Proangiogenic functions of an RGD-SLAY-containing osteopontin icosamer peptide in HUVECs and in the postischemic brain

Osteopontin (OPN) is a phosphorylated glycoprotein secreted into body fluids by various cell types. OPN contains arginine-glycine-aspartate (RGD) and serine-leucine-alanine-tyrosine (SLAY) motifs that bind to several integrins and mediate a wide range of cellular processes. In the present study, the proangiogenic effects of a 20-amino-acid OPN peptide (OPNpt20) containing RGD and SLAY motifs were examined in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and in a rat focal cerebral ischemia model. OPNpt20 exerted robust proangiogenic effects in HUVECs by promoting proliferation, migration and tube formation. These effects were significantly reduced in OPNpt20-RAA (RGD->RAA)-treated cells, but only slightly reduced in OPNpt20-SLAA (SLAY->SLAA)-treated cells. Interestingly, a mutant peptide without both motifs failed to induce these proangiogenic processes, indicating that the RGD motif is crucial and that SLAY also has a role. In OPNpt20-treated HUVEC cultures, AKT and ERK signaling pathways were activated, but activation of these pathways and tube formation were suppressed by anti-αvβ3 antibody, indicating that OPNpt20 stimulates angiogenesis via the αvβ3-integrin/AKT and ERK pathways. The proangiogenic function of OPNpt20 was further confirmed in a rat middle cerebral artery occlusion model. Total vessel length and vessel densities were markedly greater in OPNpt20-treated ischemic brains, accompanied by induction of proangiogenic markers. Together, these results demonstrate that the 20-amino-acid OPN peptide containing RGD and SLAY motifs exerts proangiogenic effects, wherein both motifs have important roles, and these effects appear to contribute to the neuroprotective effects of this peptide in the postischemic brain.

Osteopontin Peptide Icosamer Containing RGD and SLAYGLR Motifs Enhances the Motility and Phagocytic Activity of Microglia

Osteopontin (OPN) is a secreted glycoprotein that is expressed in various tissues, including brain, and mediates a wide range of cellular activities. In a previous study, the authors observed the robust neuroprotective effects of recombinant OPN and of RGD and SLAYGLR-containing OPN-peptide icosamer (OPNpt20) in an animal model of transient focal ischemia, and demonstrated anti-inflammatory and pro-angiogenic effects of OPNpt20 in the postischemic brain. In the present study, we investigated the effects of OPNpt20 on the motility and phagocytic activity of BV2 cells (a microglia cell line). F-actin polymerization and cell motility were significantly enhanced in OPNpt20-treated BV2 cells, and numbers of filopodia-like processes increased and lamellipodia-like structures enlarged and thickened. In addition, treatment of cells with either of three mutant OPN icosamers containing mutation within RGD, SLAY, or RGDSLAY showed that the RGD and SLAY motifs of OPNpt20 play critical roles in the enhancement of cell motility, and the interaction between exogenous OPNpt20 and endogenous αv and α4 integrin and the activations of FAK, Erk, and Akt signaling pathways were found to be involved in the OPNpt20-mediated induction of cell motility. Furthermore, phagocytic activity of microglia was also significantly enhanced by OPNpt20 in a RGD and SLAY dependent manner. These results indicate OPNpt20 containing RGD and SLAY motifs triggers microglial motility and phagocytic activity and OPNpt20-integrin mediated signaling plays a critical role in these activities.

Induction of Nerve Injury-Induced Protein 1 (Ninjurin 1) in Myeloid Cells in Rat Brain after Transient Focal Cerebral Ischemia

Nerve injury-induced protein-1 (Ninjurin-1, Ninj1) was initially identified as a novel adhesion molecule in rat sciatic nerve and to be up-regulated in neurons and Schwann cells of distal nerve segments after nerve transection or crush injury. Recently, Ninj1 was found to act as a modulator of cell migration, angiogenesis, and apoptosis. Accumulating evidence indicates that innate immune response plays beneficial and deleterious roles in brain ischemia, and the trans-endothelial migration of blood-derived immune cells is key initiator of this response. In the present study, we examined the expression profile and cellular distribution of Ninj1 in rat brain after transient focal cerebral ischemia. Ninj1 expression was found to be significantly induced in cortical penumbras 1 day after 60 min of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and to increase gradually for 8 days and then declined. In infarction cores of cortices, patterns of Ninj1 expression were similar to those observed in cortical penumbras, except induction was maintained for 10 days. At 1 day post-MCAO, Ninj1 inductions were detected mainly in neutrophils and endothelial cells in both infarction cores and penumbras, but reactive macrophages were the major cellular expressers of Ninj1 at 4 days post-MCAO. Expressional induction in reactive macrophages was maintained in infarction cores after 12 days post-MCAO but not in penumbras. These dynamic expressions of Ninj1 in different immune cells at different times suggest that this protein performs various, critical roles in the modulation of acute and delayed immune responses in the postischemic brain.

