P3‐183: Role of RCAN1, a gene involved in the adaptation to oxidative stress, in Alzheimer's pathology
Why Women Have More Alzheimer's Disease Than Men: Gender and Mitochondrial Toxicity of Amyloid-β Peptide
The main risk factors for developing Alzheimer's disease (AD) are age and gender. The incidence of the disease is higher in women than in men, and this cannot simply be attributed to the higher longevity of women versus men. Thus, there must be a specific pathogenic mechanism to explain the higher incidence of AD cases in women. In this regard, it is notable that mitochondria from young females are protected against amyloid-beta toxicity, generate less reactive oxygen species, and release less apoptogenic signals than those from males. However, all this advantage is lost in mitochondria from old females. Since estrogenic compounds protect against mitochondrial toxicity of amyloid-beta, estr…
Role of RCAN1 in stress induced cell adaptation
Mitochondria from females exhibit higher antioxidant gene expression and lower oxidative damage than males
We have investigated the differential mitochondrial oxidative stress between males and females to understand the molecular mechanisms enabling females to live longer than males. Mitochondria are a major source of free radicals in cells. Those from female rats generate half the amount of peroxides than those of males. This does not occur in ovariectomized animals. Estrogen replacement therapy prevents the effect of ovariectomy. Mitochondria from females have higher levels of reduced glutathione than those from males. Those from ovariectomized rats have similar levels to males, and estrogen therapy prevents the fall in glutathione levels that occurs in ovariectomized animals. Oxidative damage…
Women in (neuro)science: report of a meeting held at the University of Valencia, Spain, in February 2018
February 11th is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. To mark this day, research centers and universities were invited by the Spanish Neuroscience Association to organize a symposium. Twenty-five centers in Spain participated in the event, with the intent of giving visibility to the existing problem of the scarcity of women compared with men in (neuro)science in positions of responsibility and command. Fourteen neuroscientists, all staff members of the University of Valencia, arranged the meeting. The morning included lectures by women neuroscientists in different phases of their career: a PhD student, a junior and a senior postdoctoral investigator, and a well-established …
Aβ and tau toxicities in Alzheimer’s are linked via oxidative stress-induced p38 activation: Protective role of vitamin E
AbstractOxidative stress is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). We propose that rather than causing damage because of the action of free radicals, oxidative stress deranges signaling pathways leading to tau hyperphosphorylation, a hallmark of the disease. Indeed, incubation of neurons in culture with 5 µM beta-amyloid peptide (Aβ) causes an activation of p38 MAPK (p38) that leads to tau hyperphosphorylation. Inhibition of p38 prevents Aβ-induced tau phosphorylation. Aβ-induced effects are prevented when neurons are co-incubated with trolox (the water-soluble analog of vitamin E).We have confirmed these results in vivo, in APP/PS1 double transgenic mice of AD. We have found that APP/PS1 …
Oxidative Stress And Ubiquitin Ligases: Their Involvement In Alzheimer’s Disease Pathophysiology
Oxidative stress is a major hallmark in Alzheimer’s Disease. We showed that amyloid beta (Aβ 1-42 ), induces mitochondrial oxidative stress. We focused on dysregulations of ubiquitin ligases in Alzheimer’s and their relation to oxidative stress. The anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C)-Cdh1 ubiquitin ligase has a role as cell cycle regulator in proliferating cells and, recently another role in the regulation the degradation of key glycolytic enzyme 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2, 6-bisphosphatase-3 has been found (Almeida et al., 2012). Herrero-Mendez et al. observed in 2009 that inhibition of Cdh1 leads to an upregulation of Pfkfb3 in neurons and that this results in the activ…
Multicomponent Training Prevents Memory Deficit Related to Amyloid-β Protein-Induced Neurotoxicity.
Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by the accumulation of the amyloid-β peptide in the brain, leading to early oxidative stress and neurotoxicity. It has been suggested that physical exercise could be beneficial in preventing AD, but studies with multicomponent training are scanty. Objective: Verify the effects of multicomponent exercise training to prevent deficits in recognition memory related to Aβ neurotoxicity. Methods: We subjected Wistar rats to multicomponent training (including aerobic and anaerobic physical exercise and cognitive exercise) and then infused amyloid-β peptide into their hippocampus. Results: We show that long-term multicomponent training prevents …
New Functions of APC/C Ubiquitin Ligase in the Nervous System and Its Role in Alzheimer’s Disease
The E3 ubiquitin ligase Anaphase Promoting Complex/Cyclosome (APC/C) regulates important processes in cells, such as the cell cycle, by targeting a set of substrates for degradation. In the last decade, APC/C has been related to several major functions in the nervous system, including axon guidance, synaptic plasticity, neurogenesis, and neuronal survival. Interestingly, some of the identified APC/C substrates have been related to neurodegenerative diseases. There is an accumulation of some degradation targets of APC/C in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) brains, which suggests a dysregulation of the protein complex in the disorder. Moreover, recently evidence has been provided for an inactivation o…
Is Oxidative Stress the Link Between Cerebral Small Vessel Disease, Sleep Disruption, and Oligodendrocyte Dysfunction in the Onset of Alzheimer’s Disease?
