| 1. |
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| 2. |
- Chauvier, D, et al.
(author)
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Targeting neonatal ischemic brain injury with a pentapeptide-based irreversible caspase inhibitor.
- 2011
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In: Cell death & disease. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-4889. ; 2
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Brain protection of the newborn remains a challenging priority and represents a totally unmet medical need. Pharmacological inhibition of caspases appears as a promising strategy for neuroprotection. In a translational perspective, we have developed a pentapeptide-based group II caspase inhibitor, TRP601/ORPHA133563, which reaches the brain, and inhibits caspases activation, mitochondrial release of cytochrome c, and apoptosis in vivo. Single administration of TRP601 protects newborn rodent brain against excitotoxicity, hypoxia-ischemia, and perinatal arterial stroke with a 6-h therapeutic time window, and has no adverse effects on physiological parameters. Safety pharmacology investigations, and toxicology studies in rodent and canine neonates, suggest that TRP601 is a lead compound for further drug development to treat ischemic brain damage in human newborns.
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| 3. |
- Corcelli, M., et al.
(author)
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Neuroprotection of the hypoxic-ischemic mouse brain by human CD117(+)CD90(+)CD105(+) amniotic fluid stem cells
- 2018
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In: Scientific Reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 8:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Human amniotic fluid contains two morphologically-distinct sub-populations of stem cells with regenerative potential, spindle-shaped (SS-hAFSCs) and round-shaped human amniotic fluid stem cells (RS-hAFSCs). However, it is unclear whether morphological differences correlate with functionality, and this lack of knowledge limits their translational applications. Here, we show that SS-hAFSCs and RS-hAFSCs differ in their neuro-protective ability, demonstrating that a single contralateral injection of SS-hAFSCs into hypoxic-ischemic P7 mice conferred a 47% reduction in hippocampal tissue loss and 43-45% reduction in TUNEL-positive cells in the hippocampus and striatum 48 hours after the insult, decreased microglial activation and TGF beta 1 levels, and prevented demyelination. On the other hand, RS-hAFSCs failed to show such neuro-protective effects. It is possible that SS-hAFSCs exert their neuroprotection via endoglin-dependent inhibition of TGF beta 1 signaling in target cells. These findings identify a sub-population of CD117(+)CD90(+)CD105(+) stem cells as a promising source for the neuroprotection of the developing brain.
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| 4. |
- Baburamani, Ana A, et al.
(author)
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Does Caspase-6 Have a Role in Perinatal Brain Injury?
- 2015
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In: Developmental Neuroscience. - : S. Karger AG. - 0378-5866 .- 1421-9859. ; 37:4-5, s. 321-337
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Apoptotic mechanisms are centre stage for the development of injury in the immature brain, and caspases have been shown to play a pivotal role during brain development and in response to injury. The inhibition of caspases using broad-spectrum agents such as Q-VD-OPh is neuroprotective in the immature brain. Caspase-6, an effector caspase, has been widely researched in neurodevelopmental disorders and found to be important following adult stroke, but its function in the neonatal brain has yet to be detailed. Furthermore, caspases may be important in microglial activation; microglia are required for optimal brain development and following injury, and their close involvement during neuronal cell death suggests that apoptotic cues such as caspase activation may be important in microglial activation. Therefore, in this study we aimed to investigate the possible apoptotic and non-apoptotic functions caspase-6 may have in the immature brain in response to hypoxia-ischaemia. We examined whether caspases are involved in microglial activation. We assessed cleaved caspase-6 expression following hypoxia-ischaemia and conducted primary microglial cultures to assess whether the broad-spectrum inhibitor Q-VD-OPh or caspase-6 gene deletion affected lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-mediated microglial activation and phenotype. We observed cleaved caspase-6 expression to be low but present in the cell body and cell processes in both a human case of white matter injury and 72 h following hypoxia-ischaemia in the rat. Gene deletion of caspase-6 did not affect the outcome of brain injury following mild (50 min) or severe (60 min) hypoxia-ischaemia. Interestingly, we did note that cleaved caspase-6 was co-localised with microglia that were not of apoptotic morphology. We observed that mRNA of a number of caspases was modulated by low-dose LPS stimulation of primary microglia. Q-VD-OPh treatment and caspase-6 gene deletion did not affect microglial activation but modified slightly the M2b phenotype response by changing the time course of SOCS3 expression after LPS administration. Our results suggest that the impact of active caspase-6 in the developing brain is subtle, and we believe there are predominantly other caspases (caspase-2, -3, -8, -9) that are essential for the cell death processes in the immature brain. (C) 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel
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| 5. |
- Chakkarapani, A. A., et al.
