parietal, and motor regions, and that these relationships would be less robust in individuals carrying a Met allele, since this genotype leads to lower BDNF expression. We found that aerobic fitness positively related to right rostral middle frontal cortical volume in all adolescents. However, results also showed BDNF genotype moderated the relationship between aerobic fitness and bilateral medial precuneus surface area, with a positive relationship seen in individuals with the Val/Val allele, but no relationship detected in those adolescents carrying a Met allele. Lastly, using self-reported levels of aerobic activity, we found that higher-fit adolescents showed larger right medial pericalcarine, right cuneus and left precuneus surface areas as compared to their low-fit peers. Our findings suggest that aerobic fitness is linked to cortical brain development in male adolescents, and that more research is warranted to determine how an individual's genes may influence these relationships.

  18. Aerobic Fitness Linked to Cortical Brain Development in Adolescent Males: Preliminary Findings Suggest a Possible Role of BDNF Genotype

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herting, Megan M.; Keenan, Madison F.; Nagel, Bonnie J.

    2016-01-01

    Aerobic exercise has been shown to impact brain structure and cognition in children and adults. Exercise-induced activation of a growth protein known as brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is thought to contribute to such relationships. To date, however, no study has examined how aerobic fitness relates to cortical brain structure during development and if BDNF genotype moderates these relationships. Using structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and FreeSurfer, the current study examined how aerobic fitness relates to volume, thickness, and surface area in 34 male adolescents, 15 to 18 years old. Moreover, we examined if the val66met BDNF genotype moderated these relationships. We hypothesized that aerobic fitness would relate to greater thickness and volumes in frontal, parietal, and motor regions, and that these relationships would be less robust in individuals carrying a Met allele, since this genotype leads to lower BDNF expression. We found that aerobic fitness positively related to right rostral middle frontal cortical volume in all adolescents. However, results also showed BDNF genotype moderated the relationship between aerobic fitness and bilateral medial precuneus surface area, with a positive relationship seen in individuals with the Val/Val allele, but no relationship detected in those adolescents carrying a Met allele. Lastly, using self-reported levels of aerobic activity, we found that higher-fit adolescents showed larger right medial pericalcarine, right cuneus and left precuneus surface areas as compared to their low-fit peers. Our findings suggest that aerobic fitness is linked to cortical brain development in male adolescents, and that more research is warranted to determine how an individual’s genes may influence these relationships. PMID:27445764

  19. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor and addiction: Pathological versus therapeutic effects on drug seeking

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Barker, J.M.; Taylor, J.R.; de Vries, T.J.; Peters, J.

    2015-01-01

    Many abused drugs lead to changes in endogenous brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in neural circuits responsible for addictive behaviors. BDNF is a known molecular mediator of memory consolidation processes, evident at both behavioral and neurophysiological levels. Specific neural

  20. Immunoselection of cDNAs to avian intestinal calcium binding protein 28K and a novel calmodulin-like protein: assessment of mRNA regulation by the Vitamin D hormone

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mangelsdorf, D.J.; Komm, B.S.; McDonnell, D.P.; Pike, J.W.; Haussler, M.R.

    1987-01-01

    Calcium's role in a variety of cellular processes has been well documented. The storage, distribution, and delivery of calcium are regulated by a family of binding proteins including troponin C, calmodulin, parvalbumin, and vitamin D dependent calcium binding protein (CaBP-28), all of which have evolved from a common ancestral gene. To evaluate vitamin D regulation of gene transcription, a CaBP-28 cDNA (767 base pairs) was isolated from a chicken intestine λgt11 library utilizing a polyvalent CaBP-28 antibody as a probe. Coincident with the identification of the CaBP-28 cDNA, a group of cDNAs also was isolated (with the anti-CaBP-28 antibody) that demonstrated 84% nucleotide homology and 99% deduced amino acid homology with chicken brain calmodulin (CaM). This new CaM-like cDNA was named neoCaM. There is little nucleotide homology between the CaBP-28 cDNA and neoCaM. The CaBP-28 cDNA hybridizes with three transcripts of 2000, 2900, and 3300 bases which are dramatically induced by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 [1,25(OH) 2 D 3 ], while the neoCaM cDNA recognizes three distinct (from CaBP-28) transcripts. Two of these mRNAs are 1400 and 1800 bases as described for brain CaM, but another large 4000-base transcript is detected with neoCaM. Neither the CaM nor the neoCaM transcript reveals any modulation by 1,25(OH) 2 D 3 . Herein, the authors discuss the possible significance of not only the isolation of both cDNAs with a single antibody but also the relation of neoCaM to other well-characterized CaM cDNAs

  1. Mechanical injury induces brain endothelial-derived microvesicle release: Implications for cerebral vascular injury during traumatic brain injury

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Allison M. Andrews

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available It is well established that the endothelium responds to mechanical forces induced by changes in shear stress and mechanotransduction. However, our understanding of vascular remodeling following traumatic brain injury (TBI remains incomplete. Recently published studies have revealed that lung and umbilical endothelial cells produce extracellular microvesicles (eMVs, such as microparticles, in response to changes in mechanical forces (blood flow and mechanical injury. Yet, to date, no studies have shown whether brain endothelial cells produce eMVs following TBI. The brain endothelium is highly specialized and forms the blood-brain barrier (BBB, which regulates diffusion and transport of solutes into the brain. This specialization is largely due to the presence of tight junction proteins (TJPs between neighboring endothelial cells. Following TBI, a breakdown in tight junction complexes at the BBB leads to increased permeability, which greatly contributes to the secondary phase of injury. We have therefore tested the hypothesis that brain endothelium responds to mechanical injury, by producing eMVs that contain brain endothelial proteins, specifically TJPs. In our study, primary human adult brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMVEC were subjected to rapid mechanical injury to simulate the abrupt endothelial disruption that can occur in the primary injury phase of TBI. eMVs were isolated from the media following injury at 2, 6, 24 and 48 hrs. Western blot analysis of eMVs demonstrated a time-dependent increase in TJP occludin, PECAM-1 and ICAM-1 following mechanical injury. In addition, activation of ARF6, a small GTPase linked to extracellular vesicle production, was increased after injury. To confirm these results in vivo, mice were subjected to sham surgery or TBI and blood plasma was collected 24 hrs post-injury. Isolation and analysis of eMVs from blood plasma using cryo-EM and flow cytometry revealed elevated levels of vesicles containing

  2. Mechanical Injury Induces Brain Endothelial-Derived Microvesicle Release: Implications for Cerebral Vascular Injury during Traumatic Brain Injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andrews, Allison M; Lutton, Evan M; Merkel, Steven F; Razmpour, Roshanak; Ramirez, Servio H

    2016-01-01

    It is well established that the endothelium responds to mechanical forces induced by changes in shear stress and strain. However, our understanding of vascular remodeling following traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains incomplete. Recently published studies have revealed that lung and umbilical endothelial cells produce extracellular microvesicles (eMVs), such as microparticles, in response to changes in mechanical forces (blood flow and mechanical injury). Yet, to date, no studies have shown whether brain endothelial cells produce eMVs following TBI. The brain endothelium is highly specialized and forms the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which regulates diffusion and transport of solutes into the brain. This specialization is largely due to the presence of tight junction proteins (TJPs) between neighboring endothelial cells. Following TBI, a breakdown in tight junction complexes at the BBB leads to increased permeability, which greatly contributes to the secondary phase of injury. We have therefore tested the hypothesis that brain endothelium responds to mechanical injury, by producing eMVs that contain brain endothelial proteins, specifically TJPs. In our study, primary human adult brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMVEC) were subjected to rapid mechanical injury to simulate the abrupt endothelial disruption that can occur in the primary injury phase of TBI. eMVs were isolated from the media following injury at 2, 6, 24, and 48 h. Western blot analysis of eMVs demonstrated a time-dependent increase in TJP occludin, PECAM-1 and ICAM-1 following mechanical injury. In addition, activation of ARF6, a small GTPase linked to extracellular vesicle production, was increased after injury. To confirm these results in vivo, mice were subjected to sham surgery or TBI and blood plasma was collected 24 h post-injury. Isolation and analysis of eMVs from blood plasma using cryo-EM and flow cytometry revealed elevated levels of vesicles containing occludin following brain trauma

  3. Ca2+-calmodulin-dependent protein kinase expression and signalling in skeletal muscle during exercise

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rose, Adam John; Kiens, Bente; Richter, Erik

    2006-01-01

    Ca2+ signalling is proposed to play an important role in skeletal muscle function during exercise. Here, we examined the expression of multifunctional Ca2+-calmodulin-dependent protein kinases (CaMK) in human skeletal muscle and show that CaMKII and CaMKK, but not CaMKI or CaMKIV, are expressed...

  4. Distinct Calcium Signaling Pathways Regulate Calmodulin Gene Expression in Tobacco1

    Science.gov (United States)

    van der Luit, Arnold H.; Olivari, Claudio; Haley, Ann; Knight, Marc R.; Trewavas, Anthony J.

    1999-01-01

    Cold shock and wind stimuli initiate Ca2+ transients in transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana plumbaginifolia) seedlings (named MAQ 2.4) containing cytoplasmic aequorin. To investigate whether these stimuli initiate Ca2+ pathways that are spatially distinct, stress-induced nuclear and cytoplasmic Ca2+ transients and the expression of a stress-induced calmodulin gene were compared. Tobacco seedlings were transformed with a construct that encodes a fusion protein between nucleoplasmin (a major oocyte nuclear protein) and aequorin. Immunocytochemical evidence indicated targeting of the fusion protein to the nucleus in these plants, which were named MAQ 7.11. Comparison between MAQ 7.11 and MAQ 2.4 seedlings confirmed that wind stimuli and cold shock invoke separate Ca2+ signaling pathways. Partial cDNAs encoding two tobacco calmodulin genes, NpCaM-1 and NpCaM-2, were identified and shown to have distinct nucleotide sequences that encode identical polypeptides. Expression of NpCaM-1, but not NpCaM-2, responded to wind and cold shock stimulation. Comparison of the Ca2+ dynamics with NpCaM-1 expression after stimulation suggested that wind-induced NpCaM-1 expression is regulated by a Ca2+ signaling pathway operational predominantly in the nucleus. In contrast, expression of NpCaM-1 in response to cold shock is regulated by a pathway operational predominantly in the cytoplasm. PMID:10557218

  5. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor: a bridge between inflammation and neuroplasticity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francesca eCalabrese

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Cytokines are key regulatory mediators involved in the host response to immunological challenges, but also play a critical role in the communication between the immune and the central nervous system. For this, their expression in both systems is under a tight regulatory control. However, pathological conditions may lead to an overproduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines that may have a detrimental impact on central nervous system. In particular, they may damage neuronal structure and function leading to deficits of neuroplasticity, the ability of nervous system to perceive, respond and adapt to external or internal stimuli.In search of the mechanisms by which pro-inflammatory cytokines may affect this crucial brain capability, we will discuss one of the most interesting hypotheses: the involvement of the neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which represents one of the major mediators of neuroplasticity.

  6. Fabrication of manganese dioxide nanoplates anchoring on biomass-derived cross-linked carbon nanosheets for high-performance asymmetric supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yiju; Yu, Neng; Yan, Peng; Li, Yuguang; Zhou, Xuemei; Chen, Shuangling; Wang, Guiling; Wei, Tong; Fan, Zhuangjun

    2015-12-01

    In this paper, MnO2 nanoplates loading on biomass-derived cross-linked carbon nanosheets have been prepared by a two-step synthesis. At first, the cross-linked carbon nanosheets derived from willow catkin are synthesized by one-step pyrolysis and activation method, then the MnO2 anchored cross-linked carbon nanosheets is prepared via in-situ hydrothermal deposition. The asymmetric supercapacitor with terrific energy and power density is assembled by employing the MnO2 anchored cross-linked carbon nanosheets as the positive electrode and the cross-linked carbon nanosheets as the negative electrode in a 1 M Na2SO4 electrolyte. The asymmetric supercapacitor displays a high energy density of 23.6 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 188.8 W kg-1 within a wide voltage rage of 0-1.9 V. In addition, the asymmetric supercapacitor exhibits excellent cycling stability with only 1.4% capacitance loss after 10000 cycles at 1 A g-1. These discoveries open up the prospect of biomass/biowaste derived carbon-based composites for high-voltage asymmetric supercapacitors with superb energy and power density performance.

  7. Mechanism of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent kinase II regulation of AMPA receptor gating

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kristensen, Anders Skov; Jenkins, Meagan A; Banke, Tue G

    2011-01-01

    The function, trafficking and synaptic signaling of AMPA receptors are tightly regulated by phosphorylation. Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMKII) phosphorylates the GluA1 AMPA receptor subunit at Ser831 to increase single-channel conductance. We show that CaMKII increases the conductanc...

  8. Theobromine up-regulates cerebral brain-derived neurotrophic factor and facilitates motor learning in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoneda, Mitsugu; Sugimoto, Naotoshi; Katakura, Masanori; Matsuzaki, Kentaro; Tanigami, Hayate; Yachie, Akihiro; Ohno-Shosaku, Takako; Shido, Osamu

    2017-01-01

    Theobromine, which is a caffeine derivative, is the primary methylxanthine produced by Theobroma cacao. Theobromine works as a phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitor to increase intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). cAMP activates the cAMP-response element-binding protein (CREB), which is involved in a large variety of brain processes, including the induction of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF supports cell survival and neuronal functions, including learning and memory. Thus, cAMP/CREB/BDNF pathways play an important role in learning and memory. Here, we investigated whether orally administered theobromine could act as a PDE inhibitor centrally and affect cAMP/CREB/BDNF pathways and learning behavior in mice. The mice were divided into two groups. The control group (CN) was fed a normal diet, whereas the theobromine group (TB) was fed a diet supplemented with 0.05% theobromine for 30 days. We measured the levels of theobromine, phosphorylated vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (p-VASP), phosphorylated CREB (p-CREB), and BDNF in the brain. p-VASP was used as an index of cAMP increases. Moreover, we analyzed the performance of the mice on a three-lever motor learning task. Theobromine was detectable in the brains of TB mice. The brain levels of p-VASP, p-CREB, and BDNF were higher in the TB mice compared with those in the CN mice. In addition, the TB mice performed better on the three-lever task than the CN mice did. These results strongly suggested that orally administered theobromine acted as a PDE inhibitor in the brain, and it augmented the cAMP/CREB/BDNF pathways and motor learning in mice. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. The study on transport of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in facial nerve

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Yunchun; Li Lin; Wang Quanlin; Yang Xiaochuan; He Gang; Gao Bingqing; Lin Daicheng; Liang Chuanyu

    2000-01-01

    The transport information of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in facial nerve is studied using 125 I-BDNF or 131 I-BDNF. After one lateral facial nerve trunk of adult rabbit is transected, a silicone chamber is inserted between the stumps, and labelled compounds are administered into the chamber. Bilateral facial nerve trunk and facial nerve motor neurone of brain-stem of rabbits are collected and counted respectively, and imaged at coronary position of head in live rabbit. The results show that BDNF has a retrograde transport in facial nerve, and the transport of 131 I-BDNF is marked restrained by BDNF in facial nerve

  10. Differential trace labeling of calmodulin: investigation of binding sites and conformational states by individual lysine reactivities. Effects of beta-endorphin, trifluoperazine, and ethylene glycol bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Giedroc, D.P.; Sinha, S.K.; Brew, K.; Puett, D.

    1985-11-05

    The CaS -dependent association of beta-endorphin and trifluoperazine with porcine testis calmodulin, as well as the effects of removing CaS by ethylene glycol bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA) treatment, were investigated by the procedure of differential kinetic labeling. This technique permitted determination of the relative rates of acylation of each of the epsilon-amino groups of the seven lysyl residues on calmodulin by (TH)acetic anhydride under the different conditions. In all cases, less than 0.52 mol of lysyl residue/mol of calmodulin was modified, thus ensuring that the labeling pattern reflects the microenvironments of these groups in the native protein. Lysines 75 and 94 were found to be the most reactive amino groups in CaS -saturated calmodulin. In the presence of CaS and under conditions where beta-endorphin and calmodulin were present at a molar ratio of 2.5:1, the amino groups of lysines 75 and 148 were significantly reduced in reactivity compared to calmodulin alone. At equimolar concentrations of peptides and proteins, essentially the same result was obtained except that the magnitudes of the perturbation of these two lysines were less pronounced. With trifluoperazine, at a molar ratio to calmodulin of 2.5:1, significant perturbations of lysines 75 and 148, as well as Lys 77, were also found. These results further substantiate previous observations of a commonality between phenothiazine and peptide binding sites on calmodulin. Lastly, an intriguing difference in CaS -mediated reactivities between lysines 75 and 77 of calmodulin is demonstrated. In the CaS -saturated form of the protein, both lysines are part of the long connecting helix between the two homologous halves of the protein.

  11. Induced effect of Ca2+ on dalesconols A and B biosynthesis in the culture of Daldinia eschscholzii via calcium/calmodulin signaling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Yanhua; Pan, Zhenghua; Tao, Jun; An, Faliang

    2018-02-01

    Dalesconols (dalesconols A and B) were isolated from Daldinia eschscholzii and have remarkable immunosuppressive activity. In this study, the response of fungal growth, intra- and extracellular Ca 2+ , and dalesconols production after CaCl 2 addition were reported for the first time. After supplementation with 5 mM Ca 2+ at 24 h, dalesconols production reached 84.33 mg/L, which resulted in a 1.57-fold enhancement compared to the control. The key role of calcium/calmodulin signaling in dalesconols biosynthesis was confirmed by treatment with Ca 2+ channel and calmodulin inhibitors. The transcriptional levels of dalesconols biosynthetic genes were up-regulated after CaCl 2 addition and down-regulated after inhibitors were added. The results demonstrated that Ca 2+ addition induces dalesconols biosynthesis through up-regulation of dalesconols biosynthesis genes via regulation of calcium/calmodulin signaling. This study provided an efficient strategy for improving dalesconols production and would facilitate further research on the biosynthesis and regulation of dalesconols. Copyright © 2017 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Synthesis, radiosynthesis and biological evaluation of 1, 4-dihydroquinoline derivatives as new carriers for specific brain delivery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Foucout, L.; Bohn, P.; Dupas, G.; Marsais, F.; Levacher, V.; Gourand, F.; Dhilly, M.; Barre, L.; Bohn, P.; Costentin, J.; Abbas, A.

    2009-01-01

    In spite of numerous reports dealing with the use of 1, 4-dihydro-pyridines as carriers to deliver biological active compounds to the brain, this chemical delivery system (CDS) suffers from poor stability of the 1, 4-dihydropyridine derivatives towards oxidation and hydration reactions seriously limiting further investigations in vivo. In an attempt to overcome these limitations, we report herein the first biological evaluation of more stable annellated NADH models in the quinoline series as relevant neuro-active drug-carrier candidates. The radiolabeled 1, 4-dihydroquinoline [ 11 C]1a was prepared to be subsequently peripherally injected in rats. The injected animals were sacrificed and brains were collected. The radioactivity measured in rat brain indicated a rapid penetration of the carrier [ 11 C]1a into the CNS. HPLC analysis of brain homogenates showed that oxidation of [ 11 C]1a into the corresponding quinolinium salt [ 11 C]4a was completed in less than 5 min. An in vivo evaluation in mice is also reported to illustrate the potential of such 1, 4-dihydroquinoline derivatives to transport a neuro-active drug in the CNS. For this purpose, g-aminobutyric acid (GABA), well known to poorly cross the brain blood barrier (BBB) was connected to this 1, 4-dihydroquinoline-type carrier. After i.p. injection of 1, 4-dihydroquinoline-GABA derivative 1b in mice, a significant alteration of locomotor activity (LMA) was observed presumably resulting from an enhancement of central GABAergic activity. These encouraging results give strong evidence for the capacity of carrier-GABA derivative 1b to cross the BBB and exert a pharmacological effect on the CNS. This study paves the way for further progress in designing new redox chemical delivery systems. (authors)

  13. Synthesis, radiosynthesis and biological evaluation of 1, 4-dihydroquinoline derivatives as new carriers for specific brain delivery

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Foucout, L.; Bohn, P.; Dupas, G.; Marsais, F.; Levacher, V. [Laboratoire de Chimie Organique Fine et Heterocyclique, UMR 6014, IRCOF, CNRS, Universite et INSA de Rouen, B.P. 08 F-76131, Mont- Saint-Aignan Cedex (France); Gourand, F.; Dhilly, M.; Barre, L. [Groupe de Developpements Methodologiques en Tomographie par Emission de Positons, CEA/DSV/I2BM/CI-NAPS UMR6232, Universite de Caen Basse Normandie, Caen (France); Bohn, P.; Costentin, J. [Laboratoire de Neuropharmacologie Experimentale associe au CNRS, FRE-2735, Faculte de Medecine et de pharmacie, Universite de Rouen, F-76000 (France); Abbas, A. [Inserm-EPHE-Universite de Caen Basse-Normandie, Unite U923, GIP Cyceron, CHU Cote de Nacre, Caen (France)

    2009-07-01

    In spite of numerous reports dealing with the use of 1, 4-dihydro-pyridines as carriers to deliver biological active compounds to the brain, this chemical delivery system (CDS) suffers from poor stability of the 1, 4-dihydropyridine derivatives towards oxidation and hydration reactions seriously limiting further investigations in vivo. In an attempt to overcome these limitations, we report herein the first biological evaluation of more stable annellated NADH models in the quinoline series as relevant neuro-active drug-carrier candidates. The radiolabeled 1, 4-dihydroquinoline [{sup 11}C]1a was prepared to be subsequently peripherally injected in rats. The injected animals were sacrificed and brains were collected. The radioactivity measured in rat brain indicated a rapid penetration of the carrier [{sup 11}C]1a into the CNS. HPLC analysis of brain homogenates showed that oxidation of [{sup 11}C]1a into the corresponding quinolinium salt [{sup 11}C]4a was completed in less than 5 min. An in vivo evaluation in mice is also reported to illustrate the potential of such 1, 4-dihydroquinoline derivatives to transport a neuro-active drug in the CNS. For this purpose, g-aminobutyric acid (GABA), well known to poorly cross the brain blood barrier (BBB) was connected to this 1, 4-dihydroquinoline-type carrier. After i.p. injection of 1, 4-dihydroquinoline-GABA derivative 1b in mice, a significant alteration of locomotor activity (LMA) was observed presumably resulting from an enhancement of central GABAergic activity. These encouraging results give strong evidence for the capacity of carrier-GABA derivative 1b to cross the BBB and exert a pharmacological effect on the CNS. This study paves the way for further progress in designing new redox chemical delivery systems. (authors)

  14. Serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor, glial-derived neurotrophic factor, nerve growth factor, and neurotrophin-3 levels in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bilgiç, Ayhan; Toker, Aysun; Işık, Ümit; Kılınç, İbrahim

    2017-03-01

    It has been suggested that neurotrophins are involved in the etiopathogenesis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This study aimed to investigate whether there are differences in serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), nerve growth factor (NGF), and neurotrophin-3 (NTF3) levels between children with ADHD and healthy controls. A total of 110 treatment-naive children with the combined presentation of ADHD and 44 healthy controls aged 8-18 years were enrolled in this study. The severity of ADHD symptoms was determined by scores on the Conners' Parent Rating Scale-Revised Short and Conners' Teacher Rating Scale-Revised Short. The severity of depression and anxiety symptoms of the children were evaluated by the self-report inventories. Serum levels of neurotrophins were measured using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. The multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) revealed a significant main effect of groups in the levels of serum neurotrophins, an effect that was independent of age, sex, and the severity of the depression and anxiety. The analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) indicated that the mean serum GDNF and NTF3 levels of ADHD patients were significantly higher than that of controls. However, serum BDNF and NGF levels did not show any significant differences between groups. No correlations between the levels of serum neurotrophins and the severity of ADHD were observed. These results suggest that elevated serum GDNF and NTF3 levels may be related to ADHD in children.

  15. Myeloperoxidase-derived oxidants induce blood-brain barrier dysfunction in vitro and in vivo.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andreas Üllen

    Full Text Available Peripheral leukocytes can exacerbate brain damage by release of cytotoxic mediators that disrupt blood-brain barrier (BBB function. One of the oxidants released by activated leukocytes is hypochlorous acid (HOCl formed via the myeloperoxidase (MPO-H2O2-Cl(- system. In the present study we examined the role of leukocyte activation, leukocyte-derived MPO and MPO-generated oxidants on BBB function in vitro and in vivo. In a mouse model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS-induced systemic inflammation, neutrophils that had become adherent released MPO into the cerebrovasculature. In vivo, LPS-induced BBB dysfunction was significantly lower in MPO-deficient mice as compared to wild-type littermates. Both, fMLP-activated leukocytes and the MPO-H2O2-Cl(- system inflicted barrier dysfunction of primary brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMVEC that was partially rescued with the MPO inhibitor 4-aminobenzoic acid hydrazide. BMVEC treatment with the MPO-H2O2-Cl(- system or activated neutrophils resulted in the formation of plasmalogen-derived chlorinated fatty aldehydes. 2-chlorohexadecanal (2-ClHDA severely compromised BMVEC barrier function and induced morphological alterations in tight and adherens junctions. In situ perfusion of rat brain with 2-ClHDA increased BBB permeability in vivo. 2-ClHDA potently activated the MAPK cascade at physiological concentrations. An ERK1/2 and JNK antagonist (PD098059 and SP600125, respectively protected against 2-ClHDA-induced barrier dysfunction in vitro. The current data provide evidence that interference with the MPO pathway could protect against BBB dysfunction under (neuroinflammatory conditions.

  16. Correlation Between Hedgehog (Hh) Protein Family and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Halepoto, Dost Muhammad; Bashir, Shahid; Zeina, Rana; Al-Ayadhi, Laila Y

    2015-12-01

    To determine the correlation of Sonic Hedgehog (SHH), Indian Hedgehog (IHH), and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). An observational, comparative study. Autism Research and Treatment Center, Al-Amodi Autism Research Chair, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from October 2011 to May 2012. Serum levels of SHH, IHH and BDNF were determined in recently diagnosed autistic patients and age-matched healthy children (n=25), using the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) was used for the assessment of autistic severity. Spearman correlation co-efficient 'r' was determined. The serum levels of IHH and SHH were significantly higher in autistic subjects than those of control subjects. There was significant correlation between age and IHH (r = 0.176, p = 0.03), BDNF and severe IHH (r = 0.1763, p = 0.003), and severe BDNF and severe SHH (r = 0.143, p autism.

  17. Childhood adversity is linked to differential brain volumes in adolescents with alcohol use disorder: a voxel-based morphometry study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brooks, Samantha J; Dalvie, Shareefa; Cuzen, Natalie L; Cardenas, Valerie; Fein, George; Stein, Dan J

    2014-06-01

    Previous neuroimaging studies link both alcohol use disorder (AUD) and early adversity to neurobiological differences in the adult brain. However, the association between AUD and childhood adversity and effects on the developing adolescent brain are less clear, due in part to the confound of psychiatric comorbidity. Here we examine early life adversity and its association with brain volume in a unique sample of 116 South African adolescents (aged 12-16) with AUD but without psychiatric comorbidity. Participants were 58 adolescents with DSM-IV alcohol dependence and with no other psychiatric comorbidities, and 58 age-, gender- and protocol-matched light/non-drinking controls (HC). Assessments included the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). MR images were acquired on a 3T Siemens Magnetom Allegra scanner. Volumes of global and regional structures were estimated using SPM8 Voxel Based Morphometry (VBM), with analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and regression analyses. In whole brain ANCOVA analyses, a main effect of group when examining the AUD effect after covarying out CTQ was observed on brain volume in bilateral superior temporal gyrus. Subsequent regression analyses to examine how childhood trauma scores are linked to brain volumes in the total cohort revealed a negative correlation in the left hippocampus and right precentral gyrus. Furthermore, bilateral (but most significantly left) hippocampal volume was negatively associated with sub-scores on the CTQ in the total cohort. These findings support our view that some alterations found in brain volumes in studies of adolescent AUD may reflect the impact of confounding factors such as psychiatric comorbidity rather than the effects of alcohol per se. In particular, early life adversity may influence the developing adolescent brain in specific brain regions, such as the hippocampus.

  18. NRIP is newly identified as a Z-disc protein, activating calmodulin signaling for skeletal muscle contraction and regeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Hsin-Hsiung; Chen, Wen-Pin; Yan, Wan-Lun; Huang, Yuan-Chun; Chang, Szu-Wei; Fu, Wen-Mei; Su, Ming-Jai; Yu, I-Shing; Tsai, Tzung-Chieh; Yan, Yu-Ting; Tsao, Yeou-Ping; Chen, Show-Li

    2015-11-15

    Nuclear receptor interaction protein (NRIP, also known as DCAF6 and IQWD1) is a Ca(2+)-dependent calmodulin-binding protein. In this study, we newly identify NRIP as a Z-disc protein in skeletal muscle. NRIP-knockout mice were generated and found to have reduced muscle strength, susceptibility to fatigue and impaired adaptive exercise performance. The mechanisms of NRIP-regulated muscle contraction depend on NRIP being downstream of Ca(2+) signaling, where it stimulates activation of both 'calcineurin-nuclear factor of activated T-cells, cytoplasmic 1' (CaN-NFATc1; also known as NFATC1) and calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) through interaction with calmodulin (CaM), resulting in the induction of mitochondrial activity and the expression of genes encoding the slow class of myosin, and in the regulation of Ca(2+) homeostasis through the internal Ca(2+) stores of the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Moreover, NRIP-knockout mice have a delayed regenerative capacity. The amount of NRIP can be enhanced after muscle injury and is responsible for muscle regeneration, which is associated with the increased expression of myogenin, desmin and embryonic myosin heavy chain during myogenesis, as well as for myotube formation. In conclusion, NRIP is a novel Z-disc protein that is important for skeletal muscle strength and regenerative capacity. © 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  19. Proteomic Analysis of Calcium- and Phosphorylation-dependentCalmodulin Complexes in Mammalian Cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jang, Deok-Jin; Wang, Daojing

    2006-05-26

    Protein conformational changes due to cofactor binding (e.g. metal ions, heme) and/or posttranslational modifications (e.g. phosphorylation) modulate dynamic protein complexes. Calmodulin (CaM) plays an essential role in regulating calcium (Ca{sup 2+}) signaling and homeostasis. No systematic approach on the identification of phosphorylation-dependent Ca{sup 2+}/CaM binding proteins has been published. Herein, we report a proteome-wide study of phosphorylation-dependent CaM binding proteins from mammalian cells. This method, termed 'Dynamic Phosphoprotein Complex Trapping', 'DPPC Trapping' for short, utilizes a combination of in vivo and in vitro assays. The basic strategy is to drastically shift the equilibrium towards endogenous phosphorylation of Ser, Thr, and Tyr at the global scale by inhibiting corresponding phosphatases in vivo. The phosphorylation-dependent calmodulin-binding proteins are then trapped in vitro in a Ca{sup 2+}-dependent manner by CaM-Sepharose chromatography. Finally, the isolated calmodulin-binding proteins are separated by SDS-PAGE and identified by LC/MS/MS. In parallel, the phosphorylation-dependent binding is visualized by silver staining and/or Western blotting. Using this method, we selectively identified over 120 CaM-associated proteins including many previously uncharacterized. We verified ubiquitin-protein ligase EDD1, inositol 1, 4, 5-triphosphate receptor type 1 (IP{sub 3}R1), and ATP-dependent RNA helicase DEAD box protein 3 (DDX3), as phosphorylation-dependent CaM binding proteins. To demonstrate the utilities of our method in understanding biological pathways, we showed that pSer/Thr of IP{sub 3}R1 in vivo by staurosporine-sensitive kinase(s), but not by PKA/PKG/PKC, significantly reduced the affinity of its Ca{sup 2+}-dependent CaM binding. However, pSer/Thr of IP{sub 3}R1 did not substantially affect its Ca{sup 2+}-independent CaM binding. We further showed that phosphatase PP1, but not PP2A or PP2B

  20. Astrocytic glycogen-derived lactate fuels the brain during exhaustive exercise to maintain endurance capacity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matsui, Takashi; Omuro, Hideki; Liu, Yu-Fan; Soya, Mariko; Shima, Takeru; McEwen, Bruce S; Soya, Hideaki

    2017-06-13

    Brain glycogen stored in astrocytes provides lactate as an energy source to neurons through monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) to maintain neuronal functions such as hippocampus-regulated memory formation. Although prolonged exhaustive exercise decreases brain glycogen, the role of this decrease and lactate transport in the exercising brain remains less clear. Because muscle glycogen fuels exercising muscles, we hypothesized that astrocytic glycogen plays an energetic role in the prolonged-exercising brain to maintain endurance capacity through lactate transport. To test this hypothesis, we used a rat model of exhaustive exercise and capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry-based metabolomics to observe comprehensive energetics of the brain (cortex and hippocampus) and muscle (plantaris). At exhaustion, muscle glycogen was depleted but brain glycogen was only decreased. The levels of MCT2, which takes up lactate in neurons, increased in the brain, as did muscle MCTs. Metabolomics revealed that brain, but not muscle, ATP was maintained with lactate and other glycogenolytic/glycolytic sources. Intracerebroventricular injection of the glycogen phosphorylase inhibitor 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino-d-arabinitol did not affect peripheral glycemic conditions but suppressed brain lactate production and decreased hippocampal ATP levels at exhaustion. An MCT2 inhibitor, α-cyano-4-hydroxy-cinnamate, triggered a similar response that resulted in lower endurance capacity. These findings provide direct evidence for the energetic role of astrocytic glycogen-derived lactate in the exhaustive-exercising brain, implicating the significance of brain glycogen level in endurance capacity. Glycogen-maintained ATP in the brain is a possible defense mechanism for neurons in the exhausted brain.

  1. Biochemical mechanisms of pallidal deep brain stimulation in X-linked dystonia parkinsonism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tronnier, V M; Domingo, A; Moll, C K; Rasche, D; Mohr, C; Rosales, R; Capetian, P; Jamora, R D; Lee, L V; Münchau, A; Diesta, C C; Tadic, V; Klein, C; Brüggemann, N; Moser, A

    2015-08-01

    Invasive techniques such as in-vivo microdialysis provide the opportunity to directly assess neurotransmitter levels in subcortical brain areas. Five male Filipino patients (mean age 42.4, range 34-52 years) with severe X-linked dystonia-parkinsonism underwent bilateral implantation of deep brain leads into the internal part of the globus pallidus (GPi). Intraoperative microdialysis and measurement of gamma aminobutyric acid and glutamate was performed in the GPi in three patients and globus pallidus externus (GPe) in two patients at baseline for 25/30 min and during 25/30 min of high-frequency GPi stimulation. While the gamma-aminobutyric acid concentration increased in the GPi during high frequency stimulation (231 ± 102% in comparison to baseline values), a decrease was observed in the GPe (22 ± 10%). Extracellular glutamate levels largely remained unchanged. Pallidal microdialysis is a promising intraoperative monitoring tool to better understand pathophysiological implications in movement disorders and therapeutic mechanisms of high frequency stimulation. The increased inhibitory tone of GPi neurons and the subsequent thalamic inhibition could be one of the key mechanisms of GPi deep brain stimulation in dystonia. Such a mechanism may explain how competing (dystonic) movements can be suppressed in GPi/thalamic circuits in favour of desired motor programs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Conditioned taste aversion and Ca/calmodulin-dependent kinase II in the parabrachial nucleus of rats

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Křivánek, Jiří

    2001-01-01

    Roč. 76, č. 1 (2001), s. 46-56 ISSN 1074-7427 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA7011706 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z5011922 Keywords : calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase II * conditioned taste aversion * parabrachial nucleus of rat Subject RIV: FH - Neurology Impact factor: 1.830, year: 2001

  3. Protecting Neural Structures and Cognitive Function During Prolonged Space Flight by Targeting the Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor Molecular Network

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmidt, M. A.; Goodwin, T. J.

    2014-01-01

    Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is the main activity-dependent neurotrophin in the human nervous system. BDNF is implicated in production of new neurons from dentate gyrus stem cells (hippocampal neurogenesis), synapse formation, sprouting of new axons, growth of new axons, sprouting of new dendrites, and neuron survival. Alterations in the amount or activity of BDNF can produce significant detrimental changes to cortical function and synaptic transmission in the human brain. This can result in glial and neuronal dysfunction, which may contribute to a range of clinical conditions, spanning a number of learning, behavioral, and neurological disorders. There is an extensive body of work surrounding the BDNF molecular network, including BDNF gene polymorphisms, methylated BDNF gene promoters, multiple gene transcripts, varied BDNF functional proteins, and different BDNF receptors (whose activation differentially drive the neuron to neurogenesis or apoptosis). BDNF is also closely linked to mitochondrial biogenesis through PGC-1alpha, which can influence brain and muscle metabolic efficiency. BDNF AS A HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT COUNTERMEASURE TARGET Earth-based studies reveal that BDNF is negatively impacted by many of the conditions encountered in the space environment, including oxidative stress, radiation, psychological stressors, sleep deprivation, and many others. A growing body of work suggests that the BDNF network is responsive to a range of diet, nutrition, exercise, drug, and other types of influences. This section explores the BDNF network in the context of 1) protecting the brain and nervous system in the space environment, 2) optimizing neurobehavioral performance in space, and 3) reducing the residual effects of space flight on the nervous system on return to Earth

  4. A Generic Topology Derivation Method for Single-phase Converters with Active Capacitive DC-links

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wang, Haoran; Wang, Huai; Zhu, Guorong

    2016-01-01

    capacitive DCDC- link solutions, but important aspects of the topology assess-ment, such as the total energy storage, overall capacitive energy buffer ratio, cost, and reliability are still not available. This paper proposes a generic topology derivation method of single-phase power converters...

  5. Mapping of brain lipid binding protein (Blbp) in the brain of adult zebrafish, co-expression with aromatase B and links with proliferation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diotel, Nicolas; Vaillant, Colette; Kah, Olivier; Pellegrini, Elisabeth

    2016-01-01

    Adult fish exhibit a strong neurogenic capacity due to the persistence of radial glial cells. In zebrafish, radial glial cells display well-established markers such as the estrogen-synthesizing enzyme (AroB) and the brain lipid binding protein (Blbp), which is known to strongly bind omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). While Blpb is mainly described in the telencephalon of adult zebrafish, its expression in the remaining regions of the brain is poorly documented. The present study was designed to further investigate Blbp expression in the brain, its co-expression with AroB, and its link with radial glial cells proliferation in zebrafish. We generated a complete and detailed mapping of Blbp expression in the whole brain and show its complete co-expression with AroB, except in some tectal and hypothalamic regions. By performing PCNA and Blbp immunohistochemistry on cyp19a1b-GFP (AroB-GFP) fish, we also demonstrated preferential Blbp expression in proliferative radial glial cells in almost all regions studied. To our knowledge, this is the first complete and detailed mapping of Blbp-expressing cells showing strong association between Blbp and radial glial cell proliferation in the adult brain of fish. Given that zebrafish is now recognized models for studying neurogenesis and brain repair, our data provide detailed characterization of Blbp in the entire brain and open up a broad field of research investigating the role of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in neural stem cell activity in fish. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Posttraumatic Propofol Neurotoxicity Is Mediated via the Pro-Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor-p75 Neurotrophin Receptor Pathway in Adult Mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sebastiani, Anne; Granold, Matthias; Ditter, Anja; Sebastiani, Philipp; Gölz, Christina; Pöttker, Bruno; Luh, Clara; Schaible, Eva-Verena; Radyushkin, Konstantin; Timaru-Kast, Ralph; Werner, Christian; Schäfer, Michael K; Engelhard, Kristin; Moosmann, Bernd; Thal, Serge C

    2016-02-01

    The gamma-aminobutyric acid modulator propofol induces neuronal cell death in healthy immature brains by unbalancing neurotrophin homeostasis via p75 neurotrophin receptor signaling. In adulthood, p75 neurotrophin receptor becomes down-regulated and propofol loses its neurotoxic effect. However, acute brain lesions, such as traumatic brain injury, reactivate developmental-like programs and increase p75 neurotrophin receptor expression, probably to foster reparative processes, which in turn could render the brain sensitive to propofol-mediated neurotoxicity. This study investigates the influence of delayed single-bolus propofol applications at the peak of p75 neurotrophin receptor expression after experimental traumatic brain injury in adult mice. Randomized laboratory animal study. University research laboratory. Adult C57BL/6N and nerve growth factor receptor-deficient mice. Sedation by IV propofol bolus application delayed after controlled cortical impact injury. Propofol sedation at 24 hours after traumatic brain injury increased lesion volume, enhanced calpain-induced αII-spectrin cleavage, and increased cell death in perilesional tissue. Thirty-day postinjury motor function determined by CatWalk (Noldus Information Technology, Wageningen, The Netherlands) gait analysis was significantly impaired in propofol-sedated animals. Propofol enhanced pro-brain-derived neurotrophic factor/brain-derived neurotrophic factor ratio, which aggravates p75 neurotrophin receptor-mediated cell death. Propofol toxicity was abolished both by pharmacologic inhibition of the cell death domain of the p75 neurotrophin receptor (TAT-Pep5) and in mice lacking the extracellular neurotrophin binding site of p75 neurotrophin receptor. This study provides first evidence that propofol sedation after acute brain lesions can have a deleterious impact and implicates a role for the pro-brain-derived neurotrophic factor-p75 neurotrophin receptor pathway. This observation is important as sedation

  7. Recombinant PrPSc shares structural features with brain-derived PrPSc: Insights from limited proteolysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sevillano, Alejandro M; Fernández-Borges, Natalia; Younas, Neelam; Wang, Fei; R Elezgarai, Saioa; Bravo, Susana; Vázquez-Fernández, Ester; Rosa, Isaac; Eraña, Hasier; Gil, David; Veiga, Sonia; Vidal, Enric; Erickson-Beltran, Melissa L; Guitián, Esteban; Silva, Christopher J; Nonno, Romolo; Ma, Jiyan; Castilla, Joaquín; R Requena, Jesús

    2018-01-01

    Very solid evidence suggests that the core of full length PrPSc is a 4-rung β-solenoid, and that individual PrPSc subunits stack to form amyloid fibers. We recently used limited proteolysis to map the β-strands and connecting loops that make up the PrPSc solenoid. Using high resolution SDS-PAGE followed by epitope analysis, and mass spectrometry, we identified positions ~116/118, 133-134, 141, 152-153, 162, 169 and 179 (murine numbering) as Proteinase K (PK) cleavage sites in PrPSc. Such sites likely define loops and/or borders of β-strands, helping us to predict the threading of the β-solenoid. We have now extended this approach to recombinant PrPSc (recPrPSc). The term recPrPSc refers to bona fide recombinant prions prepared by PMCA, exhibiting infectivity with attack rates of ~100%. Limited proteolysis of mouse and bank vole recPrPSc species yielded N-terminally truncated PK-resistant fragments similar to those seen in brain-derived PrPSc, albeit with varying relative yields. Along with these fragments, doubly N- and C-terminally truncated fragments, in particular ~89/97-152, were detected in some recPrPSc preparations; similar fragments are characteristic of atypical strains of brain-derived PrPSc. Our results suggest a shared architecture of recPrPSc and brain PrPSc prions. The observed differences, in particular the distinct yields of specific PK-resistant fragments, are likely due to differences in threading which result in the specific biochemical characteristics of recPrPSc. Furthermore, recombinant PrPSc offers exciting opportunities for structural studies unachievable with brain-derived PrPSc.

  8. Preservation of general intelligence following traumatic brain injury: contributions of the Met66 brain-derived neurotrophic factor.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aron K Barbey

    Full Text Available Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF promotes survival and synaptic plasticity in the human brain. The Val66Met polymorphism of the BDNF gene interferes with intracellular trafficking, packaging, and regulated secretion of this neurotrophin. The human prefrontal cortex (PFC shows lifelong neuroplastic adaption implicating the Val66Met BDNF polymorphism in the recovery of higher-order executive functions after traumatic brain injury (TBI. In this study, we examined the effect of this BDNF polymorphism on the preservation of general intelligence following TBI. We genotyped a sample of male Vietnam combat veterans (n = 156 consisting of a frontal lobe lesion group with focal penetrating head injuries for the Val66Met BDNF polymorphism. Val/Met did not differ from Val/Val genotypes in general cognitive ability before TBI. However, we found substantial average differences between these groups in general intelligence (≈ half a standard deviation or 8 IQ points, verbal comprehension (6 IQ points, perceptual organization (6 IQ points, working memory (8 IQ points, and processing speed (8 IQ points after TBI. These results support the conclusion that Val/Met genotypes preserve general cognitive functioning, whereas Val/Val genotypes are largely susceptible to TBI.

  9. The alexithymic brain: the neural pathways linking alexithymia to physical disorders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kano Michiko

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Alexithymia is a personality trait characterized by difficulties in identifying and describing feelings and is associated with psychiatric and psychosomatic disorders. The mechanisms underlying the link between emotional dysregulation and psychosomatic disorders are unclear. Recent progress in neuroimaging has provided important information regarding emotional experience in alexithymia. We have conducted three brain imaging studies on alexithymia, which we describe herein. This article considers the role of emotion in the development of physical symptoms and discusses a possible pathway that we have identified in our neuroimaging studies linking alexithymia with psychosomatic disorders. In terms of socio-affective processing, alexithymics demonstrate lower reactivity in brain regions associated with emotion. Many studies have reported reduced activation in limbic areas (e.g., cingulate cortex, anterior insula, amygdala and the prefrontal cortex when alexithymics attempt to feel other people’s feelings or retrieve their own emotional episodes, compared to nonalexithymics. With respect to primitive emotional reactions such as the response to pain, alexithymics show amplified activity in areas considered to be involved in physical sensation. In addition to greater hormonal arousal responses in alexithymics during visceral pain, increased activity has been reported in the insula, anterior cingulate cortex, and midbrain. Moreover, in complex social situations, alexithymics may not be able to use feelings to guide their behavior appropriately. The Iowa gambling task (IGT was developed to assess decision-making processes based on emotion-guided evaluation. When alexithymics perform the IGT, they fail to learn an advantageous decision-making strategy and show reduced activity in the medial prefrontal cortex, a key area for successful performance of the IGT, and increased activity in the caudate, a region associated with impulsive choice. The

  10. Therapeutic potential of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF and a small molecular mimics of BDNF for traumatic brain injury

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mary Wurzelmann

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Traumatic brain injury (TBI is a major health problem worldwide. Following primary mechanical insults, a cascade of secondary injuries often leads to further neural tissue loss. Thus far there is no cure to rescue the damaged neural tissue. Current therapeutic strategies primarily target the secondary injuries focusing on neuroprotection and neuroregeneration. The neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF has significant effect in both aspects, promoting neuronal survival, synaptic plasticity and neurogenesis. Recently, the flavonoid 7,8-dihydroxyflavone (7,8-DHF, a small TrkB agonist that mimics BDNF function, has shown similar effects as BDNF in promoting neuronal survival and regeneration following TBI. Compared to BDNF, 7,8-DHF has a longer half-life and much smaller molecular size, capable of penetrating the blood-brain barrier, which makes it possible for non-invasive clinical application. In this review, we summarize functions of the BDNF/TrkB signaling pathway and studies examining the potential of BDNF and 7,8-DHF as a therapy for TBI.

  11. Therapeutic potential of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and a small molecular mimics of BDNF for traumatic brain injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wurzelmann, Mary; Romeika, Jennifer; Sun, Dong

    2017-01-01

    Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major health problem worldwide. Following primary mechanical insults, a cascade of secondary injuries often leads to further neural tissue loss. Thus far there is no cure to rescue the damaged neural tissue. Current therapeutic strategies primarily target the secondary injuries focusing on neuroprotection and neuroregeneration. The neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has significant effect in both aspects, promoting neuronal survival, synaptic plasticity and neurogenesis. Recently, the flavonoid 7,8-dihydroxyflavone (7,8-DHF), a small TrkB agonist that mimics BDNF function, has shown similar effects as BDNF in promoting neuronal survival and regeneration following TBI. Compared to BDNF, 7,8-DHF has a longer half-life and much smaller molecular size, capable of penetrating the blood-brain barrier, which makes it possible for non-invasive clinical application. In this review, we summarize functions of the BDNF/TrkB signaling pathway and studies examining the potential of BDNF and 7,8-DHF as a therapy for TBI.

  12. Catalase activity is modulated by calcium and calmodulin in detached mature leaves of sweet potato.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Afiyanti, Mufidah; Chen, Hsien-Jung

    2014-01-15

    Catalase (CAT) functions as one of the key enzymes in the scavenging of reactive oxygen species and affects the H2O2 homeostasis in plants. In sweet potato, a major catalase isoform was detected, and total catalase activity showed the highest level in mature leaves (L3) compared to immature (L1) and completely yellow, senescent leaves (L5). The major catalase isoform as well as total enzymatic activity were strongly suppressed by ethylene glycol-bis(2-aminoethylether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA). This inhibition could be specifically and significantly mitigated in mature L3 leaves by exogenous CaCl2, but not MgCl2 or CoCl2. EGTA also inhibited the activity of the catalase isoform in vitro. Furthermore, chlorpromazine (CPZ), a calmodulin (CAM) inhibitor, drastically suppressed the major catalase isoform as well as total enzymatic activity, and this suppression was alleviated by exogenous sweet potato calmodulin (SPCAM) fusion protein in L3 leaves. CPZ also inhibited the activity of the catalase isoform in vitro. Protein blot hybridization showed that both anti-catalase SPCAT1 and anti-calmodulin SPCAM antibodies detect a band at the same position, which corresponds to the activity of the major catalase isoform from unboiled, but not boiled crude protein extract of L3 leaves. An inverse correlation between the major catalase isoform/total enzymatic activity and the H2O2 level was also observed. These data suggest that sweet potato CAT activity is modulated by CaCl2 and SPCAM, and plays an important role in H2O2 homeostasis in mature leaves. Association of SPCAM with the major CAT isoform is required and regulates the in-gel CAT activity band. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  13. Elevated levels of plasma brain derived neurotrophic factor in rapid cycling bipolar disorder patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Munkholm, Klaus; Pedersen, Bente Klarlund; Kessing, Lars Vedel

    2014-01-01

    Impaired neuroplasticity may be implicated in the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder, involving peripheral alterations of the neurotrophins brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neurotrophin 3 (NT-3). Evidence is limited by methodological issues and is based primarily on case-control desi......Impaired neuroplasticity may be implicated in the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder, involving peripheral alterations of the neurotrophins brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neurotrophin 3 (NT-3). Evidence is limited by methodological issues and is based primarily on case......-control designs. The aim of this study was to investigate whether BDNF and NT-3 levels differ between patients with rapid cycling bipolar disorder and healthy control subjects and whether BDNF and NT-3 levels alter with affective states in rapid cycling bipolar disorder patients. Plasma levels of BDNF and NT-3......, levels of BDNF were significantly elevated in bipolar disorder patients in euthymic- (pdifference in BDNF levels...

