Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lamis Chamas, Isabelle Seugnet, Roseline Poirier, Marie-Stephanie Clerget-Froidevaux, Valerie Enderlin
Summary: This study investigated the protective mechanisms linking hypothyroidism and neuroinflammation. Hypothyroid WSB/EiJ mice showed no neuroinflammatory response and maintained hippocampal thyroid signaling despite low circulating thyroid hormone levels, while C57BL/6J mice exhibited disturbed thyroid signaling, accompanied by neuroinflammation and memory impairment. The results highlight the importance of the hippocampal thyroid regulatory system in glial reactivity.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Takeshi Nii, Ryota Eguchi, Soichiro Yamaguchi, Ken-ichi Otsuguro
Summary: The study found that H2S indirectly inhibits ATP-induced Ca2+ signaling in astrocytes by releasing Ca2+ from the endoplasmic reticulum. This mechanism may influence intercellular communication between astrocytes and neurons, thus impacting neuronal signaling in the nervous system.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Neurosciences
Schuichi Koizumi
Summary: Emotion-related neural networks are regulated by glial cells, and glial dysfunction can be directly related to emotional diseases such as depression. This article discusses three different therapeutic strategies involving astrocytes that are effective for treating depression, specifically fluoxetine, electroconvulsive therapy, and sleep deprivation therapy. These treatments all involve the release of ATP from astrocytes, indicating the essential role of glial purinergic signals in the pathogenesis of depression.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Fernando Cruz-Mendoza, Sonia Luquin, Joaquin Garcia-Estrada, David Fernandez-Quezada, Fernando Jauregui-Huerta
Summary: This study investigated the effects of acoustic stress on hippocampal proliferation and glial cytoarchitecture in adult male rats using environmental noise as a stress model. The results showed abnormal cellular proliferation in the hippocampus after 21 days of noise exposure, with an inverse effect on the proliferation ratios of astrocytes and microglia. Both cell lineages also displayed atrophic morphologies with fewer processes and lower densities in the noise-stressed animals. These findings suggest that stress not only affects neurogenesis and neuronal death in the hippocampus, but also the proliferation ratio, cell density, and morphology of glial cells, potentially triggering an inflammatory-like response that compromises their homeostatic and repair functions.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Gabriele Karger, Julius Berger, Ralf Dringen
Summary: Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is the main energy currency of all cells, while creatine phosphate (CrP) facilitates rapid regeneration of ATP. Astrocyte-rich cultures contain ATP, ADP, and AMP, which establish an adenylate energy charge. The decline in CrP levels always precedes that of ATP contents during glucose deprivation.
NEUROCHEMICAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Ying Zhang, Hai-Yan Yin, Patrizia Rubini, Peter Illes, Yong Tang
Summary: There is a dispute about whether CNS neurons possess ATP-sensitive P2X7 receptors. By genetically deleting P2X7 receptors in astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, it was found that these receptors indirectly modulate the neuronal input to neighboring neurons.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Yuan Zhuang, Xiaojian Xu, Hao Li, Fei Niu, Mengshi Yang, Qianqian Ge, Shenghua Lu, Yu Deng, Hongbin Wu, Bin Zhang, Baiyun Liu
Summary: The study aims to investigate the phagocytosis of synapses by astrocytes in the ipsilateral hippocampus after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Through controlled cortical impact in mice, the researchers found a reduction in excitatory postsynaptic materials in the ipsilateral hippocampus during the subacute stage post-TBI, which was associated with cognitive dysfunction. They also identified phagocytic astrocytes containing secondary lysosomes wrapped around synapses and an increase in the co-location of GFAP and PSD-95, suggesting astrocytic engulfment of synaptic proteins. The study highlighted the role of Megf10 in astrocytic engulfment and its contribution to cognitive dysfunction following severe TBI in the CA1 region of the ipsilateral hippocampus.
CNS NEUROSCIENCE & THERAPEUTICS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Chen Hong, Zhi Wang, Si-li Zheng, Wen-jun Hu, Shu-na Wang, Yan Zhao, Chao-yu Miao
Summary: Aging is a main risk factor for cognitive dysfunction, and Metrnl, a neurotrophic factor, has been found to regulate cognitive functions and hippocampal BDNF levels during the aging process. Metrnl may become a new candidate for the treatment or alleviation of aging-related cognitive dysfunction.
ACTA PHARMACOLOGICA SINICA
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Eda Bozdemir, Fabio A. Vigil, Sang H. Chun, Liliana Espinoza, Vladislav Bugay, Sarah M. Khoury, Deborah M. Holstein, Aiola Stoja, Damian Lozano, Ceyda Tunca, Shane M. Sprague, Jose E. Cavazos, Robert Brenner, Theodore E. Liston, Mark S. Shapiro, James D. Lechleiter
Summary: AST-004, a novel A(3) receptor agonist, increases astrocyte energy production and enhances their neuroprotective efficacy after brain injury.
Article
Neurosciences
Yixing Du, Faith H. Brennan, Phillip G. Popovich, Min Zhou
Summary: This study investigates the role of microglia in regulating the structure and function of astrocytes in the mouse hippocampus, revealing that depletion of microglia disrupts astrocyte syncytial isopotentiality and dye coupling, leading to reduced synaptic transmission in neurons. Activation of microglia enhances synaptic transmission, while leaving astrocyte network function unaffected.
Article
Neurosciences
Jae-Hong Kim, Osung Kwon, Anup Bhusal, Jiyoun Lee, Eun Mi Hwang, Hoon Ryu, Jae-Yong Park, Kyoungho Suk
Summary: This study reports the generation and characterization of conditional transgenic mice for lipocalin-2 (LCN2) expression. By delivering Cre recombinase under the control of a GFAP promoter, targeted overexpression of LCN2 in astrocytes of the hippocampus was achieved. These mice showed neuroinflammation, enhanced glial activation, increased proinflammatory cytokines, and impaired cognitive functions, providing a new in vivo model for neuroinflammation.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Miao Tang, Shuang Zhao, Jia-Xin Liu, Xin Liu, Yue-Xian Guo, Gui-Ying Wang, Xiu-Li Wang
Summary: This study investigates the role of necroptosis in paclitaxel-induced cognitive impairment. The results show that paclitaxel induces necroptosis and leads to cognitive impairment, with microglia polarization playing an important role in the process. Pretreatment with iNOS inhibitor effectively improves cognitive impairment.
PHARMACEUTICAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Romain Tortuyaux, Katia Avila-Gutierrez, Marc Oudart, Noemie Mazare, Philippe Mailly, Jean-Christophe Deschemin, Sophie Vaulont, Carole Escartin, Martine Cohen-Salmon
Summary: Astrocytes play a crucial role in brain iron homeostasis, and the regulation of ferritin mRNA density and distribution in astrocytes contribute to iron homeostasis in physiology and pathophysiology.
JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Y. F. Zhao, A. Verkhratsky, Y. Tang, P. Illes
Summary: Major depressive disorder is a common psychiatric illness that impairs social functioning. Dysfunction of astrocytes and their purinergic signaling have been found to contribute to the pathophysiology of depression.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kirsten Huelskoetter, Fred Luehder, Alexander Fluegel, Vanessa Herder, Wolfgang Baumgaertner
Summary: N/A
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