(author)
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Therapies for neonatal encephalopathy: Targeting the latent, secondary and tertiary phases of evolving brain injury
- 2021
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In: Seminars in Fetal and Neonatal Medicine. - : Elsevier BV. - 1744-165X. ; 26:5
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In term and near-term neonates with neonatal encephalopathy, therapeutic hypothermia protocols are well established. The current focus is on how to improve outcomes further and the challenge is to find safe and complementary therapies that confer additional protection, regeneration or repair in addition to cooling. Following hypoxia-ischemia, brain injury evolves over three main phases (latent, secondary and tertiary), each with a different brain energy, perfusion, neurochemical and inflammatory milieu. While therapeutic hypothermia has targeted the latent and secondary phase, we now need therapies that cover the continuum of brain injury that spans hours, days, weeks and months after the initial event. Most agents have several therapeutic actions but can be broadly classified under a predominant action (e.g., free radical scavenging, anti-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory, neuroregeneration, and vascular effects). Promising early/secondary phase therapies include Allopurinol, Azithromycin, Exendin-4, Magnesium, Melatonin, Noble gases and Sildenafil. Tertiary phase agents include Erythropoietin, Stem cells and others. We review a selection of promising therapeutic agents on the translational pipeline and suggest a framework for neuroprotection and neurorestoration that targets the evolving injury. © 2021 Elsevier Ltd
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| 6. |
- Kichev, A., et al.
(author)
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Implicating Receptor Activator of NF-kappa B (RANK)/RANK Ligand Signalling in Microglial Responses to Toll-Like Receptor Stimuli
- 2017
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In: Developmental Neuroscience. - : S. Karger AG. - 0378-5866 .- 1421-9859. ; 39:1-4, s. 192-206
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Inflammation in the perinatal brain caused by maternal or intrauterine fetal infection is now well established as an important contributor to the development of perinatal brain injury. Exposure to inflammatory products can impair perinatal brain development and act as a risk factor for neurological dysfunction, cognitive disorders, cerebral palsy, or preterm birth. Pre-exposure to inflammation significantly exacerbates brain injury caused by hypoxic/ischaemic insult. Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) is a family of cytokines largely involved in inflammation signalling. In our previous study, we identified the importance of TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) signalling in the development of perinatal brain injury. We observed a significant increase in the expression levels of a soluble decoy receptor for TRAIL, osteoprotegerin (OPG). Besides TRAIL, OPG is able to bind the receptor activator of the NF-kappa B (RANK) ligand (RANKL) and inhibit its signalling. The function of the RANK/RANKL/OPG system in the brain has not come under much scrutiny. The aim of this research study was to elucidate the role of RANK, RANKL, and OPG in microglial responses to the pro-inflammatory stimuli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (Poly I: C). Here, we show that RANK signalling is important for regulating the activation of the BV2 microglial cell line. We found that LPS treatment causes a significant decrease in the expression of RANK in the BV2 cell line while significantly increasing the expression of OPG, Toll-like receptor (TLR) 3, and the adaptor proteins MyD88 and TRIF. We found that pretreatment of BV2 cells with RANKL for 24 h before the LPS or Poly I: C exposure decreases the expression of inflammatory markers such as inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase. This is accompanied by a decreased expression of the TLR adaptor proteins MyD88 and TRIF, which we observed after RANKL treatment. Similar results were obtained in our experiments with primary mouse microglia. Using recently developed CRISPR/Cas9 technology, we generated a BV2 cell line lacking RANK (RANK(-/-) BV2). We showed that most effects of RANKL pretreatment were abolished, thereby proving the specificity of this effect. Taken together, these findings suggest that RANK signalling is important for modulating the inflammatory activation of microglial cells to a moderate level, and that RANK attenuates TLR3/TLR4 signalling. (C) 2017 The Author(s) Published by S. Karger AG, Basel
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
- Nair, Syam, et al.
