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Table of Content

    15 March 2013, Volume 8 Issue 8 Previous Issue    Next Issue
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    Transplantation of Nogo-66 receptor gene-silenced cells in a poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) scaffold for the treatment of spinal cord injury
    Dong Wang, Yuhong Fan, Jianjun Zhang
    2013, 8 (8):  677-685.  doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2013.08.001
    Abstract ( 236 )   PDF (311KB) ( 909 )   Save

    Inhibition of neurite growth, which is in large part mediated by the Nogo-66 receptor, affects neural regeneration following bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation. The tissue engineering scaffold poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolic acid) has good histocompatibility and can promote the growth of regenerating nerve fibers. The present study used small interfering RNA to silence Nogo-66 receptor gene expression in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and Schwann cells, which were subsequently transplanted with poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolic acid) into the spinal cord lesion regions in rats. Simultaneously, rats treated with scaffold only were taken as the control group. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunohistochemistry revealed that at 4 weeks after transplantation, rats had good motor function of the hind limb after treatment with Nogo-66 receptor gene-silenced cells plus the poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolic acid) scaffold compared with rats treated with scaffold only, and the number of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and neuron-like cells was also increased. At 8 weeks after transplantation, horseradish peroxidase tracing and transmission electron microscopy showed a large number of unmyelinated and myelinated nerve fibers, as well as intact regenerating axonal myelin sheath following spinal cord hemisection injury. These experimental findings indicate that transplantation of Nogo-66 receptor gene-silenced bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and Schwann cells plus a poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolic acid) scaffold can significantly enhance axonal regeneration of spinal cord neurons and improve motor function of the extremities in rats following spinal cord injury.

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    Rapid identification of spinal ventral and dorsal roots using a quartz crystal microbalance
    Tao Sui, Jun Que, Dechao Kong, Hao Xie, Daode Wang, Kun Shi, Xiaojian Cao, Xiang Li
    2013, 8 (8):  686-692.  doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2013.08.002
    Abstract ( 206 )   PDF (210KB) ( 948 )   Save

    The fast and accurate identification of nerve tracts is critical for successful nerve anastomosis. Taking advantage of differences in acetylcholinesterase content between the spinal ventral and dorsal roots, we developed a novel quartz crystal microbalance method to distinguish between these nerves based on acetylcholinesterase antibody reactivity. The acetylcholinesterase antibody was immobilized on the electrode surface of a quartz crystal microbalance and reacted with the acetylcholinesterase in sample solution. The formed antigen and antibody complexes added to the mass of the electrode inducing a change in frequency of the electrode. The spinal ventral and dorsal roots were distinguished by the change in frequency. The ventral and dorsal roots were cut into 1 to 2-mm long segments and then soaked in 250 μL PBS. Acetylcholinesterase antibody was immobilized on the quartz crystal microbalance gold electrode surface. The results revealed that in 10 minutes, both spinal ventral and dorsal roots induced a frequency change; however, the frequency change induced by the ventral roots was notably higher than that induced by the dorsal roots. No change was induced by bovine serum albumin or PBS. These results clearly demonstrate that a quartz crystal microbalance sensor can be used as a rapid, highly sensitive and accurate detection tool for the quick identification of spinal nerve roots intraoperatively.

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    Neuroprotective effects of tadalafil on gerbil dopaminergic neurons following cerebral ischemia
    Kwang Taek Kim, Kyung Jin Chung, Han Sae Lee, Il Gyu Ko, Chang Ju Kim, Yong Gil Na, Khae Hawn Kim
    2013, 8 (8):  693-701.  doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2013.08.003
    Abstract ( 355 )   PDF (324KB) ( 1171 )   Save