  14. Effect of shear stress on iPSC-derived human brain microvascular endothelial cells (dhBMECs).

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeStefano, Jackson G; Xu, Zinnia S; Williams, Ashley J; Yimam, Nahom; Searson, Peter C

    2017-08-04

    The endothelial cells that form the lumen of capillaries and microvessels are an important component of the blood-brain barrier. Cell phenotype is regulated by transducing a range of biomechanical and biochemical signals in the local microenvironment. Here we report on the role of shear stress in modulating the morphology, motility, proliferation, apoptosis, and protein and gene expression, of confluent monolayers of human brain microvascular endothelial cells derived from induced pluripotent stem cells. To assess the response of derived human brain microvascular endothelial cells (dhBMECs) to shear stress, confluent monolayers were formed in a microfluidic device. Monolayers were subjected to a shear stress of 4 or 12 dyne cm -2 for 40 h. Static conditions were used as the control. Live cell imaging was used to assess cell morphology, cell speed, persistence, and the rates of proliferation and apoptosis as a function of time. In addition, immunofluorescence imaging and protein and gene expression analysis of key markers of the blood-brain barrier were performed. Human brain microvascular endothelial cells exhibit a unique phenotype in response to shear stress compared to static conditions: (1) they do not elongate and align, (2) the rates of proliferation and apoptosis decrease significantly, (3) the mean displacement of individual cells within the monolayer over time is significantly decreased, (4) there is no cytoskeletal reorganization or formation of stress fibers within the cell, and (5) there is no change in expression levels of key blood-brain barrier markers. The characteristic response of dhBMECs to shear stress is significantly different from human and animal-derived endothelial cells from other tissues, suggesting that this unique phenotype that may be important in maintenance of the blood-brain barrier. The implications of this work are that: (1) in confluent monolayers of dhBMECs, tight junctions are formed under static conditions, (2) the formation

  15. Linking the fractional derivative and the Lomnitz creep law to non-Newtonian time-varying viscosity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pandey, Vikash; Holm, Sverre

    2016-09-01

    Many of the most interesting complex media are non-Newtonian and exhibit time-dependent behavior of thixotropy and rheopecty. They may also have temporal responses described by power laws. The material behavior is represented by the relaxation modulus and the creep compliance. On the one hand, it is shown that in the special case of a Maxwell model characterized by a linearly time-varying viscosity, the medium's relaxation modulus is a power law which is similar to that of a fractional derivative element often called a springpot. On the other hand, the creep compliance of the time-varying Maxwell model is identified as Lomnitz's logarithmic creep law, making this possibly its first direct derivation. In this way both fractional derivatives and Lomnitz's creep law are linked to time-varying viscosity. A mechanism which yields fractional viscoelasticity and logarithmic creep behavior has therefore been found. Further, as a result of this linking, the curve-fitting parameters involved in the fractional viscoelastic modeling, and the Lomnitz law gain physical interpretation.

  16. Calmodulin kinase II interacts with the dopamine transporter C terminus to regulate amphetamine-induced reverse transport

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fog, Jacob U; Khoshbouei, Habibeh; Holy, Marion

    2006-01-01

    Efflux of dopamine through the dopamine transporter (DAT) is critical for the psychostimulatory properties of amphetamines, but the underlying mechanism is unclear. Here we show that Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) plays a key role in this efflux. CaMKIIalpha bound to the d...

  17. Application of Tandem Two-Dimensional Mass Spectrometry for Top-Down Deep Sequencing of Calmodulin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Floris, Federico; Chiron, Lionel; Lynch, Alice M; Barrow, Mark P; Delsuc, Marc-André; O'Connor, Peter B

    2018-06-04

    Two-dimensional mass spectrometry (2DMS) involves simultaneous acquisition of the fragmentation patterns of all the analytes in a mixture by correlating their precursor and fragment ions by modulating precursor ions systematically through a fragmentation zone. Tandem two-dimensional mass spectrometry (MS/2DMS) unites the ultra-high accuracy of Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) MS/MS and the simultaneous data-independent fragmentation of 2DMS to achieve extensive inter-residue fragmentation of entire proteins. 2DMS was recently developed for top-down proteomics (TDP), and applied to the analysis of calmodulin (CaM), reporting a cleavage coverage of about ~23% using infrared multiphoton dissociation (IRMPD) as fragmentation technique. The goal of this work is to expand the utility of top-down protein analysis using MS/2DMS in order to extend the cleavage coverage in top-down proteomics further into the interior regions of the protein. In this case, using MS/2DMS, the cleavage coverage of CaM increased from ~23% to ~42%. Graphical Abstract Two-dimensional mass spectrometry, when applied to primary fragment ions from the source, allows deep-sequencing of the protein calmodulin.

  18. Targeting cell migration and the endoplasmic reticulum stress response with calmodulin antagonists: a clinically tested small molecule phenocopy of SEC62 gene silencing in human tumor cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Linxweiler, Maximilian; Greiner, Markus; Schorr, Stefan; Schäuble, Nico; Jung, Martin; Linxweiler, Johannes; Langer, Frank; Schäfers, Hans-Joachim; Cavalié, Adolfo; Zimmermann, Richard

    2013-01-01

    Tumor cells benefit from their ability to avoid apoptosis and invade other tissues. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane protein Sec62 is a key player in these processes. Sec62 is essential for cell migration and protects tumor cells against thapsigargin-induced ER stress, which are both linked to cytosolic Ca 2+ . SEC62 silencing leads to elevated cytosolic Ca 2+ and increased ER Ca 2+ leakage after thapsigargin treatment. Sec62 protein levels are significantly increased in different tumors, including prostate, lung and thyroid cancer. In lung cancer, the influence of Sec62 protein levels on patient survival was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. To elucidate the underlying pathophysiological functions of Sec62, Ca 2+ imaging techniques, real-time cell analysis and cell migration assays were performed. The effects of treatment with the calmodulin antagonists, trifluoperazine (TFP) and ophiobolin A, on cellular Ca 2+ homeostasis, cell growth and cell migration were compared with the effects of siRNA-mediated Sec62 depletion or the expression of a mutated SEC62 variant in vitro. Using Biacore analysis we examined the Ca 2+ -sensitive interaction of Sec62 with the Sec61 complex. Sec62 overproduction significantly correlated with reduced patient survival. Therefore, Sec62 is not only a predictive marker for this type of tumor, but also an interesting therapeutic target. The present study suggests a regulatory function for Sec62 in the major Ca 2+ leakage channel in the ER, Sec61, by a direct and Ca 2+ -sensitive interaction. A Ca 2+ -binding motif in Sec62 is essential for its molecular function. Treatment of cells with calmodulin antagonists mimicked Sec62 depletion by inhibiting cell migration and rendering the cells sensitive to thapsigargin treatment. Targeting tumors that overproduce Sec62 with calmodulin antagonists in combination with targeted thapsigargin analogues may offer novel personalized therapeutic options

  19. Nerve growth factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and the chronobiology of mood: a new insight into the "neurotrophic hypothesis"

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tirassa P

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Paola Tirassa,1 Adele Quartini,2 Angela Iannitelli2–4 1National Research Council (CNR, Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology (IBCN, 2Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine – "Sapienza" University of Rome, 3Italian Psychoanalytical Society (SPI, Rome, Italy; 4International Psychoanalytical Association (IPA, London, UKAbstract: The light information pathways and their relationship with the body rhythms have generated a new insight into the neurobiology and the neurobehavioral sciences, as well as into the clinical approaches to human diseases associated with disruption of circadian cycles. Light-based strategies and/or drugs acting on the circadian rhythms have widely been used in psychiatric patients characterized by mood-related disorders, but the timing and dosage use of the various treatments, although based on international guidelines, are mainly dependent on the psychiatric experiences. Further, many efforts have been made to identify biomarkers able to disclose the circadian-related aspect of diseases, and therefore serve as diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic tools in clinic to assess the different mood-related symptoms, including pain, fatigue, sleep disturbance, loss of interest or pleasure, appetite, psychomotor changes, and cognitive impairments. Among the endogenous factors suggested to be involved in mood regulation, the neurotrophins, nerve growth factor, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor show anatomical and functional link with the circadian system and mediate some of light-induced effects in brain. In addition, in humans, both nerve growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor have showed a daily rhythm, which correlate with the morningness–eveningness dimensions, and are influenced by light, suggesting their potential role as biomarkers for chronotypes and/or chronotherapy. The evidences of the relationship between the diverse mood-related disorders

  20. Frontal responses during learning predict vulnerability to the psychotogenic effects of ketamine : Linking cognition, brain activity, and psychosis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Corlett, Philip R.; Honey, Garry D.; Aitken, Michael R. F.; Dickinson, Anthony; Shanks, David R.; Absalom, Anthony R.; Lee, Michael; Pomarol-Clotet, Edith; Murray, Graham K.; McKenna, Peter J.; Robbins, Trevor W.; Bullmore, Edward T.; Fletcher, Paul C.

    Context: Establishing a neurobiological account of delusion formation that links cognitive processes, brain activity, and symptoms is important to furthering our understanding of psychosis. Objective: To explore a theoretical model of delusion formation that implicates prediction error - dependent

  1. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor exerts neuroprotective actions against amyloid β-induced apoptosis in neuroblastoma cells

    OpenAIRE

    KIM, JIN HEE

    2014-01-01

    Alzheimer’s disease (AD) brains demonstrate decreased levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and increased levels of β-amyloid peptide (Aβ), which is neurotoxic. The present study assessed the impact of BDNF on the toxic effects of Aβ25–35-induced apoptosis and the effects on BDNF-mediated signaling using the MTT assay, western blotting and reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Aβ25–35 was found to induce an apoptosis, dose-dependent effect on SH-SY5Y neuro...

  2. Optogenetically inspired deep brain stimulation: linking basic with clinical research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lüscher, Christian; Pollak, Pierre

    2016-01-01

    In the last decade, optogenetics has revolutionised the neurosciences. The technique, which allows for cell-type specific excitation and inhibition of neurons in the brain of freely moving rodents, has been used to tighten the links of causality between neural activity and behaviour. Optogenetics is also enabling an unprecedented characterisation of circuits and their dysfunction in a number of brain diseases, above all those conditions that are not caused by neurodegeneration. Notable progress has been made in addiction, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorders, as well as other anxiety disorders. By extension, the technique has also been used to propose blueprints for innovative rational treatment of these diseases. The goal is to design manipulations that disrupt pathological circuit function or restore normal activity. This can be achieved by targeting specific projections in order to apply specific stimulation protocols validated by ex-vivo analysis of the mechanisms underlying the dysfunction. In a number of cases, specific forms of pathological synaptic plasticity have been implicated. For example, addictive drugs via strong increase of dopamine trigger a myriad of alterations of glutamate and γ-aminobutyric acid transmission, also called drug-evoked synaptic plasticity. This opens the way to the design of optogenetic reversal protocols, which might restore normal transmission with the hope to abolish the pathological behaviour. Several proof of principle studies for this approach have recently been published. However, for many reasons, optogenetics will not be translatable to human applications in the near future. Here, we argue that an intermediate step is novel deep brain stimulation (DBS) protocols that emulate successful optogenetic approaches in animal models. We provide a roadmap for a translational path to rational, optogenetically inspired DBS protocols to refine existing approaches and expand to novel indications.

  3. Linking brain-wide multivoxel activation patterns to behaviour: Examples from language and math

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raizada, Rajeev D.S.; Tsao, Feng-Ming; Liu, Huei-Mei; Holloway, Ian D.; Ansari, Daniel; Kuhl, Patricia K.

    2010-01-01

    A key goal of cognitive neuroscience is to find simple and direct connections between brain and behaviour. However, fMRI analysis typically involves choices between many possible options, with each choice potentially biasing any brain–behaviour correlations that emerge. Standard methods of fMRI analysis assess each voxel individually, but then face the problem of selection bias when combining those voxels into a region-of-interest, or ROI. Multivariate pattern-based fMRI analysis methods use classifiers to analyse multiple voxels together, but can also introduce selection bias via data-reduction steps as feature selection of voxels, pre-selecting activated regions, or principal components analysis. We show here that strong brain–behaviour links can be revealed without any voxel selection or data reduction, using just plain linear regression as a classifier applied to the whole brain at once, i.e. treating each entire brain volume as a single multi-voxel pattern. The brain–behaviour correlations emerged despite the fact that the classifier was not provided with any information at all about subjects' behaviour, but instead was given only the neural data and its condition-labels. Surprisingly, more powerful classifiers such as a linear SVM and regularised logistic regression produce very similar results. We discuss some possible reasons why the very simple brain-wide linear regression model is able to find correlations with behaviour that are as strong as those obtained on the one hand from a specific ROI and on the other hand from more complex classifiers. In a manner which is unencumbered by arbitrary choices, our approach offers a method for investigating connections between brain and behaviour which is simple, rigorous and direct. PMID:20132896

  4. The Effect of 4 Weeks of Flaxseed Extract Supplementation on Serum Concentration of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and C-Reactive Protein

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hosein Nazari

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Background and Objective: Omega-3 Supplementation has different effects on the body. Terefore, this study was carried out with the aim of investigating the effect of 4 weeks of flaxseed extract supplementation on serum concentrations of Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF and C-reactive protein (CRP. Methods: In this double-blind study, 24 male students (mean age, 23.21±1.98 were randomly divided into two groups, including flaxseed extract (n=12 and placebo (n=12. After 4 weeks of supplementation with flaxseed extract, serum levels of BDNF and CRP was measured in fasting state. BDNF level was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA kit, and CRP level was measured using an immunoturbidimetric assay kit. Data were analyzed using t-test. The level of significance was set at p<0.05. Results: After four weeks of supplementation with flaxseed extract the mean serum level of BDNF significantly increased (p<0.001, but no significant change was observed in the serum level of CRP (p<0.591. Conclusion: It seems that supplementation with flaxseed extract through increasing BDNF level is useful for the improvement of cognitive and functional benefits of the brain.

  5. Cross-sectional associations of objectively measured physical activity with brain-derived neurotrophic factor in adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Tao; Gejl, Anne Kær; Tarp, Jakob; Andersen, Lars Bo; Peijs, Lone; Bugge, Anna

    2017-03-15

    The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between objectively measured physical activity and serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in adolescents. Cross-sectional analyses were performed using data from 415 adolescents who participated in the 2015 follow-up of the Childhood Health Activity and Motor Performance School Study Denmark (the CHAMPS-study DK). Physical activity was objectively measured by accelerometry monitors. Serum BDNF levels were analyzed using the Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Anthropometrics and pubertal status were measured using standardized procedures. With adjustment for age, pubertal status and body mass index, mean physical activity (counts per minute) was negatively associated with serum BDNF in boys (P=0.013). Similarly, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was negatively associated with serum BDNF in boys (P=0.035). In girls, mean physical activity and MVPA were not associated with serum BDNF. Without adjustment for wear time, sedentary time was not associated with serum BDNF in either sex. These findings indicate that higher physical activity is associated with lower serum BDNF in boys, but not in girls. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Pupil-linked arousal is driven by decision uncertainty and alters serial choice bias

    Science.gov (United States)

    Urai, Anne E.; Braun, Anke; Donner, Tobias H.

    2017-03-01

    While judging their sensory environments, decision-makers seem to use the uncertainty about their choices to guide adjustments of their subsequent behaviour. One possible source of these behavioural adjustments is arousal: decision uncertainty might drive the brain's arousal systems, which control global brain state and might thereby shape subsequent decision-making. Here, we measure pupil diameter, a proxy for central arousal state, in human observers performing a perceptual choice task of varying difficulty. Pupil dilation, after choice but before external feedback, reflects three hallmark signatures of decision uncertainty derived from a computational model. This increase in pupil-linked arousal boosts observers' tendency to alternate their choice on the subsequent trial. We conclude that decision uncertainty drives rapid changes in pupil-linked arousal state, which shape the serial correlation structure of ongoing choice behaviour.

  7. Astrocyte cultures derived from human brain tissue express angiotensinogen mRNA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Milsted, A.; Barna, B.P.; Ransohoff, R.M.; Brosnihan, K.B.; Ferrario, C.M.

    1990-01-01

    The authors have identified human cultured cell lines that are useful for studying angiotensinogen gene expression and its regulation in the central nervous system. A model cell system of human central nervous system origin expressing angiotensinogen has not previously been available. Expression of angiotensinogen mRNA appears to be a basal property of noninduced human astrocytes, since astrocytic cell lines derived from human glioblastomas or nonneoplastic human brain tissue invariably produced angiotensinogen mRNA. In situ hybridization histochemistry revealed that angiotensinogen mRNA production was not limited to a subpopulation of astrocytes because >99% of cells in these cultures contained angiotensinogen mRNA. These cell lines will be useful in studies of the molecular mechanisms controlling angiotensin synthesis and the role of biologically active angiotensin in the human brain by allowing the authors to examine regulation of expression of the renin-angiotensin system in human astrocyte cultures

  8. Amino acid linked bromobenzoyl thiourea derivatives: syntheses, characterization and antimicrobial activities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Raheel, A.; Din, I.U.; Badshah, A.; Rauf, M.K.; Andleeb, S.

    2016-01-01

    Five new bromobenzoyl thiourea derivatives (1-5) linked with different amino acids were synthesized via the reaction of bromobenzoyl chloride with potassium thiocyanide and the corresponding amines. The synthetic compounds were characterized by single crystal XRD, IR and NMR (/sup 1/H- and /sup 13/C-) spectroscopy in addition to elemental analysis and melting point determinations. These compounds were also preliminary analyzed for antifungal and antibacterial activity against different strains of fungi and bacteria, respectively. The data suggest that the compounds exhibited promising antimicrobial activity and may prove potential lead compounds as antimicrobial agent. (author)

  9. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor in human subjects with function-altering melanocortin-4 receptor variants

    Science.gov (United States)

    In rodents, hypothalamic brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression appears to be regulated by melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) activity. The impact of MC4R genetic variation on circulating BDNF in humans is unknown. The objective of this study is to compare BDNF concentrations of subjects wi...

  10. Deconstructing brain-derived neurotrophic factor actions in adult brain circuits to bridge an existing informational gap in neuro-cell biology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Heather Bowling

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF plays an important role in neurodevelopment, synaptic plasticity, learning and memory, and in preventing neurodegeneration. Despite decades of investigations into downstream signaling cascades and changes in cellular processes, the mechanisms of how BDNF reshapes circuits in vivo remain unclear. This informational gap partly arises from the fact that the bulk of studies into the molecular actions of BDNF have been performed in dissociated neuronal cultures, while the majority of studies on synaptic plasticity, learning and memory were performed in acute brain slices or in vivo. A recent study by Bowling-Bhattacharya et al., measured the proteomic changes in acute adult hippocampal slices following treatment and reported changes in proteins of neuronal and non-neuronal origin that may in concert modulate synaptic release and secretion in the slice. In this paper, we place these findings into the context of existing literature and discuss how they impact our understanding of how BDNF can reshape the brain.

  11. Pesticides and brain cancer linked in orchard farmers of Kashmir.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhat, Abdul Rashid; Wani, Muhammed Afzal; Kirmani, A R; Raina, T H

    2010-10-01

    -related patients. The significantcase/control odds ratio (OR) of 0.28, hospital control SCE OR of 1.1 and family control SCE OR of 1.5, points the finger of suspicion toward the link between pesticides and brain cancer.

  12. Food-Derived Hemorphins Cross Intestinal and Blood–Brain Barriers In Vitro

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dorothée Domenger

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available A qualitative study is presented, where the main question was whether food-derived hemorphins, i.e., originating from digested alimentary hemoglobin, could pass the intestinal barrier and/or the blood–brain barrier (BBB. Once absorbed, hemorphins are opioid receptor (OR ligands that may interact with peripheral and central OR and have effects on food intake and energy balance regulation. LLVV-YPWT (LLVV-H4, LVV-H4, VV-H4, VV-YPWTQRF (VV-H7, and VV-H7 hemorphins that were previously identified in the 120 min digest resulting from the simulated gastrointestinal digestion of hemoglobin have been synthesized to be tested in in vitro models of passage of IB and BBB. LC-MS/MS analyses yielded that all hemorphins, except the LLVV-H4 sequence, were able to cross intact the human intestinal epithelium model with Caco-2 cells within 5–60 min when applied at 5 mM. Moreover, all hemorphins crossed intact the human BBB model with brain-like endothelial cells (BLEC within 30 min when applied at 100 µM. Fragments of these hemorphins were also detected, especially the YPWT common tetrapeptide that retains OR-binding capacity. A cAMP assay performed in Caco-2 cells indicates that tested hemorphins behave as OR agonists in these cells by reducing cAMP production. We further provide preliminary results regarding the effects of hemorphins on tight junction proteins, specifically here the claudin-4 that is involved in paracellular permeability. All hemorphins at 100 µM, except the LLVV-H4 peptide, significantly decreased claudin-4 mRNA levels in the Caco-2 intestinal model. This in vitro study is a first step toward demonstrating food-derived hemorphins bioavailability which is in line with the growing body of evidence supporting physiological functions for food-derived peptides.

  13. Fasting and Systemic Insulin Signaling Regulate Phosphorylation of Brain Proteins That Modulate Cell Morphology and Link to Neurological Disorders*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Min; Quan, Chao; Toth, Rachel; Campbell, David G.; MacKintosh, Carol; Wang, Hong Yu; Chen, Shuai

    2015-01-01

    Diabetes is strongly associated with cognitive decline, but the molecular reasons are unknown. We found that fasting and peripheral insulin promote phosphorylation and dephosphorylation, respectively, of specific residues on brain proteins including cytoskeletal regulators such as slit-robo GTPase-activating protein 3 (srGAP3) and microtubule affinity-regulating protein kinases (MARKs), in which deficiency or dysregulation is linked to neurological disorders. Fasting activates protein kinase A (PKA) but not PKB/Akt signaling in the brain, and PKA can phosphorylate the purified srGAP3. The phosphorylation of srGAP3 and MARKs were increased when PKA signaling was activated in primary neurons. Knockdown of PKA decreased the phosphorylation of srGAP3. Furthermore, WAVE1, a protein kinase A-anchoring protein, formed a complex with srGAP3 and PKA in the brain of fasted mice to facilitate the phosphorylation of srGAP3 by PKA. Although brain cells have insulin receptors, our findings are inconsistent with the down-regulation of phosphorylation of target proteins being mediated by insulin signaling within the brain. Rather, our findings infer that systemic insulin, through a yet unknown mechanism, inhibits PKA or protein kinase(s) with similar specificity and/or activates an unknown phosphatase in the brain. Ser858 of srGAP3 was identified as a key regulatory residue in which phosphorylation by PKA enhanced the GAP activity of srGAP3 toward its substrate, Rac1, in cells, thereby inhibiting the action of this GTPase in cytoskeletal regulation. Our findings reveal novel mechanisms linking peripheral insulin sensitivity with cytoskeletal remodeling in neurons, which may help to explain the association of diabetes with neurological disorders such as Alzheimer disease. PMID:26499801

  14. Prediction of passive blood-brain partitioning: straightforward and effective classification models based on in silico derived physicochemical descriptors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vilar, Santiago; Chakrabarti, Mayukh; Costanzi, Stefano

    2010-06-01

    The distribution of compounds between blood and brain is a very important consideration for new candidate drug molecules. In this paper, we describe the derivation of two linear discriminant analysis (LDA) models for the prediction of passive blood-brain partitioning, expressed in terms of logBB values. The models are based on computationally derived physicochemical descriptors, namely the octanol/water partition coefficient (logP), the topological polar surface area (TPSA) and the total number of acidic and basic atoms, and were obtained using a homogeneous training set of 307 compounds, for all of which the published experimental logBB data had been determined in vivo. In particular, since molecules with logBB>0.3 cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) readily while molecules with logBB<-1 are poorly distributed to the brain, on the basis of these thresholds we derived two distinct models, both of which show a percentage of good classification of about 80%. Notably, the predictive power of our models was confirmed by the analysis of a large external dataset of compounds with reported activity on the central nervous system (CNS) or lack thereof. The calculation of straightforward physicochemical descriptors is the only requirement for the prediction of the logBB of novel compounds through our models, which can be conveniently applied in conjunction with drug design and virtual screenings. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  15. Novel Calmodulin (CALM2) Mutations Associated with Congenital Arrhythmia Susceptibility

    Science.gov (United States)

    Makita, Naomasa; Yagihara, Nobue; Crotti, Lia; Johnson, Christopher N.; Beckmann, Britt-Maria; Roh, Michelle S.; Shigemizu, Daichi; Lichtner, Peter; Ishikawa, Taisuke; Aiba, Takeshi; Homfray, Tessa; Behr, Elijah R.; Klug, Didier; Denjoy, Isabelle; Mastantuono, Elisa; Theisen, Daniel; Tsunoda, Tatsuhiko; Satake, Wataru; Toda, Tatsushi; Nakagawa, Hidewaki; Tsuji, Yukiomi; Tsuchiya, Takeshi; Yamamoto, Hirokazu; Miyamoto, Yoshihiro; Endo, Naoto; Kimura, Akinori; Ozaki, Kouichi; Motomura, Hideki; Suda, Kenji; Tanaka, Toshihiro; Schwartz, Peter J.; Meitinger, Thomas; Kääb, Stefan; Guicheney, Pascale; Shimizu, Wataru; Bhuiyan, Zahurul A.; Watanabe, Hiroshi; Chazin, Walter J.; George, Alfred L.

    2014-01-01

    Background Genetic predisposition to life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias such as in congenital long-QT syndrome (LQTS) and catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) represent treatable causes of sudden cardiac death in young adults and children. Recently, mutations in calmodulin (CALM1, CALM2) have been associated with severe forms of LQTS and CPVT, with life-threatening arrhythmias occurring very early in life. Additional mutation-positive cases are needed to discern genotype-phenotype correlations associated with calmodulin mutations. Methods and Results We employed conventional and next-generation sequencing approaches including exome analysis in genotype-negative LQTS probands. We identified five novel de novo missense mutations in CALM2 in three subjects with LQTS (p.N98S, p.N98I, p.D134H) and two subjects with clinical features of both LQTS and CPVT (p.D132E, p.Q136P). Age of onset of major symptoms (syncope or cardiac arrest) ranged from 1–9 years. Three of five probands had cardiac arrest and one of these subjects did not survive. Although all probands had LQTS, two subjects also exhibited electrocardiographic features consistent with CPVT. The clinical severity among subjects in this series was generally less than that originally reported for CALM1 and CALM2 associated with recurrent cardiac arrest during infancy. Four of five probands responded to β-blocker therapy whereas one subject with mutation p.Q136P died suddenly during exertion despite this treatment. Mutations affect conserved residues located within calcium binding loops III (p.N98S, p.N98I) or IV (p.D132E, p.D134H, p.Q136P) and caused reduced calcium binding affinity. Conclusions CALM2 mutations can be associated with LQTS and with overlapping features of LQTS and CPVT. PMID:24917665

  16. Effect of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) on sperm quality of normozoospermic men.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Safari, Hassan; Khanlarkhani, Neda; Sobhani, Aligholi; Najafi, Atefeh; Amidi, Fardin

    2017-07-05

    The neurotrophin family of proteins and their receptors act as important proliferative and pro-survival factors in differentiation of nerve cells and are thought to play key roles in the development of reproductive tissues and normal function of spermatozoa. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) on the sperm viability and motility, lipid peroxidation (LPO), mitochondrial activity and concentration of leptin, nitric oxide (NO) and insulin in normozoospermic men. Semen samples from 20 normozoospermic men were divided into three groups: (i) control, (ii) BDNF and (iii) BDNF + K252a. BDNF and K252a were added in the dose of 0.133 and 0.1 nM, respectively. Viability was assessed by eosin-nigrosin staining technique, and motility was observed by microscopy. NO concentration and mitochondrial activity were measured with flow cytometry, and LPO was analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. Results showed that exogenous BDNF at 0.133 nM could significantly (p < 0.05) influence viability, motility, NO concentration, mitochondrial activity and LPO content. Secretions of insulin and leptin by human sperm were increased in cells exposed to the exogenous BDNF, whereas viability, mitochondrial activity and insulin and leptin secretions were decreased in cells exposed to the K252.

  17. Structure of the CaMKIIdelta/calmodulin complex reveals the molecular mechanism of CaMKII kinase activation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peter Rellos

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available Long-term potentiation (LTP, a long-lasting enhancement in communication between neurons, is considered to be the major cellular mechanism underlying learning and memory. LTP triggers high-frequency calcium pulses that result in the activation of Calcium/Calmodulin (CaM-dependent kinase II (CaMKII. CaMKII acts as a molecular switch because it remains active for a long time after the return to basal calcium levels, which is a unique property required for CaMKII function. Here we describe the crystal structure of the human CaMKIIdelta/Ca2+/CaM complex, structures of all four human CaMKII catalytic domains in their autoinhibited states, as well as structures of human CaMKII oligomerization domains in their tetradecameric and physiological dodecameric states. All four autoinhibited human CaMKIIs were monomeric in the determined crystal structures but associated weakly in solution. In the CaMKIIdelta/Ca2+/CaM complex, the inhibitory region adopted an extended conformation and interacted with an adjacent catalytic domain positioning T287 into the active site of the interacting protomer. Comparisons with autoinhibited CaMKII structures showed that binding of calmodulin leads to the rearrangement of residues in the active site to a conformation suitable for ATP binding and to the closure of the binding groove for the autoinhibitory helix by helix alphaD. The structural data, together with biophysical interaction studies, reveals the mechanism of CaMKII activation by calmodulin and explains many of the unique regulatory properties of these two essential signaling molecules.This article can also be viewed as an enhanced version in which the text of the article is integrated with interactive 3-D representations and animated transitions. Please note that a web plugin is required to access this enhanced functionality. Instructions for the installation and use of the Web plugin are available in Text S1.

  18. Diurnal, seasonal, and interannual differences in the links of probabilities of derivation of different types Es with solar activity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petrukhin, Venedict F.; Poddubnaya, I. V.; Ponomarev, Evgenij A.; Sutyrin, Nicolaj A.

    2004-12-01

    The analysis of the ionospheric data on Irkutsk obtained from 1960 to 1996 was made. Was shown, that the link of probabilities of observation of the sporadic derivations in E-region of ionosphere with solar activity (SA) essentially depends on time of day, season and correlation between solar and geophysical parameters. For different types of sporadic derivations this link has different character and with a different image varies with current of time. It is necessary to mark, that the link of night sporadic derivations (Es such as "f") with solar activity in the summer very high and practically does not vary in time (r=-0.897-/+0.04). The temporary course of coefficients of correlation between solar activity and probability of observation of sporadic stratums (r) of a different type varies depending on the season. Further, for stratums of a type "cl" and "l" the change r happens within increase of SA. At the same time, there is an abnormal behavior of height so f sporadic stratums such as "cl". There is an impression that in a considered time frame there is competition of two factors. One of them - solar activity, which in the norm supports the negative correlation link with frequency of observation and second - a factor of an unknown nature, which has caused evocative anomaly of altitude, becomes dominant above natural negative link.

  19. Placental and cord blood brain derived neurotrophic factor levels are decreased in nondiabetic macrosomia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, Qian-Ying; Zhang, Heng-Xin; Wang, Chen-Chen; Sun, Hao; Sun, Shu-Qiang; Wang, Yu-Huan; Yan, Hong-Tao; Yang, Xin-Jun

    2017-08-01

    To measure levels of placental brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene expression and umbilical cord blood BDNF in neonates with nondiabetic macrosomia and determine associations between these levels and macrosomia. This case-control study included 58 nondiabetic macrosomic and 59 normal birth weight mother-infant pairs. Data were collected from interviews and our hospital's database. BDNF gene expression was quantified in placental tissues using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (n = 117). Umbilical cord blood BDNF levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (n = 90). Multivariate logistic regression models were used to evaluate associations between BDNF levels and macrosomia. Placental BDNF gene expression (P = 0.026) and cord blood BDNF (P = 0.008) were lower in neonates with nondiabetic macrosomia than in normal birth weight controls. Cord blood BDNF was significantly lower in vaginally delivered macrosomic neonates than vaginally delivered controls (P = 0.014), but cord BDNF did not differ between vaginal and cesarean section delivery modes in macrosomic neonates. Cord blood BDNF was positively associated with gestational age in control neonates (r = 0.496, P BDNF was positively associated with placental BDNF relative expression (r s  = 0.245, P = 0.02) in the total group. Higher cord blood BDNF levels were independently associated with protection against nondiabetic macrosomia (adjusted odds ratio 0.992; 95% confidence interval 0.986-0.998). Both placental BDNF gene expression and cord blood BDNF were downregulated in neonates with nondiabetic macrosomia compared with normal birth weight neonates. Cord BDNF may partly derive from BDNF secreted by the placenta. Higher cord plasma BDNF levels protected against nondiabetic macrosomia.

  20. Cortisol and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Levels Prior to Treatment in Children With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Şimşek, Şeref; Gençoğlan, Salih; Yüksel, Tuğba; Kaplan, İbrahim; Alaca, Rümeysa

    2016-07-01

    In this study, we investigated serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and cortisol levels between children with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) prior to treatment and healthy controls. In addition, the study aimed to assess any correlations between OCD symptom severity and BDNF, ACTH, and cortisol levels. Twenty-nine children, aged from 7 to 17 years (male/female: 21/8) and diagnosed with OCD according to DSM-IV prior to treatment, were compared with 25 healthy control subjects (male/female: 16/9). The study was conducted between December 2012 and December 2013. The Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia, Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL), Children's Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale, and Children's Depression Inventory (CDI) were administered to the children. BDNF, ACTH, and cortisol levels were detected using a prepared kit with the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. BDNF, ACTH, and cortisol levels in the OCD group were significantly higher when compared with the control group (P = .02, P = .03, and P = .046, respectively). No association was detected between the severity and duration of OCD symptoms and BDNF, ACTH, and cortisol levels. CDI scores in both groups were similar. The mean (SD) duration of OCD symptoms was 17.9 (18.5) months. Our findings suggest that BDNF levels adaptively increase as a result of the damaging effects of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis hyperactivity on brain tissue in the early stages of OCD. HPA axis abnormalities and BDNF may play a role in the pathogenesis of the disease. © Copyright 2016 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

  1. Resveratrol increases nitric oxide production in the rat thick ascending limb via Ca2+/calmodulin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonzalez-Vicente, Agustin; Cabral, Pablo D; Garvin, Jeffrey L

    2014-01-01

    The thick ascending limb of the loop of Henle reabsorbs 30% of the NaCl filtered through the glomerulus. Nitric oxide (NO) produced by NO synthase 3 (NOS3) inhibits NaCl absorption by this segment. Resveratrol, a polyphenol, has beneficial cardiovascular and renal effects, many of which are mediated by NO. Resveratrol increases intracellular Ca2+ (Cai) and AMP kinase (AMPK) and NAD-dependent deacetylase sirtuin1 (SIRT1) activities, all of which could activate NO production. We hypothesized that resveratrol stimulates NO production by thick ascending limbs via a Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent mechanism. To test this, the effect of resveratrol on NO bioavailability was measured in thick ascending limb suspensions. Cai was measured in single perfused thick ascending limbs. SIRT1 activity and expression were measured in thick ascending limb lysates. Resveratrol (100 µM) increased NO bioavailability in thick ascending limb suspensions by 1.3±0.2 AFU/mg/min (pthick ascending limbs via a Ca2+/calmodulin dependent mechanism, and SIRT1 and AMPK do not participate. Resveratrol-stimulated NO production in thick ascending limbs may account for part of its beneficial effects.

  2. Arteriolosclerosis that affects multiple brain regions is linked to hippocampal sclerosis of ageing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neltner, Janna H.; Abner, Erin L.; Baker, Steven; Schmitt, Frederick A.; Kryscio, Richard J.; Jicha, Gregory A.; Smith, Charles D.; Hammack, Eleanor; Kukull, Walter A.; Brenowitz, Willa D.; Van Eldik, Linda J.

    2014-01-01

    Hippocampal sclerosis of ageing is a prevalent brain disease that afflicts older persons and has been linked with cerebrovascular pathology. Arteriolosclerosis is a subtype of cerebrovascular pathology characterized by concentrically thickened arterioles. Here we report data from multiple large autopsy series (University of Kentucky Alzheimer’s Disease Centre, Nun Study, and National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Centre) showing a specific association between hippocampal sclerosis of ageing pathology and arteriolosclerosis. The present analyses incorporate 226 cases of autopsy-proven hippocampal sclerosis of ageing and 1792 controls. Case–control comparisons were performed including digital pathological assessments for detailed analyses of blood vessel morphology. We found no evidence of associations between hippocampal sclerosis of ageing pathology and lacunar infarcts, large infarcts, Circle of Willis atherosclerosis, or cerebral amyloid angiopathy. Individuals with hippocampal sclerosis of ageing pathology did not show increased rates of clinically documented hypertension, diabetes, or other cardiac risk factors. The correlation between arteriolosclerosis and hippocampal sclerosis of ageing pathology was strong in multiple brain regions outside of the hippocampus. For example, the presence of arteriolosclerosis in the frontal cortex (Brodmann area 9) was strongly associated with hippocampal sclerosis of ageing pathology (P ageing (n = 15) and control (n = 42) cases. Following technical studies to optimize immunostaining methods for small blood vessel visualization, our analyses focused on sections immunostained for smooth muscle actin (a marker of arterioles) and CD34 (an endothelial marker), with separate analyses on grey and white matter. A total of 43 834 smooth muscle actin-positive vascular profiles and 603 798 CD34-positive vascular profiles were evaluated. In frontal cortex of cases with hippocampal sclerosis of ageing, smooth muscle actin

  3. Expression, purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of calmodulin in complex with the regulatory domain of the plasma-membrane Ca2+-ATPase ACA8

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tidow, Henning; Hein, Kim L.; Baekgaard, Lone; Palmgren, Michael G.; Nissen, Poul

    2010-01-01

    Plant plasma-membrane Ca 2+ -ATPase is regulated via binding of calmodulin to its autoinhibitory N-terminal domain. In this study, the expression, purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of this protein complex from A. thaliana are reported. Plasma-membrane Ca 2+ -ATPases (PMCAs) are calcium pumps that expel Ca 2+ from eukaryotic cells to maintain overall Ca 2+ homoeostasis and to provide local control of intracellular Ca 2+ signalling. They are of major physiological importance, with different isoforms being essential, for example, for presynaptic and postsynaptic Ca 2+ regulation in neurons, feedback signalling in the heart and sperm motility. In the resting state, PMCAs are autoinhibited by binding of their C-terminal (in mammals) or N-terminal (in plants) tail to two major intracellular loops. Activation requires the binding of calcium-bound calmodulin (Ca 2+ -CaM) to this tail and a conformational change that displaces the autoinhibitory tail from the catalytic domain. The complex between calmodulin and the regulatory domain of the plasma-membrane Ca 2+ -ATPase ACA8 from Arabidopsis thaliana has been crystallized. The crystals belonged to space group C2, with unit-cell parameters a = 176.8, b = 70.0, c = 69.8 Å, β = 113.2°. A complete data set was collected to 3.0 Å resolution and structure determination is in progress in order to elucidate the mechanism of PMCA activation by calmodulin

  4. Effect of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) on hepatocyte metabolism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Genzer, Yoni; Chapnik, Nava; Froy, Oren

    2017-07-01

    Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays crucial roles in the development, maintenance, plasticity and homeostasis of the central and peripheral nervous systems. Perturbing BDNF signaling in mouse brain results in hyperphagia, obesity, hyperinsulinemia and hyperglycemia. Currently, little is known whether BDNF affects liver tissue directly. Our aim was to determine the metabolic signaling pathways activated after BDNF treatment in hepatocytes. Unlike its effect in the brain, BDNF did not lead to activation of the liver AKT pathway. However, AMP protein activated kinase (AMPK) was ∼3 times more active and fatty acid synthase (FAS) ∼2-fold less active, suggesting increased fatty acid oxidation and reduced fatty acid synthesis. In addition, cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) was ∼3.5-fold less active together with its output the gluconeogenic transcript phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (Pepck), suggesting reduced gluconeogenesis. The levels of glycogen synthase kinase 3b (GSK3b) was ∼3-fold higher suggesting increased glycogen synthesis. In parallel, the expression levels of the clock genes Bmal1 and Cry1, whose protein products play also a metabolic role, were ∼2-fold increased and decreased, respectively. In conclusion, BDNF binding to hepatocytes leads to activation of catabolic pathways, such as fatty acid oxidation. In parallel gluconeogenesis is inhibited, while glycogen storage is triggered. This metabolic state mimics that of after breakfast, in which the liver continues to oxidize fat, stops gluconeogenesis and replenishes glycogen stores. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Decreased levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the remitted state of unipolar depressive disorder

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hasselbalch, Jacob; Knorr, U; Bennike, B

    2012-01-01

    Decreased levels of peripheral brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) have been associated with depression. It is uncertain whether abnormally low levels of BDNF in blood are present beyond the depressive state and whether levels of BDNF are associated with the course of clinical illness....

  6. BDNF polymorphisms are linked to poorer working memory performance, reduced cerebellar and hippocampal volumes and differences in prefrontal cortex in a Swedish elderly population.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Samantha J Brooks

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF links learning, memory and cognitive decline in elderly, but evidence linking BDNF allele variation, cognition and brain structural differences is lacking. METHODS: 367 elderly Swedish men (n = 181 and women (n = 186 from Prospective Investigation of the Vasculature in Uppsala seniors (PIVUS were genotyped and the BDNF functional rs6265 SNP was further examined in subjects who completed the Trail Making Task (TMT, verbal fluency task, and had a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI scan. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM examined brain structure, cognition and links with BDNF. RESULTS: The functional BDNF SNP (rs6265, predicted better working memory performance on the TMT with positive association of the Met rs6265, and was linked with greater cerebellar, precuneus, left superior frontal gyrus and bilateral hippocampal volume, and reduced brainstem and bilateral posterior cingulate volumes. CONCLUSIONS: The functional BDNF polymorphism influences brain volume in regions associated with memory and regulation of sensorimotor control, with the Met rs6265 allele potentially being more beneficial to these functions in the elderly.

  7. A stable and reproducible human blood-brain barrier model derived from hematopoietic stem cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Romeo Cecchelli

    Full Text Available The human blood brain barrier (BBB is a selective barrier formed by human brain endothelial cells (hBECs, which is important to ensure adequate neuronal function and protect the central nervous system (CNS from disease. The development of human in vitro BBB models is thus of utmost importance for drug discovery programs related to CNS diseases. Here, we describe a method to generate a human BBB model using cord blood-derived hematopoietic stem cells. The cells were initially differentiated into ECs followed by the induction of BBB properties by co-culture with pericytes. The brain-like endothelial cells (BLECs express tight junctions and transporters typically observed in brain endothelium and maintain expression of most in vivo BBB properties for at least 20 days. The model is very reproducible since it can be generated from stem cells isolated from different donors and in different laboratories, and could be used to predict CNS distribution of compounds in human. Finally, we provide evidence that Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway mediates in part the BBB inductive properties of pericytes.

  8. Genome instability: Linking ageing and brain degeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barzilai, Ari; Schumacher, Björn; Shiloh, Yosef

    2017-01-01

    Ageing is a multifactorial process affected by cumulative physiological changes resulting from stochastic processes combined with genetic factors, which together alter metabolic homeostasis. Genetic variation in maintenance of genome stability is emerging as an important determinant of ageing pace. Genome instability is also closely associated with a broad spectrum of conditions involving brain degeneration. Similarities and differences can be found between ageing-associated decline of brain functionality and the detrimental effect of genome instability on brain functionality and development. This review discusses these similarities and differences and highlights cell classes whose role in these processes might have been underestimated-glia and microglia. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  9. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor, impaired glucose metabolism, and bipolar disorder course

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mansur, Rodrigo B; Santos, Camila M; Rizzo, Lucas B

    2016-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: The neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been proposed as a potential biomarker in bipolar disorder (BD). However, current evidence is limited and results have been highly heterogeneous. This study aimed to assess the moderating effect of impaired glucose metabolism......, alcohol use, and IGM (P=.046). There was no effect of IGM (P=.860) and no interaction between BD diagnosis and IGM (P=.893). Peripheral BDNF levels were positively correlated with lifetime depressive episodes (Psuicide attempts (P=.021). IGM moderated...... the association between BDNF and the number of previous mood episodes (P

  10. Fasting and Systemic Insulin Signaling Regulate Phosphorylation of Brain Proteins That Modulate Cell Morphology and Link to Neurological Disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Min; Quan, Chao; Toth, Rachel; Campbell, David G; MacKintosh, Carol; Wang, Hong Yu; Chen, Shuai

    2015-12-11

    Diabetes is strongly associated with cognitive decline, but the molecular reasons are unknown. We found that fasting and peripheral insulin promote phosphorylation and dephosphorylation, respectively, of specific residues on brain proteins including cytoskeletal regulators such as slit-robo GTPase-activating protein 3 (srGAP3) and microtubule affinity-regulating protein kinases (MARKs), in which deficiency or dysregulation is linked to neurological disorders. Fasting activates protein kinase A (PKA) but not PKB/Akt signaling in the brain, and PKA can phosphorylate the purified srGAP3. The phosphorylation of srGAP3 and MARKs were increased when PKA signaling was activated in primary neurons. Knockdown of PKA decreased the phosphorylation of srGAP3. Furthermore, WAVE1, a protein kinase A-anchoring protein, formed a complex with srGAP3 and PKA in the brain of fasted mice to facilitate the phosphorylation of srGAP3 by PKA. Although brain cells have insulin receptors, our findings are inconsistent with the down-regulation of phosphorylation of target proteins being mediated by insulin signaling within the brain. Rather, our findings infer that systemic insulin, through a yet unknown mechanism, inhibits PKA or protein kinase(s) with similar specificity and/or activates an unknown phosphatase in the brain. Ser(858) of srGAP3 was identified as a key regulatory residue in which phosphorylation by PKA enhanced the GAP activity of srGAP3 toward its substrate, Rac1, in cells, thereby inhibiting the action of this GTPase in cytoskeletal regulation. Our findings reveal novel mechanisms linking peripheral insulin sensitivity with cytoskeletal remodeling in neurons, which may help to explain the association of diabetes with neurological disorders such as Alzheimer disease. © 2015 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  11. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the ventral midbrain-nucleus accumbens pathway: A role in depression

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Eisch, A.J.; Bolanos, C.A.; de Wit, J.; Simonak, R.D.; Pudiak, C.M.; Barrot, M.; Verhaagen, J.; Nestler, E.J.

    2003-01-01

    Background: Previous work has shown that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its receptor, tyrosine kinase receptor B (TrkB), are involved in appetitive behavior. Here we show that BDNF in the ventral tegmental area-nucleus accumbens (VTA-NAc) pathway is also involved in the development of

  12. Vitamin D, effects on brain development, adult brain function and the links between low levels of vitamin D and neuropsychiatric disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eyles, Darryl W; Burne, Thomas H J; McGrath, John J

    2013-01-01

    Increasingly vitamin D deficiency is being associated with a number of psychiatric conditions. In particular for disorders with a developmental basis, such as autistic spectrum disorder and schizophrenia the neurobiological plausibility of this association is strengthened by the preclinical data indicating vitamin D deficiency in early life affects neuronal differentiation, axonal connectivity, dopamine ontogeny and brain structure and function. More recently epidemiological associations have been made between low vitamin D and psychiatric disorders not typically associated with abnormalities in brain development such as depression and Alzheimer's disease. Once again the preclinical findings revealing that vitamin D can regulate catecholamine levels and protect against specific Alzheimer-like pathology increase the plausibility of this link. In this review we have attempted to integrate this clinical epidemiology with potential vitamin D-mediated basic mechanisms. Throughout the review we have highlighted areas where we think future research should focus. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. CHARACTERIZATION OF TIGHTLY-ASSOCIATED SMOOTH MUSCLE MYOSIN-MYOSIN LIGHT CHAIN KINASE-CALMODULIN COMPLEXES*

    OpenAIRE

    Hong, Feng; Haldeman, Brian D.; John, Olivia A.; Brewer, Paul D.; Wu, Yi-Ying; Ni, Shaowei; Wilson, David P.; Walsh, Michael P.; Baker, Jonathan E.; Cremo, Christine R.

    2009-01-01

    A current popular model to explain phosphorylation of smooth muscle myosin (SMM) by smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) proposes that MLCK is bound tightly to actin but weakly to SMM. We found that MLCK and calmodulin (CaM) co-purify with unphosphorylated SMM (up-SMM) from chicken gizzard, suggesting that they are tightly bound. Although the MLCK:SMM molar ratio in SMM preparations was well below stoichiometric (1:73 ± 9), the ratio was ~ 23–37% of that in gizzard tissue. Fifteen t...

  14. Linked alterations in gray and white matter morphology in adults with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder: A multimodal brain imaging study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Takashi Itahashi

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Growing evidence suggests that a broad range of behavioral anomalies in people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD can be linked with morphological and functional alterations in the brain. However, the neuroanatomical underpinnings of ASD have been investigated using either structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI or diffusion tensor imaging (DTI, and the relationships between abnormalities revealed by these two modalities remain unclear. This study applied a multimodal data-fusion method, known as linked independent component analysis (ICA, to a set of structural MRI and DTI data acquired from 46 adult males with ASD and 46 matched controls in order to elucidate associations between different aspects of atypical neuroanatomy of ASD. Linked ICA identified two composite components that showed significant between-group differences, one of which was significantly correlated with age. In the other component, participants with ASD showed decreased gray matter (GM volumes in multiple regions, including the bilateral fusiform gyri, bilateral orbitofrontal cortices, and bilateral pre- and post-central gyri. These GM changes were linked with a pattern of decreased fractional anisotropy (FA in several white matter tracts, such as the bilateral inferior longitudinal fasciculi, bilateral inferior fronto-occipital fasciculi, and bilateral corticospinal tracts. Furthermore, unimodal analysis for DTI data revealed significant reductions of FA along with increased mean diffusivity in those tracts for ASD, providing further evidence of disrupted anatomical connectivity. Taken together, our findings suggest that, in ASD, alterations in different aspects of brain morphology may co-occur in specific brain networks, providing a comprehensive view for understanding the neuroanatomy of this disorder.