Oxidative stress is an early occurrence in the development of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and one of its proposed etiologic hypotheses. There is sufficient experimental evidence supporting the theory that impaired antioxidant enzymatic activity and increased formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) take place in this disease. However, the antioxidant treatments fail to stop its advancement. Its multifactorial condition and the diverse toxicological cascades that can be initiated by ROS could possibly explain this failure. Recently, it has been suggested that cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) contributes to the onset of AD. Oxidative stress is a central hallmark of CSVD and is depicted as …
Estradiol or genistein prevent Alzheimer's disease-associated inflammation correlating with an increase PPAR gamma expression in cultured astrocytes.
Inflammation has been implicated in neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). The main inflammatory players in AD are the glial cells which initiate the inflammatory response. One of the earliest neuropathological changes in AD is the accumulation of astrocytes at sites of A beta deposition. It is desirable to find methods of tipping the balance towards anti-inflammatory state. Estrogenic compounds have shown anti-inflammatory and also antioxidant activity. Astrocytes were pretreated with 17-beta estradiol or with genistein, and 48 h later treated with 5 microM amyloid beta (A beta) for 24 h. We found that A beta induces inflammatory mediators, such as cyclooxygenase 2 (…
Reductive Stress: A New Concept in Alzheimer's Disease
Reactive oxygen species play a physiological role in cell signaling and also a pathological role in diseases, when antioxidant defenses are overwhelmed causing oxidative stress. However, in this review we will focus on reductive stress that may be defined as a pathophysiological situation in which the cell becomes more reduced than in the normal, resting state. This may occur in hypoxia and also in several diseases in which a small but persistent generation of oxidants results in a hormetic overexpression of antioxidant enzymes that leads to a reduction in cell compartments. This is the case of Alzheimer's disease. Individuals at high risk of Alzheimer's (because they carry the ApoE4 allele…
Vitamin A deficiency causes oxidative damage to liver mitochondria in rats.
Mitochondrial damage in rat liver induced by chronic vitamin A-deficiency was studied using three different groups of rats: (i) control rats, (ii) rats fed a vitamin A-free diet until 50 d after birth and (iii) vitamin A-deficient rats re-fed a control diet for 30 d. No statistical difference in body weight and food intake was found between control and vitamin A-deficient rats. Liver GSH concentration was similar in both groups. However, in vitamin A-deficient rats, the mitochondrial GSH/GSSG ratio was significantly lower and the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and 8-oxo-7, 8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (oxo8dG) were higher when compared to control rats. These values were partially restored i…
Mitochondrial oxidative stress and CD95 ligand: A dual mechanism for hepatocyte apoptosis in chronic alcoholism
Apoptosis plays an important role in the progression of alcohol-induced liver disease to cirrhosis. Oxidative stress is an early event in the development of apoptosis. The major aim of this study was to study the conditions in which oxidative stress occurs in chronic alcoholism and its relationship with apoptosis of hepatocytes. We have found that oxidative stress is associated with chronic ethanol consumption in humans and in rats, in the former independently of the existence of alcohol-induced liver disease. Ethanol or acetaldehyde induces apoptosis in hepatocytes isolated from alcoholic rats, but not in those from control rats. Inhibition of aldehyde dehydrogenase, but not of cytochrome …
Oral Monosodium Glutamate Administration Causes Early Onset of Alzheimer's Disease-Like Pathophysiology in APP/PS1 Mice.