Induction of Nerve Injury-Induced Protein 1 (Ninjurin 1) in Myeloid Cells in Rat Brain after Transient Focal Cerebral Ischemia

Nerve injury-induced protein-1 (Ninjurin-1, Ninj1) was initially identified as a novel adhesion molecule in rat sciatic nerve and to be up-regulated in neurons and Schwann cells of distal nerve segments after nerve transection or crush injury. Recently, Ninj1 was found to act as a modulator of cell migration, angiogenesis, and apoptosis. Accumulating evidence indicates that innate immune response plays beneficial and deleterious roles in brain ischemia, and the trans-endothelial migration of blood-derived immune cells is key initiator of this response. In the present study, we examined the expression profile and cellular distribution of Ninj1 in rat brain after transient focal cerebral ischemia. Ninj1 expression was found to be significantly induced in cortical penumbras 1 day after 60 min of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and to increase gradually for 8 days and then declined. In infarction cores of cortices, patterns of Ninj1 expression were similar to those observed in cortical penumbras, except induction was maintained for 10 days. At 1 day post-MCAO, Ninj1 inductions were detected mainly in neutrophils and endothelial cells in both infarction cores and penumbras, but reactive macrophages were the major cellular expressers of Ninj1 at 4 days post-MCAO. Expressional induction in reactive macrophages was maintained in infarction cores after 12 days post-MCAO but not in penumbras. These dynamic expressions of Ninj1 in different immune cells at different times suggest that this protein performs various, critical roles in the modulation of acute and delayed immune responses in the postischemic brain.

Glycyrrhizin Attenuates Kainic Acid-Induced Neuronal Cell Death in the Mouse Hippocampus

Glycyrrhizin (GL), a triterpene that is present in the roots and rhizomes of licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), has been reported to have anti-inflammatory and anti-viral effects. Recently, we demonstrated that GL produced the neuroprotective effects with the suppression of microglia activation and proinflammatory cytokine induction in the postischemic brain with middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in rats and improved motor impairment and neurological deficits. In the present study, we investigated whether GL has a beneficial effect in kainic acid (KA)-induced neuronal death model. Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of 0.94 nmole (0.2 microg) of KA produced typical neuronal death in both CA1 and CA3 regions of the hippocampus. In contrast, administration of GL (10 mg/kg, i.p.) 30 min before KA administration significantly suppressed the neuronal death, and this protective effect was more stronger at 50 mg/kg. Moreover, the GL-mediated neuroprotection was accompanied with the suppression of gliosis and induction of proinflammatory markers (COX-2, iNOS, and TNF-alpha). The anti-inflammatory and anti-excitotoxic effects of GL were verified in LPS-treated primary microglial cultures and in NMDA- or KA-treated primary cortical cultures. Together these results suggest that GL confers the neuroprotection through the mechanism of anti-inflammatory and anti-excitotoxic effects in KA-treated brain.

HMGB1-Binding Heptamer Confers Anti-Inflammatory Effects in Primary Microglia Culture

High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is an endogenous danger signal molecule. In the postischemic brain, HMGB1 is massively released during NMDA-induced acute damage and triggers inflammatory processes. In a previous study, we demonstrated that intranasally delivered HMGB1 binding heptamer peptide (HBHP; HMSKPVQ) affords robust neuroprotective effects in the ischemic brain after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO, 60 minutes). In the present study, we investigated HBHP-induced anti-inflammatory effects on microglia activation. In LPS-treated primary microglia culture, HMGB1 was rapidly released and accumulated in culture media. Furthermore, LPS-conditioned media collected from primary microglia cultures (LCM) activated naive microglia and markedly induced NO and proinflammatory cytokines. However, the suppression of HMGB1 by siRNA-HMGB1, HMGB1 A box, or anti-HMGB1 antibody significantly attenuated LCM-induced microglial activation, suggesting that HMGB1 plays a critical role in this process. A pull-down assay using biotin-labeled HBHP showed that HBHP binds directly to HMGB1 (more specifically to HMGB1 A box) in LCM. In addition, HBHP consistently inhibited LCM-induced microglial activation and suppressed the inductions of iNOS and proinflammatory cytokines. Together these results suggest that HBHP confers anti-inflammatory effects in activated microglia cultures by forming a complex with HMGB1.

