Estrogen replacement regimen and brain infusion of lipopolysaccharide differentially alter steroid receptor expression in the uterus and hypothalamus.

The regimen of estrogen replacement can alter the consequences of estrogen therapy and stressors. To determine the long-term effects and interaction of these systems on the brain and periphery, adult female rats were infused with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into the fourth ventricle of the brain for 4 weeks, and ovariectomized rats were administered either constant or pulsed regimens of estrogen replacement (17beta-estradiol) until sacrifice at 8 weeks. Constant, but not pulsed, estrogen replacement reduced ERalpha and increased HSP90, HSP70, and PR(B) uterine protein levels.

Brain infusion of lipopolysaccharide increases uterine growth as a function of estrogen replacement regimen: suppression of uterine estrogen receptor-alpha by constant, but not pulsed, estrogen replacement.

The effects of estrogen therapy can differ depending on the regimen of estrogen administration. In addition, estrogen can modulate the effects of stressors. To examine the interaction between these systems, we infused adult female rats with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into the fourth ventricle of the brain for 6 d and compared the effects of constant and pulsed estrogen replacement.

Chemokine receptor 5 antagonist D-Ala-peptide T-amide reduces microglia and astrocyte activation within the hippocampus in a neuroinflammatory rat model of Alzheimer's disease.

Chronic neuroinflammation plays a prominent role in the progression of Alzheimer's disease. Reactive microglia and astrocytes are observed within the hippocampus during the early stages of the disease. Epidemiological findings suggest that anti-inflammatory therapies may slow the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

APP and PS-1 mutations induce brain oxidative stress independent of dietary cholesterol: implications for Alzheimer's disease.

Epidemiological and biochemical studies strongly implicate a role for cholesterol in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Mutation in the PS-1 and APP genes, which increases production of the highly amyloidogenic amyloid beta-peptide (Abeta42), is the major cause of familial AD. The AD brain is under significant oxidative stress, including protein oxidation and lipid peroxidation.

The presence of the APP(swe) mutation in mice does not increase the vulnerability of cholinergic basal forebrain neurons to neuroinflammation.

Neuroinflammation, and elevated levels of inflammatory proteins, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and the deposition of beta-amyloid may interact to contribute to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. We reproduced a component of the neuroinflammatory state within the basal forebrain cholinergic system, a region that is vulnerable to degeneration in Alzheimer's disease, of transgenic Tg2576 mice that express the Swedish double mutation of the human amyloid precursor protein (APPswe). We have previously shown that basal forebrain cholinergic neurons are selectively vulnerable to the consequences of neuroinflammation.

Attenuation of chronic neuroinflammation by a nitric oxide-releasing derivative of the antioxidant ferulic acid.

Chronic neuroinflammation and oxidative stress contribute to the neurodegeneration associated with Alzheimer's disease and represent targets for therapy. Ferulic acid is a natural compound that expresses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Nitric oxide is also a key modulator of inflammatory responses.