scholarly journals Treating Parkinson’s disease by astrocyte reprogramming: Progress and challenges

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (26) ◽  
pp. eabg3198
Author(s):  
Zhuang-Yao D. Wei ◽  
Ashok K. Shetty
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Substantia Nigra ◽  
Dopaminergic Neurons ◽  
Neurodegenerative Disorder ◽  
Symptomatic Relief ◽  
Nonmotor Symptoms ◽  
Axonal Projections ◽  
Potential Risks

Parkinson’s disease (PD), the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder, is typified by both motor and nonmotor symptoms. The current medications provide symptomatic relief but do not stimulate the production of new dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Astrocyte reprogramming has recently received much attention as an avenue for increasing functional dopaminergic neurons in the mouse PD brain. By targeting a microRNA (miRNA) loop, astrocytes in the mouse brain could be reprogrammed into functional dopaminergic neurons. Such in vivo astrocyte reprogramming in the mouse model of PD has successfully added new dopaminergic neurons to the substantia nigra and increased dopamine levels associated with axonal projections into the striatum. This review deliberates the astrocyte reprogramming methods using specific transcription factors and mRNAs and the progress in generating dopaminergic neurons in vivo. In addition, the translational potential, challenges, and potential risks of astrocyte reprogramming for an enduring alleviation of parkinsonian symptoms are conferred.

Parkinson's Disease

2019 ◽  
pp. 252-273 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vaibhav Walia ◽  
Ashish Gakkhar ◽  
Munish Garg
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Substantia Nigra ◽  
Dopaminergic Neurons ◽  
Older Patients ◽  
Neurodegenerative Disorder ◽  
Progressive Loss ◽  
The Brain

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder in which a progressive loss of the dopaminergic neurons occurs. The loss of the neurons is most prominent in the substantia nigra region of the brain. The prevalence of PD is much greater among the older patients suggesting the risk of PD increases with the increase of age. The exact cause of the neurodegeneration in PD is not known. In this chapter, the authors introduce PD, demonstrate its history, pathogenesis, neurobiology, sign and symptoms, diagnosis, and pharmacotherapy.

scholarly journals Role of Genes and Treatments for Parkinson’s Disease

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-65
Author(s):  
Falaq Naz ◽  
Yasir Hasan Siddique
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Substantia Nigra ◽  
Dopaminergic Neurons ◽  
Autosomal Dominant ◽  
Neurodegenerative Disorder ◽  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Number Of Genes ◽  
Permanent Cure

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a complex neurodegenerative disorder that mainly results due to the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra of the midbrain. It is well known that dopamine is synthesized in substantia nigra and is transported to the striatum via nigrostriatal tract. Besides the sporadic forms of PD, there are also familial cases of PD and number of genes (both autosomal dominant as well as recessive) are responsible for PD. There is no permanent cure for PD and to date, L-dopa therapy is considered to be the best option besides having dopamine agonists. In the present review, we have described the genes responsible for PD, the role of dopamine, and treatment strategies adopted for controlling the progression of PD in humans.

scholarly journals Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cells 2 Protects Dopaminergic Neurons by Promoting Autophagy in the Inflammatory Pathogenesis of Parkinson’s Disease

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Huang ◽  
Qiankun Lv ◽  
Yunfei Xiao ◽  
Zhen Zhong ◽  
Binbin Hu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Dopaminergic Neurons ◽  
Human Genetics ◽  
Neurodegenerative Disorder ◽  
Inflammatory Factors ◽  
Inflammatory Mechanism

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder with an inflammatory response as the core pathogenic mechanism. Previous human genetics findings support the view that the loss of TREM2 function will aggravate neurodegeneration, and TREM2 is one of the most highly expressed receptors in microglia. However, the role of TREM2 in the inflammatory mechanism of PD is not clear. In our study, it was found both in vivo and in vitro that the activation of microglia not only promoted the secretion of inflammatory factors but also decreased the level of TREM2 and inhibited the occurrence of autophagy. In contrast, an increase in the level of TREM2 decreased the expression of inflammatory factors and enhanced the level of autophagy through the p38 MAPK/mTOR pathway. Moreover, increased TREM2 expression significantly decreased the apoptosis of dopaminergic (DA) neurons and improved the motor ability of PD mice. In summary, TREM2 is an important link between the pathogenesis of PD and inflammation. Our study provides a new view for the mechanism of TREM2 in PD and reveals TREM2 as a potential therapeutic target for PD.

scholarly journals GardeninA confers neuroprotection against environmental toxin in a Drosophila model of Parkinson’s disease

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Urmila Maitra ◽  
Thomas Harding ◽  
Qiaoli Liang ◽  
Lukasz Ciesla
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Dopaminergic Neurons ◽  
Neurodegenerative Disorder ◽  
Antioxidant Activities ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography ◽  
Drosophila Model ◽  
Environmental Toxin