Glutamate excitotoxicity has long been related to Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathophysiology, and it has been shown to affect the major AD-related hallmarks, amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) accumulation and tau phosphorylation (p-tau). We investigated whether oral administration of monosodium glutamate (MSG) has effects in a murine model of AD, the double transgenic mice APP/PS1. We found that AD pathogenic factors appear earlier in APP/PS1 when supplemented with MSG, while wildtype mice were essentially not affected. Aβ and p-tau levels were increased in the hippocampus in young APP/PS1 animals upon MSG administration. This was correlated with increased Cdk5-p25 levels. Furthermore, in these mice, we…
Gender and age-dependent differences in the mitochondrial apoptogenic pathway in Alzheimer's disease
Age-related mitochondrial oxidative stress is highly gender dependent. The aim of this study was to determine the role of gender in the mitochondrial contribution to neuronal apoptosis in Alzheimer's disease (AD). We used mitochondria isolated from brains of Wistar rats to study the toxicity of ss-amyloid peptide (Ass), and found that it increases mitochondrial peroxide production, nitration and oxidation of proteins, and release of cytochrome c. The toxic effects occurred in young males and in old females but not in young females, indicating their resistance to Ass. This resistance was abolished with age. These toxic effects of Ass were prevented by heme. Our findings provide a molecular m…
Gender- and age-related distinctions for the in vivo prooxidant state in Fanconi anaemia patients.
Abstract Some selected oxidative stress parameters were measured in 56 Fanconi anaemia (FA) patients (42 untransplanted and 14 transplanted), 54 FA heterozygotes (parents) and 173 controls. Untransplanted FA patients showed a highly significant increase in leukocyte 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) (p = 0.00003) and a borderline increase (p = 0.076) in urinary levels of 8-OHdG vs. child controls. These increases were more pronounced in female FA patients (p = 0.00005 for leukocyte 8-OHdG, and p = 0.021 for urinary 8-OHdG). Female FA patients also displayed a highly significant excess of spontaneous chromosomal breaks vs. male patients (p = 0.00026), in the same female:male ratio (≅ 1.4)…
Glutathione levels in blood from ataxia telangiectasia patients suggest in vivo adaptive mechanisms to oxidative stress
Objective: To evaluate an in vivo pro-oxidant state in patients with ataxia telangiectasia (AT). Methods: A set of oxidative stress endpoints were measured in 9 AT homozygotes, 16 AT heterozygotes (parents) and 83 controls (grouped in age ranges as for patients and parents, respectively). The following analytes were measured: (a) leukocyte 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG); (b) blood glutathione (GSSG and GSH); and (c) plasma levels of glyoxal (Glx) and methylglyoxal (MGlx). Results: AT patients displayed a significant decrease in blood GSSG (p=0.012) and in MGlx plasma concentrations (P=0.012). A nonsignificant decrease in the GSSG:GSH ratio (p = 0.1) and a non-significant increase in 8-…
P1‐278: apoE4, risk factor of Alzheimer's disease, study in young adults
The oscillatory profile induced by the anxiogenic drug fg-7142 in the amygdala-hippocampal network is reversed by infralimbic deep brain stimulation: Relevance for mood disorders
Anxiety and depression exhibit high comorbidity and share the alteration of the amygdala-hippocampal-prefrontal network, playing different roles in the ventral and dorsal hippocampi. Deep brain stimulation of the infralimbic cortex in rodents or the human equivalent-the subgenual cingulate cortex-constitutes a fast antidepressant treatment. The aim of this work was: (1) to describe the oscillatory profile in a rodent model of anxiety, and (2) to deepen the therapeutic basis of infralimbic deep brain stimulation in mood disorders. First, the anxiogenic drug FG-7142 was administered to anaesthetized rats to characterize neural oscillations within the amygdala and the dorsoventral axis of the …
Different patterns of in vivo pro-oxidant states in a set of cancer- or aging-related genetic diseases
A comparative evaluation is reported of pro-oxidant states in 82 patients with ataxia telangectasia (AT), Bloom syndrome (BS), Down syndrome (DS), Fanconi anemia (FA), Werner syndrome (WS), and xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) vs 98 control donors. These disorders display cancer proneness, and/or early aging, and/or other clinical features. The measured analytes were: (a) leukocyte and urinary 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), (b) blood glutathione (GSSG and GSH), (c) plasma glyoxal (Glx) and methylglyoxal (MGlx), and (d) some plasma antioxidants [uric acid (UA) and ascorbic acid (AA)]. Leukocyte 8-OHdG levels ranked as follows: WS>BS approximately FA approximately XP>DS approximately AT appr…
Is Sleep Disruption a Cause or Consequence of Alzheimer’s Disease? Reviewing Its Possible Role as a Biomarker
