Genetic analyses unravel the causal association of cytokine levels on lichen simplex chronicus risk: insights from a mendelian randomization study.

Lichen simplex chronicus (LSC) presents a challenge in dermatology due to its elusive pathogenic mechanisms. While associations between circulating inflammatory cytokines and LSC were observed, the definitive causal dynamics remain to be elucidated. Our study used a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach to investigate causal relationships. We applied a suite of MR methodologies, including IVW, Weighted Median, MR-Egger, Weighted Mode, Simple Mode, MR-PRESSO, and the Steiger test, to ensure robust causal inference. Our analysis confirmed the causal impact of genetically determined cytokine levels on LSC risk, particularly MMP-10 (OR = 0.493, P = 0.004) and DNER (OR = 0.651, P = 0.043) in risk attenuation. We also found a positive causal correlation between GDNF levels (OR = 1.871, P = 0.007) and LSC prevalence. Notably, bidirectional causality was observed between DNER and LSC. Consistency across various MR analyses and sensitivity analyses confirmed the absence of horizontal pleiotropy, validating the causal estimates. This pioneering MR investigation unveils a novel genetically anchored causal relationship between the circulating levels of MMP-10, DNER, and GDNF and LSC risk. Although further validation is requisite, our findings augment the understanding of cytokine mediation in LSC and underscore prospective avenues for research.

The cellular expression patterns of gdnfa and gdnfb in the gonads of Nile tilapia and their differential response to retinoic acid.

In mammals, glial cell derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) plays a critical role in the self-renewal and maintenance of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) in testis and oogenesis in ovary, whilst retinoic acid (RA), the key factor of meiosis initiation, can downregulate its expression. Unlike mammals, two Gdnf replication genes are widely present in teleost fishes, however, our understanding of them is still poor. In the present study, two paralogous gdnf from Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), namely as Ongdnfa and Ongdnfb, were characterized, and then their cellular expression profiles in testis and ovary and responsiveness to RA treatment at the tissue and cellular levels were investigated. In phylogenetic tree, the Gdnfa and Gdnfb from teleost fishes were clustered into two different subclasses, respectively, and then clustered with the homologs from cartilaginous fish and tetrapods, suggesting that OnGdnfa and OnGdnfb are orthologous to GDNF and paralogous to each other. Ongdnfa is expressed in Sertoli cells and Leydig cells in testis and oocytes in ovary. The expression pattern of Ongdnfb is similar to Ongdnfa. In the ex vivo testicular organ culture, RA down-regulated the expression of Ongdnfa, whereas up-regulated the expression of Ongdnfb (P < 0.05), suggesting that they have differential responsiveness to RA signaling. RA treatment of the cultured cells derived from adult Nile tilapia testis which have the expression of RA receptors (RAR), Ongdnfa and Ongdnfb further confirmed the above result. Collectively, our study suggests that Ongdnfa and Ongdnfb have non-germline expression patterns in testis and germline expression patterns in ovary; furthermore, they have differential responsiveness to RA signaling, implying that they might have differential biological functions. This study broadens and enriches our understanding of fish GDNF homologs and lays foundation for the study of their biological functions in the future.

Expression and significance of pin1 in the wound healing.

The aim of this study is to delineate the expression patterns of prolyl cis-trans isomerase NIMA-interacting protein 1 (Pin1), Glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), and Angiotensin II (ANG II) during the process of wound repair, and to ascertain the effects of Pin1, GDNF, and ANG II on the healing of wounds in a rat model. A total of 18 rats were allocated into three groups-sham (control), DMSO (vehicle control), and Pin1 inhibitor (treatment with juglone)-with six animals in each group. An animal model of wound healing was established, followed by the intraperitoneal administration of juglone. Tissue samples from the wounds were subsequently collected for histopathological evaluation. Expression levels of Pin1, GDNF, and Ang II were quantified. In addition, an in vitro model of wound healing was created using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), to assess cell proliferation, migration, and tube formation under conditions of juglone pre-treatment. The expression levels of Pin1, GDNF, and ANG II were notably elevated on 7-, and 10- days post-wound compared to those measured on 3-day. Contrastingly, pre-treatment with juglone significantly inhibited the expression of these molecules. Histological analyses, including HE (Hematoxylin and Eosin), Masson's trichrome, and EVG (Elastic van Gieson) staining, demonstrated that vascular angiogenesis, as well as collagen and elastin deposition, were substantially reduced in the juglone pre-treated group when compared to the normal group. Further, immunohistochemical analysis revealed a considerable decrease in CD31 expression in the juglone pre-treatment group relative to the normal control group. Pin1 serves as a pivotal facilitator of wound repair. The findings indicate that the modulation of Pin1, GDNF, and ANG II expression impacts the wound healing process in rats, suggesting potential targets for therapeutic intervention in human wound repair.

