Trophic effects of cardiotrophin-1 and interleukin-11 on rat dorsal root ganglion neurons in vitro

Teriparatide relieves ovariectomy-induced hyperalgesia in rats, suggesting the involvement of functional regulation in primary sensory neurons by PTH-mediated signaling

Clinical studies have reported that teriparatide (TPTD), a human parathyroid hormone analog, reduces back pain in osteoporotic patients. However, the mechanistic insights of this pharmacological action remain elusive. This study investigated the antinociceptive effect of TPTD mainly on primary sensory neurons in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. The plantar test showed thermal hyperalgesia in the OVX rats, which was significantly, but not fully, recovered immediately after the initial TPTD administration. The von Frey test also demonstrated reduced withdrawal threshold in the OVX rats. This was partially recovered by TPTD. Consistently, the number and size of spinal microglial cells were significantly increased in the OVX rats, while TPTD treatment significantly reduced the number but not size of these cells. RNA sequencing-based bioinformatics of the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) demonstrated that changes in neuro-protective and inflammatory genes were involved in the pharmacological effect of TPTD. Most neurons in the DRG expressed substantial levels of parathyroid hormone 1 receptor. TPTD treatment of the cultured DRG-derived neuronal cells reduced the cAMP level and augmented the intracellular calcium level as the concentration increased. These findings suggest that TPTD targets neuronal cells as well as bone cells to exert its pharmacological action.

Cardiotrophin-1 stimulates the neural differentiation of human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells and survival of differentiated cells through PI3K/Akt-dependent signaling pathways

Cardiotrophin-1 (CT1) plays an important role in the differentiation, development, and survival of neural stem cells. In this study, we analyzed its effects on the stimulation of human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells in terms of their potential to differentiate into neuron-like cells, their survival characteristics, and the molecular mechanisms involved. The treatment of cells with neural induction medium (NIM) and CT1 generated more cells that were neuron-like and produced stronger expression of neural-lineage markers than cells treated with NIM and without CT1. Bcl-2 and Akt phosphorylation (p-Akt) expression levels increased significantly in cells treated with both NIM and CT1. This treatment also effectively blocked cell death following neural induction and decreased Bax, Bak and cleaved-caspase 3 expression compared with cells treated with NIM without CT1. In addition, the inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) abrogated p-Akt and Bcl-2 expression. Thus, PI3K/Akt contribute to CT1-stimulated neural differentiation and to the survival of differentiated cells.

Low-Dose Pulsatile Interleukin-6 As a Treatment Option for Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) remains one of the most common and serious complications of diabetes. Currently, pharmacological agents are limited to treating the pain associated with DPN, and do not address the underlying pathological mechanisms driving nerve damage, thus leaving a significant unmet medical need. Interestingly, research conducted using exercise as a treatment for DPN has revealed interleukin-6 (IL-6) signaling to be associated with many positive benefits such as enhanced blood flow and lipid metabolism, decreased chronic inflammation, and peripheral nerve fiber regeneration. IL-6, once known solely as a pro-inflammatory cytokine, is now understood to signal as a multifunctional cytokine, capable of eliciting both pro- and anti-inflammatory responses in a context-dependent fashion. IL-6 released from muscle in response to exercise signals as a myokine and as such has a unique kinetic profile, whereby levels are transiently elevated up to 100-fold and return to baseline levels within 4 h. Importantly, this kinetic profile is in stark contrast to long-term IL-6 elevation that is associated with pro-inflammatory states. Given exercise induces IL-6 myokine signaling, and exercise has been shown to elicit numerous beneficial effects for the treatment of DPN, a causal link has been suggested. Here, we discuss both the clinical and preclinical literature related to the application of IL-6 as a treatment strategy for DPN. In addition, we discuss how IL-6 may directly modulate Schwann and nerve cells to explore a mechanistic understanding of how this treatment elicits a neuroprotective and/or regenerative response. Collectively, studies suggest that IL-6, when administered in a low-dose pulsatile strategy to mimic the body's natural response to exercise, may prove to be an effective treatment for the protection and/or restoration of peripheral nerve function in DPN. This review highlights the studies supporting this assertion and provides rationale for continued investigation of IL-6 for the treatment of DPN.