  15. New isatin derivative inhibits neurodegeneration by restoring insulin signaling in brain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aftab, Meha Fatima; Afridi, Shabbir Khan; Mughal, Uzma Rasool; Karim, Aneela; Haleem, Darakhshan Jabeen; Kabir, Nurul; Khan, Khalid M; Hafizur, Rahman M; Waraich, Rizwana S

    2017-04-01

    Diabetes is associated with neurodegeneration. Glycation ensues in diabetes and glycated proteins cause insulin resistance in brain resulting in amyloid plaques and NFTs. Also glycation enhances gliosis by promoting neuroinflammation. Currently there is no therapy available to target neurodegenration in brain therefore, development of new therapy that offers neuroprotection is critical. The objective of this study was to evaluate mechanistic effect of isatin derivative URM-II-81, an anti-glycation agent for improvement of insulin action in brain and inhibition of neurodegenration. Methylglyoxal induced stress was inhibited by treatment with URM-II-81. Also, Ser473 and Ser9 phosphorylation of Akt and GSK-3β respectively were restored by URM-II-81. Effect of URM-II-81 on axonal integrity was studied by differentiating Neuro2A using retinoic acid. URM-II-81 restored axonal length in MGO treated cells. Its effects were also studied in high fat and low dose streptozotocin induced diabetic mice where it reduced RBG levels and inhibited glycative stress by reducing HbA1c. URM-II-81 treatment also showed inhibition of gliosis in hippocampus. Histological analysis showed reduced NFTs in CA3 hippocampal region and restoration of insulin signaling in hippocampii of diabetic mice. Our findings suggest that URM-II-81 can be developed as a new therapeutic agent for treatment of neurodegenration. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Data for the co-expression and purification of human recombinant CaMKK2 in complex with calmodulin in Escherichia coli

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lisa Gerner

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase kinase 2 (CaMKK2 has been implicated in a range of conditions and pathologies from prostate to hepatic cancer. Here, we describe the expression in Escherichia coli and the purification protocol for the following constructs: full-length CaMKK2 in complex with CaM, CaMKK2 ‘apo’, CaMKK2 (165-501 in complex with CaM, and the CaMKK2 F267G mutant. The protocols described have been optimized for maximum yield and purity with minimal purification steps required and the proteins subsequently used to develop a fluorescence-based assay for drug binding to the kinase, “Using the fluorescent properties of STO-609 as a tool to assist structure-function analyses of recombinant CaMKK2” [1]. Keywords: CaMKK2, Calmodulin, Fermentation

  17. Characterization of a calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase homolog from maize roots showing light-regulated gravitropism

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Y. T.; Hidaka, H.; Feldman, L. J.

    1996-01-01

    Roots of many species respond to gravity (gravitropism) and grow downward only if illuminated. This light-regulated root gravitropism is phytochrome-dependent, mediated by calcium, and inhibited by KN-93, a specific inhibitor of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMK II). A cDNA encoding MCK1, a maize homolog of mammalian CaMK, has been isolated from roots of maize (Zea mays L.). The MCK1 gene is expressed in root tips, the site of perception for both light and gravity. Using the [35S]CaM gel-overlay assay we showed that calmodulin-binding activity of the MCK1 is abolished by 50 microM KN-93, but binding is not affected by 5 microM KN-93, paralleling physiological findings that light-regulated root gravitropism is inhibited by 50 microM KN-93, but not by 5 microM KN-93. KN-93 inhibits light-regulated gravitropism by interrupting transduction of the light signal, not light perception, suggesting that MCK1 may play a role in transducing light. This is the first report suggesting a physiological function for a CaMK homolog in light signal transduction.

  18. Chronic depression is associated with a pronounced decrease in serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor over time

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bus, B.A.A.; Molendijk, M.L.; Tendolkar, I.; Penninx, B.W.J.H.; Prickaerts, J.; Elzinga, B.M.; Voshaar, R.C.O.

    2015-01-01

    One of the leading neurobiological hypotheses on depression states that decreased expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) contributes to depression. This is supported by consistent findings of low serum BDNF levels in depressed patients compared with non-depressed controls. Whereas it

  19. Mechanisms of gender-linked ischemic brain injury

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Mingyue; Dziennis, Suzan; Hurn, Patricia D.; Alkayed, Nabil J.

    2010-01-01

    Biological sex is an important determinant of stroke risk and outcome. Women are protected from cerebrovascular disease relative to men, an observation commonly attributed to the protective effect of female sex hormones, estrogen and progesterone. However, sex differences in brain injury persist well beyond the menopause and can be found in the pediatric population, suggesting that the effects of reproductive steroids may not completely explain sexual dimorphism in stroke. We review recent advances in our understanding of sex steroids (estradiol, progesterone and testosterone) in the context of ischemic cell death and neuroprotection. Understanding the molecular and cell-based mechanisms underlying sex differences in ischemic brain injury will lead to a better understanding of basic mechanisms of brain cell death and is an important step toward designing more effective therapeutic interventions in stroke. PMID:19531872

  20. Arteriolosclerosis that affects multiple brain regions is linked to hippocampal sclerosis of ageing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neltner, Janna H; Abner, Erin L; Baker, Steven; Schmitt, Frederick A; Kryscio, Richard J; Jicha, Gregory A; Smith, Charles D; Hammack, Eleanor; Kukull, Walter A; Brenowitz, Willa D; Van Eldik, Linda J; Nelson, Peter T

    2014-01-01

    Hippocampal sclerosis of ageing is a prevalent brain disease that afflicts older persons and has been linked with cerebrovascular pathology. Arteriolosclerosis is a subtype of cerebrovascular pathology characterized by concentrically thickened arterioles. Here we report data from multiple large autopsy series (University of Kentucky Alzheimer's Disease Centre, Nun Study, and National Alzheimer's Coordinating Centre) showing a specific association between hippocampal sclerosis of ageing pathology and arteriolosclerosis. The present analyses incorporate 226 cases of autopsy-proven hippocampal sclerosis of ageing and 1792 controls. Case-control comparisons were performed including digital pathological assessments for detailed analyses of blood vessel morphology. We found no evidence of associations between hippocampal sclerosis of ageing pathology and lacunar infarcts, large infarcts, Circle of Willis atherosclerosis, or cerebral amyloid angiopathy. Individuals with hippocampal sclerosis of ageing pathology did not show increased rates of clinically documented hypertension, diabetes, or other cardiac risk factors. The correlation between arteriolosclerosis and hippocampal sclerosis of ageing pathology was strong in multiple brain regions outside of the hippocampus. For example, the presence of arteriolosclerosis in the frontal cortex (Brodmann area 9) was strongly associated with hippocampal sclerosis of ageing pathology (P studies to optimize immunostaining methods for small blood vessel visualization, our analyses focused on sections immunostained for smooth muscle actin (a marker of arterioles) and CD34 (an endothelial marker), with separate analyses on grey and white matter. A total of 43 834 smooth muscle actin-positive vascular profiles and 603 798 CD34-positive vascular profiles were evaluated. In frontal cortex of cases with hippocampal sclerosis of ageing, smooth muscle actin-immunoreactive arterioles had thicker walls (P < 0.05), larger perimeters (P < 0

  1. A human brain atlas derived via n-cut parcellation of resting-state and task-based fMRI data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    James, George Andrew; Hazaroglu, Onder; Bush, Keith A

    2016-02-01

    The growth of functional MRI has led to development of human brain atlases derived by parcellating resting-state connectivity patterns into functionally independent regions of interest (ROIs). All functional atlases to date have been derived from resting-state fMRI data. But given that functional connectivity between regions varies with task, we hypothesized that an atlas incorporating both resting-state and task-based fMRI data would produce an atlas with finer characterization of task-relevant regions than an atlas derived from resting-state alone. To test this hypothesis, we derived parcellation atlases from twenty-nine healthy adult participants enrolled in the Cognitive Connectome project, an initiative to improve functional MRI's translation into clinical decision-making by mapping normative variance in brain-behavior relationships. Participants underwent resting-state and task-based fMRI spanning nine cognitive domains: motor, visuospatial, attention, language, memory, affective processing, decision-making, working memory, and executive function. Spatially constrained n-cut parcellation derived brain atlases using (1) all participants' functional data (Task) or (2) a single resting-state scan (Rest). An atlas was also derived from random parcellation for comparison purposes (Random). Two methods were compared: (1) a parcellation applied to the group's mean edge weights (mean), and (2) a two-stage approach with parcellation of individual edge weights followed by parcellation of mean binarized edges (two-stage). The resulting Task and Rest atlases had significantly greater similarity with each other (mean Jaccard indices JI=0.72-0.85) than with the Random atlases (JI=0.59-0.63; all pRest atlas similarity was greatest for the two-stage method (JI=0.85), which has been shown as more robust than the mean method; these atlases also better reproduced voxelwise seed maps of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during rest and performing the n-back working memory

  2. Impact of methionine oxidation on calmodulin structural dynamics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    McCarthy, Megan R.; Thompson, Andrew R.; Nitu, Florentin [Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics Department, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455 (United States); Moen, Rebecca J. [Chemistry and Geology Department, Minnesota State University, Mankato, MN 56001 (United States); Olenek, Michael J. [Biology Department, University of Wisconsin, La Crosse, WI 54601 (United States); Klein, Jennifer C., E-mail: jklein@uwlax.edu [Biology Department, University of Wisconsin, La Crosse, WI 54601 (United States); Thomas, David D., E-mail: ddt@umn.edu [Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics Department, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455 (United States)

    2015-01-09

    Highlights: • We measured the distance distribution between two spin labels on calmodulin by DEER. • Two structural states, open and closed, were resolved at both low and high Ca. • Ca shifted the equilibrium toward the open state by a factor of 13. • Methionine oxidation, simulated by glutamine substitution, decreased the Ca effect. • These results have important implications for aging in muscle and other tissues. - Abstract: We have used electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) to examine the structural impact of oxidizing specific methionine (M) side chains in calmodulin (CaM). It has been shown that oxidation of either M109 or M124 in CaM diminishes CaM regulation of the muscle calcium release channel, the ryanodine receptor (RyR), and that mutation of M to Q (glutamine) in either case produces functional effects identical to those of oxidation. Here we have used site-directed spin labeling and double electron–electron resonance (DEER), a pulsed EPR technique that measures distances between spin labels, to characterize the structural changes resulting from these mutations. Spin labels were attached to a pair of introduced cysteine residues, one in the C-lobe (T117C) and one in the N-lobe (T34C) of CaM, and DEER was used to determine the distribution of interspin distances. Ca binding induced a large increase in the mean distance, in concert with previous X-ray crystallography and NMR data, showing a closed structure in the absence of Ca and an open structure in the presence of Ca. DEER revealed additional information about CaM’s structural heterogeneity in solution: in both the presence and absence of Ca, CaM populates both structural states, one with probes separated by ∼4 nm (closed) and another at ∼6 nm (open). Ca shifts the structural equilibrium constant toward the open state by a factor of 13. DEER reveals the distribution of interprobe distances, showing that each of these states is itself partially disordered, with the width of each

  3. Molecular and biochemical characterization of calmodulin from Echinococcus granulosus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Ning; Zhong, Xiuqin; Song, Xingju; Gu, Xiaobin; Lai, Weiming; Xie, Yue; Peng, Xuerong; Yang, Guangyou

    2017-12-04

    Echinococcus granulosus is a harmful cestode parasite that causes cystic echinococcosis in humans as well as various livestock species and wild animals. Calmodulin (CaM), a Ca 2+ sensor protein, is widely expressed in eukaryotes and mediates a variety of cellular signaling activities. In the present study, the cDNA encoding CaM in Echinococcus granulosus (rEgCaM) was successfully cloned and the molecular and biochemical characterizations carried out. The antigenicity and immunoreactivity of rEgCaM was detected and the preliminary enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)-based serodiagnostic potential of EgCaM was assessed. The locations of this protein in the adult worm and larval stage, and the mRNA expression in different states of E. granulosus protoscoleces (PSCs) were defined clearly. Moreover, the Ca 2+ -binding properties of EgCaM were measured. rEgCaM is a highly conserved calcium-binding protein, consisting of 149 amino acids. Immunoblotting analysis revealed that rEgCaM could be identified using E. granulosus infected sheep serum. The use of rEgCaM as an antigen was evaluated by indirect ELISA which exhibited a high sensitivity (90.3%), but low specificity (47.1%). rEgCaM was ubiquitously expressed in protoscoleces and adults of E. granulosus, as well as in the germinal layer of the cyst wall. The mRNA expression level of rEgCaM was increased from the start of H 2 O 2 exposure and then gradually decreased because of the increased apoptosis of PSCs. In electrophoretic mobility tests and 1-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonic acid assays, rEgCaM showed a typical characteristic of a calcium-binding protein. To our knowledge, this is the first report on CaM from E. granulosus and rEgCaM is likely to be involved in some important biological function of E. granulosus as a calcium-binding protein.

  4. Alterations in BDNF (brain derived neurotrophic factor) and GDNF (glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor) serum levels in bipolar disorder: The role of lithium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tunca, Zeliha; Ozerdem, Aysegul; Ceylan, Deniz; Yalçın, Yaprak; Can, Güneş; Resmi, Halil; Akan, Pınar; Ergör, Gül; Aydemir, Omer; Cengisiz, Cengiz; Kerim, Doyuran

    2014-09-01

    Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been consistently reported to be decreased in mania or depression in bipolar disorders. Evidence suggests that Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) has a role in the pathogenesis of mood disorders. Whether GDNF and BDNF act in the same way across different episodes in bipolar disorders is unclear. BDNF and GDNF serum levels were measured simultaneously by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method in 96 patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder according to DSM-IV (37 euthymic, 33 manic, 26 depressed) in comparison to 61 healthy volunteers. SCID- I and SCID-non patient version were used for clinical evaluation of the patients and healthy volunteers respectively. Correlations between the two trophic factor levels, and medication dose, duration and serum levels of lithium or valproate were studied across different episodes of illness. Patients had significantly lower BDNF levels during mania and depression compared to euthymic patients and healthy controls. GDNF levels were not distinctive. However GDNF/BDNF ratio was higher in manic state compared to euthymia and healthy controls. Significant negative correlation was observed between BDNF and GDNF levels in euthymic patients. While BDNF levels correlated positively, GDNF levels correlated negatively with lithium levels. Regression analysis confirmed that lithium levels predicted only GDNF levels positively in mania, and negatively in euthymia. Small sample size in different episodes and drug-free patients was the limitation of thestudy. Current data suggests that lithium exerts its therapeutic action by an inverse effect on BDNF and GDNF levels, possibly by up-regulating BDNF and down-regulating GDNF to achieve euthymia. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor ameliorates brain stem cardiovascular dysregulation during experimental temporal lobe status epilepticus.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ching-Yi Tsai

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Status epilepticus (SE is an acute, prolonged epileptic crisis with a mortality rate of 20-30%; the underlying mechanism is not completely understood. We assessed the hypothesis that brain stem cardiovascular dysregulation occurs during SE because of oxidative stress in rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM, a key nucleus of the baroreflex loop; to be ameliorated by brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF via an antioxidant action. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In a clinically relevant experimental model of temporal lobe SE (TLSE using Sprague-Dawley rats, sustained hippocampal seizure activity was accompanied by progressive hypotension that was preceded by a reduction in baroreflex-mediated sympathetic vasomotor tone; heart rate and baroreflex-mediated cardiac responses remained unaltered. Biochemical experiments further showed concurrent augmentation of superoxide anion, phosphorylated p47(phox subunit of NADPH oxidase and mRNA or protein levels of BDNF, tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB, angiotensin AT1 receptor subtype (AT1R, nitric oxide synthase II (NOS II or peroxynitrite in RVLM. Whereas pretreatment by microinjection bilaterally into RVLM of a superoxide dismutase mimetic (tempol, a specific antagonist of NADPH oxidase (apocynin or an AT1R antagonist (losartan blunted significantly the augmented superoxide anion or phosphorylated p47(phox subunit in RVLM, hypotension and the reduced baroreflex-mediated sympathetic vasomotor tone during experimental TLSE, pretreatment with a recombinant human TrkB-Fc fusion protein or an antisense bdnf oligonucleotide significantly potentiated all those events, alongside peroxynitrite. However, none of the pretreatments affected the insignificant changes in heart rate and baroreflex-mediated cardiac responses. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: We conclude that formation of peroxynitrite by a reaction between superoxide anion generated by NADPH oxidase in RVLM on activation by AT1R and NOS II-derived

  6. Structure and expression of the chicken calmodulin I gene

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ye, Q; Berchtold, M W

    1997-01-01

    The chicken calmodulin I (CaMI) gene has been isolated and characterized on the level of cDNA and genomic DNA. The deduced amino acid (aa) sequence is identical to the one of chicken CaMII which consists of 148 aa. The CaMI gene contains six exons. Its intron/exon organization is identical...... to that of the chicken CaMII and the CaMI and CaMIII genes of rat and human. Expression of the CaMI gene was detected in all chicken tissues examined, although at varying levels. The gene is transcribed into four mRNAs of 0.8, 1.4, 1.7 and 4.4 kb as determined by Northern blot analysis. Our results demonstrate...... that the "multigene-one-protein" principle of CaM synthesis is not only applicable to mammals whose CaM is encoded by three different genes, but also to chickens....

  7. Complete spinal cord injury (SCI) transforms how brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) affects nociceptive sensitization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Yung-Jen; Lee, Kuan H; Grau, James W

    2017-02-01

    Noxious stimulation can induce a lasting increase in neural excitability within the spinal cord (central sensitization) that can promote pain and disrupt adaptive function (maladaptive plasticity). Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is known to regulate the development of plasticity and has been shown to impact the development of spinally-mediated central sensitization. The latter effect has been linked to an alteration in GABA-dependent inhibition. Prior studies have shown that, in spinally transected rats, exposure to regular (fixed spaced) stimulation can counter the development of maladaptive plasticity and have linked this effect to an up-regulation of BDNF. Here it is shown that application of the irritant capsaicin to one hind paw induces enhanced mechanical reactivity (EMR) after spinal cord injury (SCI) and that the induction of this effect is blocked by pretreatment with fixed spaced shock. This protective effect was eliminated if rats were pretreated with the BDNF sequestering antibody TrkB-IgG. Intrathecal (i.t.) application of BDNF prevented, but did not reverse, capsaicin-induced EMR. BDNF also attenuated cellular indices (ERK and pERK expression) of central sensitization after SCI. In uninjured rats, i.t. BDNF enhanced, rather than attenuated, capsaicin-induced EMR and ERK/pERK expression. These opposing effects were related to a transformation in GABA function. In uninjured rats, BDNF reduced membrane-bound KCC2 and the inhibitory effect of the GABA A agonist muscimol. After SCI, BDNF increased KCC2 expression, which would help restore GABAergic inhibition. The results suggest that SCI transforms how BDNF affects GABA function and imply that the clinical usefulness of BDNF will depend upon the extent of fiber sparing. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cell transplantation combined with hyperbaric oxygen treatment for repair of traumatic brain injury

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Hai-xiao; Liu, Zhi-gang; Liu, Xiao-jiao; Chen, Qian-xue

    2016-01-01

    Transplantation of umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) for repair of traumatic brain injury has been used in the clinic. Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) treatment has long been widely used as an adjunctive therapy for treating traumatic brain injury. UC-MSC transplantation combined with HBO treatment is expected to yield better therapeutic effects on traumatic brain injury. In this study, we established rat models of severe traumatic brain injury by pressurized fluid (2.5–3.0 atm impact force). The injured rats were then administered UC-MSC transplantation via the tail vein in combination with HBO treatment. Compared with monotherapy, aquaporin 4 expression decreased in the injured rat brain, but growth-associated protein-43 expression, calaxon-like structures, and CM-Dil-positive cell number increased. Following combination therapy, however, rat cognitive and neurological function significantly improved. UC-MSC transplantation combined with HBO therapyfor repair of traumatic brain injury shows better therapeutic effects than monotherapy and significantly promotes recovery of neurological functions. PMID:26981097

  9. Umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cell transplantation combined with hyperbaric oxygen treatment for repair of traumatic brain injury

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hai-xiao Zhou

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Transplantation of umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs for repair of traumatic brain injury has been used in the clinic. Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO treatment has long been widely used as an adjunctive therapy for treating traumatic brain injury. UC-MSC transplantation combined with HBO treatment is expected to yield better therapeutic effects on traumatic brain injury. In this study, we established rat models of severe traumatic brain injury by pressurized fluid (2.5-3.0 atm impact force. The injured rats were then administered UC-MSC transplantation via the tail vein in combination with HBO treatment. Compared with monotherapy, aquaporin 4 expression decreased in the injured rat brain, but growth-associated protein-43 expression, calaxon-like structures, and CM-Dil-positive cell number increased. Following combination therapy, however, rat cognitive and neurological function significantly improved. UC-MSC transplantation combined with HBO therapyfor repair of traumatic brain injury shows better therapeutic effects than monotherapy and significantly promotes recovery of neurological functions.

  10. Music exposure differentially alters the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and nerve growth factor in the mouse hypothalamus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Angelucci, Francesco; Ricci, Enzo; Padua, Luca; Sabino, Andrea; Tonali, Pietro Attilio

    2007-12-18

    It has been reported that music may have physiological effects on blood pressure, cardiac heartbeat, respiration, and improve mood state in people affected by anxiety, depression and other psychiatric disorders. However, the physiological bases of these phenomena are not clear. Hypothalamus is a brain region involved in the regulation of body homeostasis and in the pathophysiology of anxiety and depression through the modulation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Hypothalamic functions are also influenced by the presence of the neurotrophins brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF), which are proteins involved in the growth, survival and function of neurons in the central nervous system. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of music exposure in mice on hypothalamic levels of BDNF and NGF. We exposed young adult mice to slow rhythm music (6h per day; mild sound pressure levels, between 50 and 60 dB) for 21 consecutive days. At the end of the treatment mice were sacrificed and BDNF and NGF levels in the hypothalamus were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We found that music exposure significantly enhanced BDNF levels in the hypothalamus. Furthermore, we observed that music-exposed mice had decreased NGF hypothalamic levels. Our results demonstrate that exposure to music in mice can influence neurotrophin production in the hypothalamus. Our findings also suggest that physiological effects of music might be in part mediated by modulation of neurotrophins.

  11. HIV-1 tropism for the central nervous system: Brain-derived envelope glycoproteins with lower CD4 dependence and reduced sensitivity to a fusion inhibitor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martin-Garcia, Julio; Cao, Wei; Varela-Rohena, Angel; Plassmeyer, Matthew L.; Gonzalez-Scarano, Francisco

    2006-01-01

    We previously described envelope glycoproteins of an HIV-1 isolate adapted in vitro for growth in microglia that acquired a highly fusogenic phenotype and lower CD4 dependence, as well as resistance to inhibition by anti-CD4 antibodies. Here, we investigated whether similar phenotypic changes are present in vivo. Envelope clones from the brain and spleen of an HIV-1-infected individual with neurological disease were amplified, cloned, and sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated clustering of sequences according to the tissue of origin, as expected. Functional clones were then used in cell-to-cell fusion assays to test for CD4 and co-receptor utilization and for sensitivity to various antibodies and inhibitors. Both brain- and spleen-derived envelope clones mediated fusion in cells expressing both CD4 and CCR5 and brain envelopes also used CCR3 as co-receptor. We found that the brain envelopes had a lower CD4 dependence, since they efficiently mediated fusion in the presence of low levels of CD4 on the target cell membrane, and they were significantly more resistant to blocking by anti-CD4 antibodies than the spleen-derived envelopes. In contrast, we observed no difference in sensitivity to the CCR5 antagonist TAK-779. However, brain-derived envelopes were significantly more resistant than those from spleen to the fusion inhibitor T-1249 and concurrently showed slightly greater fusogenicity. Our results suggest an increased affinity for CD4 of brain-derived envelopes that may have originated from in vivo adaptation to replication in microglial cells. Interestingly, we note the presence of envelopes more resistant to a fusion inhibitor in the brain of an untreated, HIV-1-infected individual

  12. Interval training-induced alleviation of rigidity and hypertonia in patients with Parkinson's disease is accompanied by increased basal serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marusiak, Jarosław; Żeligowska, Ewa; Mencel, Joanna; Kisiel-Sajewicz, Katarzyna; Majerczak, Joanna; Zoladz, Jerzy A; Jaskólski, Artur; Jaskólska, Anna

    2015-04-01

    To examine the effects of cycloergometric interval training on parkinsonian rigidity, relaxed biceps brachii muscle tone in affected upper extremities, and serum level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Case series, repeated-measures design, pilot study. Eleven patients with mild-to-moderate Parkinson's disease (Hoehn & Yahr scale 2.3 ± 0.72), recruited from a neurological clinic, underwent cycle training and were tested along with non-trained, healthy control subjects (n = 11) in a motor control laboratory. Patients underwent 8 weeks of interval training (3 × 1-h sessions weekly, consisting of a 10-min warm-up, 40 min of interval exercise, and 10-min cool-down) on a stationary cycloergometer. Parkinsonian rigidity (Unified Parkinson's Disease-Rating-Scale) in the upper extremity, resting biceps brachii muscle tone (myometric stiffness and frequency), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor level were measured 1-3 days before interval training cycle started and 6-10 days after the last training session. Training resulted in a decrease in rigidity (p = 0.048) and biceps brachii myometric muscle stiffness (p = 0.030) and frequency (p = 0.006), and an increase in the level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (p = 0.035) relative to pre-training values. The increase in brain-derived neurotrophic factor level correlated with improvements in parkinsonian rigidity (p = 0.025), biceps brachii myometric stiffness (p = 0.001) and frequency (p = 0.002). Training-induced alleviation of parkinsonian rigidity and muscle tone decrease may be associated with neuroplastic changes caused by a training-induced increase in the level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor.

  13. The calmodulin inhibitor CGS 9343B inhibits voltage-dependent K{sup +} channels in rabbit coronary arterial smooth muscle cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Hongliang; Hong, Da Hye; Kim, Han Sol; Kim, Hye Won [Institute of Medical Sciences, Department of Physiology, Kangwon National University School of Medicine, Chuncheon, 200-701 (Korea, Republic of); Jung, Won-Kyo [Department of Biomedical Engineering, Center for Marine-Integrated Biomedical Technology (BK21 Plus), Pukyong National University, Busan 608-737 (Korea, Republic of); Na, Sung Hun [Institute of Medical Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kangwon National University Hospital, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, 200-701 (Korea, Republic of); Jung, In Duk; Park, Yeong-Min [Department of Immunology, Lab of Dendritic Cell Differentiation and Regulation, College of Medicine, Konkuk University, Chungju 380-701 (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Il-Whan, E-mail: cihima@inje.ac.kr [Department of Microbiology, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, 614-735 (Korea, Republic of); Park, Won Sun, E-mail: parkws@kangwon.ac.kr [Institute of Medical Sciences, Department of Physiology, Kangwon National University School of Medicine, Chuncheon, 200-701 (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-06-15

    We investigated the effects of the calmodulin inhibitor CGS 9343B on voltage-dependent K{sup +} (Kv) channels using whole-cell patch clamp technique in freshly isolated rabbit coronary arterial smooth muscle cells. CGS 9343B inhibited Kv currents in a concentration-dependent manner, with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC{sub 50}) value of 0.81 μM. The decay rate of Kv channel inactivation was accelerated by CGS 9343B. The rate constants of association and dissociation for CGS 9343B were 2.77 ± 0.04 μM{sup −1} s{sup −1} and 2.55 ± 1.50 s{sup −1}, respectively. CGS 9343B did not affect the steady-state activation curve, but shifted the inactivation curve toward to a more negative potential. Train pulses (1 or 2 Hz) application progressively increased the CGS 9343B-induced Kv channel inhibition. In addition, the inactivation recovery time constant was increased in the presence of CGS 9343B, suggesting that CGS 9343B-induced inhibition of Kv channel was use-dependent. Another calmodulin inhibitor, W-13, did not affect Kv currents, and did not change the inhibitory effect of CGS 9343B on Kv current. Our results demonstrated that CGS 9343B inhibited Kv currents in a state-, time-, and use-dependent manner, independent of calmodulin inhibition. - Highlights: • We investigated the effects of CGS 9394B on Kv channels. • CGS 9394B inhibited Kv current in a state-, time-, and use-dependent manner. • Caution is required when using CGS 9394B in vascular function studies.

  14. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor reduces inflammation and hippocampal apoptosis in experimental Streptococcus pneumoniae meningitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Danfeng; Lian, Di; Wu, Jing; Liu, Ying; Zhu, Mingjie; Sun, Jiaming; He, Dake; Li, Ling

    2017-08-04

    Streptococcus pneumoniae meningitis is a serious inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS) and is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. The inflammatory processes initiated by recognition of bacterial components contribute to apoptosis in the hippocampal dentate gyrus. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has long been recommended for the treatment of CNS diseases due to its powerful neuro-survival properties, as well as its recently reported anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we investigated the effects of BDNF-related signaling on the inflammatory response and hippocampal apoptosis in experimental models of pneumococcal meningitis. Pretreatment with exogenous BDNF or the tropomyosin-receptor kinase B (TrkB) inhibitor k252a was performed to assess the activation or inhibition of the BDNF/TrkB-signaling axis prior to intracisternal infection with live S. pneumoniae. At 24 h post-infection, rats were assessed for clinical severity and sacrificed to harvest the brains. Paraffin-embedded brain sections underwent hematoxylin and eosin staining to evaluate pathological severity, and cytokine and chemokine levels in the hippocampus and cortex were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Additionally, apoptotic neurons were detected in the hippocampal dentate gyrus by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP-nick-end labeling, key molecules associated with the related signaling pathway were analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blot, and the DNA-binding activity of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) was measured by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Rats administered BDNF exhibited reduced clinical impairment, pathological severity, and hippocampal apoptosis. Furthermore, BDNF pretreatment suppressed the expression of inflammatory factors, including tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6, and increased the expression of the anti

  15. Gallic acid attenuates calcium calmodulin-dependent kinase II-induced apoptosis in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jin, Li; Piao, Zhe Hao; Liu, Chun Ping; Sun, Simei; Liu, Bin; Kim, Gwi Ran; Choi, Sin Young; Ryu, Yuhee; Kee, Hae Jin; Jeong, Myung Ho

    2018-03-01

    Hypertension causes cardiac hypertrophy and leads to heart failure. Apoptotic cells are common in hypertensive hearts. Ca 2+ /calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) is associated with apoptosis. We recently demonstrated that gallic acid reduces nitric oxide synthase inhibition-induced hypertension. Gallic acid is a trihydroxybenzoic acid and has been shown to have beneficial effects, such as anti-cancer, anti-calcification and anti-oxidant activity. The purpose of this study was to determine whether gallic acid regulates cardiac hypertrophy and apoptosis in essential hypertension. Gallic acid significantly lowered systolic and diastolic blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) and H&E staining revealed that gallic acid reduced cardiac enlargement in SHRs. Gallic acid treatment decreased cardiac hypertrophy marker genes, including atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), in SHRs. The four isoforms, α, β, δ and γ, of CaMKII were increased in SHRs and were significantly reduced by gallic acid administration. Gallic acid reduced cleaved caspase-3 protein as well as bax, p53 and p300 mRNA levels in SHRs. CaMKII δ overexpression induced bax and p53 expression, which was attenuated by gallic acid treatment in H9c2 cells. Gallic acid treatment reduced DNA fragmentation and the TUNEL positive cells induced by angiotensin II. Taken together, gallic acid could be a novel therapeutic for the treatment of hypertension through suppression of CaMKII δ-induced apoptosis. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine.

  16. Effect of controlled release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neurotrophin-3 from collagen gel on neural stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Fei; Wu, Yunfeng; Wang, Hao; Chang, Jun; Ma, Guangwen; Yin, Zongsheng

    2016-01-20

    This study aimed to examine the effect of controlled release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) from collagen gel on rat neural stem cells (NSCs). With three groups of collagen gel, BDNF/collagen gel, and NT-3/collagen gel as controls, BDNF and NT-3 were tested in the BDNF-NT-3/collagen gel group at different time points. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay results showed that BDNF and NT-3 were steadily released from collagen gels for 10 days. The cell viability test and the bromodeoxyuridine incorporation assay showed that BDNF-NT-3/collagen gel supported the survival and proliferation of NSCs. The results also showed that the length of processes was markedly longer and differentiation percentage from NSCs into neurons was much higher in the BDNF-NT-3/collagen gel group than those in the collagen gel, BDNF/collagen gel, and NT-3/collagen gel groups. These findings suggest that BDNF-NT-3/collagen gel could significantly improve the ability of NSCs proliferation and differentiation.

  17. Drugs + HIV, Learn the Link

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... HIV Learn the Link - Drugs and HIV ... Drugs can change the way the brain works, disrupting the parts of the brain that people use to weigh risks and benefits when making decisions. ...

  18. Effects of Fluid Ingestion on Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Cognition During Exercise in the Heat

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roh Hee-Tae

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available We investigated the effects of fluid ingestion during exercise in different environments on the serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor and cognition among athletes. Ten collegiate male athletes (soccer, n = 5; rugby, n = 5 were enrolled, and they completed running tests in the following four conditions (60 min each: 1 thermoneutral temperature at 18°C (group 18; 2 high ambient temperature at 32°C without fluid ingestion (group 32; 3 high ambient temperature at 32°C with water ingestion (group 32+W; and 4 high ambient temperature at 32°C with sports drink ingestion (group 32+S. Serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels significantly increased in group 18 immediately after exercise when compared with those at rest and were significantly higher than those in group 32 immediately and 60 min after exercise (p < 0.05. In the Stroop Color and Word Test, significantly increased Word, Color, and Color-Word scores were observed in group 18 immediately after exercise compared to those at rest (p < 0.05. However, the Color-Word score appeared to be significantly lower in group 32 immediately after exercise compared to the other groups (p < 0.05 and at 60 min post-exercise compared to group 18 (p < 0.05. We found that the exercise performed in a thermoneutral environment improved cognitive function, but the exercise performed in a hot environment did not. The differences according to the exercise environment would be largely affected by brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and fluid ingestion regardless of the type of drink (water or sports beverage was assumed to have contributed to the improvement in cognitive function caused by exercising in a hot environment.

  19. The opposing effects of calmodulin, adenosine 5 prime -triphosphate, and pertussis toxin on phorbol ester induced inhibition of atrial natriuretic factor stimulated guanylate cyclase in SK-NEP-1 cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sekiya, M.; Frohlich, E.D.; Cole, F.E. (Alton Ochsner Medical Foundation, New Orleans, LA (USA))

    1991-01-01

    In the present study, we investigated the effects of calmodulin, adenosine 5{prime}-triphosphate (ATP) and pertussis toxin (PT) on phorbol ester (PMA) induced inhibition of ANF-stimulated cyclic GMP formation in cells from the human renal cell line, SK-NEP-1. PMA inhibited ANF-stimulated guanylate cyclase activity in particulate membranes by about 65%. Calmodulin reversed this inhibition in a dose dependent manner. ATP potentiated Mg++ but not Mn++ supported guanylate cyclase activity. In PMA treated membranes, ATP potentiating effects were abolished. PMA also inhibited ANF-stimulated cGMP accumulation, but pretreatment with PT prevented this PMA inhibition. PT did not affect basal or ANF-stimulated cGMP accumulation. In conclusion, these results demonstrated that PMA inhibited ANF stimulation of particulate guanylate cyclase in opposition to the activating effects of calmodulin or ATP in SK-NEP-1 cells. The protein kinase C inhibitory effects appeared to be mediated via a PT-sensitive G protein.

  20. In vitro model of cerebral ischemia by using brain microvascular endothelial cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kokubu, Yasuhiro; Yamaguchi, Tomoko; Kawabata, Kenji

    2017-04-29

    Brain-derived microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs), which play a central role in blood brain barrier (BBB), can be used for the evaluation of drug transport into the brain. Although human BMEC cell lines have already been reported, they lack original properties such as barrier integrity. Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) can be used for various applications such as regenerative therapy, drug screening, and pathological study. In the recent study, an induction method of BMECs from PSCs has been established, making it possible to more precisely study the in vitro human BBB function. Here, using induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell-derived BMECs, we examined the effects of oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) and OGD/reoxygenation (OGD/R) on BBB permeability. OGD disrupted the barrier function, and the dysfunction was rapidly restored by re-supply of the oxygen and glucose. Interestingly, TNF-α, which is known to be secreted from astrocytes and microglia in the cerebral ischemia, prevented the restoration of OGD-induced barrier dysfunction in an apoptosis-independent manner. Thus, we could establish the in vitro BBB disease model that mimics the cerebral ischemia by using iPS cell-derived BMECs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. An Aminopyridazine Inhibitor of Death Associated Protein Kinase Attenuates Hypoxia-Ischemia Induced Brain Damage

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Velentza, A.V.; Wainwright, M.S.; Zasadzki, M.; Mirzoeva, S.; Haiech, J.; Focia, P.J.; Egli, M.; Watterson, D.M.

    2010-03-08

    Death associated protein kinase (DAPK) is a calcium and calmodulin regulated enzyme that functions early in eukaryotic programmed cell death, or apoptosis. To validate DAPK as a potential drug discovery target for acute brain injury, the first small molecule DAPK inhibitor was synthesized and tested in vivo. A single injection of the aminopyridazine-based inhibitor administered 6 h after injury attenuated brain tissue or neuronal biomarker loss measured, respectively, 1 week and 3 days later. Because aminopyridazine is a privileged structure in neuropharmacology, we determined the high-resolution crystal structure of a binary complex between the kinase domain and a molecular fragment of the DAPK inhibitor. The co-crystal structure describes a structural basis for interaction and provides a firm foundation for structure-assisted design of lead compounds with appropriate molecular properties for future drug development.

  2. Potential Moderators of Physical Activity on Brain Health

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Regina L. Leckie

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Age-related cognitive decline is linked to numerous molecular, structural, and functional changes in the brain. However, physical activity is a promising method of reducing unfavorable age-related changes. Physical activity exerts its effects on the brain through many molecular pathways, some of which are regulated by genetic variants in humans. In this paper, we highlight genes including apolipoprotein E (APOE, brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF, and catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT along with dietary omega-3 fatty acid, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, as potential moderators of the effect of physical activity on brain health. There are a growing number of studies indicating that physical activity might mitigate the genetic risks for disease and brain dysfunction and that the combination of greater amounts of DHA intake with physical activity might promote better brain function than either treatment alone. Understanding whether genes or other lifestyles moderate the effects of physical activity on neurocognitive health is necessary for delineating the pathways by which brain health can be enhanced and for grasping the individual variation in the effectiveness of physical activity interventions on the brain and cognition. There is a need for future research to continue to assess the factors that moderate the effects of physical activity on neurocognitive function.

  3. Molecular Mechanisms Responsible for Neuron-Derived Conditioned Medium (NCM-Mediated Protection of Ischemic Brain.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chi-Hsin Lin

    Full Text Available The protective value of neuron-derived conditioned medium (NCM in cerebral ischemia and the underlying mechanism(s responsible for NCM-mediated brain protection against cerebral ischemia were investigated in the study. NCM was first collected from the neuronal culture growing under the in vitro ischemic condition (glucose-, oxygen- and serum-deprivation or GOSD for 2, 4 or 6 h. Through the focal cerebral ischemia (bilateral CCAO/unilateral MCAO animal model, we discovered that ischemia/reperfusion (I/R-induced brain infarction was significantly reduced by NCM, given directly into the cistern magna at the end of 90 min of CCAO/MCAO. Immunoblocking and chemical blocking strategies were applied in the in vitro ischemic studies to show that NCM supplement could protect microglia, astrocytes and neurons from GOSD-induced cell death, in a growth factor (TGFβ1, NT-3 and GDNF and p-ERK dependent manner. Brain injection with TGFβ1, NT3, GDNF and ERK agonist (DADS alone or in combination, therefore also significantly decreased the infarct volume of ischemic brain. Moreover, NCM could inhibit ROS but stimulate IL-1β release from GOSD-treated microglia and limit the infiltration of IL-β-positive microglia into the core area of ischemic brain, revealing the anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of NCM. In overall, NCM-mediated brain protection against cerebral ischemia has been demonstrated for the first time in S.D. rats, due to its anti-apoptotic, anti-oxidant and potentially anti-glutamate activities (NCM-induced IL-1β can inhibit the glutamate-mediated neurotoxicity and restriction upon the infiltration of inflammatory microglia into the core area of ischemic brain. The therapeutic potentials of NCM, TGFβ1, GDNF, NT-3 and DADS in the control of cerebral ischemia in human therefore have been suggested and require further investigation.

  4. Characterization of CoPK02, a Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase in mushroom Coprinopsis cinerea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamashita, Masashi; Sueyoshi, Noriyuki; Yamada, Hiroki; Katayama, Syouichi; Senga, Yukako; Takenaka, Yasuhiro; Ishida, Atsuhiko; Kameshita, Isamu; Shigeri, Yasushi

    2018-04-20

    We surveyed genome sequences from the basidiomycetous mushroom Coprinopsis cinerea and isolated a cDNA homologous to CMKA, a calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CaMK) in Aspergillus nidulans. We designated this sequence, encoding 580 amino acids with a molecular weight of 63,987, as CoPK02. CoPK02 possessed twelve subdomains specific to protein kinases and exhibited 43, 35, 40% identity with rat CaMKI, CaMKII, CaMKIV, respectively, and 40% identity with CoPK12, one of the CaMK orthologs in C. cinerea. CoPK02 showed significant autophosphorylation activity and phosphorylated exogenous proteins in the presence of Ca 2+ /CaM. By the CaM-overlay assay we confirmed that the C-terminal sequence (Trp346-Arg358) was the calmodulin-binding site, and that the binding of Ca 2+ /CaM to CoPK02 was reduced by the autophosphorylation of CoPK02. Since CoPK02 evolved in a different clade from CoPK12, and showed different gene expression compared to that of CoPK32, which is homologous to mitogen-activated protein kinase-activated protein kinase, CoPK02 and CoPK12 might cooperatively regulate Ca 2+ -signaling in C. cinerea.

  5. Surface dynamics in allosteric regulation of protein-protein interactions: modulation of calmodulin functions by Ca2+.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yosef Y Kuttner

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Knowledge of the structural basis of protein-protein interactions (PPI is of fundamental importance for understanding the organization and functioning of biological networks and advancing the design of therapeutics which target PPI. Allosteric modulators play an important role in regulating such interactions by binding at site(s orthogonal to the complex interface and altering the protein's propensity for complex formation. In this work, we apply an approach recently developed by us for analyzing protein surfaces based on steered molecular dynamics simulation (SMD to the study of the dynamic properties of functionally distinct conformations of a model protein, calmodulin (CaM, whose ability to interact with target proteins is regulated by the presence of the allosteric modulator Ca(2+. Calmodulin is a regulatory protein that acts as an intracellular Ca(2+ sensor to control a wide variety of cellular processes. We demonstrate that SMD analysis is capable of pinpointing CaM surfaces implicated in the recognition of both the allosteric modulator Ca(2+ and target proteins. Our analysis of changes in the dynamic properties of the CaM backbone elicited by Ca(2+ binding yielded new insights into the molecular mechanism of allosteric regulation of CaM-target interactions.

  6. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and type 2 diabetes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Krabbe, K. S.; Nielsen, A. R.; Krogh-Madsen, R.

    2006-01-01

    Aims/hypothesis  Decreased levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease and depression. These disorders are associated with type 2 diabetes, and animal models suggest that BDNF plays a role in insulin resistance. We therefore...... explored whether BDNF plays a role in human glucose metabolism. Subjects and methods  We included (Study 1) 233 humans divided into four groups depending on presence or absence of type 2 diabetes and presence or absence of obesity; and (Study 2) seven healthy volunteers who underwent both a hyperglycaemic...... and a hyperinsulinaemic-euglycaemic clamp. Results  Plasma levels of BDNF in Study 1 were decreased in humans with type 2 diabetes independently of obesity. Plasma BDNF was inversely associated with fasting plasma glucose, but not with insulin. No association was found between the BDNF G196A (Val66Met) polymorphism...

  7. Regional differences in the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) pro-peptide, proBDNF and preproBDNF in the brain confer stress resilience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Bangkun; Yang, Chun; Ren, Qian; Zhang, Ji-Chun; Chen, Qian-Xue; Shirayama, Yukihiko; Hashimoto, Kenji

    2016-12-01

    Using learned helplessness (LH) model of depression, we measured protein expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) pro-peptide, BDNF precursors (proBDNF and preproBDNF) in the brain regions of LH (susceptible) and non-LH rats (resilience). Expression of preproBDNF, proBDNF and BDNF pro-peptide in the medial prefrontal cortex of LH rats, but not non-LH rats, was significantly higher than control rats, although expression of these proteins in the nucleus accumbens of LH rats was significantly lower than control rats. This study suggests that regional differences in conversion of BDNF precursors into BDNF and BDNF pro-peptide by proteolytic cleavage may contribute to stress resilience.

  8. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plasma concentration in patients diagnosed with premature ovarian insufficiency (POI).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Czyzyk, Adam; Filipowicz, Dorota; Podfigurna, Agnieszka; Ptas, Paula; Piestrzynska, Malgorzata; Smolarczyk, Roman; Genazzani, Andrea R; Meczekalski, Blazej

    2017-05-01

    Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is defined as a cessation of function of ovaries in women younger than 40 years old. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a protein critically involved in neuronal growth and metabolism. BDNF also has been shown to be important regulator of oocyte maturation. Recent data show that BDNF can be potentially involved in POI pathology. The aim of the study was to assess the BDNF plasma concentrations in patients diagnosed with idiopathic POI. 23 women diagnosed with POI (age 31 ± 7 years) and 18 (age 31 ± 3) controls were included to the study, matched according to age and body mass index. The BDNF concentrations were measured using competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Hormonal and metabolic parameters were measured in all individuals, in controls in late follicular phase. The POI group demonstrated lower mean plasma concentrations of BDNF (429.25 ± 65.52 pg/ml) in comparison to healthy controls (479.75 ± 34.75 pg/ml, p = 0.0345). The BDNF plasma concentration correlated negatively (R = -0.79, p BDNF and progesterone in controls. In conclusion, POI patients show significantly lower BDNF plasma concentration and it correlates with the duration of amenorrhea. This observation brings important potential insights to the pathology of POI.

  9. Possible Role of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Current Status

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Halepoto, D. M.; Bashir, S.; AL-Ayadhi, L.

    2014-01-01

    Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a member of the neurotrophin family of survival-promoting molecules, plays a vital role in the growth, development, maintenance, and function of several neuronal systems. The purpose of this review is to document the support for the involvement of this molecule in the maintenance of normal cognitive, emotional functioning, and to outline recent developments in the content of Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Current and future treatment development can be guided by developing understanding of this molecules actions in the brain and the ways the expression of BDNF can be planned. Over the years, research findings suggested a critical role played by BDNF in the development of autism including increased serum concentrations of BDNF in children with autism and identification of different forms of BDNF in families of autistic individuals. (author)

  10. Possible Role of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Current Status

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Halepoto, D. M.; Bashir, S.; AL-Ayadhi, L. [King Saud Univ., Riyadh (Saudi Arabia). Dept. of Physiology

    2014-04-15

    Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a member of the neurotrophin family of survival-promoting molecules, plays a vital role in the growth, development, maintenance, and function of several neuronal systems. The purpose of this review is to document the support for the involvement of this molecule in the maintenance of normal cognitive, emotional functioning, and to outline recent developments in the content of Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Current and future treatment development can be guided by developing understanding of this molecules actions in the brain and the ways the expression of BDNF can be planned. Over the years, research findings suggested a critical role played by BDNF in the development of autism including increased serum concentrations of BDNF in children with autism and identification of different forms of BDNF in families of autistic individuals. (author)

  11. Circulating Estradiol Regulates Brain-Derived Estradiol via Actions at GnRH Receptors to Impact Memory in Ovariectomized Rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nelson, Britta S; Black, Katelyn L; Daniel, Jill M

    2016-01-01

    Systemic estradiol treatment enhances hippocampus-dependent memory in ovariectomized rats. Although these enhancements are traditionally thought to be due to circulating estradiol, recent data suggest these changes are brought on by hippocampus-derived estradiol, the synthesis of which depends on gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) activity. The goal of the current work is to test the hypothesis that peripheral estradiol affects hippocampus-dependent memory through brain-derived estradiol regulated via hippocampal GnRH receptor activity. In the first experiment, intracerebroventricular infusion of letrozole, which prevents the synthesis of estradiol, blocked the ability of peripheral estradiol administration in ovariectomized rats to enhance hippocampus-dependent memory in a radial-maze task. In the second experiment, hippocampal infusion of antide, a long-lasting GnRH receptor antagonist, blocked the ability of peripheral estradiol administration in ovariectomized rats to enhance hippocampus-dependent memory. In the third experiment, hippocampal infusion of GnRH enhanced hippocampus-dependent memory, the effects of which were blocked by letrozole infusion. Results indicate that peripheral estradiol-induced enhancement of cognition is mediated by brain-derived estradiol via hippocampal GnRH receptor activity.

  12. Source-based neurofeedback methods using EEG recordings: training altered brain activity in a functional brain source derived from blind source separation

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, David J.; Congedo, Marco; Ciorciari, Joseph

    2014-01-01

    A developing literature explores the use of neurofeedback in the treatment of a range of clinical conditions, particularly ADHD and epilepsy, whilst neurofeedback also provides an experimental tool for studying the functional significance of endogenous brain activity. A critical component of any neurofeedback method is the underlying physiological signal which forms the basis for the feedback. While the past decade has seen the emergence of fMRI-based protocols training spatially confined BOLD activity, traditional neurofeedback has utilized a small number of electrode sites on the scalp. As scalp EEG at a given electrode site reflects a linear mixture of activity from multiple brain sources and artifacts, efforts to successfully acquire some level of control over the signal may be confounded by these extraneous sources. Further, in the event of successful training, these traditional neurofeedback methods are likely influencing multiple brain regions and processes. The present work describes the use of source-based signal processing methods in EEG neurofeedback. The feasibility and potential utility of such methods were explored in an experiment training increased theta oscillatory activity in a source derived from Blind Source Separation (BSS) of EEG data obtained during completion of a complex cognitive task (spatial navigation). Learned increases in theta activity were observed in two of the four participants to complete 20 sessions of neurofeedback targeting this individually defined functional brain source. Source-based EEG neurofeedback methods using BSS may offer important advantages over traditional neurofeedback, by targeting the desired physiological signal in a more functionally and spatially specific manner. Having provided preliminary evidence of the feasibility of these methods, future work may study a range of clinically and experimentally relevant brain processes where individual brain sources may be targeted by source-based EEG neurofeedback. PMID

  13. Casein kinase 2 down-regulation and activation by polybasic peptides are mediated by acidic residues in the 55-64 region of the beta-subunit. A study with calmodulin as phosphorylatable substrate

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Meggio, F; Boldyreff, B; Issinger, O G

    1994-01-01

    to substitute for wild-type beta-subunit as a suppressor of activity toward calmodulin. The only mutations that reduced the ability of the beta-subunit to suppress calmodulin phosphorylation activity, though being compatible with normal reconstitution of CK2 holoenzyme, were those affecting Asp55, Glu57...... are conversely ineffective. The latent "calmodulin kinase" activity of CK2 can also be specifically unmasked by a peptide (alpha[66-86]) reproducing a basic insert of the catalytic subunit. This effect is reversed by equimolar addition of a peptide (beta[55-71]) including the 55-64 acidic stretch of the beta......-subunit. Comparable polylysine stimulation was observed with the holoenzymes reconstituted with either beta wt or the beta mutants capable of assembling with the alpha-subunit, with the notable exception of those bearing Ala substitutions for acidic residues at positions 55, 57, and 59-61. These were nearly...

