Astrocytes and microglia support well-being and well-function of the brain through diverse functions in both intact and injured brain. For example, astrocytes maintain homeostasis of microenvironment of the brain through up-taking ions and neurotransmitters, and provide growth factors and metabolites for neurons, etc. Microglia keep surveying surroundings, and remove abnormal synapses or respond to injury by isolating injury sites and expressing inflammatory cytokines. Therefore, their loss and/or functional alteration may be directly linked to brain diseases. Since Parkinson's disease (PD)-related genes are expressed in astrocytes and microglia, mutations of these genes may alter the functions of these cells, thereby contributing to disease onset and progression. Here, we review the roles of astrocytes and microglia in intact and injured brain, and discuss how PD genes regulate their functions.
Astrocytes* ; Brain ; Brain Diseases ; Cytokines ; Homeostasis ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Ions ; Microglia* ; Neurons ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; Parkinson Disease* ; Synapses

PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 (PINK1) is a Parkinson's disease (PD) gene. We examined miRNAs regulated by PINK1 during brain development and neural stem cell (NSC) differentiation, and found that lvels of miRNAs related to tumors and inflammation were different between 1-day-old-wild type (WT) and PINK1-knockout (KO) mouse brains. Notably, levels of miR-326, miR-330 and miR-3099, which are related to astroglioma, increased during brain development and NSC differentiation, and were significantly reduced in the absence of PINK1. Interestingly, in the presence of ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), which pushes differentiation of NSCs into astrocytes, miR-326, miR-330, and miR-3099 levels in KO NSCs were also lower than those in WT NSCs. Furthermore, mimics of all three miRNAs increased expression of the astrocytic marker glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) during differentiation of KO NSCs, but inhibitors of these miRNAs decreased GFAP expression in WT NSCs. Moreover, these miRNAs increased the translational efficacy of GFAP through the 3'-UTR of GFAP mRNA. Taken together, these results suggest that PINK1 deficiency reduce expression levels of miR-326, miR-330 and miR-3099, which may regulate GFAP expression during NSC differentiation and brain development.
Animals ; Astrocytes ; Astrocytoma ; Brain* ; Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor ; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein ; Inflammation ; Mice ; MicroRNAs ; Neural Stem Cells* ; Parkinson Disease ; Phosphotransferases ; RNA, Messenger

Mutation of leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) causes an autosomal dominant and late-onset familial Parkinson's disease (PD). Recently, we reported that LRRK2 directly binds to and phosphorylates the threonine 474 (T474)-containing Thr-X-Arg(Lys) (TXR) motif of focal adhesion kinase (FAK), thereby inhibiting the phosphorylation of FAK at tyrosine (Y) 397 residue (pY397-FAK), which is a marker of its activation. Mechanistically, however, it remained unclear how T474-FAK phosphorylation suppressed FAK activation. Here, we report that T474-FAK phosphorylation could inhibit FAK activation via at least two different mechanisms. First, T474 phosphorylation appears to induce a conformational change of FAK, enabling its N-terminal FERM domain to autoinhibit Y397 phosphorylation. This is supported by the observation that the levels of pY397-FAK were increased by deletion of the FERM domain and/or mutation of the FERM domain to prevent its interaction with the kinase domain of FAK. Second, pT474-FAK appears to recruit SHP-2, which is a phosphatase responsible for dephosphorylating pY397-FAK. We found that mutation of T474 into glutamate (T474E-FAK) to mimic phosphorylation induced more strong interaction with SHP-2 than WT-FAK, and that pharmacological inhibition of SHP-2 with NSC-87877 rescued the level of pY397 in HEK293T cells. These results collectively show that LRRK2 suppresses FAK activation through diverse mechanisms that include the promotion of autoinhibition and/or the recruitment of phosphatases, such as SHP-2.
Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; Glutamic Acid ; Parkinson Disease ; Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases ; Phosphorylation ; Phosphotransferases ; Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase, Non-Receptor Type 11* ; Threonine ; Tyrosine*