(author)
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Lipopolysaccharide-induced alteration of mitochondrial morphology induces a metabolic shift in microglia modulating the inflammatory response in vitro and in vivo
- 2019
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In: Glia. - : Wiley. - 0894-1491 .- 1098-1136. ; 67:6, s. 1047-1061
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Accumulating evidence suggests that changes in the metabolic signature of microglia underlie their response to inflammation. We sought to increase our knowledge of how pro-inflammatory stimuli induce metabolic changes. Primary microglia exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-expressed excessive fission leading to more fragmented mitochondria than tubular mitochondria. LPS-mediated Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) activation also resulted in metabolic reprogramming from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis. Blockade of mitochondrial fission by Mdivi-1, a putative mitochondrial division inhibitor led to the reversal of the metabolic shift. Mdivi-1 treatment also normalized the changes caused by LPS exposure, namely an increase in mitochondrial reactive oxygen species production and mitochondrial membrane potential as well as accumulation of key metabolic intermediate of TCA cycle succinate. Moreover, Mdivi-1 treatment substantially reduced LPS induced cytokine and chemokine production. Finally, we showed that Mdivi-1 treatment attenuated expression of genes related to cytotoxic, repair, and immunomodulatory microglia phenotypes in an in vivo neuroinflammation paradigm. Collectively, our data show that the activation of microglia to a classically pro-inflammatory state is associated with a switch to glycolysis that is mediated by mitochondrial fission, a process which may be a pharmacological target for immunomodulation.
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| 10. |
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| 11. |
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| 12. |
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| 13. |
- Dean, J. M., et al.
(author)
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A Critical Review of Models of Perinatal Infection
- 2015
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In: Developmental Neuroscience. - : S. Karger AG. - 0378-5866 .- 1421-9859. ; 37:4-5, s. 289-304
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- One of the central, unanswered questions in perinatology is why preterm infants continue to have such poor long-term neurodevelopmental, cognitive and learning outcomes, even though severe brain injury is now rare. There is now strong clinical evidence that one factor underlying disability may be infection, as well as nonspecific inflammation, during fetal and early postnatal life. In this review, we examine the experimental evidence linking both acute and chronic infection/inflammation with perinatal brain injury and consider key experimental determinants, including the microglia response, relative brain and immune maturity and the pattern of exposure to infection. We highlight the importance of the origin and derivation of the bacterial cell wall component lipopolysaccharide. Such experimental paradigms are essential to determine the precise time course of the inflammatory reaction and to design targeted neuroprotective strategies to protect the perinatal brain from infection and inflammation. (C) 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel
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| 14. |
- Dean, J., et al.
(author)
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Microglial MyD88 signaling regulates acute neuronal toxicity of LPS-stimulated microglia in vitro
- 2010
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In: Brain, Behavior, and Immunity. - : Elsevier BV. - 0889-1591. ; 24:5, s. 776-83
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Although the role of microglial activation in neural injury remains controversial, there is increasing evidence for a detrimental effect in the immature brain, which may occur in response to release of neurotoxic substances including pro-inflammatory cytokines. However, the signaling mechanisms involved in microglial-induced neuronal cell death are unclear. Microglia isolated from the brains of wild-type (WT) or MyD88 knockout (KO) mice were exposed to PBS or the TLR4-ligand LPS (100 ng/mL) for 2, 6, 14, or 24 h, and the microglia-conditioned medium (MCM) collected. Detection of multiple inflammatory molecules in MCM was performed using a mouse 22-plex cytokine microbead array kit. Primary neuronal cultures were supplemented with the 14 h or 24 h MCM, and the degree of neuronal apoptosis examined after exposure for 24 h. Results showed a rapid and sustained elevation in multiple inflammatory mediators in the MCM of WT microglia exposed to LPS, which was largely inhibited in MyD88 KO microglia. There was a significant increase in apoptotic death measured at 24 h in cultured neurons exposed to CM from either 14 h or 24 h LPS-stimulated WT microglia (p < .05 vs. WT control). By contrast, there was no increase in apoptotic death in cultured neurons exposed to CM from 14 h or 24 h LPS-stimulated MyD88 KO microglia (p = .15 vs. MyD88 KO control). These data suggest that MyD88-dependent activation of microglia by LPS causes release of factors directly toxic to neurons.