  14. Patient-derived stem cells: pathways to drug discovery for brain diseases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alan eMackay-Sim

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available The concept of drug discovery through stem cell biology is based on technological developments whose genesis is now coincident. The first is automated cell microscopy with concurrent advances in image acquisition and analysis, known as high content screening (HCS. The second is patient-derived stem cells for modelling the cell biology of brain diseases. HCS has developed from the requirements of the pharmaceutical industry for high throughput assays to screen thousands of chemical compounds in the search for new drugs. HCS combines new fluorescent probes with automated microscopy and computational power to quantify the effects of compounds on cell functions. Stem cell biology has advanced greatly since the discovery of genetic reprogramming of somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs. There is now a rush of papers describing their generation from patients with various diseases of the nervous system. Although the majority of these have been genetic diseases, iPSCs have been generated from patients with complex diseases (schizophrenia and sporadic Parkinson’s disease. Some genetic diseases are also modelled in embryonic stem cells generated from blastocysts rejected during in vitro fertilisation. Neural stem cells have been isolated from post-mortem brain of Alzheimer’s patients and neural stem cells generated from biopsies of the olfactory organ of patients is another approach. These olfactory neurosphere-derived cells demonstrate robust disease-specific phenotypes in patients with schizophrenia and Parkinson’s disease. High content screening is already in use to find small molecules for the generation and differentiation of embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells. The challenges for using stem cells for drug discovery are to develop robust stem cell culture methods that meet the rigorous requirements for repeatable, consistent quantities of defined cell types at the industrial scale necessary for high

  15. Calmodulin 2 Mutation N98S Is Associated with Unexplained Cardiac Arrest in Infants Due to Low Clinical Penetrance Electrical Disorders.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juan Jiménez-Jáimez

    Full Text Available Calmodulin 1, 2 and 3 (CALM mutations have been found to cause cardiac arrest in children at a very early age. The underlying aetiology described is long QT syndrome (LQTS, catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT and idiopathic ventricular fibrillation (IVF. Little phenotypical data about CALM2 mutations is available.The aim of this paper is to describe the clinical manifestations of the Asn98Ser mutation in CALM2 in two unrelated children in southern Spain with apparently unexplained cardiac arrest/death.Two unrelated children aged 4 and 7, who were born to healthy parents, were studied. Both presented with sudden cardiac arrest. The first was resuscitated after a VF episode, and the second died suddenly. In both cases the baseline QTc interval was within normal limits. Peripheral blood DNA was available to perform targeted gene sequencing.The surviving 4-year-old girl had a positive epinephrine test for LQTS, and polymorphic ventricular ectopic beats were seen on a previous 24-hour Holter recording from the deceased 7-year-old boy, suggestive of a possible underlying CPVT phenotype. A p.Asn98Ser mutation in CALM2 was detected in both cases. This affected a highly conserved across species residue, and the location in the protein was adjacent to critical calcium binding loops in the calmodulin carboxyl-terminal domain, predicting a high pathogenic effect.Human calmodulin 2 mutation p.Asn98Ser is associated with sudden cardiac death in childhood with a variable clinical penetrance. Our results provide new phenotypical information about clinical behaviour of this mutation.

  16. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor promoter methylation and cortical thickness in recurrent major depressive disorder

    OpenAIRE

    Na, Kyoung-Sae; Won, Eunsoo; Kang, June; Chang, Hun Soo; Yoon, Ho-Kyoung; Tae, Woo Suk; Kim, Yong-Ku; Lee, Min-Soo; Joe, Sook-Haeng; Kim, Hyun; Ham, Byung-Joo

    2016-01-01

    Recent studies have reported that methylation of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene promoter is associated with major depressive disorder (MDD). This study aimed to investigate the association between cortical thickness and methylation of BDNF promoters as well as serum BDNF levels in MDD. The participants consisted of 65 patients with recurrent MDD and 65 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. Methylation of BDNF promoters and cortical thickness were compared between the gr...

  17. Cytokines, brain-derived neurotrophic factor and C-reactive protein in bipolar I disorder

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jacoby, Anne Sophie; Munkholm, Klaus; Vinberg, Maj

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Peripheral blood brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and inflammatory markers may reflect key pathophysiological mechanisms in bipolar disorder in relation to disease activity and neuroprogression. AIMS: To investigate whether neutrophins and inflammatory marker vary with mood...... overall compared with healthy control subjects. However, in adjusted models, no statistically significant differences were found in any measure between patients and control individuals. Levels of hsCRP in depressive states were decreased with 40% (95% CI: 5-62%, p=0.029) compared with euthymia and with 48...

  18. X-linked gene expression in the Virginia opossum: differences between the paternally derived Gpd and Pgk-A loci

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Samollow, P.B.; Ford, A.L.; VandeBerg, J.L.

    1987-01-01

    Expression of X-linked glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and phosphoglycerate kinase-A (PGK-A) in the Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) was studied electrophoretically in animals from natural populations and those produced through controlled laboratory crosses. Blood from most of the wild animals exhibited a common single-banded phenotype for both enzymes. Rare variant animals, regardless of sex, exhibited single-banded phenotypes different in mobility from the common mobility class of the respective enzyme. The laboratory crosses confirmed the allelic basis for the common and rare phenotypes. Transmission of PGK-A phenotypes followed the pattern of determinate (nonrandom) inactivation of the paternally derived Pgk-A allele, and transmission of G6PD also was consistent with this pattern. A survey of tissue-specific expression of G6PD phenotypes of heterozygous females revealed, in almost all tissues, three-banded patterns skewed in favor of the allele that was expressed in blood cells. Three-banded patterns were never observed in males or in putatively homozygous females. These patterns suggest simultaneous, but unequal, expression of the maternally and paternally derived Gpd alleles within individual cells. The absence of such partial expression was noted in a parallel survey of females heterozygous at the Pgd-A locus. Thus, it appears that Gpd and Pgk-A are X-linked in D. virginiana and subject to preferential paternal allele inactivation, but that dosage compensation may not be complete for all paternally derived X-linked genes.

  19. Developmental Thyroid Hormone Insufficiency Reduces Expression of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) in Adults But Not in Neonates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a neurotrophin critical for many developmental and physiological aspects of CNS function. Severe hypothyroidism in the early neonatal period results in developmental and cognitive impairments and reductions in mRNA and protein expressio...

  20. Linked-cluster perturbation theory for closed and open-shell systems: derivation of effective π-electron hamiltonians

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brandow, B.H.

    1977-01-01

    The Brueckner--Goldstone form of linked-cluster perturbation theory is derived, together with its open-shell analog, by an elementary time-independent approach. This serves to focus attention on the physical interpretation of the results. The open-shell expansion is used to provide a straightforward justification for the effective π-electron Hamiltonians of planar organic molecules

  1. Nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase (Nnt) links the substrate requirement in brain mitochondria for hydrogen peroxide removal to the thioredoxin/peroxiredoxin (Trx/Prx) system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lopert, Pamela; Patel, Manisha

    2014-05-30

    Mitochondrial reactive oxygen species are implicated in the etiology of multiple neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson disease. Mitochondria are known to be net producers of ROS, but recently we have shown that brain mitochondria can consume mitochondrial hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in a respiration-dependent manner predominantly by the thioredoxin/peroxiredoxin system. Here, we sought to determine the mechanism linking mitochondrial respiration with H2O2 catabolism in brain mitochondria and dopaminergic cells. We hypothesized that nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase (Nnt), which utilizes the proton gradient to generate NADPH from NADH and NADP(+), provides the link between mitochondrial respiration and H2O2 detoxification through the thioredoxin/peroxiredoxin system. Pharmacological inhibition of Nnt in isolated brain mitochondria significantly decreased their ability to consume H2O2 in the presence, but not absence, of respiration substrates. Nnt inhibition in liver mitochondria, which do not require substrates to detoxify H2O2, had no effect. Pharmacological inhibition or lentiviral knockdown of Nnt in N27 dopaminergic cells (a) decreased H2O2 catabolism, (b) decreased NADPH and increased NADP(+) levels, and (c) decreased basal, spare, and maximal mitochondrial oxygen consumption rates. Nnt-deficient cells possessed higher levels of oxidized mitochondrial Prx, which rendered them more susceptible to steady-state increases in H2O2 and cell death following exposure to subtoxic levels of paraquat. These data implicate Nnt as the critical link between the metabolic and H2O2 antioxidant function in brain mitochondria and suggests Nnt as a potential therapeutic target to improve the redox balance in conditions of oxidative stress associated with neurodegenerative diseases. © 2014 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  2. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor enhances conditioned taste aversion retention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castillo, Diana V; Figueroa-Guzmán, Yazmín; Escobar, Martha L

    2006-01-05

    Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has recently emerged as one of the most potent molecular mediators of not only central synaptic plasticity, but also behavioral interactions between an organism and its environment. Our previous studies on the insular cortex (IC), a region of the temporal cortex implicated in the acquisition and storage of conditioned taste aversion (CTA), have demonstrated that induction of long-term potentiation (LTP) in the projection from the basolateral nucleus of the amygdala (Bla) to the IC, previous to CTA training, enhances the retention of this task. Recently, we found that intracortical microinfusion of BDNF induces a lasting potentiation of synaptic efficacy in the Bla-IC projection of adult rats in vivo. In this work, we present experimental data showing that intracortical microinfusion of BDNF previous to CTA training enhances the retention of this task. These findings support the concept that BDNF may contribute to memory-related functions performed by a neocortical area, playing a critical role in long-term synaptic plasticity.

  3. Brain pericyte-derived soluble factors enhance insulin sensitivity in GT1-7 hypothalamic neurons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takahashi, Hiroyuki; Takata, Fuyuko; Matsumoto, Junichi; Machida, Takashi; Yamauchi, Atsushi; Dohgu, Shinya; Kataoka, Yasufumi

    2015-02-20

    Insulin signaling in the hypothalamus plays an important role in food intake and glucose homeostasis. Hypothalamic neuronal functions are modulated by glial cells; these form an extensive network connecting the neurons and cerebral vasculature, known as the neurovascular unit (NVU). Brain pericytes are periendothelial accessory structures of the blood-brain barrier and integral members of the NVU. However, the interaction between pericytes and neurons is largely unexplored. Here, we investigate whether brain pericytes could affect hypothalamic neuronal insulin signaling. Our immunohistochemical observations demonstrated the existence of pericytes in the mouse hypothalamus, exhibiting immunoreactivity of platelet-derived growth factor receptor β (a pericyte marker), and laminin, a basal lamina marker. We then exposed a murine hypothalamic neuronal cell line, GT1-7, to conditioned medium obtained from primary cultures of rat brain pericytes. Pericyte-conditioned medium (PCM), but not astrocyte- or aortic smooth muscle cell-conditioned medium, increased the insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of Akt in GT1-7 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. PCM also enhanced insulin-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of insulin receptor β without changing its expression or localization in cytosolic or plasma membrane fractions. These results suggest that pericytes, rather than astrocytes, increase insulin sensitivity in hypothalamic neurons by releasing soluble factors under physiological conditions in the NVU. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Drugs + HIV, Learn the Link

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Adolescent Brain Comorbidity College-Age & Young Adults Criminal Justice Drugged Driving Drug Testing Drugs and the Brain ... projects/learn-link-drugs-hiv . 120x90 460x80 486x60 Social Media Send the message to young people and ...

  5. Novel codrugs with GABAergic activity for dopamine delivery in the brain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Denora, Nunzio; Cassano, Tommaso; Laquintana, Valentino; Lopalco, Antonio; Trapani, Adriana; Cimmino, Concetta Stefania; Laconca, Leonardo; Giuffrida, Andrea; Trapani, Giuseppe

    2012-11-01

    This study investigates the use of codrugs of the GABAergic agent 2-phenyl-imidazo[1,2-a]pyridinacetamide and dopamine (DA) or ethyl ester L-Dopa (LD) as a strategy to deliver DA and simultaneously activate GABA-receptors in the brain. For this purpose, both DA and LD ethyl ester were linked by carbamate bond to imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine acetamide moieties to yield two DA- and two LD-imidazopyridine derivatives. These compounds were evaluated in vitro to assess their stability, binding affinities and cell membrane transport, and in vivo to assess their bio-availability via microdialysis studies. The two DA derivatives were adequately stable in buffered solution, but underwent cleavage in diluted human serum. By contrast, the LD derivatives were unstable in buffered solution. Receptor binding studies showed that the DA-imidazopyridine carbamates had binding affinity for benzodiazepine receptors in the nanomolar range. Brain microdialysis experiments indicated that intraperitoneal administration of the DA derivatives sustained DA levels in rat striatum over a 4-h period. These results suggest that DA-imidazopyridine carbamates are new DA codrugs with potential application for DA replacement therapy. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Changes in 5-HT2A-mediated behavior and 5-HT2A- and 5-HT1A receptor binding and expression in conditional brain-derived neurotrophic factor knock-out mice

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Klein, A B; Santini, M A; Aznar, S

    2010-01-01

    Changes in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression have been implicated in the etiology of psychiatric disorders. To investigate pathological mechanisms elicited by perturbed BDNF signaling, we examined mutant mice with central depletion of BDNF (BDNF(2L/2LCk-cre)). A severe impairment...... specific for the serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT(2A)R) in prefrontal cortex was described previously in these mice. This is of much interest, as 5-HT(2A)Rs have been linked to neuropsychiatric disorders and anxiety-related behavior. Here we further characterized the serotonin receptor alterations triggered...... was decreased in hippocampus of BDNF mutants, but unchanged in frontal cortex. Molecular analysis indicated corresponding changes in 5-HT(2A) and 5-HT(1A) mRNA expression but normal 5-HT(2C) content in these brain regions in BDNF(2L/2LCk-cre) mice. We investigated whether the reduction in frontal 5-HT(2A...

  7. Evaluation of hybrid theoretical approaches for structural determination of a glycine-linked cisplatin derivative via infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) action spectroscopy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    He, C.C.; Kimutai, B.; Bao, X.; Hamlow, L.; Zhu, Y.; Strobehn, S.F.; Gao, J.; Berden, G.; Oomens, J.; Chow, C.S.; Rodgers, M.T.

    2015-01-01

    To gain a better understanding of the binding mechanism and assist in the optimization of chemical probing and drug design applications, experimental and theoretical studies of a series of amino acid-linked cisplatin derivatives are being pursued. Glyplatin (glycine-linked cisplatin) was chosen for

  8. Age-dependent changes in autophosphorylation of alpha calcium/calmodulin dependent kinase II in hippocampus and amygdala after contextual fear conditioning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fang, Ton; Kasbi, Kamillia; Rothe, Stephanie; Aziz, Wajeeha; Giese, K Peter

    2017-09-01

    The hippocampus and amygdala are essential brain regions responsible for contextual fear conditioning (CFC). The autophosphorylation of alpha calcium-calmodulin kinase II (αCaMKII) at threonine-286 (T286) is a critical step implicated in long-term potentiation (LTP), learning and memory. However, the changes in αCaMKII levels with aging and training in associated brain regions are not fully understood. Here, we studied how aging and training affect the levels of phosphorylated (T286) and proportion of phosphorylated:total αCaMKII in the hippocampus and amygdala. Young and aged mice, naïve (untrained) and trained in CFC, were analysed by immunohistochemistry for the levels of total and phosphorylated αCaMKII in the hippocampus and amygdala. We found that two hours after CFC training, young mice exhibited a higher level of phosphorylated and increased ratio of phosphorylated:total αCaMKII in hippocampal CA3 stratum radiatum. Furthermore, aged untrained mice showed a higher ratio of phosphorylated:total αCaMKII in the CA3 region of the hippocampus when compared to the young untrained group. No effect of training or aging were seen in the central, lateral and basolateral amygdala regions, for both phosphorylated and ratio of phosphorylated:total αCaMKII. These results show that aging impairs the training-induced upregulation of autophosphorylated (T286) αCaMKII in the CA3 stratum radiatum of the hippocampus. This indicates that distinct age-related mechanisms underlie CFC that may rely more heavily on NMDA receptor-dependent plasticity in young age. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. A meta-analytic review of the effects of exercise on brain-derived neurotrophic factor

    OpenAIRE

    Szuhany, Kristin L.; Bugatti, Matteo; Otto, Michael W.

    2014-01-01

    Consistent evidence indicates that exercise improves cognition and mood, with preliminary evidence suggesting that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) may mediate these effects. The aim of the current meta-analysis was to provide an estimate of the strength of the association between exercise and increased BDNF levels in humans across multiple exercise paradigms. We conducted a meta-analysis of 29 studies (N = 1,111 participants) examining the effect of exercise on BDNF levels in three e...

  10. Correlation between hedgehog (hh) protein family and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (bdnf) in autism spectrum disorder (asd)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Halepoto, D.M.; Bashir, S.

    2015-01-01

    To determine the correlation of Sonic Hedgehog (SHH), Indian Hedgehog (IHH), and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Study Design: An observational, comparative study. Place and Duration of Study: Autism Research and Treatment Center, Al-Amodi Autism Research Chair, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from October 2011 to May 2012. Methodology: Serum levels of SHH, IHH and BDNF were determined in recently diagnosed autistic patients and age matched healthy children (n=25), using the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) was used for the assessment of autistic severity. Spearman correlation co-efficient-r was determined. Results: The serum levels of IHH and SHH were significantly higher in autistic subjects than those of control subjects. There was significant correlation between age and IHH (r = 0.176, p = 0.03), BDNF and severe IHH (r = 0.1763, p = 0.003), and severe BDNF and severe SHH (r = 0.143, p < 0.001). However, there were no significant relationships among the serum levels of SHH, IHH and BDNF and the CARS score, age or gender. Conclusion: The findings support a correlation between SHH, IHH and BDNF in autistic children, suggesting their pathological role in autism. (author)

  11. [Effect of a new derivative of glutamic and apovincaminic acids on brain metabolism in post-ischemic period].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Makarova, L M; Prikhod'ko, M A; Pogorelyĭ, V E; Skachilova, S Ia; Mirzoian, R S

    2014-01-01

    Neuroprotective properties of the new derivative of glutamic and apovincaminic acids, ethyl -(3-alpha,16-alpha)-eburnamenin-14-carbopxylate of 2-aminopentadionic acid (LHT 1-02) were studied on a model of acute brain ischemia in cats. LHT 1-02 has proved to be more effective than the reference drugs vinpocetin and glycine in preventing the reperfusive damage, which was manifested by decreased postischemic hyperglycemia, activated utilization of oxygen in the brain, and suppressed postischemic metabolic lactate acidosis. Thus, the results of this comparative study show expediency of further investigations of LHT 1 - 02 as a potential neuroprotective drug.

  12. The V1-V3 region of a brain-derived HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein determines macrophage tropism, low CD4 dependence, increased fusogenicity and altered sensitivity to entry inhibitors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martín-García Julio

    2008-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background HIV-1 infects macrophages and microglia in the brain and can cause neurological disorders in infected patients. We and others have shown that brain-derived envelope glycoproteins (Env have lower CD4 dependence and higher avidity for CD4 than those from peripheral isolates, and we have also observed increased fusogenicity and reduced sensitivity to the fusion inhibitor T-1249. Due to the genetic differences between brain and spleen env from one individual throughout gp120 and in gp41's heptad repeat 2 (HR2, we investigated the viral determinants for the phenotypic differences by performing functional studies with chimeric and mutant Env. Results Chimeric Env showed that the V1/V2-C2-V3 region in brain's gp120 determines the low CD4 dependence and high avidity for CD4, as well as macrophage tropism and reduced sensitivity to the small molecule BMS-378806. Changes in brain gp41's HR2 region did not contribute to the increased fusogenicity or to the reduced sensitivity to T-1249, since a T-1249-based peptide containing residues found in brain's but not in spleen's HR2 had similar potency than T-1249 and interacted similarly with an immobilized heptad repeat 1-derived peptide in surface plasmon resonance analysis. However, the increased fusogenicity and reduced T-1249 sensitivity of brain and certain chimeric Env mostly correlated with the low CD4 dependence and high avidity for CD4 determined by brain's V1-V3 region. Remarkably, most but not all of these low CD4-dependent, macrophage tropic envelopes glycoproteins also had increased sensitivity to the novel allosteric entry inhibitor HNG-105. The gp120's C2 region asparagine 283 (N283 has been previously associated with macrophage tropism, brain infection, lower CD4 dependence and higher CD4 affinity. Therefore, we introduced the N283T mutation into an env clone from a brain-derived isolate and into a brain tissue-derived env clone, and the T283N change into a spleen-derived env

  13. Structure-activity relationships of dimethylsphingosine (DMS) derivatives and their effects on intracellular pH and Ca2+ in the U937 monocyte cell line.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Young-Ja; Lee, Yun-Kyung; Lee, Eun-Hee; Park, Jeong-Ju; Chung, Sung-Kee; Im, Dong-Soon

    2006-08-01

    We recently reported that dimethylsphingosine (DMS), a metabolite of sphingolipids, increased intracellular pH and Ca2+ concentration in U937 human monocytes. In the present study, we found that dimethylphytosphingosine (DMPH) induced the above responses more robustly than DMS. However, phytosphingosine, monomethylphytosphingosine or trimethylsphingosine showed little or no activity. Synthetic C3 deoxy analogues of sphingosine did show similar activities, with the C16 analogue more so than C18. The following structure-activity relationships were observed between DMS derivatives and the intracellular pH and Ca2+ concentrations in U937 monocytes; 1) dimethyl modification is important for the DMS-induced increase of intracellular pH and Ca2+, 2) the addition of an OH group on C4 enhances both activities, 3) the deletion of the OH group on C3 has a negligible effect on the activities, and 4) C16 appears to be more effective than C18. We also found that W-7, a calmodulin inhibitor, blocked the DMS-induced pH increase, whereas, KN-62, ML9, and MMPX, specific inhibitors for calmodulin-dependent kinase II, myosin light chain kinase, and Ca(2+)-calmodulin-dependent phosphodiesterase, respectively, did not affect DMS-induced increases of pH in the U937 monocytes.

  14. Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and gray matter volume in bipolar disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poletti, S; Aggio, V; Hoogenboezem, T A; Ambrée, O; de Wit, H; Wijkhuijs, A J M; Locatelli, C; Colombo, C; Arolt, V; Drexhage, H A; Benedetti, F

    2017-02-01

    Bipolar Disorder (BD) is a severe psychiatric condition characterized by grey matter (GM) volumes reduction. Neurotrophic factors have been suggested to play a role in the neuroprogressive changes during the illness course. In particular peripheral brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been proposed as a potential biomarker related to disease activity and neuroprogression in BD. The aim of our study was to investigate if serum levels of BDNF are associated with GM volumes in BD patients and healthy controls (HC). We studied 36 inpatients affected by a major depressive episode in course of BD type I and 17 HC. Analysis of variance was performed to investigate the effect of diagnosis on GM volumes in the whole brain. Threshold for significance was PBDNF levels compared with HC. Reduced GM volumes in BD patients compared to HC were observed in several brain areas, encompassing the caudate head, superior temporal gyrus, insula, fusiform gyrus, parahippocampal gyrus, and anterior cingulate cortex. The interaction analysis between BDNF levels and diagnosis showed a significant effect in the middle frontal gyrus. HC reported higher BDNF levels associated with higher GM volumes, whereas no association between BDNF and GM volumes was observed in BD. Our study seems to suggest that although the production of BDNF is increased in BD possibly to prevent and repair neural damage, its effects could be hampered by underlying neuroinflammatory processes interfering with the neurodevelopmental role of BDNF. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  15. Galacturonomannan and Golgi-derived membrane linked to growth and shaping of biogenic calcite

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marsh, M. E.; Ridall, A. L.; Azadi, P.; Duke, P. J.

    2002-01-01

    The coccolithophores are valuable models for the design and synthesis of composite materials, because the cellular machinery controlling the nucleation, growth, and patterning of their calcitic scales (coccoliths) can be examined genetically. The coccoliths are formed within the Golgi complex and are the major CaCO(3) component in limestone sediments-particularly those of the Cretaceous period. In this study, we describe mutants lacking a sulfated galacturonomannan and show that this polysaccharide in conjunction with the Golgi-derived membrane is directly linked to the growth and shaping of coccolith calcite but not to the initial orientated nucleation of the mineral phase.

  16. Regulation of the ligand-dependent activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor by calmodulin

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Li, Hongbing; Panina, Svetlana; Kaur, Amandeep

    2012-01-01

    Calmodulin (CaM) is the major component of calcium signaling pathways mediating the action of various effectors. Transient increases in the intracellular calcium level triggered by a variety of stimuli lead to the formation of Ca2+/CaM complexes, which interact with and activate target proteins....... In the present study the role of Ca2+/CaM in the regulation of the ligand-dependent activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has been examined in living cells. We show that addition of different cell permeable CaM antagonists to cultured cells or loading cells with a Ca2+ chelator inhibited...

  17. Synthesis and characterization of N-hydroxysuccinimide ester chemical affinity derivatives of asialoorosomucoid that covalently cross-link to galactosyl receptors on isolated rat hepatocytes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Herzig, M.C.S.; Weigel, P.H.

    1989-01-01

    The authors have developed chemical affinity reagents for the hepatic galactosyl receptor. Asialoorosomucoid (ASOR) was derivatized with five homobifunctional N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) ester cross-linkers. NHS/ASOR derivatives were synthesized, purified, and applied within 10 min to isolated rat hepatocytes at 4 degree C. Specific binding of these 125 I-labeled derivatives was ∼90% in the presence of either EGTA or excess ASOR. Specific cross-linking assessed by the resistance of specifically bound NHS/ 125 I-ASOR to release by EGTA, was 50-75% of the specifically bound ligand. The extent of specific cross-linking correlated with the average number of NHS groups per ASOR and was controlled by varying the molar ratio of cross-linker to ASOR during the synthesis. After being cross-linked with any of the NHS/ 125 I-ASOR derivatives, cells were washed with EGTA, solubilized in Triton X-100, and analyzed by SDA-PAGE and autoradiography. They conclude that all three receptor subunits can cross-link to ligand. They propose a model in which the native receptor is a heterohexamer composed of four subunits of RHL 1 and two subunits of RHL 2 and/or RHL 3

  18. Calmodulin immunolocalization to cortical microtubules is calcium independent

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fisher, D.D.; Cyr, R.J.

    1992-12-31

    Calcium affects the stability of cortical microtubules (MTs) in lysed protoplasts. This calmodulin (CaM)-mediated interaction may provide a mechanism that serves to integrate cellular behavior with MT function. To test the hypothesis that CaM associates with these MTs, monoclonal antibodies were produced against CaM, and one (designated mAb1D10), was selected for its suitability as an immunocytochemical reagent. It is shown that CaM associates with the cortical Mats of cultured carrot (Daucus carota L.) and tobacco (Nicotiana tobacum L.) cells. Inasmuch as CaM interacts with calcium and affects the behavior of these Mats, we hypothesized that calcium would alter this association. To test this, protoplasts containing taxol-stabilized Mats were lysed in the presence of various concentrations of calcium and examined for the association of Cam with cortical Mats. At 1 {mu}M calcium, many protoplasts did not have CaM in association with the cortical Mats, while at 3.6 {mu}M calcium, this association was completely abolished. The results are discussed in terms of a model in which CaM associates with Mats via two types of interactions; one calcium dependent and one independent.

  19. Calmodulin immunolocalization to cortical microtubules is calcium independent

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fisher, D.D.; Cyr, R.J.

    1992-01-01

    Calcium affects the stability of cortical microtubules (MTs) in lysed protoplasts. This calmodulin (CaM)-mediated interaction may provide a mechanism that serves to integrate cellular behavior with MT function. To test the hypothesis that CaM associates with these MTs, monoclonal antibodies were produced against CaM, and one (designated mAb1D10), was selected for its suitability as an immunocytochemical reagent. It is shown that CaM associates with the cortical Mats of cultured carrot (Daucus carota L.) and tobacco (Nicotiana tobacum L.) cells. Inasmuch as CaM interacts with calcium and affects the behavior of these Mats, we hypothesized that calcium would alter this association. To test this, protoplasts containing taxol-stabilized Mats were lysed in the presence of various concentrations of calcium and examined for the association of Cam with cortical Mats. At 1 [mu]M calcium, many protoplasts did not have CaM in association with the cortical Mats, while at 3.6 [mu]M calcium, this association was completely abolished. The results are discussed in terms of a model in which CaM associates with Mats via two types of interactions; one calcium dependent and one independent.

  20. Quantification of VGF- and pro-SAAS-derived peptides in endocrine tissues and the brain, and their regulation by diet and cold stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chakraborty, Tandra R; Tkalych, Oleg; Nanno, Daniela; Garcia, Angelo L; Devi, Lakshmi A; Salton, Stephen R J

    2006-05-17

    Two novel granin-like polypeptides, VGF and pro-SAAS, which are stored in and released from secretory vesicles and are expressed widely in nervous, endocrine, and neuroendocrine tissues, play roles in the regulation of body weight, feeding, and energy expenditure. Both VGF and pro-SAAS are cleaved into peptide fragments, several of which are biologically active. We utilized a highly sensitive and specific radioimmunoassay (RIA) to immunoreactive, pro-SAAS-derived PEN peptides, developed another against immunoreactive, VGF-derived AQEE30 peptides, and quantified these peptides in various mouse tissues and brain regions. Immunoreactive AQEE30 was most abundant in the pituitary, while brain levels were highest in hypothalamus, striatum, and frontal cortex. Immunoreactive PEN levels were highest in the pancreas and spinal cord, and in brain, PEN was most abundant in striatum, hippocampus, pons and medulla, and cortex. Since both peptides were expressed in hypothalamus, a region of the brain that controls feeding and energy expenditure, double label immunofluorescence studies were employed. These demonstrated that 42% of hypothalamic arcuate neurons coexpress VGF and SAAS peptides, and that the intracellular distributions of these peptides in arcuate neurons differed. By RIA, cold stress increased immunoreactive AQEE30 and PEN peptide levels in female but not male hypothalamus, while a high fat diet increased AQEE30 and PEN peptide levels in female but not male hippocampus. VGF and SAAS-derived peptides are therefore widely expressed in endocrine, neuroendocrine, and neural tissues, can be accurately quantified by RIA, and are differentially regulated in the brain by diet and cold stress.

  1. Increased expression of aquaporin-4 in human traumatic brain injury and brain tumors

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    HU Hua; YAO Hong-tian; ZHANG Wei-ping; ZHANG LEI; DING Wei; ZHANG Shi-hong; CHEN Zhong; WEI Er-qing

    2005-01-01

    Objective: To characterize the expression of aquaporin-4 (AQP4), one of the aquaporins (AQPs), in human brain specimens from patients with traumatic brain injury or brain tumors. Methods: Nineteen human brain specimens were obtained from the patients with traumatic brain injury, brain tumors, benign meningioma or early stage hemorrhagic stroke. MRI or CT imaging was used to assess brain edema. Hematoxylin and eosin staining were used to evaluate cell damage. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the AQP4 expression. Results: AQP4 expression was increased from 15h to at least 8 d after injury. AQP4immunoreactivity was strong around astrocytomas, ganglioglioma and metastatic adenocarcinoma. However, AQP4 immunoreactivity was only found in the centers of astrocytomas and ganglioglioma, but not in metastatic adenocarcinoma derived from lung.Conclusion: AQP4 expression increases in human brains after traumatic brain injury, within brain-derived tumors, and around brain tumors.

  2. Specific nuclear localizing sequence directs two myosin isoforms to the cell nucleus in calmodulin-sensitive manner

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Dzijak, Rastislav; Yildirim, Sukriye; Kahle, Michal; Novák, Petr; Hnilicová, Jarmila; Venit, Tomáš; Hozák, Pavel

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 7, č. 1 (2012), e30529 E-ISSN 1932-6203 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA204/07/1592; GA ČR(CZ) GD204/09/H084; GA ČR GAP305/11/2232; GA MŠk LC545; GA MŠk(CZ) LC06063 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50520514 Institutional support: RVO:68378050 ; RVO:61388971 Keywords : NM1 * nuclear import * NLS * calmodulin Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 3.730, year: 2012

  3. Molecular characterisation of a calmodulin gene, VcCaM1, that is differentially expressed under aluminium stress in highbush blueberry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Inostroza-Blancheteau, C; Aquea, F; Loyola, R; Slovin, J; Josway, S; Rengel, Z; Reyes-Díaz, M; Alberdi, M; Arce-Johnson, P

    2013-11-01

    Calmodulin (CaM), a small acidic protein, is one of the best characterised Ca(2+) sensors in eukaryotes. This Ca(2+) -regulated protein plays a critical role in decoding and transducing environmental stress signals by activating specific targets. Many environmental stresses elicit changes in intracellular Ca(2+) activity that could initiate adaptive responses under adverse conditions. We report the first molecular cloning and characterisation of a calmodulin gene, VcCaM1 (Vaccinium corymbosum Calmodulin 1), in the woody shrub, highbush blueberry. VcCaM1 was first identified as VCAL19, a gene induced by aluminium stress in V. corymbosum L. A full-length cDNA of VcCaM1 containing a 766-bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding 149 amino acids was cloned from root RNA. The sequence encodes four Ca(2+) -binding motifs (EF-hands) and shows high similarity (99%) with the isoform CaM 201 of Daucus carota. Expression analyses showed that following Al treatment, VcCaM1 message level decreased in roots of Brigitta, an Al-resistant cultivar, and after 48 h, was lower than in Bluegold, an Al-sensitive cultivar. VcCAM1 message also decreased in leaves of both cultivars within 2 h of treatment. Message levels in leaves then increased by 24 h to control levels in Brigitta, but not in Bluegold, but then decreased again by 48 h. In conclusion, VcCaM1 does not appear to be directly involved in Al resistance, but may be involved in improved plant performance under Al toxicity conditions through regulation of Ca(2+) homeostasis and antioxidant systems in leaves. © 2013 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

  4. Why does brain metabolism not favor burning of fatty acids to provide energy? Reflections on disadvantages of the use of free fatty acids as fuel for brain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schönfeld, Peter; Reiser, Georg

    2013-10-01

    It is puzzling that hydrogen-rich fatty acids are used only poorly as fuel in the brain. The long-standing belief that a slow passage of fatty acids across the blood-brain barrier might be the reason. However, this has been corrected by experimental results. Otherwise, accumulated nonesterified fatty acids or their activated derivatives could exert detrimental activities on mitochondria, which might trigger the mitochondrial route of apoptosis. Here, we draw attention to three particular problems: (1) ATP generation linked to β-oxidation of fatty acids demands more oxygen than glucose, thereby enhancing the risk for neurons to become hypoxic; (2) β-oxidation of fatty acids generates superoxide, which, taken together with the poor anti-oxidative defense in neurons, causes severe oxidative stress; (3) the rate of ATP generation based on adipose tissue-derived fatty acids is slower than that using blood glucose as fuel. Thus, in periods of extended continuous and rapid neuronal firing, fatty acid oxidation cannot guarantee rapid ATP generation in neurons. We conjecture that the disadvantages connected with using fatty acids as fuel have created evolutionary pressure on lowering the expression of the β-oxidation enzyme equipment in brain mitochondria to avoid extensive fatty acid oxidation and to favor glucose oxidation in brain.

  5. BDNF Methylation and Maternal Brain Activity in a Violence-Related Sample.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dominik A Moser

    Full Text Available It is known that increased circulating glucocorticoids in the wake of excessive, chronic, repetitive stress increases anxiety and impairs Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF signaling. Recent studies of BDNF gene methylation in relation to maternal care have linked high BDNF methylation levels in the blood of adults to lower quality of received maternal care measured via self-report. Yet the specific mechanisms by which these phenomena occur remain to be established. The present study examines the link between methylation of the BDNF gene promoter region and patterns of neural activity that are associated with maternal response to stressful versus non-stressful child stimuli within a sample that includes mothers with interpersonal violence-related PTSD (IPV-PTSD. 46 mothers underwent fMRI. The contrast of neural activity when watching children-including their own-was then correlated to BDNF methylation. Consistent with the existing literature, the present study found that maternal BDNF methylation was associated with higher levels of maternal anxiety and greater childhood exposure to domestic violence. fMRI results showed a positive correlation of BDNF methylation with maternal brain activity in the anterior cingulate (ACC, and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC, regions generally credited with a regulatory function toward brain areas that are generating emotions. Furthermore we found a negative correlation of BDNF methylation with the activity of the right hippocampus. Since our stimuli focus on stressful parenting conditions, these data suggest that the correlation between vmPFC/ACC activity and BDNF methylation may be linked to mothers who are at a disadvantage with respect to emotion regulation when facing stressful parenting situations. Overall, this study provides evidence that epigenetic signatures of stress-related genes can be linked to functional brain regions regulating parenting stress, thus advancing our understanding of

  6. Age-dependent association of thyroid function with brain morphology and microstructural organization: evidence from brain imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaker, Layal; Cremers, Lotte G M; Korevaar, Tim I M; de Groot, Marius; Dehghan, Abbas; Franco, Oscar H; Niessen, Wiro J; Ikram, M Arfan; Peeters, Robin P; Vernooij, Meike W

    2018-01-01

    Thyroid hormone (TH) is crucial during neurodevelopment, but high levels of TH have been linked to neurodegenerative disorders. No data on the association of thyroid function with brain imaging in the general population are available. We therefore investigated the association of thyroid-stimulating hormone and free thyroxine (FT4) with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-derived total intracranial volume, brain tissue volumes, and diffusion tensor imaging measures of white matter microstructure in 4683 dementia- and stroke-free participants (mean age 60.2, range 45.6-89.9 years). Higher FT4 levels were associated with larger total intracranial volumes (β = 6.73 mL, 95% confidence interval = 2.94-9.80). Higher FT4 levels were also associated with larger total brain and white matter volumes in younger individuals, but with smaller total brain and white matter volume in older individuals (p-interaction 0.02). There was a similar interaction by age for the association of FT4 with mean diffusivity on diffusion tensor imaging (p-interaction 0.026). These results are in line with differential effects of TH during neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative processes and can improve the understanding of the role of thyroid function in neurodegenerative disorders. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Decreased plasma concentrations of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in patients with functional hypothalamic amenorrhea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Podfigurna-Stopa, Agnieszka; Casarosa, Elena; Luisi, Michele; Czyzyk, Adam; Meczekalski, Blazej; Genazzani, Andrea Riccardo

    2013-09-01

    Functional hypothalamic amenorrhea (FHA) is a non organic, secondary amenorrhea related to gonadotropin-releasing hormone pulsatile secretion impairment. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a member of the neurotrophin family of survival-promoting molecules, plays an important role in the growth, development, maintenance and function of several neuronal systems. The aim of the study was the evaluation of plasma BDNF concentrations in patients with the diagnosis of FHA. We studied 85 subjects diagnosed with FHA who were compared with 10 healthy, eumenorrheic controls with normal body mass index. Plasma BDNF and serum luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone and estradiol (E2) concentrations were measured by immunoenzymatic method (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). Significantly lower concentration of plasma BDNF was found in FHA patients (196.31 ± 35.26 pg/ml) in comparison to healthy controls (407.20 ± 25.71 pg/ml; p < 0.0001). In the control group, there was a strong positive correlation between plasma BDNF and serum E2 concentrations (r = 0.92, p = 0.0001) but in FHA group it was not found. Role of BDNF in FHA is not yet fully understood. There could be found studies concerning plasma BDNF concentrations in humans and animals in the literature. However, our study is one of the first projects which describes decreased plasma BDNF concentration in patients with diagnosed FHA. Therefore, further studies on BDNF in FHA should clarify the role of this peptide.

  8. Alteration of the irisin–brain-derived neurotrophic factor axis contributes to disturbance of mood in COPD patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Papp C

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Csaba Papp,1 Krisztian Pak,2 Tamas Erdei,2 Bela Juhasz,2 Ildiko Seres,3 Anita Szentpéteri,3 Laszlo Kardos,4 Maria Szilasi,5 Rudolf Gesztelyi,2 Judit Zsuga1 1Department of Health Systems Management and Quality Management for Health Care, Faculty of Public Health, 2Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, 3Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Infectious Diseases and Allergology, Kenezy Gyula Teaching County Hospital and Outpatient Clinic, 5Department of Pulmonology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary Abstract: COPD is accompanied by limited physical activity, worse quality of life, and increased prevalence of depression. A possible link between COPD and depression may be irisin, a myokine, expression of which in the skeletal muscle and brain positively correlates with physical activity. Irisin enhances the synthesis of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF, a neurotrophin involved in reward-related processes. Thus, we hypothesized that mood disturbances accompanying COPD are reflected by the changes in the irisin–BDNF axis. Case history, routine laboratory parameters, serum irisin and BDNF levels, pulmonary function, and disease-specific quality of life, measured by St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ, were determined in a cohort of COPD patients (n=74. Simple and then multiple linear regression were used to evaluate the data. We found that mood disturbances are associated with lower serum irisin levels (SGRQ’s Impacts score and reciprocal of irisin showed a strong positive association; β: 419.97; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 204.31, 635.63; P<0.001. This association was even stronger among patients in the lower 50% of BDNF levels (β: 434.11; 95% CI: 166.17, 702.05; P=0.002, while it became weaker for patients in the higher 50% of BDNF concentrations (β: 373.49; 95% CI: -74.91, 821.88; P=0

  9. Brain network disturbance related to posttraumatic stress and traumatic brain injury in veterans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spielberg, Jeffrey M; McGlinchey, Regina E; Milberg, William P; Salat, David H

    2015-08-01

    Understanding the neural causes and consequences of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a high research priority, given the high rates of associated disability and suicide. Despite remarkable progress in elucidating the brain mechanisms of PTSD and mTBI, a comprehensive understanding of these conditions at the level of brain networks has yet to be achieved. The present study sought to identify functional brain networks and topological properties (measures of network organization and function) related to current PTSD severity and mTBI. Graph theoretic tools were used to analyze resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data from 208 veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation New Dawn, all of whom had experienced a traumatic event qualifying for PTSD criterion A. Analyses identified brain networks and topological network properties linked to current PTSD symptom severity, mTBI, and the interaction between PTSD and mTBI. Two brain networks were identified in which weaker connectivity was linked to higher PTSD re-experiencing symptoms, one of which was present only in veterans with comorbid mTBI. Re-experiencing was also linked to worse functional segregation (necessary for specialized processing) and diminished influence of key regions on the network, including the hippocampus. Findings of this study demonstrate that PTSD re-experiencing symptoms are linked to weakened connectivity in a network involved in providing contextual information. A similar relationship was found in a separate network typically engaged in the gating of working memory, but only in veterans with mTBI. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  10. Effect of cigarette smoke on monocyte procoagulant activity: Focus on platelet-derived brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amadio, Patrizia; Baldassarre, Damiano; Sandrini, Leonardo; Weksler, Babette B; Tremoli, Elena; Barbieri, Silvia S

    2017-01-01

    Cigarette smoke (CS) activates platelets, promotes vascular dysfunction, and enhances Tissue Factor (TF) expression in blood monocytes favoring pro-thrombotic states. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a member of the family of neurotrophins involved in survival, growth, and maturation of neurons, is released by activated platelets (APLTs) and plays a role in the cardiovascular system. The effect of CS on circulating levels of BDNF is controversial and the function of circulating BDNF in atherothrombosis is not fully understood. Here, we have shown that human platelets, treated with an aqueous extract of CS (CSE), released BDNF in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, incubation of human monocytes with BDNF or with the supernatant of platelets activated with CSE increased TF activity by a Tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB)-dependent mechanism. Finally, comparing serum and plasma samples of 12 male never smokers (NS) and 29 male active smokers (AS) we observed a significant increase in microparticle-associated TF activity (MP-TF) as well as BDNF in AS, while in serum, BDNF behaved oppositely. Taken together these findings suggest that platelet-derived BDNF is involved in the regulation of TF activity and that CS plays a role in this pathway by favoring a pro-atherothrombotic state.

  11. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor into adult neocortex strengthens a taste aversion memory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martínez-Moreno, Araceli; Rodríguez-Durán, Luis F; Escobar, Martha L

    2016-01-15

    Nowadays, it is known that brain derived neurotrophic-factor (BDNF) is a protein critically involved in regulating long-term memory related mechanisms. Previous studies from our group in the insular cortex (IC), a brain structure of the temporal lobe implicated in acquisition, consolidation and retention of conditioned taste aversion (CTA), demonstrated that BDNF is essential for CTA consolidation. Recent studies show that BDNF-TrkB signaling is able to mediate the enhancement of memory. However, whether BDNF into neocortex is able to enhance aversive memories remains unexplored. In the present work, we administrated BDNF in a concentration capable of inducing in vivo neocortical LTP, into the IC immediately after CTA acquisition in two different conditions: a "strong-CTA" induced by 0.2M lithium chloride i.p. as unconditioned stimulus, and a "weak-CTA" induced by 0.1M lithium chloride i.p. Our results show that infusion of BDNF into the IC converts a weak CTA into a strong one, in a TrkB receptor-dependent manner. The present data suggest that BDNF into the adult insular cortex is sufficient to increase an aversive memory-trace. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. [Chromogranin A derived peptide CGA47-66 inhibits hyper-permeability of blood brain barrier in mice with sepsis].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeng, Yan; Zhang, Dan; Jiang, Liping; Wei, Fu; Xu, Shan

    2016-02-01

    To explore the effect of chromofungin (CHR), a chromogranin A (CGA) derived peptide CGA47-66, on hyper-permeability of blood brain barrier in septic mice. 120 healthy male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into groups, with 12 mice in each group. Seventy-two mice were used for dynamic observation of the contents of water and Evan blue (EB) in brain tissue after being treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Another 48 mice were divided into normal saline control group (NS group), LPS induced sepsis model group (LPS group), low-dose CHR pretreatment group (CL+LPS group), and high-dose CHR pretreatment group (CH+LPS group). The septic model was reproduced by intraperitoneal injection of 10 mg/kg LPS 0.1 mL, and the mice in NS group was given equal volume of normal saline. The mice in CL+LPS group and CH+LPS group were intraperitoneally injected with 15.5 μg/kg and 77.5 μg/kg CHR 10 minutes before LPS injection. Six hours after LPS injection, 4 mL/kg of 2% EB was injected via caudal vein, the contents of water and EB in brain tissue were determined, and EB immune fluorescence in brain tissue was determined to assess the changes in permeability of blood brain barrier. Brain pathology was observed with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. With the extension of time after LPS injection, the contents of water and EB in brain tissue were gradually increased, and the time of difference with statistical significance appeared earlier when compared with that of control group in the contents of water than that in EB contents (3 hours and 6 hours, respectively). The contents of water and EB in brain tissue in LPS group were significantly increased as compared with NS group [water content: (79.77±0.62)% vs. (78.28±0.44)%, P water and EB contents in brain tissue induced by LPS, and the effect was more significant in CH+LPS group [water content: (78.15±0.73)% vs. (79.77±0.62)%, EB (μg/g): 7.09±2.59 vs. 13.87±4.50, both P leakage in LPS group was more marked than that of NS

  13. Carbon-11 labeled stilbene derivatives from natural products for the imaging of Aβ plaques in the brain

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cui, Mengchao; Tang, Ruikun; Li, Zijing; Jia, Hongmei; Liu, Boli [Beijing Normal Univ. (China). Key Laboratory of Radiopharmaceuticals; Zhang, Jinming; Zhang, Xiaojun [Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing (China). Dept. of Nuclear Medicine

    2014-04-01

    Four stilbene derivatives from natural products were screened as novel β-amyloid (Aβ) imaging ligands. In vitro binding assay showed that the methylated ligand, (E)-1-methoxy-4-styrylbenzene (8) displayed high binding affinity to Aβ{sub 1-42} aggregates (K{sub i} = 19.5 nM). Moreover, the {sup 11}C-labeled ligand, [{sup 11}C]8 was prepared through an O-methylation reaction using [{sup 11}C]CH{sub 3}OTf. In vitro autoradiography with sections of transgenic mouse brain also confirmed the high and specific binding of [{sup 11}C]8 to Aβ plaques. In vivo biodistribution experiments in normal mice indicated that [{sup 11}C]8 displayed high initial uptake (9.41 ± 0.51% ID/g at 5 min post-injection) into and rapid washout from the brain, with a brain{sub 5} {sub min}/brain{sub 30} {sub min} ratio of 6.63. These preliminary results suggest that [{sup 11}C]8 may be served as a novel Aβ imaging probe for PET. (orig.)

  14. CaMELS: In silico prediction of calmodulin binding proteins and their binding sites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abbasi, Wajid Arshad; Asif, Amina; Andleeb, Saiqa; Minhas, Fayyaz Ul Amir Afsar

    2017-09-01

    Due to Ca 2+ -dependent binding and the sequence diversity of Calmodulin (CaM) binding proteins, identifying CaM interactions and binding sites in the wet-lab is tedious and costly. Therefore, computational methods for this purpose are crucial to the design of such wet-lab experiments. We present an algorithm suite called CaMELS (CalModulin intEraction Learning System) for predicting proteins that interact with CaM as well as their binding sites using sequence information alone. CaMELS offers state of the art accuracy for both CaM interaction and binding site prediction and can aid biologists in studying CaM binding proteins. For CaM interaction prediction, CaMELS uses protein sequence features coupled with a large-margin classifier. CaMELS models the binding site prediction problem using multiple instance machine learning with a custom optimization algorithm which allows more effective learning over imprecisely annotated CaM-binding sites during training. CaMELS has been extensively benchmarked using a variety of data sets, mutagenic studies, proteome-wide Gene Ontology enrichment analyses and protein structures. Our experiments indicate that CaMELS outperforms simple motif-based search and other existing methods for interaction and binding site prediction. We have also found that the whole sequence of a protein, rather than just its binding site, is important for predicting its interaction with CaM. Using the machine learning model in CaMELS, we have identified important features of protein sequences for CaM interaction prediction as well as characteristic amino acid sub-sequences and their relative position for identifying CaM binding sites. Python code for training and evaluating CaMELS together with a webserver implementation is available at the URL: http://faculty.pieas.edu.pk/fayyaz/software.html#camels. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  15. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) -TrKB signaling modulates cancer-endothelial cells interaction and affects the outcomes of triple negative breast cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsai, Yi-Fang; Tseng, Ling-Ming; Hsu, Chih-Yi; Yang, Muh-Hwa; Chiu, Jen-Hwey; Shyr, Yi-Ming

    2017-01-01

    There is good evidence that the tumor microenvironment plays an important role in cancer metastasis and progression. Our previous studies have shown that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) participates in the process of metastasis and in the migration of cancer cells. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of BDNF on the tumor cell microenvironment, namely, the cancer cell-endothelial cell interaction of TNBC cells. We conducted oligoneucleotide microarray analysis of potential biomarkers that are able to differentiate recurrent TNBC from non-recurrent TNBC. The MDA-MB-231 and human endothelial HUVEC lines were used for this study and our approaches included functional studies, such as migration assay, as well as Western blot and real-time PCR analysis of migration and angiogenic signaling. In addition, we analyzed the survival outcome of TNBC breast cancer patients according to their expression level of BDNF using clinical samples. The results demonstrated that BDNF was able to bring about autocrinal (MDA-MB-231) and paracrinal (HUVECs) regulation of BDNF-TrkB gene expression and this affected cell migratory activity. The BDNF-induced migratory activity was blocked by inhibitors of ERK, PI3K and TrkB when MDA-MB-231 cells were examined, but only an inhibitor of ERK blocked this activity when HUVEC cells were used. Furthermore, decreased migratory activity was found for △BDNF and △TrkB cell lines. Ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) of MDA-MB-231 cells showed that BDNF is a key factor that is able to regulate a network made up of metalloproteases and calmodulin. Protein expression levels in a tissue array of tumor slices were found to be correlated with patient prognosis and the results showed that there was significant correlation of TrkB expression, but not of BDNF. expressionwith patient DFS and OS. Our study demonstrates that up-regulation of the BDNF signaling pathway seems tobe involved in the mechanism associated with early recurrence in

  16. Serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in major depressive disorder: state-trait issues, clinical features and pharmacological treatment

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Molendijk, M.L.; Bus, B.A.A.; Spinhoven, P.; Penninx, B.W.J.H.; Kenis, G.; Prickaerts, J.; Voshaar, R.C.O.; Elzinga, B.M.