Effects of Controlled Cortical Impact on the Mouse Brain Vasculome

Perturbations in blood vessels play a critical role in the pathophysiology of brain injury and neurodegeneration. Here, we use a systematic genome-wide transcriptome screening approach to investigate the vasculome after brain trauma in mice. Mice were subjected to controlled cortical impact and brains were extracted for analysis at 24 h post-injury. The core of the traumatic lesion was removed and then cortical microvesels were isolated from nondirectly damaged ipsilateral cortex. Compared to contralateral cortex and normal cortex from sham-operated mice, we identified a wide spectrum of responses in the vasculome after trauma. Up-regulated pathways included those involved in regulation of inflammation and extracellular matrix processes. Decreased pathways included those involved in regulation of metabolism, mitochondrial function, and transport systems. These findings suggest that microvascular perturbations can be widespread and not necessarily localized to core areas of direct injury per se and may further provide a broader gene network context for existing knowledge regarding inflammation, metabolism, and blood-brain barrier alterations after brain trauma. Further efforts are warranted to map the vasculome with higher spatial and temporal resolution from acute to delayed phase post-trauma. Investigating the widespread network responses in the vasculome may reveal potential mechanisms, therapeutic targets, and biomarkers for traumatic brain injury.

Genetic variants of IL-11 associated with risk of Hirschsprung disease

BACKGROUND

Hirschsprung disease (HSCR) is a congenital and heterogeneous disorder characterized by the absence of enteric ganglia during enteric nervous system (ENS) development. Our recent genome-wide association study has identified a variant (rs6509940) of interleukin-11 (IL-11) as a potential susceptible locus for HSCR. As interleukins play important roles in the ENS, we further studied associations with HSCR of nine common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on IL-11.

METHODS

Biopsy specimens or surgical materials from all patients that were tested for histological examination based on the absence of the enteric ganglia were collected. A total of nine SNPs on IL-11 were genotyped in 187 HSCR patients and 283 unaffected controls using TaqMan genotyping assay.

KEY RESULTS

Combined analysis revealed that several SNPs (minimum p = 1.57 × 10(-7) ) showed statistically significant associations with HSCR, even after Bonferroni correction (pcorr  = 1.73 × 10(-6) for the SNP). Moreover, the most common haplotype was strongly associated with HSCR (pcorr  = 2.20 × 10(-6) ). In further analysis among three HSCR subtypes (short segment, S-HSCR; long segment, L-HSCR; total colonic aganglionosis, TCA) based on the extent of aganglionic segment, the result showed a different association pattern depending on the subtypes (minimum pcorr  = 6.12 × 10(-5) for rs6509940 in S-HSCR; but no significant SNP in L-HSCR and TCA).

CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES

Although further replication in a larger cohort and functional evaluations are needed, our findings suggest that genetic variations of IL-11 may be associated with the risk of HSCR and/or the mechanisms related to ENS development.

Role of cytokine signaling during nervous system development

Cytokines are signaling proteins that were first characterized as components of the immune response, but have been found to have pleiotropic effects in diverse aspects of body function in health and disease. They are secreted by numerous cells and are used extensively in intercellular communications to produce different activities, including intricate processes engaged in the ontogenetic development of the brain. This review discusses factors involved in brain growth regulation and recent findings exploring cytokine signaling pathways during development of the central nervous system. In view of existing data suggesting roles for neurotropic cytokines in promoting brain growth and repair, these molecules and their signaling pathways might become targets for therapeutic intervention in neurodegenerative processes due to diseases, toxicity, or trauma.

Cardiotrophin-1. Review

BACKGROUND

Cardiotrophin-1 is newly discovered chemokin with a lot of functions. Aim of our work was to describe most important of them.

METHODS

systematically scan of available scientific resources.

RESULTS

Cardiotrophin-1 stimulates the proliferation of cardiomyocytes. Cardiotrophin-1 expression and plasma values are elevated in individuals with heart failure and have high diagnostic efficacy for the heart failure. Plasma values are also an independent prognostic factor. Preliminary findings suggest that the determination of plasma cardiotrophin-1 may be useful for the follow-up of hypertensive heart disease in routine clinical practice. Cardiotrophin-1 also plays an important cardioprotective effect on myocardial damage, is a potent regulator of signaling in adipocytes in vitro and in vivo and potentiates the elevation the acute-phase proteins. Cardiotrophin-1 may play also an important protective role in other organ systems (such as hematopoietic, neuronal, developmental).

CONCLUSION

Cardiotrophin is a newly discovered chemokin with a lot of system effects and is stable in system circulation hence permitting its development in the routine clinical investigation.