Analysis of differential plaque depositions in the brains of Tg2576 and Tg-APPswe/PS1dE9 transgenic mouse models of Alzheimer disease

Adequate assessment of plaque deposition levels in the brain of mouse models of Alzheimer disease (AD) is required in many core issues of studies on AD, including studies on the mechanisms underlying plaque pathogenesis, identification of cellular factors modifying plaque pathology, and developments of anti-AD drugs. The present study was undertaken to quantitatively evaluate plaque deposition patterns in the brains of the two popular AD models, Tg2576 and Tg-APPswe/PS1dE9 mice. Coronally-cut brain sections of Tg2576 and Tg-APPswe/PS1dE9 mice were prepared and plaque depositions were visualized by staining with anti-amyloid beta peptides antibody. Microscopic images of plaque depositions in the prefrontal cortex, parietal cortex, piriform cortex and hippocampus were obtained and the number of plaques in each region was determined by a computer-aided image analysis method. A series of optical images representing a gradual increase of plaque deposition levels were selected in the four different brain regions and were assigned in each with a numerical grade of 1-6, where +1 was lowest and +6, highest, so that plaques per unit in mm2 increased "sigmoidally" over the grading scales. Analyzing plaque depositions using the photographic plaque reference panels and a computer-aid image analysis method, it was demonstrated that the brains of Tg2576 mice started to accumulate predominantly small plaques, while the brains of Tg-APPswe/PS1dE9 mice deposited relatively large plaques.

The use of Stronger Neo-Minophagen C, a glycyrrhizin-containing preparation, in robust neuroprotection in the postischemic brain / 대한해부학회지

Stronger Neo-Minophagen C (SNMC) is a glycyrrhizin-containing preparation that is approved in Japan for the treatment of chronic hepatic diseases and is marketed in Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan, and India. Glycyrrhizin, a triterpene present in the roots and rhizomes of licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) has been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, and anti-viral effects. In the present study, we demonstrated the marked neuroprotective effects of SNMC in the postischemic rat brain after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). We used 1 ml/kg of SNMC, which is within the dose range used for the treatment of patients with chronic hepatic disease. The administration of SNMC intravenously at 30 minutes before or 30 minutes and 3 hours after MCAO (60 minutes) reduces mean infarct volumes to 27.0+/-4.2%, 37.1+/-12.4%, and 67.8+/-5.8% of that of untreated controls, respectively. This neuroprotective effect is accompanied by improvements in motor impairment and neurological deficits. The administration of SNMC is shown to suppress microglia activation and neutrophil infiltration in the postischemic brain. In addition, SNMC suppresses lipopolysaccharide-induced nitrite production and proinflammatory cytokine induction in a microglia cell line, BV2. This indicates that the neuroprotective effect of SNMC might be due, at least in part, to an anti-inflammatiory effect. Interestingly, SNMC shows significantly higher neuroprotective potency compared to an equivalent dose of pure glycyrrhizin, in terms of reducing infarct volume and improving neurological deficits. Together these results indicate that SNMC, a glycyrrhizin-containing preparation developed for chronic liver disease, has a marked neuroprotective function in the postischemic brain via its anti-inflammatory effects.

Gene Knockdown in the Olfactory Bulb, Amygdala, and Hypothalamus by Intranasal siRNA Administration / 대한해부학회지

Intranasal administration provides a method of bypassing the blood brain barrier, which separates the systemic circulating system and central interstitial fluid, and directly delivering drugs to the central nervous system. This method also circumvents first-pass elimination by the liver and gastrointestinal tract. In the present study, the authors investigated intranasal siRNA delivery efficiency by using FITC-labeled transfection control siRNA and a genespecific siRNA. The localization of fluorescence-tagged siRNA revealed that siRNA was delivered to cells in the olfactory bulb and that the level of the siRNA target gene (alpha B-crystallin) was significantly reduced in the same area. siRNA was delivered to processes as well as nuclei and cytoplasm. At 12 hrs after intranasal delivery, siRNA-mediated target gene reduction was observed in other more distally located brain regions, for example, in the amygdala, entorhinal cortex, and hypothalamus. Target gene knockdown was demonstrated by double immunohistochemistry, which demonstrated alpha B crystallin expression depletion in more than 70% of cells at 12 hrs after the intranasal delivery. siRNA-mediated target gene suppression was detected not only in neurons but in glia, for example, astrocytes. These results indicate that intranasal siRNA delivery offers an efficient means of reducing specific target genes in certain regions of the brain and of performing gene knockdown-mediated therapy.