    2011-01-01

    Recent evidence supports 'the neurotrophin hypothesis of depression' in its prediction that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is involved in depression. However, some key questions remain unanswered, including whether abnormalities in BDNF persist beyond the clinical state of depression,

  17. The effects of physical activity and exercise on brain-derived neurotrophic factor in healthy humans

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Huang, T; Larsen, K T; Ried-Larsen, M

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to summarize the effects of physical activity and exercise on peripheral brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in healthy humans. Experimental and observational studies were identified from PubMed, Web of Knowledge, Scopus, and SPORT Discus. A total of 32 articles...... studies suggested an inverse relationship between the peripheral BDNF level and habitual physical activity or cardiorespiratory fitness. More research is needed to confirm the findings from the observational studies....

  18. A V1143F mutation in the neuronal-enriched isoform 2 of the PMCA pump is linked with ataxia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vicario, Mattia; Zanni, Ginevra; Vallese, Francesca; Santorelli, Filippo; Grinzato, Alessandro; Cieri, Domenico; Berto, Paola; Frizzarin, Martina; Lopreiato, Raffaele; Zonta, Francesco; Ferro, Stefania; Sandre, Michele; Marin, Oriano; Ruzzene, Maria; Bertini, Enrico; Zanotti, Giuseppe; Brini, Marisa; Calì, Tito; Carafoli, Ernesto

    2018-04-12

    The fine regulation of intracellular calcium is fundamental for all eukaryotic cells. In neurons, Ca 2+ oscillations govern the synaptic development, the release of neurotransmitters and the expression of several genes. Alterations of Ca 2+ homeostasis were found to play a pivotal role in neurodegenerative progression. The maintenance of proper Ca 2+ signaling in neurons demands the continuous activity of Ca 2+ pumps and exchangers to guarantee physiological cytosolic concentration of the cation. The plasma membrane Ca 2+ ATPases (PMCA pumps) play a key role in the regulation of Ca 2+ handling in selected sub-plasma membrane microdomains. Among the four basic PMCA pump isoforms existing in mammals, isoforms 2 and 3 are particularly enriched in the nervous system. In humans, genetic mutations in the PMCA2 gene in association with cadherin 23 mutations have been linked to hearing loss phenotypes, while those occurring in the PMCA3 gene were associated with X-linked congenital cerebellar ataxias. Here we describe a novel missense mutation (V1143F) in the calmodulin binding domain (CaM-BD) of the PMCA2 protein. The mutant pump was present in a patient showing congenital cerebellar ataxia but no overt signs of deafness, in line with the absence of mutations in the cadherin 23 gene. Biochemical and molecular dynamics studies on the mutated PMCA2 have revealed that the V1143F substitution alters the binding of calmodulin to the CaM-BD leading to impaired Ca 2+ ejection. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  19. Molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) translation in dendrites

    OpenAIRE

    Pinheiro, Vera Lúcia Margarido

    2010-01-01

    Dissertação de mestrado em Biologia Celular e Molecular apresentada ao Departamento de Ciências da Vida da Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade de Coimbra A especificidade espacial e temporal subjacente à diversidade de processos de plasticidade sináptica que ocorrem no sistema nervoso central está profundamente relacionada com a disponibilidade da proteína brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) em domínios sub-celulares distintos, especialmente na área pós-sinápti...

  20. 70-kDa Heat Shock Cognate Protein hsc70 Mediates Calmodulin-dependent Nuclear Import of the Sex-determining Factor SRY*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaur, Gurpreet; Lieu, Kim G.; Jans, David A.

    2013-01-01

    We recently showed that the developmentally important family of SOX (SRY (sex determining region on the Y chromosome)-related high mobility group (HMG) box) proteins require the calcium-binding protein calmodulin (CaM) for optimal nuclear accumulation, with clinical mutations in SRY that specifically impair nuclear accumulation via this pathway resulting in XY sex reversal. However, the mechanism by which CaM facilitates nuclear accumulation is unknown. Here, we show, for the first time, that the 70-kDa heat shock cognate protein hsc70 plays a key role in CaM-dependent nuclear import of SRY. Using a reconstituted nuclear import assay, we show that antibodies to hsc70 significantly reduce nuclear accumulation of wild type SRY and mutant derivatives thereof that retain CaM-dependent nuclear import, with an increased rate of nuclear accumulation upon addition of both CaM and hsc70, in contrast to an SRY mutant derivative with impaired CaM binding. siRNA knockdown of hsc70 in intact cells showed similar results, indicating clear dependence upon hsc70 for CaM-dependent nuclear import. Analysis using the technique of fluorescence recovery after photobleaching indicated that hsc70 is required for the maximal rate of SRY nuclear import in living cells but has no impact upon SRY nuclear retention/nuclear dynamics. Finally, we demonstrate direct binding of hsc70 to the SRY·CaM complex, with immunoprecipitation experiments from cell extracts showing association of hsc70 with wild type SRY, but not with a mutant derivative with impaired CaM binding, dependent on Ca2+. Our novel findings strongly implicate hsc70 in CaM-dependent nuclear import of SRY. PMID:23235156

  1. Deletion of the calmodulin-binding domain of Grb7 impairs cell attachment to the extracellular matrix and migration

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    García-Palmero, Irene; Villalobo, Antonio, E-mail: antonio.villalobo@iib.uam.es

    2013-06-28

    Highlights: •Grb7 is a calmodulin (CaM)-binding protein. •Deleting the CaM-binding site impairs cell attachment and migration. •CaM antagonists inhibit Grb7-mediated cell migration. •We conclude that CaM controls Grb7-mediated cell migration. -- Abstract: The adaptor Grb7 is a calmodulin (CaM)-binding protein that participates in signaling pathways involved in cell migration, proliferation and the control of angiogenesis, and plays a significant role in tumor growth, its metastatic spread and tumor-associated neo-vasculature formation. In this report we show that deletion of the CaM-binding site of Grb7, located in the proximal region of its pleckstrin homology (PH) domain, impairs cell migration, cell attachment to the extracellular matrix, and the reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton occurring during this process. Moreover, we show that the cell-permeable CaM antagonists N-(6-aminohexyl)-5-chloro-1-naphthalenesulfonamide (W-7) and N-(4-aminobutyl)-5-chloro-2-naphthalenesulfonamide (W-13) both retard the migration of cells expressing wild type Grb7, but not the migration of cells expressing the mutant protein lacking the CaM-binding site (Grb7Δ), underscoring the proactive role of CaM binding to Grb7 during this process.

  2. Drugs + HIV, Learn the Link

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... in the spread of HIV infection in the United States. Drugs can change the way the brain works, disrupting the parts of the brain that people use to weigh risks and benefits when making decisions. This page connects you to information about the link between drug misuse and HIV ...

  3. An electron microscopic study of the photochemical cross-linking of DNA in guinea pig epidermis by psoralen derivatives

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cech, T.; Pathak, M.A.; Biswas, R.K.

    1979-01-01

    Albino guinea pigs were treated with psoralen derivatives plus 320-400 nm ultraviolet radiation, and DNA was extracted from their epidermis. The DNA was assayed for the presence of interstrand cross-links by standard denaturation-renaturation assays and by a new technique, electron microscopy of the DNA under totally denaturing conditions. The latter method allows individual cross-links to be directly observed and counted. When either 4,5',8-trimethylpsoralen or 8-methoxypsoralen was applied topically to the skin (8-20 μg/cm 2 ) or administered orally (10-12 mg/kg body weight), followed by exposure to 320-400 nm ultraviolet radiation, most of the epidermal DNA was found to contain a high frequency of cross-links. For example, oral or topical trimethylpsoralen treatment gave an average of one cross-link per 250 nucleotide pairs or about 3 . 10 5 cross-links per guinea pig chromosome. When the dose of either drug was decreased 20-fold to the level used in the clinical treatment of psoriasis, however, no cross-links could be detected in the epidermal DNA. The electron microscopic assay is sensitive enough that one can put an upper limit of 1 cross-link per 10 6 nucleotide pairs (80 cross-links per chromosome) for the low dose studies. The significance of these findings to the understanding of the effectiveness of psoralens in psoriasis therapy is discussed. (Auth.)

  4. Eating habits modulate short term memory and epigenetical regulation of brain derived neurotrophic factor in hippocampus of low- and high running capacity rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Torma, Ferenc; Bori, Zoltan; Koltai, Erika; Felszeghy, Klara; Vacz, Gabriella; Koch, Lauren; Britton, Steven; Boldogh, Istvan; Radak, Zsolt

    2014-08-01

    Exercise capacity and dietary restriction (DR) are linked to improved quality of life, including enhanced brain function and neuro-protection. Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is one of the key proteins involved in the beneficial effects of exercise on brain. Low capacity runner (LCR) and high capacity runner (HCR) rats were subjected to DR in order to investigate the regulation of BDNF. HCR-DR rats out-performed other groups in a passive avoidance test. BDNF content increased significantly in the hippocampus of HCR-DR groups compared to control groups (p<0.05). The acetylation of H3 increased significantly only in the LCR-DR group. However, chip-assay revealed that the specific binding between acetylated histone H3 and BNDF promoter was increased in both LCR-DR and HCR-DR groups. In spite of these increases in binding, at the transcriptional level only, the LCR-DR group showed an increase in BDNF mRNA content. Additionally, DR also induced the activity of cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB), while the content of SIRT1 was not altered. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 alpha (PGC-1α) was elevated in HCR-DR groups. But, based on the levels of nuclear respiratory factor-1 and cytocrome c oxidase, it appears that DR did not cause mitochondrial biogenesis. The data suggest that DR-mediated induction of BDNF levels includes chromatin remodeling. Moreover, DR does not induce mitochondrial biogenesis in the hippocampus of LCR/HCR rats. DR results in different responses to a passive avoidance test, and BDNF regulation in LCR and HCR rats. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Interaction of a plant pseudo-response regulator with a calmodulin-like protein

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Perochon, Alexandre; Dieterle, Stefan; Pouzet, Cecile; Aldon, Didier; Galaud, Jean-Philippe; Ranty, Benoit

    2010-01-01

    Research highlights: → The pseudo-response regulator PRR2 specifically binds CML9, a calmodulin-like protein → The interaction is confirmed in plant cell nuclei → The interaction requires an intact PRR2 protein. -- Abstract: Calmodulin (CaM) plays a crucial role in the regulation of diverse cellular processes by modulating the activities of numerous target proteins. Plants possess an extended CaM family including numerous CaM-like proteins (CMLs), most of which appear to be unique to plants. We previously demonstrated a role for CML9 in abiotic stress tolerance and seed germination in Arabidopsis thaliana. We report here the isolation of PRR2, a pseudo-response regulator as a CML9 interacting protein by screening an expression library prepared from Arabidopsis seedlings with CML9 as bait in a yeast two-hybrid system. PRR2 is similar to the response regulators of the two-component system, but lacks the invariant residue required for phosphorylation by which response regulators switch their output response, suggesting the existence of alternative regulatory mechanisms. PRR2 was found to bind CML9 and closely related CMLs but not a canonical CaM. Mapping analyses indicate that an almost complete form of PRR2 is required for interaction with CML9, suggesting a recognition mode different from the classical CaM-target peptide complex. PRR2 contains several features that are typical of transcription factors, including a GARP DNA recognition domain, a Pro-rich region and a Golden C-terminal box. PRR2 and CML9 as fusion proteins with fluorescent tags co-localized in the nucleus of plant cells, and their interaction in the nuclear compartment was validated in planta by using a fluorophore-tagged protein interaction assay. These findings suggest that binding of PRR2 to CML9 may be an important mechanism to modulate the physiological role of this transcription factor in plants.

  6. Interaction of a plant pseudo-response regulator with a calmodulin-like protein

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Perochon, Alexandre; Dieterle, Stefan; Pouzet, Cecile; Aldon, Didier; Galaud, Jean-Philippe [UMR 5546 CNRS/Universite Toulouse 3, Pole de Biotechnologie vegetale, BP 42617 Auzeville, 31326 Castanet-Tolosan cedex (France); Ranty, Benoit, E-mail: ranty@scsv.ups-tlse.fr [UMR 5546 CNRS/Universite Toulouse 3, Pole de Biotechnologie vegetale, BP 42617 Auzeville, 31326 Castanet-Tolosan cedex (France)

    2010-08-06

    Research highlights: {yields} The pseudo-response regulator PRR2 specifically binds CML9, a calmodulin-like protein {yields} The interaction is confirmed in plant cell nuclei {yields} The interaction requires an intact PRR2 protein. -- Abstract: Calmodulin (CaM) plays a crucial role in the regulation of diverse cellular processes by modulating the activities of numerous target proteins. Plants possess an extended CaM family including numerous CaM-like proteins (CMLs), most of which appear to be unique to plants. We previously demonstrated a role for CML9 in abiotic stress tolerance and seed germination in Arabidopsis thaliana. We report here the isolation of PRR2, a pseudo-response regulator as a CML9 interacting protein by screening an expression library prepared from Arabidopsis seedlings with CML9 as bait in a yeast two-hybrid system. PRR2 is similar to the response regulators of the two-component system, but lacks the invariant residue required for phosphorylation by which response regulators switch their output response, suggesting the existence of alternative regulatory mechanisms. PRR2 was found to bind CML9 and closely related CMLs but not a canonical CaM. Mapping analyses indicate that an almost complete form of PRR2 is required for interaction with CML9, suggesting a recognition mode different from the classical CaM-target peptide complex. PRR2 contains several features that are typical of transcription factors, including a GARP DNA recognition domain, a Pro-rich region and a Golden C-terminal box. PRR2 and CML9 as fusion proteins with fluorescent tags co-localized in the nucleus of plant cells, and their interaction in the nuclear compartment was validated in planta by using a fluorophore-tagged protein interaction assay. These findings suggest that binding of PRR2 to CML9 may be an important mechanism to modulate the physiological role of this transcription factor in plants.

  7. Congenital olfactory impairment is linked to cortical changes in prefrontal and limbic brain regions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Karstensen, Helena Gásdal; Vestergaard, Martin; Baaré, William F C

    2018-01-01

    differently in individuals who suffer from lifelong olfactory deprivation relative to healthy normosmic individuals. To address this question, we examined if regional variations in gray matter volume were associated with smell ability in seventeen individuals with isolated congenital olfactory impairment (COI...... in left middle frontal gyrus and right superior frontal sulcus (SFS). COI subjects with severe olfactory impairment (anosmia) had reduced grey matter volume in the left mOFC and increased volume in right piriform cortex and SFS. Within the COI group olfactory ability, measured with the "Sniffin' Sticks...... piriform cortex, while olfactory identification was negatively associated with right SFS volume. Our findings suggest that lifelong olfactory deprivation trigger changes in the cortical volume of prefrontal and limbic brain regions previously linked to olfactory memory....

  8. Antidepressant Effects of Pharmacopuncture on Behavior and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF Expression in Chronic Stress Model of Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yunna Kim

    2017-12-01

    Conclusion: HJ11 improves depressive-like behaviors in the stress-induced mouse model of depression, and the results indicate that the neuroprotective effect of HJ11, identified by brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression, may play a critical role in its antidepressant effect.

  9. Property Values Associated with the Failure of Individual Links in a System with Multiple Weak and Strong Links.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Helton, Jon C. [Arizona State Univ., Tempe, AZ (United States); Brooks, Dusty Marie [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Sallaberry, Cedric Jean-Marie. [Engineering Mechanics Corp. of Columbus, OH (United States)

    2018-02-01

    Representations are developed and illustrated for the distribution of link property values at the time of link failure in the presence of aleatory uncertainty in link properties. The following topics are considered: (i) defining properties for weak links and strong links, (ii) cumulative distribution functions (CDFs) for link failure time, (iii) integral-based derivation of CDFs for link property at time of link failure, (iv) sampling-based approximation of CDFs for link property at time of link failure, (v) verification of integral-based and sampling-based determinations of CDFs for link property at time of link failure, (vi) distributions of link properties conditional on time of link failure, and (vii) equivalence of two different integral-based derivations of CDFs for link property at time of link failure.

  10. Molecular assembly and biosynthesis of acetylcholinesterase in brain and muscle: The roles of t-peptide, FHB domain and N-linked glycosylation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vicky P. Chen

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available Acetylcholinesterase (AChE is responsible for the hydrolysis of the neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, in the nervous system. The functional localization and oligomerization of AChE T variant are depending primarily on the association of their anchoring partners, either collagen tail (ColQ or proline rich membrane anchor (PRiMA. Complexes with ColQ represent the asymmetric forms (A12 in muscle, while complexes with PRiMA represent tetrameric globular forms (G4 mainly found in brain and muscle. Apart from these traditional molecular forms, a ColQ-linked asymmetric form and a PRiMA-linked globular form of hybrid cholinesterases (ChEs, having both AChE and BChE catalytic subunits, were revealed in chicken brain and muscle. The similarity of various molecular forms of AChE and BChE raises interesting question regarding to their possible relationship in enzyme assembly and localization. The focus of this review is to provide current findings about the biosynthesis of different forms of ChEs together with their anchoring proteins.

  11. Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Neural Cells Survive and Mature in the Nonhuman Primate Brain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marina E. Emborg

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available The generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs opens up the possibility for personalized cell therapy. Here, we show that transplanted autologous rhesus monkey iPSC-derived neural progenitors survive for up to 6 months and differentiate into neurons, astrocytes, and myelinating oligodendrocytes in the brains of MPTP-induced hemiparkinsonian rhesus monkeys with a minimal presence of inflammatory cells and reactive glia. This finding represents a significant step toward personalized regenerative therapies.

  12. Reliability of semiquantitative 18F-FDG PET parameters derived from simultaneous brain PET/MRI: A feasibility study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jena, Amarnath; Taneja, Sangeeta; Goel, Reema; Renjen, Pushpendranath; Negi, Pradeep

    2014-01-01

    Purpose: Simultaneous brain PET/MRI faces an important issue of validation of accurate MRI based attenuation correction (AC) method for precise quantitation of brain PET data unlike in PET/CT systems where the use of standard, validated CT based AC is routinely available. The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of evaluation of semiquantitative 18 F-FDG PET parameters derived from simultaneous brain PET/MRI using ultrashort echo time (UTE) sequences for AC and to assess their agreement with those obtained from PET/CT examination. Methods: Sixteen patients (age range 18–73 years; mean age 49.43 (19.3) years; 13 men 3 women) underwent simultaneous brain PET/MRI followed immediately by PET/CT. Quantitative analysis of brain PET images obtained from both studies was undertaken using Scenium v.1 brain analysis software package. Twenty ROIs for various brain regions were system generated and 6 semiquantitative parameters including maximum standardized uptake value (SUV max), SUV mean, minimum SUV (SUV min), minimum standard deviation (SD min), maximum SD (SD max) and SD from mean were calculated for both sets of PET data for each patient. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) were determined to assess agreement between the various semiquantitative parameters for the two PET data sets. Results: Intra-class co-relation between the two PET data sets for SUV max, SUV mean and SD max was highly significant (p < 0.00) for all the 20 predefined brain regions with ICC > 0.9. SD from mean was also found to be statistically significant for all the predefined brain regions with ICC > 0.8. However, SUV max and SUV mean values obtained from PET/MRI were significantly lower compared to those of PET/CT for all the predefined brain regions. Conclusion: PET quantitation accuracy using the MRI based UTE sequences for AC in simultaneous brain PET/MRI is reliable in a clinical setting, being similar to that obtained using PET/CT

  13. ROLE OF BRAIN-DERIVED NEUROTROPHIC FACTOR (BDNF IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF COGNTIVE DYSFUNCTION IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Irina Vladimirovna Gatskikh

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available One of the heavy progressive vascular complications of type 2 diabetes is a central nervous system, manifesting cognitive dysfunction due to metabolic changes. Goal. Defining the role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF in the diagnosis of cognitive dysfunction in patients with type 2 diabetes. Materials and methods. The study involved 83 patients with type 2 diabetes at the age of 40 - 70 years. Complex examination included clinical and laboratory examination, neuropsychological testing. To screen for cognitive impairment used the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MOS test. To identify early markers of cognitive impairment was determined the level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF. Results. The study found a negative correlation between the level of BDNF and the HbA1c (r = - 0,494, p = 0.01, fasting glucose (r = - 0,499, p = 0.01, and a positive relationship between the level of BDNF and cognitive function in patients with type 2 diabetes. Conclusion. In patients with type 2 diabetes revealed cognitive dysfunction in the form of reduced memory, attention, optical-dimensional activity that correlated with chronic hyperglycemia. The role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF in the complex diagnosis of cognitive dysfunction in patients with type 2 diabetes. With an increase in HbA1c in patients with type 2 diabetes reduces the level of BDNF in the blood plasma, and a decline in cognitive function. Recommended use of BDNF as an additional marker of cognitive dysfunction in patients with type 2 diabetes.

  14. The derived allele of ASPM is associated with lexical tone perception.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patrick C M Wong

    Full Text Available The ASPM and MCPH1 genes have been implicated in the adaptive evolution of the human brain [Mekel-Bobrov N. et al., 2005. Ongoing adaptive evolution of ASPM, a brain size determinant in homo sapiens. Science 309; Evans P.D. et al., 2005. Microcephalin, a gene regulating brain size, continues to evolve adaptively in humans. Science 309]. Curiously, experimental attempts have failed to connect the implicated SNPs in these genes with higher-level brain functions. These results stand in contrast with a population-level study linking the population frequency of their alleles with the tendency to use lexical tones in a language [Dediu D., Ladd D.R., 2007. Linguistic tone is related to the population frequency of the adaptive haplogroups of two brain size genes, ASPM and microcephalin. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 104]. In the present study, we found a significant correlation between the load of the derived alleles of ASPM and tone perception in a group of European Americans who did not speak a tone language. Moreover, preliminary results showed a significant correlation between ASPM load and hemodynamic responses to lexical tones in the auditory cortex, and such correlation remained after phonemic awareness, auditory working memory, and non-verbal IQ were controlled. As in previous studies, no significant correlation between ASPM and cognitive measures were found. MCPH1 did not correlate with any measures. These results suggest that the association between the recently derived allele of ASPM is likely to be specific and is tied to higher level brain functions in the temporal cortex related to human communication.

  15. Brain disorders and the biological role of music.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clark, Camilla N; Downey, Laura E; Warren, Jason D

    2015-03-01

    Despite its evident universality and high social value, the ultimate biological role of music and its connection to brain disorders remain poorly understood. Recent findings from basic neuroscience have shed fresh light on these old problems. New insights provided by clinical neuroscience concerning the effects of brain disorders promise to be particularly valuable in uncovering the underlying cognitive and neural architecture of music and for assessing candidate accounts of the biological role of music. Here we advance a new model of the biological role of music in human evolution and the link to brain disorders, drawing on diverse lines of evidence derived from comparative ethology, cognitive neuropsychology and neuroimaging studies in the normal and the disordered brain. We propose that music evolved from the call signals of our hominid ancestors as a means mentally to rehearse and predict potentially costly, affectively laden social routines in surrogate, coded, low-cost form: essentially, a mechanism for transforming emotional mental states efficiently and adaptively into social signals. This biological role of music has its legacy today in the disordered processing of music and mental states that characterizes certain developmental and acquired clinical syndromes of brain network disintegration. © The Author (2014). Published by Oxford University Press.

  16. The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene Val66Met polymorphism affects memory performance in older adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Azeredo, Lucas A de; De Nardi, Tatiana; Levandowski, Mateus L; Tractenberg, Saulo G; Kommers-Molina, Julia; Wieck, Andrea; Irigaray, Tatiana Q; Silva, Irênio G da; Grassi-Oliveira, Rodrigo

    2017-01-01

    Memory impairment is an important contributor to the reduction in quality of life experienced by older adults, and genetic risk factors seem to contribute to variance in age-related cognitive decline. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is an important nerve growth factor linked with development and neural plasticity. The Val66Met polymorphism in the BDNF gene has been associated with impaired episodic memory in adults, but whether this functional variant plays a role in cognitive aging remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism on memory performance in a sample of elderly adults. Eighty-seven subjects aged > 55 years were recruited using a community-based convenience sampling strategy in Porto Alegre, Brazil. The logical memory subset of the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised was used to assess immediate verbal recall (IVR), delayed verbal recall (DVR), and memory retention rate. BDNF Met allele carriers had lower DVR scores (p = 0.004) and a decline in memory retention (p = 0.017) when compared to Val/Val homozygotes. However, we found no significant differences in IVR between the two groups (p = 0.088). These results support the hypothesis of the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism as a risk factor associated with cognitive impairment, corroborating previous findings in young and older adults.

  17. The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF gene Val66Met polymorphism affects memory performance in older adults

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lucas A. de Azeredo

    Full Text Available Objective: Memory impairment is an important contributor to the reduction in quality of life experienced by older adults, and genetic risk factors seem to contribute to variance in age-related cognitive decline. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF is an important nerve growth factor linked with development and neural plasticity. The Val66Met polymorphism in the BDNF gene has been associated with impaired episodic memory in adults, but whether this functional variant plays a role in cognitive aging remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism on memory performance in a sample of elderly adults. Methods: Eighty-seven subjects aged > 55 years were recruited using a community-based convenience sampling strategy in Porto Alegre, Brazil. The logical memory subset of the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised was used to assess immediate verbal recall (IVR, delayed verbal recall (DVR, and memory retention rate. Results: BDNF Met allele carriers had lower DVR scores (p = 0.004 and a decline in memory retention (p = 0.017 when compared to Val/Val homozygotes. However, we found no significant differences in IVR between the two groups (p = 0.088. Conclusion: These results support the hypothesis of the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism as a risk factor associated with cognitive impairment, corroborating previous findings in young and older adults.

  18. Preliminary findings of altered functional connectivity of the default mode network linked to functional outcomes one year after pediatric traumatic brain injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stephens, Jaclyn A; Salorio, Cynthia F; Barber, Anita D; Risen, Sarah R; Mostofsky, Stewart H; Suskauer, Stacy J

    2017-07-10

    This study examined functional connectivity of the default mode network (DMN) and examined brain-behavior relationships in a pilot cohort of children with chronic mild to moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI). Compared to uninjured peers, children with TBI demonstrated less anti-correlated functional connectivity between DMN and right Brodmann Area 40 (BA 40). In children with TBI, more anomalous less anti-correlated) connectivity between DMN and right BA 40 was linked to poorer performance on response inhibition tasks. Collectively, these preliminary findings suggest that functional connectivity between DMN and BA 40 may relate to longterm functional outcomes in chronic pediatric TBI.

  19. Effects of chronic aluminum exposure on learning and memory and brain-derived nerve growth factor in rats

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    潘宝龙

    2013-01-01

    Objective To investigate the effects of chronic aluminum exposure on the learning and memory abilities and brain-derived nerve growth factor (BDNF) in SpragueDawley (SD) rats.Methods Thirty-two male SD rats were randomly and equally divided into 4 groups:control group and high-,middle-,and low-dose exposure groups.The rats in high-,middle-,and low-dose expo-

  20. Naturally Occurring Cinnamic Acid Sugar Ester Derivatives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuxin Tian

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Cinnamic acid sugar ester derivatives (CASEDs are a class of natural product with one or several phenylacrylic moieties linked with the non-anomeric carbon of a glycosyl skeleton part through ester bonds. Their notable anti-depressant and brains protective activities have made them a topic of great interest over the past several decades. In particular the compound 3′,6-disinapoylsucrose, the index component of Yuanzhi (a well-known Traditional Chinese Medicine or TCM, presents antidepressant effects at a molecular level, and has become a hotspot of research on new lead drug compounds. Several other similar cinnamic acid sugar ester derivatives are reported in traditional medicine as compounds to calm the nerves and display anti-depression and neuroprotective activity. Interestingly, more than one third of CASEDs are distributed in the family Polygalaceae. This overview discusses the isolation of cinnamic acid sugar ester derivatives from plants, together with a systematic discussion of their distribution, chemical structures and properties and pharmacological activities, with the hope of providing references for natural product researchers and draw attention to these interesting compounds.

  1. BAX channel activity mediates lysosomal disruption linked to Parkinson disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bové, Jordi; Martínez-Vicente, Marta; Dehay, Benjamin; Perier, Celine; Recasens, Ariadna; Bombrun, Agnes; Antonsson, Bruno; Vila, Miquel

    2014-05-01

    Lysosomal disruption is increasingly regarded as a major pathogenic event in Parkinson disease (PD). A reduced number of intraneuronal lysosomes, decreased levels of lysosomal-associated proteins and accumulation of undegraded autophagosomes (AP) are observed in PD-derived samples, including fibroblasts, induced pluripotent stem cell-derived dopaminergic neurons, and post-mortem brain tissue. Mechanistic studies in toxic and genetic rodent PD models attribute PD-related lysosomal breakdown to abnormal lysosomal membrane permeabilization (LMP). However, the molecular mechanisms underlying PD-linked LMP and subsequent lysosomal defects remain virtually unknown, thereby precluding their potential therapeutic targeting. Here we show that the pro-apoptotic protein BAX (BCL2-associated X protein), which permeabilizes mitochondrial membranes in PD models and is activated in PD patients, translocates and internalizes into lysosomal membranes early following treatment with the parkinsonian neurotoxin MPTP, both in vitro and in vivo, within a time-frame correlating with LMP, lysosomal disruption, and autophagosome accumulation and preceding mitochondrial permeabilization and dopaminergic neurodegeneration. Supporting a direct permeabilizing effect of BAX on lysosomal membranes, recombinant BAX is able to induce LMP in purified mouse brain lysosomes and the latter can be prevented by pharmacological blockade of BAX channel activity. Furthermore, pharmacological BAX channel inhibition is able to prevent LMP, restore lysosomal levels, reverse AP accumulation, and attenuate mitochondrial permeabilization and overall nigrostriatal degeneration caused by MPTP, both in vitro and in vivo. Overall, our results reveal that PD-linked lysosomal impairment relies on BAX-induced LMP, and point to small molecules able to block BAX channel activity as potentially beneficial to attenuate both lysosomal defects and neurodegeneration occurring in PD.

  2. Upregulation of c-FLIP-short in response to TRAIL promotes survival of NSCLC cells, which could be suppressed by inhibition of Ca2+/calmodulin signaling

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kaminskyy, V.O.; Surova, O.V.; Piskunova, T.; Zborovskaya, I.B.; Tchevkina, E.M.; Anděra, Ladislav; Zhivotovsky, B.

    2013-01-01

    Roč. 4, březen 2013 (2013), e522 ISSN 2041-4889 Institutional support: RVO:68378050 Keywords : TRAIL * DR4 * c-FLIPS * calcium * calmodulin * lung adenocarcinoma Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 5.177, year: 2013

  3. Arachidonic acid is a chemoattractant for Dictyostelium discoideum ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    SEARCHU

    binding proteins and calmodulin-dependent phosphorylation linked to calmodulin-dependent chemotaxis to folic and cAMP in Dictyostelium; Cell Signal 13 575–584. Gerisch G and Hess B 1974 Cyclic-AMP-controlled oscillations in suspended Dictyostelium cells: Their relation to morphogenetic cell interactions; Proc. Natl.

  4. Structural similarities between brain and linguistic data provide evidence of semantic relations in the brain.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Colleen E Crangle

    Full Text Available This paper presents a new method of analysis by which structural similarities between brain data and linguistic data can be assessed at the semantic level. It shows how to measure the strength of these structural similarities and so determine the relatively better fit of the brain data with one semantic model over another. The first model is derived from WordNet, a lexical database of English compiled by language experts. The second is given by the corpus-based statistical technique of latent semantic analysis (LSA, which detects relations between words that are latent or hidden in text. The brain data are drawn from experiments in which statements about the geography of Europe were presented auditorily to participants who were asked to determine their truth or falsity while electroencephalographic (EEG recordings were made. The theoretical framework for the analysis of the brain and semantic data derives from axiomatizations of theories such as the theory of differences in utility preference. Using brain-data samples from individual trials time-locked to the presentation of each word, ordinal relations of similarity differences are computed for the brain data and for the linguistic data. In each case those relations that are invariant with respect to the brain and linguistic data, and are correlated with sufficient statistical strength, amount to structural similarities between the brain and linguistic data. Results show that many more statistically significant structural similarities can be found between the brain data and the WordNet-derived data than the LSA-derived data. The work reported here is placed within the context of other recent studies of semantics and the brain. The main contribution of this paper is the new method it presents for the study of semantics and the brain and the focus it permits on networks of relations detected in brain data and represented by a semantic model.

  5. Adeno-associated virus (AAV-mediated suppression of Ca2+/calmodulin kinase IV activity in the nucleus accumbens modulates emotional behaviour in mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bading Hilmar

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IV (CaMKIV controls activity-dependent gene transcription by regulating the activity of the cyclic AMP response element binding protein (CREB. This signaling pathway is involved in gating emotional responses in the CNS but previous studies did not address the potential roles of CaMKIV in discrete brain regions. In the present study, we aimed at specifically dissecting the role of CaMKIV in the nucleus accumbens of adult mice. Results We used recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV-mediated gene transfer of a dominant-negative CaMKIV variant (rAAV-dnCaMKIV to inhibit endogenous CaMKIV in the nucleus accumbens. rAAV-dnCaMKIV treated animals were subjected to a battery of tests including, prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle response, open field, social interaction and anxiety-related behaviour. We found that basal locomotor activity in the open field, and prepulse inhibition or startle performance were unaltered in mice infected with rAAV-dnCaMKIV in the nucleus accumbens. However, anxiogenic effects were revealed in social interaction testing and the light/dark emergence test. Conclusion Our findings suggest a modulatory role of CaMKIV in the nucleus accumbens in anxiety-like behaviour but not sensorimotor gating.

  6. Effect of dietary fat and the circadian clock on the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Genzer, Yoni; Dadon, Maayan; Burg, Chen; Chapnik, Nava; Froy, Oren

    2016-07-15

    Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is the most abundant neurotrophin in the brain and its decreased levels are associated with the development of obesity and neurodegeneration. Our aim was to test the effect of dietary fat, its timing and the circadian clock on the expression of BDNF and associated signaling pathways in mouse brain and liver. Bdnf mRNA oscillated robustly in brain and liver, but with a 12-h shift between the tissues. Brain and liver Bdnf mRNA showed a 12-h phase shift when fed ketogenic diet (KD) compared with high-fat diet (HFD) or low-fat diet (LFD). Brain or liver Bdnf mRNA did not show the typical phase advance usually seen under time-restricted feeding (RF). Clock knockdown in HT-4 hippocampal neurons led to 86% up-regulation of Bdnf mRNA, whereas it led to 60% down-regulation in AML-12 hepatocytes. Dietary fat in mice or cultured hepatocytes and hippocampal neurons led to increased Bdnf mRNA expression. At the protein level, HFD increased the ratio of the mature BDNF protein (mBDNF) to its precursor (proBDNF). In the liver, RF under LFD or HFD reduced the mBDNF/proBDNF ratio. In the brain, the two signaling pathways related to BDNF, mTOR and AMPK, showed reduced and increased levels, respectively, under timed HFD. In the liver, the reverse was achieved. In summary, Bdnf expression is mediated by the circadian clock and dietary fat. Although RF does not affect its expression phase, in the brain, when combined with high-fat diet, it leads to a unique metabolic state in which AMPK is activated, mTOR is down-regulated and the levels of mBDNF are high. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Probiotic, Prebiotic, and Brain Development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tomás Cerdó

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Recently, a number of studies have demonstrated the existence of a link between the emotional and cognitive centres of the brain and peripheral functions through the bi-directional interaction between the central nervous system and the enteric nervous system. Therefore, the use of bacteria as therapeutics has attracted much interest. Recent research has found that there are a variety of mechanisms by which bacteria can signal to the brain and influence several processes in relation to neurotransmission, neurogenesis, and behaviour. Data derived from both in vitro experiments and in vivo clinical trials have supported some of these new health implications. While recent molecular advancement has provided strong indications to support and justify the role of the gut microbiota on the gut–brain axis, it is still not clear whether manipulations through probiotics and prebiotics administration could be beneficial in the treatment of neurological problems. The understanding of the gut microbiota and its activities is essential for the generation of future personalized healthcare strategies. Here, we explore and summarize the potential beneficial effects of probiotics and prebiotics in the neurodevelopmental process and in the prevention and treatment of certain neurological human diseases, highlighting current and future perspectives in this topic.

  8. Joint brain connectivity estimation from diffusion and functional MRI data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chu, Shu-Hsien; Lenglet, Christophe; Parhi, Keshab K.

    2015-03-01

    Estimating brain wiring patterns is critical to better understand the brain organization and function. Anatomical brain connectivity models axonal pathways, while the functional brain connectivity characterizes the statistical dependencies and correlation between the activities of various brain regions. The synchronization of brain activity can be inferred through the variation of blood-oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) signal from functional MRI (fMRI) and the neural connections can be estimated using tractography from diffusion MRI (dMRI). Functional connections between brain regions are supported by anatomical connections, and the synchronization of brain activities arises through sharing of information in the form of electro-chemical signals on axon pathways. Jointly modeling fMRI and dMRI data may improve the accuracy in constructing anatomical connectivity as well as functional connectivity. Such an approach may lead to novel multimodal biomarkers potentially able to better capture functional and anatomical connectivity variations. We present a novel brain network model which jointly models the dMRI and fMRI data to improve the anatomical connectivity estimation and extract the anatomical subnetworks associated with specific functional modes by constraining the anatomical connections as structural supports to the functional connections. The key idea is similar to a multi-commodity flow optimization problem that minimizes the cost or maximizes the efficiency for flow configuration and simultaneously fulfills the supply-demand constraint for each commodity. In the proposed network, the nodes represent the grey matter (GM) regions providing brain functionality, and the links represent white matter (WM) fiber bundles connecting those regions and delivering information. The commodities can be thought of as the information corresponding to brain activity patterns as obtained for instance by independent component analysis (ICA) of fMRI data. The concept of information

  9. Cold stress-induced brain injury regulates TRPV1 channels and the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Ying; Liu, Yunen; Jin, Hongxu; Cong, Peifang; Zhang, Yubiao; Tong, Changci; Shi, Xiuyun; Liu, Xuelei; Tong, Zhou; Shi, Lin; Hou, Mingxiao

    2017-09-01

    Transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) is a nonselective cation channel that interacts with several intracellular proteins in vivo, including calmodulin and Phosphatidylinositol-3-Kinase/Protein Kinase B (PI3K/Akt). TRPV1 activation has been reported to exert neuroprotective effects. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of cold stress on the mouse brain and the underlying mechanisms of TRPV1 involvement. Adult male C57BL/6 mice were subjected to cold stress (4°C for 8h per day for 2weeks). The behavioral deficits of the mice were then measured using the Morris water maze. Expression levels of brain injury-related proteins and mRNA were measured by western blot, immunofluorescence or RT-PCR analysis. The mice displayed behavioral deficits, inflammation and changes in brain injury markers following cold stress. As expected, upregulated TRPV1 expression levels and changes in PI3K/Akt expression were found. The TRPV1 inhibitor reduced the levels of brain injury-related proteins and inflammation. These data suggest that cold stress can induce brain injury, possibly through TRPV1 activation and the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Suppression of inflammation by inhibition of TRPV1 and the PI3K/Akt pathway may be helpful to prevent cold stress-induced brain injury. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Regulation of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Exocytosis and Gamma-Aminobutyric Acidergic Interneuron Synapse by the Schizophrenia Susceptibility Gene Dysbindin-1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuan, Qiang; Yang, Feng; Xiao, Yixin; Tan, Shawn; Husain, Nilofer; Ren, Ming; Hu, Zhonghua; Martinowich, Keri; Ng, Julia S; Kim, Paul J; Han, Weiping; Nagata, Koh-Ichi; Weinberger, Daniel R; Je, H Shawn

    2016-08-15

    Genetic variations in dystrobrevin binding protein 1 (DTNBP1 or dysbindin-1) have been implicated as risk factors in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. The encoded protein dysbindin-1 functions in the regulation of synaptic activity and synapse development. Intriguingly, a loss of function mutation in Dtnbp1 in mice disrupted both glutamatergic and gamma-aminobutyric acidergic transmission in the cerebral cortex; pyramidal neurons displayed enhanced excitability due to reductions in inhibitory synaptic inputs. However, the mechanism by which reduced dysbindin-1 activity causes inhibitory synaptic deficits remains unknown. We investigated the role of dysbindin-1 in the exocytosis of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) from cortical excitatory neurons, organotypic brain slices, and acute slices from dysbindin-1 mutant mice and determined how this change in BDNF exocytosis transsynaptically affected the number of inhibitory synapses formed on excitatory neurons via whole-cell recordings, immunohistochemistry, and live-cell imaging using total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy. A decrease in dysbindin-1 reduces the exocytosis of BDNF from cortical excitatory neurons, and this reduction in BDNF exocytosis transsynaptically resulted in reduced inhibitory synapse numbers formed on excitatory neurons. Furthermore, application of exogenous BDNF rescued the inhibitory synaptic deficits caused by the reduced dysbindin-1 level in both cultured cortical neurons and slice cultures. Taken together, our results demonstrate that these two genes linked to risk for schizophrenia (BDNF and dysbindin-1) function together to regulate interneuron development and cortical network activity. This evidence supports the investigation of the association between dysbindin-1 and BDNF in humans with schizophrenia. Copyright © 2016 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Post-traumatic stress disorder risk and brain-derived neurotrophic factor Val66Met

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Lei; Li, Xiao-Xia; Hu, Xian-Zhang

    2016-01-01

    Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which regulates neuronal survival, growth differentiation, and synapse formation, is known to be associated with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, the molecular mechanism for those mental disorders remains unknown. Studies have shown that BDNF is associated with PTSD risk and exaggerated startle reaction (a major arousal manifestation of PTSD) in United States military service members who were deployed during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The frequency of the Met/Met in BDNF gene was greater among those with PTSD than those without PTSD. Among individuals who experienced fewer lifetime stressful events, the Met carriers have significantly higher total and startle scores on the PTSD Checklist than the Val/Val carriers. In addition, subjects with PTSD showed higher levels of BDNF in their peripheral blood plasma than the non-probable-PTSD controls. Increased BDNF levels and startle response were observed in both blood plasma and brain hippocampus by inescapable tail shock in rats. In this paper, we reviewed these data to discuss BDNF as a potential biomarker for PTSD risk and its possible roles in the onset of PTSD. PMID:27014593

  12. Curcumin Attenuates Opioid Tolerance and Dependence by Inhibiting Ca2+/Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase II α Activity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Xiaoyu; Huang, Fang; Szymusiak, Magdalena

    2015-01-01

    Chronic use of opioid analgesics has been hindered by the development of opioid addiction and tolerance. We have reported that curcumin, a natural flavonoid from the rhizome of Curcuma longa, attenuated opioid tolerance, although the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that curcumin may inhibit Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II α (CaMKIIα), a protein kinase that has been previously proposed to be critical for opioid tolerance and dependence. In this study, we used state-of-the-art polymeric formulation technology to produce poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)-curcumin nanoparticles (nanocurcumin) to overcome the drug’s poor solubility and bioavailability, which has made it extremely difficult for studying in vivo pharmacological actions of curcumin. We found that PLGA-curcumin nanoparticles reduced the dose requirement by 11- to 33-fold. Pretreatment with PLGA-curcumin (by mouth) prevented the development of opioid tolerance and dependence in a dose-dependent manner, with ED50 values of 3.9 and 3.2 mg/kg, respectively. PLGA-curcumin dose-dependently attenuated already-established opioid tolerance (ED50 = 12.6 mg/kg p.o.) and dependence (ED50 = 3.1 mg/kg p.o.). Curcumin or PLGA-curcumin did not produce antinociception by itself or affect morphine (1–10 mg/kg) antinociception. Moreover, we found that the behavioral effects of curcumin on opioid tolerance and dependence correlated with its inhibition of morphine-induced CaMKIIα activation in the brain. These results suggest that curcumin may attenuate opioid tolerance and dependence by suppressing CaMKIIα activity. PMID:25515789

  13. Fractal fluctuations and quantum-like chaos in the brain by analysis of variability of brain waves: A new method based on a fractal variance function and random matrix theory: A link with El Naschie fractal Cantorian space-time and V. Weiss and H. Weiss golden ratio in brain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Conte, Elio; Khrennikov, Andrei; Federici, Antonio; Zbilut, Joseph P.

    2009-01-01

    We develop a new method for analysis of fundamental brain waves as recorded by the EEG. To this purpose we introduce a Fractal Variance Function that is based on the calculation of the variogram. The method is completed by using Random Matrix Theory. Some examples are given. We also discuss the link of such formulation with H. Weiss and V. Weiss golden ratio found in the brain, and with El Naschie fractal Cantorian space-time theory.

  14. Neurons derived from different brain regions are inherently different in vitro: a novel multiregional brain-on-a-chip.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dauth, Stephanie; Maoz, Ben M; Sheehy, Sean P; Hemphill, Matthew A; Murty, Tara; Macedonia, Mary Kate; Greer, Angie M; Budnik, Bogdan; Parker, Kevin Kit

    2017-03-01

    Brain in vitro models are critically important to developing our understanding of basic nervous system cellular physiology, potential neurotoxic effects of chemicals, and specific cellular mechanisms of many disease states. In this study, we sought to address key shortcomings of current brain in vitro models: the scarcity of comparative data for cells originating from distinct brain regions and the lack of multiregional brain in vitro models. We demonstrated that rat neurons from different brain regions exhibit unique profiles regarding their cell composition, protein expression, metabolism, and electrical activity in vitro. In vivo, the brain is unique in its structural and functional organization, and the interactions and communication between different brain areas are essential components of proper brain function. This fact and the observation that neurons from different areas of the brain exhibit unique behaviors in vitro underline the importance of establishing multiregional brain in vitro models. Therefore, we here developed a multiregional brain-on-a-chip and observed a reduction of overall firing activity, as well as altered amounts of astrocytes and specific neuronal cell types compared with separately cultured neurons. Furthermore, this multiregional model was used to study the effects of phencyclidine, a drug known to induce schizophrenia-like symptoms in vivo, on individual brain areas separately while monitoring downstream effects on interconnected regions. Overall, this work provides a comparison of cells from different brain regions in vitro and introduces a multiregional brain-on-a-chip that enables the development of unique disease models incorporating essential in vivo features. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Due to the scarcity of comparative data for cells from different brain regions in vitro, we demonstrated that neurons isolated from distinct brain areas exhibit unique behaviors in vitro. Moreover, in vivo proper brain function is dependent on the

  15. Induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neural cells survive and mature in the nonhuman primate brain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Emborg, Marina E; Liu, Yan; Xi, Jiajie; Zhang, Xiaoqing; Yin, Yingnan; Lu, Jianfeng; Joers, Valerie; Swanson, Christine; Holden, James E; Zhang, Su-Chun

    2013-03-28

    The generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) opens up the possibility for personalized cell therapy. Here, we show that transplanted autologous rhesus monkey iPSC-derived neural progenitors survive for up to 6 months and differentiate into neurons, astrocytes, and myelinating oligodendrocytes in the brains of MPTP-induced hemiparkinsonian rhesus monkeys with a minimal presence of inflammatory cells and reactive glia. This finding represents a significant step toward personalized regenerative therapies. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Dopamine in the Brain: Hypothesizing Surfeit or Deficit Links to Reward and Addiction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blum, Kenneth; Thanos, Peter K; Oscar-Berman, Marlene; Febo, Marcelo; Baron, David; Badgaiyan, Rajendra D; Gardner, Eliot; Demetrovics, Zsolt; Fahlke, Claudia; Haberstick, Brett C; Dushaj, Kristina; Gold, Mark S

    Recently there has been debate concerning the role of brain dopamine in reward and addiction. David Nutt and associates eloquently proposed that dopamine (DA) may be central to psycho stimulant dependence and some what important for alcohol, but not important for opiates, nicotine or even cannabis. Others have also argued that surfeit theories can explain for example cocaine seeking behavior as well as non-substance-related addictive behaviors. It seems prudent to distinguish between what constitutes "surfeit" compared to" deficit" in terms of short-term (acute) and long-term (chronic) brain reward circuitry responsivity. In an attempt to resolve controversy regarding the contributions of mesolimbic DA systems to reward, we review the three main competing explanatory categories: "liking", "learning", and "wanting". They are (a) the hedonic impact -liking reward, (b) the ability to predict rewarding effects-learning and (c) the incentive salience of reward-related stimuli -wanting. In terms of acute effects, most of the evidence seems to favor the "surfeit theory". Due to preferential dopamine release at mesolimbic-VTA-caudate-accumbens loci most drugs of abuse and Reward Deficiency Syndrome (RDS) behaviors have been linked to heightened feelings of well-being and hyperdopaminergic states.The "dopamine hypotheses" originally thought to be simple, is now believed to be quite complex and involves encoding the set point of hedonic tone, encoding attention, reward expectancy, and incentive motivation. Importantly, Willuhn et al. shows that in a self-administration paradigm, (chronic) excessive use of cocaine is caused by decreased phasic dopamine signaling in the striatum. In terms of chronic addictions, others have shown a blunted responsivity at brain reward sites with food, nicotine, and even gambling behavior. Finally, we are cognizant of the differences in dopaminergic function as addiction progresses and argue that relapse may be tied to dopamine deficiency

  17. Image-derived input function obtained in a 3TMR-brainPET

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Silva, N.A. da [Institute of Biophysics and Biomedical Engineering, University of Lisbon (Portugal); Institute of Neurosciences and Medicine - 4, Juelich (Germany); Herzog, H., E-mail: h.herzog@fz-juelich.de [Institute of Neurosciences and Medicine - 4, Juelich (Germany); Weirich, C.; Tellmann, L.; Rota Kops, E. [Institute of Neurosciences and Medicine - 4, Juelich (Germany); Hautzel, H. [Department of Nuclear Medicine (KME), University of Duesseldorf, Medical Faculty at Research Center Juelich, Juelich (Germany); Almeida, P. [Institute of Biophysics and Biomedical Engineering, University of Lisbon (Portugal)

    2013-02-21

    Aim: The combination of a high-resolution MR-compatible BrainPET insert operated within a 3 T MAGNETOM Trio MR scanner is an excellent tool for obtaining an image derived input function (IDIF), due to simultaneous imaging. In this work, we explore the possibility of obtaining an IDIF from volumes of interest (VOI) defined over the carotid arteries (CAs) using the MR data. Material and methods: FDG data from three patients without brain disorders were included. VOIs were drawn bilaterally over the CAs on a MPRAGE image using a 50% isocontour (MR50VOI). CA PET/MR co-registration was examined based on an individual and combined CA co-registration. After that, to estimate the IDIF, the MR50VOI average (IDIF-A), four hottest pixels per plane (IDIF-4H) and four hottest pixels in VOI (IDIF-4V) were considered. A model-based correction for residual partial volume effects involving venous blood samples was applied, from which partial volume (PV) and spillover (SP) coefficients were estimated. Additionally, a theoretical PV coefficient (PVt) was calculated based on MR50VOI. Results: The results show an excellent co-registration between the MR and PET, with an area under the curve ratio between both co-registration methods of 1.00±0.04. A good agreement between PV and PVt was found for IDIF-A, with PV of 0.39±0.06 and PVt 0.40±0.03, and for IDIF-4H, with PV of 0.47±0.05 and PVt 0.47±0.03. The SPs were 0.20±0.03 and 0.21±0.03 for IDIF-A and IDIF-4H, respectively. Conclusion: The integration of a high resolution BrainPET in an MR scanner allows to obtain an IDIF from an MR-based VOI. This must be corrected for a residual partial volume effect.

