Neuronal plasticity,the brain's ability to adapt structurally and functionally,is essential for learning,memory,and recovery from injuries.In neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinso...Neuronal plasticity,the brain's ability to adapt structurally and functionally,is essential for learning,memory,and recovery from injuries.In neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease,this plasticity is disrupted,leading to cognitive and motor deficits.This review explores the mechanisms of neuronal plasticity and its effect on Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.Alzheimer's disease features amyloid-beta plaques and tau tangles that impair synaptic function,while Parkinson's disease involves the loss of dopaminergic neurons affecting motor control.Enhancing neuronal plasticity offers therapeutic potential for these diseases.A systematic literature review was conducted using databases such as PubMed,Scopus,and Google Scholar,focusing on studies of neuronal plasticity in Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.Data synthesis identified key themes such as synaptic mechanisms,neurogenesis,and therapeutic strategies,linking molecular insights to clinical applications.Results highlight that targeting synaptic plasticity mechanisms,such as long-term potentiation and long-term depression,shows promise.Neurotrophic factors,advanced imaging techniques,and molecular tools(e.g.,clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and optogenetics)are crucial in understanding and enhancing plasticity.Current therapies,including dopamine replacement,deep brain stimulation,and lifestyle interventions,demonstrate the potential to alleviate symptoms and improve outcomes.In conclusion,enhancing neuronal plasticity through targeted therapies holds significant promise for treating neurodegenerative diseases.Future research should integrate multidisciplinary approaches to fully harness the therapeutic potential of neuronal plasticity in Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.展开更多
Indicaxanthin is a betalain that is abundant in Opuntia ficus-indica orange fruit and has antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. Nevertheless, very little is known about the neuroprotective potential of indicaxa...Indicaxanthin is a betalain that is abundant in Opuntia ficus-indica orange fruit and has antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. Nevertheless, very little is known about the neuroprotective potential of indicaxanthin. This study investigated the impact of indicaxanthin on neuronal damage and gut microbiota dysbiosis induced by a high-fat diet in mice. The mice were divided into three groups according to different diets: the negative control group was fed a standard diet;the high-fat diet group was fed a high-fat diet;and the high-fat diet + indicaxanthin group was fed a high-fat diet and received indicaxanthin orally(0.86 mg/kg per day) for 4 weeks. Brain apoptosis, redox status, inflammation, and the gut microbiota composition were compared among the different animal groups. The results demonstrated that indicaxanthin treatment reduced neuronal apoptosis by downregulating the expression of proapoptotic genes and increasing the expression of antiapoptotic genes. Indicaxanthin also markedly decreased the expression of neuroinflammatory proteins and genes and inhibited high-fat diet–induced neuronal oxidative stress by reducing reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, malondialdehyde, and nitric oxide levels. In addition, indicaxanthin treatment improved the microflora composition by increasing the abundance of healthy bacterial genera, known as producers of short-chain fatty acids(Lachnospiraceae, Alloprovetella, and Lactobacillus), and by reducing bacteria related to unhealthy profiles(Blautia, Faecalibaculum, Romboutsia and Bilophila). In conclusion, indicaxanthin has a positive effect on high-fat diet–induced neuronal damage and on the gut microbiota composition in obese mice.展开更多
Spinal cord injury(SCI) often results in permanent dysfunction of locomotion,sensation,and autonomic regulation,imposing a substantial burden on both individuals and society(Anjum et al.,2020).SCI has a complex pathop...Spinal cord injury(SCI) often results in permanent dysfunction of locomotion,sensation,and autonomic regulation,imposing a substantial burden on both individuals and society(Anjum et al.,2020).SCI has a complex pathophysiology:an initial primary injury(mechanical trauma,axonal disruption,and hemorrhage) is followed by a progressive secondary injury cascade that involves ischemia,neuronal loss,and inflammation.Given the challenges in achieving regeneration of the injured spinal cord,neuroprotection has been at the forefront of clinical research.展开更多
Aging is considered the main risk factor for the development of several diseases,including the leading neurodegenerative disorders.While the cellular features of aging are complex and multifaceted,neuronal senescence ...Aging is considered the main risk factor for the development of several diseases,including the leading neurodegenerative disorders.While the cellular features of aging are complex and multifaceted,neuronal senescence has emerged as a major contributor and driver of this process in the mammalian cell.Cellular senescence is a programmed response to stress and irreparable damage,which drives the cell into an apoptosis-resistant,non-proliferative state.Senescent cells can also deleteriously affect neighboring,non-senescent cells.Senescence is a complex and multifaceted process associated with a wide range of cellular events,including the secretion of pro-inflammatory molecules and the arrest of the cell cycle.展开更多
Stroke,particularly ischemic stroke,is the leading cause of long-term disability and mortality worldwide.It occurs due to the occlusion of the cerebral arteries,which significantly reduces the delivery of blood,oxygen...Stroke,particularly ischemic stroke,is the leading cause of long-term disability and mortality worldwide.It occurs due to the occlusion of the cerebral arteries,which significantly reduces the delivery of blood,oxygen,and essential nutrients to brain tissues.This deprivation triggers a cascade of cellular events that ultimately leads to neuronal death.Recent studies have clarified the multifactorial pathogenesis of ischemic stroke,highlighting the roles of energy failure,excitotoxicity,oxidative stress,neuroinflammation,and apoptosis.This review aimed to provide a comprehensive insight into the fundamental mechanisms driving neuronal death triggered by ischemia and to examine the progress of neuroprotective therapeutic approaches designed to mitigate neuronal loss and promote neurological recovery after a stroke.Additionally,we explored widely accepted findings regarding the potential pathways implicated in neuronal death during ischemic stroke,including the interplay of apoptosis,autophagy,pyroptosis,ferroptosis,and necrosis,which collectively influence neuronal fate.We also discussed advancements in neuroprotective therapeutics,encompassing a range of interventions from pharmacological modulation to stem cell-based therapies,aimed at reducing neuronal injury and enhancing functional recovery following ischemic stroke.Despite these advancements,challenges remain in translating mechanistic insights into effective clinical therapies.Although neuroprotective strategies have shown promise in preclinical models,their efficacy in human trials has been inconsistent,often due to the complex pathology of ischemic stroke and the timing of interventions.In conclusion,this review synthesizes mechanistic insights into the intricate interplay of molecular and cellular pathways driving neuronal death post-ischemia.It sheds light on cutting-edge advancements in potential neuroprotective therapeutics,underscores the promise of regenerative medicine,and offers a forward-looking perspective on potential clinical breakthroughs.The ongoing evolution of precision-targeted interventions is expected to significantly enhance preventative strategies and improve clinical outcomes.展开更多