In recent years, the idea that sleep is critical for cognitive processing has gained strength. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia worldwide and presents a high prevalence of sleep disturbances. However, it is difficult to establish causal relations, since a vicious circle emerges between different aspects of the disease. Nowadays, we know that sleep is crucial to consolidate memory and to remove the excess of beta-amyloid and hyperphosphorilated tau accumulated in AD patients’ brains. In this review, we discuss how sleep disturbances often precede in years some pathological traits, as well as cognitive decline, in AD. We describe the relevance of sleep to memory co…
In vivoprooxidant state in Werner syndrome (WS): Results from three WS patients and two WS heterozygotes
The hypothesis was tested that Werner syndrome (WS) phenotype might be associated with an in vivo prooxidant state. A set of redox-related endpoints were measured in three WS patients, two of their parents, and 99 controls within a study of some cancer-prone and/or ageing-related genetic disorders. The following analytes were measured: (a) leukocyte 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine; (b) glutathione from whole blood, and (c) plasma levels of glyoxal, methylglyoxal, 8-isoprostane, and some plasma antioxidants (uric acid, ascorbic acid, alpha- and gamma-tocopherol). Leukocyte 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine levels showed a significant increase in the 3 WS patients vs. 85 controls (p<10(-7)). The disulf…
Oxidative stress in asphyxiated term infants resuscitated with 100% oxygen
Although room air is adequate for resuscitating asphyxiated newborn infants, guidelines recommend using 100% oxygen. Hyperoxemia, as has been noted in animal studies, could cause delayed breathing, increased oxygen consumption, and disordered cerebral circulation. In addition, 100% oxygen has caused prolonged oxidation of blood glutathione in neonates. In this study, 51 asphyxiated neonates born at term were randomly assigned to resuscitation with room air (RAR) and 55 to resuscitation with 100% oxygen (OxR). The goal was to learn whether using oxygen for resuscitation triggers oxidative stress. Critical criteria were the Apgar score, the time of the first cry, and sustained respiration. Si…
Hyperoxemia caused by resuscitation with pure oxygen may alter intracellular redox status by increasing oxidized glutathione in asphyxiated newly born infants
In a prospective, randomized, blinded trial we have studied the effects of resuscitation upon oxygenation in a group of asphyxiated newly born infants receiving room air or 100% oxygen as the gas source. During the acute phase of asphyxia and until the resuscitation procedure concluded, we determined serial blood gases as well as reduced and oxidized glutathione, enzymes involved in the glutathione redox cycle, and antioxidant enzyme activities. The use of 100% oxygen caused a remarkable increase of partial pressures of oxygen in arterial blood, with values that were frequently above physiological levels (>100 mm Hg). In addition, we have found a significant correlation between hyperoxemia …
El descubrimiento de nuevos fármacos, concepto umbral en farmacología.
[EN] The so-called “threshold concepts” are present in all areas of study. Its acquisition by the student represents a milestone in the advancement of the conceptual understanding of a subject. They are often difficult to learn, but when they are overcome they generate a reconceptualization that allows progress and deepening in the subject of study. We present an activity designed to develop a key threshold concept in pharmacology, the drug discovery process. To do this, we develop a practical laboratory project that will integrate both the extraction and search for active ingredients and the simulation of some aspects of their clinical trials in the phase I.
Aerobic Exercise During Advance Stage of Uncontrolled Arterial Hypertension
Made available in DSpace on 2022-04-29T08:45:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2021-06-03 Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Universidade Estadual Paulista Aim: To evaluate the influence of physical training on myocardial function, oxidative stress, energy metabolism, and MAPKs and NF-κB signaling pathways in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), at advanced stage of arterial hypertension, which precedes heart failure development. Methods: We studied four experimental groups: normotensive Wistar rats (W, n = 27), trained W (W-EX, n = 31), SHR (n = 27), and exercised SHR (SHR-E…
Oxidative stress biomarkers in four Bloom syndrome (BS) patients and in their parents suggest in vivo redox abnormalities in BS phenotype.
Objective: To evaluate an association of Bloom syndrome (BS) phenotype with an in vivo prooxidant state. Methods: The following endpoints were measured in 4 BS patients, their 6 parents, and 78 controls: a) leukocyte and urinary 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG); b) blood glutathione (GSSG and GSH), c) plasma levels of some plasma antioxidants (uric acid, UA, ascorbic acid, AA, α- and γ-tocopherol), and of glyoxal (Glx) and methylglyoxal (MGlx). Results: Leukocyte 8-OHdG levels were significantly increased in the 4 BS patients vs. 40 controls (p = 0.04), while the urinary 8-OHdG levels were non-significantly increased in BS patients. Glutathione disulfide levels and GSSG/GSH ratio were s…
Mitochondrial damage in aging and apoptosis.