The term 'inflammation' was first introduced by Celsus almost 2000 years ago. Biological and medical researchers have shown increasing interest in inflammation over the past few decades, in part due to the emerging burden of chronic and degenerative diseases resulting from the increased longevity that has arisen thanks to modern medicine. Inflammation is believed to play critical roles in the pathogenesis of degenerative brain diseases, including Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Accordingly, researchers have sought to combat such diseases by controlling inflammatory responses. In this review, we describe the endogenous inflammatory stimulators and signaling pathways in the brain. In particular, our group has focused on the JAK-STAT pathway, identifying anti-inflammatory targets and testing the effects of various anti-inflammatory drugs. This work has shown that the JAK-STAT pathway and its downstream are negatively regulated by phosphatases (SHP2 and MKP-1), inhibitory proteins (SOCS1 and SOCS3) and a nuclear receptor (LXR). These negative regulators are controlled at various levels (e.g. transcriptional, post-transcriptional and post-translational). Future study of these proteins could facilitate the manipulation of the inflammatory response, which plays ubiquitous, diverse and ambivalent roles under physiological and pathological conditions.
Alzheimer Disease ; Brain ; Brain Diseases ; History, Modern 1601- ; Inflammation ; Longevity ; Neurons* ; Parkinson Disease ; Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases

Previously, we reported that DJ-1, encoded by a Parkinson's disease (PD)-associated gene, inhibits expression of proinflammatory mediators in interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma)-treated astrocytes and microglia through inhibition of STAT1 activation. Here, using microglia and astrocytes cultured from wild-type (WT) and DJ-1-knockout (KO) mouse brains, we examined how DJ-1 regulates suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1), a negative feedback regulator of STAT1 (signal transducer and activator of transcription) that is also induced by STAT1. We found that IFN-gamma significantly increased SOCS1 mRNA expression in WT microglia and astrocytes, but not in KO cells, although STAT1 was highly activated in these latter cells. We further found that SOCS mRNA stability was decreased in DJ-1-KO cells, an effect that appeared to be mediated by the microRNA, miR-155. IFN-gamma increased the levels of miR-155 in DJ-1-KO cells but not in WT cells. In addition, an miR-155 inhibitor rescued SOCS1 expression and decreased STAT1 activation in DJ-1-KO cells. Taken together, these results suggest that DJ-1 efficiently regulates inflammation by maintaining SOCS1 expression through regulation of miR-155 levels, even under conditions in which STAT1 activation is decreased.
Animals ; Astrocytes* ; Brain ; Inflammation ; Interferon-gamma ; Mice ; Microglia* ; MicroRNAs ; Parkinson Disease ; RNA Stability ; RNA, Messenger ; Transducers

Although secondary delayed neuronal death has been considered as a therapeutic target to minimize brain damage induced by several injuries, delayed neuronal death does not occur always. In this study, we investigated possible mechanisms that prevent delayed neuronal death in the ATP-injected substantia nigra (SN) and cortex, where delayed neuronal death does not occur. In both the SN and cortex, ATP rapidly induced death of the neurons and astrocytes in the injection core area within 3 h, and the astrocytes in the penumbra region became hypertropic and rapidly surrounded the damaged areas. It was observed that the neurons survived for up to 1-3 months in the area where the astrocytes became hypertropic. The damaged areas of astrocytes gradually reduced at 3 days, 7 days, and 1-3 months. Astrocyte proliferation was detectable at 3-7 days, and vimentin was expressed in astrocytes that surrounded and/or protruded into the damaged sites. The NeuN-positive cells also reappeared in the injury sites where astrocytes reappeared. Taken together, these results suggest that astroycte survival and/or gliosis in the injured brain may be critical for neuronal survival and may prevent delayed neuronal death in the injured brain.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; Astrocytes ; Brain Injuries ; Brain* ; Gliosis ; Neurons* ; Substantia Nigra ; Vimentin

The inflammation that accompanies acute injury has dual functions: bactericidal action and repair. Bactericidal functions protect damaged tissue from infection, and repair functions are initiated to aid in the recovery of damaged tissue. Brain injury is somewhat different from injuries in other tissues in two respects. First, many cases of brain injury are not accompanied by infection: there is no chance of pathogens to enter in ischemia or even in traumatic injury if the skull is intact. Second, neurons are rarely regenerated once damaged. This raises the question of whether bactericidal inflammation really occurs in the injured brain; if so, how is this type of inflammation controlled? Many brain inflammation studies have been conducted using cultured microglia (brain macrophages). Even where animal models have been used, the behavior of microglia and neurons has typically been analyzed at or after the time of neuronal death, a time window that excludes the inflammatory response, which begins immediately after the injury. Therefore, to understand the patterns and roles of brain inflammation in the injured brain, it is necessary to analyze the behavior of all cell types in the injured brain immediately after the onset of injury. Based on our experience with both in vitro and in vivo experimental models of brain inflammation, we concluded that not only microglia, but also astrocytes, blood inflammatory cells, and even neurons participate and/or regulate brain inflammation in the injured brain. Furthermore, brain inflammation played by these cells protects neurons and repairs damaged microenvironment but not induces neuronal damage.
Astrocytes ; Brain ; Brain Injuries ; Encephalitis ; Inflammation ; Ischemia ; Microglia ; Models, Animal ; Models, Theoretical ; Neurons ; Skull

