Cytokine and microRNA levels during different periods of paradoxical sleep deprivation and sleep recovery in rats

Background Sleep has a fundamental role in the regulation of homeostasis. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of different periods of paradoxical sleep deprivation (PSD) and recovery on serum levels of cytokines and miRNAs related to inflammatory responses. Methods Male Wistar rats were submitted to a PSD of 24, 96, or 192 h, or of 192 h followed by 20 days of recovery (192 h PSD+R). The concentrations of corticosterone, cytokines (IL-6, TNF, IL-10, Adiponectin) and miRNAs (miR-146a, miR-155, miR-223, miR-16, miR-126, miR-21) in serum were evaluated. Results At PSD 24 h a significant increase of IL-6 and decrease of IL-10 were observed. At PSD 96h adiponectin increased. At 192 h of PSD IL-6 increased significantly again, accompanied by a threefold increase of IL-10 and an increase of serum corticosterone. After 20 days of recovery (192 h PSD+R) corticosterone, IL-6 and TNF levels increased significantly, while IL-10 decreased also significantly. Regarding the miRNAs at 24 h of PSD serum miR-146a, miR-155, miR-223, and miR-16 levels all increased. At 96 h of PSD miR-223 decreased. At 192 h of PSD decreases in miR-16 and miR-126 were observed. After recovery serum miR-21 increased and miR-16 decreased. Conclusion PSD induces a dynamic response likely reflecting the induced cellular stress and manifested as variating hormonal and inflammatory responses. Sleep deprivation disturbed corticosterone, cytokine and miRNA levels in serum related to the duration of sleep deprivation, as short-term PSD produced effects similar to those of an acute inflammatory response and long-term PSD induced long-lasting disturbances of biological mediators

Medicinal plants for the treatment of “nervios”, anxiety, and depression in Mexican Traditional Medicine

The term “nervios” is referred as a folk illness recognized by Mexican Traditional Medicine, and also widely reported across many countries in Latin America. “Nervios” are characterized by a “state of bodily and mental unrest”, which decreases the ability to achieve daily goals. The causes are varied; in fact, any situation that alters the emotional state or mood is interpreted as a possible triggering agent. Depression and anxiety are psychiatric disorders, which share symptoms, or can be included in the same group of disorders with “nervios”. The therapies are designed to reassure health, i.e. “calm the nerves”. For this propose, the oral administration of plants infusions is common. In this review we compile information regarding the plants used for the treatment of “nervios” in México, along with those for which reports of anxiolytic or/and antidepressive activity exist. We found 92 plant species used in folk medicine for the treatment of “nervios”, among these, sixteen have been studied experimentally. The most studied plant is Galphimia glauca Cav., Malpighiaceae, which current clinical studies have validated its efficacy in patients, and their active components, the triterpenes galphimine A, B, and C, identified. Interestingly only nine plants were found to be reported in folk medicine for the treatment of sadness or/and depression, but their antidepressant activity has not been investigated. However, among the plants used in folk medicine for treatment of “nervios”, several, as Litsea glaucescens Kunth, Lauraceae, have been proven to show antidepressant activity in experimental models, and some of their active compounds have been determined. These species could be a potential source of compounds with activity in the central nervous system

Comparación de tres sitios de muestreo sanguíneo para la evaluación fisiometabólica en el lechón

Blood drawing of newborn piglets is necessary for physio-metabolic profiles assessment, and to determine gas change levels in it, what is used in various phenomena diagnosis, such as, intrapartum asphyxia a non-infectious condition that causes a high rate of neonatal mortality in pigs. This study aimed to test three of the most common blood sampling sites used in piglets: umbilical cord (UC), retroorbital sinus (ROS), and cava vein (VC), besides determining the differences among them, concerning to physio-metabolic variables and the acid-base balance. Thirty-two healthy non asphyxiated piglets were randomly selected, coming from nine eutocic farrowing to carry out the three sampling sites. All of the physio-metabolic concentrations determined showed basal values within normal fetal ranges corresponding to the sampling site. However, UC values were more suitable for gas exchange diagnosis in asphyxia due to their similarity with physiological parameters of a normal newborn (pCO2= 36.10 ± 2.03, pO2= 32.68 ± 3.03), whereas for the metabolic profile (glucose and lactate) ROS values were more accurate for measuring a common lactate and glycaemia profile than the other sites. Therefore, when a physio-metabolic profile is required, the methodological approach of the blood sampling site should be adequate to obtain the data needed for research following planned objectives and subsequent interpretationLa extracción sanguínea en los lechones neonatos es necesaria para la evaluación fisiometabólica y para determinar alteraciones gaseosas útiles en el diagnóstico de varios fenómenos como la asfixia intraparto; siendo la causa principal no infecciosa que origina una alta tasa de mortalidad neonatal en cerdos. Nuestro objetivo fue evaluar tres de los sitios más comunes de muestreo sanguíneo usados en lechones: cordón umbilical (UC), seno retro orbital (ROS) y vena cava (VC); así como determinar las diferencias entre ellos con respecto a las variables fisiometabólicas y el equilibrio ácido-base. Treinta y dos lechones sanos provenientes de nueve partos eutócicos fueron aleatoriamente seleccionados para los tres sitios de muestreo. Todas las concentraciones fisiometabólicas mostraron valores basales de los parámetros fisiológicos fetales correspondientes al sitio de muestreo. Sin embargo, los valores de UC resultaron más confiables para el diagnóstico del intercambio gaseoso durante la asfixia, debido a su similitud con los parámetros fisiológicos de un neonato sano (pCO2= 36.10 ± 2.03, pO2= 32.68 ± 3.03); mientras que para el perfil metabólico (glucosa y lactato) los valores de ROS fueron más precisos en determinar la glicemia y el lactato, comparados con los demás sitios. Por consiguiente, cuando el perfil fisiometabólico neonatal es requerido, el abordaje metodológico en el sitio de muestreo tiene que ser específico, de acuerdo a los objetivos planteados y a su subsecuente interpretació

Release of interleukin-10 and neurotrophic factors in the choroid plexus: possible inductors of neurogenesis following copolymer-1 immunization after cerebral ischemia

Copolymer-1 (Cop-1) is a peptide with immunomodulatory properties, approved by the Food and Drug Administration of United States in the treatment of multiple sclerosis. Cop-1 has been shown to exert neuroprotective effects and induce neurogenesis in cerebral ischemia models. Nevertheless, the mechanism involved in the neurogenic action of this compound remains unknown. The choroid plexus (CP) is a network of cells that constitute the interphase between the immune and central nervous systems, with the ability to mediate neurogenesis through the release of cytokines and growth factors. Therefore, the CP could play a role in Cop-1-induced neurogenesis. In order to determine the participation of the CP in the induction of neurogenesis after Cop-1 immunization, we evaluated the gene expression of various growth factors (brain-derived neurotrophic factor, insulin-like growth factor 1, neurotrophin-3) and cytokines (tumor necrosis factor alpha, interferon-gamma, interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-10 and IL-17), in the CP at 14 days after ischemia. Furthermore, we analyzed the correlation between the expression of these genes and neurogenesis. Our results showed that Cop-1 was capable of stimulating an upregulation in the expression of the genes encoding for brain-derived neurotrophic factor, insulin-like growth factor 1, neurotrophin-3 and IL-10 in the CP, which correlated with an increase in neurogenesis in the subventricular and subgranular zone. As well, we observed a downregulation of IL-17 gene expression. This study demonstrates the effect of Cop-1 on the expression of growth factors and IL-10 in the CP, in the same way, presents a possible mechanism involved in the neurogenic effect of Cop-1