Neuronal cell death is a common outcome of multiple pathophysiological processes and a key factor in neurological dysfunction after subarachnoid hemorrhage.Neuronal ferroptosis in particular plays an important role in...Neuronal cell death is a common outcome of multiple pathophysiological processes and a key factor in neurological dysfunction after subarachnoid hemorrhage.Neuronal ferroptosis in particular plays an important role in early brain injury.Bromodomain-containing protein 4,a member of the bromo and extraterminal domain family of proteins,participated in multiple cell death pathways,but the mechanisms by which it regulates ferroptosis remain unclear.The primary aim of this study was to investigate how bromodomain-containing protein 4 affects neuronal ferroptosis following subarachnoid hemorrhage in vivo and in vitro.Our findings revealed that endogenous bromodomain-containing protein 4 co-localized with neurons,and its expression was decreased 48 hours after subarachnoid hemorrhage of the cerebral cortex in vivo.In addition,ferroptosis-related pathways were activated in vivo and in vitro after subarachnoid hemorrhage.Targeted inhibition of bromodomain-containing protein 4 in neurons increased lipid peroxidation and intracellular ferrous iron accumulation via ferritinophagy and ultimately led to neuronal ferroptosis.Using cleavage under targets and tagmentation analysis,we found that bromodomain-containing protein 4 enrichment in the Raf-1 promoter region decreased following oxyhemoglobin stimulation in vitro.Furthermore,treating bromodomain-containing protein 4-knockdown HT-22 cell lines with GW5074,a Raf-1 inhibitor,exacerbated neuronal ferroptosis by suppressing the Raf-1/ERK1/2 signaling pathway.Moreover,targeted inhibition of neuronal bromodomain-containing protein 4 exacerbated early and long-term neurological function deficits after subarachnoid hemorrhage.Our findings suggest that bromodomain-containing protein 4 may have neuroprotective effects after subarachnoid hemorrhage,and that inhibiting ferroptosis could help treat subarachnoid hemorrhage.展开更多
The process of neurite outgrowth and branching is a crucial aspect of neuronal development and regeneration.Axons and dendrites,sometimes referred to as neurites,are extensions of a neuron's cellular body that are...The process of neurite outgrowth and branching is a crucial aspect of neuronal development and regeneration.Axons and dendrites,sometimes referred to as neurites,are extensions of a neuron's cellular body that are used to start networks.Here we explored the effects of diethyl(3,4-dihydroxyphenethylamino)(quinolin-4-yl)methylphosphonate(DDQ)on neurite developmental features in HT22 neuronal cells.In this work,we examined the protective effects of DDQ on neuronal processes and synaptic outgrowth in differentiated HT22cells expressing mutant Tau(mTau)cDNA.To investigate DDQ chara cteristics,cell viability,biochemical,molecular,western blotting,and immunocytochemistry were used.Neurite outgrowth is evaluated through the segmentation and measurement of neural processes.These neural processes can be seen and measured with a fluorescence microscope by manually tracing and measuring the length of the neurite growth.These neuronal processes can be observed and quantified with a fluorescent microscope by manually tracing and measuring the length of the neuronal HT22.DDQ-treated mTau-HT22 cells(HT22 cells transfected with cDNA mutant Tau)were seen to display increased levels of synaptophysin,MAP-2,andβ-tubulin.Additionally,we confirmed and noted reduced levels of both total and p-Tau,as well as elevated levels of microtubule-associated protein 2,β-tubulin,synaptophysin,vesicular acetylcholine transporter,and the mitochondrial biogenesis protein-pe roxisome prolife rator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator-1α.In mTa u-expressed HT22 neurons,we observed DDQ enhanced the neurite characteristics and improved neurite development through increased synaptic outgrowth.Our findings conclude that mTa u-HT22(Alzheimer's disease)cells treated with DDQ have functional neurite developmental chara cteristics.The key finding is that,in mTa u-HT22 cells,DDQ preserves neuronal structure and may even enhance nerve development function with mTa u inhibition.展开更多
Animals exhibit complex responses to external and internal stimuli.The information is computed by interconnected neurons that express numerous ion channels,which modulate the neuronal membrane potential.How can neuron...Animals exhibit complex responses to external and internal stimuli.The information is computed by interconnected neurons that express numerous ion channels,which modulate the neuronal membrane potential.How can neuronal activity orchestrate complex motor patterns or allow learning from previous experience?To answer such questions,we need the ability not only to record,but also to modulate neuronal activity in both space(e.g.,neuronal subsets)and time.展开更多
Sex-specific neurons play pivotal roles in regulating sexually dimorphic behaviors.In insects,the sex determination gene doublesex(dsx)establishes major sexual dimorphism of the nervous system,in which male-specific d...Sex-specific neurons play pivotal roles in regulating sexually dimorphic behaviors.In insects,the sex determination gene doublesex(dsx)establishes major sexual dimorphism of the nervous system,in which male-specific dsx^(M)promotes neuronal development,while female-specific dsx^(F)inhibits neuronal development by promoting neuronal apoptosis.In this study,we find that dsx regulates the number of dsx-expressing central neurons in Drosophila in cell-specific manners.Although dsx^(M)overall promotes an increase in the number of dsx neurons,it inhibits the emergence of specific pC1 neurons.dsx^(F)reduces the number of different pC1/pC2 subtypes,but promotes the formation of pC1d.We also find that dsx^(M)and dsx^(F)barely affect the number of some pC2 neurons.Changes in the number of pC1/pC2 neurons alter their roles in regulating different behaviors,including courtship,aggression,and locomotion.Our results illustrate the multifaceted functions of dsx in sexually dimorphic neuronal development and behaviors.展开更多
Humans and animals have a fundamental ability to use experiences and environmental information to organize behavior.It often happens that humans and animals make decisions and prepare actions under uncertain situation...Humans and animals have a fundamental ability to use experiences and environmental information to organize behavior.It often happens that humans and animals make decisions and prepare actions under uncertain situations.Uncertainty would significantly affect the state of animals’minds,but may not be reflected in behavior.How to“read animals’mind state”under different situations is a challenge.Here,we report that neuronal activity in the medial prefrontal cortex(mPFC)of rats can reflect the environmental uncertainty when the task situation changes from certain to uncertain.Rats were trained to perform behavioral tasks under certain and uncertain situations.Under certain situations,rats were required to simply repeat two nose-poking actions that each triggered short auditory tone feedback(single-task situation).Whereas under the uncertain situation,the feedback could randomly be either the previous tone or a short musical rhythm.No additional action was required upon the music feedback,and the same secondary nose-poking action was required upon the tone feedback(dual-task situation);therefore,the coming task was uncertain before action initiation.We recorded single-unit activity from the mPFC when the rats were performing the tasks.We found that in the dual task,when uncertainty was introduced,many mPFC neurons were actively engaged in dealing with the uncertainty before the task initiation,suggesting that the rats could be aware of the task situation change and encode the information in the mPFC before the action of task initiation.展开更多
BACKGROUND Spinal cord injury(SCI)often results in irreversible neurological deficits;therefore,effective treatment is urgently needed.Neural stem cells(NSCs)have excellent differentiation potential.However,the role o...BACKGROUND Spinal cord injury(SCI)often results in irreversible neurological deficits;therefore,effective treatment is urgently needed.Neural stem cells(NSCs)have excellent differentiation potential.However,the role of the long noncoding RNA X inactive-specific transcript(XIST)in NSCs and SCI remains unclear.AIM To explore the role of XIST in enhancing NSC function and its therapeutic potential in SCI.METHODS We used in vitro and in vivo models to examine the effects of XIST on NSCs.XIST was overexpressed in NSCs,and its impact on mitochondrial function,neuronal differentiation,and the insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA binding protein 2(IGF2BP2)/carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1A(CPT1A)pathway was assessed using a series of biochemical assays,quantitative PCR,and Seahorse XF24 analysis.A mouse model of SCI was used to evaluate the therapeutic effects of XIST in vivo.RESULTS Overexpression of XIST in NSCs significantly increased mitochondrial membrane potential,ATP production,and oxygen consumption rate.XIST also promoted NSC proliferation and neuronal differentiation while inhibiting astrocytic differentiation.Mechanistically,XIST regulated CPT1A expression post-transcriptionally by interacting with IGF2BP2.In vivo XIST-treated mice exhibited improved motor scores and reduced proinflammatory cytokine expression following SCI.CONCLUSIONThese findings suggested that XIST modulated mitochondrial function and neural differentiation in NSCs throughthe IGF2BP2/CPT1A pathway. While preliminary in vivo results are encouraging, further studies are needed todetermine the long-term therapeutic relevance and underlying mechanisms of XIST in SCI recovery.展开更多
