In vitro Neuronal Cell Guidance by Protein Micro- and Nanocontact Printing

2013 ◽  
pp. 899-922
Author(s):  
Andreas Offenhäusser ◽  
Dirk Mayer ◽  
Simone Meffert ◽  
Daniel Schwaab
Keyword(s):  
2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (13) ◽  
pp. 6785
Author(s):  
Valeria Sogos ◽  
Paola Caria ◽  
Clara Porcedda ◽  
Rafaela Mostallino ◽  
Franca Piras ◽  
...  

Novel psychoactive substances (NPS) are synthetic substances belonging to diverse groups, designed to mimic the effects of scheduled drugs, resulting in altered toxicity and potency. Up to now, information available on the pharmacology and toxicology of these new substances is very limited, posing a considerable challenge for prevention and treatment. The present in vitro study investigated the possible mechanisms of toxicity of two emerging NPS (i) 4′-methyl-alpha-pyrrolidinoexanophenone (3,4-MDPHP), a synthetic cathinone, and (ii) 2-chloro-4,5-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (2-Cl-4,5-MDMA), a phenethylamine. In addition, to apply our model to the class of synthetic opioids, we evaluated the toxicity of fentanyl, as a reference compound for this group of frequently abused substances. To this aim, the in vitro toxic effects of these three compounds were evaluated in dopaminergic-differentiated SH-SY5Y cells. Following 24 h of exposure, all compounds induced a loss of viability, and oxidative stress in a concentration-dependent manner. 2-Cl-4,5-MDMA activates apoptotic processes, while 3,4-MDPHP elicits cell death by necrosis. Fentanyl triggers cell death through both mechanisms. Increased expression levels of pro-apoptotic Bax and caspase 3 activity were observed following 2-Cl-4,5-MDMA and fentanyl, but not 3,4-MDPHP exposure, confirming the different modes of cell death.


2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (01) ◽  
pp. 37-46
Author(s):  
Kristina Friedland ◽  
Giacomo Silani ◽  
Anita Schuwald ◽  
Carola Stockburger ◽  
Egon Koch ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Silexan, a special essential oil from flowering tops of lavandula angustifolia, is used to treat subsyndromal anxiety disorders. In a recent clinical trial, Silexan also showed antidepressant effects in patients suffering from mixed anxiety-depression (ICD-10 F41.2). Since preclinical data explaining antidepressant properties of Silexan are missing, we decided to investigate if Silexan also shows antidepressant-like effects in vitro as well as in vivo models. Methods We used the forced swimming test (FST) in rats as a simple behavioral test indicative of antidepressant activity in vivo. As environmental events and other risk factors contribute to depression through converging molecular and cellular mechanisms that disrupt neuronal function and morphology—resulting in dysfunction of the circuitry that is essential for mood regulation and cognitive function—we investigated the neurotrophic properties of Silexan in neuronal cell lines and primary hippocampal neurons. Results The antidepressant activity of Silexan (30 mg/kg BW) in the FST was comparable to the tricyclic antidepressant imipramine (20 mg/kg BW) after 9-day treatment. Silexan triggered neurite outgrowth and synaptogenesis in 2 different neuronal cell models and led to a significant increase in synaptogenesis in primary hippocampal neurons. Silexan led to a significant phosphorylation of protein kinase A and subsequent CREB phosphorylation. Conclusion Taken together, Silexan demonstrates antidepressant-like effects in cellular as well as animal models for antidepressant activity. Therefore, our data provides preclinical evidence for the clinical antidepressant effects of Silexan in patients with mixed depression and anxiety.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuel Pedro Jimenez-García ◽  
Antonio Lucena-Cacace ◽  
Daniel Otero-Albiol ◽  
Amancio Carnero

AbstractThe EMX (Empty Spiracles Homeobox) genes EMX1 and EMX2 are two homeodomain gene members of the EMX family of transcription factors involved in the regulation of various biological processes, such as cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation, during brain development and neural crest migration. They play a role in the specification of positional identity, the proliferation of neural stem cells, and the differentiation of certain neuronal cell phenotypes. In general, they act as transcription factors in early embryogenesis and neuroembryogenesis from metazoans to higher vertebrates. The EMX1 and EMX2’s potential as tumor suppressor genes has been suggested in some cancers. Our work showed that EMX1/EMX2 act as tumor suppressors in sarcomas by repressing the activity of stem cell regulatory genes (OCT4, SOX2, KLF4, MYC, NANOG, NES, and PROM1). EMX protein downregulation, therefore, induced the malignance and stemness of cells both in vitro and in vivo. In murine knockout (KO) models lacking Emx genes, 3MC-induced sarcomas were more aggressive and infiltrative, had a greater capacity for tumor self-renewal, and had higher stem cell gene expression and nestin expression than those in wild-type models. These results showing that EMX genes acted as stemness regulators were reproduced in different subtypes of sarcoma. Therefore, it is possible that the EMX genes could have a generalized behavior regulating proliferation of neural crest-derived progenitors. Together, these results indicate that the EMX1 and EMX2 genes negatively regulate these tumor-altering populations or cancer stem cells, acting as tumor suppressors in sarcoma.