AbstractParkinson’s disease (PD) is an age-associated neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons from the midbrain. Epidemiological studies have implicated exposures to environmental toxins like the herbicide, paraquat (PQ) as major contributors to PD etiology in both mammalian and invertebrate models. We have employed a PQ-induced PD model in Drosophila as an inexpensive in vivo platform to screen therapeutics from natural products. We have identified the polymethoxyflavonoid, GardeninA, with neuroprotective potential against PQ-induced parkinsonian symptoms involving reduced survival, mobility defects, and loss of dopaminergic neurons. GardeninA-mediated neuroprotection is not solely dependent on its antioxidant activities but also involves modulation of the neuroinflammatory and cellular death responses. Furthermore, we have successfully detected GardeninA bioavailability in the fly heads after oral administration using ultra-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. Our findings reveal a molecular mechanistic insight into GardeninA-mediated neuroprotection against environmental toxin-induced PD pathogenesis for novel therapeutic intervention.

scholarly journals GardeninA confers neuroprotection against environmental toxin in a Drosophila model of Parkinson’s disease

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Urmila Maitra ◽  
Thomas Harding ◽  
Qiaoli Liang ◽  
Lukasz Ciesla
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Dopaminergic Neurons ◽  
Neurodegenerative Disorder ◽  
Antioxidant Activities ◽  
Disease Model ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Disease Etiology ◽  
Environmental Toxin

AbstractParkinson’s disease is an age-associated neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons from the midbrain. Epidemiological studies have implicated exposures to environmental toxins like the herbicide paraquat as major contributors to Parkinson’s disease etiology in both mammalian and invertebrate models. We have employed a paraquat-induced Parkinson’s disease model in Drosophila as an inexpensive in vivo platform to screen therapeutics from natural products. We have identified the polymethoxyflavonoid, GardeninA, with neuroprotective potential against paraquat-induced parkinsonian symptoms involving reduced survival, mobility defects, and loss of dopaminergic neurons. GardeninA-mediated neuroprotection is not solely dependent on its antioxidant activities but also involves modulation of the neuroinflammatory and cellular death responses. Furthermore, we have successfully shown GardeninA bioavailability in the fly heads after oral administration using ultra-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. Our findings reveal a molecular mechanistic insight into GardeninA-mediated neuroprotection against environmental toxin-induced Parkinson’s disease pathogenesis for novel therapeutic intervention.

scholarly journals To be or not to be pink(1): contradictory findings in an animal model for Parkinson’s disease

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ria de Haas ◽  
Lisa C M W Heltzel ◽  
Denise Tax ◽  
Petra van den Broek ◽  
Hilbert Steenbreker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Animal Model ◽  
Substantia Nigra ◽  
Dopaminergic Neurons ◽  
In Vivo Microdialysis ◽  
Substantia Nigra Pars Compacta ◽  
Laboratory Animals ◽  
Motor Deficits

Abstract The PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 knockout rat (Pink1−/−) is marketed as an established model for Parkinson’s disease, characterized by development of motor deficits and progressive degeneration of half the dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta by 8 months of age. In this study, we address our concerns about the reproducibility of the Pink1−/− rat model. We evaluated behavioural function, number of substantia nigra dopaminergic neurons and extracellular striatal dopamine concentrations by in vivo microdialysis. Strikingly, we and others failed to observe any loss of dopaminergic neurons in 8-month-old male Pink1−/− rats. To understand this variability, we compared key experimental parameters from the different studies and provide explanations for contradictory findings. Although Pink1−/− rats developed behavioural deficits, these could not be attributed to nigrostriatal degeneration as there was no loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and no changes in neurotransmitter levels in the striatum. To maximize the benefit of Parkinson’s disease research and limit the unnecessary use of laboratory animals, it is essential that the research community is aware of the limits of this animal model. Additional research is needed to identify reasons for inconsistency between Pink1−/− rat colonies and why degeneration in the substantia nigra is not consistent.

scholarly journals Evaluating the Potential of Portulaca oleracea L. for Parkinson’s Disease Treatment Using a Drosophila Model with dUCH-Knockdown

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Huynh Kim Thoa Truong ◽  
Man Anh Huynh ◽  
My Dung Vuu ◽  
Thi Phuong Thao Dang
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Disease Progression ◽  
Dopaminergic Neurons ◽  
Neurodegenerative Disorder ◽  
Portulaca Oleracea ◽  
Sufficient Evidence ◽  
Neuroprotective Effects