    Impairment of dopamine function, which is known to have major effects on behaviors and cognition, is one of the main problems associated with cerebral ischemia. Tadalafil, a long-acting phosphodiesterase type-5 inhibitor, is known to ameliorate neurologic impairment induced by brain injury, but not in dopaminergic regions. We investigated the neuroprotective effects of treatment with tadalafil on cyclic guanosine monophosphate level and dopamine function following cerebral ischemia. Forty adult Mongolian gerbils were randomly and evenly divided into five groups (n = 8 in each group): Sham-operation group, cerebral ischemia-induced and 0, 0.1, 1, and 10 mg/kg tadalafil-treated groups, respectively. Tadalafil dissolved in distilled water was administered orally for 7 consecutive days, starting 1 day after surgery. Cyclic guanosine monophosphate assay and immunohistochemistry were performed for thyrosine hydroxylase expression and western blot analysis for dopamine D2 receptor expression. A decrease in cyclic guanosine monophosphate level following cerebral ischemia was found with an increase in thyrosine hydroxylase activity and a decrease in dopamine D2 receptor expression in the striatum and substantia nigra region. However, treatment with tadalafil increased cyclic guanosine monophosphate expression, suppressed thyrosine hydroxylase expression and increased dopamine D2 receptor expression in the striatum and substantia nigra region in a dose-dependent manner. Tadalafil might ameliorate cerebral ischemia-induced dopaminergic neuron injury. Therefore, tadalafil has the potential as a new neuroprotective treatment strategy for cerebral ischemic injury.

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    Role of calbindin-D28K in estrogen treatment for Parkinson’s disease
    Chunhua Wang, Chao Jiang, Honghua Yuan, Chenghua Xiao, Dianshuai Gao
    2013, 8 (8):  702-707.  doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2013.08.004
    Abstract ( 215 )   PDF (253KB) ( 1055 )   Save

    Studies have shown that estrogen has neuroprotective effects on the nigrostriatal system. The present study established a Parkinson’s disease model in C57BL/6 mice by intraperitoneal injection of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrapyridine. The mice were subjected to 17β estradiol injection into the lateral ventricle. Immunofluorescence double staining showed that estrogen increased tyrosine hydroxylase and calbindin-D28K expression and co-expression in dopaminergic neurons of midbrain substantia nigra pars compacta of model mice. Behavior experiments showed that estrogen improved swimming and hanging behaviors in this mouse model of Parkinson’s disease.

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    Detection of anti-aquaporin-4 autoantibodies in the sera of Chinese neuromyelitis optica patients
    Miao Li, Weiheng Su, Jie Wang, Francesco Pisani, Antonio Frigeri, Tonghui Ma
    2013, 8 (8):  708-713.  doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2013.08.005
    Abstract ( 379 )   PDF (171KB) ( 875 )   Save

    In this study, we recruited 10 neuromyelitis optica patients, two multiple sclerosis patients and two myelitis patients. Chinese hamster lung fibroblast (V79) cells transfected with a human aquaporin-4-mCherry fusion protein gene were used to detect anti-aquaporin-4 antibody in neuromyelitis optica patient sera by immunofluorescence. Anti-aquaporin-4 autoantibody was stably detected by immunofluorescence in neuromyelitis optica patient sera exclusively. The sensitivity of the assay for neuromyelitis optica was 90% and the specificity for neuromyelitis optica was 100%. The anti-aquaporin-4 antibody titers in sera were tested with serial dilutions until the signal disappeared. A positive correlation was detected between Expanded Disability Status Scale scores and serum anti-aquaporin-4 antibody titers. The anti-aquaporin-4 antibody assay is highly sensitive and specific in the sera of Chinese neuromyelitis optica patients. Detection of aquaporin-4 autoantibody is important for the diagnosis and treatment of neuromyelitis optica.