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 361
Author(s):  
Gabriel Gonzalez ◽  
Jiří Grúz ◽  
Cosimo Walter D’Acunto ◽  
Petr Kaňovský ◽  
Miroslav Strnad

Cytokinins are adenine-based phytohormones that regulate key processes in plants, such as cell division and differentiation, root and shoot growth, apical dominance, branching, and seed germination. In preliminary studies, they have also shown protective activities against human neurodegenerative diseases. To extend knowledge of the protection (protective activity) they offer, we investigated activities of natural cytokinins against salsolinol (SAL)-induced toxicity (a Parkinson’s disease model) and glutamate (Glu)-induced death of neuron-like dopaminergic SH-SY5Y cells. We found that kinetin-3-glucoside, cis-zeatin riboside, and N6-isopentenyladenosine were active in the SAL-induced PD model. In addition, trans-, cis-zeatin, and kinetin along with the iron chelator deferoxamine (DFO) and the necroptosis inhibitor necrostatin 1 (NEC-1) significantly reduced cell death rates in the Glu-induced model. Lactate dehydrogenase assays revealed that the cytokinins provided lower neuroprotective activity than DFO and NEC-1. Moreover, they reduced apoptotic caspase-3/7 activities less strongly than DFO. However, the cytokinins had very similar effects to DFO and NEC-1 on superoxide radical production. Overall, they showed protective activity in the SAL-induced model of parkinsonian neuronal cell death and Glu-induced model of oxidative damage mainly by reduction of oxidative stress.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1318
Author(s):  
Tarek Benameur ◽  
Raffaella Soleti ◽  
Chiara Porro

Chronic neuroinflammation is a pathological condition of numerous central nervous system (CNS) diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and many others. Neuroinflammation is characterized by the microglia activation and concomitant production of pro-inflammatory cytokines leading to an increasing neuronal cell death. The decreased neuroinflammation could be obtained by using natural compounds, including flavonoids known to modulate the inflammatory responses. Among flavonoids, quercetin possess multiple pharmacological applications including anti-inflammatory, antitumoral, antiapoptotic and anti-thrombotic activities, widely demonstrated in both in vitro and in vivo studies. In this review, we describe the recent findings about the neuroprotective action of quercetin by acting with different mechanisms on the microglial cells of CNS. The ability of quercetin to influence microRNA expression represents an interesting skill in the regulation of inflammation, differentiation, proliferation, apoptosis and immune responses. Moreover, in order to enhance quercetin bioavailability and capacity to target the brain, we discuss an innovative drug delivery system. In summary, this review highlighted an important application of quercetin in the modulation of neuroinflammation and prevention of neurological disorders.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 319-327
Author(s):  
Chenlin Xu ◽  
Zijian Xiao ◽  
Heng Wu ◽  
Guijuan Zhou ◽  
Duanqun He ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundAlzheimer’s disease (AD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder without any satisfactory therapeutic approaches. AD is mainly characterized by the deposition of β-amyloid protein (Aβ) and extensive neuronal cell death. Curcumin, with anti-oxidative stress (OS) and cell apoptosis properties, plays essential roles in AD. However, whether bisdemethoxycurcumin (BDMC), a derivative of curcumin, can exert a neuroprotective effect in AD remains to be elucidated.MethodsIn this study, SK-N-SH cells were used to establish an in vitro model to investigate the effects of BDMC on the Aβ1–42-induced neurotoxicity. SK-N-SH cells were pretreated with BDMC and with or without compound C and EX527 for 30 min after co-incubation with rotenone for 24 h. Subsequently, western blotting, cell viability assay and SOD and GSH activity measurement were performed.ResultsBDMC increased the cell survival, anti-OS ability, AMPK phosphorylation levels and SIRT1 in SK-N-SH cells treated with Aβ1–42. However, after treatment with compound C, an AMPK inhibitor, and EX527, an SIRT1inhibitor, the neuroprotective roles of BDMC on SK-N-SH cells treated with Aβ1–42 were inhibited.ConclusionThese results suggest that BDMC exerts a neuroprotective role on SK-N-SH cells in vitro via AMPK/SIRT1 signaling, laying the foundation for the application of BDMC in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases related to AMPK/SIRT1 signaling.


