Protection of nigral dopaminergic neurons by AAV1 transduction with Rheb(S16H) against neurotoxic inflammation in vivo
- Author:
Sehwan KIM
1
;
Gyeong Joon MOON
;
Yong Seok OH
;
Jungha PARK
;
Won Ho SHIN
;
Jae Yeong JEONG
;
Kwang Shik CHOI
;
Byung Kwan JIN
;
Nikolai KHOLODILOV
;
Robert E BURKE
;
Hyung Jun KIM
;
Chang Man HA
;
Seok Geun LEE
;
Sang Ryong KIM
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- From:Experimental & Molecular Medicine 2018;50(2):e440-
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: We recently reported that adeno-associated virus serotype 1 (AAV1) transduction of murine nigral dopaminergic (DA) neurons with constitutively active ras homolog enriched in brain with a mutation of serine to histidine at position 16 [Rheb(S16H)] induced the production of neurotrophic factors, resulting in neuroprotective effects on the nigrostriatal DA system in animal models of Parkinson’s disease (PD). To further investigate whether AAV1-Rheb(S16H) transduction has neuroprotective potential against neurotoxic inflammation, which is known to be a potential event related to PD pathogenesis, we examined the effects of Rheb(S16H) expression in nigral DA neurons under a neurotoxic inflammatory environment induced by the endogenous microglial activator prothrombin kringle-2 (pKr-2). Our observations showed that Rheb(S16H) transduction played a role in the neuroprotection of the nigrostriatal DA system against pKr-2-induced neurotoxic inflammation, even though there were similar levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-1-beta (IL-1β), in the AAV1-Rheb(S16H)-treated substantia nigra (SN) compared to the SN treated with pKr-2 alone; the neuroprotective effects may be mediated by the activation of neurotrophic signaling pathways following Rheb(S16H) transduction of nigral DA neurons. We conclude that AAV1-Rheb(S16H) transduction of neuronal populations to activate the production of neurotrophic factors and intracellular neurotrophic signaling pathways may offer promise for protecting adult neurons from extracellular neurotoxic inflammation.