In brain tissue, astrocytes play defensive roles in central nervous system integrity by mediating immune responses against pathological conditions. Type I phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate 5-kinase alpha (PIP5Kalpha) that is responsible for production of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PI[4,5]P2) regulates many important cell functions at the cell surface. Here, we have examined whether PIP5Kalpha is associated with astrocyte inflammatory responses. Gangliosides are releasable from damaged cell membranes of neurons and capable of inducing inflammatory responses. We found that treatment of primary cultured astrocytes with gangliosides significantly enhanced PIP5Kalpha mRNA and protein expression levels. PI(4,5)P2 imaging using a fluorescent tubby (R332H) expression as a PI(4,5)P2-specific probe showed that ganglioside treatment increased PI(4,5)P2 level. Interestingly, microRNA-based PIP5Kalpha knockdown strongly reduced ganglioside-induced transcription of proinflammatory cytokines IL-1beta and TNFalpha. PIP5Kalpha knockdown also suppressed ganglioside-induced phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB and the degradation of IkappaB-alpha, indicating that PIP5Kalpha knockdown interfered with the ganglioside-activated NF-kappaB signaling. Together, these results suggest that PIP5Kalpha is a novel inflammatory mediator that undergoes upregulation and contributes to immune responses by facilitating NF-kappaB activation in ganglioside-stimulated astrocytes.
Animals ; Astrocytes/*metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Gangliosides/*metabolism ; Gene Knockdown Techniques ; Inflammation/*metabolism ; Interleukin-1/metabolism ; NF-kappa B/metabolism ; Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor)/*metabolism ; RNA, Messenger/*genetics/metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Signal Transduction ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism ; Up-Regulation

It has been suggested that brain inflammation is important in aggravation of brain damage and/or that inflammation causes neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson's disease (PD). Recently, systemic inflammation has also emerged as a risk factor for PD. In the present study, we evaluated how systemic inflammation induced by intravenous (iv) lipopolysaccharides (LPS) injection affected brain inflammation and neuronal damage in the rat. Interestingly, almost all brain inflammatory responses, including morphological activation of microglia, neutrophil infiltration, and mRNA/protein expression of inflammatory mediators, appeared within 4-8 h, and subsided within 1-3 days, in the substantia nigra (SN), where dopaminergic neurons are located. More importantly, however, dopaminergic neuronal loss was not detectable for up to 8 d after iv LPS injection. Together, these results indicate that acute induction of systemic inflammation causes brain inflammation, but this is not sufficiently toxic to induce neuronal injury.
Animals ; Astrocytes/pathology ; Cell Death ; Encephalitis/chemically induced/immunology/*pathology ; Injections, Intravenous ; Lipopolysaccharides/*pharmacology ; Male ; Microglia/pathology ; Neutrophil Infiltration ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Substantia Nigra/immunology/*pathology

5'-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a heterotrimeric complex consisting of a catalytic (alpha) and two regulatory (beta and gamma) subunits. Two isoforms are known for catalytic subunit (alpha1, alpha2) and are encoded by different genes. To assess the metabolic effects of AMPKalpha1, we examined the effects of overexpression of adenoviral-mediated AMPKalpha1 in hyperlipidemic type 2 diabetic rats. The Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rat is an established animal model of type 2 diabetes that exhibits chronic and slowly progressive hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia. Thirty five-week-old overt type 2 diabetic rats (n=10) were administered intravenously with Ad.AMPKalpha1. AMPK activity was measured by phosphorylation of acetyl CoA carboxlyase (ACC). To investigate the changes of gene expression related glucose and lipid metabolism, quantitative real-time PCR was performed with liver tissues. Overexpression of AMPKalpha1 showed that blood glucose concentration was decreased but that glucose tolerance was not completely recovered on 7th day after treatment. Plasma triglyceride concentration was decreased slightly, and hepatic triglyceride content was markedly reduced by decreasing expression of hepatic lipogenic genes. Overexpression of AMPKalpha1 markedly improved hepatic steatosis and it may have effective role for improving hepatic lipid metabolism in hyperlipidemic state.
Acetyl Coenzyme A ; Adenoviridae ; AMP-Activated Protein Kinases ; Animals ; Blood Glucose ; Catalytic Domain ; Fatty Liver ; Gene Expression ; Glucose ; Hyperglycemia ; Hyperlipidemias ; Lipid Metabolism ; Liver ; Models, Animal ; Phosphorylation ; Plasma ; Protein Isoforms ; Rats ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction