scholarly journals The Role of Mitochondrial Damage-Associated Molecular Patterns in Chronic Neuroinflammation

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ekta Bajwa ◽  
Caitlin B. Pointer ◽  
Andis Klegeris

Mitochondrial dysfunction has been established as a common feature of neurodegenerative disorders that contributes to disease pathology by causing impaired cellular energy production. Mitochondrial molecules released into the extracellular space following neuronal damage or death may also play a role in these diseases by acting as signaling molecules called damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). Mitochondrial DAMPs have been shown to initiate proinflammatory immune responses from nonneuronal glial cells, including microglia and astrocytes; thereby, they have the potential to contribute to the chronic neuroinflammation present in these disorders accelerating the degeneration of neurons. In this review, we highlight the mitochondrial DAMPs cytochrome c (CytC), mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM), and cardiolipin and explore their potential role in the central nervous system disorders including Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, which are characterized by neurodegeneration and chronic neuroinflammation.

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 449-453
Author(s):  
Jacob A. Kahn ◽  
Jeffrey T. Waltz ◽  
Ramin M. Eskandari ◽  
Cynthia T. Welsh ◽  
Michael U. Antonucci

The authors report an unusual presentation of juvenile xanthogranuloma (JXG), a non–Langerhans cell histiocytosis of infancy and early childhood. This entity typically presents as a cutaneous head or neck nodule but can manifest with more systemic involvement including in the central nervous system. However, currently there is limited information regarding specific imaging features differentiating JXG from other neuropathological entities, with diagnosis typically made only after tissue sampling. The authors reviewed the initial images of a young patient with shunt-treated hydrocephalus and enlarging, chronic, extraaxial processes presumed to reflect subdural collections from overshunting, and they examine the operative discovery of a mass lesion that was pathologically proven to be JXG. Their results incorporate the important associated histological and advanced imaging features, including previously unreported metabolic activity on FDG PET. Ultimately, the case underscores the need to consider JXG in differential diagnoses of pediatric intracranial masses and highlights the potential role of PET in the initial diagnosis and response to treatment.


2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Feng ◽  
Wei Chao

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a member of the innate immune system. TLRs detect invading pathogens through the pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) recognition and play an essential role in the host defense. TLRs can also sense a large number of endogenous molecules with the damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) that are produced under various injurious conditions. Animal studies of the last decade have demonstrated that TLR signaling contributes to the pathogenesis of the critical cardiac conditions, where myocardial inflammation plays a prominent role, such as ischemic myocardial injury, myocarditis, and septic cardiomyopathy. This paper reviews the animal data on (1) TLRs, TLR ligands, and the signal transduction system and (2) the important role of TLR signaling in these critical cardiac conditions.


2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akram A Da'dara ◽  
Rita Bhardwaj ◽  
Yasser MB Ali ◽  
Patrick Skelly

Schistosomes are parasitic worms that can survive in the hostile environment of the human bloodstream where they appear refractory to both immune elimination and thrombus formation. We hypothesize that parasite migration in the bloodstream can stress the vascular endothelium causing this tissue to release chemicals alerting responsive host cells to the stress. Such chemicals are called damage associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) and among the most potent is the proinflammatory mediator, adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Furthermore, the ATP derivative ADP is a pro-thrombotic molecule that acts as a strong activator of platelets. Schistosomes are reported to possess at their host interactive tegumental surface a series of enzymes that could, like their homologs in mammals, degrade extracellular ATP and ADP. These are alkaline phosphatase (SmAP), phosphodiesterase (SmNPP-5) and ATP diphosphohydrolase (SmATPDase1). In this work we employ RNAi to knock down expression of the genes encoding these enzymes in the intravascular life stages of the parasite. We then compare the abilities of these parasites to degrade exogenously added ATP and ADP. . We find that only SmATPDase1-suppressed parasites are significantly impaired in their ability to degrade these nucleotides. Suppression of SmAP or SmNPP-5 does not appreciably affect the worms’ ability to catabolize ATP or ADP. These findings are confirmed by the functional characterization of the enzymatically active, full-length recombinant SmATPDase1 expressed in CHO-S cells. The enzyme is a true apyrase; SmATPDase1 degrades ATP and ADP in a cation dependent manner. Optimal activity is seen at alkaline pH. The Km of SmATPDase1 for ATP is 0.4 ±0.02 mM and for ADP, 0.252 ± 0.02 mM. The results confirm the role of tegumental SmATPDase1 in the degradation of the exogenous pro-inflammatory and pro-thrombotic nucleotides ATP and ADP by live intravascular stages of the parasite. By degrading host inflammatory signals like ATP, and pro-thrombotic signals like ADP, these parasite enzymes may minimize host immune responses, inhibit blood coagulation and promote schistosome survival.)


Circulation ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 138 (Suppl_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emilie Boissady ◽  
Cynthia El Hedjaj ◽  
Matthias Kohlhauer ◽  
Bijan Ghaleh ◽  
Renaud Tissier

Introduction: After cardiac arrest, a sepsis-like syndrome is observed and contributes to poor prognosis. Hypothesis: This syndrome could be provoked by the massive release of Damage Associated Molecular Patterns (DAMP). Our aim was to investigate the role of the High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), a well-characterized nuclear DAMP, in an experimental model of cardiac arrest. Methods: Rabbits were anesthetized and submitted to 10 min of ventricular fibrillation. After resuscitation, they either received an administration of the inhibitor of HMGB1 release glycyrrhizin (4 mg/kg i.v.. (GL group, n=6), or saline (5 ml, i.v.; CT group, n=6). Two additional groups received glycyrrhizin (n=4) or saline (n=4) alone without cardiac arrest (Sham groups). Blood samples were withdrawn to evaluate the kinetics of HMGB1 release. After awakening, survival and neurological dysfunction were evaluated during 3 days. Animals were then euthanized and brain histologic damages were assessed (fluorojade-C staining). Results: In the Sham groups, glycyrrhizin did not modify hemodynamic nor clinical parameter as compared to saline. In the CT group, HMGB1 blood levels increased since 30 min after cardiac arrest and remained elevated until the end of the follow-up. This increase in HMGB1 concentrations was significantly attenuated in GL vs CR (18±1 vs 29±5 and ng/ml at 30 min after cardiac arrest, respectively). Neurological dysfunction score or survival were not significantly improved in GL vs CT (e.g., survival = 50 vs 33 % at day 3 in GT vs CT group). However, fluorojade C staining showed a dramatic attenuation of degenerating neurons in GL vs CT groups in all brain regions (e.g., 7±3 vs 32±10 neurons/field in cortex, respectively). Conclusion: HMGB1 played a key role in early inflammation and promoted neuronal death after cardiac arrest. Its inhibition alone does not provide sufficient benefits to improve the clinical outcome. It emphasizes the importance of other contributors, beyond inflammation and neurons cell death. Adjunction of HMGB1 inhibitors to other therapies could still be of interest.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 709-723 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kan Gao ◽  
Chun-long Mu ◽  
Aitak Farzi ◽  
Wei-yun Zhu

ABSTRACT The gut-brain axis (GBA) is a bilateral communication network between the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and the central nervous system. The essential amino acid tryptophan contributes to the normal growth and health of both animals and humans and, importantly, exerts modulatory functions at multiple levels of the GBA. Tryptophan is the sole precursor of serotonin, which is a key monoamine neurotransmitter participating in the modulation of central neurotransmission and enteric physiological function. In addition, tryptophan can be metabolized into kynurenine, tryptamine, and indole, thereby modulating neuroendocrine and intestinal immune responses. The gut microbial influence on tryptophan metabolism emerges as an important driving force in modulating tryptophan metabolism. Here, we focus on the potential role of tryptophan metabolism in the modulation of brain function by the gut microbiota. We start by outlining existing knowledge on tryptophan metabolism, including serotonin synthesis and degradation pathways of the host, and summarize recent advances in demonstrating the influence of the gut microbiota on tryptophan metabolism. The latest evidence revealing those mechanisms by which the gut microbiota modulates tryptophan metabolism, with subsequent effects on brain function, is reviewed. Finally, the potential modulation of intestinal tryptophan metabolism as a therapeutic option for brain and GI functional disorders is also discussed.


2018 ◽  
Vol 08 (01) ◽  
pp. 025-031 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diana Pang ◽  
Dalia Bashir ◽  
Joseph Carcillo ◽  
Trung Nguyen ◽  
Rajesh Aneja ◽  
...  

AbstractThe incidence of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) in sepsis varies from 17 to 73% and furthermore, increases the risk of death by 60% when controlled for the number of dysfunctional organs. Several MODS phenotypes exist, each unique in presentation and pathophysiology. Common to the phenotypes is the stimulation of the immune response by pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), or danger-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) causing an unremitting inflammation. Two of the MODS phenotypes are discussed in detail, thrombocytopenia-associated multiple organ failure (TAMOF) and the hyperinflammatory phenotype–macrophage activating syndrome (MAS) and hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). In the end, we will briefly review the role of mitochondrial dysfunction as a significant contributor to the pathogenesis of MODS.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (18) ◽  
pp. 4343 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irina Lyapina ◽  
Anna Filippova ◽  
Igor Fesenko

Plants have evolved a sophisticated innate immune system to cope with a diverse range of phytopathogens and insect herbivores. Plasma-membrane-localized pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), such as receptor-like kinases (RLK), recognize special signals, pathogen- or damage-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs or DAMPs), and trigger immune responses. A growing body of evidence shows that many peptides hidden in both plant and pathogen functional protein sequences belong to the group of such immune signals. However, the origin, evolution, and release mechanisms of peptide sequences from functional and nonfunctional protein precursors, known as cryptic peptides, are largely unknown. Various special proteases, such as metacaspase or subtilisin-like proteases, are involved in the release of such peptides upon activation during defense responses. In this review, we discuss the roles of cryptic peptide sequences hidden in the structure of functional proteins in plant defense and plant-pathogen interactions.


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