Alzheimer’s disease(AD)is a neurodegenerative disease causing the most frequent form of dementia in old age.AD etiology is still uncertain and deposition of abnormal proteins in the brain along with chronic neuroinfl...Alzheimer’s disease(AD)is a neurodegenerative disease causing the most frequent form of dementia in old age.AD etiology is still uncertain and deposition of abnormal proteins in the brain along with chronic neuroinflammation have been suggested as pathogenic mechanisms of neuronal death.Infections by exogenous neurotropic virus,endogenous retrovirus reactivation,infections by other microbes,and air pollutants may either induce neurodegeneration or activate brain inflammation.Up to 8%of the human genome has a retroviral origin.These ancient retroviruses,also called human endogenous retroviruses,are associated with a clinical history of several neurodegenerative diseases.Under persistent stress,such as chronic infections and inflammation,neurons,and microglia cells may enter a state of division inactivation called cell senescence.Senescent cells are resistant to apoptosis and can release pro-inflammatory molecules promoting the functional decline of tissues and organs and also activate silent viruses.Infections andmutations induced by pollutants can lead to the expression of different endogenous retroviruses,which may contribute to several different diseases,including AD-associated neurodegeneration.Here I discuss that infection by exogenous pathogen,activation of endogenous retrovirus or retrotransposons and pollutants might induce neuronal senescence and cause persistent brain neurodegeneration.Therefore,cell senescence appears to be an emerging mechanism that might contribute to AD neurodegeneration.Finally,treatment of AD patients with senolytic drugs,e.g.,compounds able to kill senescent cells,might show a positive effect on AD progression.展开更多
A traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)monomer is a bioactive compound extracted from Chinese herbal medicines possessing determined biological activity and pharmacological effects,and has gained much attention for treati...A traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)monomer is a bioactive compound extracted from Chinese herbal medicines possessing determined biological activity and pharmacological effects,and has gained much attention for treating neuronal diseases.However,the application of TCM monomers is limited by their low solubility and poor ability to cross the blood-brain barrier(BBB).Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles(EVs)ranging in size from 30 to 150 nm in diameter and can be used as drug delivery carriers that directly target cells or tissues with unique advantages,including low toxicity,low immunogenicity,high stability in blood,and the ability to cross the BBB.This review discusses the biogenesis,components,stability,surface modification,isolation technology,advantages,and disadvantages of exosomes as drug carriers and compares exosomes and other similar drug delivery systems.Furthermore,exosome-encapsulated TCM monomers exert neuroprotective roles,such as anti-inflammation,anti-apoptosis,anti-mitophagy,and anti-oxidation,in various neuronal diseases,including Alzheimer's disease(AD),Parkinson's disease(PD),multiple sclerosis(MS),and cerebral ischemia and reperfusion(CI/R)injury,as well as anti-drug resistance,anti-tumorigenesis,anti-angiogenesis,and promotion of apoptosis in brain tumors,providing more inspiration to promote the development of an exosome-based delivery tool in targeted therapy for neuronal diseases.展开更多
BACKGROUND Spinal cord injury(SCI)is a severe and permanent trauma that often leads to significant motor,sensory,and autonomic dysfunction.Neuronal apoptosis is a major pathomechanism underlying secondary injury in SC...BACKGROUND Spinal cord injury(SCI)is a severe and permanent trauma that often leads to significant motor,sensory,and autonomic dysfunction.Neuronal apoptosis is a major pathomechanism underlying secondary injury in SCI.Long non-coding RNAs(lncRNAs)have emerged as key regulators of gene expression and cellular processes,including apoptosis.However,the role of lncRNA growth arrest-specific transcript 5(GAS5)in SCI-induced neuronal apoptosis remains unclear.AIM To investigate the role of lncRNA GAS5 in SCI-induced neuronal apoptosis via its interaction with microRNA(miR)-21 and the phosphatase and tensin homolog(PTEN)/AKT pathway.METHODS SCI rat models and hypoxic neuronal cell models were established.Motor function was assessed using the Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan score.Expression levels of GAS5,miR-21,PTEN,caspase 3,B-cell lymphoma 2(Bcl-2),Bcl-2-associated X protein(Bax),and AKT were measured using quantitative PCR or Western blot analysis.Neuronal apoptosis was determined by TUNEL staining.Dual-luciferase reporter assays validated GAS5-miR-21 binding.Knockdown and overexpression experiments explored the functional effects of the GAS5/miR-21 axis.RESULTS GAS5 was significantly upregulated in the spinal cord following SCI,coinciding with increased neuronal apoptosis and decreased AKT activation.In vitro experiments demonstrated that GAS5 acted as a molecular sponge for miR-21,leading to increased PTEN expression and inhibition of the AKT signaling pathway,thereby promoting apoptosis.In vivo,GAS5 knockdown attenuated neuronal apoptosis,enhanced AKT activation,and improved motor function recovery in SCI rats.CONCLUSION GAS5 promotes neuronal apoptosis in SCI by binding to miR-21 and upregulating PTEN expression,inhibiting the AKT pathway.Targeting GAS5 may represent a novel therapeutic strategy for SCI.展开更多
Deep learning networks are increasingly exploited in the field of neuronal soma segmentation.However,annotating dataset is also an expensive and time-consuming task.Unsupervised domain adaptation is an effective metho...Deep learning networks are increasingly exploited in the field of neuronal soma segmentation.However,annotating dataset is also an expensive and time-consuming task.Unsupervised domain adaptation is an effective method to mitigate the problem,which is able to learn an adaptive segmentation model by transferring knowledge from a rich-labeled source domain.In this paper,we propose a multi-level distribution alignment-based unsupervised domain adaptation network(MDA-Net)for segmentation of 3D neuronal soma images.Distribution alignment is performed in both feature space and output space.In the feature space,features from different scales are adaptively fused to enhance the feature extraction capability for small target somata and con-strained to be domain invariant by adversarial adaptation strategy.In the output space,local discrepancy maps that can reveal the spatial structures of somata are constructed on the predicted segmentation results.Then thedistribution alignment is performed on the local discrepancies maps across domains to obtain a superior discrepancy map in the target domain,achieving refined segmentation performance of neuronal somata.Additionally,after a period of distribution align-ment procedure,a portion of target samples with high confident pseudo-labels are selected as training data,which assist in learning a more adaptive segmentation network.We verified the superiority of the proposed algorithm by comparing several domain adaptation networks on two 3D mouse brain neuronal somata datasets and one macaque brain neuronal soma dataset.展开更多
Neuronal soma segmentation plays a crucial role in neuroscience applications.However,the fine structure,such as boundaries,small-volume neuronal somata and fibers,are commonly present in cell images,which pose a chall...Neuronal soma segmentation plays a crucial role in neuroscience applications.However,the fine structure,such as boundaries,small-volume neuronal somata and fibers,are commonly present in cell images,which pose a challenge for accurate segmentation.In this paper,we propose a 3D semantic segmentation network for neuronal soma segmentation to address this issue.Using an encoding-decoding structure,we introduce a Multi-Scale feature extraction and Adaptive Weighting fusion module(MSAW)after each encoding block.The MSAW module can not only emphasize the fine structures via an upsampling strategy,but also provide pixel-wise weights to measure the importance of the multi-scale features.Additionally,a dynamic convolution instead of normal convolution is employed to better adapt the network to input data with different distributions.The proposed MSAW-based semantic segmentation network(MSAW-Net)was evaluated on three neuronal soma images from mouse brain and one neuronal soma image from macaque brain,demonstrating the efficiency of the proposed method.It achieved an F1 score of 91.8%on Fezf2-2A-CreER dataset,97.1%on LSL-H2B-GFP dataset,82.8%on Thy1-EGFP-Mline dataset,and 86.9%on macaque dataset,achieving improvements over the 3D U-Net model by 3.1%,3.3%,3.9%,and 2.3%,respectively.展开更多