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| 15. |
- Doverhag, Christina, 1979, et al.
(author)
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Pharmacological and genetic inhibition of NADPH oxidase does not reduce brain damage in different models of perinatal brain injury in newborn mice
- 2008
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In: Neurobiology of Disease. - : Elsevier BV. - 1095-953X .- 0969-9961. ; 31:1, s. 133-44
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Inflammation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) are important in the development of perinatal brain injury. The ROS-generating enzyme NADPH oxidase (Nox2) is present in inflammatory cells and contributes to brain injury in adult animal models. HYPOTHESIS: NADPH oxidase contributes to ROS formation and development of injury in the immature brain and inhibition of NADPH oxidase attenuates perinatal brain injury. METHODS: We used animal models of term hypoxia-ischemia (HI) (P9 mice) as well as ibotenate-induced excitotoxic injury (P5 mice) mimicking features of periventricular leukomalacia in preterm infants. In vitro microglia cell cultures were used to investigate NADPH oxidase-dependent ROS formation. In vivo we determined the impact 1) of HI on NADPH oxidase gene expression 2) of genetic (gp91-phox/Nox2 knock-out) and 3) of pharmacological NADPH oxidase inhibition on HI-induced injury and NMDA receptor-mediated excitotoxic injury, respectively. Endpoints were ROS formation, oxidative stress, apoptosis, inflammation and extent of injury. RESULTS: Hypoxia-ischemia increased NADPH oxidase subunits mRNA expression in total brain tissue in vivo. In vitro ibotenate increased NADPH oxidase-dependent formation of reactive oxygen species in microglia. In vivo the inhibition of NADPH oxidase did not reduce the extent of brain injury in any of the animal models. In contrast, the injury was increased by inhibition of NADPH oxidase and genetic inhibition was associated with an increased level of galectin-3 and IL-1beta. CONCLUSION: NADPH oxidase is upregulated after hypoxia-ischemia and activated microglia cells are a possible source of Nox2-derived ROS. In contrast to findings in adult brain, NADPH oxidase does not significantly contribute to the pathogenesis of perinatal brain injury. Results obtained in adult animals cannot be transferred to newborns and inhibition of NADPH oxidase should not be used in attempts to attenuate injury.
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| 16. |
- Erkenstam, Nina Hellström, 1976, et al.
(author)
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Temporal Characterization of Microglia/Macrophage Phenotypes in a Mouse Model of Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Brain Injury.