: Mitochondria are essential to cellular aging, and free radical production by mitochondria is increased with aging. The rate of oxidant production by mitochondria correlates inversely with maximal life span of species. In many species, females live longer than males. We report that mitochondrial oxidant production by females is significantly lower than that of males. However, mitochondria from ovariectomized females have a similar oxidant production as those of males. Thus, gender difference in life span can be explained, at least in part, by different oxidant generation by mitochondria. Administration of antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E, or a Ginkgo biloba extract, protects against …
Vitamin E Paradox in Alzheimer's Disease: It Does Not Prevent Loss of Cognition and May Even Be Detrimental
There is controversy as to whether vitamin E is beneficial in Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this study, we tested if vitamin E prevents oxidative stress and loss of cognition in AD. Fifty-seven AD patients were recruited and divided in two groups: placebo or treated with 800 IU of vitamin E per day for six months. Of these 57 patients, only 33 finished the study. We measured blood oxidized glutathione (GSSG) and used the following cognitive tests: Mini-Mental State Examination, Blessed-Dementia Scale, and Clock Drawing Test. Of those patients treated with vitamin E, we found two groups. In the first group, "respondents" to vitamin E, GSSG levels were lower after the treatment and scores on t…
Obesity as a Risk Factor for Alzheimer’s Disease: Implication of Leptin and Glutamate
Obesity is known to induce leptin and insulin resistance. Leptin is a peptide hormone synthesized in adipose tissue that mainly regulates food intake. It has been shown that insulin stimulates the production of leptin when adipocytes are exposed to glucose to encourage satiety; while leptin, via a negative feedback, decreases the insulin release and enhances tissue sensitivity to it, leading to glucose uptake for energy utilization or storage. Therefore, resistance to insulin is closely related to leptin resistance. Obesity in middle age has also been related to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In recent years, the relation between impaired leptin signaling pathway and the onset of AD has been stu…
Electroencephalography as a Non-Invasive Biomarker of Alzheimer’s Disease: A Forgotten Candidate to Substitute CSF Molecules?
Biomarkers for disease diagnosis and prognosis are crucial in clinical practice. They should be objective and quantifiable and respond to specific therapeutic interventions. Optimal biomarkers should reflect the underlying process (pathological or not), be reproducible, widely available, and allow measurements repeatedly over time. Ideally, biomarkers should also be non-invasive and cost-effective. This review aims to focus on the usefulness and limitations of electroencephalography (EEG) in the search for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) biomarkers. The main aim of this article is to review the evolution of the most used biomarkers in AD and the need for new peripheral and, ideally, non-invasive b…
Amyloid-β toxicity and tau hyperphosphorylation are linked via RCAN1 in Alzheimer's disease.
Amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) toxicity and tau hyperphosphorylation are hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). How their molecular relationships may affect the etiology, progression, and severity of the disease, however, has not been elucidated. We now report that incubation of foetal rat cortical neurons with Aβ up-regulates expression of the Regulator of Calcineurin gene RCAN1, and this is mediated by Aβ-induced oxidative stress. Calcineurin (PPP3CA) is a serine-threonine phosphatase that dephosphorylates tau. RCAN1 proteins inhibit this phosphatase activity of calcineurin. Increased expression of RCAN1 also causes up-regulation of glycogen synthase kinase-3beta (GSK3β), a tau kinase. Thus, incr…
Late onset administration of oral antioxidants prevents age-related loss of motor co-ordination and brain mitochondrial DNA damage.
We have studied the effect of aging on brain glutathione redox ratio, on brain mitochondrial DNA damage and on motor co-ordination in mice and the possible protective role of late onset administration of sulphur-containing antioxidants. Glutathione redox ratios change to a more oxidized state in whole brain with aging but the changes are much more pronounced when this ratio is measured in brain mitochondria. The levels of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2 '-deoxyguanosine in mitochondrial DNA are much higher in the brain of old animals than in those of young ones. Late onset oral administration of sulphur-containing antioxidants partially prevents oxidation of mitochondrial glutathione and DNA. There is …
Reductive stress in pathophysiology
Oxidative stress, as defined by Sies more than thirty years ago, has received much attention and has served as an important intellectual tool to understand the pathophysiology of many diseases and also of normal processes like ageing. However, recently the idea that the cells might suffer from reductive rather than oxidative stress and that such stress may be relevant in pathophysiology has gained momentum. Some time ago we defined reductive stress as a “as a pathophysiological situation in which the cell becomes more reduced than in the normal, resting state”. We postulated that reductive stress might be due, at least in part to a “small but persistent generation of oxidants that results i…
Obstructive sleep apnea: arterial oxygen desaturation coincides with increases in systemic oxidative stress markers measured with continuous monitoring
Autoantibodies Profile in Matching CSF and Serum from AD and aMCI patients: Potential Pathogenic Role and Link to Oxidative Damage.
Abstract Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia among the elderly and is characterized by progressive loss of memory and cognition. Amyloid-s-peptide (As) forms senile plaques, which, together with hyperphosphorylated tau-based neurofibrillary tangles, are the hallmarks of AD neuropathology. Evidence support the involvement of immune system in AD progression and current concepts regarding its pathogenesis include the participation of inflammatory and autoimmune components in the neurodegenerative process. Pathologically, immune system components have been detected in the brain, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and in serum of AD subjects and their trend of variation correlates …
Excitotoxicity in AD is partially caused by the inactivation of APC/C-Cdh1 E3 Ubiquitin Ligase
When Does Alzheimer′s Disease Really Start? The Role of Biomarkers
While Alzheimer’s disease (AD) classical diagnostic criteria rely on clinical data from a stablished symptomatic disease, newer criteria aim to identify the disease in its earlier stages. For that, they incorporated the use of AD’s specific biomarkers to reach a diagnosis, including the identification of Aβ and tau depositions, glucose hypometabolism, and cerebral atrophy. These biomarkers created a new concept of the disease, in which AD’s main pathological processes have already taken place decades before we can clinically diagnose the first symptoms. Therefore, AD is now considered a dynamic disease with a gradual progression, and dementia is its final stage. With …
Increased basal antioxidant levels in RCAN1 - deficient mice lowers oxidative injury after acute paraquat insult.
RCAN1 is an inhibitor of the phosphatase calcineurin, which is involved in the regulation of oxidative stress and apoptosis, among other important cell processes. Here we have used RCAN1 deficient mice (RCAN1-/-) to elucidate its role after an acute oxidative insult such as paraquat injection. We have observed that RCAN1-/- mice show less oxidative damage than wildtype (WT) mice after treatment. Under basal conditions, RCAN1-/- animals express more calcineurin, heme oxygenase-1, Nrf2, and catalase compared to WT mice (controls). This may explain the less severe effect of paraquat treatment on RCAN1-/- mice compared to WT. We showed that oxidative stress is involved in the early stages of ap…
Serum Levels of Clusterin, PKR, and RAGE Correlate with Amyloid Burden in Alzheimer's Disease.
Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia and biomarkers are essential to help in the diagnosis of this disease. Image techniques and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers are limited in their use because they are expensive or invasive. Thus, the search for blood-borne biomarkers is becoming central to the medical community. Objective: The main objective of this study is the evaluation of three serum proteins as potential biomarkers in AD patients. Methods: We recruited 27 healthy controls, 19 mild cognitive impairment patients, and 17 AD patients. Using the recent A/T/N classification we split our population into two groups (AD and control). We used ELISA kits…
Effect of gender on mitochondrial toxicity of Alzheimer's Abeta peptide.
The aim of this article is to review the role of mitochondria in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Additionally, the effect of gender on the incidence of Alzheimer's disease and the pathophysiological mechanisms involved will be discussed. Mitochondria, in the presence of Alzheimer's amyloid-beta peptide, increase the formation of reactive oxygen species which act both as damaging agents and also as signaling molecules. These radicals, in fact, unleash a mechanism involving the liberation of cytochrome c that leads to neuronal apoptosis. Notably, young females appear protected against the mitochondrial toxicity of amyloid-beta, likely due to the upregulation of antioxidant enzymes wh…
Aβ Induces Excitotoxicity Mediated by APC/C-Cdh1 Depletion That Can Be Prevented by Glutaminase Inhibition Promoting Neuronal Survival
AbstractThe E3 ubiquitin ligase anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) is activated by the fizzy-related protein homolog/CDC20-like protein 1 (cdh1) in post-mitotic neurons. Growing evidence suggests that dysregulation of APC/C-Cdh1 is involved in neurodegenerative diseases. Here we show in neurons that oligomers of amyloid beta (Aβ), a peptide related to Alzheimer’s disease, cause proteasome-dependent degradation of cdh1. This leads to a subsequent increase in glutaminase (a degradation target of APC/C-Cdh1), which causes an elevation of glutamate levels and further intraneuronal Ca2+ dysregulation, resulting in neuronal apoptosis. Glutaminase inhibition prevents glutamate excitotoxi…
Oxidative signature of cerebrospinal fluid from mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer disease patients
Abstract Background Several studies suggest that pathological changes in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) brain begin around 10–20 years before the onset of cognitive impairment. Biomarkers that can support early diagnosis and predict development of dementia would, therefore, be crucial for patient care and evaluation of drug efficacy. Although cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of Aβ42, tau, and p-tau are well-established diagnostic biomarkers of AD, there is an urgent need to identify additional molecular alterations of neuronal function that can be evaluated at the systemic level. Objectives This study was focused on the analysis of oxidative stress-related modifications of the CSF proteome, from …
Reductive stress in young healthy individuals at risk of Alzheimer disease.