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    Chronic exercise training versus acute endurance exercise in reducing neurotoxicity in rats exposed to lead acetate
    Mohammad Shahandeh, Valiollah Dabidi Roshan, Somayeh Hosseinzadeh, Soleiman Mahjoub4, Vaginak Sarkisian
    2013, 8 (8):  714-722.  doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2013.08.006
    Abstract ( 217 )   PDF (156KB) ( 1204 )   Save

    After intraperitoneal injection of 20 mg/kg lead acetate, rats received 8 weeks of treadmill exercise (15–22 m/min, 25–64 minutes) and/or treadmill exercise at 1.6 km/h until exhaustion. The markers related to neurotoxicity were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. 8 weeks of treadmill exercise significantly increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor level in the hippocampus (P = 0.04) and plasma level of total antioxidant capacity of rats exposed to lead acetate (P < 0.001), and significantly decreased plasma level of malondialdehyde (P < 0.001). Acute exercise only decreased the hippocampal malondialdehyde level (P = 0.09) and increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor level in the hippocampus (P = 0.66). Acute exercise also enhanced the total antioxidant capacity in rats exposed to lead acetate, insignificantly (P = 0.99). These findings suggest that chronic treadmill exercise can significantly decrease neurotoxicity and alleviate oxidative stress in rats exposed to lead acetate. However, acute endurance exercise was not associated with these beneficial effects.

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    Expression and function of Delta-like ligand 4 in a rat model of retinopathy of prematurity
    Shaoyang Shi, Xun Li, You Li, Cunwen Pei, Hongwei Yang, Xiaolong Chen
    2013, 8 (8):  723-730.  doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2013.08.007
    Abstract ( 254 )   PDF (335KB) ( 839 )   Save

    The Delta-like ligand 4/Notch signaling pathway was shown to participate in the process of retinal development and angiogenesis. However, the function of the Delta-like ligand 4/Notch signaling pathway in retinopathy of prematurity requires further study. Retinopathy of prematurity was induced in 5-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to hyperoxia for 7 days, and then returned to room air. Reverse transcription-PCR and western blot revealed that Delta-like ligand 4 levels decreased at postnatal day 12 and increased at postnatal day 17 in retinopathy of prematurity rats. Flat-mounted adenosine diphosphatase stained retina and hematoxylin-eosin stained retinal tissue slices showed that the clock hour scores and the nuclei counts in retinopathy of prematurity rats were significantly different compared to normal control rats. After retinopathy of prematurity rats were intravitreally injected with Delta-like ligand 4 monoclonal antibody to inhibit the Delta-like ligand 4/Notch signaling pathway, there was a significant increase in the severity of retinal neovascularization (clock hours) in the intravitreally injected eyes. The nuclei count was highly correlated with the clock hour score. These results suggest that Delta-like ligand 4/Notch signaling plays an essential role in the process of physiological and pathological angiogenesis in the retina.

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    Using the endocannabinoid system as a neuroprotective strategy in perinatal hypoxic- ischemic brain injury
    Lara-Celador, Goñi-de-Cerio, F, Antonia Alvarez, Enrique Hilario
    2013, 8 (8):  731-744.  doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2013.08.008
    Abstract ( 283 )   PDF (281KB) ( 1143 )   Save

    One of the most important causes of brain injury in the neonatal period is a perinatal hypoxic- ischemic event. This devastating condition can lead to long-term neurological deficits or even death. After hypoxic-ischemic brain injury, a variety of specific cellular mechanisms are set in motion, triggering cell damage and finally producing cell death. Effective therapeutic treatments against this phenomenon are still unavailable because of complex molecular mechanisms underlying hypoxic-ischemic brain injury. After a thorough understanding of the mechanism underlying neural plasticity following hypoxic-ischemic brain injury, various neuroprotective therapies have been developed for alleviating brain injury and improving long-term outcomes. Among them, the endocannabinoid system emerges as a natural system of neuroprotection. The endocannabinoid system modulates a wide range of physiological processes in mammals and has demonstrated neuroprotective effects in different paradigms of acute brain injury, acting as a natural neuroprotectant. The aim of this review is to study the use of different therapies to induce long-term therapeutic effects after hypoxic-ischemic brain injury, and analyze the important role of the endocannabinoid system as a new neuroprotective strategy against perinatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury.

