Neuroscience
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Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) is expressed at high levels in hippocampal neurons, although its function is unclear. We previously reported that LPL-deficient mice have learning and memory impairment and fewer synaptic vesicles in hippocampal neurons, but properties of synaptic activity in LPL-deficient neurons remain unexplored. ⋯ Moreover, lipid assay revealed deficient docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (AA) in the hippocampus of LPL-deficient mice; exogenous DHA or AA supplement partially restored synaptic vesicle recycling capability. These results suggest that impaired synaptic vesicle recycling results from deficient DHA and AA and contributes to the presynaptic dysfunction and plasticity impairment in LPL-deficient neurons.
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Cav2.2 channels are a substrate for phosphorylation by protein kinase C (PKC) isozymes. The contribution of Cavβ, an auxiliary subunit of these channels, in the PKC modulation was studied. Cav2.2 channels were expressed in Xenopus oocytes in various subunit combinations with or without Cavβ subunits. ⋯ The action of PKC on these sites was further substantiated by the increased basal IBa along with the loss of MCh potentiation when Ser/Thr was mutated to aspartate. The observation that MCh or PKC isozymes failed to affect Cav2.2 currents in the presence of Cavβ subunits suggests that these subunits may have interfered with the interaction between PKC and Ser/Thr sites of Cav2.2α1 subunits. In addition to affecting channel expression and current kinetics, Cavβ subunits may also modulate the response of these channels to neurochemicals.
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The mechanisms underlying antiepileptic or antiepileptogenic effects of repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) are poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the effect of rTMS applied during rapid amygdala kindling on some electrophysiological properties of hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons. Male Wistar rats were kindled by daily electrical stimulation of the basolateral amygdala in a semi-rapid manner (12 stimulations/day) until they achieved stage-5 seizure. ⋯ Interestingly, application of rTMS alone enhanced the excitability of CA1 pyramidal neurons significantly. Based on the results of our study, it may be suggested that rTMS exerts its anticonvulsant effect, in part, through preventing the amygdala kindling-induced changes in electrophysiological properties of hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons. It seems that rTMS exerts protective effects on the neural circuits involved in spreading the seizures from the focus to other parts of the brain.
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Experimental evidence has revealed the role of mitochondria in various aspects of neuronal physiology. Mitochondrial failure results in alterations that underlie the pathogeneses of many neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease (HD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The mitochondrial toxin 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP) has been used to model failure; for example, systemic administration of 3-NP imitates the striatal degeneration that is exhibited in the postmortem tissue of patients afflicted with HD. ⋯ Neuronal structural evaluation demonstrated that synaptic length and density were reduced in the 3-NP-treated mice, which partially explained the changes in the amplitudes of the synaptic field responses. Our results demonstrate that corticostriatal synapses are differentially modulated by neurotrophins and that this modulation is altered by mitochondrial failure. Mitochondrial dysfunction also affects neurotransmitter release in corticostriatal synapses, neurotrophin availability, dendritic arborization and the lengths of the striatal medium spiny neurons (MSNs).
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Human adult dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) are self-renewing stem cells that originate from the neural crest during development and remain within the dental pulp niche through adulthood. Due to their multi-lineage differentiation potential and their relative ease of access they represent an exciting alternative for autologous stem cell-based therapies in neurodegenerative diseases. In animal models, DPSCs transplanted into the brain differentiate into functional neurons or astrocytes in response to local environmental cues that appear to influence the fate of the surviving cells. ⋯ This response could not be reproduced when conditioned media from Müller-enriched primary cultures was used. Finally, quantitative RT-PCR was performed to compare the relative expression of glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), nerve growth factor (NGF), ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in DPSC co-cultured with retinal organotypic explants, where BDNF mRNA expression was significantly upregulated in retinal-exposed cultures. Our data demonstrate that DPSC cultures respond to cues from the rat retina and differentiate to express retinal neuronal markers.