  18. Role of Stress-Related Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) in the Rat Submandibular Gland

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsukinoki, Keiichi; Saruta, Juri

    2012-01-01

    The nerve growth factor (NGF) family comprises NGF, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neurotrophins (NTs)-3, -4/5, -6 and -7, all of which are collectively referred to as neurotrophins. However, the expression of neurotrophins other than NGF in the salivary gland has not been described in detail. Through interaction with the TrkB receptor, BDNF plays an important role in long-term potentiation. We found that BDNF expression increased within submandibular gland tissue in response to stress, suggesting that the salivary glands are sensitive to stress. In addition, stress caused increases in plasma BDNF derived from the submandibular gland and in TrkB receptor mRNA in the adrenal medulla. Plasma BDNF might activate TrkB receptors in the adrenal medulla during acute stress. The salivary glands are likely to influence not only oral health, but also systemic organs. This review addressed the relationship between hormone-like effects and stress-related BDNF expression in the rat submandibular gland

  19. Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Novel Jatrorrhizine Derivatives with Amino Groups Linked at the 3-Position as Inhibitors of Acetylcholinesterase

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaofei Jiang

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Jatrorrhizine was considered as one of the active constituents of Coptis chinensis Franch. Herein, jatrorrhizine derivatives with substituted amino groups linked at the 3-position were designed, synthesized, and biologically evaluated as inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase. Jatrorrhizine derivatives inhibited the activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE to a greater extent than the lead compound jatrorrhizine. All these jatrorrhizine derivatives were proved to be potent inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase (AChE with submicromolar IC50 values, but less sensitive to butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE, which suggests that these jatrorrhizine derivatives are selective for AChE/BuChE. Compound 3g gave the most potent inhibitor activity for AChE (IC50 = 0.301 μM, which is greater than the lead compound jatrorrhizine. All these results demonstrated that these jatrorrhizine derivatives are potential inhibitors for AChE.

  20. Methamphetamine abuse affects gene expression in brain-derived microglia of SIV-infected macaques to enhance inflammation and promote virus targets

    KAUST Repository

    Najera, Julia A.

    2016-04-23

    Background Methamphetamine (Meth) abuse is a major health problem linked to the aggravation of HIV- associated complications, especially within the Central Nervous System (CNS). Within the CNS, Meth has the ability to modify the activity/function of innate immune cells and increase brain viral loads. Here, we examined changes in the gene expression profile of neuron-free microglial cell preparations isolated from the brain of macaques infected with the Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV), a model of neuroAIDS, and exposed to Meth. We aimed to identify molecular patterns triggered by Meth that could explain the detection of higher brain viral loads and the development of a pro-inflammatory CNS environment in the brain of infected drug abusers. Results We found that Meth alone has a strong effect on the transcription of genes associated with immune pathways, particularly inflammation and chemotaxis. Systems analysis led to a strong correlation between Meth exposure and enhancement of molecules associated with chemokines and chemokine receptors, especially CXCR4 and CCR5, which function as co-receptors for viral entry. The increase in CCR5 expression was confirmed in the brain in correlation with increased brain viral load. Conclusions Meth enhances the availability of CCR5-expressing cells for SIV in the brain, in correlation with increased viral load. This suggests that Meth is an important factor in the susceptibility to the infection and to the aggravated CNS inflammatory pathology associated with SIV in macaques and HIV in humans.

  1. Brain imaging and schizophrenia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martinot, J.L.; Dao-Castellana, M.H.

    1991-01-01

    Brain structures and brain function have been investigated by the new brain imaging techniques for more than ten years. In Psychiatry, these techniques could afford a new understanding of mental diseases. In schizophrenic patients, CAT scanner and RMI pointed out statistically significant ventricular enlargments which are presently considered as evidence for abnormalities in brain maturation. Functional imaging techniques reported metabolic dysfunctions in the cortical associative areas which are probably linked to the cognitive features of schizophrenics [fr

  2. Optimal use of EEG recordings to target active brain areas with transcranial electrical stimulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dmochowski, Jacek P; Koessler, Laurent; Norcia, Anthony M; Bikson, Marom; Parra, Lucas C

    2017-08-15

    To demonstrate causal relationships between brain and behavior, investigators would like to guide brain stimulation using measurements of neural activity. Particularly promising in this context are electroencephalography (EEG) and transcranial electrical stimulation (TES), as they are linked by a reciprocity principle which, despite being known for decades, has not led to a formalism for relating EEG recordings to optimal stimulation parameters. Here we derive a closed-form expression for the TES configuration that optimally stimulates (i.e., targets) the sources of recorded EEG, without making assumptions about source location or distribution. We also derive a duality between TES targeting and EEG source localization, and demonstrate that in cases where source localization fails, so does the proposed targeting. Numerical simulations with multiple head models confirm these theoretical predictions and quantify the achieved stimulation in terms of focality and intensity. We show that constraining the stimulation currents automatically selects optimal montages that involve only a few (4-7) electrodes, with only incremental loss in performance when targeting focal activations. The proposed technique allows brain scientists and clinicians to rationally target the sources of observed EEG and thus overcomes a major obstacle to the realization of individualized or closed-loop brain stimulation. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Modulating uranium binding affinity in engineered calmodulin EF-hand peptides: effect of phosphorylation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Romain Pardoux

    Full Text Available To improve our understanding of uranium toxicity, the determinants of uranyl affinity in proteins must be better characterized. In this work, we analyzed the contribution of a phosphoryl group on uranium binding affinity in a protein binding site, using the site 1 EF-hand motif of calmodulin. The recombinant domain 1 of calmodulin from A. thaliana was engineered to impair metal binding at site 2 and was used as a structured template. Threonine at position 9 of the loop was phosphorylated in vitro, using the recombinant catalytic subunit of protein kinase CK2. Hence, the T(9TKE(12 sequence was substituted by the CK2 recognition sequence TAAE. A tyrosine was introduced at position 7, so that uranyl and calcium binding affinities could be determined by following tyrosine fluorescence. Phosphorylation was characterized by ESI-MS spectrometry, and the phosphorylated peptide was purified to homogeneity using ion-exchange chromatography. The binding constants for uranyl were determined by competition experiments with iminodiacetate. At pH 6, phosphorylation increased the affinity for uranyl by a factor of ∼5, from K(d = 25±6 nM to K(d = 5±1 nM. The phosphorylated peptide exhibited a much larger affinity at pH 7, with a dissociation constant in the subnanomolar range (K(d = 0.25±0.06 nM. FTIR analyses showed that the phosphothreonine side chain is partly protonated at pH 6, while it is fully deprotonated at pH 7. Moreover, formation of the uranyl-peptide complex at pH 7 resulted in significant frequency shifts of the ν(as(P-O and ν(s(P-O IR modes of phosphothreonine, supporting its direct interaction with uranyl. Accordingly, a bathochromic shift in ν(as(UO(2(2+ vibration (from 923 cm(-1 to 908 cm(-1 was observed upon uranyl coordination to the phosphorylated peptide. Together, our data demonstrate that the phosphoryl group plays a determining role in uranyl binding affinity to proteins at physiological pH.

  4. Modulating uranium binding affinity in engineered Calmodulin EF-hand peptides: effect of phosphorylation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pardoux, Romain; Sauge-Merle, Sandrine; Lemaire, David; Guilloreau, Luc; Berthomieu, Catherine; Delangle, Pascale; Adriano, Jean-Marc

    2012-01-01

    To improve our understanding of uranium toxicity, the determinants of uranyl affinity in proteins must be better characterized. In this work, we analyzed the contribution of a phosphoryl group on uranium binding affinity in a protein binding site, using the site 1 EF-hand motif of calmodulin. The recombinant domain 1 of calmodulin from A. thaliana was engineered to impair metal binding at site 2 and was used as a structured template. Threonine at position 9 of the loop was phosphorylated in vitro, using the recombinant catalytic subunit of protein kinase CK2. Hence, the T 9 TKE 12 sequence was substituted by the CK2 recognition sequence TAAE. A tyrosine was introduced at position 7, so that uranyl and calcium binding affinities could be determined by following tyrosine fluorescence. Phosphorylation was characterized by ESI-MS spectrometry, and the phosphorylated peptide was purified to homogeneity using ion-exchange chromatography. The binding constants for uranyl were determined by competition experiments with iminodiacetate. At pH 6, phosphorylation increased the affinity for uranyl by a factor of ∼5, from K d =25±6 nM to K d =5±1 nM. The phosphorylated peptide exhibited a much larger affinity at pH 7, with a dissociation constant in the sub-nanomolar range (K d = 0.25±0.06 nM). FTIR analyses showed that the phospho-threonine side chain is partly protonated at pH 6, while it is fully deprotonated at pH 7. Moreover, formation of the uranyl-peptide complex at pH 7 resulted in significant frequency shifts of the ν as (P-O) and ν s (P-O) IR modes of phospho-threonine, supporting its direct interaction with uranyl. Accordingly, a bathochromic shift in ν as (UO 2 ) 2+ vibration (from 923 cm -1 to 908 cm -1 ) was observed upon uranyl coordination to the phosphorylated peptide. Together, our data demonstrate that the phosphoryl group plays a determining role in uranyl binding affinity to proteins at physiological pH. (authors)

  5. In Vitro Modeling of Blood-Brain Barrier with Human iPSC-Derived Endothelial Cells, Pericytes, Neurons, and Astrocytes via Notch Signaling

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kohei Yamamizu

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The blood-brain barrier (BBB is composed of four cell populations, brain endothelial cells (BECs, pericytes, neurons, and astrocytes. Its role is to precisely regulate the microenvironment of the brain through selective substance crossing. Here we generated an in vitro model of the BBB by differentiating human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs into all four populations. When the four hiPSC-derived populations were co-cultured, endothelial cells (ECs were endowed with features consistent with BECs, including a high expression of nutrient transporters (CAT3, MFSD2A and efflux transporters (ABCA1, BCRP, PGP, MRP5, and strong barrier function based on tight junctions. Neuron-derived Dll1, which activates Notch signaling in ECs, was essential for the BEC specification. We performed in vitro BBB permeability tests and assessed ten clinical drugs by nanoLC-MS/MS, finding a good correlation with the BBB permeability reported in previous cases. This technology should be useful for research on human BBB physiology, pathology, and drug development.

  6. Comparative study of expression and activity of glucose transporters between stem cell-derived brain microvascular endothelial cells and hCMEC/D3 cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Ahmad, Abraham J

    2017-10-01

    Glucose constitutes a major source of energy of mammalian brains. Glucose uptake at the blood-brain barrier (BBB) occurs through a facilitated glucose transport, through glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), although other isoforms have been described at the BBB. Mutations in GLUT1 are associated with the GLUT1 deficiency syndrome, yet none of the current in vitro models of the human BBB maybe suited for modeling such a disorder. In this study, we investigated the expression of glucose transporters and glucose diffusion across brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs) derived from healthy patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). We investigated the expression of different glucose transporters at the BBB using immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry and measured glucose uptake and diffusion across BMEC monolayers obtained from two iPSC lines and from hCMEC/D3 cells. BMEC monolayers showed expression of several glucose transporters, in particular GLUT1, GLUT3, and GLUT4. Diffusion of glucose across the monolayers was mediated via a saturable transcellular mechanism and partially inhibited by pharmacological inhibitors. Taken together, our study suggests the presence of several glucose transporters isoforms at the human BBB and demonstrates the feasibility of modeling glucose across the BBB using patient-derived stem cells. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

  7. Toward Understanding How Early-Life Stress Reprograms Cognitive and Emotional Brain Networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yuncai; Baram, Tallie Z

    2016-01-01

    Vulnerability to emotional disorders including depression derives from interactions between genes and environment, especially during sensitive developmental periods. Adverse early-life experiences provoke the release and modify the expression of several stress mediators and neurotransmitters within specific brain regions. The interaction of these mediators with developing neurons and neuronal networks may lead to long-lasting structural and functional alterations associated with cognitive and emotional consequences. Although a vast body of work has linked quantitative and qualitative aspects of stress to adolescent and adult outcomes, a number of questions are unclear. What distinguishes 'normal' from pathologic or toxic stress? How are the effects of stress transformed into structural and functional changes in individual neurons and neuronal networks? Which ones are affected? We review these questions in the context of established and emerging studies. We introduce a novel concept regarding the origin of toxic early-life stress, stating that it may derive from specific patterns of environmental signals, especially those derived from the mother or caretaker. Fragmented and unpredictable patterns of maternal care behaviors induce a profound chronic stress. The aberrant patterns and rhythms of early-life sensory input might also directly and adversely influence the maturation of cognitive and emotional brain circuits, in analogy to visual and auditory brain systems. Thus, unpredictable, stress-provoking early-life experiences may influence adolescent cognitive and emotional outcomes by disrupting the maturation of the underlying brain networks. Comprehensive approaches and multiple levels of analysis are required to probe the protean consequences of early-life adversity on the developing brain. These involve integrated human and animal-model studies, and approaches ranging from in vivo imaging to novel neuroanatomical, molecular, epigenomic, and computational

  8. Toward Understanding How Early-Life Stress Reprograms Cognitive and Emotional Brain Networks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yuncai; Baram, Tallie Z

    2016-01-01

    Vulnerability to emotional disorders including depression derives from interactions between genes and environment, especially during sensitive developmental periods. Adverse early-life experiences provoke the release and modify the expression of several stress mediators and neurotransmitters within specific brain regions. The interaction of these mediators with developing neurons and neuronal networks may lead to long-lasting structural and functional alterations associated with cognitive and emotional consequences. Although a vast body of work has linked quantitative and qualitative aspects of stress to adolescent and adult outcomes, a number of questions are unclear. What distinguishes ‘normal' from pathologic or toxic stress? How are the effects of stress transformed into structural and functional changes in individual neurons and neuronal networks? Which ones are affected? We review these questions in the context of established and emerging studies. We introduce a novel concept regarding the origin of toxic early-life stress, stating that it may derive from specific patterns of environmental signals, especially those derived from the mother or caretaker. Fragmented and unpredictable patterns of maternal care behaviors induce a profound chronic stress. The aberrant patterns and rhythms of early-life sensory input might also directly and adversely influence the maturation of cognitive and emotional brain circuits, in analogy to visual and auditory brain systems. Thus, unpredictable, stress-provoking early-life experiences may influence adolescent cognitive and emotional outcomes by disrupting the maturation of the underlying brain networks. Comprehensive approaches and multiple levels of analysis are required to probe the protean consequences of early-life adversity on the developing brain. These involve integrated human and animal-model studies, and approaches ranging from in vivo imaging to novel neuroanatomical, molecular, epigenomic, and computational

  9. Oligophrenin-1 (OPHN1, a gene involved in X-linked intellectual disability, undergoes RNA editing and alternative splicing during human brain development.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sabina Barresi

    Full Text Available Oligophrenin-1 (OPHN1 encodes for a Rho-GTPase-activating protein, important for dendritic morphogenesis and synaptic function. Mutations in this gene have been identified in patients with X-linked intellectual disability associated with cerebellar hypoplasia. ADAR enzymes are responsible for A-to-I RNA editing, an essential post-transcriptional RNA modification contributing to transcriptome and proteome diversification. Specifically, ADAR2 activity is essential for brain development and function. Herein, we show that the OPHN1 transcript undergoes post-transcriptional modifications such as A-to-I RNA editing and alternative splicing in human brain and other tissues. We found that OPHN1 editing is detectable already at the 18th week of gestation in human brain with a boost of editing at weeks 20 to 33, concomitantly with OPHN1 expression increase and the appearance of a novel OPHN1 splicing isoform. Our results demonstrate that multiple post-transcriptional events occur on OPHN1, a gene playing an important role in brain function and development.

  10. Increased serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in patients with narcolepsy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Klein, Anders B; Jennum, Poul; Knudsen, Stine

    2013-01-01

    in hypocretin neurons in hypothalamus in post-mortem tissue. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF) are important for activity-dependent neuronal function and synaptic modulation and it is considered that these mechanisms are important in sleep regulation. We hypothesised......Narcolepsy is a lifelong sleep disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness, sudden loss of muscle tone (cataplexy), fragmentation of nocturnal sleep and sleep paralysis. The symptoms of the disease strongly correlate with a reduction in hypocretin levels in CSF and a reduction...... that serum levels of these factors are altered in patients with narcolepsy compared to healthy controls without sleep disturbances. Polysomnography data was obtained and serum BDNF and NGF levels measured using ELISA, while hypocretin was measured using RIA. Serum BDNF levels were significantly higher...

  11. Systems Nutrigenomics Reveals Brain Gene Networks Linking Metabolic and Brain Disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meng, Qingying; Ying, Zhe; Noble, Emily; Zhao, Yuqi; Agrawal, Rahul; Mikhail, Andrew; Zhuang, Yumei; Tyagi, Ethika; Zhang, Qing; Lee, Jae-Hyung; Morselli, Marco; Orozco, Luz; Guo, Weilong; Kilts, Tina M; Zhu, Jun; Zhang, Bin; Pellegrini, Matteo; Xiao, Xinshu; Young, Marian F; Gomez-Pinilla, Fernando; Yang, Xia

    2016-05-01

    Nutrition plays a significant role in the increasing prevalence of metabolic and brain disorders. Here we employ systems nutrigenomics to scrutinize the genomic bases of nutrient-host interaction underlying disease predisposition or therapeutic potential. We conducted transcriptome and epigenome sequencing of hypothalamus (metabolic control) and hippocampus (cognitive processing) from a rodent model of fructose consumption, and identified significant reprogramming of DNA methylation, transcript abundance, alternative splicing, and gene networks governing cell metabolism, cell communication, inflammation, and neuronal signaling. These signals converged with genetic causal risks of metabolic, neurological, and psychiatric disorders revealed in humans. Gene network modeling uncovered the extracellular matrix genes Bgn and Fmod as main orchestrators of the effects of fructose, as validated using two knockout mouse models. We further demonstrate that an omega-3 fatty acid, DHA, reverses the genomic and network perturbations elicited by fructose, providing molecular support for nutritional interventions to counteract diet-induced metabolic and brain disorders. Our integrative approach complementing rodent and human studies supports the applicability of nutrigenomics principles to predict disease susceptibility and to guide personalized medicine. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Corallocins A-C, Nerve Growth and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Inducing Metabolites from the Mushroom Hericium coralloides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wittstein, Kathrin; Rascher, Monique; Rupcic, Zeljka; Löwen, Eduard; Winter, Barbara; Köster, Reinhard W; Stadler, Marc

    2016-09-23

    Three new natural products, corallocins A-C (1-3), along with two known compounds were isolated from the mushroom Hericium coralloides. Their benzofuranone and isoindolinone structures were elucidated by spectral methods. All corallocins induced nerve growth factor and/or brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression in human 1321N1 astrocytes. Furthermore, corallocin B showed antiproliferative activity against HUVEC and human cancer cell lines MCF-7 and KB-3-1.

  13. Initial brain aging: heterogeneity of mitochondrial size is associated with decline in complex I-linked respiration in cortex and hippocampus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomsen, Kirsten; Yokota, Takashi; Hasan-Olive, Md Mahdi; Sherazi, Niloofar; Fakouri, Nima Borhan; Desler, Claus; Regnell, Christine Elisabeth; Larsen, Steen; Rasmussen, Lene Juel; Dela, Flemming; Bergersen, Linda Hildegard; Lauritzen, Martin

    2018-01-01

    Brain aging is accompanied by declining mitochondrial respiration. We hypothesized that mitochondrial morphology and dynamics would reflect this decline. Using hippocampus and frontal cortex of a segmental progeroid mouse model lacking Cockayne syndrome protein B (CSB m/m ) and C57Bl/6 (WT) controls and comparing young (2-5 months) to middle-aged mice (13-14 months), we found that complex I-linked state 3 respiration (CI) was reduced at middle age in CSB m/m hippocampus, but not in CSB m/m cortex or WT brain. In hippocampus of both genotypes, mitochondrial size heterogeneity increased with age. Notably, an inverse correlation between heterogeneity and CI was found in both genotypes, indicating that heterogeneity reflects mitochondrial dysfunction. The ratio between fission and fusion gene expression reflected age-related alterations in mitochondrial morphology but not heterogeneity. Mitochondrial DNA content was lower, and hypoxia-induced factor 1α mRNA was greater at both ages in CSB m/m compared to WT brain. Our findings show that decreased CI and increased mitochondrial size heterogeneity are highly associated and point to declining mitochondrial quality control as an initial event in brain aging. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Linking adult hippocampal neurogenesis with human physiology and disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bowers, Megan; Jessberger, Sebastian

    2016-07-01

    We here review the existing evidence linking adult hippocampal neurogenesis and human brain function in physiology and disease. Furthermore, we aim to point out where evidence is missing, highlight current promising avenues of investigation, and suggest future tools and approaches to foster the link between life-long neurogenesis and human brain function. Developmental Dynamics 245:702-709, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  15. Formal Derivation of Lotka-Volterra-Haken Amplitude Equations of Task-Related Brain Activity in Multiple, Consecutively Performed Tasks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frank, T. D.

    The Lotka-Volterra-Haken equations have been frequently used in ecology and pattern formation. Recently, the equations have been proposed by several research groups as amplitude equations for task-related patterns of brain activity. In this theoretical study, the focus is on the circular causality aspect of pattern formation systems as formulated within the framework of synergetics. Accordingly, the stable modes of a pattern formation system inhibit the unstable modes, whereas the unstable modes excite the stable modes. Using this circular causality principle it is shown that under certain conditions the Lotka-Volterra-Haken amplitude equations can be derived from a general model of brain activity akin to the Wilson-Cowan model. The model captures the amplitude dynamics for brain activity patterns in experiments involving several consecutively performed multiple-choice tasks. This is explicitly demonstrated for two-choice tasks involving grasping and walking. A comment on the relevance of the theoretical framework for clinical psychology and schizophrenia is given as well.

  16. Plasma Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Levels in Newborn Infants with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lochan Subedi

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available BackgroundBrain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF is a type of growth factor that promotes growth and survival of neurons. Fetal exposure to opiates can lead to postnatal withdrawal syndrome, which is referred as neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS. Preclinical and clinical studies have shown an association between opiates exposure and alteration in BDNF expression in the brain and serum levels in adult. However, to date, there are no data available on the effects of opiate exposure on BDNF levels in infant who are exposed to opiates in utero and whether BDNF level may correlate with the severity of NAS.ObjectiveTo compare plasma BDNF levels among NAS and non-NAS infants and to determine the correlation of BDNF levels and the severity of NAS.MethodsThis is a prospective cohort study with no intervention involved. Infants ≥35 weeks of gestation were enrolled. BDNF level was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique from blood samples drawn within 48 h of life. The severity of NAS was determined by the length of hospital stay, number of medications required to treat NAS.Results67 infants were enrolled, 34 NAS and 33 non-NAS. Mean gestational age did not differ between the two groups. Mean birth weight of NAS infants was significantly lower than the non-NAS infants (3,070 ± 523 vs. 3,340 ± 459 g, p = 0.028. Mean BDNF level in NAS group was 252.2 ± 91.6 ng/ml, significantly higher than 211.3 ± 66.3 ng/ml in the non-NAS group (p = 0.04. There were no differences in BDNF levels between NAS infants that required one medication vs. more than one medication (254 ± 91 vs. 218 ± 106 ng/ml, p = 0.47. There was no correlation between the BDNF levels and length of hospital stay (p = 0.68 among NAS infants. Overall, there were no significant correlations between BDNF levels and NAS scores except at around 15 h after admission (correlation 0.35, p = 0.045.ConclusionPlasma BDNF

  17. Plasma Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Levels in Newborn Infants with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Subedi, Lochan; Huang, Hong; Pant, Amrita; Westgate, Philip M; Bada, Henrietta S; Bauer, John A; Giannone, Peter J; Sithisarn, Thitinart

    2017-01-01

    Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a type of growth factor that promotes growth and survival of neurons. Fetal exposure to opiates can lead to postnatal withdrawal syndrome, which is referred as neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Preclinical and clinical studies have shown an association between opiates exposure and alteration in BDNF expression in the brain and serum levels in adult. However, to date, there are no data available on the effects of opiate exposure on BDNF levels in infant who are exposed to opiates in utero and whether BDNF level may correlate with the severity of NAS. To compare plasma BDNF levels among NAS and non-NAS infants and to determine the correlation of BDNF levels and the severity of NAS. This is a prospective cohort study with no intervention involved. Infants ≥35 weeks of gestation were enrolled. BDNF level was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique from blood samples drawn within 48 h of life. The severity of NAS was determined by the length of hospital stay, number of medications required to treat NAS. 67 infants were enrolled, 34 NAS and 33 non-NAS. Mean gestational age did not differ between the two groups. Mean birth weight of NAS infants was significantly lower than the non-NAS infants (3,070 ± 523 vs. 3,340 ± 459 g, p  = 0.028). Mean BDNF level in NAS group was 252.2 ± 91.6 ng/ml, significantly higher than 211.3 ± 66.3 ng/ml in the non-NAS group ( p  = 0.04). There were no differences in BDNF levels between NAS infants that required one medication vs. more than one medication (254 ± 91 vs. 218 ± 106 ng/ml, p  = 0.47). There was no correlation between the BDNF levels and length of hospital stay ( p  = 0.68) among NAS infants. Overall, there were no significant correlations between BDNF levels and NAS scores except at around 15 h after admission (correlation 0.35, p  = 0.045). Plasma BDNF level was significantly increased in NAS infants

  18. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA): An essential nutrient and a nutraceutical for brain health and diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Grace Y; Simonyi, Agnes; Fritsche, Kevin L; Chuang, Dennis Y; Hannink, Mark; Gu, Zezong; Greenlief, C Michael; Yao, Jeffrey K; Lee, James C; Beversdorf, David Q

    2017-03-10

    Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) enriched in phospholipids in the brain and retina, is known to play multi-functional roles in brain health and diseases. While arachidonic acid (AA) is released from membrane phospholipids by cytosolic phospholipase A 2 (cPLA 2 ), DHA is linked to action of the Ca 2+ -independent iPLA2. DHA undergoes enzymatic conversion by 15-lipoxygenase (Alox 15) to form oxylipins including resolvins and neuroprotectins, which are powerful lipid mediators. DHA can also undergo non-enzymatic conversion by reacting with oxygen free radicals (ROS), which cause the production of 4-hydoxyhexenal (4-HHE), an aldehyde derivative which can form adducts with DNA, proteins and lipids. In studies with both animal models and humans, there is evidence that inadequate intake of maternal n-3 PUFA may lead to aberrant development and function of the central nervous system (CNS). What is less certain is whether consumption of n-3 PUFA is important in maintaining brain health throughout one's life span. Evidence mostly from non-human studies suggests that DHA intake above normal nutritional requirements might modify the risk/course of a number of diseases of the brain. This concept has fueled much of the present interest in DHA research, in particular, in attempts to delineate mechanisms whereby DHA may serve as a nutraceutical and confer neuroprotective effects. Current studies have revealed ability for the oxylipins to regulation of cell redox homeostasis through the Nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2/Antioxidant response element (Nrf2/ARE) anti-oxidant pathway, and impact signaling pathways associated with neurotransmitters, and modulation of neuronal functions involving brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF). This review is aimed at describing recent studies elaborating these mechanisms with special regard to aging and Alzheimer's disease, autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, traumatic brain injury, and stroke

  19. Serum Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Levels in Different Neurological Diseases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mariacarla Ventriglia

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Consistent evidence indicates the involvement of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF in neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD and Parkinson’s disease (PD. In the present study, we compared serum BDNF in 624 subjects: 266 patients affected by AD, 28 by frontotemporal dementia (FTD, 40 by Lewy body dementia (LBD, 91 by vascular dementia (VAD, 30 by PD, and 169 controls. Our results evidenced lower BDNF serum levels in AD, FTD, LBD, and VAD patients (P<0.001 and a higher BDNF concentration in patients affected by PD (P=0.045. Analyses of effects of pharmacological treatments suggested significantly higher BDNF serum levels in patients taking mood stabilizers/antiepileptics (P=0.009 and L-DOPA (P<0.001 and significant reductions in patients taking benzodiazepines (P=0.020. In conclusion, our results support the role of BDNF alterations in neurodegenerative mechanisms common to different forms of neurological disorders and underline the importance of including drug treatment in the analyses to avoid confounding effects.

  20. Efficient and rapid derivation of primitive neural stem cells and generation of brain subtype neurons from human pluripotent stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Yiping; Shin, Soojung; Jha, Balendu Shekhar; Liu, Qiuyue; Sheng, Jianting; Li, Fuhai; Zhan, Ming; Davis, Janine; Bharti, Kapil; Zeng, Xianmin; Rao, Mahendra; Malik, Nasir; Vemuri, Mohan C

    2013-11-01

    Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), including human embryonic stem cells and human induced pluripotent stem cells, are unique cell sources for disease modeling, drug discovery screens, and cell therapy applications. The first step in producing neural lineages from hPSCs is the generation of neural stem cells (NSCs). Current methods of NSC derivation involve the time-consuming, labor-intensive steps of an embryoid body generation or coculture with stromal cell lines that result in low-efficiency derivation of NSCs. In this study, we report a highly efficient serum-free pluripotent stem cell neural induction medium that can induce hPSCs into primitive NSCs (pNSCs) in 7 days, obviating the need for time-consuming, laborious embryoid body generation or rosette picking. The pNSCs expressed the neural stem cell markers Pax6, Sox1, Sox2, and Nestin; were negative for Oct4; could be expanded for multiple passages; and could be differentiated into neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes, in addition to the brain region-specific neuronal subtypes GABAergic, dopaminergic, and motor neurons. Global gene expression of the transcripts of pNSCs was comparable to that of rosette-derived and human fetal-derived NSCs. This work demonstrates an efficient method to generate expandable pNSCs, which can be further differentiated into central nervous system neurons and glia with temporal, spatial, and positional cues of brain regional heterogeneity. This method of pNSC derivation sets the stage for the scalable production of clinically relevant neural cells for cell therapy applications in good manufacturing practice conditions.

  1. A SPECT study of language and brain reorganization three years after pediatric brain injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiu Wong, Stephanie B; Chapman, Sandra B; Cook, Lois G; Anand, Raksha; Gamino, Jacquelyn F; Devous, Michael D

    2006-01-01

    Using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), we investigated brain plasticity in children 3 years after sustaining a severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). First, we assessed brain perfusion patterns (i.e., the extent of brain blood flow to regions of the brain) at rest in eight children who suffered severe TBI as compared to perfusion patterns in eight normally developing children. Second, we examined differences in perfusion between children with severe TBI who showed good versus poor recovery in complex discourse skills. Specifically, the children were asked to produce and abstract core meaning for two stories in the form of a lesson. Inconsistent with our predictions, children with severe TBI showed areas of increased perfusion as compared to normally developing controls. Adult studies have shown the reverse pattern with TBI associated with reduced perfusion. With regard to the second aim and consistent with previously identified brain-discourse relations, we found a strong positive association between perfusion in right frontal regions and discourse abstraction abilities, with higher perfusion linked to better discourse outcomes and lower perfusion linked to poorer discourse outcomes. Furthermore, brain-discourse patterns of increased perfusion in left frontal regions were associated with lower discourse abstraction ability. The results are discussed in terms of how brain changes may represent adaptive and maladaptive plasticity. The findings offer direction for future studies of brain plasticity in response to neurocognitive treatments.

  2. Structural characterization of the interactions between calmodulin and skeletal muscle myosin light chain kinase: Effect of peptide (576-594)G binding on the Ca2+-binding domains

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seeholzer, S.H.; Wand, A.J.

    1989-01-01

    Calcium-containing calmodulin (CaM) and its complex with a peptide corresponding to the calmodulin-binding domain of skeletal muscle myosin light chain kinase [skMLCK(576-594)G] have been studied by one- and two-dimensional 1 H NMR techniques. Resonances arising from the antiparallel β-sheet structures associated with the calcium-binding domains of CaM and their counterparts in the CaM-skMLCK(576-594)G complex have been assigned. The assignments were initiated by application of the main chain directed assignment strategy. It is found that, despite significant changes in chemical shifts of resonances arising from amino acid residues in this region upon binding of the peptide, the β-sheets have virtually the same structure in the complex as in CaM. Hydrogen exchange rates of amide NH within the β-sheet structures are significantly slowed upon binding of peptide. These data, in conjunction with the observed nuclear Overhauser effect (NOE) patterns and relative intensities and the downfield shifts of associated amide and α resonances upon binding of peptide, show that the peptide stabilizes the Ca 2+ -bound state of calmodulin. The observed pattern of NOEs within the β-sheets and their structural similarity correspond closely to those predicted by the crystal structure. These findings imply that the apparent inconsistency of the crystal structure with recently reported low-angle X-ray scattering profiles of CaM may lie within the putative central helix bridging the globular domains

  3. Effect of reserpine on the brain uptake of carbon II methamphetamine and its N-propagyl derivative, deprenyl

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Inoue, Osamu; Axelsson, S.; Laangstroem, B.; Lundqvist, H.; Oreland, L.

    1990-01-01

    The enantiomers of methamphetamine (MAMP) and its N-propagyl derivative, deprenyl, were labelled with 11 C, and the tissue distribution of these labelled compounds in mice was studied. Both enantiomers of 11 C-MAMP rapidly entered into the brain and then disappeared according to a single exponential curve. The enantiomers of 11 C-deprenyl were also rapidly distributed to various organs in the same manner. With regard to elimination, however, a stereoselective, long-term retention of radioactivity in the brain, heart and lung, due to its irreversible binding with monoamine oxidase B, was observed for L- 11 C-deprenyl. In reserpinized mice, the initial brain uptake of both the L and D forms of 11 C-MAMP was significantly decreased. On the other hand, the brain uptake of both enantiomers of 11 C-deprenyl was slightly increased by pretreatment with reserpine. A significant and non-stereoselective elevation of the lung uptake of 11 C-deprenyl was also seen in reserpinized mice. In addition, both the relative tissue distribution and ratios of radioactivity in the brain compared with blood or heart at 1 and 5 min after the injection of 11 C-labelled methanol in mice were not changed by reserpine. These results indicate that the transport or binding processes of these amines rather than the blood flow might be altered by reserpine. There would be an important role of the pK a values of amines in both processes. The reduction of brain uptake as well as the change in ratio between brain and heart of L- 11 C-MAMP in reserpinized mice 1 min after injection were reversed by treatment with amphetamine in a dose-related manner. D-Amphetamine was found to be several times more potent than the corresponding L-form in this regard. The present results reveal some possibility that the transport or binding processes of MAMP in the brain may be regulated by cathecholaminergic neurotransmission. (orig.)

  4. Evidence of associations between brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) serum levels and gene polymorphisms with tinnitus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coskunoglu, Aysun; Orenay-Boyacioglu, Seda; Deveci, Artuner; Bayam, Mustafa; Onur, Ece; Onan, Arzu; Cam, Fethi S

    2017-01-01

    Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene polymorphisms are associated with abnormalities in regulation of BDNF secretion. Studies also linked BDNF polymorphisms with changes in brainstem auditory-evoked response test results. Furthermore, BDNF levels are reduced in tinnitus, psychiatric disorders, depression, dysthymic disorder that may be associated with stress, conversion disorder, and suicide attempts due to crises of life. For this purpose, we investigated whether there is any role of BDNF changes in the pathophysiology of tinnitus. In this study, we examined the possible effects of BDNF variants in individuals diagnosed with tinnitus for more than 3 months. Fifty-two tinnitus subjects between the ages of 18 and 55, and 42 years healthy control subjects in the same age group, who were free of any otorhinolaryngology and systemic disease, were selected for examination. The intensity of tinnitus and depression was measured using the tinnitus handicap inventory, and the differential diagnosis of psychiatric diagnoses made using the Structured Clinical Interview for Fourth Edition of Mental Disorders. BDNF gene polymorphism was analyzed in the genomic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) samples extracted from the venous blood, and the serum levels of BDNF were measured. One-way analysis of variance and Chi-squared tests were applied. Serum BDNF level was found lower in the tinnitus patients than controls, and it appeared that there is no correlation between BDNF gene polymorphism and tinnitus. This study suggests neurotrophic factors such as BDNF may have a role in tinnitus etiology. Future studies with larger sample size may be required to further confirm our results.

  5. Information properties of morphologically complex words modulate brain activity during word reading.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hakala, Tero; Hultén, Annika; Lehtonen, Minna; Lagus, Krista; Salmelin, Riitta

    2018-06-01

    Neuroimaging studies of the reading process point to functionally distinct stages in word recognition. Yet, current understanding of the operations linked to those various stages is mainly descriptive in nature. Approaches developed in the field of computational linguistics may offer a more quantitative approach for understanding brain dynamics. Our aim was to evaluate whether a statistical model of morphology, with well-defined computational principles, can capture the neural dynamics of reading, using the concept of surprisal from information theory as the common measure. The Morfessor model, created for unsupervised discovery of morphemes, is based on the minimum description length principle and attempts to find optimal units of representation for complex words. In a word recognition task, we correlated brain responses to word surprisal values derived from Morfessor and from other psycholinguistic variables that have been linked with various levels of linguistic abstraction. The magnetoencephalography data analysis focused on spatially, temporally and functionally distinct components of cortical activation observed in reading tasks. The early occipital and occipito-temporal responses were correlated with parameters relating to visual complexity and orthographic properties, whereas the later bilateral superior temporal activation was correlated with whole-word based and morphological models. The results show that the word processing costs estimated by the statistical Morfessor model are relevant for brain dynamics of reading during late processing stages. © 2018 The Authors Human Brain Mapping Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  6. Mechanism of hyperphagia contributing to obesity in brain-derived neurotrophic factor knockout mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fox, E A; Biddinger, J E; Jones, K R; McAdams, J; Worman, A

    2013-01-15

    Global-heterozygous and brain-specific homozygous knockouts (KOs) of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) cause late- and early-onset obesity, respectively, both involving hyperphagia. Little is known about the mechanism underlying this hyperphagia or whether BDNF loss from peripheral tissues could contribute to overeating. Since global-homozygous BDNF-KO is perinatal lethal, a BDNF-KO that spared sufficient brainstem BDNF to support normal health was utilized to begin to address these issues. Meal pattern and microstructure analyses suggested overeating of BDNF-KO mice was mediated by deficits in both satiation and satiety that resulted in increased meal size and frequency and implicated a reduction of vagal signaling from the gut to the brain. Meal-induced c-Fos activation in the nucleus of the solitary tract, a more direct measure of vagal afferent signaling, however, was not decreased in BDNF-KO mice, and thus was not consistent with a vagal afferent role. Interestingly though, meal-induced c-Fos activation was increased in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve (DMV) of BDNF-KO mice. This could imply that augmentation of vago-vagal digestive reflexes occurred (e.g., accommodation), which would support increased meal size and possibly increased meal number by reducing the increase in intragastric pressure produced by a given amount of ingesta. Additionally, vagal sensory neuron number in BDNF-KO mice was altered in a manner consistent with the increased meal-induced activation of the DMV. These results suggest reduced BDNF causes satiety and satiation deficits that support hyperphagia, possibly involving augmentation of vago-vagal reflexes mediated by central pathways or vagal afferents regulated by BDNF levels. Copyright © 2012 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor Val66Met polymorphism and hippocampal activation during episodic encoding and retrieval tasks

    OpenAIRE

    Dennis, Nancy A.; Cabeza, Roberto; Need, Anna C.; Waters-Metenier, Sheena; Goldstein, David B.; LaBar, Kevin S.

    2010-01-01

    Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a neurotrophin which has been shown to regulate cell survival and proliferation, as well as synaptic growth and hippocampal long-term potentiation. A naturally occurring single nucleotide polymorphism in the human BDNF gene (val66met) has been associated with altered intercellular trafficking and regulated secretion of BDNF in met compared to val carriers. Additionally, previous studies have found a relationship between the BDNF val66met genotype an...

  8. Evolution of the aging brain transcriptome and synaptic regulation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patrick M Loerch

    Full Text Available Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders of aging are characterized by clinical and pathological features that are relatively specific to humans. To obtain greater insight into how brain aging has evolved, we compared age-related gene expression changes in the cortex of humans, rhesus macaques, and mice on a genome-wide scale. A small subset of gene expression changes are conserved in all three species, including robust age-dependent upregulation of the neuroprotective gene apolipoprotein D (APOD and downregulation of the synaptic cAMP signaling gene calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IV (CAMK4. However, analysis of gene ontology and cell type localization shows that humans and rhesus macaques have diverged from mice due to a dramatic increase in age-dependent repression of neuronal genes. Many of these age-regulated neuronal genes are associated with synaptic function. Notably, genes associated with GABA-ergic inhibitory function are robustly age-downregulated in humans but not in mice at the level of both mRNA and protein. Gene downregulation was not associated with overall neuronal or synaptic loss. Thus, repression of neuronal gene expression is a prominent and recently evolved feature of brain aging in humans and rhesus macaques that may alter neural networks and contribute to age-related cognitive changes.

  9. The effects of vitamin E on brain derived neurotrophic factor, tissues oxidative damage and learning and memory of juvenile hypothyroid rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baghcheghi, Yousef; Beheshti, Farimah; Shafei, Mohammad Naser; Salmani, Hossein; Sadeghnia, Hamid Reza; Soukhtanloo, Mohammad; Anaeigoudari, Akbar; Hosseini, Mahmoud

    2018-06-01

    The effects of vitamin E (Vit E) on brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and brain tissues oxidative damage as well as on learning and memory impairments in juvenile hypothyroid rats were examined. The rats were grouped as: (1) Control; (2) Propylthiouracil (PTU); (3) PTU-Vit E and (4) Vit E. PTU was added to their drinking water (0.05%) during 6 weeks. Vit E (20 mg/kg) was daily injected (IP). Morris water maze (MWM) and passive avoidance (PA) were carried out. The animals were deeply anesthetized and the brain tissues were removed for biochemical measurements. PTU increased the escape latency and traveled path in MWM (P E (P E improved BDNF, thiol, SOD and CAT while diminished MDA. The results of the present study showed that Vit E improved BDNF and prevented from brain tissues oxidative damage as well as learning and memory impairments in juvenile hypothyroid rats.

  10. Developmental thyroid hormone insufficiency and brain development: A role for brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)?*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thyroid hormones (TH) are essential for normal brain development. Even subclinical hypothyroidism experienced in utero can result in neuropsychological deficits in children despite normal thyroid status at birth. Neurotrophins have been implicated in a host of brain cellular func...

  11. Human brain mass: similar body composition associations as observed across mammals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heymsfield, Steven B; Müller, Manfred J; Bosy-Westphal, Anja; Thomas, Diana; Shen, Wei

    2012-01-01

    A classic association is the link between brain mass and body mass across mammals that has now been shown to derive from fat-free mass (FFM) and not fat mass (FM). This study aimed to establish for the first time the associations between human brain mass and body composition and to compare these relations with those established for liver as a reference organ. Subjects were 112 men and 148 women who had brain and liver mass measured by magnetic resonance imaging with FM and FFM measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Brain mass scaled to height (H) with powers of ≤0.6 in men and women; liver mass and FFM both scaled similarly as H(~2) . The fraction of FFM as brain thus scaled inversely to height (P FFM was independent of height. After controlling for age, brain, and liver mass were associated with FFM while liver was additionally associated with FM (all models P ≤ 0.01). After controlling for age and sex, FFM accounted for ~5% of the variance in brain mass while levels were substantially higher for liver mass (~60%). Brain mass was significantly larger (P FFM. As across mammals, human brain mass associates significantly, although weakly, with FFM and not FM; the fraction of FFM as brain relates inversely to height; brain differs in these relations from liver, another small high metabolic rate organ; and the sexual dimorphism in brain mass persists even after adjusting for age and FFM. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  12. BDNF and BMI effects on brain structures of bipolar offspring: results from the global mood and brain science initiative.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mansur, R B; Brietzke, E; McIntyre, R S; Cao, B; Lee, Y; Japiassú, L; Chen, K; Lu, R; Lu, W; Li, T; Xu, G; Lin, K

    2017-12-01

    To compare brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels between offspring of individuals with bipolar disorders (BD) and healthy controls (HCs) and investigate the effects of BDNF levels and body mass index (BMI) on brain structures. Sixty-seven bipolar offspring and 45 HCs were included (ages 8-28). Structural images were acquired using 3.0 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging. Serum BDNF levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Multivariate and univariate analyses of covariance were conducted. Significantly higher BDNF levels were observed among bipolar offspring, relative to HCs (P > 0.025). Offspring status moderated the association between BDNF and BMI (F 1 =4.636, P = 0.034). After adjustment for relevant covariates, there was a trend for a significant interaction of group and BDNF on neuroimaging parameters (Wilks'λ F 56,94 =1.463, P = 0.052), with significant effects on cerebellar white matter and superior and middle frontal regions. Brain volume and BDNF were positively correlated among HCs and negatively correlated among bipolar offspring. Interactions between BDNF and BMI on brain volumes were non-significant among HCs (Wilks'λ F 28,2 =2.229, P = 0.357), but significant among bipolar offspring (Wilks'λ F 28,12 =2.899, P = 0.028). Offspring status and BMI moderate the association between BDNF levels and brain structures among bipolar offspring, underscoring BDNF regulation and overweight/obesity as key moderators of BD pathogenesis. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. The metabolic trinity, glucose-glycogen-lactate, links astrocytes and neurons in brain energetics, signaling, memory, and gene expression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dienel, Gerald A

    2017-01-10

    Glucose, glycogen, and lactate are traditionally identified with brain energetics, ATP turnover, and pathophysiology. However, recent studies extend their roles to include involvement in astrocytic signaling, memory consolidation, and gene expression. Emerging roles for these brain fuels and a readily-diffusible by-product are linked to differential fluxes in glycolytic and oxidative pathways, astrocytic glycogen dynamics, redox shifts, neuron-astrocyte interactions, and regulation of astrocytic activities by noradrenaline released from the locus coeruleus. Disproportionate utilization of carbohydrate compared with oxygen during brain activation is influenced by catecholamines, but its physiological basis is not understood and its magnitude may be affected by technical aspects of metabolite assays. Memory consolidation and gene expression are impaired by glycogenolysis blockade, and prevention of these deficits by injection of abnormally-high concentrations of lactate was interpreted as a requirement for astrocyte-to-neuron lactate shuttling in memory and gene expression. However, lactate transport was not measured and evidence for presumed shuttling is not compelling. In fact, high levels of lactate used to preserve memory consolidation and induce gene expression are sufficient to shut down neuronal firing via the HCAR1 receptor. In contrast, low lactate levels activate a receptor in locus coeruleus that stimulates noradrenaline release that may activate astrocytes throughout brain. Physiological relevance of exogenous concentrations of lactate used to mimic and evaluate metabolic, molecular, and behavioral effects of lactate requires close correspondence with the normal lactate levels, the biochemical and cellular sources and sinks, and specificity of lactate delivery to target cells. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Cross-linked structure of network evolution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bassett, Danielle S.; Wymbs, Nicholas F.; Grafton, Scott T.; Porter, Mason A.; Mucha, Peter J.

    2014-01-01

    We study the temporal co-variation of network co-evolution via the cross-link structure of networks, for which we take advantage of the formalism of hypergraphs to map cross-link structures back to network nodes. We investigate two sets of temporal network data in detail. In a network of coupled nonlinear oscillators, hyperedges that consist of network edges with temporally co-varying weights uncover the driving co-evolution patterns of edge weight dynamics both within and between oscillator communities. In the human brain, networks that represent temporal changes in brain activity during learning exhibit early co-evolution that then settles down with practice. Subsequent decreases in hyperedge size are consistent with emergence of an autonomous subgraph whose dynamics no longer depends on other parts of the network. Our results on real and synthetic networks give a poignant demonstration of the ability of cross-link structure to uncover unexpected co-evolution attributes in both real and synthetic dynamical systems. This, in turn, illustrates the utility of analyzing cross-links for investigating the structure of temporal networks

  15. Cross-linked structure of network evolution

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bassett, Danielle S., E-mail: dsb@seas.upenn.edu [Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104 (United States); Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106 (United States); Sage Center for the Study of the Mind, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106 (United States); Wymbs, Nicholas F.; Grafton, Scott T. [Department of Psychology and UCSB Brain Imaging Center, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106 (United States); Porter, Mason A. [Oxford Centre for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford OX2 6GG (United Kingdom); CABDyN Complexity Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 1HP (United Kingdom); Mucha, Peter J. [Carolina Center for Interdisciplinary Applied Mathematics, Department of Mathematics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599 (United States); Department of Applied Physical Sciences, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599 (United States)

    2014-03-15

    We study the temporal co-variation of network co-evolution via the cross-link structure of networks, for which we take advantage of the formalism of hypergraphs to map cross-link structures back to network nodes. We investigate two sets of temporal network data in detail. In a network of coupled nonlinear oscillators, hyperedges that consist of network edges with temporally co-varying weights uncover the driving co-evolution patterns of edge weight dynamics both within and between oscillator communities. In the human brain, networks that represent temporal changes in brain activity during learning exhibit early co-evolution that then settles down with practice. Subsequent decreases in hyperedge size are consistent with emergence of an autonomous subgraph whose dynamics no longer depends on other parts of the network. Our results on real and synthetic networks give a poignant demonstration of the ability of cross-link structure to uncover unexpected co-evolution attributes in both real and synthetic dynamical systems. This, in turn, illustrates the utility of analyzing cross-links for investigating the structure of temporal networks.