Involvement of reactive oxygen species in cardiotrophin-1-induced proliferation of cardiomyocytes differentiated from murine embryonic stem cells

Cardiotrophin-1 (CT-1) is a cytokine that is involved in the growth and survival of cardiac cells. In the present study, we demonstrate that treatment of embryoid bodies grown from pluripotent murine embryonic stem (ES) cells with CT-1 significantly stimulated cardiomyogenesis and increased nuclear expression of the proliferation marker Ki-67. The increase in Ki-67 expression was inhibited upon pretreatment with the free radical scavenger vitamin E, indicating a role for reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the signaling cascade. CT-1 treatment of cardiac cells raised intracellular ROS in ES cell-derived cardiomyocytes. ROS were presumably generated by an NADPH-oxidase since ROS generation was down-regulated upon preincubation with the NADPH-oxidase inhibitor diphenylen iodonium chloride (DPI) and LY294002, which inhibits phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3-kinase). CT-1 activated nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) and induced phosphorylation of the Janus kinase signal transducer-2 (Jak-2), the signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT-3) as well as the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1,2 (ERK1/2). STAT-3 and ERK1/2 phosphorylation as well as NF-kappaB activation were inhibited by pretreatment with the Jak-2 antagonist AG490, the ERK1/2 inhibitor PD98059, the free radical scavenger vitamin E, the NADPH-oxidase inhibitor DPI, as well as by LY294002. PD98059 failed to inhibit Jak-2 phosphorylation, indicating that the ERK and the Jak/STAT signaling cascade interact on a level downstream of Jak-2. It is concluded that CT-1 stimulates the proliferation of ES cell-derived cardiomyocytes by signaling pathways that involve ROS as signaling molecules in the signal transduction cascade.

Cardiotrophin-1 in choroid plexus and the cerebrospinal fluid circulatory system

There is a growing recognition of choroid plexus functioning as a source of neuropeptides, cytokines and growth factors in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) with diffusional access into brain parenchyma. In this study, choroid plexus and other components of the CSF circulatory system were investigated by Western blotting, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry for production of interleukin-6-related cytokines characterized by neuroactivity [cardiotrophin-1 (CT-1), ciliary neurotrophic factor, leukemia inhibitory factor, oncostatin M] and signaling through the gp130/leukemia inhibitory factor receptor-beta receptor heterodimer. Western blot analysis showed that CT-1 was the only cytokine family member detectable in adult rat choroid plexus, as in leptomeninges. The specificity of detection was verified with blots of the same tissues from CT-1-deficient mice. Levels of both CT-1 mRNA and protein were constitutively high in rat from birth through adulthood in choroid plexus, up-regulated postnatally in leptomeninges and undetectable in brain parenchyma. Using antigen retrieval, CT-1 immunolocalized to choroid epithelial cells in all choroid plexuses in addition to leptomeninges (arachnoid and pial-glial membranes). Ependymal cells lining the ventricular neuroaxis, unlike the central canal, were also CT-1-immunoreactive. Western blots indicated rat choroid epithelial cells express and release CT-1 immunoreactivity under defined culture conditions and also revealed the presence of a CT-1-like protein in human choroid plexus and CSF. Previously, CT-1 has been conceptualized to function as a target-derived factor for PNS neurons. Our study clearly demonstrates production of CT-1 in the postnatal and adult CNS, specifically by cell types comprising the blood-CSF barrier, and its accumulation in ventricular ependyma. This finding has broad implications for CT-1 functioning apart from other leukemia inhibitory factor receptor ligands as a CSF-borne signal of brain homeostasis, one possibly involving regulation of the barrier itself, the ependyma or target cells in the surrounding parenchyma, including the subventricular zone. A rationale for studies examining CT-1-deficient mice in these respects is provided by the data.