Mitochondria play a crucial role in the physiological functions and energy metabolism of neurons,which can help in the understanding of complex biochemical reactions associated with various neurodegenerative diseases....Mitochondria play a crucial role in the physiological functions and energy metabolism of neurons,which can help in the understanding of complex biochemical reactions associated with various neurodegenerative diseases.Neurons,being highly differentiated terminal cells,require a greater number of mitochondria than ordinary cells to generate significant amounts of ATP,which is necessary for the growth of differentiated neuronal structures like axons and dendrites and the transmission of electrical signals along neuronal axons.Advancements in imaging technology,electrophysiology,and fluorescence targeting labeling have facilitated the study of mitochondrial movements in neurons and axons.However,disordered mitochondrial movements can hinder their analysis and characterization.Thus,it becomes necessary to artificially control their transport.Here,we demonstrate the utilization of scanning optical tweezers(SOTs)on the stable trapping and precise transport of soma or axon of neurons and enable.The presented method provides an optical approach to the control of mitochondria or other organelles in complex and variable biological environment.展开更多
Parkinson's disease is primarily caused by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra compacta.Ferroptosis,a novel form of regulated cell death characterized by iron accumulation and lipid peroxidati...Parkinson's disease is primarily caused by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra compacta.Ferroptosis,a novel form of regulated cell death characterized by iron accumulation and lipid peroxidation,plays a vital role in the death of dopaminergic neurons.However,the molecular mechanisms underlying ferroptosis in dopaminergic neurons have not yet been completely elucidated.NADPH oxidase 4 is related to oxidative stress,however,whether it regulates dopaminergic neuronal ferroptosis remains unknown.The aim of this study was to determine whether NADPH oxidase 4 is involved in dopaminergic neuronal ferroptosis,and if so,by what mechanism.We found that the transcriptional regulator activating transcription factor 3 increased NADPH oxidase 4 expression in dopaminergic neurons and astrocytes in an 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6 tetrahydropyridine-induced Parkinson's disease model.NADPH oxidase 4 inhibition improved the behavioral impairments observed in the Parkinson's disease model animals and reduced the death of dopaminergic neurons.Moreover,NADPH oxidase 4 inhibition reduced lipid peroxidation and iron accumulation in the substantia nigra of the Parkinson's disease model animals.Mechanistically,we found that NADPH oxidase 4 interacted with activated protein kinase Cαto prevent ferroptosis of dopaminergic neurons.Furthermore,by lowering the astrocytic lipocalin-2 expression,NADPH oxidase 4 inhibition reduced 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6 tetrahydropyridine-induced neuroinflammation.These findings demonstrate that NADPH oxidase 4 promotes ferroptosis of dopaminergic neurons and neuroinflammation,which contribute to dopaminergic neuron death,suggesting that NADPH oxidase 4 is a possible therapeutic target for Parkinson's disease.展开更多
In the face of constantly changing environments,the central nervous system(CNS)rapidly and accurately calculates the body's needs,regulates feeding behavior,and maintains energy homeostasis.The arcuate nucleus of ...In the face of constantly changing environments,the central nervous system(CNS)rapidly and accurately calculates the body's needs,regulates feeding behavior,and maintains energy homeostasis.The arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus(ARC)plays a key role in this process,serv-ing as a critical brain region for detecting nutrition-related hormones and regulating appetite and energy homeostasis.Agouti-related protein(AgRP)/neuropeptide Y(NPY)neu-rons in the ARC are core elements that interact with other brain regions through a complex appetite-regulating network to comprehensively control energy homeostasis.In this review,we explore the discovery and research progress of AgRP neurons in regulating feeding and energy metabolism.In addition,recent advances in terms of feeding behavior and energy homeostasis,along with the redundant neural mecha-nisms involved in energy metabolism,are discussed.Finally,the challenges and opportunities in the field of neural regula-tion of feeding and energy metabolism are briefly discussed.展开更多
Alzheimer's disease is characterized by deposition of amyloid-β,which forms extracellular neuritic plaques,and accumulation of hyperphosphorylated tau,which aggregates to form intraneuronal neurofibrillary tangle...Alzheimer's disease is characterized by deposition of amyloid-β,which forms extracellular neuritic plaques,and accumulation of hyperphosphorylated tau,which aggregates to form intraneuronal neurofibrillary tangles,in the brain.The NLRP3 inflammasome may play a role in the transition from amyloid-βdeposition to tau phosphorylation and aggregation.Because NLRP3 is primarily found in brain microglia,and tau is predominantly located in neurons,it has been suggested that NLRP3 expressed by microglia indirectly triggers tau phosphorylation by upregulating the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines.Here,we found that neurons also express NLRP3 in vitro and in vivo,and that neuronal NLRP3 regulates tau phosphorylation.Using biochemical methods,we mapped the minimal NLRP3 promoter and identified FUBP3 as a transcription factor regulating NLRP3 expression in neurons.In primary neurons and the neuroblastoma cell line Neuro2A,FUBP3 is required for endogenous NLRP3 expression and tau phosphorylation only when amyloid-βis present.In the brains of aged wild-type mice and a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease,FUBP3 expression was markedly increased in cortical neurons.Transcriptome analysis suggested that FUBP3 plays a role in neuron-mediated immune responses.We also found that FUBP3 trimmed the 5′end of DNA fragments that it bound,implying that FUBP3 functions in stress-induced responses.These findings suggest that neuronal NLRP3 may be more directly involved in the amyloid-β-to–phospho-tau transition than microglial NLRP3,and that amyloid-βfundamentally alters the regulatory mechanism of NLRP3 expression in neurons.Given that FUBP3 was only expressed at low levels in young wild-type mice and was strongly upregulated in the brains of aged mice and Alzheimer's disease mice,FUBP3 could be a safe therapeutic target for preventing Alzheimer's disease progression.展开更多
基金financially supported by King Abdulaziz University,Deanship of Scientific Research(DSR)。
文摘Neuronal plasticity,the brain's ability to adapt structurally and functionally,is essential for learning,memory,and recovery from injuries.In neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease,this plasticity is disrupted,leading to cognitive and motor deficits.This review explores the mechanisms of neuronal plasticity and its effect on Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.Alzheimer's disease features amyloid-beta plaques and tau tangles that impair synaptic function,while Parkinson's disease involves the loss of dopaminergic neurons affecting motor control.Enhancing neuronal plasticity offers therapeutic potential for these diseases.A systematic literature review was conducted using databases such as PubMed,Scopus,and Google Scholar,focusing on studies of neuronal plasticity in Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.Data synthesis identified key themes such as synaptic mechanisms,neurogenesis,and therapeutic strategies,linking molecular insights to clinical applications.Results highlight that targeting synaptic plasticity mechanisms,such as long-term potentiation and long-term depression,shows promise.Neurotrophic factors,advanced imaging techniques,and molecular tools(e.g.,clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and optogenetics)are crucial in understanding and enhancing plasticity.Current therapies,including dopamine replacement,deep brain stimulation,and lifestyle interventions,demonstrate the potential to alleviate symptoms and improve outcomes.In conclusion,enhancing neuronal plasticity through targeted therapies holds significant promise for treating neurodegenerative diseases.Future research should integrate multidisciplinary approaches to fully harness the therapeutic potential of neuronal plasticity in Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.