  16. Application of plug-plug technique to ACE experiments for discovery of peptides binding to a larger target protein: a model study of calmodulin-binding fragments selected from a digested mixture of reduced BSA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saito, Kazuki; Nakato, Mamiko; Mizuguchi, Takaaki; Wada, Shinji; Uchimura, Hiromasa; Kataoka, Hiroshi; Yokoyama, Shigeyuki; Hirota, Hiroshi; Kiso, Yoshiaki

    2014-03-01

    To discover peptide ligands that bind to a target protein with a higher molecular mass, a concise screening methodology has been established, by applying a "plug-plug" technique to ACE experiments. Exploratory experiments using three mixed peptides, mastoparan-X, β-endorphin, and oxytocin, as candidates for calmodulin-binding ligands, revealed that the technique not only reduces the consumption of the protein sample, but also increases the flexibility of the experimental conditions, by allowing the use of MS detection in the ACE experiments. With the plug-plug technique, the ACE-MS screening methodology successfully selected calmodulin-binding peptides from a random library with diverse constituents, such as protease digests of BSA. Three peptides with Kd values between 8-147 μM for calmodulin were obtained from a Glu-C endoprotease digest of reduced BSA, although the digest showed more than 70 peaks in its ACE-MS electropherogram. The method established here will be quite useful for the screening of peptide ligands, which have only low affinities due to their flexible chain structures but could potentially provide primary information for designing inhibitors against the target protein. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  17. Human Calmodulin-Like Protein CALML3: A Novel Marker for Normal Oral Squamous Mucosa That Is Downregulated in Malignant Transformation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael D. Brooks

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Oral cancer is often diagnosed only at advanced stages due to a lack of reliable disease markers. The purpose of this study was to determine if the epithelial-specific human calmodulin-like protein (CALML3 could be used as marker for the various phases of oral tumor progression. Immunohistochemical analysis using an affinity-purified CALML3 antibody was performed on biopsy-confirmed oral tissue samples representing these phases. A total of 90 tissue specimens were derived from 52 patients. Each specimen was analyzed in the superficial and basal mucosal cell layers for overall staining and staining of cellular subcompartments. CALML3 was strongly expressed in benign oral mucosal cells with downregulation of expression as squamous cells progress to invasive carcinoma. Based on the Cochran-Armitage test for trend, expression in the nucleus and at the cytoplasmic membrane significantly decreased with increasing disease severity. Chi-square test showed that benign tissue specimens had significantly more expression compared to dysplasia/CIS and invasive specimens. Dysplasia/CIS tissue had significantly more expression than invasive tissue. We conclude that CALML3 is expressed in benign oral mucosal cells with a statistically significant trend in downregulation as tumorigenesis occurs. CALML3 may thus be a sensitive new marker for oral cancer screening.

  18. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the nucleus tractus solitarii modulates glucose homeostasis after carotid chemoreceptor stimulation in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montero, Sergio; Cuéllar, Ricardo; Lemus, Mónica; Avalos, Reyes; Ramírez, Gladys; de Álvarez-Buylla, Elena Roces

    2012-01-01

    Neuronal systems, which regulate energy intake, energy expenditure and endogenous glucose production, sense and respond to input from hormonal related signals that convey information from body energy availability. Carotid chemoreceptors (CChr) function as sensors for circulating glucose levels and contribute to glycemic counterregulatory responses. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) that plays an important role in the endocrine system to regulate glucose metabolism could play a role in hyperglycemic glucose reflex with brain glucose retention (BGR) evoked by anoxic CChr stimulation. Infusing BDNF into the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) before CChr stimulation, showed that this neurotrophin increased arterial glucose and BGR. In contrast, BDNF receptor (TrkB) antagonist (K252a) infusions in NTS resulted in a decrease in both glucose variables.

  19. Placement of a Non–Cross-Linked Porcine-Derived Acellular Dermal Matrix During Preperitoneal Laparoscopic Inguinal Hernia Repair

    OpenAIRE

    Alshkaki, Giath

    2013-01-01

    This retrospective chart review evaluated outcomes following laparoscopic inguinal herniorrhaphies with non–cross-linked intact porcine-derived acellular dermal matrix (PADM) by one surgeon in a community teaching facility hospital. Mesh was sutured and/or tacked in the preperitoneal space. Postoperative visits were scheduled at 2 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months, and then at 6-month intervals up to 2 years. PADM was placed in 14 male patients (mean age, 41.1 years). Seven patients had bilateral...

  20. Sex-Linked Behavior: Evolution, Stability, and Variability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fine, Cordelia; Dupré, John; Joel, Daphna

    2017-09-01

    Common understanding of human sex-linked behaviors is that proximal mechanisms of genetic and hormonal sex, ultimately shaped by the differential reproductive challenges of ancestral males and females, act on the brain to transfer sex-linked predispositions across generations. Here, we extend the debate on the role of nature and nurture in the development of traits in the lifetime of an individual, to their role in the cross-generation transfer of traits. Advances in evolutionary theory that posit the environment as a source of trans-generational stability, and new understanding of sex effects on the brain, suggest that the cross-generation stability of sex-linked patterns of behavior are sometimes better explained in terms of inherited socioenvironmental conditions, with biological sex fostering intrageneration variability. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Drugs + HIV, Learn the Link

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... increases brain viral load and activates natural killer cells in simian immunodeficiency ... out with friends? It’s a topic you can’t ignore. Learn the Link: http://1.usa.gov/ ...

  2. Principal States of Dynamic Functional Connectivity Reveal the Link Between Resting-State and Task-State Brain: An fMRI Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Lin; Zhu, Yang; Sun, Junfeng; Deng, Lifu; He, Naying; Yang, Yang; Ling, Huawei; Ayaz, Hasan; Fu, Yi; Tong, Shanbao

    2018-01-25

    Task-related reorganization of functional connectivity (FC) has been widely investigated. Under classic static FC analysis, brain networks under task and rest have been demonstrated a general similarity. However, brain activity and cognitive process are believed to be dynamic and adaptive. Since static FC inherently ignores the distinct temporal patterns between rest and task, dynamic FC may be more a suitable technique to characterize the brain's dynamic and adaptive activities. In this study, we adopted [Formula: see text]-means clustering to investigate task-related spatiotemporal reorganization of dynamic brain networks and hypothesized that dynamic FC would be able to reveal the link between resting-state and task-state brain organization, including broadly similar spatial patterns but distinct temporal patterns. In order to test this hypothesis, this study examined the dynamic FC in default-mode network (DMN) and motor-related network (MN) using Blood-Oxygenation-Level-Dependent (BOLD)-fMRI data from 26 healthy subjects during rest (REST) and a hand closing-and-opening (HCO) task. Two principal FC states in REST and one principal FC state in HCO were identified. The first principal FC state in REST was found similar to that in HCO, which appeared to represent intrinsic network architecture and validated the broadly similar spatial patterns between REST and HCO. However, the second FC principal state in REST with much shorter "dwell time" implied the transient functional relationship between DMN and MN during REST. In addition, a more frequent shifting between two principal FC states indicated that brain network dynamically maintained a "default mode" in the motor system during REST, whereas the presence of a single principal FC state and reduced FC variability implied a more temporally stable connectivity during HCO, validating the distinct temporal patterns between REST and HCO. Our results further demonstrated that dynamic FC analysis could offer unique

  3. Monocyte galactose/N-acetylgalactosamine-specific C-type lectin receptor stimulant immunotherapy of an experimental glioma. Part 1: stimulatory effects on blood monocytes and monocyte-derived cells of the brain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kushchayev SV

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Sergiy V Kushchayev,1 Tejas Sankar,1 Laura L Eggink,4,5 Yevgeniya S Kushchayeva,5 Philip C Wiener,1,5 J Kenneth Hoober,5,6 Jennifer Eschbacher,3 Ruolan Liu,2 Fu-Dong Shi,2 Mohammed G Abdelwahab,4 Adrienne C Scheck,4 Mark C Preul11Neurosurgery Research Laboratory, 2Neuroimmunology Laboratory, 3Department of Pathology, 4Neurooncology Research, Barrow Neurological Institute, St Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, 5School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, 6Susavion Biosciences, Inc, Tempe, AZ, USAObjectives: Immunotherapy with immunostimulants is an attractive therapy against gliomas. C-type lectin receptors specific for galactose/N-acetylgalactosamine (GCLR regulate cellular differentiation, recognition, and trafficking of monocyte-derived cells. A peptide mimetic of GCLR ligands (GCLRP was used to activate blood monocytes and populations of myeloid-derived cells against a murine glioblastoma.Methods: The ability of GCLRP to stimulate phagocytosis by human microglia and monocyte-derived cells of the brain (MDCB isolated from a human glioblastoma was initially assessed in vitro. Induction of activation markers on blood monocytes was assayed by flow cytometry after administration of GCLRP to naive mice. C57BL/6 mice underwent stereotactic intracranial implantation of GL261 glioma cells and were randomized for tumor size by magnetic resonance imaging, which was also used to assess increase in tumor size. Brain tumor tissues were analyzed using flow cytometry, histology, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with respect to tumor, peritumoral area, and contralateral hemisphere regions.Results: GCLRP exhibited strong stimulatory effect on MDCBs and blood monocytes in vitro and in vivo. GCLRP was associated with an increased percentage of precursors of dendritic cells in the blood (P = 0.003, which differentiated into patrolling macrophages in tumoral (P = 0.001 and peritumoral areas (P = 0.04, rather than into dendritic cells

  4. Hydrogen peroxide homeostasis: activation of plant catalase by calcium/calmodulin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, T.; Poovaiah, B. W.

    2002-01-01

    Environmental stimuli such as UV, pathogen attack, and gravity can induce rapid changes in hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) levels, leading to a variety of physiological responses in plants. Catalase, which is involved in the degradation of H(2)O(2) into water and oxygen, is the major H(2)O(2)-scavenging enzyme in all aerobic organisms. A close interaction exists between intracellular H(2)O(2) and cytosolic calcium in response to biotic and abiotic stresses. Studies indicate that an increase in cytosolic calcium boosts the generation of H(2)O(2). Here we report that calmodulin (CaM), a ubiquitous calcium-binding protein, binds to and activates some plant catalases in the presence of calcium, but calcium/CaM does not have any effect on bacterial, fungal, bovine, or human catalase. These results document that calcium/CaM can down-regulate H(2)O(2) levels in plants by stimulating the catalytic activity of plant catalase. Furthermore, these results provide evidence indicating that calcium has dual functions in regulating H(2)O(2) homeostasis, which in turn influences redox signaling in response to environmental signals in plants.

  5. Resilience to chronic stress is mediated by hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taliaz, Dekel; Loya, Assaf; Gersner, Roman; Haramati, Sharon; Chen, Alon; Zangen, Abraham

    2011-03-23

    Chronic stress is a trigger for several psychiatric disorders, including depression; however, critical individual differences in resilience to both the behavioral and the neurochemical effects of stress have been reported. A prominent mechanism by which the brain reacts to acute and chronic stress is activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which is inhibited by the hippocampus via a polysynaptic circuit. Alterations in secretion of stress hormones and levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the hippocampus were implicated in depression and the effects of antidepressant medications. However, the potential role of hippocampal BDNF in behavioral resilience to chronic stress and in the regulation of the HPA axis has not been evaluated. In the present study, Sprague Dawley rats were subjected to 4 weeks of chronic mild stress (CMS) to induce depressive-like behaviors after lentiviral vectors were used to induce localized BDNF overexpression or knockdown in the hippocampus. The behavioral outcome was measured during 3 weeks after the CMS procedure, then plasma samples were taken for measurements of corticosterone levels, and finally hippocampal tissue was taken for BDNF measurements. We found that hippocampal BDNF expression plays a critical role in resilience to chronic stress and that reduction of hippocampal BDNF expression in young, but not adult, rats induces prolonged elevations in corticosterone secretion. The present study describes a mechanism for individual differences in responses to chronic stress and implicates hippocampal BDNF in the development of neural circuits that control adequate stress adaptations.

  6. Antibody Banding Patterns of the Enzyme-Linked Immunoelectrotransfer Blot and Brain Imaging Findings in Patients With Neurocysticercosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arroyo, Gianfranco; Rodriguez, Silvia; Lescano, Andres G; Alroy, Karen A; Bustos, Javier A; Santivañez, Saul; Gonzales, Isidro; Saavedra, Herbert; Pretell, E Javier; Gonzalez, Armando E; Gilman, Robert H; Tsang, Victor C W; Garcia, Hector H

    2018-01-06

    The enzyme-linked immunoelectrotransfer blot (EITB) assay is the reference serological test for neurocysticercosis (NCC). A positive result on EITB does not always correlate with the presence of active infections in the central nervous system (CNS), and patients with a single viable brain cyst may be EITB negative. Nonetheless, EITB antibody banding patterns appears to be related with the expression of 3 protein families of Taenia solium, and in turn with the characteristics of NCC in the CNS (type, stage, and burden of viable cysts). We evaluated EITB antibody banding patterns and brain imaging findings of 548 NCC cases. Similar banding patterns were grouped into homogeneous classes using latent class analysis. The association between classes and brain imaging findings was assessed. Four classes were identified. Class 1 (patients negative or only positive to the GP50 band, related to the protein family of the same name) was associated with nonviable or single viable parenchymal cysticerci; class 2 (patients positive to bands GP42-39 and GP24, related to the T24-42 protein family, with or without anti-GP50 antibodies) was associated with intraparenchymal viable and nonviable infections; classes 3 and 4 (positive to GP50, GP42-39, and GP24 but also responding to low molecular weight bands GP21, GP18, GP14, and GP13, related to the 8 kDa protein family) were associated with extraparenchymal and intraparenchymal multiple viable cysticerci. EITB antibody banding patterns correlate with brain imaging findings and complement imaging information for the diagnosis of NCC and for staging NCC patients. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  7. Acute running stimulates hippocampal dopaminergic neurotransmission in rats, but has no influence on brain-derived neurotrophic factor

    OpenAIRE

    Goekint, Maaike; Bos, Inge; Heyman, Elsa; Meeusen, Romain; Michotte, Yvette; Sarre, Sophie

    2011-01-01

    Hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) protein is increased with exercise in rats. Monoamines seem to play a role in the regulation of BDNF, and monoamine neurotransmission is known to increase with exercise. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of acute exercise on monoaminergic neurotransmission and BDNF protein concentrations. Hippocampal microdialysis was performed in rats that were subjected to 60 min of treadmill running at 20 m/min or rest. Two hours pos...

  8. Brain activity underlying negative self- and other-perception in adolescents: The role of attachment-derived self-representations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Debbané, Martin; Badoud, Deborah; Sander, David; Eliez, Stephan; Luyten, Patrick; Vrtička, Pascal

    2017-06-01

    One of teenagers' key developmental tasks is to engage in new and meaningful relationships with peers and adults outside the family context. Attachment-derived expectations about the self and others in terms of internal attachment working models have the potential to shape such social reorientation processes critically and thereby influence adolescents' social-emotional development and social integration. Because the neural underpinnings of this developmental task remain largely unknown, we sought to investigate them by functional magnetic resonance imaging. We asked n = 44 adolescents (ages 12.01-18.84 years) to evaluate positive and negative adjectives regarding either themselves or a close other during an adapted version of the well-established self-other trait-evaluation task. As measures of attachment, we obtained scores reflecting participants' positive versus negative attachment-derived self- and other-models by means of the Relationship Questionnaire. We controlled for possible confounding factors by also obtaining scores reflecting internalizing/externalizing problems, schizotypy, and borderline symptomatology. Our results revealed that participants with a more negative attachment-derived self-model showed increased brain activity during positive and negative adjective evaluation regarding the self, but decreased brain activity during negative adjective evaluation regarding a close other, in bilateral amygdala/parahippocampus, bilateral anterior temporal pole/anterior superior temporal gyrus, and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. These findings suggest that a low positivity of the self-concept characteristic for the attachment anxiety dimension may influence neural information processing, but in opposite directions when it comes to self- versus (close) other-representations. We discuss our results in the framework of attachment theory and regarding their implications especially for adolescent social-emotional development and social integration.

  9. Glymphatic distribution of CSF-derived apoE into brain is isoform specific and suppressed during sleep deprivation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Achariyar, Thiyagaragan M; Li, Baoman; Peng, Weiguo; Verghese, Philip B; Shi, Yang; McConnell, Evan; Benraiss, Abdellatif; Kasper, Tristan; Song, Wei; Takano, Takahiro; Holtzman, David M; Nedergaard, Maiken; Deane, Rashid

    2016-12-08

    Apolipoprotein E (apoE) is a major carrier of cholesterol and essential for synaptic plasticity. In brain, it's expressed by many cells but highly expressed by the choroid plexus and the predominant apolipoprotein in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The role of apoE in the CSF is unclear. Recently, the glymphatic system was described as a clearance system whereby CSF and ISF (interstitial fluid) is exchanged via the peri-arterial space and convective flow of ISF clearance is mediated by aquaporin 4 (AQP4), a water channel. We reasoned that this system also serves to distribute essential molecules in CSF into brain. The aim was to establish whether apoE in CSF, secreted by the choroid plexus, is distributed into brain, and whether this distribution pattern was altered by sleep deprivation. We used fluorescently labeled lipidated apoE isoforms, lenti-apoE3 delivered to the choroid plexus, immunohistochemistry to map apoE brain distribution, immunolabeled cells and proteins in brain, Western blot analysis and ELISA to determine apoE levels and radiolabeled molecules to quantify CSF inflow into brain and brain clearance in mice. Data were statistically analyzed using ANOVA or Student's t- test. We show that the glymphatic fluid transporting system contributes to the delivery of choroid plexus/CSF-derived human apoE to neurons. CSF-delivered human apoE entered brain via the perivascular space of penetrating arteries and flows radially around arteries, but not veins, in an isoform specific manner (apoE2 > apoE3 > apoE4). Flow of apoE around arteries was facilitated by AQP4, a characteristic feature of the glymphatic system. ApoE3, delivered by lentivirus to the choroid plexus and ependymal layer but not to the parenchymal cells, was present in the CSF, penetrating arteries and neurons. The inflow of CSF, which contains apoE, into brain and its clearance from the interstitium were severely suppressed by sleep deprivation compared to the sleep state. Thus, choroid plexus

  10. Imatinib preserves blood-brain barrier integrity following experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhan, Yan; Krafft, Paul R; Lekic, Tim; Ma, Qingyi; Souvenir, Rhonda; Zhang, John H; Tang, Jiping

    2015-01-01

    Blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption and consequent edema formation contribute to the development of early brain injury following subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Various cerebrovascular insults result in increased platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR)-α stimulation, which has been linked to BBB breakdown and edema formation. This study examines whether imatinib, a PDGFR inhibitor, can preserve BBB integrity in a rat endovascular perforation SAH model. Imatinib (40 or 120 mg/kg) or a vehicle was administered intraperitoneally at 1 hr after SAH induction. BBB leakage, brain edema, and neurological deficits were evaluated. Total and phosphorylated protein expressions of PDGFR-α, c-Src, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and c-Jun were measured, and enzymatic activities of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 were determined in the injured brain. Imatinib treatment significantly ameliorated BBB leakage and edema formation 24 hr after SAH, which was paralleled by improved neurological functions. Decreased brain expressions of phosphorylated PDGFR-α, c-Src, JNK, and c-Jun as well as reduced MMP-9 activities were found in treated animals. PDGFR-α inhibition preserved BBB integrity following experimental SAH; however, the protective mechanisms remain to be elucidated. Targeting PDGFR-α signaling might be advantageous to ameliorate early brain injury following SAH. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. The effects of vitamin D on brain development and adult brain function.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kesby, James P; Eyles, Darryl W; Burne, Thomas H J; McGrath, John J

    2011-12-05

    A role for vitamin D in brain development and function has been gaining support over the last decade. Multiple lines of evidence suggest that this vitamin is actually a neuroactive steroid that acts on brain development, leading to alterations in brain neurochemistry and adult brain function. Early deficiencies have been linked with neuropsychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, and adult deficiencies have been associated with a host of adverse brain outcomes, including Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, depression and cognitive decline. This review summarises the current state of research on the actions of vitamin D in the brain and the consequences of deficiencies in this vitamin. Furthermore, we discuss specific implications of vitamin D status on the neurotransmitter, dopamine. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Expression in Individuals With Schizophrenia and Healthy Aging: Testing the Accelerated Aging Hypothesis of Schizophrenia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Islam, Farhana; Mulsant, Benoit H; Voineskos, Aristotle N; Rajji, Tarek K

    2017-07-01

    Schizophrenia has been hypothesized to be a syndrome of accelerated aging. Brain plasticity is vulnerable to the normal aging process and affected in schizophrenia: brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is an important neuroplasticity molecule. The present review explores the accelerated aging hypothesis of schizophrenia by comparing changes in BDNF expression in schizophrenia with aging-associated changes. Individuals with schizophrenia show patterns of increased overall mortality, metabolic abnormalities, and cognitive decline normally observed later in life in the healthy population. An overall decrease is observed in BDNF expression in schizophrenia compared to healthy controls and in older individuals compared to a younger cohort. There is a marked decrease in BDNF levels in the frontal regions and in the periphery among older individuals and those with schizophrenia; however, data for BDNF expression in the occipital, parietal, and temporal cortices and the hippocampus is inconclusive. Accelerated aging hypothesis is supported based on frontal regions and peripheral studies; however, further studies are needed in other brain regions.

  13. Early paternal deprivation alters levels of hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor and glucocorticoid receptor and serum corticosterone and adrenocorticotropin in a sex-specific way in socially monogamous mandarin voles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Ruiyong; Song, Zhenzhen; Wang, Siyang; Shui, Li; Tai, Fadao; Qiao, Xufeng; He, Fengqin

    2014-01-01

    In monogamous mammals, fathers play an important role in the development of the brain and typical behavior in offspring, but the exact nature of this process is not well understood. In particular, little research has addressed whether the presence or absence of paternal care alters levels of hippocampal glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and basal levels of serum corticosterone (CORT) and adrenocorticotropin (ACTH). Here, we explored this concept using socially monogamous mandarin voles (Microtus mandarinus), a species in which fathers display high levels of paternal care toward their pups. Our immunohistochemical study shows that paternal deprivation (PD) significantly decreased levels of GR and BDNF protein in the CA1 and CA2/3 of the hippocampus. In the dental gyrus, decreases in GR and BDNF induced by PD were evident in females but not in males. Additionally, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay results show that PD significantly upregulated levels of serum CORT and ACTH in females, but not males. These findings demonstrate that PD alters HPA axis activity in a sex-specific way. The changes in stress hormones documented here may be associated with alteration in hippocampal BDNF and GR levels. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  14. Ca{sup 2+}/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase phosphatase (CaMKP/PPM1F) interacts with neurofilament L and inhibits its filament association

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ozaki, Hana [Laboratory of Molecular Brain Science, Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, 739-8521 (Japan); Katoh, Tsuyoshi [Department of Biochemistry, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, 078-8510 (Japan); Nakagawa, Ryoko; Ishihara, Yasuhiro [Laboratory of Molecular Brain Science, Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, 739-8521 (Japan); Sueyoshi, Noriyuki; Kameshita, Isamu [Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Kagawa University, Kagawa, 761-0795 (Japan); Taniguchi, Takanobu [Department of Biochemistry, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, 078-8510 (Japan); Hirano, Tetsuo; Yamazaki, Takeshi [Laboratory of Molecular Brain Science, Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, 739-8521 (Japan); Ishida, Atsuhiko, E-mail: aishida@hiroshima-u.ac.jp [Laboratory of Molecular Brain Science, Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, 739-8521 (Japan)

    2016-09-02

    Ca{sup 2+}/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase phosphatase (CaMKP/PPM1F) is a Ser/Thr phosphatase that belongs to the PPM family. Growing evidence suggests that PPM phosphatases including CaMKP act as a complex with other proteins to regulate cellular functions. In this study, using the two-dimensional far-western blotting technique with digoxigenin-labeled CaMKP as a probe, in conjunction with peptide mass fingerprinting analysis, we identified neurofilament L (NFL) as a CaMKP-binding protein in a Triton-insoluble fraction of rat brain. We confirmed binding of fluorescein-labeled CaMKP (F-CaMKP) to NFL in solution by fluorescence polarization. The analysis showed that the dissociation constant of F-CaMKP for NFL is 73 ± 17 nM (n = 3). Co-immunoprecipitation assay using a cytosolic fraction of NGF-differentiated PC12 cells showed that endogenous CaMKP and NFL form a complex in cells. Furthermore, the effect of CaMKP on self-assembly of NFL was examined. Electron microscopy revealed that CaMKP markedly prevented NFL from forming large filamentous aggregates, suggesting that CaMKP-binding to NFL inhibits its filament association. These findings may provide new insights into a novel mechanism for regulating network formation of neurofilaments during neuronal differentiation. - Highlights: • NFL was identified as a CaMKP-binding protein in an insoluble fraction of rat brain. • CaMKP bound to NFL in solution with a K{sub d} value of 73 ± 17 nM. • A CaMKP-NFL complex was found in NGF-differentiated PC12 cells. • CaMKP-binding to NFL inhibited its filament association. • CaMKP may regulate network formation of neurofilaments in neurons.

  15. Brain anatomical networks in early human brain development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Yong; Shi, Feng; Smith, Jeffrey Keith; Lin, Weili; Gilmore, John H; Shen, Dinggang

    2011-02-01

    Recent neuroimaging studies have demonstrated that human brain networks have economic small-world topology and modular organization, enabling efficient information transfer among brain regions. However, it remains largely unknown how the small-world topology and modular organization of human brain networks emerge and develop. Using longitudinal MRI data of 28 healthy pediatric subjects, collected at their ages of 1 month, 1 year, and 2 years, we analyzed development patterns of brain anatomical networks derived from morphological correlations of brain regional volumes. The results show that the brain network of 1-month-olds has the characteristically economic small-world topology and nonrandom modular organization. The network's cost efficiency increases with the brain development to 1 year and 2 years, so does the modularity, providing supportive evidence for the hypothesis that the small-world topology and the modular organization of brain networks are established during early brain development to support rapid synchronization and information transfer with minimal rewiring cost, as well as to balance between local processing and global integration of information. Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  16. The relationship of Chlamydophila pneumoniae with schizophrenia: The role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) in this relationship

    OpenAIRE

    Kalayci, Fatma; Ozdemir, Armagan; Saribas, Suat; Yuksel, Pelin; Ergin, Sevgi; Mert Kuskucu, Ali; Aksoy Poyraz, Cana; Balcioglu, Ibrahim; Alpay, Nihat; Kurt, Aykut; Sezgin, Zeynep; Tufan Kocak, Banu; Sucu Icel, Rana; Can, Gunay; Bahar Tokman, Hrisi

    2017-01-01

    Several pathogens have been suspected of playing a role in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. Chronic inflammation has been proposed to occur as a result of persistent infection caused by Chlamydophila pneumoniae cells that reside in brain endothelial cells for many years. It was recently hypothesized that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) may play prominent roles in the development of schizophrenia. NT-3 and BDNF levels have been suggested to change in respon...

  17. Prognostic factors derived from recursive partition analysis (RPA) of radiation therapy oncology group (RTOG) brain metastases trials applied to surgically resected and irradiated brain metastatic cases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Agboola, Olusegun; Benoit, Brien; Cross, Peter; Silva, Vasco da; Esche, Bernd; Lesiuk, Howard; Gonsalves, Carol

    1998-01-01

    Purpose: (a) To identify the prognostic factors that determine survival after surgical resection and irradiation of tumors metastatic to brain. (b) To determine if the prognostic factors used in the recursive partition analysis (RPA) of brain metastases cases from Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) studies into three distinct survival classes is applicable to surgically resected and irradiated patients. Method: The medical records of 125 patients who had surgical resection and radiotherapy for brain metastases from 1985 to 1997 were reviewed. The patients' disease and treatment related factors were analyzed to identify factors that independently determine survival after diagnosis of brain metastasis. The patients were also grouped into three classes using the RPA-derived prognostic parameters which are: age, performance status, state of the primary disease, and presence or absence of extracranial metastases. Class 1: patients ≤ 65 years of age, Karnofsky performance status (KPS) of ≥70, with controlled primary disease and no extracranial metastases; Class 3: patients with KPS < 70. Patients who do not qualify for Class 1 or 3 are grouped as Class 2. The survival of these patients was determined from the time of diagnosis of brain metastases to the time of death. Results: The median survival of the entire group was 9.5 months. The three classes of patients as grouped had median survivals of 14.8, 9.9, and 6.0 months respectively (p = 0.0002). Age of < 65 years, KPS of ≥ 70, controlled primary disease, absence of extracranial metastases, complete surgical resection of the brain lesion(s) were found to be independent prognostic factors for survival; the total dose of radiation was not. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, the patients and disease characteristics have significant impact on the survival of patients with brain metastases treated with a combination of surgical resection and radiotherapy. These parameters could be used in selecting

  18. What will this do to me and my brain? Ethical issues in brain-to-brain interfacing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elisabeth eHildt

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available For several years now, brain-computer interfaces (BCIs in which brain signals are used to navigate a computer, a prostheses or a technical device, have been developed in various experimental contexts (Wolpaw & Wolpaw 2012; Grübler & Hildt 2014. Researchers have recently taken the next step and run experiments based on connections between two brains. These so-called brain-to-brain interfaces (abbreviation: BBIs or BTBIs involve not only a BCI component deriving information from a brain and sending it to a computer, but also a computer-brain interface (CBI component delivering information to another brain. What results is technology-mediated brain-to-brain communication (B2B communication, i.e. direct communication between two brains that does not involve any activity of the peripheral nervous system. In what follows, ethical issues that arise in neural interfacing will be discussed after a short introduction to recent BBI experiments. In this, the focus will be on the implications BBIs may have on the individual at the CBI side of the BBI, i.e. on the recipient.

  19. Brain entropy and human intelligence: A resting-state fMRI study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calderone, Daniel; Morales, Leah J.

    2018-01-01

    Human intelligence comprises comprehension of and reasoning about an infinitely variable external environment. A brain capable of large variability in neural configurations, or states, will more easily understand and predict variable external events. Entropy measures the variety of configurations possible within a system, and recently the concept of brain entropy has been defined as the number of neural states a given brain can access. This study investigates the relationship between human intelligence and brain entropy, to determine whether neural variability as reflected in neuroimaging signals carries information about intellectual ability. We hypothesize that intelligence will be positively associated with entropy in a sample of 892 healthy adults, using resting-state fMRI. Intelligence is measured with the Shipley Vocabulary and WASI Matrix Reasoning tests. Brain entropy was positively associated with intelligence. This relation was most strongly observed in the prefrontal cortex, inferior temporal lobes, and cerebellum. This relationship between high brain entropy and high intelligence indicates an essential role for entropy in brain functioning. It demonstrates that access to variable neural states predicts complex behavioral performance, and specifically shows that entropy derived from neuroimaging signals at rest carries information about intellectual capacity. Future work in this area may elucidate the links between brain entropy in both resting and active states and various forms of intelligence. This insight has the potential to provide predictive information about adaptive behavior and to delineate the subdivisions and nature of intelligence based on entropic patterns. PMID:29432427

  20. Brain entropy and human intelligence: A resting-state fMRI study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saxe, Glenn N; Calderone, Daniel; Morales, Leah J

    2018-01-01

    Human intelligence comprises comprehension of and reasoning about an infinitely variable external environment. A brain capable of large variability in neural configurations, or states, will more easily understand and predict variable external events. Entropy measures the variety of configurations possible within a system, and recently the concept of brain entropy has been defined as the number of neural states a given brain can access. This study investigates the relationship between human intelligence and brain entropy, to determine whether neural variability as reflected in neuroimaging signals carries information about intellectual ability. We hypothesize that intelligence will be positively associated with entropy in a sample of 892 healthy adults, using resting-state fMRI. Intelligence is measured with the Shipley Vocabulary and WASI Matrix Reasoning tests. Brain entropy was positively associated with intelligence. This relation was most strongly observed in the prefrontal cortex, inferior temporal lobes, and cerebellum. This relationship between high brain entropy and high intelligence indicates an essential role for entropy in brain functioning. It demonstrates that access to variable neural states predicts complex behavioral performance, and specifically shows that entropy derived from neuroimaging signals at rest carries information about intellectual capacity. Future work in this area may elucidate the links between brain entropy in both resting and active states and various forms of intelligence. This insight has the potential to provide predictive information about adaptive behavior and to delineate the subdivisions and nature of intelligence based on entropic patterns.

  1. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor mediates cognitive improvements following acute exercise.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borror, Andrew

    2017-09-01

    The mechanisms causing improved cognition following acute exercise are poorly understood. This article proposes that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is the main factor contributing to improved cognition following exercise. Additionally, it argues that cerebral blood flow (CBF) and oxidative stress explain the release of BDNF from cerebral endothelial cells. One way to test these hypotheses is to block endothelial function and measure the effect on BDNF levels and cognitive performance. The CBF and oxidative stress can also be examined in relationship to BDNF using a multiple linear regression. If these hypotheses are true, there would be a linear relationship between CBF+oxidative stress and BDNF levels as well as between BDNF levels and cognitive performance. The novelty of these hypotheses comes from the emphasis on the cerebral endothelium and the interplay between BDNF, CBF, and oxidative stress. If found to be valid, these hypotheses would draw attention to the cerebral endothelium and provide direction for future research regarding methods to optimize BDNF release and enhance cognition. Elucidating these mechanisms would provide direction for expediting recovery in clinical populations, such as stroke, and maintaining quality of life in the elderly. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. The transient receptor potential, TRP4, cation channel is a novel member of the family of calmodulin binding proteins.

    OpenAIRE

    Trost, C; Bergs, C; Himmerkus, N; Flockerzi, V

    2001-01-01

    The mammalian gene products, transient receptor potential (trp)1 to trp7, are related to the Drosophila TRP and TRP-like ion channels, and are candidate proteins underlying agonist-activated Ca(2+)-permeable ion channels. Recently, the TRP4 protein has been shown to be part of native store-operated Ca(2+)-permeable channels. These channels, most likely, are composed of other proteins in addition to TRP4. In the present paper we report the direct interaction of TRP4 and calmodulin (CaM) by: (1...

  3. Adaptive Capacity: An Evolutionary Neuroscience Model Linking Exercise, Cognition, and Brain Health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raichlen, David A; Alexander, Gene E

    2017-07-01

    The field of cognitive neuroscience was transformed by the discovery that exercise induces neurogenesis in the adult brain, with the potential to improve brain health and stave off the effects of neurodegenerative disease. However, the basic mechanisms underlying exercise-brain connections are not well understood. We use an evolutionary neuroscience approach to develop the adaptive capacity model (ACM), detailing how and why physical activity improves brain function based on an energy-minimizing strategy. Building on studies showing a combined benefit of exercise and cognitive challenge to enhance neuroplasticity, our ACM addresses two fundamental questions: (i) what are the proximate and ultimate mechanisms underlying age-related brain atrophy, and (ii) how do lifestyle changes influence the trajectory of healthy and pathological aging? Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Drugs + HIV, Learn the Link

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    Full Text Available ... Addiction Science Adolescent Brain Comorbidity College-Age & Young Adults Criminal Justice Drugged Driving Drug Testing Drugs and ... Link campaign. This campaign shows teens and young adults that non-injection drug use and alcohol use ...

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    Full Text Available ... It contains information for young people, parents and teachers, and the media with links to our latest ... greater injury to cells in the brain and cognitive impairment among people who use methamphetamine than among ...

  6. Drugs + HIV, Learn the Link

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    Full Text Available ... of HIV infection in the United States. Drugs can change the way the brain works, disrupting the ... linked and referred to as "HIV/AIDS." HIV can be transferred between people if an infected person's ...

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    Full Text Available ... works, disrupting the parts of the brain that people use to weigh risks and benefits when making ... and HIV infection. It contains information for young people, parents and teachers, and the media with links ...

  8. Insulin Like Growth Factor 2 Expression in the Rat Brain Both in Basal Condition and following Learning Predominantly Derives from the Maternal Allele.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaojing Ye

    Full Text Available Insulin like growth factor 2 (Igf2 is known as a maternally imprinted gene involved in growth and development. Recently, Igf2 was found to also be regulated and required in the adult rat hippocampus for long-term memory formation, raising the question of its allelic regulation in adult brain regions following experience and in cognitive processes. We show that, in adult rats, Igf2 is abundantly expressed in brain regions involved in cognitive functions, like hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, compared to the peripheral tissues. In contrast to its maternal imprinting in peripheral tissues, Igf2 is mainly expressed from the maternal allele in these brain regions. The training-dependent increase in Igf2 expression derives proportionally from both parental alleles, and, hence, is mostly maternal. Thus, Igf2 parental expression in the adult rat brain does not follow the imprinting rules found in peripheral tissues, suggesting differential expression regulation and functions of imprinted genes in the brain.

  9. Serum concentrations of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in patients diagnosed with gender dysphoria undergoing sex reassignment surgery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maiko A. Schneider

    Full Text Available Abstract Introduction: Transsexualism (ICD-10 is a condition characterized by a strong and persistent dissociation with one's assigned gender. Sex reassignment surgery (SRS and hormone therapy provide a means of allowing transsexual individuals to feel more congruent with their gender and have played a major role in treatment over the past 70 years. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF appears to play a key role in recovery from acute surgical trauma and environmentally mediated vulnerability to psychopathology. We hypothesize that BDNF may be a biomarker of alleviation of gender incongruence suffering. Objectives: To measure preoperative and postoperative serum BDNF levels in transsexual individuals as a biomarker of alleviation of stress related to gender incongruence after SRS. Methods: Thirty-two male-to-female transsexual people who underwent both surgery and hormonal treatment were selected from our initial sample. BDNF serum levels were assessed before and after SRS with sandwich enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA. The time elapsed between the pre-SRS and post-SRS blood collections was also measured. Results: No significant difference was found in pre-SRS or post-SRS BDNF levels or with relation to the time elapsed after SRS when BDNF levels were measured. Conclusion: Alleviation of the suffering related to gender incongruence after SRS cannot be assessed by BDNF alone. Surgical solutions may not provide a quick fix for psychological distress associated with transsexualism and SRS may serve as one step toward, rather than as the conclusion of, construction of a person's gender identity.

  10. Beauvericin synthetase contains a calmodulin binding motif in the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Jiyoung; Sung, Gi-Ho

    2018-03-19

    Beauvericin is a mycotoxin which has insecticidal, anti-microbial, anti-viral and anti-cancer activities. Beauvericin biosynthesis is rapidly catalyzed by the beauvericin synthetase (BEAS) in Beauveria bassiana. Ca 2+ plays crucial roles in multiple signaling pathways in eukaryotic cells. These Ca 2+ signals are partially decoded by Ca 2+ sensor calmodulin (CaM). In this report, we describe that B. bassiana BEAS (BbBEAS) can interact with CaM in a Ca 2+ -dependent manner. A synthetic BbBEAS peptide, corresponding to the putative CaM-binding motif, formed a stable complex with CaM in the presence of Ca 2+ . In addition, in vitro CaM-binding assay revealed that the His-tagged BbBEAS (amino acids 2421-2538) binds to CaM in a Ca 2+ -dependent manner. Therefore, this work suggests that BbBEAS is a novel CaM-binding protein in B. bassiana.

  11. Drugs + HIV, Learn the Link

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  12. Analysis of Azari Language based on Parsing using Link Gram

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maryam Arabzadeh

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available There are different classes of theories for the natural lanuguage syntactic parsing problem and for creating the related grammars .This paper presents a syntactic grammar developed in the link grammar formalism for Turkish which is an agglutinative language. In the link grammar formalism, the words of a sentence are linked with each other depending on their syntactic roles. Turkish has complex derivational and inflectional morphology, and derivational and inflection morphemes play important syntactic roles in the sentences. In order to develop a link grammar for Turkish, the lexical parts in the morphological representations of Turkish words are removed, and the links are created depending on the part of speech tags and inflectional morphemes in words. Furthermore, a derived word is separated at the derivational boundaries in order to treat each derivation morpheme as a special distinct word, and allow it to be linked with the rest of the sentence. The derivational morphemes of a word are also linked with each other with special links to indicate that they are parts of the same word. Finally the adapted unique link grammar formalism for Turkish provides flexibility for the linkage construction, and similar methods can be used for other languages with complex morphology. Finally, using the Delphi programming language, the link grammar related to the Azeri language was developed and implemented and then by selecting 250 random sentences, this grammar is evaluated and then tested. For 84.31% of the sentences, the result set of the parser contains the correct parse.

  13. Evidence of associations between brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF serum levels and gene polymorphisms with tinnitus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aysun Coskunoglu

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF gene polymorphisms are associated with abnormalities in regulation of BDNF secretion. Studies also linked BDNF polymorphisms with changes in brainstem auditory-evoked response test results. Furthermore, BDNF levels are reduced in tinnitus, psychiatric disorders, depression, dysthymic disorder that may be associated with stress, conversion disorder, and suicide attempts due to crises of life. For this purpose, we investigated whether there is any role of BDNF changes in the pathophysiology of tinnitus. Materials and Methods: In this study, we examined the possible effects of BDNF variants in individuals diagnosed with tinnitus for more than 3 months. Fifty-two tinnitus subjects between the ages of 18 and 55, and 42 years healthy control subjects in the same age group, who were free of any otorhinolaryngology and systemic disease, were selected for examination. The intensity of tinnitus and depression was measured using the tinnitus handicap inventory, and the differential diagnosis of psychiatric diagnoses made using the Structured Clinical Interview for Fourth Edition of Mental Disorders. BDNF gene polymorphism was analyzed in the genomic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA samples extracted from the venous blood, and the serum levels of BDNF were measured. One-way analysis of variance and Chi-squared tests were applied. Results: Serum BDNF level was found lower in the tinnitus patients than controls, and it appeared that there is no correlation between BDNF gene polymorphism and tinnitus. Conclusions: This study suggests neurotrophic factors such as BDNF may have a role in tinnitus etiology. Future studies with larger sample size may be required to further confirm our results.

  14. Brain-specific transcriptional regulator T-brain-1 controls brain wiring and neuronal activity in autism spectrum disorders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tzyy-Nan eHuang

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available T-brain-1 (TBR1 is a brain-specific T-box transcription factor. In 1995, Tbr1 was first identified from a subtractive hybridization that compared mouse embryonic and adult telencephalons. Previous studies of Tbr1–/– mice have indicated critical roles for TBR1 in the development of the cerebral cortex, amygdala and olfactory bulb. Neuronal migration and axonal projection are two important developmental features controlled by TBR1. Recently, recurrent de novo disruptive mutations in the TBR1 gene have been found in patients with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs. Human genetic studies have identified TBR1 as a high-confidence risk factor for ASDs. Because only one allele of the TBR1 gene is mutated in these patients, Tbr1+/– mice serve as a good genetic mouse model to explore the mechanism by which de novo TBR1 mutation leads to ASDs. Although neuronal migration and axonal projection defects of cerebral cortex are the most prominent phenotypes in Tbr1–/– mice, these features are not found in Tbr1+/– mice. Instead, inter- and intra-amygdalar axonal projections and NMDAR expression and activity in amygdala are particularly susceptible to Tbr1 haploinsufficiency. The studies indicated that both abnormal brain wiring (abnormal amygdalar connections and excitation/inhibition imbalance (NMDAR hypoactivity, two prominent models for ASD etiology, are present in Tbr1+/– mice. Moreover, calcium/calmodulin-dependent serine protein kinase (CASK was found to interact with TBR1. The CASK-TBR1 complex had been shown to directly bind the promoter of the Grin2b gene, which is also known as Nmdar2b, and upregulate Grin2b expression. This molecular function of TBR1 provides an explanation for NMDAR hypoactivity in Tbr1+/– mice. In addition to Grin2b, cell adhesion molecules-including Ntng1, Cdh8 and Cntn2-are also regulated by TBR1 to control axonal projections of amygdala. Taken together, the studies of Tbr1 provide an integrated picture of ASD

  15. Arabidopsis IQM4, a Novel Calmodulin-Binding Protein, Is Involved With Seed Dormancy and Germination in Arabidopsis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu Ping Zhou

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Seed dormancy and germination are regulated by complex mechanisms controlled by diverse hormones and environmental cues. Abscisic acid (ABA promotes seed dormancy and inhibits seed germination and post-germination growth. Calmodulin (CaM signals are involved with the inhibition of ABA during seed germination and seedling growth. In this study, we showed that Arabidopsis thaliana IQM4 could bind with calmodulin 5 (CaM5 both in vitro and in vivo, and that the interaction was the Ca2+-independent type. The IQM4 protein was localized in the chloroplast and the IQM4 gene was expressed in most tissues, especially the embryo and germinated seedlings. The T-DNA insertion mutants of IQM4 exhibited the reduced primary seed dormancy and lower ABA levels compared with wild type seeds. Moreover, IQM4 plays key roles in modulating the responses to ABA, salt, and osmotic stress during seed germination and post-germination growth. T-DNA insertion mutants exhibited ABA-insensitive and salt-hypersensitive phenotypes during seed germination and post-germination growth, whereas IQM4-overexpressing lines had ABA- and osmotic-hypersensitive, and salt-insensitive phenotypes. Gene expression analyses showed that mutation of IQM4 inhibited the expression of ABA biosynthetic genes NCED6 and NCED9, and seed maturation regulators LEC1, LEC2, ABI3, and ABI5 during the silique development, as well as promoted the expression of WRKY40 and inhibited that of ABI5 in ABA-regulated seed germination. These observations suggest that IQM4 is a novel Ca2+-independent CaM-binding protein, which is positively involved with seed dormancy and germination in Arabidopsis.

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    Full Text Available ... Educators Children & Teens Search Connect with NIDA : Facebook LinkedIn Twitter YouTube Flickr RSS Menu Home Drugs of ... In animal studies, methamphetamine has been shown to increase the amount of HIV in brain cells 1 . ...

  18. Impact of Rye Kernel-Based Evening Meal on Microbiota Composition of Young Healthy Lean Volunteers With an Emphasis on Their Hormonal and Appetite Regulations, and Blood Levels of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olena Prykhodko

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Rye kernel bread (RKB evening meals improve glucose tolerance, enhance appetite regulation and increase satiety in healthy volunteers. These beneficial effects on metabolic responses have been shown to be associated with increased gut fermentation. The present study aimed to elucidate if RKB evening meals may cause rapid alterations in microbiota composition that might be linked to metabolic-, immune-, and appetite- parameters. Gut-brain axis interaction was also studied by relating microbiota composition to amount of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF in blood plasma. Nineteen healthy volunteers, ten women and nine men aged 22–29 years, BMI < 25 (NCT02093481 participated in the study performed in a crossover design. Each person was assigned to either white wheat bread (WWB or RKB intake as a single evening meal or three consecutive evenings. Stool and blood samples as well as subjective appetite ratings were obtained the subsequent morning after each test occasion, resulting in four independent collections per participant (n = 76. DNA was extracted from the fecal samples and V4 hypervariable region of the bacterial 16S rRNA genes was sequenced using next generation sequencing technology. Higher abundance of Prevotella and Faecalibacterium with simultaneous reduction of Bacteroides spp. were observed after RKB meals compared to WWB. The associations between metabolic test variables and microbiota composition showed a positive correlation between Bacteroides and adiponectin levels, whereas only Prevotella genus was found to have positive association with plasma levels of BDNF. These novel findings in gut-brain interactions might be of importance, since decreased levels of BDNF, that plays an essential role in brain function, contribute to the pathogenesis of several major neurodisorders, including Alzheimer's. Thus, daily consumption of Faecalibacterium- and/or Prevotella-favoring meals should be investigated further for their potential to

  19. Orthotopic Patient-Derived Glioblastoma Xenografts in Mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Zhongye; Kader, Michael; Sen, Rajeev; Placantonakis, Dimitris G

    2018-01-01

    Patient-derived xenografts (PDX) provide in vivo glioblastoma (GBM) models that recapitulate actual tumors. Orthotopic tumor xenografts within the mouse brain are obtained by injection of GBM stem-like cells derived from fresh surgical specimens. These xenografts reproduce GBM's histologic complexity and hallmark biological behaviors, such as brain invasion, angiogenesis, and resistance to therapy. This method has become essential for analyzing mechanisms of tumorigenesis and testing the therapeutic effect of candidate agents in the preclinical setting. Here, we describe a protocol for establishing orthotopic tumor xenografts in the mouse brain with human GBM cells.

  20. Effect of intravenous administration of D-lysergic acid diethylamide on initiation of protein synthesis in a cell-free system derived from brain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cosgrove, J W; Brown, I R

    1984-05-01

    An initiating cell-free protein synthesis system derived from brain was utilized to demonstrate that the intravenous injection of D-lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) to rabbits resulted in a lesion at the initiation stage of brain protein synthesis. Three inhibitors of initiation, edeine, poly(I), and aurintricarboxylic acid were used to demonstrate a reduction in initiation-dependent amino acid incorporation in the brain cell-free system. One hour after LSD injection, there was also a measurable decrease in the formation of 40S and 80S initiation complexes in vitro, using either [35S]methionine or [35S]Met-tRNAf. Analysis of the methionine pool size after LSD administration indicated there was no change in methionine levels. Analysis of the formation of initiation complexes in the brain cell-free protein synthesis system prepared 6 h after LSD administration indicated that there was a return to control levels at this time. The effects of LSD on steps in the initiation process are thus reversible.

  1. Enriched environment influences hormonal status and hippocampal brain derived neurotrophic factor in a sex dependent manner.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bakos, J; Hlavacova, N; Rajman, M; Ondicova, K; Koros, C; Kitraki, E; Steinbusch, H W M; Jezova, D

    2009-12-01

    The present study is aimed at testing the hypothesis that an enriched environment (EE) induces sex-dependent changes in stress hormone release and in markers of increased brain plasticity. The focus was on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis activity, plasma levels of stress hormones, gene expression of glutamate receptor subunits and concentrations of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in selected brain regions. Rats exposed to EE were housed in groups of 12 in large cages with various objects, which were frequently changed, for 6 weeks. Control animals were housed four per cage under standard conditions. In females the EE-induced rise in hippocampal BDNF, a neurotrophic factor associated with increased neural plasticity, was more pronounced than in males. Similar sex-specific changes were observed in BDNF concentrations in the hypothalamus. EE also significantly attenuated oxytocin and aldosterone levels only in female but not male rats. Plasma testosterone positively correlated with hippocampal BDNF in female but not male rats housed in EE. In male rats housing in EE led to enhanced levels of testosterone and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), this was not seen in females. Hippocampal glucocorticoid but not mineralocorticoid receptor levels decreased in rats housed in EE irrespective of sex. Housing conditions failed to modify mRNA levels of glutamate receptor type 1 (Glur1) and metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 5 (mGlur5) subunits of glutamate receptors in the forebrain. Moreover, a negative association between corticosterone and BDNF was observed in both sexes. The results demonstrate that the association between hormones and changes in brain plasticity is sex related. In particular, testosterone seems to be involved in the regulatory processes related to neuroplasticity in females.

