Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS) is a rapidly progressing neurodegenerative disease that leads to death. No effective treatments are currently available. Based on data from epidemiological, etiological, laboratory, ...Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS) is a rapidly progressing neurodegenerative disease that leads to death. No effective treatments are currently available. Based on data from epidemiological, etiological, laboratory, and clinical studies, I offer a new way of thinking about ALS and its treatment. This paper describes a host of extrinsic factors, including the exposome, that disrupt the extracellular matrix and protein function such that a spreading, prionlike disease leads to neurodegeneration in the motor tracts. A treatment regimen is described using the stem cell released molecules from a number of types of adult stem cells to provide tissue dependent molecules that restore homeostasis, including proteostasis, in the ALS patient. Because stem cells themselves as a therapeutic are cumbersome and expensive, and when implanted in a host cause aging of the host tissue and often fail to engraft or remain viable, only the S2 RM molecules are used. Rebuilding of the extracellular matrix and repair of the dysfunctional proteins in the ALS patient ensues.展开更多
The visual pathway have 6 parts, involving optic nerve, optic chiasm, optic tract, lateral geniculate body, optic radiation and cortical striatum area. Corresponding changes may be found in these 6 parts following opt...The visual pathway have 6 parts, involving optic nerve, optic chiasm, optic tract, lateral geniculate body, optic radiation and cortical striatum area. Corresponding changes may be found in these 6 parts following optic nerve injury. At present, studies mainly focus on optic nerve and retina, but studies on lateral geniculate body are few. OBJECTIVE： To prepare models of acute optic nerve injury for observing the changes of neurons in lateral geniculate body, expression of neurofilament protein at different time after injury and cell apoptosis under the optical microscope, and for investigating the changes of neurons in lateral geniculate body following acute optic nerve injury. DESIGN： Completely randomized grouping design, controlled animal experiment. SETTING： Department of Neurosurgery, General Hospital of Ji＇nan Military Area Command of Chinese PLA. MATERIALS： Twenty-eight adult healthy cats of either gender and common grade, weighing from 2.0 to 3.5 kg, were provided by the Animal Experimental Center of Fudan University. The involved cats were divided into 2 groups according to table of random digit： normal control group （n=3） and model group （n=25）. Injury 6 hours, l, 3, 7 and 14 days five time points were set in model group for later observation, 5 cats at each time point. TUNEL kit （Bohringer-Mannheim company ）and NF200＆ Mr 68 000 mouse monoclonal antibody （NeoMarkers Company） were used in this experiment. METHODS： This experiment was carded out in the Department of Neurosurgery, General Hospital of Ji＇nan Military Area Command of Chinese PLA between June 2004 and June 2005.① The cats of model group were developed into cat models of acute intracranial optic nerve injury as follows： The anesthetized cats were placed in lateral position. By imitating operation to human, pterion approach was used. An incision was made at the joint line between outer canthus and tragus, and deepened along cranial base until white optic nerve via optic nerve pore and further to brain tissue. Optic nerve about 3 mm was liberated and occluded by noninvasive vascular clamp for 20 s. After removal of noninvasive vascular clamp, the area compressed by optic nerve was hollowed and narrowed, but non-fractured. Skull was closed when haemorrhage was not found. Bilateral pupillary size, direct and indirect light reflect were observed. Operative side pupil was enlarged as compared with opposite side, direct light reflect disappeared and indirect light reflect existed, which indicated that the models were successful. Animals of control group were not modeled .② The animals in the control group and model group were sacrificed before and 6 hours, 1, 3, 7 and 14 days after modeling respectively. Lateral geniculate body sample was taken and performed haematoxylin ＆ eosin staining. Immunohistochemical staining showed lateral geniculate body neurofilament protein expression, and a comparison of immunohistochemial staining results was made between experimental group and control group. Terminal deoxynucleo-tidyl transferase （TdT）-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling （TUNEL） was used to label apoptotic cells in lateral geniculate body. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Neuronal morphological change, neurofilament protein expression and cell apoptosis in lateral geniculate body following acute optic nerve injury. RESULTS： Twenty-eight involved cats entered the final analysis. ① Histological observation results： In the control group, cell processes were obviously found, which were few or shortening in the model group. ② Neuronal neurofilament protein expression： Cells in lateral geniculate body in the control group and at 6 hours after injury presented clear strip-shaped staining, and those at 7 and 14 days presented irregular distribution without layers and obviously decreasing staining intensity. The positive rate of neurofilament protein in lateral geniculate body in control group and 6 hours, l, 3, 7 and 14 days after injury was （ 10.22±0.42） %, （10.03±0.24） %, （9.94±0.14） %, （9.98±0.22） %, （8.18±0.34） % and （6.37±0.18）%, respectively. Positive rate of neurofilament protein in control group, at 6 hours, 1 or 3 days after injury was significantly different from that at 7 days after injury （P 〈 0.05）; Positive rate of neurofilament protein in control group, at 6 hours, 1, 3 or 7 days after injury was significantly different from that at 14 days after injury （P 〈 0.05）. It indicated that neuronal injury in lateral geniculate body was not obvious within short term after optic nerve injury, but obvious at 7 days after injury and progressively aggravated until at 14 days after injury.③ Neuronal apoptosis： TUNEL staining showed that neuronal apoptosis in lateral geniculate body appeared at 7 days after injury, and a Lot of neuronal apoptosis in lateral geniculate body was found at 14 days after injury. It indicated that neuronal injury in lateral geniculate body was related to apoptosis. CONCLUSION： In short term after optic nerve injury （within 7 days）, nerve injury of lateral geniculate body is not obvious, then, it will aggravate with the elongation of injury time. The occurrence of neuronal iniury of lateral geniculate body is related to the apoptosis of nerve cells.展开更多
This study evaluated whether the administration of a NSAID, sodium diclofenac, can promote alterations in the expression of Fos protein in central amygdala (CEA) and the lateral hypothalamus (LH) after 6 h of experime...This study evaluated whether the administration of a NSAID, sodium diclofenac, can promote alterations in the expression of Fos protein in central amygdala (CEA) and the lateral hypothalamus (LH) after 6 h of experimental tooth movement with a controlled force of 70 g, applied to the superior central incisors of rats. Adult male rats were anesthetized and divided into four groups: Control, no orthodontic appliance (OA);OA activated with 70 g;OA activated with 70 g and pretreated with diclofenac sodium (5 mg/kg, intramuscular);and diclofenac sodium alone. Six hours after the onset of the experiment the rats were reanesthetized and perfused with 4% paraformaldehyde. The brains were removed and fixed, and sections containing the CEA and LH were processed for Fos protein immunohistochemistry. The results show that in the control group, intramuscular injection of a ketamine/xylazine mixture did not induce IR-Fos cells in the CEA or LH. However, in the 70 g group, IR-Fos was the strongest observed展开更多
BACKGROUND： Dithiocarbamates can cause demyelination of axons in the peripheral nervous system. Its derivate, diethyldithiocarbamate, is cytotoxic, and causes olfactory mucosal damage and atrophy of the olfactory bul...BACKGROUND： Dithiocarbamates can cause demyelination of axons in the peripheral nervous system. Its derivate, diethyldithiocarbamate, is cytotoxic, and causes olfactory mucosal damage and atrophy of the olfactory bulb. However, it is still unclear whether the myelin sheath of the lateral olfactory tract is affected by diethyldithiocarbamate. OBJECTIVE： To investigate the effects of diethyldithiocarbamate on the myelin sheath of the rat lateral olfactory tract. This was done by examining changes in myelin basic protein expression after diethyldithiocarbamate treatment. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING： A randomized, controlled, animal study was performed at the Laboratory of the Department of Human Anatomy and Neurobiology, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, China from July to November 2007. MATERIALS： A total of 72 Sprague Dawley rats were randomly assigned into a diethyldithiocarbamate group （n = 32）, a solvent control group （n = 32）, and a blank control group （n = 8）. The diethyldithiocarbamate and solvent control groups were separately divided into 3-d, 7-d, 14-d and 28-d survival subgroups, with eight rats in each. Diethyldithiocarbamate （Sigma, USA） and goat anti-myelin basic protein polyclonal antibody （Santa Cruz, USA） were used in this study. METHODS： Rats in the diethyldithiocarbamate and solvent control groups were subcutaneously injected with diethyldithiocarbamate （600 mg/kg） and 0.01 mol/L phosphate buffered saline （600 mg/kg） at the posterior neck, respectively. Rats in the blank control group received no treatment. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Immunohistochemical staining and Western blot assay were used to measure myelin basic protein expression in the rat lateral olfactory tract. RESULTS： Following immunohistochemical staining, myelin basic protein was uniformly distributed in the rat lateral olfactory tract in the blank control and solvent control groups. Western blot assay showed 21.5, 18, 17 and 14 ku positive bands. No significant difference was found in myelin basic protein distribution and blot pattern, in the rat lateral olfactory tract, in the diethyldithiocarbamate group, following immunohistochemical staining and Western blot assay. Myelin basic protein expression gradually decreased at day 3, reached the lowest level at day 7, and gradually increased again at days 14 and 28. CONCLUSION： Demyelination is induced by diethyldithiocarbamate in the rat lateral olfactory tract in an early stage, followed by remyelination at later stages.展开更多
Optic nerve transection increased the expression of heat shock protein 72 （HSP72） in the lateral geniculate body, indicating that this protein is involved in the prevention of neuronal injury. Zinc sulfate and querc...Optic nerve transection increased the expression of heat shock protein 72 （HSP72） in the lateral geniculate body, indicating that this protein is involved in the prevention of neuronal injury. Zinc sulfate and quercetin induced and inhibited the expression of HSP72, respectively. Intraperitoneal injections of zinc sulfate, SP600125 （c-Jun N-terminal kinase inhibitor）, or quercetin were performed on retinal ganglion cells in a Wistar rat model of chronic ocular hypertension. Our results showed that compared with the control group, the expression of HSP72 in retinal ganglion cells and the lateral geniculate body was increased after the injection of zinc sulfate, but was decreased after the injection of quercetin. The expression of phosphorylated c-Jun N-terminal kinases and phosphorylated c-Jun were visible 3 days after injection in the control group, and reached apeak at 7 days. Zinc sulfate and SP600125 significantly decreased the expression of p-c-Jun, whereas quercetin significantly enhanced the expression of this protein. These results suggest that HSP72 protects retinal ganglion cells and lateral geniculate body in a rat model of chronic ocular hypertension from injury by blocking the activation of the stress-activated kinase/c-Jun N-terminal kinase apoptotic pathway.展开更多
The present study screened a human fetal brain cDNA library to find the proteins that interact with mutant superoxide dismutase 1 （SOD1） using a yeast two-hybrid system. Using BLAST software, 15 real proteins which ...The present study screened a human fetal brain cDNA library to find the proteins that interact with mutant superoxide dismutase 1 （SOD1） using a yeast two-hybrid system. Using BLAST software, 15 real proteins which interacted with mutant SOD1 were obtained, including 8 known proteins （protein tyrosine-phosphatase non-receptor type 2, TBCl D4, protein kinase family, splicing factor, arginine/serine-rich 2, SRC protein tyrosine kinase Fyn, β-sarcoglycan; glycine receptor a2, microtubule associated protein/microtubule affinity-regulating kinase 1, ferritin H chain）, and 7 unknown proteins. Results demonstrated interaction of mutant SOD1 with microtubule associated protein/microtubule affinity-regulating kinase 1 and β-sarcoglycan.展开更多
A previous study of European Caucasian patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis demonstrated that a polymorphism in the microtubule-associated protein Tau （MAPT） gene was significantly associated with sp...A previous study of European Caucasian patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis demonstrated that a polymorphism in the microtubule-associated protein Tau （MAPT） gene was significantly associated with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis pathogenesis. Here, we tested this association in 107 sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients and 100 healthy controls from the Chinese Han population. We screened the mutation-susceptible regions of MAPT- the 3＇ and 5＇ untranslated regions as well as introns 9, 10, 11, and 12 - by direct sequencing, and identified 33 genetic variations. Two of these, 105788 A 〉 G in intron 9 and 123972 T 〉 A in intron 11, were not present in the control group. The age of onset in patients with the 105788 A 〉 G and/or the 123972 T 〉 A variant was younger than that in patients without either genetic variation. Moreover, the pa- tients with a genetic variation were more prone to bulbar palsy and breathing difficulties than those with the wild-type genotype. This led to a shorter survival period in patients with a MAPT genetic variant. Our study suggests that the MAPT gene is a potential risk gene for sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in the Chinese Han population.展开更多
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS) is a disorder that involves the degeneration of motor neurons,muscle atrophy,and paralysis.In a few familiar forms of ALS,mutations in the superoxide dismutase-1(SOD1) gene have been...Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS) is a disorder that involves the degeneration of motor neurons,muscle atrophy,and paralysis.In a few familiar forms of ALS,mutations in the superoxide dismutase-1(SOD1) gene have been held responsible for the degeneration of motor neurons.Nevertheless,after the discovery of the SOD1 mutations no consensus has emerged as to which cells,tissues and pathways are primarily implicated in the pathogenic events that lead to ALS.Ubiquitous overexpression of mutant SOD1 in transgenic animals recapitulates the pathological features of ALS.However,the toxicity of mutant SOD1 is not necessarily limited to the central nervous system.Views about ALS pathogenesis are now enriched by the recent discovery of mutations in a pair of DNA/RNA-binding proteins called TDP-43 and FUS/TLS as causes of familial and sporadic forms of ALS.Although the steps that lead to the pathological state are well defined,several fundamental issues are still controversial:are the motor neurons the first direct targets of ALS;and what is the contribution of non-neuronal cells,if any,to the pathogenesis of ALS?The state of the art of ALS pathogenesis and the open questions are discussed in this review.展开更多
The infectious template-mediated protein conversion is a unique mechanism for the onset of rare and fatal neurodegenerative disorders known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, or prion diseases, which affect...The infectious template-mediated protein conversion is a unique mechanism for the onset of rare and fatal neurodegenerative disorders known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, or prion diseases, which affect humans and other animal species. However, emerging studies are now demonstrating prion-like mechanisms of self-propagation of protein misfolding in a number of common, non-infectious neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer＇s disease and Parkinson＇s disease. It has been proposed that distinct and unrelated proteins（beta-amyloid, tau, α-synuclein, TAR DNA-binding protein 43 and huntingtin, etc.） associated with common neurodegenerative disorders can seed conversion and spread via cellto-cell transfer, sustaining the transmission of neurotoxic agents along a stereotypic route, sharing features at the heart of the intrinsic nature of prions. Here we review the most recent development on both the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of prion-like neurodegenerative diseases as well as innovative methods and strategies for potential therapeutic applications.展开更多
文摘Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS) is a rapidly progressing neurodegenerative disease that leads to death. No effective treatments are currently available. Based on data from epidemiological, etiological, laboratory, and clinical studies, I offer a new way of thinking about ALS and its treatment. This paper describes a host of extrinsic factors, including the exposome, that disrupt the extracellular matrix and protein function such that a spreading, prionlike disease leads to neurodegeneration in the motor tracts. A treatment regimen is described using the stem cell released molecules from a number of types of adult stem cells to provide tissue dependent molecules that restore homeostasis, including proteostasis, in the ALS patient. Because stem cells themselves as a therapeutic are cumbersome and expensive, and when implanted in a host cause aging of the host tissue and often fail to engraft or remain viable, only the S2 RM molecules are used. Rebuilding of the extracellular matrix and repair of the dysfunctional proteins in the ALS patient ensues.