基金funding from the European Union -NextGenerationEU through the Italian Ministry of University and Research under PRIN PNRR REG D.R.1718-2022– Project number PRJ-1575 INDICA。
文摘Indicaxanthin is a betalain that is abundant in Opuntia ficus-indica orange fruit and has antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. Nevertheless, very little is known about the neuroprotective potential of indicaxanthin. This study investigated the impact of indicaxanthin on neuronal damage and gut microbiota dysbiosis induced by a high-fat diet in mice. The mice were divided into three groups according to different diets: the negative control group was fed a standard diet;the high-fat diet group was fed a high-fat diet;and the high-fat diet + indicaxanthin group was fed a high-fat diet and received indicaxanthin orally(0.86 mg/kg per day) for 4 weeks. Brain apoptosis, redox status, inflammation, and the gut microbiota composition were compared among the different animal groups. The results demonstrated that indicaxanthin treatment reduced neuronal apoptosis by downregulating the expression of proapoptotic genes and increasing the expression of antiapoptotic genes. Indicaxanthin also markedly decreased the expression of neuroinflammatory proteins and genes and inhibited high-fat diet–induced neuronal oxidative stress by reducing reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, malondialdehyde, and nitric oxide levels. In addition, indicaxanthin treatment improved the microflora composition by increasing the abundance of healthy bacterial genera, known as producers of short-chain fatty acids(Lachnospiraceae, Alloprovetella, and Lactobacillus), and by reducing bacteria related to unhealthy profiles(Blautia, Faecalibaculum, Romboutsia and Bilophila). In conclusion, indicaxanthin has a positive effect on high-fat diet–induced neuronal damage and on the gut microbiota composition in obese mice.
文摘Spinal cord injury(SCI) often results in permanent dysfunction of locomotion,sensation,and autonomic regulation,imposing a substantial burden on both individuals and society(Anjum et al.,2020).SCI has a complex pathophysiology:an initial primary injury(mechanical trauma,axonal disruption,and hemorrhage) is followed by a progressive secondary injury cascade that involves ischemia,neuronal loss,and inflammation.Given the challenges in achieving regeneration of the injured spinal cord,neuroprotection has been at the forefront of clinical research.
文摘Aging is considered the main risk factor for the development of several diseases,including the leading neurodegenerative disorders.While the cellular features of aging are complex and multifaceted,neuronal senescence has emerged as a major contributor and driver of this process in the mammalian cell.Cellular senescence is a programmed response to stress and irreparable damage,which drives the cell into an apoptosis-resistant,non-proliferative state.Senescent cells can also deleteriously affect neighboring,non-senescent cells.Senescence is a complex and multifaceted process associated with a wide range of cellular events,including the secretion of pro-inflammatory molecules and the arrest of the cell cycle.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,Nos.82171387 and 31830111(both to SL).
文摘Stroke,particularly ischemic stroke,is the leading cause of long-term disability and mortality worldwide.It occurs due to the occlusion of the cerebral arteries,which significantly reduces the delivery of blood,oxygen,and essential nutrients to brain tissues.This deprivation triggers a cascade of cellular events that ultimately leads to neuronal death.Recent studies have clarified the multifactorial pathogenesis of ischemic stroke,highlighting the roles of energy failure,excitotoxicity,oxidative stress,neuroinflammation,and apoptosis.This review aimed to provide a comprehensive insight into the fundamental mechanisms driving neuronal death triggered by ischemia and to examine the progress of neuroprotective therapeutic approaches designed to mitigate neuronal loss and promote neurological recovery after a stroke.Additionally,we explored widely accepted findings regarding the potential pathways implicated in neuronal death during ischemic stroke,including the interplay of apoptosis,autophagy,pyroptosis,ferroptosis,and necrosis,which collectively influence neuronal fate.We also discussed advancements in neuroprotective therapeutics,encompassing a range of interventions from pharmacological modulation to stem cell-based therapies,aimed at reducing neuronal injury and enhancing functional recovery following ischemic stroke.Despite these advancements,challenges remain in translating mechanistic insights into effective clinical therapies.Although neuroprotective strategies have shown promise in preclinical models,their efficacy in human trials has been inconsistent,often due to the complex pathology of ischemic stroke and the timing of interventions.In conclusion,this review synthesizes mechanistic insights into the intricate interplay of molecular and cellular pathways driving neuronal death post-ischemia.It sheds light on cutting-edge advancements in potential neuroprotective therapeutics,underscores the promise of regenerative medicine,and offers a forward-looking perspective on potential clinical breakthroughs.The ongoing evolution of precision-targeted interventions is expected to significantly enhance preventative strategies and improve clinical outcomes.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,Nos.82371310(to YJ),82271306(to JP)the Sichuan Science and Technology Support Program,Nos.2023YFH0069(to JP),2023NSFSC0028(to YJ),2023NSFSC1559(to YJ),2022YFS0615(to JP),2022NSFSC1421(to JP)+1 种基金Scientific Research Project of Sichuan Provincial Health Commission,No.23LCYJ040(to YJ)Youth Foundation of Southwestern Medical University and Southwest Medical University Project,Nos.2020ZRQNA038(to JP),2021ZKZD013(to JP),2021LZXNYD-P01(to YJ),2023QN014(to JP).
文摘Neuronal cell death is a common outcome of multiple pathophysiological processes and a key factor in neurological dysfunction after subarachnoid hemorrhage.Neuronal ferroptosis in particular plays an important role in early brain injury.Bromodomain-containing protein 4,a member of the bromo and extraterminal domain family of proteins,participated in multiple cell death pathways,but the mechanisms by which it regulates ferroptosis remain unclear.The primary aim of this study was to investigate how bromodomain-containing protein 4 affects neuronal ferroptosis following subarachnoid hemorrhage in vivo and in vitro.Our findings revealed that endogenous bromodomain-containing protein 4 co-localized with neurons,and its expression was decreased 48 hours after subarachnoid hemorrhage of the cerebral cortex in vivo.In addition,ferroptosis-related pathways were activated in vivo and in vitro after subarachnoid hemorrhage.Targeted inhibition of bromodomain-containing protein 4 in neurons increased lipid peroxidation and intracellular ferrous iron accumulation via ferritinophagy and ultimately led to neuronal ferroptosis.Using cleavage under targets and tagmentation analysis,we found that bromodomain-containing protein 4 enrichment in the Raf-1 promoter region decreased following oxyhemoglobin stimulation in vitro.Furthermore,treating bromodomain-containing protein 4-knockdown HT-22 cell lines with GW5074,a Raf-1 inhibitor,exacerbated neuronal ferroptosis by suppressing the Raf-1/ERK1/2 signaling pathway.Moreover,targeted inhibition of neuronal bromodomain-containing protein 4 exacerbated early and long-term neurological function deficits after subarachnoid hemorrhage.Our findings suggest that bromodomain-containing protein 4 may have neuroprotective effects after subarachnoid hemorrhage,and that inhibiting ferroptosis could help treat subarachnoid hemorrhage.
基金supported by NIH grants AG079264(to PHR)and AG071560(to APR)。
文摘The process of neurite outgrowth and branching is a crucial aspect of neuronal development and regeneration.Axons and dendrites,sometimes referred to as neurites,are extensions of a neuron's cellular body that are used to start networks.Here we explored the effects of diethyl(3,4-dihydroxyphenethylamino)(quinolin-4-yl)methylphosphonate(DDQ)on neurite developmental features in HT22 neuronal cells.In this work,we examined the protective effects of DDQ on neuronal processes and synaptic outgrowth in differentiated HT22cells expressing mutant Tau(mTau)cDNA.To investigate DDQ chara cteristics,cell viability,biochemical,molecular,western blotting,and immunocytochemistry were used.Neurite outgrowth is evaluated through the segmentation and measurement of neural processes.These neural processes can be seen and measured with a fluorescence microscope by manually tracing and measuring the length of the neurite growth.These neuronal processes can be observed and quantified with a fluorescent microscope by manually tracing and measuring the length of the neuronal HT22.DDQ-treated mTau-HT22 cells(HT22 cells transfected with cDNA mutant Tau)were seen to display increased levels of synaptophysin,MAP-2,andβ-tubulin.Additionally,we confirmed and noted reduced levels of both total and p-Tau,as well as elevated levels of microtubule-associated protein 2,β-tubulin,synaptophysin,vesicular acetylcholine transporter,and the mitochondrial biogenesis protein-pe roxisome prolife rator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator-1α.In mTa u-expressed HT22 neurons,we observed DDQ enhanced the neurite characteristics and improved neurite development through increased synaptic outgrowth.Our findings conclude that mTa u-HT22(Alzheimer's disease)cells treated with DDQ have functional neurite developmental chara cteristics.The key finding is that,in mTa u-HT22 cells,DDQ preserves neuronal structure and may even enhance nerve development function with mTa u inhibition.
文摘Animals exhibit complex responses to external and internal stimuli.The information is computed by interconnected neurons that express numerous ion channels,which modulate the neuronal membrane potential.How can neuronal activity orchestrate complex motor patterns or allow learning from previous experience?To answer such questions,we need the ability not only to record,but also to modulate neuronal activity in both space(e.g.,neuronal subsets)and time.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(2021YFA1101300)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32371067 to Y.P.)+1 种基金the Natural Science Foundation from Jiangsu Province(BK20231418 to Q.P.)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(2242023R40054 to Q.P.).
文摘Sex-specific neurons play pivotal roles in regulating sexually dimorphic behaviors.In insects,the sex determination gene doublesex(dsx)establishes major sexual dimorphism of the nervous system,in which male-specific dsx^(M)promotes neuronal development,while female-specific dsx^(F)inhibits neuronal development by promoting neuronal apoptosis.In this study,we find that dsx regulates the number of dsx-expressing central neurons in Drosophila in cell-specific manners.Although dsx^(M)overall promotes an increase in the number of dsx neurons,it inhibits the emergence of specific pC1 neurons.dsx^(F)reduces the number of different pC1/pC2 subtypes,but promotes the formation of pC1d.We also find that dsx^(M)and dsx^(F)barely affect the number of some pC2 neurons.Changes in the number of pC1/pC2 neurons alter their roles in regulating different behaviors,including courtship,aggression,and locomotion.Our results illustrate the multifaceted functions of dsx in sexually dimorphic neuronal development and behaviors.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32060199,32360197,31971035,and 31771182)the Jiangxi Province Natural Science Foundation(20224ACB206016).
文摘Humans and animals have a fundamental ability to use experiences and environmental information to organize behavior.It often happens that humans and animals make decisions and prepare actions under uncertain situations.Uncertainty would significantly affect the state of animals’minds,but may not be reflected in behavior.How to“read animals’mind state”under different situations is a challenge.Here,we report that neuronal activity in the medial prefrontal cortex(mPFC)of rats can reflect the environmental uncertainty when the task situation changes from certain to uncertain.Rats were trained to perform behavioral tasks under certain and uncertain situations.Under certain situations,rats were required to simply repeat two nose-poking actions that each triggered short auditory tone feedback(single-task situation).Whereas under the uncertain situation,the feedback could randomly be either the previous tone or a short musical rhythm.No additional action was required upon the music feedback,and the same secondary nose-poking action was required upon the tone feedback(dual-task situation);therefore,the coming task was uncertain before action initiation.We recorded single-unit activity from the mPFC when the rats were performing the tasks.We found that in the dual task,when uncertainty was introduced,many mPFC neurons were actively engaged in dealing with the uncertainty before the task initiation,suggesting that the rats could be aware of the task situation change and encode the information in the mPFC before the action of task initiation.
文摘BACKGROUND Spinal cord injury(SCI)often results in irreversible neurological deficits;therefore,effective treatment is urgently needed.Neural stem cells(NSCs)have excellent differentiation potential.However,the role of the long noncoding RNA X inactive-specific transcript(XIST)in NSCs and SCI remains unclear.AIM To explore the role of XIST in enhancing NSC function and its therapeutic potential in SCI.METHODS We used in vitro and in vivo models to examine the effects of XIST on NSCs.XIST was overexpressed in NSCs,and its impact on mitochondrial function,neuronal differentiation,and the insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA binding protein 2(IGF2BP2)/carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1A(CPT1A)pathway was assessed using a series of biochemical assays,quantitative PCR,and Seahorse XF24 analysis.A mouse model of SCI was used to evaluate the therapeutic effects of XIST in vivo.RESULTS Overexpression of XIST in NSCs significantly increased mitochondrial membrane potential,ATP production,and oxygen consumption rate.XIST also promoted NSC proliferation and neuronal differentiation while inhibiting astrocytic differentiation.Mechanistically,XIST regulated CPT1A expression post-transcriptionally by interacting with IGF2BP2.In vivo XIST-treated mice exhibited improved motor scores and reduced proinflammatory cytokine expression following SCI.CONCLUSIONThese findings suggested that XIST modulated mitochondrial function and neural differentiation in NSCs throughthe IGF2BP2/CPT1A pathway. While preliminary in vivo results are encouraging, further studies are needed todetermine the long-term therapeutic relevance and underlying mechanisms of XIST in SCI recovery.
文摘Alzheimer’s disease(AD)is a neurodegenerative disease causing the most frequent form of dementia in old age.AD etiology is still uncertain and deposition of abnormal proteins in the brain along with chronic neuroinflammation have been suggested as pathogenic mechanisms of neuronal death.Infections by exogenous neurotropic virus,endogenous retrovirus reactivation,infections by other microbes,and air pollutants may either induce neurodegeneration or activate brain inflammation.Up to 8%of the human genome has a retroviral origin.These ancient retroviruses,also called human endogenous retroviruses,are associated with a clinical history of several neurodegenerative diseases.Under persistent stress,such as chronic infections and inflammation,neurons,and microglia cells may enter a state of division inactivation called cell senescence.Senescent cells are resistant to apoptosis and can release pro-inflammatory molecules promoting the functional decline of tissues and organs and also activate silent viruses.Infections andmutations induced by pollutants can lead to the expression of different endogenous retroviruses,which may contribute to several different diseases,including AD-associated neurodegeneration.Here I discuss that infection by exogenous pathogen,activation of endogenous retrovirus or retrotransposons and pollutants might induce neuronal senescence and cause persistent brain neurodegeneration.Therefore,cell senescence appears to be an emerging mechanism that might contribute to AD neurodegeneration.Finally,treatment of AD patients with senolytic drugs,e.g.,compounds able to kill senescent cells,might show a positive effect on AD progression.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.:31900694).
文摘A traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)monomer is a bioactive compound extracted from Chinese herbal medicines possessing determined biological activity and pharmacological effects,and has gained much attention for treating neuronal diseases.However,the application of TCM monomers is limited by their low solubility and poor ability to cross the blood-brain barrier(BBB).Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles(EVs)ranging in size from 30 to 150 nm in diameter and can be used as drug delivery carriers that directly target cells or tissues with unique advantages,including low toxicity,low immunogenicity,high stability in blood,and the ability to cross the BBB.This review discusses the biogenesis,components,stability,surface modification,isolation technology,advantages,and disadvantages of exosomes as drug carriers and compares exosomes and other similar drug delivery systems.Furthermore,exosome-encapsulated TCM monomers exert neuroprotective roles,such as anti-inflammation,anti-apoptosis,anti-mitophagy,and anti-oxidation,in various neuronal diseases,including Alzheimer's disease(AD),Parkinson's disease(PD),multiple sclerosis(MS),and cerebral ischemia and reperfusion(CI/R)injury,as well as anti-drug resistance,anti-tumorigenesis,anti-angiogenesis,and promotion of apoptosis in brain tumors,providing more inspiration to promote the development of an exosome-based delivery tool in targeted therapy for neuronal diseases.
基金Supported by the Major Research Plan from the Health Commission of Hongkou District,No.2001-03Academic Subject Boosting Plan in the Shanghai Fourth People’s Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine Shanghai,No.SY-XKZT-2020-1003.
文摘BACKGROUND Spinal cord injury(SCI)is a severe and permanent trauma that often leads to significant motor,sensory,and autonomic dysfunction.Neuronal apoptosis is a major pathomechanism underlying secondary injury in SCI.Long non-coding RNAs(lncRNAs)have emerged as key regulators of gene expression and cellular processes,including apoptosis.However,the role of lncRNA growth arrest-specific transcript 5(GAS5)in SCI-induced neuronal apoptosis remains unclear.AIM To investigate the role of lncRNA GAS5 in SCI-induced neuronal apoptosis via its interaction with microRNA(miR)-21 and the phosphatase and tensin homolog(PTEN)/AKT pathway.METHODS SCI rat models and hypoxic neuronal cell models were established.Motor function was assessed using the Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan score.Expression levels of GAS5,miR-21,PTEN,caspase 3,B-cell lymphoma 2(Bcl-2),Bcl-2-associated X protein(Bax),and AKT were measured using quantitative PCR or Western blot analysis.Neuronal apoptosis was determined by TUNEL staining.Dual-luciferase reporter assays validated GAS5-miR-21 binding.Knockdown and overexpression experiments explored the functional effects of the GAS5/miR-21 axis.RESULTS GAS5 was significantly upregulated in the spinal cord following SCI,coinciding with increased neuronal apoptosis and decreased AKT activation.In vitro experiments demonstrated that GAS5 acted as a molecular sponge for miR-21,leading to increased PTEN expression and inhibition of the AKT signaling pathway,thereby promoting apoptosis.In vivo,GAS5 knockdown attenuated neuronal apoptosis,enhanced AKT activation,and improved motor function recovery in SCI rats.CONCLUSION GAS5 promotes neuronal apoptosis in SCI by binding to miR-21 and upregulating PTEN expression,inhibiting the AKT pathway.Targeting GAS5 may represent a novel therapeutic strategy for SCI.
基金supported by the Fund of Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Hainan Province(No.BME20240001)the STI2030-Major Projects(No.2021ZD0200104)the National Natural Science Foundations of China under Grant 61771437.
文摘Deep learning networks are increasingly exploited in the field of neuronal soma segmentation.However,annotating dataset is also an expensive and time-consuming task.Unsupervised domain adaptation is an effective method to mitigate the problem,which is able to learn an adaptive segmentation model by transferring knowledge from a rich-labeled source domain.In this paper,we propose a multi-level distribution alignment-based unsupervised domain adaptation network(MDA-Net)for segmentation of 3D neuronal soma images.Distribution alignment is performed in both feature space and output space.In the feature space,features from different scales are adaptively fused to enhance the feature extraction capability for small target somata and con-strained to be domain invariant by adversarial adaptation strategy.In the output space,local discrepancy maps that can reveal the spatial structures of somata are constructed on the predicted segmentation results.Then thedistribution alignment is performed on the local discrepancies maps across domains to obtain a superior discrepancy map in the target domain,achieving refined segmentation performance of neuronal somata.Additionally,after a period of distribution align-ment procedure,a portion of target samples with high confident pseudo-labels are selected as training data,which assist in learning a more adaptive segmentation network.We verified the superiority of the proposed algorithm by comparing several domain adaptation networks on two 3D mouse brain neuronal somata datasets and one macaque brain neuronal soma dataset.
基金supported by the STI2030-Major-Projects(No.2021ZD0200104)the National Natural Science Foundations of China under Grant 61771437.
文摘Neuronal soma segmentation plays a crucial role in neuroscience applications.However,the fine structure,such as boundaries,small-volume neuronal somata and fibers,are commonly present in cell images,which pose a challenge for accurate segmentation.In this paper,we propose a 3D semantic segmentation network for neuronal soma segmentation to address this issue.Using an encoding-decoding structure,we introduce a Multi-Scale feature extraction and Adaptive Weighting fusion module(MSAW)after each encoding block.The MSAW module can not only emphasize the fine structures via an upsampling strategy,but also provide pixel-wise weights to measure the importance of the multi-scale features.Additionally,a dynamic convolution instead of normal convolution is employed to better adapt the network to input data with different distributions.The proposed MSAW-based semantic segmentation network(MSAW-Net)was evaluated on three neuronal soma images from mouse brain and one neuronal soma image from macaque brain,demonstrating the efficiency of the proposed method.It achieved an F1 score of 91.8%on Fezf2-2A-CreER dataset,97.1%on LSL-H2B-GFP dataset,82.8%on Thy1-EGFP-Mline dataset,and 86.9%on macaque dataset,achieving improvements over the 3D U-Net model by 3.1%,3.3%,3.9%,and 2.3%,respectively.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.62135005)National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2022YFA1206300)+4 种基金Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation(No.2021B1515020046)the Open Project Program of Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics(No.2020WNLOKF021)China National Postdoctoral Program for Innovative Talents(No.BX20220133)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(No.2022M721342)the Outstanding Innovative Talents Cultivation Funded Programs for Doctoral Students of Jinan University(No.2022CXB012)。
文摘Mitochondria play a crucial role in the physiological functions and energy metabolism of neurons,which can help in the understanding of complex biochemical reactions associated with various neurodegenerative diseases.Neurons,being highly differentiated terminal cells,require a greater number of mitochondria than ordinary cells to generate significant amounts of ATP,which is necessary for the growth of differentiated neuronal structures like axons and dendrites and the transmission of electrical signals along neuronal axons.Advancements in imaging technology,electrophysiology,and fluorescence targeting labeling have facilitated the study of mitochondrial movements in neurons and axons.However,disordered mitochondrial movements can hinder their analysis and characterization.Thus,it becomes necessary to artificially control their transport.Here,we demonstrate the utilization of scanning optical tweezers(SOTs)on the stable trapping and precise transport of soma or axon of neurons and enable.The presented method provides an optical approach to the control of mitochondria or other organelles in complex and variable biological environment.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,Nos.82271444(to JP),82271268(to BZ),and 82001346(to YL)the National Key Research and Development Program of China,No.2022YFE0210100(to BZ)。
文摘Parkinson's disease is primarily caused by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra compacta.Ferroptosis,a novel form of regulated cell death characterized by iron accumulation and lipid peroxidation,plays a vital role in the death of dopaminergic neurons.However,the molecular mechanisms underlying ferroptosis in dopaminergic neurons have not yet been completely elucidated.NADPH oxidase 4 is related to oxidative stress,however,whether it regulates dopaminergic neuronal ferroptosis remains unknown.The aim of this study was to determine whether NADPH oxidase 4 is involved in dopaminergic neuronal ferroptosis,and if so,by what mechanism.We found that the transcriptional regulator activating transcription factor 3 increased NADPH oxidase 4 expression in dopaminergic neurons and astrocytes in an 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6 tetrahydropyridine-induced Parkinson's disease model.NADPH oxidase 4 inhibition improved the behavioral impairments observed in the Parkinson's disease model animals and reduced the death of dopaminergic neurons.Moreover,NADPH oxidase 4 inhibition reduced lipid peroxidation and iron accumulation in the substantia nigra of the Parkinson's disease model animals.Mechanistically,we found that NADPH oxidase 4 interacted with activated protein kinase Cαto prevent ferroptosis of dopaminergic neurons.Furthermore,by lowering the astrocytic lipocalin-2 expression,NADPH oxidase 4 inhibition reduced 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6 tetrahydropyridine-induced neuroinflammation.These findings demonstrate that NADPH oxidase 4 promotes ferroptosis of dopaminergic neurons and neuroinflammation,which contribute to dopaminergic neuron death,suggesting that NADPH oxidase 4 is a possible therapeutic target for Parkinson's disease.
基金supported by Grants from the Research Funds of the Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM(QYPY20220018)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31822026,32271063,31500860,and 32100821)the National Science and Technology Innovation 2030 Major Project of China(2021ZD0203900).
文摘In the face of constantly changing environments,the central nervous system(CNS)rapidly and accurately calculates the body's needs,regulates feeding behavior,and maintains energy homeostasis.The arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus(ARC)plays a key role in this process,serv-ing as a critical brain region for detecting nutrition-related hormones and regulating appetite and energy homeostasis.Agouti-related protein(AgRP)/neuropeptide Y(NPY)neu-rons in the ARC are core elements that interact with other brain regions through a complex appetite-regulating network to comprehensively control energy homeostasis.In this review,we explore the discovery and research progress of AgRP neurons in regulating feeding and energy metabolism.In addition,recent advances in terms of feeding behavior and energy homeostasis,along with the redundant neural mecha-nisms involved in energy metabolism,are discussed.Finally,the challenges and opportunities in the field of neural regula-tion of feeding and energy metabolism are briefly discussed.
基金supported by a grant from Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province,Institute of Aging,Wenzhou Medical University,No.ZJAD-2021002(to ZW)。
文摘Alzheimer's disease is characterized by deposition of amyloid-β,which forms extracellular neuritic plaques,and accumulation of hyperphosphorylated tau,which aggregates to form intraneuronal neurofibrillary tangles,in the brain.The NLRP3 inflammasome may play a role in the transition from amyloid-βdeposition to tau phosphorylation and aggregation.Because NLRP3 is primarily found in brain microglia,and tau is predominantly located in neurons,it has been suggested that NLRP3 expressed by microglia indirectly triggers tau phosphorylation by upregulating the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines.Here,we found that neurons also express NLRP3 in vitro and in vivo,and that neuronal NLRP3 regulates tau phosphorylation.Using biochemical methods,we mapped the minimal NLRP3 promoter and identified FUBP3 as a transcription factor regulating NLRP3 expression in neurons.In primary neurons and the neuroblastoma cell line Neuro2A,FUBP3 is required for endogenous NLRP3 expression and tau phosphorylation only when amyloid-βis present.In the brains of aged wild-type mice and a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease,FUBP3 expression was markedly increased in cortical neurons.Transcriptome analysis suggested that FUBP3 plays a role in neuron-mediated immune responses.We also found that FUBP3 trimmed the 5′end of DNA fragments that it bound,implying that FUBP3 functions in stress-induced responses.These findings suggest that neuronal NLRP3 may be more directly involved in the amyloid-β-to–phospho-tau transition than microglial NLRP3,and that amyloid-βfundamentally alters the regulatory mechanism of NLRP3 expression in neurons.Given that FUBP3 was only expressed at low levels in young wild-type mice and was strongly upregulated in the brains of aged mice and Alzheimer's disease mice,FUBP3 could be a safe therapeutic target for preventing Alzheimer's disease progression.