Long-term benefits of hematopoietic stem cell-based macrophage/microglia delivery of GDNF to the CNS in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease.

Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) protects dopaminergic neurons in various models of Parkinson's disease (PD). Cell-based GDNF gene delivery mitigates neurodegeneration and improves both motor and non-motor functions in PD mice. As PD is a chronic condition, this study aims to investigate the long-lasting benefits of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC)-based macrophage/microglia-mediated CNS GDNF (MMC-GDNF) delivery in an MPTP (1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine) mouse model. The results indicate that GDNF treatment effectively ameliorated MPTP-induced motor deficits for up to 12 months, which coincided with the protection of nigral dopaminergic neurons and their striatal terminals. Also, the HSC-derived macrophages/microglia were recruited selectively to the neurodegenerative areas of the substantia nigra. The therapeutic benefits appear to involve two mechanisms: (1) macrophage/microglia release of GDNF-containing exosomes, which are transferred to target neurons, and (2) direct release of GDNF by macrophage/microglia, which diffuses to target neurons. Furthermore, the study found that plasma GDNF levels were significantly increased from baseline and remained stable over time, potentially serving as a convenient biomarker for future clinical trials. Notably, no weight loss, altered food intake, cerebellar pathology, or other adverse effects were observed. Overall, this study provides compelling evidence for the long-term therapeutic efficacy and safety of HSC-based MMC-GDNF delivery in the treatment of PD.

The extracellular matrix protein fibronectin promotes metanephric kidney development.

Complex interactions of the branching ureteric bud (UB) and surrounding mesenchymal cells during metanephric kidney development determine the final number of nephrons. Impaired nephron endowment predisposes to arterial hypertension and chronic kidney disease. In the kidney, extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins are usually regarded as acellular scaffolds or as the common histological end-point of chronic kidney diseases. Since only little is known about their physiological role in kidney development, we aimed for analyzing the expression and role of fibronectin. In mouse, fibronectin was expressed during all stages of kidney development with significant changes over time. At embryonic day (E) 12.5 and E13.5, fibronectin lined the UB epithelium, which became less pronounced at E16.5 and then switched to a glomerular expression in the postnatal and adult kidneys. Similar results were obtained in human kidneys. Deletion of fibronectin at E13.5 in cultured metanephric mouse kidneys resulted in reduced kidney sizes and impaired glomerulogenesis following reduced cell proliferation and branching of the UB epithelium. Fibronectin colocalized with alpha 8 integrin and fibronectin loss caused a reduction in alpha 8 integrin expression, release of glial-derived neurotrophic factor and expression of Wnt11, both of which are promoters of UB branching. In conclusion, the ECM protein fibronectin acts as a regulator of kidney development and is a determinant of the final nephron number.

MicroRNA-Mediated Suppression of Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Expression Is Modulated by a Schizophrenia-Associated Non-Coding Polymorphism.