文摘The visual pathway have 6 parts, involving optic nerve, optic chiasm, optic tract, lateral geniculate body, optic radiation and cortical striatum area. Corresponding changes may be found in these 6 parts following optic nerve injury. At present, studies mainly focus on optic nerve and retina, but studies on lateral geniculate body are few. OBJECTIVE： To prepare models of acute optic nerve injury for observing the changes of neurons in lateral geniculate body, expression of neurofilament protein at different time after injury and cell apoptosis under the optical microscope, and for investigating the changes of neurons in lateral geniculate body following acute optic nerve injury. DESIGN： Completely randomized grouping design, controlled animal experiment. SETTING： Department of Neurosurgery, General Hospital of Ji＇nan Military Area Command of Chinese PLA. MATERIALS： Twenty-eight adult healthy cats of either gender and common grade, weighing from 2.0 to 3.5 kg, were provided by the Animal Experimental Center of Fudan University. The involved cats were divided into 2 groups according to table of random digit： normal control group （n=3） and model group （n=25）. Injury 6 hours, l, 3, 7 and 14 days five time points were set in model group for later observation, 5 cats at each time point. TUNEL kit （Bohringer-Mannheim company ）and NF200＆ Mr 68 000 mouse monoclonal antibody （NeoMarkers Company） were used in this experiment. METHODS： This experiment was carded out in the Department of Neurosurgery, General Hospital of Ji＇nan Military Area Command of Chinese PLA between June 2004 and June 2005.① The cats of model group were developed into cat models of acute intracranial optic nerve injury as follows： The anesthetized cats were placed in lateral position. By imitating operation to human, pterion approach was used. An incision was made at the joint line between outer canthus and tragus, and deepened along cranial base until white optic nerve via optic nerve pore and further to brain tissue. Optic nerve about 3 mm was liberated and occluded by noninvasive vascular clamp for 20 s. After removal of noninvasive vascular clamp, the area compressed by optic nerve was hollowed and narrowed, but non-fractured. Skull was closed when haemorrhage was not found. Bilateral pupillary size, direct and indirect light reflect were observed. Operative side pupil was enlarged as compared with opposite side, direct light reflect disappeared and indirect light reflect existed, which indicated that the models were successful. Animals of control group were not modeled .② The animals in the control group and model group were sacrificed before and 6 hours, 1, 3, 7 and 14 days after modeling respectively. Lateral geniculate body sample was taken and performed haematoxylin ＆ eosin staining. Immunohistochemical staining showed lateral geniculate body neurofilament protein expression, and a comparison of immunohistochemial staining results was made between experimental group and control group. Terminal deoxynucleo-tidyl transferase （TdT）-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling （TUNEL） was used to label apoptotic cells in lateral geniculate body. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Neuronal morphological change, neurofilament protein expression and cell apoptosis in lateral geniculate body following acute optic nerve injury. RESULTS： Twenty-eight involved cats entered the final analysis. ① Histological observation results： In the control group, cell processes were obviously found, which were few or shortening in the model group. ② Neuronal neurofilament protein expression： Cells in lateral geniculate body in the control group and at 6 hours after injury presented clear strip-shaped staining, and those at 7 and 14 days presented irregular distribution without layers and obviously decreasing staining intensity. The positive rate of neurofilament protein in lateral geniculate body in control group and 6 hours, l, 3, 7 and 14 days after injury was （ 10.22±0.42） %, （10.03±0.24） %, （9.94±0.14） %, （9.98±0.22） %, （8.18±0.34） % and （6.37±0.18）%, respectively. Positive rate of neurofilament protein in control group, at 6 hours, 1 or 3 days after injury was significantly different from that at 7 days after injury （P 〈 0.05）; Positive rate of neurofilament protein in control group, at 6 hours, 1, 3 or 7 days after injury was significantly different from that at 14 days after injury （P 〈 0.05）. It indicated that neuronal injury in lateral geniculate body was not obvious within short term after optic nerve injury, but obvious at 7 days after injury and progressively aggravated until at 14 days after injury.③ Neuronal apoptosis： TUNEL staining showed that neuronal apoptosis in lateral geniculate body appeared at 7 days after injury, and a Lot of neuronal apoptosis in lateral geniculate body was found at 14 days after injury. It indicated that neuronal injury in lateral geniculate body was related to apoptosis. CONCLUSION： In short term after optic nerve injury （within 7 days）, nerve injury of lateral geniculate body is not obvious, then, it will aggravate with the elongation of injury time. The occurrence of neuronal iniury of lateral geniculate body is related to the apoptosis of nerve cells.
