Electroacupuncture in rats normalizes the diabetes-induced alterations in the septo-hippocampal cholinergic system.

Diabetes induces early sufferance in the cholinergic septo-hippocampal system, characterized by deficits in learning and memory, reduced hippocampal plasticity and abnormal pro-nerve growth factor (proNGF) release from hippocampal cells, all linked to dysfunctions in the muscarinic cholinergic modulation of hippocampal physiology. These alterations are associated with dysregulation of several cholinergic markers, such as the NGF receptor system and the acetylcholine biosynthetic enzyme choline-acetyl transferase (ChAT), in the medial septum and its target, the hippocampus. Controlled and repeated sensory stimulation by electroacupuncture has been proven effective in counteracting the consequences of diabetes on cholinergic system physiology in the brain. Here, we used a well-established Type 1 diabetes model, obtained by injecting young adult male rats with streptozotocin, to induce sufferance in the septo-hippocampal system. We then evaluated the effects of a 3-week treatment with low-frequency electroacupuncture on: (a) the expression and protein distribution of proNGF in the hippocampus, (b) the tissue distribution and content of NGF receptors in the medial septum, (c) the neuronal cholinergic and glial phenotype in the septo-hippocampal circuitry. Twice-a-week treatment with low-frequency electroacupuncture normalized, in both hippocampus and medial septum, the ratio between the neurotrophic NGF and its neurotoxic counterpart, the precursor proNGF. Electroacupuncture regulated the balance between the two major proNGF variants (proNGF-A and proNGF-B) at both gene expression and protein synthesis levels. In addition, electroacupuncture recovered to basal level the pro-neurotrophic NGF receptor tropomyosin receptor kinase-A content, down-regulated in medial septum cholinergic neurons by diabetes. Electroacupuncture also regulated ChAT content in medial septum neurons and its anterograde transport toward the hippocampus. Our data indicate that repeated sensory stimulation can positively affect brain circuits involved in learning and memory, reverting early impairment induced by diabetes development. Electroacupuncture could exert its effects on the septo-hippocampal cholinergic neurotransmission in diabetic rats, not only by rescuing the hippocampal muscarinic responsivity, as previously described, but also normalizing acetylcholine biosynthesis and NGF metabolism in the hippocampus.

Aspirin inhibits cancer stem cells properties and growth of glioblastoma multiforme through Rb1 pathway modulation.

Several clinical studies indicated that the daily use of aspirin or acetylsalicylic acid reduces the cancer risk via cyclooxygenases (Cox-1 and Cox-2) inhibition. In addition, aspirin-induced Cox-dependent and -independent antitumor effects have also been described. Here we report, for the first time, that aspirin treatment of human glioblastoma cancer (GBM) stem cells, a small population responsible for tumor progression and recurrence, is associated with reduced cell proliferation and motility. Aspirin did not interfere with cell viability but induced cell-cycle arrest. Exogenous prostaglandin E2 significantly increased cell proliferation but did not abrogate the aspirin-mediated growth inhibition, suggesting a Cox-independent mechanism. These effects appear to be mediated by the increase of p21 waf1 and p27 Kip1 , associated with a reduction of Cyclin D1 and Rb1 protein phosphorylation, and involve the downregulation of key molecules responsible for tumor development, that is, Notch1, Sox2, Stat3, and Survivin. Our results support a possible role of aspirin as adjunctive therapy in the clinical management of GBM patients.

Severity of left ventricular dysfunction in heart failure patients affects the degree of serum-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Importance of inflammatory response and metabolism.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: In heart failure pro-inflammatory cytokines contribute to cardiomyocytes loss by apoptosis and play a role in the remodelling of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Myocardial injury recruits endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) to the site of damage and stimulates their differentiation, contributing to myocardial tissue repair. We investigated if the severity of left ventricular dysfunction in heart failure patients (HF) may influence the ability of serum to induce cardiomyocytes death and whether this effect is affected by inflammation and intracellular oxidative stress pathways. METHODS: Adult murine cardiomyocytes HL-5 were incubated with 2% human serum from patients with heart failure (NYHA classes I to IV). Apoptosis was analysed by two different methods. TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6, matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP-1) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 1 (TIMP-1) were measured in sera from patients. RESULTS: Cytokine levels were higher in sera from moderate-severe CHF compared to that of patients with mild CHF. Levels of CD117(+) (c-Kit(+)) cells and EPCs were significantly lower in blood from moderate-severe HF patients. Serum from HF patients induced a significantly higher ROS production involving p38 MAPK signalling and apoptosis in cardiomyocytes. NAC treatment prevented serum-induced oxidative effects. The increase of AMPK phosphorylation showed an involvement of FFA ß-oxidation during apoptotic stress. CONCLUSIONS: All these alterations could be used as predictive factors of worsening in heart failure and culture of cardiomyocytes could be employed to test pharmacological effects.

Oxidative stress induces p53-mediated apoptosis in glia: p53 transcription-independent way to die.

Oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathogenesis of stroke, traumatic brain injuries, and neurodegenerative diseases affecting both neuronal and glial cells in the central nervous system (CNS). The tumor suppressor protein p53 plays a pivotal function in neuronal apoptosis triggered by oxidative stress. We investigated the role of p53 and related molecular mechanisms that support oxidative stress-induced apoptosis in glia. For this purpose, we exposed C6 glioma cells and primary cultures of rat cortical astrocytes to an H(2)O(2)-induced oxidative stress protocol followed by a recovery period. We evaluated the effects of pifithrin-alpha (PF-alpha), which has been reported to protect neurons from ischemic insult by specifically inhibiting p53 DNA-binding activity. Strikingly, PF-alpha was unable to prevent oxidative stress-induced astrocyte apoptosis. We demonstrate that p53 is able to mediate an apoptotic response by direct signaling at mitochondria, despite its transcriptional activity. The z-VAD-fmk-sensitive apoptotic response requires a caspase-dependent MDM-2 degradation, leading to p53 mitochondrial targeting accompanied by cytochrome c release and nucleosomal fragmentation.

Characterization of apoptosis signal transduction pathways in HL-5 cardiomyocytes exposed to ischemia/reperfusion oxidative stress model.

During ischemia/reperfusion (I/R), cardiomyocytes are exposed to sudden lack of nutrients and successively to radical oxygen species (ROS). In the present study, we used the HL-5 cardiac atrial myocyte cell line exposed to serum/glucose depletion added or not in H(2)O(2) to mimic ROS during ischemia, then replaced in their standard culture medium to simulate reperfusion. We investigated the effects of serum/glucose depletion combined or not to ROS exposure on AKT and MAP kinases activation to address the role of each event with respect to apoptosis. We demonstrate that serum/glucose depletion per se did not induce apoptosis when compared to ROS exposure. In particular, ROS recruited p38MAPK and JNK pathways. SB202190 preventing p38MAPK activity, partially protected HL-5 from apoptosis while blocking JNK, thanks to JNKI, further enhanced apoptosis. Blocking phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase with LY294002 or ERKs with U0126 was without consequence on apoptosis. Finally, BCL-2 and BCL-X(L/S) expression levels were analyzed in cells exposed to 1 h ischemia followed by 12-h reperfusion in the presence or not of SB202190; BCL-2, but not BCL-X(L/S), expression was decreased in ROS treated cells but SB202190 failed to restore BCL-2 level. Our data suggest that p38MAPK activation primarily mediates ROS-induced apoptosis while concomitant JNK activation would represent a scavenger pathway for cells trying to escape apoptosis.