  2. A putative model of overeating and obesity based on brain-derived neurotrophic factor: direct and indirect effects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ooi, Cara L; Kennedy, James L; Levitan, Robert D

    2012-08-01

    Increased food intake is a major contributor to the obesity epidemic in all age groups. Elucidating brain systems that drive overeating and that might serve as targets for novel prevention and treatment interventions is thus a high priority for obesity research. The authors consider 2 major pathways by which decreased activity of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) may confer vulnerability to overeating and weight gain in an obesogenic environment. The first "direct" pathway focuses on the specific role of BDNF as a mediator of food intake control at brain areas rich in BDNF receptors, including the hypothalamus and hindbrain. It is proposed that low BDNF activity limited to this direct pathway may best explain overeating and obesity outside the context of major neuropsychiatric disturbance. A second "indirect" pathway considers the broad neurotrophic effects of BDNF on key monoamine systems that mediate mood dysregulation, impulsivity, and executive dysfunction as well as feeding behavior per se. Disruption in this pathway may best explain overeating and obesity in the context of various neuropsychiatric disturbances including mood disorders, attention-deficit disorder, and/or binge eating disorders. An integrative model that considers these potential roles of BDNF in promoting obesity is presented. The implications of this model for the early prevention and treatment of obesity are also considered.

  3. Effects of acute restraint-induced stress on glucocorticoid receptors and brain-derived neurotrophic factor after mild traumatic brain injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griesbach, G S; Vincelli, J; Tio, D L; Hovda, D A

    2012-05-17

    We have previously reported that experimental mild traumatic brain injury results in increased sensitivity to stressful events during the first post-injury weeks, as determined by analyzing the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis regulation following restraint-induced stress. This is the same time period when rehabilitative exercise has proven to be ineffective after a mild fluid-percussion injury (FPI). Here we evaluated effects of stress on neuroplasticity. Adult male rats underwent either an FPI or sham injury. Additional rats were only exposed to anesthesia. Rats were exposed to 30 min of restraint stress, followed by tail vein blood collection at post-injury days (PID) 1, 7, and 14. The response to dexamethasone (DEX) was also evaluated. Hippocampal tissue was collected 120 min after stress onset. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) along with glucocorticoid (GR) and mineralocorticoid (MR) receptors was determined by Western blot analysis. Results indicated injury-dependent changes in glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid receptors that were influenced by the presence of dexamethasone. Control and FPI rats responded differentially to DEX in that GR increases after receiving the lower dose of DEX were longer lasting in the FPI group. A suppression of MR was found at PID 1 in vehicle-treated FPI and Sham groups. Decreases in the precursor form of BDNF were observed in different FPI groups at PIDs 7 and 14. These findings suggest that the increased sensitivity to stressful events during the first post-injury weeks, after a mild FPI, has an impact on hippocampal neuroplasticity. Copyright © 2012 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Brain-derived neurotropic factor polymorphisms, traumatic stress, mild traumatic brain injury, and combat exposure contribute to postdeployment traumatic stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dretsch, Michael N; Williams, Kathy; Emmerich, Tanja; Crynen, Gogce; Ait-Ghezala, Ghania; Chaytow, Helena; Mathura, Venkat; Crawford, Fiona C; Iverson, Grant L

    2016-01-01

    In addition to experiencing traumatic events while deployed in a combat environment, there are other factors that contribute to the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in military service members. This study explored the contribution of genetics, childhood environment, prior trauma, psychological, cognitive, and deployment factors to the development of traumatic stress following deployment. Both pre- and postdeployment data on 231 of 458 soldiers were analyzed. Postdeployment assessments occurred within 30 days from returning stateside and included a battery of psychological health, medical history, and demographic questionnaires; neurocognitive tests; and blood serum for the D2 dopamine receptor (DRD2), apolipoprotein E (APOE), and brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) genes. Soldiers who screened positive for traumatic stress at postdeployment had significantly higher scores in depression (d = 1.91), anxiety (d = 1.61), poor sleep quality (d = 0.92), postconcussion symptoms (d = 2.21), alcohol use (d = 0.63), traumatic life events (d = 0.42), and combat exposure (d = 0.91). BDNF Val66 Met genotype was significantly associated with risk for sustaining a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and screening positive for traumatic stress. Predeployment traumatic stress, greater combat exposure and sustaining an mTBI while deployed, and the BDNF Met/Met genotype accounted for 22% of the variance of postdeployment PTSD scores (R (2)  = 0.22, P PTSD scores. These findings suggest predeployment traumatic stress, genetic, and environmental factors have unique contributions to the development of combat-related traumatic stress in military service members.

  5. Brain glycogen

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Obel, Linea Lykke Frimodt; Müller, Margit S; Walls, Anne B

    2012-01-01

    Glycogen is a complex glucose polymer found in a variety of tissues, including brain, where it is localized primarily in astrocytes. The small quantity found in brain compared to e.g., liver has led to the understanding that brain glycogen is merely used during hypoglycemia or ischemia....... In this review evidence is brought forward highlighting what has been an emerging understanding in brain energy metabolism: that glycogen is more than just a convenient way to store energy for use in emergencies-it is a highly dynamic molecule with versatile implications in brain function, i.e., synaptic...... activity and memory formation. In line with the great spatiotemporal complexity of the brain and thereof derived focus on the basis for ensuring the availability of the right amount of energy at the right time and place, we here encourage a closer look into the molecular and subcellular mechanisms...

  6. Disruption in the Blood-Brain Barrier: The Missing Link between Brain and Body Inflammation in Bipolar Disorder?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jay P. Patel

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The blood-brain barrier (BBB regulates the transport of micro- and macromolecules between the peripheral blood and the central nervous system (CNS in order to maintain optimal levels of essential nutrients and neurotransmitters in the brain. In addition, the BBB plays a critical role protecting the CNS against neurotoxins. There has been growing evidence that BBB disruption is associated with brain inflammatory conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis. Considering the increasing role of inflammation and oxidative stress in the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder (BD, here we propose a novel model wherein transient or persistent disruption of BBB integrity is associated with decreased CNS protection and increased permeability of proinflammatory (e.g., cytokines, reactive oxygen species substances from the peripheral blood into the brain. These events would trigger the activation of microglial cells and promote localized damage to oligodendrocytes and the myelin sheath, ultimately compromising myelination and the integrity of neural circuits. The potential implications for research in this area and directions for future studies are discussed.

  7. The Effects of Low-Dose Bisphenol A and Bisphenol F on Neural Differentiation of a Fetal Brain-Derived Neural Progenitor Cell Line.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fujiwara, Yuki; Miyazaki, Wataru; Koibuchi, Noriyuki; Katoh, Takahiko

    2018-01-01

    Environmental chemicals are known to disrupt the endocrine system in humans and to have adverse effects on several organs including the developing brain. Recent studies indicate that exposure to environmental chemicals during gestation can interfere with neuronal differentiation, subsequently affecting normal brain development in newborns. Xenoestrogen, bisphenol A (BPA), which is widely used in plastic products, is one such chemical. Adverse effects of exposure to BPA during pre- and postnatal periods include the disruption of brain function. However, the effect of BPA on neural differentiation remains unclear. In this study, we explored the effects of BPA or bisphenol F (BPF), an alternative compound for BPA, on neural differentiation using ReNcell, a human fetus-derived neural progenitor cell line. Maintenance in growth factor-free medium initiated the differentiation of ReNcell to neuronal cells including neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. We exposed the cells to BPA or BPF for 3 days from the period of initiation and performed real-time PCR for neural markers such as β III-tubulin and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and Olig2. The β III-tubulin mRNA level decreased in response to BPA, but not BPF, exposure. We also observed that the number of β III-tubulin-positive cells in the BPA-exposed group was less than that of the control group. On the other hand, there were no changes in the MAP2 mRNA level. These results indicate that BPA disrupts neural differentiation in human-derived neural progenitor cells, potentially disrupting brain development.

  8. The Effects of Low-Dose Bisphenol A and Bisphenol F on Neural Differentiation of a Fetal Brain-Derived Neural Progenitor Cell Line

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuki Fujiwara

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Environmental chemicals are known to disrupt the endocrine system in humans and to have adverse effects on several organs including the developing brain. Recent studies indicate that exposure to environmental chemicals during gestation can interfere with neuronal differentiation, subsequently affecting normal brain development in newborns. Xenoestrogen, bisphenol A (BPA, which is widely used in plastic products, is one such chemical. Adverse effects of exposure to BPA during pre- and postnatal periods include the disruption of brain function. However, the effect of BPA on neural differentiation remains unclear. In this study, we explored the effects of BPA or bisphenol F (BPF, an alternative compound for BPA, on neural differentiation using ReNcell, a human fetus-derived neural progenitor cell line. Maintenance in growth factor-free medium initiated the differentiation of ReNcell to neuronal cells including neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. We exposed the cells to BPA or BPF for 3 days from the period of initiation and performed real-time PCR for neural markers such as β III-tubulin and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP, and Olig2. The β III-tubulin mRNA level decreased in response to BPA, but not BPF, exposure. We also observed that the number of β III-tubulin-positive cells in the BPA-exposed group was less than that of the control group. On the other hand, there were no changes in the MAP2 mRNA level. These results indicate that BPA disrupts neural differentiation in human-derived neural progenitor cells, potentially disrupting brain development.

  9. Identification of high-affinity calmodulin-binding proteins in rat liver

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hanley, R.M.; Dedman, J.R.; Shenolikar, S.

    1987-01-01

    The Ca 2+ -dependent binding of [ 125 I] calmodulin (CaM) to hepatic proteins separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) was utilized to identify CaM binding or acceptor proteins or CAPs. Two proteins of apparent molecular weight of 60,000 (CAP-60) and 45,000 (CAP-45) comprised > 80% of the Ca 2+ -dependent CaM binding in rat liver cytosol. CAP-60 and CAP-45 were partially purified by a variety of chromatographic steps, including affinity chromatography on CaM Sepharose. CAP-60 possessed a native molecular size of 400,000, indicating it to be the CaM-binding subunit of a larger oligomeric complex. In contrast, CAP-45 was monomeric as judged by gel filtration. Neither CAP-60 nor CAP-45 possessed chromatographic properties consistent with known CaM-dependent enzymes reported in the literature. Two-dimensional peptide mapping provided convincing evidence that CAP-60 and CAP-45 were unrelated to other well-characterized CAPs, namely Ca 2+ (CaM)-dependent protein kinase II, calcineurin, or the CaM-dependent cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase. The relative abundance and high affinity for CaM could suggest that these novel target proteins, CAP-60 and CAP-45, represent a dominant pathway for CaM action in the mammalian liver

  10. Connectomic disturbances in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a whole-brain tractography analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hong, Soon-Beom; Zalesky, Andrew; Fornito, Alex; Park, Subin; Yang, Young-Hui; Park, Min-Hyeon; Song, In-Chan; Sohn, Chul-Ho; Shin, Min-Sup; Kim, Bung-Nyun; Cho, Soo-Churl; Han, Doug Hyun; Cheong, Jae Hoon; Kim, Jae-Won

    2014-10-15

    Few studies have sought to identify, in a regionally unbiased way, the precise cortical and subcortical regions that are affected by white matter abnormalities in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This study aimed to derive a comprehensive, whole-brain characterization of connectomic disturbances in ADHD. Using diffusion tensor imaging, whole-brain tractography, and an imaging connectomics approach, we characterized altered white matter connectivity in 71 children and adolescents with ADHD compared with 26 healthy control subjects. White matter differences were further delineated between patients with (n = 40) and without (n = 26) the predominantly hyperactive/impulsive subtype of ADHD. A significant network comprising 25 distinct fiber bundles linking 23 different brain regions spanning frontal, striatal, and cerebellar brain regions showed altered white matter structure in ADHD patients (p attentional disturbances. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder subtypes were differentiated by a right-lateralized network (p attentional performance underscore the functional importance of these connectomic disturbances for the clinical phenotype of ADHD. A distributed pattern of white matter microstructural integrity separately involving frontal, striatal, and cerebellar brain regions, rather than direct frontostriatal connectivity, appears to be disrupted in children and adolescents with ADHD. Copyright © 2014 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Searching for the philosopher's stone: promising links between meditation and brain preservation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luders, Eileen; Cherbuin, Nicolas

    2016-06-01

    In the context of an aging population and increased prevalence of dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases, developing strategies to decrease the negative effects of aging is imperative. The scientific study of meditation as a potential tool to downregulate processes implicated in brain aging is an emerging field, and a growing body of research suggests that mindfulness practices are beneficial for cerebral resilience. Adding further evidence to this notion, an increasing number of imaging studies report effects of meditation on brain structure that are consistent with our understanding of neuroprotection. Here, we review the published findings in this field of research addressing the question of whether meditation diminishes age-related brain degeneration. Altogether, although analyses are still sparse and based on cross-sectional data, study outcomes suggest that meditation might be beneficial for brain preservation-both with respect to gray and white matter-possibly by slowing down the natural (age-related) decrease of brain tissue. Nevertheless, it should also be recognized that, until robust longitudinal data become available, there is no evidence for causation between meditation and brain preservation. This review includes a comprehensive commentary on limitations of the existing research and concludes with implications and directions for future studies. © 2016 New York Academy of Sciences.

  12. Signal Transduction Pathways Involved in Brain Death-Induced Renal Injury

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bouma, H. R.; Ploeg, R. J.; Schuurs, T. A.

    Kidneys derived from brain death organ donors show an inferior survival when compared to kidneys derived from living donors. Brain death is known to induce organ injury by evoking an inflammatory response in the donor. Neuronal injury triggers an inflammatory response in the brain, leading to

  13. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its precursor (proBDNF) in genetically defined fear-induced aggression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ilchibaeva, Tatiana V; Kondaurova, Elena M; Tsybko, Anton S; Kozhemyakina, Rimma V; Popova, Nina K; Naumenko, Vladimir S

    2015-09-01

    The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), its precursor (proBDNF) and BDNF mRNA levels were studied in the brain of wild rats selectively bred for more than 70 generations for either high level or for the lack of affective aggressiveness towards man. Significant increase of BDNF mRNA level in the frontal cortex and increase of BDNF level in the hippocampus of aggressive rats was revealed. In the midbrain and hippocampus of aggressive rats proBDNF level was increased, whereas BDNF/proBDNF ratio was reduced suggesting the prevalence and increased influence of proBDNF in highly aggressive rats. In the frontal cortex, proBDNF level in aggressive rats was decreased. Thus, considerable structure-specific differences in BDNF and proBDNF levels as well as in BDNF gene expression between highly aggressive and nonaggressive rats were shown. The data suggested the implication of BDNF and its precursor proBDNF in the mechanism of aggressiveness and in the creation of either aggressive or nonaggressive phenotype. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Serotonin regulates brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression in select brain regions during acute psychological stress

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    De-guo Jiang; Shi-li Jin; Gong-ying Li; Qing-qing Li; Zhi-ruo Li; Hong-xia Ma; Chuan-jun Zhuo; Rong-huan Jiang; Min-jie Ye

    2016-01-01

    Previous studies suggest that serotonin (5-HT) might interact with brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) during the stress response. However, the relationship between 5-HT and BDNF expression under purely psychological stress is unclear. In this study, one hour before psychological stress exposure, the 5-HT1A receptor agonist 8-OH-DPAT or antagonist MDL73005, or the 5-HT2A receptor agonist DOI or antagonist ketanserin were administered to rats exposed to psychological stress. Immunohistochemistry andin situ hybridization revealed that after psychological stress, with the exception of the ventral tegmental area, BDNF protein and mRNA expression levels were higher in the 5-HT1A and the 5-HT2A receptor agonist groups compared with the solvent control no-stress or psychological stress group in the CA1 and CA3 of the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, central amygdaloid nucleus, dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus, dentate gyrus, shell of the nucleus accumbens and the midbrain periaqueductal gray. There was no signiifcant difference between the two agonist groups. In contrast, after stress exposure, BDNF protein and mRNA expression levels were lower in the 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A receptor antagonist groups than in the solvent control non-stress group, with the exception of the ventral tegmental area. Our ifndings suggest that 5-HT regulates BDNF expression in a rat model of acute psychological stress.

  15. Drugs + HIV, Learn the Link

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Bath Salts) Tobacco/Nicotine and E-Cigs Other Drugs Related Topics Addiction Science Adolescent Brain Comorbidity College-Age & Young Adults ... 2017. How are Drug Misuse and HIV Related? Drug misuse and addiction have been linked with HIV/AIDS since the ...

  16. Reprogramming Cells for Brain Repair

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Randall D. McKinnon

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available At present there are no clinical therapies that can repair traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury or degenerative brain disease. While redundancy and rewiring of surviving circuits can recover some lost function, the brain and spinal column lack sufficient endogenous stem cells to replace lost neurons or their supporting glia. In contrast, pre-clinical studies have demonstrated that exogenous transplants can have remarkable efficacy for brain repair in animal models. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs can provide paracrine factors that repair damage caused by ischemic injury, and oligodendrocyte progenitor cell (OPC grafts give dramatic functional recovery from spinal cord injury. These studies have progressed to clinical trials, including human embryonic stem cell (hESC-derived OPCs for spinal cord repair. However, ESC-derived allografts are less than optimal, and we need to identify a more appropriate donor graft population. The cell reprogramming field has developed the ability to trans-differentiate somatic cells into distinct cell types, a technology that has the potential to generate autologous neurons and glia which address the histocompatibility concerns of allografts and the tumorigenicity concerns of ESC-derived grafts. Further clarifying how cell reprogramming works may lead to more efficient direct reprogram approaches, and possibly in vivo reprogramming, in order to promote brain and spinal cord repair.

  17. Molecular and functional characterization of riboflavin specific transport system in rat brain capillary endothelial cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Mitesh; Vadlapatla, Ramya Krishna; Pal, Dhananjay; Mitra, Ashim K.

    2012-01-01

    Riboflavin is an important water soluble vitamin (B2) required for metabolic reactions, normal cellular growth, differentiation and function. Mammalian brain cells cannot synthesize riboflavin and must import from systemic circulation. However, the uptake mechanism, cellular translocation and intracellular trafficking of riboflavin in brain capillary endothelial cells are poorly understood. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the existence of riboflavin-specific transport system and delineate the uptake and intracellular regulation of riboflavin in immortalized rat brain capillary endothelial cells (RBE4). The uptake of [3H]-Riboflavin is sodium, temperature and energy dependent but pH independent. [3H]-Riboflavin uptake is saturable with Km and Vmax values of 19 ± 3 µM and 0.235 ± 0.012 picomoles/min/mg protein, respectively. The uptake process is inhibited by unlabelled structural analogs (lumiflavin, lumichrome) but not by structurally unrelated vitamins. Ca++/calmodulin and protein kinase A (PKA) pathways are found to play an important role in the intracellular regulation of [3H]-Riboflavin. Apical and baso-lateral uptake of [3H]-Riboflavin clearly indicate that riboflavin specific transport system is predominantly localized on the apical side of RBE4 cells. A 628 bp band corresponding to riboflavin transporter is revealed in RT-PCR analysis. These findings, for the first time report the existence of a specialized and high affinity transport system for riboflavin in RBE4 cells. Blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a major obstacle limiting drug transport inside the brain as it regulates drug permeation from systemic circulation. This transporter can be utilized for targeted delivery in enhancing brain permeation of highly potent drugs on systemic administration. PMID:22683359

  18. Selective cognitive deficits and reduced hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor mRNA expression in small-conductance calcium-activated K+ channel deficient mice

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jacobsen, J P R; Redrobe, J P; Hansen, H H

    2009-01-01

    performed equally well in passive avoidance, object recognition and the Morris water maze. Thus, some aspects of working/short-term memory are disrupted in T/T mice. Using in situ hybridization, we further found the cognitive deficits in T/T mice to be paralleled by reduced brain-derived neurotrophic factor...... the brain following doxycycline treatment. We tested T/T and wild type (WT) littermate mice in five distinct learning and memory paradigms. In Y-maze spontaneous alternations and five-trial inhibitory avoidance the performance of T/T mice was markedly inferior to WT mice. In contrast, T/T and WT mice...

  19. Hemodialysis decreases serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor concentration in humans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zoladz, Jerzy A; Śmigielski, Michał; Majerczak, Joanna; Nowak, Łukasz R; Zapart-Bukowska, Justyna; Smoleński, Olgierd; Kulpa, Jan; Duda, Krzysztof; Drzewińska, Joanna; Bartosz, Grzegorz

    2012-12-01

    In the present study we have evaluated the effect of a single hemodialysis session on the brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels in plasma [BDNF](pl) and in serum [BDNF](s) as well as on the plasma isoprostanes concentration [F(2) isoprostanes](pl), plasma total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and plasma cortisol levels in chronic kidney disease patients. Twenty male patients (age 69.8 ± 2.9 years (mean ± SE)) with end-stage renal disease undergoing maintenance hemodialysis on regular dialysis treatment for 15-71 months participated in this study. A single hemodialysis session, lasting 4.2 ± 0.1 h, resulted in a decrease (P = 0.014) in [BDNF](s) by ~42 % (2,574 ± 322 vs. 1,492 ± 327 pg ml(-1)). This was accompanied by an increase (P 0.05) in [BDNF](pl) and the platelets count were observed after a single dialysis session. Furthermore, basal [BDNF](s) in the chronic kidney disease patients was significantly lower (P = 0.03) when compared to the age-matched control group (n = 23). We have concluded that the observed decrease in serum BDNF level after hemodialysis accompanied by elevated [F(2)-Isoprostanes](pl) and decreased plasma TAC might be caused by enhanced oxidative stress induced by hemodialysis.

  20. Interface between hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and brain-derived neurotrophic factor in depression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kunugi, Hiroshi; Hori, Hiroaki; Adachi, Naoki; Numakawa, Tadahiro

    2010-10-01

    Although the pathophysiology of depressive disorder remains elusive, two hypothetical frameworks seem to be promising: the involvement of hypothalamic pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis abnormalities and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the pathogenesis and in the mechanism of action of antidepressant treatments. In this review, we focused on research based on these two frameworks in relation to depression and related conditions and tried to formulate an integrated theory of the disorder. Hormonal challenge tests, such as the dexamethasone/corticotropin-releasing hormone test, have revealed elevated HPA activity (hypercortisolism) in at least a portion of patients with depression, although growing evidence has suggested that abnormally low HPA axis (hypocortisolism) has also been implicated in a variety of stress-related conditions. Several lines of evidence from postmortem studies, animal studies, blood levels, and genetic studies have suggested that BDNF is involved in the pathogenesis of depression and in the mechanism of action of biological treatments for depression. Considerable evidence has suggested that stress reduces the expression of BDNF and that antidepressant treatments increase it. Moreover, the glucocorticoid receptor interacts with the specific receptor of BDNF, TrkB, and excessive glucocorticoid interferes with BDNF signaling. Altered BDNF function is involved in the structural changes and possibly impaired neurogenesis in the brain of depressed patients. Based on these findings, an integrated schema of the pathological and recovery processes of depression is illustrated. © 2010 The Authors. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences © 2010 Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology.

  1. Supplementary Material for: Methamphetamine abuse affects gene expression in brain-derived microglia of SIV-infected macaques to enhance inflammation and promote virus targets

    KAUST Repository

    Najera, Julia

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Background Methamphetamine (Meth) abuse is a major health problem linked to the aggravation of HIV- associated complications, especially within the Central Nervous System (CNS). Within the CNS, Meth has the ability to modify the activity/function of innate immune cells and increase brain viral loads. Here, we examined changes in the gene expression profile of neuron-free microglial cell preparations isolated from the brain of macaques infected with the Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV), a model of neuroAIDS, and exposed to Meth. We aimed to identify molecular patterns triggered by Meth that could explain the detection of higher brain viral loads and the development of a pro-inflammatory CNS environment in the brain of infected drug abusers. Results We found that Meth alone has a strong effect on the transcription of genes associated with immune pathways, particularly inflammation and chemotaxis. Systems analysis led to a strong correlation between Meth exposure and enhancement of molecules associated with chemokines and chemokine receptors, especially CXCR4 and CCR5, which function as co-receptors for viral entry. The increase in CCR5 expression was confirmed in the brain in correlation with increased brain viral load. Conclusions Meth enhances the availability of CCR5-expressing cells for SIV in the brain, in correlation with increased viral load. This suggests that Meth is an important factor in the susceptibility to the infection and to the aggravated CNS inflammatory pathology associated with SIV in macaques and HIV in humans.

  2. Protective effects of telmisartan and tempol on lipopolysaccharide-induced cognitive impairment, neuroinflammation, and amyloidogenesis: possible role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khallaf, Waleed A I; Messiha, Basim A S; Abo-Youssef, Amira M H; El-Sayed, Nesrine S

    2017-07-01

    Angiotensin II has pro-inflammatory and pro-oxidant potentials. We investigated the possible protective effects of the Angiotensin II receptor blocker telmisartan, compared with the superoxide scavenger tempol, on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced cognitive decline and amyloidogenesis. Briefly, mice were allocated into a normal control group, an LPS control group, a tempol treatment group, and 2 telmisartan treatment groups. A behavioral study was conducted followed by a biochemical study via assessment of brain levels of beta amyloid (Aβ) and brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) as amyloidogenesis and neuroplasticity markers, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), nitric oxide end products (NOx), neuronal and inducible nitric oxide synthase (nNOS and iNOS) as inflammatory markers, and superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione reduced (GSH), and nitrotyrosine (NT) as oxido-nitrosative stress markers. Finally, histopathological examination of cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum sections was performed using routine and special Congo red stains. Tempol and telmisartan improved cognition, decreased brain Aβ deposition and BDNF depletion, decreased TNF-α, NOx, nNOS, iNOS, MDA, and NT brain levels, and increased brain SOD and GSH contents, parallel to confirmatory histopathological evidences. In conclusion, tempol and telmisartan are promising drugs in managing cognitive impairment and amyloidogenesis, at least via upregulation of BDNF with inhibition of neuroinflammation and oxido-nitrosative stress.

  3. The impact of childhood abuse and recent stress on serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor and the moderating role of BDNF Val(66)Met

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Elzinga, Bernet M.; Molendijk, Marc L.; Voshaar, Richard C. Oude; Bus, Boudewijn A. A.; Prickaerts, Jos; Spinhoven, Philip; Penninx, Brenda J. W. H.

    Recent findings show lowered brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in major depressive disorder (MDD). Exposure to stressful life events may (partly) underlie these BDNF reductions, but little is known about the effects of early or recent life stress on BDNF levels. Moreover, the effects

  4. The impact of childhood abuse and recent stress on serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor and the moderating role of BDNF Val(66)Met

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Elzinga, B.M.; Molendijk, M.L.; Voshaar, R.C.O.; Bus, B.A.A.; Prickaerts, J.; Spinhoven, P.; Penninx, B.W.J.H.

    2011-01-01

    Rationale: Recent findings show lowered brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in major depressive disorder (MDD). Exposure to stressful life events may (partly) underlie these BDNF reductions, but little is known about the effects of early or recent life stress on BDNF levels. Moreover,

  5. The impact of childhood abuse and recent stress on serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor and the moderating role of BDNF Val66Met

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Elzinga, B.M.; Molendijk, M.L.; Oude Voshaar, R.C.; Bus, B.A.A.; Prickaerts, J.; Spinhoven, P.; Penninx, B.J.

    2011-01-01

    RATIONALE: Recent findings show lowered brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in major depressive disorder (MDD). Exposure to stressful life events may (partly) underlie these BDNF reductions, but little is known about the effects of early or recent life stress on BDNF levels. Moreover,

  6. Inhibition of Inwardly Rectifying Potassium (Kir 4.1 Channels Facilitates Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF Expression in Astrocytes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Masato Kinboshi

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Inwardly rectifying potassium (Kir 4.1 channels in astrocytes regulate neuronal excitability by mediating spatial potassium buffering. Although dysfunction of astrocytic Kir4.1 channels is implicated in the development of epileptic seizures, the functional mechanisms of Kir4.1 channels in modulating epileptogenesis remain unknown. We herein evaluated the effects of Kir4.1 inhibition (blockade and knockdown on expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF, a key modulator of epileptogenesis, in the primary cultures of mouse astrocytes. For blockade of Kir4.1 channels, we tested several antidepressant agents which reportedly bound to and blocked Kir4.1 channels in a subunit-specific manner. Treatment of astrocytes with fluoxetine enhanced BDNF mRNA expression in a concentration-dependent manner and increased the BDNF protein level. Other antidepressants (e.g., sertraline and imipramine also increased the expression of BDNF mRNA with relative potencies similar to those for inhibition of Kir4.1 channels. In addition, suppression of Kir4.1 expression by the transfection of small interfering RNA (siRNA targeting Kir4.1 significantly increased the mRNA and protein levels of BDNF. The BDNF induction by Kir4.1 siRNA transfection was suppressed by the MEK1/2 inhibitor U0126, but not by the p38 MAPK inhibitor SB202190 or the JNK inhibitor SP600125. The present results demonstrated that inhibition of Kir4.1 channels facilitates BDNF expression in astrocytes primarily by activating the Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK pathway, which may be linked to the development of epilepsy and other neuropsychiatric disorders.

  7. Commercial Milk Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) Kit Reactivities to Purified Milk Proteins and Milk-Derived Ingredients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ivens, Katherine O; Baumert, Joseph L; Taylor, Steve L

    2016-07-01

    Numerous commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits exist to quantitatively detect bovine milk residues in foods. Milk contains many proteins that can serve as ELISA targets including caseins (α-, β-, or κ-casein) and whey proteins (α-lactalbumin or β-lactoglobulin). Nine commercially-available milk ELISA kits were selected to compare the specificity and sensitivity with 5 purified milk proteins and 3 milk-derived ingredients. All of the milk kits were capable of quantifying nonfat dry milk (NFDM), but did not necessarily detect all individual protein fractions. While milk-derived ingredients were detected by the kits, their quantitation may be inaccurate due to the use of different calibrators, reference materials, and antibodies in kit development. The establishment of a standard reference material for the calibration of milk ELISA kits is increasingly important. The appropriate selection and understanding of milk ELISA kits for food analysis is critical to accurate quantification of milk residues and informed risk management decisions. © 2016 Institute of Food Technologists®

  8. Adenovirus vector-mediated ex vivo gene transfer of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) tohuman umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UCB-MSCs) promotescrush-injured rat sciatic nerve regeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hei, Wei-Hong; Almansoori, Akram A; Sung, Mi-Ae; Ju, Kyung-Won; Seo, Nari; Lee, Sung-Ho; Kim, Bong-Ju; Kim, Soung-Min; Jahng, Jeong Won; He, Hong; Lee, Jong-Ho

    2017-03-16

    This study was designed toinvestigate the efficacy of adenovirus vector-mediated brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) ex vivo gene transfer to human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UCB-MSCs) in a rat sciatic nerve crush injury model. BDNF protein and mRNA expression after infection was checked through an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Male Sprague-Dawley rats (200-250g, 6 weeks old) were distributed into threegroups (n=20 each): the control group, UCB-MSC group, and BDNF-adenovirus infected UCB-MSC (BDNF-Ad+UCB-MSC) group. UCB-MSCs (1×10 6 cells/10μl/rat) or BDNF-Ad+UCB-MSCs (1×10 6 cells/10μl/rat)were transplantedinto the rats at the crush site immediately after sciatic nerve injury. Cell tracking was done with PKH26-labeled UCB-MSCs and BDNF-Ad+UCB-MSCs (1×10 6 cells/10μl/rat). The rats were monitored for 4 weeks post-surgery. Results showed that expression of BDNF at both the protein and mRNA levels was higher inthe BDNF-Ad+UCB-MSC group compared to theUCB-MSC group in vitro.Moreover, BDNF mRNA expression was higher in both UCB-MSC group and BDNF-Ad+ UCB-MSC group compared tothe control group, and BDNF mRNA expression in theBDNF-Ad+UCB-MSC group was higher than inboth other groups 5days after surgeryin vivo. Labeled neurons in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG), axon counts, axon density, and sciatic function index were significantly increased in the UCB-MSC and BDNF-Ad+ UCB-MSCgroupscompared to the controlgroup four weeksaftercell transplantation. Importantly,the BDNF-Ad+UCB-MSCgroup exhibited more peripheral nerve regeneration than the other two groups.Our results indicate thatboth UCB-MSCs and BDNF-Ad+UCB-MSCscan improve rat sciatic nerve regeneration, with BDNF-Ad+UCB-MSCsshowing a greater effectthan UCB-MSCs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Expression of calmodulin mRNA in rat olfactory neuroepithelium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biffo, S; Goren, T; Khew-Goodall, Y S; Miara, J; Margolis, F L

    1991-04-01

    A calmodulin (CaM) cDNA was isolated by differential hybridization screening of a lambda gt10 library prepared from rat olfactory mucosa. This cDNA fragment, containing most of the open reading frame of the rat CaMI gene, was subcloned and used to characterize steady-state expression of CaM mRNA in rat olfactory neuroepithelium and bulb. Within the bulb mitral cells are the primary neuronal population expressing CaM mRNA. The major CaM mRNA expressed in the olfactory mucosa is 1.7 kb with smaller contributions from mRNAs of 4.0 and 1.4 kb. CaM mRNA was primarily associated with the olfactory neurons and, despite the cellular complexity of the tissue and the known involvement of CaM in diverse cellular processes, was only minimally evident in sustentacular cells, gland cells or respiratory epithelium. Following bulbectomy CaM mRNA declines in the olfactory neuroepithelium as does olfactory marker protein (OMP) mRNA. In contrast to the latter, CaM mRNA makes a partial recovery by one month after surgery. These results, coupled with those from in situ hybridization, indicate that CaM mRNA is expressed in both mature and immature olfactory neurons. The program regulating CaM gene expression in olfactory neurons is distinct from those controlling expression of B50/GAP43 in immature, or OMP in mature, neurons respectively.

  10. Re-evaluating the link between brain size and behavioural ecology in primates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Powell, Lauren E; Isler, Karin; Barton, Robert A

    2017-10-25

    Comparative studies have identified a wide range of behavioural and ecological correlates of relative brain size, with results differing between taxonomic groups, and even within them. In primates for example, recent studies contradict one another over whether social or ecological factors are critical. A basic assumption of such studies is that with sufficiently large samples and appropriate analysis, robust correlations indicative of selection pressures on cognition will emerge. We carried out a comprehensive re-examination of correlates of primate brain size using two large comparative datasets and phylogenetic comparative methods. We found evidence in both datasets for associations between brain size and ecological variables (home range size, diet and activity period), but little evidence for an effect of social group size, a correlation which has previously formed the empirical basis of the Social Brain Hypothesis. However, reflecting divergent results in the literature, our results exhibited instability across datasets, even when they were matched for species composition and predictor variables. We identify several potential empirical and theoretical difficulties underlying this instability and suggest that these issues raise doubts about inferring cognitive selection pressures from behavioural correlates of brain size. © 2017 The Author(s).

  11. Postnatal brain development

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jernigan, Terry L; Baaré, William F C; Stiles, Joan

    2011-01-01

    After birth, there is striking biological and functional development of the brain's fiber tracts as well as remodeling of cortical and subcortical structures. Behavioral development in children involves a complex and dynamic set of genetically guided processes by which neural structures interact...... in children and adolescents, as well as studies that link these changes to behavioral differences. Finally, we discuss evidence for effects on the brain of several factors that may play a role in mediating these brain-behavior associations in children, including genetic variation, behavioral interventions...... constantly with the environment. This is a protracted process, beginning in the third week of gestation and continuing into early adulthood. Reviewed here are studies using structural imaging techniques, with a special focus on diffusion weighted imaging, describing age-related brain maturational changes...

  12. Postnatal brain development

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jernigan, Terry L; Baaré, William F C; Stiles, Joan

    2011-01-01

    After birth, there is striking biological and functional development of the brain's fiber tracts as well as remodeling of cortical and subcortical structures. Behavioral development in children involves a complex and dynamic set of genetically guided processes by which neural structures interact...... constantly with the environment. This is a protracted process, beginning in the third week of gestation and continuing into early adulthood. Reviewed here are studies using structural imaging techniques, with a special focus on diffusion weighted imaging, describing age-related brain maturational changes...... in children and adolescents, as well as studies that link these changes to behavioral differences. Finally, we discuss evidence for effects on the brain of several factors that may play a role in mediating these brain-behavior associations in children, including genetic variation, behavioral interventions...

  13. Glymphatic clearance controls state-dependent changes in brain lactate concentration

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lundgaard, Iben; Lu, Minh Lon; Yang, Ezra

    2017-01-01

    Brain lactate concentration is higher during wakefulness than in sleep. However, it is unknown why arousal is linked to an increase in brain lactate and why lactate declines within minutes of sleep. Here, we show that the glymphatic system is responsible for state-dependent changes in brain lacta......-lymphatic clearance. This analysis provides fundamental new insight into brain energy metabolism by demonstrating that glucose that is not fully oxidized can be exported as lactate via glymphatic-lymphatic fluid transport.......Brain lactate concentration is higher during wakefulness than in sleep. However, it is unknown why arousal is linked to an increase in brain lactate and why lactate declines within minutes of sleep. Here, we show that the glymphatic system is responsible for state-dependent changes in brain lactate...... concentration. Suppression of glymphatic function via acetazolamide treatment, cisterna magna puncture, aquaporin 4 deletion, or changes in body position reduced the decline in brain lactate normally observed when awake mice transition into sleep or anesthesia. Concurrently, the same manipulations diminished...

  14. Effect of prolonged exposure to diesel engine exhaust on proinflammatory markers in different regions of the rat brain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gerlofs-Nijland, Miriam E; van Berlo, Damien; Cassee, Flemming R; Schins, Roel P F; Wang, Kate; Campbell, Arezoo

    2010-05-17

    The etiology and progression of neurodegenerative disorders depends on the interactions between a variety of factors including: aging, environmental exposures, and genetic susceptibility factors. Enhancement of proinflammatory events appears to be a common link in different neurological impairments, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and multiple sclerosis. Studies have shown a link between exposure to particulate matter (PM), present in air pollution, and enhancement of central nervous system proinflammatory markers. In the present study, the association between exposure to air pollution (AP), derived from a specific source (diesel engine), and neuroinflammation was investigated. To elucidate whether specific regions of the brain are more susceptible to exposure to diesel-derived AP, various loci of the brain were separately analyzed. Rats were exposed for 6 hrs a day, 5 days a week, for 4 weeks to diesel engine exhaust (DEE) using a nose-only exposure chamber. The day after the final exposure, the brain was dissected into the following regions: cerebellum, frontal cortex, hippocampus, olfactory bulb and tubercles, and the striatum. Baseline levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1alpha) were dependent on the region analyzed and increased in the striatum after exposure to DEE. In addition, baseline level of activation of the transcription factors (NF-kappaB) and (AP-1) was also region dependent but the levels were not significantly altered after exposure to DEE. A similar, though not significant, trend was seen with the mRNA expression levels of TNF-alpha and TNF Receptor-subtype I (TNF-RI). Our results indicate that different brain regions may be uniquely responsive to changes induced by exposure to DEE. This study once more underscores the role of neuroinflammation in response to ambient air pollution, however, it is valuable to assess if and to

  15. Effect of prolonged exposure to diesel engine exhaust on proinflammatory markers in different regions of the rat brain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wang Kate

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The etiology and progression of neurodegenerative disorders depends on the interactions between a variety of factors including: aging, environmental exposures, and genetic susceptibility factors. Enhancement of proinflammatory events appears to be a common link in different neurological impairments, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and multiple sclerosis. Studies have shown a link between exposure to particulate matter (PM, present in air pollution, and enhancement of central nervous system proinflammatory markers. In the present study, the association between exposure to air pollution (AP, derived from a specific source (diesel engine, and neuroinflammation was investigated. To elucidate whether specific regions of the brain are more susceptible to exposure to diesel-derived AP, various loci of the brain were separately analyzed. Rats were exposed for 6 hrs a day, 5 days a week, for 4 weeks to diesel engine exhaust (DEE using a nose-only exposure chamber. The day after the final exposure, the brain was dissected into the following regions: cerebellum, frontal cortex, hippocampus, olfactory bulb and tubercles, and the striatum. Results Baseline levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α and interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1α were dependent on the region analyzed and increased in the striatum after exposure to DEE. In addition, baseline level of activation of the transcription factors (NF-κB and (AP-1 was also region dependent but the levels were not significantly altered after exposure to DEE. A similar, though not significant, trend was seen with the mRNA expression levels of TNF-α and TNF Receptor-subtype I (TNF-RI. Conclusions Our results indicate that different brain regions may be uniquely responsive to changes induced by exposure to DEE. This study once more underscores the role of neuroinflammation in response to ambient air pollution

  16. Several synthetic progestins disrupt the glial cell specific-brain aromatase expression in developing zebra fish

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cano-Nicolau, Joel; Garoche, Clémentine; Hinfray, Nathalie; Pellegrini, Elisabeth; Boujrad, Noureddine; Pakdel, Farzad; Kah, Olivier; Brion, François

    2016-01-01

    The effects of some progestins on fish reproduction have been recently reported revealing the hazard of this class of steroidal pharmaceuticals. However, their effects at the central nervous system level have been poorly studied until now. Notwithstanding, progesterone, although still widely considered primarily a sex hormone, is an important agent affecting many central nervous system functions. Herein, we investigated the effects of a large set of synthetic ligands of the nuclear progesterone receptor on the glial-specific expression of the zebrafish brain aromatase (cyp19a1b) using zebrafish mechanism-based assays. Progesterone and 24 progestins were first screened on transgenic cyp19a1b-GFP zebrafish embryos. We showed that progesterone, dydrogesterone, drospirenone and all the progesterone-derived progestins had no effect on GFP expression. Conversely, all progestins derived from 19-nortesterone induced GFP in a concentration-dependent manner with EC 50 ranging from the low nM range to hundreds nM. The 19-nortestosterone derived progestins levonorgestrel (LNG) and norethindrone (NET) were further tested in a radial glial cell context using U251-MG cells co-transfected with zebrafish ER subtypes (zfERα, zfERβ1 or zfERβ2) and cyp19a1b promoter linked to luciferase. Progesterone had no effect on luciferase activity while NET and LNG induced luciferase activity that was blocked by ICI 182,780. Zebrafish-ERs competition assays showed that NET and LNG were unable to bind to ERs, suggesting that the effects of these compounds on cyp19a1b require metabolic activation prior to elicit estrogenic activity. Overall, we demonstrate that 19-nortestosterone derived progestins elicit estrogenic activity by inducing cyp19a1b expression in radial glial cells. Given the crucial role of radial glial cells and neuro-estrogens in early development of brain, the consequences of exposure of fish to these compounds require further investigation. - Highlights: • P4 + 24 progestins

  17. Several synthetic progestins disrupt the glial cell specific-brain aromatase expression in developing zebra fish

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cano-Nicolau, Joel [Team NEED, Institut de recherche en Santé Environnement et Travail (Irset), INSERM U1085, Université de Rennes 1, Campus de Beaulieu, SFR Biosit, 35042 Rennes cedex (France); Garoche, Clémentine; Hinfray, Nathalie [Unité d' Ecotoxicologie in vitro et in vivo , Institut National de l' Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS), BP 2, 60550 Verneuil-en-Halatte (France); Pellegrini, Elisabeth [Team NEED, Institut de recherche en Santé Environnement et Travail (Irset), INSERM U1085, Université de Rennes 1, Campus de Beaulieu, SFR Biosit, 35042 Rennes cedex (France); Boujrad, Noureddine; Pakdel, Farzad [TREK, Institut de recherche en Santé Environnement et Travail (Irset), INSERM U1085, Université de Rennes 1, Campus de Beaulieu, SFR Biosit, 35042 Rennes cedex (France); Kah, Olivier, E-mail: oliver.kah@univ-rennes1.fr [Team NEED, Institut de recherche en Santé Environnement et Travail (Irset), INSERM U1085, Université de Rennes 1, Campus de Beaulieu, SFR Biosit, 35042 Rennes cedex (France); Brion, François, E-mail: francois.brion@ineris.fr [Unité d' Ecotoxicologie in vitro et in vivo , Institut National de l' Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS), BP 2, 60550 Verneuil-en-Halatte (France)

    2016-08-15

    The effects of some progestins on fish reproduction have been recently reported revealing the hazard of this class of steroidal pharmaceuticals. However, their effects at the central nervous system level have been poorly studied until now. Notwithstanding, progesterone, although still widely considered primarily a sex hormone, is an important agent affecting many central nervous system functions. Herein, we investigated the effects of a large set of synthetic ligands of the nuclear progesterone receptor on the glial-specific expression of the zebrafish brain aromatase (cyp19a1b) using zebrafish mechanism-based assays. Progesterone and 24 progestins were first screened on transgenic cyp19a1b-GFP zebrafish embryos. We showed that progesterone, dydrogesterone, drospirenone and all the progesterone-derived progestins had no effect on GFP expression. Conversely, all progestins derived from 19-nortesterone induced GFP in a concentration-dependent manner with EC{sub 50} ranging from the low nM range to hundreds nM. The 19-nortestosterone derived progestins levonorgestrel (LNG) and norethindrone (NET) were further tested in a radial glial cell context using U251-MG cells co-transfected with zebrafish ER subtypes (zfERα, zfERβ1 or zfERβ2) and cyp19a1b promoter linked to luciferase. Progesterone had no effect on luciferase activity while NET and LNG induced luciferase activity that was blocked by ICI 182,780. Zebrafish-ERs competition assays showed that NET and LNG were unable to bind to ERs, suggesting that the effects of these compounds on cyp19a1b require metabolic activation prior to elicit estrogenic activity. Overall, we demonstrate that 19-nortestosterone derived progestins elicit estrogenic activity by inducing cyp19a1b expression in radial glial cells. Given the crucial role of radial glial cells and neuro-estrogens in early development of brain, the consequences of exposure of fish to these compounds require further investigation. - Highlights: • P4 + 24

  18. Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) in Traumatic Brain Injury-Related Mortality: Interrelationships Between Genetics and Acute Systemic and Central Nervous System BDNF Profiles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Failla, Michelle D; Conley, Yvette P; Wagner, Amy K

    2016-01-01

    Older adults have higher mortality rates after severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) compared to younger adults. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signaling is altered in aging and is important to TBI given its role in neuronal survival/plasticity and autonomic function. Following experimental TBI, acute BDNF administration has not been efficacious. Clinically, genetic variation in BDNF (reduced signaling alleles: rs6265, Met-carriers; rs7124442, C-carriers) can be protective against acute mortality. Postacutely, these genotypes carry lower mortality risk in older adults and greater mortality risk among younger adults. Investigate BDNF levels in mortality/outcome following severe TBI in the context of age and genetic risk. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum BDNF were assessed prospectively during the first week following severe TBI (n = 203) and in controls (n = 10). Age, BDNF genotype, and BDNF levels were assessed as mortality/outcome predictors. CSF BDNF levels tended to be higher post-TBI (P = .061) versus controls and were associated with time until death (P = .042). In contrast, serum BDNF levels were reduced post-TBI versus controls (P BDNF serum and gene * age interactions were mortality predictors post-TBI in the same multivariate model. CSF and serum BDNF tended to be negatively correlated post-TBI (P = .07). BDNF levels predicted mortality, in addition to gene * age interactions, suggesting levels capture additional mortality risk. Higher CSF BDNF post-TBI may be detrimental due to injury and age-related increases in pro-apoptotic BDNF target receptors. Negative CSF and serum BDNF correlations post-TBI suggest blood-brain barrier transit alterations. Understanding BDNF signaling in neuronal survival, plasticity, and autonomic function may inform treatment. © The Author(s) 2015.

  19. Differences in brain morphology and working memory capacity across childhood.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bathelt, Joe; Gathercole, Susan E; Johnson, Amy; Astle, Duncan E

    2018-05-01

    Working memory (WM) skills are closely associated with learning progress in key areas such as reading and mathematics across childhood. As yet, however, little is known about how the brain systems underpinning WM develop over this critical developmental period. The current study investigated whether and how structural brain correlates of components of the working memory system change over development. Verbal and visuospatial short-term and working memory were assessed in 153 children between 5.58 and 15.92 years, and latent components of the working memory system were derived. Fractional anisotropy and cortical thickness maps were derived from T1-weighted and diffusion-weighted MRI and processed using eigenanatomy decomposition. There was a greater involvement of the corpus callosum and posterior temporal white matter in younger children for performance associated with the executive part of the working memory system. For older children, this was more closely linked with the thickness of the occipitotemporal cortex. These findings suggest that increasing specialization leads to shifts in the contribution of neural substrates over childhood, moving from an early dependence on a distributed system supported by long-range connections to later reliance on specialized local circuitry. Our findings demonstrate that despite the component factor structure being stable across childhood, the underlying brain systems supporting working memory change. Taking the age of the child into account, and not just their overall score, is likely to be critical for understanding the nature of the limitations on their working memory capacity. © 2017 The Authors. Developmental Science Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. [The Effects of Chronic Alcoholization on the Expression of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Its Receptors in the Brains of Mice Genetically Predisposed to Depressive-Like Behavior].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bazovkina, D V; Kondaurova, E M; Tsybko, A S; Kovetskaya, A I; Ilchibaeva, T V; Naumenko, V S

    2017-01-01

    Brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) plays an important role in mechanisms of depression. Precursor protein of this factor (proBDNF) can initiate apoptosis in the brain, while the mature form of BDNF is involved in neurogenesis. It is known that chronic alcoholization leads to the activation of apoptotic processes, neurodegeneration, brain injury, and cognitive dysfunction. In this work, we have studied the influence of long-term ethanol exposure on the proBDNF and BDNF protein levels, as well as on the expression of genes that encode these proteins in the brain structures of ASC mice with genetic predisposition to depressive-like behavior and in mice from parental nondepressive CBA strain. It was shown that chronic alcoholization results in a reduction of the BDNF level in the hippocampus and an increase in the amount of TrkB and p75 receptors in the frontal cortex of nondepressive CBA mice. At the same time, the long-term alcoholization of depressive ASC mice results in an increase of the proBDNF level in the frontal cortex and a reduction in the p75 protein level in the hippocampus. It has also been shown that, in depressive ASC mice, proBDNF and BDNF levels are significantly lower in the hippocampus and the frontal cortex compared with nondepressive CBA strain. However, no significant differences in the expression of genes encoding the studied proteins were observed. Thus, changes in the expression patterns of proBDNF, BDNF, and their receptors under the influence of alcoholization in the depressive ASC strain and nondepressive CBA strain mice are different.