Oxidative stress is a hallmark of Alzheimer disease (AD) but this has not been studied in young healthy persons at risk of the disease. Carrying an Apo e4 allele is the major genetic risk factor for AD. We have observed that lymphocytes from young, healthy persons carrying at least one Apo e4 allele suffer from reductive rather than oxidative stress, i.e., lower oxidized glutathione and P-p38 levels and higher expression of enzymes involved in antioxidant defense, such as glutamylcysteinyl ligase and glutathione peroxidase. In contrast, in the full-blown disease, the situation is reversed and oxidative stress occurs, probably because of the exhaustion of the antioxidant mechanisms just ment…
Antioxidant Pathways in Alzheimers Disease: Possibilities of Intervention
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is closely related to the occurrence of oxidative stress. It was claimed that all pathophysiological mechanisms involved in the onset and progression of AD are related to oxidative stress. Thus, it is important to evaluate if there is oxidative stress as well as the mechanism by which this happens in AD patients as well as in animal models of AD. Extracellular plaques of amyloid b peptides (Aβ), a hallmark of the disease, have been postulated to be more protective than damaging in terms of oxidative stress because they may be chemical sinks in which heavy metals are placed. More than a decade ago we reasoned that damage due to Ab might be caused not by extracellular…
Hippocampal oscillatory dynamics and sleep atonia are altered in an animal model of fibromyalgia: Implications in the search for biomarkers
The pathogenesis of fibromyalgia is still unknown. Core symptoms include pain, depression, and sleep disturbances with high comorbidity, suggesting alterations in the monoaminergic system as a common origin of this disease. The reserpine-induced myalgia (RIM) model lowers pain thresholds and produces depressive-like symptoms. The present work aims to evaluate temporal dynamics in the oscillatory profiles and motor activity during sleep in this model and to evaluate if the model mimics the sleep disorders that occur in fibromyalgia patients. Hippocampal and electromyogram activity were recorded in chronically implanted rats. Following 3 days of basal recordings, reserpine was administered on…
Inter-laboratory validation of procedures for measuring 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine/8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2’-deoxyguanosine in DNA.
The aim of ESCODD, a European Commission funded Concerted Action, is to improve the precision and accuracy of methods for measuring 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (8-oxoGua) or the nucleoside (8-oxodG). On two occasions, participating laboratories received samples of different concentrations of 8-oxodG for analysis. About half the results returned (for 8-oxodG) were within 20% of the median values. Coefficients of variation (for three identical samples) were commonly around 10%. A sample of calf thymus DNA was sent, dry, to all laboratories. Analysis of 8-oxoGua/8-oxodG in this sample was a test of hydrolysis methods. Almost half the reported results were within 20% of the median value, and half …
Molecular mechanisms linking amyloid β toxicity and Tau hyperphosphorylation in Alzheimer׳s disease
Neurofibrillary tangles (aggregates of cytoskeletal Tau protein) and senile plaques (aggregates mainly formed by amyloid β peptide) are two landmark lesions in Alzheimer׳s disease. Some researchers have proposed tangles, whereas others have proposed plaques, as primary lesions. For a long time, these were thought of as independent mechanisms. However, experimental evidence suggests that both lesions are intimately related. We review here some molecular pathways linking amyloid β and Tau toxicities involving, among others, glycogen synthase kinase 3β, p38, Pin1, cyclin-dependent kinase 5, and regulator of calcineurin 1. Understanding amyloid β and Tau toxicities as part of a common pathophys…
The Effectiveness of Vitamin E Treatment in Alzheimer’s Disease
Vitamin E was proposed as treatment for Alzheimer’s disease many years ago. However, the effectiveness of the drug is not clear. Vitamin E is an antioxidant and neuroprotector and it has anti-inflammatory and hypocholesterolemic properties, driving to its importance for brain health. Moreover, the levels of vitamin E in Alzheimer’s disease patients are lower than in non-demented controls. Thus, vitamin E could be a good candidate to have beneficial effects against Alzheimer’s. However, evidence is consistent with a limited effectiveness of vitamin E in slowing progression of dementia; the information is mixed and inconclusive. The question is why does vitamin E fail to tre…
[23] Ratio of reduced to oxidized glutathione as indicator of oxidative stress status and DNA damage
Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the ratio of reduced to oxidized glutathione (GSH) as an indicator of oxidative stress status and DNA damage. Several methods have been proposed for the determination of GSH status in biological samples. Accurate determination of this status is largely dependent on the prevention of GSH autoxidation during sample processing. As the disulfide form (GSSG) is present only in minimal amounts with respect to the reduced form, a small GSH autoxidation during sample processing can give erroneously high GSSG level. The chapter describes high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for determining GSSG. It also presents a method for glutathione determ…
Is antioxidant therapy effective to treat alzheimer's disease?