- 2016
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In: Frontiers in cellular neuroscience. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 1662-5102. ; 10
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Immune cells display a high degree of phenotypic plasticity, which may facilitate their participation in both the progression and resolution of injury-induced inflammation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the temporal expression of genes associated with classical and alternative polarization phenotypes described for macrophages and to identify related cell populations in the brain following neonatal hypoxia-ischemia (HI). HI was induced in 9-day old mice and brain tissue was collected up to 7 days post-insult to investigate expression of genes associated with macrophage activation. Using cell-markers, CD86 (classic activation) and CD206 (alternative activation), we assessed temporal changes of CD11b(+) cell populations in the brain and studied the protein expression of the immunomodulatory factor galectin-3 in these cells. HI induced a rapid regulation (6 h) of genes associated with both classical and alternative polarization phenotypes in the injured hemisphere. FACS analysis showed a marked increase in the number of CD11b(+)CD86(+) cells at 24 h after HI (+3667%), which was coupled with a relative suppression of CD11b(+)CD206(+) cells and cells that did not express neither CD86 nor CD206. The CD11b(+)CD206(+) population was mixed with some cells also expressing CD86. Confocal microscopy confirmed that a subset of cells expressed both CD86 and CD206, particularly in injured gray and white matter. Protein concentration of galectin-3 was markedly increased mainly in the cell population lacking CD86 or CD206 in the injured hemisphere. These cells were predominantly resident microglia as very few galectin-3 positive cells co-localized with infiltrating myeloid cells in Lys-EGFP-ki mice after HI. In summary, HI was characterized by an early mixed gene response, but with a large expansion of mainly the CD86 positive population during the first day. However, the injured hemisphere also contained a subset of cells expressing both CD86 and CD206 and a large population that expressed neither activation marker CD86 nor CD206. Interestingly, these cells expressed the highest levels of galectin-3 and were found to be predominantly resident microglia. Galectin-3 is a protein involved in chemotaxis and macrophage polarization suggesting a novel role in cell infiltration and immunomodulation for this cell population after neonatal injury.
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| 17. |
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| 18. |
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| 19. |
- Kichev, A., et al.
(author)
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TWEAK Receptor Deficiency Has Opposite Effects on Female and Male Mice Subjected to Neonatal Hypoxia-Ischemia
- 2018
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In: Frontiers in Neurology. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 1664-2295. ; 9
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK) is a multifunctional cytokine member of the TNF family. TWEAK binds to its only known receptor, Fn14, enabling it to activate downstream signaling processes in response to tissue injury. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of TWEAK signaling in neonatal hypoxia-ischemia (HI). We found that after neonatal HI, both TWEAK and Fn14 expression were increased to a greater extent in male compared with female mice. To assess the role of TWEAK signaling after HI, the size of the injury was measured in neonatal mice genetically deficient in Fn14 and compared with their wild-type and heterozygote littermates. A significant sex difference in the Fn14 knockout (KO) animals was observed. Fn14 gene KO was beneficial in females; conversely, reducing Fn14 expression exacerbated the brain injury in male mice. Our findings indicate that the TWEAK/Fn14 pathway is critical for development of hypoxic-ischemic brain injury in immature animals. However, as the responses are different in males and females, clinical implementation depends on development of sex-specific therapies.
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| 20. |
- Levison, S. W., et al.
(author)
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Mechanisms of tertiary neurodegeneration after neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain damage
- 2022
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In: Pediatric Medicine. - : AME Publishing Company. - 2617-5428. ; 5
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Neonatal encephalopathy linked to hypoxia-ischemia (H-I) which is regarded as the most important neurological problem of the newborn, can lead to a spectrum of adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes such as cerebral palsy, epilepsy, hyperactivity, cognitive impairment and learning difficulties. There have been numerous reviews that have focused on the epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment of neonatal H-I; however, a topic that is less often considered is the extent to which the injury might worsen over time, which is the focus of this review. Similarly, there have been numerous reviews that have focused on mechanisms that contribute to the acute or subacute injury; however, there is a tertiary phase of recovery that can be defined by cellular and molecular changes that occur many weeks and months after brain injury and this topic has not been the focus of any review for over a decade. Therefore, in this article we review both the clinical and pre-clinical data that show that tertiary neurodegeneration is a significant contributor to the final outcome, especially after mild to moderate injuries. We discuss the contributing roles of apoptosis, necroptosis, autophagy, protein homeostasis, inflammation, microgliosis and astrogliosis. We also review the limited number of studies that have shown that significant neuroprotection and preservation of neurological function can be achieved administering drugs during the period of tertiary neurodegeneration. As the tertiary phase of neurodegeneration is a stage when interventions are eminently feasible, it is our hope that this review will stimulate a new focus on this stage of recovery towards the goal of producing new treatment options for neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.
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| 21. |
- Martinello, K. A., et al.