Parkinson’s disease (PD), which is characterized by the decreased motor function and the loss of dopaminergic neurons, is a common neurodegenerative disorder in elders. There have been numerous in vitro and in vivo models developed to study mechanisms of PD and screen potential drug. Recently, dUCH-knockdown Drosophila model has been established and showed potential for screening antioxidants for PD treatment. The dUCH-knockdown Drosophila model of PD mimics most of main PD pathologies such as dopaminergic neurons degeneration, locomotor dysfunction, and shortage of dopamine in the brain. Common purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) is a nutritious vegetable containing a variety of antioxidants, levodopa, and dopamine, a neurotransmitter closely related to PD. Purslane has been reported to exert neuroprotective effects against several neurotoxins including rotenone and 6-OHDA in PD models. However, the recent data have not provided sufficient evidence for using purslane to treat PD or decelerate disease progression. Therefore, in this study, we utilized dUCH-knockdown fly to evaluate the capacity of purslane extracts for PD treatment. The results showed that purslane extracts improved locomotor ability in the larval stage and decelerated disease progression in the adult stage. Additionally, purslane extracts also reduced dopaminergic neuron degeneration. Taken together, our data strongly demonstrated that purslane extracts effectively rescued PD-like phenotypes in the fly model. This result contributed a foundation for further study on the application of purslane in PD treatment.

scholarly journals The Involvement of Neuroinflammation and Kynurenine Pathway in Parkinson's Disease

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Zinger ◽  
Carlos Barcia ◽  
Maria Trinidad Herrero ◽  
Gilles J. Guillemin
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Dopaminergic Neurons ◽  
Therapeutic Strategy ◽  
Neurodegenerative Disorder ◽  
Neuroprotective Effect ◽  
Kynurenine Pathway ◽  
Receptor Signalling

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder characterised by loss of dopaminergic neurons and localized neuroinflammation occurring in the midbrain several years before the actual onset of symptoms. Activated microglia themselves release a large number of inflammatory mediators thus perpetuating neuroinflammation and neurotoxicity. The Kynurenine pathway (KP), the main catabolic pathway for tryptophan, is one of the major regulators of the immune response and may also be implicated in the inflammatory response in parkinsonism. The KP generates several neuroactive compounds and therefore has either a neurotoxic or neuroprotective effect. Several of these molecules produced by microglia can activate the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-signalling pathway, leading to an excitotoxic response. Previous studies have shown that NMDA antagonists can ease symptoms and exert a neuroprotective effect in PD bothin vivoandin vitro. There are to date several lines of evidence linking some of the KP intermediates and the neuropathogenesis of PD. Moreover, it is likely that pharmacological modulation of the KP will represent a new therapeutic strategy for PD.

scholarly journals Methamphetamine and Parkinson's Disease

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noelia Granado ◽  
Sara Ares-Santos ◽  
Rosario Moratalla
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Substantia Nigra ◽  
Dopaminergic Neurons ◽  
Neurodegenerative Disorder ◽  
Motor Impairment ◽  
Gene Mutations ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Significant Loss

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder predominantly affecting the elderly. The aetiology of the disease is not known, but age and environmental factors play an important role. Although more than a dozen gene mutations associated with familial forms of Parkinson's disease have been described, fewer than 10% of all cases can be explained by genetic abnormalities. The molecular basis of Parkinson's disease is the loss of dopamine in the basal ganglia (caudate/putamen) due to the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, which leads to the motor impairment characteristic of the disease. Methamphetamine is the second most widely used illicit drug in the world. In rodents, methamphetamine exposure damages dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, resulting in a significant loss of dopamine in the striatum. Biochemical and neuroimaging studies in human methamphetamine users have shown decreased levels of dopamine and dopamine transporter as well as prominent microglial activation in the striatum and other areas of the brain, changes similar to those observed in PD patients. Consistent with these similarities, recent epidemiological studies have shown that methamphetamine users are almost twice as likely as non-users to develop PD, despite the fact that methamphetamine abuse and PD have distinct symptomatic profiles.

scholarly journals Plastrum Testudinis Extracts Promote NSC Differentiation into Dopaminergic Neuron by Regulating the Interaction of TET1 and FoxA2

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Jun Zhong ◽  
Sen Ye ◽  
Xiaoli Zhou ◽  
Jiapei Huang ◽  
Xican Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Substantia Nigra ◽  
Rat Brain ◽  
Dopaminergic Neurons ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Underlying Mechanism ◽  
Difficult Problem

In recent years, stem cells have gained much attention for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. However, inducing neural stem cell directionally differentiation is a difficult problem in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease (PD) by stem cell therapy. Plastrum Testudinis (PT) can enhance the number of TH-positive neurons in the PD rat brain substantia nigra, but the underlying mechanism has not been clarified. Here, we aimed at further investigating the mechanism by which PT can promote NSC differentiation into dopaminergic neurons. A rat model of PD was used for detecting the effect of PT on the rat brain substantia nigra in vivo. The results showed the expressions of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and TET1 enzyme were increased after treatment with PT. Consequently, Plastrum Testudinis extracts (PTEs) were used for inducing NSC differentiation into dopaminergic neurons ex vivo. During differentiation of NSCs induced by PTE, TH expression was increased, with a concomitant increase in both TET1 and FoxA2. Next, we performed coimmunoprecipitation analysis to examine the interaction between TET1 protein and FoxA2 protein. Our results show that PTE can increase the binding rate of TET1 and FoxA2. Thus, our findings show that PTE can increase the efficiency of NSCs to directionally differentiate into dopaminergic neurons and provide experimental evidence for PT in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease.

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