Neuronal Chemokines: Versatile Messengers In Central Nervous System Cell Interaction

Whereas chemokines are well known for their ability to induce cell migration, only recently it became evident that chemokines also control a variety of other cell functions and are versatile messengers in the interaction between a diversity of cell types. In the central nervous system (CNS), chemokines are generally found under both physiological and pathological conditions. Whereas many reports describe chemokine expression in astrocytes and microglia and their role in the migration of leukocytes into the CNS, only few studies describe chemokine expression in neurons. Nevertheless, the expression of neuronal chemokines and the corresponding chemokine receptors in CNS cells under physiological and pathological conditions indicates that neuronal chemokines contribute to CNS cell interaction. In this study, we review recent studies describing neuronal chemokine expression and discuss potential roles of neuronal chemokines in neuron–astrocyte, neuron–microglia, and neuron–neuron interaction

Neovascularization and functional recovery after intracerebral hemorrhage is conditioned by the Tp53 Arg72Pro single-nucleotide polymorphism

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a devastating subtype of stroke that lacks effective therapy and reliable prognosis. Neovascularization following ICH is an essential compensatory response that mediates brain repair and modulates the clinical outcome of stroke patients. However, the mechanism that dictates this process is unknown. Bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) promote endothelial repair and contribute to ischemia-induced neovascularization. The human Tp53 gene harbors a common single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at codon 72, which yields an arginine-to-proline amino-acidic substitution (Arg72Pro) that modulates the apoptotic activity of the p53 protein. Previously, we found that this SNP controls neuronal susceptibility to ischemia-induced apoptosis in vitro. Here, we evaluated the impact of the Tp53 Arg72Pro SNP on vascular repair and functional recovery after ICH. We first analyzed EPC mobilization and functional outcome based on the modified Rankin scale scores in a hospital-based cohort of 78 patients with non-traumatic ICH. Patients harboring the Pro allele of the Tp53 Arg72Pro SNP showed higher levels of circulating EPC-containing CD34 + cells, EPC-mobilizing cytokines-vascular endothelial growth factor and stromal cell-derived factor-1α-and good functional outcome following ICH, when compared with the homozygous Arg allele patients, which is compatible with increased neovascularization. To assess directly whether Tp53 Arg72Pro SNP regulated neovascularization after ICH, we used the humanized Tp53 Arg72Pro knock-in mice, which were subjected to the collagenase-induced ICH. The brain endothelial cells of the Pro allele-carrying mice were highly resistant to ICH-mediated apoptosis, which facilitated cytokine-mediated EPC mobilization, cerebrovascular repair and functional recovery. However, these processes were not observed in the Arg allele-carrying mice. These results reveal that the Tp53 Arg72Pro SNP determines neovascularization, brain repair and neurological recovery after ICH. This study is the first in which the Pro allele of Tp53 is linked to vascular repair and ability to functionally recover from stroke.This work was funded by The Instituto de Salud Carlos III Grants PI12/00685, PI15/00473 and RD12/0014/0007 (to AA), RD12/0014/0001 (to JC), PI14/01879 and CP12/03121 (to TS), RD12/0043/0021 (to JPB), CD11/00348 (to CR), CD12/00685 (to JA), CM11/00140 (to JJD), CM14/00096 (to MER-A), The Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad Grant SAF2013-41177-R (JPB), The Junta de Castilla y León (GRS843/A/13 and GRS1004/A/14; to JCG-S), The Xunta de Galicia (GRC2014/027; to JC) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).Peer Reviewe

Excessive leukotriene B4 in nucleus tractus solitarii is prohypertensive in spontaneously hypertensive rats

Inflammation within the brainstem microvasculature has been associated with chronic cardiovascular diseases. We found that the expression of several enzymes involved in arachidonic acid (AA) - leukotriene B4 (LTB4) production was altered in NTS of SHR. LTB4 produced from AA by 5-lipoxygenase (5LOX) is a potent chemoattractant of leukocytes. Leukotriene B4-12-hydroxydehydrogenase (LTB4-12-HD), which degrades leukotriene B4 (LTB4), was down-regulated compared to Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). Quantitative RT-PCR revealed that LTB4-12-HD was reduced by 63 and 58% in the NTS of adult SHR and pre-hypertensive (PH) SHR respectively, compared to age-matched WKY rats (n=6). 5LOX gene expression was up-regulated in the NTS of SHR (~50%; n=6). LTB4 levels were increased in the NTS of the SHR (17%; n=10, p<0.05). LTB4 receptors BLT1 (but not BLT2), were expressed on astroglia in the NTS but not neurons or vessels. Microinjection of LTB4 into the NTS of WKY rats increased both leukocyte adherence and arterial pressure for over 4 days (peak: +15 mmHg; P<0.01). In contrast, blockade of NTS BLT1 receptors lowered blood pressure in the SHR (peak: -13 mmHg; P<0.05) but not WKY rats. Thus, excessive amounts of LTB4 in NTS of SHR possibly as a result of up-regulation of 5LOX and down regulation of LTB412-HD, can induce inflammation. Since blockade of NTS BLT1 receptors lowered arterial pressure in the SHR their endogenous activity may contribute to the hypertensive state of this rodent model. Thus, inflammatory reactions in the brainstem are causally associated with neurogenic hypertension