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative process associated with oxidative stress. In the past, it was claimed that all neuronal lesions involved in the onset and progression of AD were related to oxidative stress. Today, we know that intracellular amyloid beta (Ab) could play a central role in the pathophysiology of the disease. Ab binds to heme groups in mitochondrial membranes causing electron transport chain impairment and loss of respiratory function. The experimental evidence of such oxidative stress leads to the basis for treatment of AD with antioxidants. Many clinical trials have been developed to clarify whether antioxidants are beneficial in AD treatment. However, the resu…
P4‐256: POSITIVE FEEDBACK LOOP OF APC/C‐CDH1‐MEDIATED EXCITOTOXICITY IN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE
Molecular bases of the treatment of Alzheimer's disease with antioxidants: prevention of oxidative stress
Alzheimer's disease is associated with a systemic oxidative stress situation which can be followed in vivo by determining biomarkers such as plasma lipoperoxides and TBARS levels and the oxidation degree of glutathione in red blood cells. It has been observed that Alzheimer's patients show an increased level of plasma TBARS, which indicates a higher free radical oxidation of plasma unsaturated phospholipids, and an increased oxidation of red blood cells glutathione, which indicates oxidative stress in peripheral cells. This latter, glutathione oxidation, was found to correlate statistically with the cognitive status of the patients. Treatment with vitamin E resulted in an improved cognitive…
Oxidative Stress and Mitochondrial Damage in Neurodegenerative Diseases: From Molecular Mechanisms to Targeted Therapies
The progression of Alzheimer's dementia is associated with neurovasculature impairment, which includes inflammation, microthromboses, and reduced cerebral blood flow. Here, we investigate the effects of β amyloid peptides on the function of platelets, the cells driving haemostasis. Amyloid peptide β1-42 (Aβ1-42), Aβ1-40, and Aβ25-35 were tested in static adhesion experiments, and it was found that platelets preferentially adhere to Aβ1-42 compared to other Aβ peptides. In addition, significant platelet spreading was observed over Aβ1-42, while Aβ1-40, Aβ25-35, and the scAβ1-42 control did not seem to induce any platelet spreading, which suggested that only Aβ1-42 activates platelet signalli…
Oxidative Stress in Neurodegenerative Diseases: From a Mitochondrial Point of View
Age is the main risk factor for a number of human diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which increasing numbers of elderly individuals suffer. These pathological conditions are characterized by progressive loss of neuron cells, compromised motor or cognitive functions, and accumulation of abnormally aggregated proteins. Mitochondrial dysfunction is one of the main features of the aging process, particularly in organs requiring a high-energy source such as the heart, muscles, brain, or liver. Neurons rely almost exclusively on the mitochondria, which produce the energy required for most of the cel…
Lymphocytes from young healthy persons carrying the ApoE4 allele overexpress stress-related proteins involved in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease.
Abstract Apolipoprotein E4 (ApoE4) is a major genetic risk factor for the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The aim of this work was to find if carrying ApoE4 alleles correlates with molecular changes associated with specific processes involved in AD pathophysiology and whether they are useful as early biomarkers of AD. Fifty four young healthy adults (aged 20-55) were recruited. Of these, 33 carried at least one ApoE4 allele and 21 did not (ApoE 3/3). We also recruited eleven patients with clinical diagnoses of probable AD and nine persons of similar age without dementia who served as controls of the AD patients. Using peripheral lymphocytes, we measured RNA expression of glycogen s…