文摘This study evaluated whether the administration of a NSAID, sodium diclofenac, can promote alterations in the expression of Fos protein in central amygdala (CEA) and the lateral hypothalamus (LH) after 6 h of experimental tooth movement with a controlled force of 70 g, applied to the superior central incisors of rats. Adult male rats were anesthetized and divided into four groups: Control, no orthodontic appliance (OA);OA activated with 70 g;OA activated with 70 g and pretreated with diclofenac sodium (5 mg/kg, intramuscular);and diclofenac sodium alone. Six hours after the onset of the experiment the rats were reanesthetized and perfused with 4% paraformaldehyde. The brains were removed and fixed, and sections containing the CEA and LH were processed for Fos protein immunohistochemistry. The results show that in the control group, intramuscular injection of a ketamine/xylazine mixture did not induce IR-Fos cells in the CEA or LH. However, in the 70 g group, IR-Fos was the strongest observed
基金Supported by:the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.30600224Supported by:the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.30700438+2 种基金the Postdoctoral Foundation of China,No.20060390886Hunan Province Natural Science Foundation,No.07JJ5026Hunan Province Scientific Program,No.2008FJ3138
文摘BACKGROUND： Dithiocarbamates can cause demyelination of axons in the peripheral nervous system. Its derivate, diethyldithiocarbamate, is cytotoxic, and causes olfactory mucosal damage and atrophy of the olfactory bulb. However, it is still unclear whether the myelin sheath of the lateral olfactory tract is affected by diethyldithiocarbamate. OBJECTIVE： To investigate the effects of diethyldithiocarbamate on the myelin sheath of the rat lateral olfactory tract. This was done by examining changes in myelin basic protein expression after diethyldithiocarbamate treatment. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING： A randomized, controlled, animal study was performed at the Laboratory of the Department of Human Anatomy and Neurobiology, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, China from July to November 2007. MATERIALS： A total of 72 Sprague Dawley rats were randomly assigned into a diethyldithiocarbamate group （n = 32）, a solvent control group （n = 32）, and a blank control group （n = 8）. The diethyldithiocarbamate and solvent control groups were separately divided into 3-d, 7-d, 14-d and 28-d survival subgroups, with eight rats in each. Diethyldithiocarbamate （Sigma, USA） and goat anti-myelin basic protein polyclonal antibody （Santa Cruz, USA） were used in this study. METHODS： Rats in the diethyldithiocarbamate and solvent control groups were subcutaneously injected with diethyldithiocarbamate （600 mg/kg） and 0.01 mol/L phosphate buffered saline （600 mg/kg） at the posterior neck, respectively. Rats in the blank control group received no treatment. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Immunohistochemical staining and Western blot assay were used to measure myelin basic protein expression in the rat lateral olfactory tract. RESULTS： Following immunohistochemical staining, myelin basic protein was uniformly distributed in the rat lateral olfactory tract in the blank control and solvent control groups. Western blot assay showed 21.5, 18, 17 and 14 ku positive bands. No significant difference was found in myelin basic protein distribution and blot pattern, in the rat lateral olfactory tract, in the diethyldithiocarbamate group, following immunohistochemical staining and Western blot assay. Myelin basic protein expression gradually decreased at day 3, reached the lowest level at day 7, and gradually increased again at days 14 and 28. CONCLUSION： Demyelination is induced by diethyldithiocarbamate in the rat lateral olfactory tract in an early stage, followed by remyelination at later stages.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81170843,81370913the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province,China,No.5JJ30051+2 种基金New Century Excellent Talents in University from the Ministry of Education of China,No.NCET-06-0677the Natural Science Foundation of Anhui Province,China,No.1408085QH158the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University,Incubation Program of the National Natural Science Foundation for Young Scholars of China,No.2012KJ19
文摘Optic nerve transection increased the expression of heat shock protein 72 （HSP72） in the lateral geniculate body, indicating that this protein is involved in the prevention of neuronal injury. Zinc sulfate and quercetin induced and inhibited the expression of HSP72, respectively. Intraperitoneal injections of zinc sulfate, SP600125 （c-Jun N-terminal kinase inhibitor）, or quercetin were performed on retinal ganglion cells in a Wistar rat model of chronic ocular hypertension. Our results showed that compared with the control group, the expression of HSP72 in retinal ganglion cells and the lateral geniculate body was increased after the injection of zinc sulfate, but was decreased after the injection of quercetin. The expression of phosphorylated c-Jun N-terminal kinases and phosphorylated c-Jun were visible 3 days after injection in the control group, and reached apeak at 7 days. Zinc sulfate and SP600125 significantly decreased the expression of p-c-Jun, whereas quercetin significantly enhanced the expression of this protein. These results suggest that HSP72 protects retinal ganglion cells and lateral geniculate body in a rat model of chronic ocular hypertension from injury by blocking the activation of the stress-activated kinase/c-Jun N-terminal kinase apoptotic pathway.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 30300116
