Purpose: Our experiments aimed at exploring potential neurorestorative mechanisms of selegiline, a compound routinely used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease and previously shown to improve the functional recovery of stroke patients.
Methods: Selegiline was administered continuously via osmotic mini-pumps between 48 and 216 hours following middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in rats. Twenty-four hours before sacrifice, the animals underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). After decapitation, the peri-infarct region was dissected to perform a TAQMAN array gene expression study, and brains were fixed for immunolabeling.
Results: In addition to the previously known induction of anti-apoptosis genes, selegiline significantly increased the mRNA level of Notch 1 receptor and its ligand Jagged 1. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated elevated Notch 1 and Jagged 1 immunoreactivities in the peri-infarct region. Double labeling with glial markers revealed that both Notch 1 and Jagged 1 were expressed in astrocytes but not in microglia. MRI examination indicated significantly reduced edema in selegiline-treated rats compared to control MCAO rats, and increased capillary network density was found in the peri-infarct region of the selegiline-treated animals.
Conclusion: Our results suggest that selegiline treatment enhances Notch-Jagged signaling in astrocytes, reduces peri-lesional edema and potentially helps preserve the capillary network following focal ischemia.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://dx.doi.org/10.3233/RNN-140420 | DOI Listing |
J Am Coll Cardiol
November 2024
British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence, the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom.
Background: Myocardial fibrosis is a key healing response after myocardial infarction driven by activated fibroblasts. Gallium-68-labeled fibroblast activation protein inhibitor ([Ga]-FAPI) is a novel positron-emitting radiotracer that binds activated fibroblasts.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the intensity, distribution, and time-course of fibroblast activation after acute myocardial infarction.
J Pathol
February 2025
Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences 'Rodolfo Paoletti', Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.
White matter damage and subsequent demyelination significantly contribute to long-term functional impairment after ischaemic stroke. Identifying novel pharmacological targets to restore myelin integrity by promoting the maturation of oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) into new myelinating oligodendrocytes may open new perspectives for ischaemic stroke treatment. In this respect, previous studies highlighted the role of the G protein-coupled membrane receptor 17 (GPR17) as a key regulator of OPC differentiation in experimental models of brain injury, including ischaemic stroke.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPsychiatry Investig
November 2024
Department of Anatomy, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
Objective: Danshensu, a phenylpropanoid compound, is derived from the dry root and rhizome of Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza), a traditional Chinese medicinal herb. Evidence suggests that danshensu protects isolated rat hearts against ischemia/reperfusion injury by activating the protein kinase B (Akt)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway or by inhibiting autophagy and apoptosis through the activation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling. Furthermore, danshensu promotes the postischemic regeneration of brain cells by upregulating the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the peri-infarct region.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNeural Regen Res
November 2024
Department of Neurology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, SunYat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
Intrathecal administration of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells may be a promising approach for the treatment of stroke, but its safety, effectiveness, and mechanism remain to be elucidated. In this study, good manufacturing practice-grade human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (5 × 105 and 1 × 106 cells) and saline were administered by cerebellomedullary cistern injection 72 hours after stroke induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion in rats. The results showed (1) no significant difference in mortality or general conditions among the three groups.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFStem Cell Res Ther
November 2024
Department of Emergency Medicine, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Background: The clinical application of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in myocardial infarction (MI) is severely hampered by their poor survival. Pretreatment is a key strategy that has been adopted to promote their therapeutic efficacy. This study aimed to investigate the benefit of growth differentiation factor 15-pretreated MSCs (GDF15-MSCs) in enhancing cardiac repair following MI and to determine the underlying mechanisms.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!