Plasma levels of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), a pivotal regulator of differentiation and survival of dopaminergic neurons, are reportedly decreased in schizophrenia. To explore the involvement of GDNF in the pathogenesis of the disease, a case-control association analysis was performed between five non-coding single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) across the GDNF gene and schizophrenia. Of them, the 'G' allele of the rs11111 SNP located in the 3' untranslated region (3'-UTR) of the gene was found to associate with schizophrenia. In silico analysis revealed that the rs11111 'G' allele might create binding sites for three microRNA (miRNA) species. To explore the significance of this polymorphism, transient co-transfection assays were performed in human embryonic kidney 293T (HEK293T) cells with a luciferase reporter construct harboring either the 'A' or 'G' allele of the 3'-UTR of GDNF in combination with the hsa-miR-1185-1-3p pre-miRNA. It was demonstrated that in the presence of the rs11111 'G' (but not the 'A') allele, hsa-miR-1185-2-3p repressed luciferase activity in a dose-dependent manner. Deletion of the miRNA binding site or its substitution with the complementary sequence abrogated the modulatory effect. Our results imply that the rs11111 'G' allele occurring more frequently in patients with schizophrenia might downregulate GDNF expression in a miRNA-dependent fashion.

Exosomal lncRNA XIST promotes perineural invasion of pancreatic cancer cells via miR-211-5p/GDNF.

Perineural invasion (PNI) is an essential form of tumor metastasis in multiple malignant cancers, such as pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, and head and neck cancer. Growing evidence has revealed that pancreatic cancer recurrence and neuropathic pain positively correlate with PNI. Therefore, targeting PNI is a proper strategy for pancreatic cancer treatment. Exosomal lncRNA derived from pancreatic cancer cells is an essential component of the tumor microenvironment. However, whether exosomal lncXIST derived from pancreatic cancer cells can promote PNI and its exact mechanism remains to be elucidated. We show that lncXIST mediates nerve-tumor crosstalk via exosomal delivery. Our data reveal that exosomal lncXIST derived from pancreatic cancer cells is delivered to neural cells and promotes their release of glial-cell-line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), essential in facilitating the PNI of pancreatic cancer. Mechanistically, microRNA-211-5p negatively regulates GDNF, and lncXIST serves as a miR-211-5p sponge. The function of exosomes in the dynamic interplay between nerves and cancer is confirmed in both in vivo and in vitro PNI models. Therefore, targeting pancreatic cancer cell-derived exosomal lncXIST may provide clues for a promising approach for developing a new strategy to combat PNI of pancreatic cancer.

Interactions between neurotrophins, mood, and physical activity under the conditions of sleep deprivation.

Sleep deprivation (DS) is the forced elimination of sleep. While brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been extensively studied in the context of in mood changes following DS, the role of other neurotrophins remains elusive. This study explores the impact of DS on BDNF, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT3), and neurotrophin-4 (NT4) at mRNA and protein level, considering their potential links to mood disturbances. The study involved 81 participants subjected to polysomnography (PSG) and DS. Blood samples, mood assessments, and actigraphy data were collected twice, after PSG and DS. NT mRNA expression and serum protein concentrations of BDNF, GDNF, NT3, and NT4 were measured. Participants were divided into Responders and Non-Responders based on mood improvement after DS. DS reduced BDNF mRNA expression in all participants, with no change in serum BDNF protein. GDNF protein decreased in Non-Responders, while Responders exhibited reduced GDNF mRNA. NT3 protein increased in both groups, while NT3 mRNA decreased in Respondents. NT4 protein rose universally post-DS, but NT4 mRNA remained unchanged. Physical activity (PA) negatively correlated with mRNA expression of BDNF, GDNF, and NT3 post-DS. The study's short DS duration and exclusion of immature NT forms limit comprehensive insights. GDNF, together with NT3, might play an important role in mood response to DS. PA during DS seems to impair the mRNA expression of NTs in leukocytes. Future studies on the subject of sleep deprivation might consider investigating the relationship between BDNF and NT4 in the context of their apparent redundancy.