文摘The present study screened a human fetal brain cDNA library to find the proteins that interact with mutant superoxide dismutase 1 （SOD1） using a yeast two-hybrid system. Using BLAST software, 15 real proteins which interacted with mutant SOD1 were obtained, including 8 known proteins （protein tyrosine-phosphatase non-receptor type 2, TBCl D4, protein kinase family, splicing factor, arginine/serine-rich 2, SRC protein tyrosine kinase Fyn, β-sarcoglycan; glycine receptor a2, microtubule associated protein/microtubule affinity-regulating kinase 1, ferritin H chain）, and 7 unknown proteins. Results demonstrated interaction of mutant SOD1 with microtubule associated protein/microtubule affinity-regulating kinase 1 and β-sarcoglycan.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.30560042 and 81260194Jiangxi Provincial Health Bureau of Science and Technology Program,No.20111028
文摘A previous study of European Caucasian patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis demonstrated that a polymorphism in the microtubule-associated protein Tau （MAPT） gene was significantly associated with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis pathogenesis. Here, we tested this association in 107 sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients and 100 healthy controls from the Chinese Han population. We screened the mutation-susceptible regions of MAPT- the 3＇ and 5＇ untranslated regions as well as introns 9, 10, 11, and 12 - by direct sequencing, and identified 33 genetic variations. Two of these, 105788 A 〉 G in intron 9 and 123972 T 〉 A in intron 11, were not present in the control group. The age of onset in patients with the 105788 A 〉 G and/or the 123972 T 〉 A variant was younger than that in patients without either genetic variation. Moreover, the pa- tients with a genetic variation were more prone to bulbar palsy and breathing difficulties than those with the wild-type genotype. This led to a shorter survival period in patients with a MAPT genetic variant. Our study suggests that the MAPT gene is a potential risk gene for sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in the Chinese Han population.
基金Supported by Seventh Framework Programme-Myoage,Telethon,Fondazione Roma,AFM,MIUR and ASI
文摘Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS) is a disorder that involves the degeneration of motor neurons,muscle atrophy,and paralysis.In a few familiar forms of ALS,mutations in the superoxide dismutase-1(SOD1) gene have been held responsible for the degeneration of motor neurons.Nevertheless,after the discovery of the SOD1 mutations no consensus has emerged as to which cells,tissues and pathways are primarily implicated in the pathogenic events that lead to ALS.Ubiquitous overexpression of mutant SOD1 in transgenic animals recapitulates the pathological features of ALS.However,the toxicity of mutant SOD1 is not necessarily limited to the central nervous system.Views about ALS pathogenesis are now enriched by the recent discovery of mutations in a pair of DNA/RNA-binding proteins called TDP-43 and FUS/TLS as causes of familial and sporadic forms of ALS.Although the steps that lead to the pathological state are well defined,several fundamental issues are still controversial:are the motor neurons the first direct targets of ALS;and what is the contribution of non-neuronal cells,if any,to the pathogenesis of ALS?The state of the art of ALS pathogenesis and the open questions are discussed in this review.
文摘The infectious template-mediated protein conversion is a unique mechanism for the onset of rare and fatal neurodegenerative disorders known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, or prion diseases, which affect humans and other animal species. However, emerging studies are now demonstrating prion-like mechanisms of self-propagation of protein misfolding in a number of common, non-infectious neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer＇s disease and Parkinson＇s disease. It has been proposed that distinct and unrelated proteins（beta-amyloid, tau, α-synuclein, TAR DNA-binding protein 43 and huntingtin, etc.） associated with common neurodegenerative disorders can seed conversion and spread via cellto-cell transfer, sustaining the transmission of neurotoxic agents along a stereotypic route, sharing features at the heart of the intrinsic nature of prions. Here we review the most recent development on both the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of prion-like neurodegenerative diseases as well as innovative methods and strategies for potential therapeutic applications.