Extracellular HMGB1 Released after Zinc-treatment Induces Neuronal Death in Primary Cortical Cultures / 대한해부학회지

As a nonhistone DNA-binding protein, high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is released in large amounts into the extracellular space immediately after ischemic insult and plays a role in the release of proinflammatory cytokines. Here, we the examined cytokine-like or signaling molecule-like function of extracellular HMGB1 in primary cortical cultures. We found that a large amount of HMGB1 was released following zinc-induced neuronal cell death in primary cortical cultures and that this extracellular HMGB1 might aggravate neuronal damage. The conditioned media collected from zinc-treated primary cortical cultures decreased neuronal cell survival to 69.6+/-1.4% of control values when added to fresh primary cortical cultures. In contrast, treatment with HMGB1-depleted conditioned media produced by cultures treated with an HMGB1 siRNA-expression vector suppressed the induction of neuronal death. A mutant HMGB1 siRNA-expression vector did not suppress the induction of neuronal death, demonstrating a role of HMGB1 in neuronal death. Moreover, HMGB1-depletion in media conditioned by cotreatment with anti-HMGB1 antibody or with anti-RAGE antibody, a potential receptor for HMGB1, recovered neuronal cell survival to 81.0+/-4.0% and 79.0+/-4.0%, respectively, when added to fresh primary cortical cultures. These results indicate that extracellular HMGB1 released after zinc treatment induces neuronal death, which might aggravate zinc toxicity.

SP1 Mediates IFNgamma-induced TIMP-1 Transctription in C6 Astroglioma Cells / 대한해부학회지

Tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) comprise a family of secreted multifunctional proteins that consists of four members (TIMP-1 to TIMP-4). TIMPs are all major inhibitors of most matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). They are synthesized by a variety of different cells and regulated by a number of cytokines and by growth and differentiation factors. The balance between MMPs and TIMPs plays a crucial role in the turnover of extracellular matrix in normal and pathological conditions. Here, we report that the production of TIMP-1 was upregulated in interferon (IFNgamma-treated C6 astroglioma cells and that the proximal 226 bp region of the promoter of the TIMP-1 gene is responsible for IFNgamma-induced induction in C6 astroglioma cells. The induction of TIMP-1 production by IFNgamma was virtually abolished by introducing mutations into the putative SP1-response element in the promoter, indicating that the SP1 binding site conferred responsiveness onto a heterologous promoter. Together the results suggest that the IFNgamma-induced upregulation of TIMP-1 production in C6 astroglioma cells is mediated by the SP1 binding site localized in the TIMP-1 gene promoter.

Stimulus-dependent Differential Regulation of JNK1 and JNK3 by JIP1 Scaffold Protein in Human Neuroblastoma, SH-SY5Y / 대한해부학회지

Activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) is associated with a wide range of disparate cellular responses to extracellular stimuli. In mammals, three JNK isoforms are known, and their differential regulation occurs in a stimulus- or a cell type-dependent manner. However, the underlying mechanism of this differential regulation has not been clearly elucidated. Here we demonstrated that JNK1 and JNK3 were activated in SH-SY5Y cells after treatment with H2O2 or UV. In SH-SY5Y cells overexpressing mJIP1, a splicing variant of a JNK scaffold protein JIP1, the H2O2-induced activities of both JNK1 and JNK3 were significantly suppressed. In the same cell line, however, UV-induced JNK1 activity was significantly suppressed, but JNK3 activity was not. During the RA-induced differentiation of SH-SY5Y cells, JNK1 was activated, whereas JNK3 was not, and this JNK1 activation was completely abolished in the cells overexpressing mJIP1. These results suggest that JIP1 plays a role in the regulation of the isoform-specific activation of JNKs in stimulus-dependent manner.

Induction of alphaB-crystallin in the hippocampus of KA-treated mouse brain / 대한해부학회지

The alphaB-crystallin, which is a member of small heat shock protein (sHSP), was initially identified as a component of a vertebrate eye lens protein, and also shown to be expressed in non-lenticular tissues including cardiac muscles and the central nervous system. Recently, it was demonstrated that alphaB-crystallin expression was increased in the brain of patients suffering various neurological diseases including Alzheimers disease. In the current study, we examined in detail the time-course of alphaB-crystallin expression in the region of neuronal loss and in activated glia cells in hippocampus of the KA-treated mouse brain. The alphaB-crystallin was expressed in pyramidal layer and in oligodendrocytes of hippocampus 1 day after KA-treatment, which was similar to that in normal mice. The alphaB-crystallin expression began to be increased 2 days after KA-treatment and reached peak induction, especially in astrocytes in the CA3 area of hippocampus 4 days after KA-treatment. Immunofluorescent staining with anti-alphaB-crystallin and anti-GFAP antibodies revealed that the induction of alphaB-crystallin was localized in the activated astrocytes, prominently in the CA3 region of hippocampus where a severe neuronal death was undergoing. The results suggested that alphaB-crystallin might play a role in reactive gliosis and/or in delayed neuronal death proceeded in KA-induced epileptic brain.