(author)
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Acute LPS sensitization and continuous infusion exacerbates hypoxic brain injury in a piglet model of neonatal encephalopathy
- 2019
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In: Scientific Reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 9:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Co-existing infection/inflammation and birth asphyxia potentiate the risk of developing neonatal encephalopathy (NE) and adverse outcome. In a newborn piglet model we assessed the effect of E. coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) infusion started 4 h prior to and continued for 48 h after hypoxia on brain cell death and systemic haematological changes compared to LPS and hypoxia alone. LPS sensitized hypoxia resulted in an increase in mortality and in brain cell death (TUNEL positive cells) throughout the whole brain, and in the internal capsule, periventricular white matter and sensorimotor cortex. LPS alone did not increase brain cell death at 48 h, despite evidence of neuroinflammation, including the greatest increases in microglial proliferation, reactive astrocytosis and cleavage of caspase-3. LPS exposure caused splenic hypertrophy and platelet count suppression. The combination of LPS and hypoxia resulted in the highest and most sustained systemic white cell count increase. These findings highlight the significant contribution of acute inflammation sensitization prior to an asphyxial insult on NE illness severity.
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| 22. |
- Martinello, K. A., et al.
(author)
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Hypothermia is not therapeutic in a neonatal piglet model of inflammation-sensitized hypoxia-ischemia
- 2022
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In: Pediatric Research. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0031-3998 .- 1530-0447. ; 91:6, s. 1416-1427
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Perinatal inflammation combined with hypoxia-ischemia (HO exacerbates injury in the developing brain. Therapeutic hypothermia (HT) is standard care for neonatal encephalopathy; however, its benefit in inflammation-sensitized HI (IS-HI) is unknown. METHODS: Twelve newborn piglets received a 2 mu g/kg bolus and 1 mu g/kg/h infusion over 52 h of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS). HI was induced 4 h after LPS bolus. After HI, piglets were randomized to HT (33.5 degrees C 1-25 h after HI, n = 6) or normothermia (NT, n = 6). Amplitude-integrated electroencephalogram (aEEG) was recorded and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) was acquired at 24 and 48 h. At 48 h, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL)-positive brain cell death, microglial activation/proliferation, astrogliosis, and cleaved caspase-3 (CC3) were quantified. Hematology and plasma cytokines were serially measured. RESULTS: Two HT piglets died. aEEG recovery, thalamic and white matter MRS lactate/N-acetylaspartate, and TUNEL-positive cell death were similar between groups. HT increased microglial activation in the caudate, but had no other effect on glial activation/ proliferation. HT reduced CC3 overall. HT suppressed platelet count and attenuated leukocytosis. Cytokine profile was unchanged by HT. CONCLUSIONS: We did not observe protection with HT in this piglet IS-HI model based on aEEG, MRS, and immunohistochemistry. immunosuppressive effects of HT and countering neuroinflammation by LPS may contribute to the observed lack of HT efficacy. Other immunomodulatory strategies may be more effective in IS-HI.
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| 23. |
- Moretti, R., et al.
(author)
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Melatonin reduces excitotoxic blood-brain barrier breakdown in neonatal rats
- 2015
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In: Neuroscience. - : Elsevier BV. - 0306-4522. ; 311, s. 382-397
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a complex structure that protects the central nervous system from peripheral insults. Understanding the molecular basis of BBB function and dysfunction holds significant potential for future strategies to prevent and treat neurological damage. The aim of our study was (1) to investigate BBB alterations following excitotoxicity and (2) to test the protective properties of melatonin.Ibotenate, a glutamate analog, was injected intracerebrally in postnatal day 5 (P5) rat pups to mimic excitotoxic injury. Animals were than randomly divided into two groups, one receiving intraperitoneal (i.p.) melatonin injections (5. mg/kg), and the other phosphate buffer saline (PBS) injections. Pups were sacrificed 2, 4 and 18. h after ibotenate injection. We determined lesion size at 5. days by histology, the location and organization of tight junction (TJ) proteins by immunohistochemical studies, and BBB leakage by dextran extravasation. Expression levels of BBB genes (TJs, efflux transporters and detoxification enzymes) were determined in the cortex and choroid plexus by quantitative PCR.Dextran extravasation was seen 2. h after the insult, suggesting a rapid BBB breakdown that was resolved by 4. h. Extravasation was significantly reduced in melatonin-treated pups. Gene expression and immunohistochemical assays showed dynamic BBB modifications during the first 4. h, partially prevented by melatonin. Lesion-size measurements confirmed white matter neuroprotection by melatonin.Our study is the first to evaluate BBB structure and function at a very early time point following excitotoxicity in neonates. Melatonin neuroprotects by preventing TJ modifications and BBB disruption at this early phase, before its previously demonstrated anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and axonal regrowth-promoting effects. © 2015 IBRO.