Temporal expression of mRNAs for neuropoietic cytokines, interleukin-11 (IL-11), oncostatin M (OSM), cardiotrophin-1 (CT-1) and their receptors (IL-11Ralpha and OSMRbeta) in peripheral nerve injury

The mRNA expression pattern of the neuropoietic cytokines, interleukin-11 (IL-11), oncostatin M (OSM) and cardiotrophin-1 (CT-1), and their receptor components (IL-11Ralpha and OSMRbeta) was examined in peripheral nerves on two different types of injury, crush and transection. The IL-11 mRNA increased after nerve damage and immediately returned to control levels. The OSM mRNA expression increased rapidly after nerve injury and relatively high expressions were maintained for at least 14 days. The CT-1 mRNA was not expressed in any time before and after the injury. Interestingly, IL-11Ralpha was expressed in the intact nerve and decreased after injury. The expression of OSMRbeta increased slightly after the injury. Moreover, temporal mRNA expression pattern of these neuropoietic cytokines and receptors was similar between the crushed and transected models. Each neuropoietic cytokine of IL-11, OSM and CT-1 has its own specific temporal mRNA expression pattern, which is also different from those of ciliary neuro-trophic factor (CNTF), leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). These results suggest that all neuropoietic cytokines have distinctive functions in nerve degeneration and repair process in response to peripheral nerve injury.

Induction of rat L-phosphoserine phosphatase by amyloid-beta (1-42) is inhibited by interleukin-11

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by the presence of beta-amyloid (Abeta) protein deposits in the brain and increased Abeta (1-42) peptide production is thought to be one of the early events in the pathogenesis of AD that leads to progressive neurodegenerative processes and dementia. Using cDNA subtraction and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, we examined the Abeta (1-42) peptide-induced gene expression in rat neuroblastoma B104 cells. In addition we hypothesized that interleukin-11 (IL-11) supports neuronal survival. We found that Abeta (1-42) activates L-phosphoserine phosphatase in neuronal cells which is inhibited by IL-11. Moreover, IL-11 inhibits Abeta (1-42)-induced neurotoxicity in a dose-dependent manner. Our study suggests that L-phosphoserine phosphatase may play a role in altered neuronal function in AD via enhancing glutamate-induced neurotoxicity by D-serine and the IL-11 receptor system may act as a neuroprotective cytokine in human brain.

R, Silva CFD, Lainetti RD. Estudo experimental comparativo da ação das neurocinas cardiotrofina-1 e oncostatina-m na regeneração nervosa periférica

Os avanços das técnicas microcirúrgicas e o conhecimento detalhado do microambiente da regeneração podem contribuir significativamente na melhoria dos resultados das reparações nervosas periféricas. Nos últimos anos vários autores têm utilizado uma série de tecidos e substâncias interpostos entre os cotos de um nervo periférico seccionado, buscando estimular o crescimento axonal no local da lesão. Através da técnica de tubulização, os autores estudam o efeito de duas neurocinas, a cardiotrofina-1 (CT-1) e a oncostatina-M (OsM), no crescimento axonal e na sobrevida dos neurônios sensitivos nos gânglios da raiz dorsal de L5, após a lesão de nervos ciáticos em camundongos C57BL/6J. Utilizam 3 grupos de 7 animais que tiveram seus nervos seccionados e tubulizados com próteses de polietileno preenchidas com cardiotrofina-1, oncostatina-M e citocromo-C, associadas a um extrato de colágeno. Um quarto grupo de 3 animais, não operados, foi considerado por nós como grupo controle de normalidade. Após 4 semanas da cirurgia, os camundongos foram sacrificados, e realizada a contagem das fibras mielínicas nos cabos de regeneração retirados. Os gânglios das raizes dorsais de L5 também foram dissecados possibilitando a contagem dos neurônios sensitivos. Os dados foram analisados estatisticamente, permitindo concluir que as duas substâncias, utilizadas por nós, foram efetivas no estímulo ao brotamento axonal, porém, as mesmas não conseguiram impedir a morte dos neurônios sensitivos no gânglio da raiz dorsal de L5.

Neural activities of IL-6-type cytokines often depend on soluble cytokine receptors

Cytokines of the interleukin-6 (IL-6) family participate in regulatory and inflammatory processes within the nervous system. IL-6, ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) and IL-11 act via specific membrane receptors which, together with their ligands, associate with signal-transducing receptor subunits thereby initiating cytoplasmic signalling. Cells which only express signal-transducing receptor subunits but no ligand binding subunits for IL-6, CNTF and IL-11 are refractory to these cytokines. An unusual feature of the IL-6 cytokine family is that the soluble forms of the ligand binding receptor subunits generated by one cell type in complex with their ligands can directly stimulate the signal-transducing receptor subunits on different cell types which lack ligand binding receptor subunits. This process has been named transsignalling. This article focuses on the importance of transsignalling events in neuronal differentiation and survival responses.