Potential Therapeutic Approach using Aromatic l-amino Acid Decarboxylase and Glial-derived Neurotrophic Factor Therapy Targeting Putamen in Parkinson's Disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative illness characterized by specific loss of dopaminergic neurons, resulting in impaired motor movement. Its prevalence is twice as compared to the previous 25 years and affects more than 10 million individuals. Lack of treatment still uses levodopa and other options as disease management measures. Treatment shifts to gene therapy (GT), which utilizes direct delivery of specific genes at the targeted area. Therefore, the use of aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) and glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) therapy achieves an effective control to treat PD. Patients diagnosed with PD may experience improved therapeutic outcomes by reducing the frequency of drug administration while utilizing provasin and AADC as dopaminergic protective therapy. Enhancing the enzymatic activity of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), glucocorticoid hormone (GCH), and AADC in the striatum would be useful for external L-DOPA to restore the dopamine (DA) level. Increased expression of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) in the subthalamic nucleus (STN) may also be beneficial in PD. Targeting GDNF therapy specifically to the putaminal region is clinically sound and beneficial in protecting the dopaminergic neurons. Furthermore, preclinical and clinical studies supported the role of GDNF in exhibiting its neuroprotective effect in neurological disorders. Another Ret receptor, which belongs to the tyrosine kinase family, is expressed in dopaminergic neurons and sounds to play a vital role in inhibiting the advancement of PD. GDNF binding on those receptors results in the formation of a receptor-ligand complex. On the other hand, venous delivery of recombinant GDNF by liposome-based and encapsulated cellular approaches enables the secure and effective distribution of neurotrophic factors into the putamen and parenchyma. The current review emphasized the rate of GT target GDNF and AADC therapy, along with the corresponding empirical evidence.

GDNF facilitates the differentiation of ADSCs to Schwann cells and enhances nerve regeneration through GDNF/MTA1/Hes1 axis.

Adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ADSCs) are a kind of stem cells with multi-directional differentiation potential, which mainly restore tissue repair function and promote cell regeneration. It can be directionally differentiated into Schwann-like cells to promote the repair of peripheral nerve injury. Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) plays an important role in the repair of nerve injury, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear, which seriously limits its further application.The study aimed to identify the molecular mechanism by which overexpression of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) facilitates the differentiation of ADSCs into Schwann cells, enhancing nerve regeneration after injury. In vitro, ADSCs overexpressing GDNF for 48 h exhibited changes in their morphology, with 80% of the cells having two or more prominences. Compared with that of ADSCs, GDNF-ADSCs exhibited increased expression of the Schwann cell marker S100, nerve damage repair-related factors.ADSC cells in normal culture and ADSC cells were overexpressing GDNF(GDNF-ADSCs) were analysed using TMT-Based Proteomic Analysis and revealed a significantly higher expression of MTA1 in GDNF-ADSCs than in control ADSCs. Hes1 expression was significantly higher in GDNF-ADSCs than in ADSCs and decreased by MTA1 silencing, along with a simultaneous decrease in the expression of S100 and nerve damage repair factors. These findings indicate that GDNF promotes the differentiation of ADSCs into Schwann cells and induces factors that accelerate peripheral nerve damage repair.

Generation of glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (gdnf) morphants in zebrafish larvae by cerebroventricular microinjection of vivo morpholino.

Dopaminergic neurons in the brain are an important source of dopamine, which is a crucial neurotransmitter for wellbeing, memory, reward, and motor control. Deficiency of dopamine due to advanced age and accumulative dopaminergic neuron defects can lead to movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease. Glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is one of many factors involved in dopaminergic neuron development and/or survival. However, other endogenous GDNF functions in the brain await further investigation. Zebrafish is a well-established genetic model for neurodevelopment and neurodegeneration studies. Importantly, zebrafish shares approximately 70% functional orthologs with human genes including GDNF. To gain a better understanding on the precise functional role of gdnf in dopaminergic neurons, our laboratory devised a targeted knockdown of gdnf in the zebrafish larval brain using vivo morpholino. Here, detailed protocols on the generation of gdnf morphants using vivo morpholino are outlined. This method can be applied for targeting of genes in the brain to determine specific spatiotemporal gene function in situ.

Schwann cells modulate nociception in neurofibromatosis 1.

Pain of unknown etiology is frequent in individuals with the tumor predisposition syndrome neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1), even when tumors are absent. Nerve Schwann cells (SCs) were recently shown to play roles in nociceptive processing, and we find that chemogenetic activation of SCs is sufficient to induce afferent and behavioral mechanical hypersensitivity in wild-type mice. In mouse models, animals showed afferent and behavioral hypersensitivity when SCs, but not neurons, lacked Nf1. Importantly, hypersensitivity corresponded with SC-specific upregulation of mRNA encoding glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), independently of the presence of tumors. Neuropathic pain-like behaviors in the NF1 mice were inhibited by either chemogenetic silencing of SC calcium or by systemic delivery of GDNF-targeting antibodies. Together, these findings suggest that alterations in SCs directly modulate mechanical pain and suggest cell-specific treatment strategies to ameliorate pain in individuals with NF1.

Environmental enrichment accentuates glucose-induced feeding suppression and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor gene expression in the hypothalamus of mice.

The hypothalamus controls food intake by integrating nutrient signals, of which one of the most important is glucose. Consequently, impairments in hypothalamic glucose-sensing mechanisms are associated with hyperphagia and obesity. Environmental enrichment (EE) is an animal housing protocol that provides complex sensory, motor, and social stimulations and has been proven to reduce adiposity in laboratory mice. However, the mechanism by which EE promotes adiposity-suppressing effect remains incompletely understood. Neurotrophic factors play an important role in the development and maintenance of the nervous system, but they are also involved in the hypothalamic regulation of feeding. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) are expressed in the hypothalamus and their expression is stimulated by glucose. EE is associated with increased expression of Bdnf mRNA in the hypothalamus. Therefore, we hypothesized that EE potentiates the anorectic action of glucose by altering the expression of neurotrophic factor genes in the hypothalamus. Male C57BL/6 mice were maintained under standard or EE conditions to investigate the feeding response to glucose and the associated expression of feeding-related neurotrophic factor genes in the hypothalamus. Intraperitoneal glucose injection reduced food intake in both control and EE mice with a significantly greater reduction in the EE group compared to the control group. EE caused a significantly enhanced response of Gdnf mRNA expression to glucose without altering basal Gdnf mRNA expression and Bdnf mRNA response to glucose. These findings suggest that EE enhances glucose-induced feeding suppression, at least partly, by enhancing hypothalamic glucose-sensing ability that involves GDNF.

Changes in nerve growth factor in vastus lateralis muscle after the first versus second bout of one-leg eccentric cycling.

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) develops after performing unaccustomed eccentric exercises. Animal studies have shown that DOMS is mechanical hyperalgesia through nociceptor sensitization induced by nerve growth factor (NGF) and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) upregulated by cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). However, no previous study has investigated these in relation to DOMS in humans. This study compared the first and second bouts of one-leg eccentric cycling (ECC) for changes in NGF, GDNF, and COX-2 mRNA in the vastus lateralis (VL). Seven healthy adults (18-40 years) performed two bouts of ECC (10 sets of 50 contractions) with 80% maximal voluntary concentric peak torque separated by 2 weeks (ECC1, ECC2). Muscle soreness that was assessed by a visual analog scale and maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVC) torque of the knee extensors were measured before, immediately after (MVC only), 24 and 48 h post-exercise. Muscle biopsy was taken from the VL before the first bout from nonexercised leg (control) and 24 h after each bout from the exercised leg, and analyzed for NGF, GDNF, and COX-2 mRNA. Peak DOMS was more than two times greater and MVC torque at 48 h post-exercise was approximately 20% smaller after ECC1 than ECC2 (p < 0.05), suggesting the repeated bout effect. NGF mRNA level was higher (p < 0.05) post-ECC1 (0.79 ± 0.68 arbitrary unit) than control (0.06 ± 0.07) and post-ECC2 (0.08 ± 0.10). GDNF and COX-2 mRNA did not show significant differences between control, post-ECC1, and post-ECC2. These results suggest that an increase in NGF is associated with the development of DOMS in humans.

Additional glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor in vitro promotes the proliferation of undifferentiated spermatogonia from sterile cattleyak.

Cattleyak is a typically male sterile species. The meiosis process is blocked and the scarcity of spermatogenic stems cells are both contributing factors to the inability of male cattleyak to produce sperm. While Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is the first discovered growth factor known to promote the proliferation and self-renewal of spermatogenic stem cells, its relationship to the spermatogenesis arrest of cattleyak remains unclear. In this report, we studied the differential expression of GDNF in the testis of yak and cattleyak, and discussed the optimal concentration of GDNF in the culture medium of undifferentiated spermatogonia (UDSPG) of cattleyak in vitro and the effect of GDNF on the proliferation of cattleyak UDSPG. The results indicated that GDNF expression in the testicular tissue of cattleyak was inferior to that of yak. Moreover, the optimum value for the UDSPG in vitro culture was determined to be 20-30 ng/mL for cattleyak. In vitro, the proliferation activity of UDSPG was observed to increase with additional GDNF due to the up-regulation of proliferation-related genes and the down-regulation of differentiation-related genes. We hereby report that the scarcity of cattleyak UDSPG is due to insufficient expression of GDNF, and that the addition of GDNF in vitro can promote the proliferation of cattleyak UDSPG by regulating the expression of genes related to proliferation and differentiation. This work provides a new insight to solve the issue of spermatogenic arrest in cattleyak.

Evaluation of the Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Effect on Neurotrophins' Gene Expression and Protein Levels.

Neurotrophins (NT) might be associated with the pathophysiology of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) due to concurrent intermittent hypoxia and sleep fragmentation. Such a relationship could have implications for the health and overall well-being of patients; however, the literature on this subject is sparse. This study investigated the alterations in the serum protein concentration and the mRNA expression of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NTF3), and neurotrophin-4 (NTF4) proteins following a single night of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. This study group consisted of 30 patients with OSA. Venous blood was collected twice after a diagnostic polysomnography (PSG) and PSG with CPAP treatment. Gene expression was assessed with a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine the protein concentrations. After CPAP treatment, BDNF, proBDNF, GDNF, and NTF4 protein levels decreased (p = 0.002, p = 0.003, p = 0.047, and p = 0.009, respectively), while NTF3 increased (p = 0.001). Sleep latency was correlated with ΔPSG + CPAP/PSG gene expression for BDNF (R = 0.387, p = 0.038), NTF3 (R = 0.440, p = 0.019), and NTF4 (R = 0.424, p = 0.025). OSA severity parameters were not associated with protein levels or gene expressions. CPAP therapy could have an impact on the posttranscriptional stages of NT synthesis. The expression of different NTs appears to be connected with sleep architecture but not with OSA severity.

GDNF gene therapy for alcohol use disorder in male non-human primates.

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) exacts enormous personal, social and economic costs globally. Return to alcohol use in treatment-seeking patients with AUD is common, engendered by a cycle of repeated abstinence-relapse episodes even with use of currently available pharmacotherapies. Repeated ethanol use induces dopaminergic signaling neuroadaptations in ventral tegmental area (VTA) neurons of the mesolimbic reward pathway, and sustained dysfunction of reward circuitry is associated with return to drinking behavior. We tested this hypothesis by infusing adeno-associated virus serotype 2 vector encoding human glial-derived neurotrophic factor (AAV2-hGDNF), a growth factor that enhances dopaminergic neuron function, into the VTA of four male rhesus monkeys, with another four receiving vehicle, following induction of chronic alcohol drinking. GDNF expression ablated the return to alcohol drinking behavior over a 12-month period of repeated abstinence-alcohol reintroduction challenges. This behavioral change was accompanied by neurophysiological modulations to dopamine signaling in the nucleus accumbens that countered the hypodopaminergic signaling state associated with chronic alcohol use, indicative of a therapeutic modulation of limbic circuits countering the effects of alcohol. These preclinical findings suggest gene therapy targeting relapse prevention may be a potential therapeutic strategy for AUD.

Eosinophil and mast cell-derived exosomes promote integrity of intestinal mucosa via the NEAT1/miR-211-5p/glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor axis in duodenum.

BACKGROUND: Exosomes are applied as biomarkers in several diseases according to their disease-specific profiles. However, the exosomes effects in functional dyspepsia (FD) are still fragmentary. Here we examined the role of Eosinophil and mast cell derived-exosomes in FD progression. METHODS: Fifty FD subjects and age- and sex-matched healthy controls were included in this retrospective cohort study. Duodenal mucosa and gastric juice were collected to analyze molecular difference. Eosinophil and mast cell were evaluated by immunofluorescence and microarray was subjected to examine the expression levels of NEAT1, miR-211-5p, and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), which were subsequently were tested by quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) validation cohorts. CCK-8 assays, and wound healing assays were used to evaluate integrity of intestinal mucosal barrier in vitro. Rats' weights and gastric emptying rates were used as evaluation of FD severity in vivo. RESULTS: Eosinophil and mast cell were enriched and secreted more exosomes in duodenal mucosa of FD patients. We identified differential lncRNAs that were consistently and significantly up regulated in FD cases. Of these, NEAT1 was further validated by RT-qPCR and had closely relationship with GDNF. MiR-211-5p level was found to be reduced in FD and negatively related with NEAT1 and GDNF. Furthermore, NEAT1and GDNF relived FD while miR-211-5p made symptoms worse. The NEAT1/miR-211-5p/GDNF axis had a good predictive ability for FD. CONCLUSIONS: The NEAT1/miR-211-5p/GDNF could be a potential FD biomarker.

Loss of gdnfa disrupts spermiogenesis and male courtship behavior in zebrafish.

Spermatogenesis is essential for establishment and maintenance of reproduction in male vertebrates. Spermatogenesis, which is mainly regulated by the combined action of hormones, growth factors, and epigenetic factors, is highly conserved. Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is a member of the transforming growth factor-ß superfamily. In this study, global gdnfa knockout and Tg (gdnfa: mcherry) transgenic zebrafish lines were generated. Loss of gdnfa resulted in disorganized testes, decreased gonadosomatic index, and low percentage of mature spermatozoa. In the Tg (gdnfa: mcherry) zebrafish line, we found that gdnfa was expressed in Leydig cells. The mutation in gdnfa significantly decreased Leydig cell marker gene expression and androgen secretion in Leydig cells. In addition, courtship behavior was disrupted in the male mutants. We present in vivo data showing that global knockout of gdnfa disrupts spermiogenesis and male courtship behavior in zebrafish. The first viable vertebrate model with a global gdnfa knockout may be valuable for studying the role of GDNF in animal reproduction.

Gastrodin protects porcine sertoli cells from zearalenone-induced abnormal secretion of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor through the NOTCH signaling pathway.

Zearalenone (ZEA) is a prevalent mycotoxin found in moldy diets and is associated with reproductive dysfunction. However, the molecular underpinning of ZEA in impairment of spermatogenesis remains largely unknown. To unveil the toxic mechanism of ZEA, we established a co-culture model using porcine Sertoli cells and porcine spermatogonial stem cells (pSSCs) to investigate the impact of ZEA on these cell types and their associated signaling pathways. Our findings showed that low concentration of ZEA inhibited cell apoptosis, while high concentration induced cell apoptosis. Furthermore, the expression levels of Wilms' tumor 1 (WT1), proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) were significantly decreased in ZEA treatment group, while concurrently upregulating the transcriptional levels of the NOTCH signaling pathway target genes HES1 and HEY1. The addition of the NOTCH signaling pathway inhibitor DAPT (GSI-IX) alleviated the damage to porcine Sertoli cells caused by ZEA. Gastrodin (GAS) significantly increased the expression levels of WT1, PCNA and GDNF, and inhibited the transcription of HES1 and HEY1. GAS also efficiently restored the decreased expression levels of DDX4, PCNA and PGP9.5 in co-cultured pSSCs suggesting its potential in ameliorating the damage caused by ZEA to Sertoli cells and pSSCs. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that ZEA disrupts pSSCs self-renewal by affecting the function of porcine Sertoli cell, and highlights the protective mechanism of GAS through the regulation of the NOTCH signaling pathway. These findings may offer a novel strategy for alleviating ZEA-induced male reproductive dysfunction in animal production.