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| 24. |
- Rousset, C. I., et al.
(author)
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A dual role for AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) during neonatal hypoxic-ischaemic brain injury in mice
- 2015
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In: Journal of Neurochemistry. - : Wiley. - 0022-3042. ; 133:2, s. 242-252
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Perinatal hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) occurs in 1-2 in every 1000 term infants and the devastating consequences range from cerebral palsy, epilepsy and neurological deficit to death. Cellular damage post insult occurs after a delay and is mediated by a secondary neural energy failure. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a sensor of cellular stress resulting from ATP depletion and/or calcium dysregulation, hallmarks of the neuronal cell death observed after HIE. AMPK activation has been implicated in the models of adult ischaemic injury but, as yet, there have been no studies defining its role in neonatal asphyxia. Here, we find that in anin vivo model of neonatal hypoxia-ischaemic and in oxygen/glucose deprivation in neurons, there is pathological activationof the calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase (CaMKK)-AMPK1 signalling pathway. Pharmacological inhibition of AMPK during the insult promotes neuronal survival but, conversely, inhibiting AMPK activity prior to the insult sensitizes neurons, exacerbating cell death. Our data have pathological relevance for neonatal HIE as prior sensitization such as exposure to bacterial infection (reported to reduce AMPK activity) produces a significant increase in injury.
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| 25. |
- Vontell, R, et al.
(author)
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Toll-Like Receptor 3 Expression in Glia and Neurons Alters in Response to White Matter Injury in Preterm Infants.
- 2013
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In: Developmental neuroscience. - : S. Karger AG. - 1421-9859 .- 0378-5866. ; 35:2-3, s. 130-139
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are members of the pattern recognition receptor family that detect components of foreign pathogens or endogenous molecules released in response to injury. Recent studies demonstrate that TLRs also have a functional role in regulating neuronal proliferation in the developing brain. This study investigated cellular expression of TLR3 using immunohistochemistry on human brain tissue. The tissue sections analysed contained anterior and lateral periventricular white matter from the frontal and parietal lobes in post-mortem neonatal cases with a postmenstrual age range of 23.6-31.4 weeks. In addition to preterm brains without overt pathology (control), preterm pathology cases with evidence of white matter injuries (WMI) were also examined. In order to identify TLR-positive cells, we utilized standard double-labelling immunofluorescence co-labelling techniques and confocal microscopy to compare co-expression of TLR3 with a neuronal marker (NeuN) or with glial markers (GFAP for astrocytes, Iba-1 for microglia and Olig2 for oligodendrocytes). We observed an increase in the neuronal (28 vs. 17%) and astroglial (38 vs. 21%) populations in the WMI group compared to controls in the anterior regions of the periventricular white matter in the frontal lobe. The increase in neurons and astrocytes in the WMI cases was associated with an increase in TLR3 immunoreactivity. This expression was significantly increased in the astroglia. The morphology of the TLR3 signal in the control cases was globular and restricted to the perinuclear region of the neurons and astrocytes, whilst in the cases of WMI, both neuronal, axonal and astroglial TLR3 expression was more diffuse (i.e., a different intracellular distribution) and could be detected along the extensions of the processes. This study demonstrates for the first time that neurons and glial cells in human neonatal periventricular white matter express TLR3 during development. The patterns of TLR3 expression were altered in the presence of WMI, which might influence normal developmental processes within the immature brain. Identifying changes in TLR3 expression during fetal development may be key to understanding the reduced volumes of grey matter and impaired cortical development seen in preterm infants.
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