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    The role of local field potential coupling in epileptic synchronization
    Jiongxing Wu, Heng Yang, Yufeng Peng, Liangjuan Fang, Wen Zheng, Zhi Song
    2013, 8 (8):  745-753.  doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2013.08.009
    Abstract ( 253 )   PDF (214KB) ( 1046 )   Save

    This review hopes to clearly explain the following viewpoints: (1) Neuronal synchronization underlies brain functioning, and it seems possible that blocking excessive synchronization in an epileptic neural network could reduce or even control seizures. (2) Local field potential coupling is a very common phenomenon during synchronization in networks. Removal of neurons or neuronal networks that are coupled can significantly alter the extracellular field potential. Interventions of coupling mediated by local field potentials could result in desynchronization of epileptic seizures. (3) The synchronized electrical activity generated by neurons is sensitive to changes in the size of the extracellular space, which affects the efficiency of field potential transmission and the threshold of cell excitability. (4) Manipulations of the field potential fluctuations could help block synchronization at seizure onset.

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    SLC26A4 gene polymorphism and late-onset Alzheimer’s disease in a Han Chinese population from Qingdao, China
    Jifang Zhang, Yantuan Li
    2013, 8 (8):  754-759.  doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2013.08.010
    Abstract ( 181 )   PDF (167KB) ( 879 )   Save

    In a recent genome-wide association study, the SLC26A4 gene rs2072064 polymorphism was found to be associated with late-onset Alzheimer’s disease in Caucasians. Here, we investigated this association in a large Northern Han Chinese cohort consisting of 599 sporadic late-onset Alzheimer’s disease patients and 598 healthy controls matched for sex and age in a Northern Han Chinese population from Qingdao, China. Genotyping by the polymerase chain reaction-ligase detection reaction revealed that there were significant differences in the genotype (P = 0.017) and allele (P = 0.007) frequencies of the rs2072064 polymorphism between late-onset Alzheimer’s disease patients and controls. The A allele of this polymorphism was significantly associated with a reduced risk of late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (odds ratio (OR) = 0.792, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.670–0.937, P = 0.007). When the data were stratified by the apolipoprotein E ε4 status, there was a significant difference only among apolipoprotein E ε4 non-carriers (genotypic P = 0.001, allelic P = 0.001). Furthermore, the association between rs2072064 and late-onset Alzheimer’s disease remained significant by logistic regression analysis after adjustment for age, gender, and the apolipoprotein E ε4 carrier status (dominant model: OR = 0.787, 95% CI = 0.619–1.000, P = 0.050; recessive model: OR = 0.655, 95% CI = 0.448–0.959, P = 0.030; additive model: OR = 0.792, 95% CI = 0.661–0.950, P = 0.012). These findings suggest that SLC26A4 is a susceptibility gene for late-onset Alzheimer’s disease in a Northern Han Chinese population from the Qingdao area.

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    Weak central coherence in patients with Alzheimer’s disease
    Selina Mårdh
    2013, 8 (8):  760-766.  doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2013.08.011
    Abstract ( 258 )   PDF (180KB) ( 845 )   Save

    Central coherence refers to the ability to interpret details of information into a whole. To date, the concept of central coherence is mainly used in research of autism, Asperger’s syndrome and recently in the research on eating disorders. The main purpose of the present study was to examine central coherence in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Nine Alzheimer’s disease patients and ten age- and gender-matched control subjects, who differed significantly in neurological assessment, were shown a picture of a fire. Compared to control subjects, the Alzheimer’s disease patients described the picture in a fragmented way by mentioning details and separate objects without perceiving the context of the fire. In conclusion, patients with Alzheimer’s disease are at the weak end of central coherence, and hence suffer from a fragmented view of their surroundings. The findings have important clinical implications for the understanding of patients with Alzheimer’s diseaseand also for the possibility of caregivers to meet the Alzheimer’s disease individual in an appropriate way in the everyday care.

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