2011 ◽  
Vol 79 (10) ◽  
pp. 4081-4087 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig Weinkauf ◽  
Ryan Salvador ◽  
Mercio PereiraPerrin

ABSTRACTTrypanosoma cruzi, the agent of Chagas' disease, infects a variety of mammalian cells in a process that includes multiple cycles of intracellular division and differentiation starting with host receptor recognition by a parasite ligand(s). Earlier work in our laboratory showed that the neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) receptor TrkC is activated byT. cruzisurfacetrans-sialidase, also known as parasite-derived neurotrophic factor (PDNF). However, it has remained unclear whether TrkC is used byT. cruzito enter host cells. Here, we show that a neuronal cell line (PC12-NNR5) relatively resistant toT. cruzibecame highly susceptible to infection when overexpressing human TrkC but not human TrkB. Furthermore,trkCtransfection conferred an ∼3.0-fold intracellular growth advantage. Sialylation-deficient Chinese hamster ovarian (CHO) epithelial cell lines Lec1 and Lec2 also became much more permissive toT. cruziafter transfection with thetrkCgene. Additionally, NT-3 specifically blockedT. cruziinfection of the TrkC-NNR5 transfectants and of naturally permissive TrkC-bearing Schwann cells and astrocytes, as did recombinant PDNF. Two specific inhibitors of Trk autophosphorylation (K252a and AG879) and inhibitors of Trk-induced MAPK/Erk (U0126) and Akt kinase (LY294002) signaling, but not an inhibitor of insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor, abrogated TrkC-mediated cell invasion. Antibody to TrkC blockedT. cruziinfection of the TrkC-NNR5 transfectants and of cells that naturally express TrkC. The TrkC antibody also significantly and specifically reduced cutaneous infection in a mouse model of acute Chagas' disease. TrkC is ubiquitously expressed in the peripheral and central nervous systems, and in nonneural cells infected byT. cruzi, including cardiac and gastrointestinal muscle cells. Thus, TrkC is implicated as a functional PDNF receptor in cell entry, independently of sialic acid recognition, mediating broadT. cruziinfection bothin vitroandin vivo.


Stroke ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 43 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Da-Zhi Liu ◽  
Bradley P Ander ◽  
Ali Izadi ◽  
Ken Van ◽  
Xinhua Zhan ◽  
...  

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) activates thrombin, a potent mitogen. Thrombin triggers mitosis by modulating several intracellular mitogenic molecules including Src family kinases. These molecules regulate mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and cell cycle proteins such as cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks); and play critical roles in mitogenic signaling pathways and cell cycle progression. Since aberrant cell cycle reentry results in death of mature neurons, cell cycle inhibition appears to be a candidate strategy for the treatment of neurological diseases including ICH. However, this can also block cell cycle (proliferation) of neural progenitor cells (NPCs) and thus impair brain neurogenesis leading to cognitive deficits. We hypothesized that inhibition of cell cycle by blocking mitogenic signaling molecules (i.e., Src family kinase members) blocks cell cycle reentry of mature neurons without injuring NPCs, which will avoid cognitive side effects during cell cycle inhibition treatment for ICH. Our data shows: (1) Thrombin 30U/ml results in apoptosis of mature neurons via neuronal cell cycle reentry in vitro ; (2) PP2 (Src family kinase inhibitor) 0.3 µM attenuates the thrombin-induced neuronal apoptosis via blocking neuronal cell cycle reentry, but does not affect the viability of NPCs at the same doses in vitro ; (3) Intracerebral ventricular thrombin injection (20U, i.c.v.) results in neuron loss in hippocampus and cognitive deficits 5 weeks after thrombin injection in vivo ; (4) PP2 (1mg/kg, i.p.), given immediately after thrombin injection (i.c.v.), blocks the thrombin-induced neuron loss in hippocampus and cognitive deficits, whereas PP2 on its own at the same doses does not affect normal cognition in vivo . These suggest that Src kinase inhibition prevents hippocampal neuron death via blocking neuronal cell cycle reentry after ICH, but does not affect survival of NPCs.


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