Neuroscience
-
Advances in single cell sequencing have enabled the identification of a large number of genes, expressed in many different cell types, and across a variety of model organisms. In particular, the nervous system harbors an immense number of interacting cell types, which are poorly characterized. Future loss- and gain-of-function experiments will be essential in determining how novel genes play critical roles in diverse cellular, as well as evolutionarily adapted, contexts. ⋯ Furthermore, we report additional technical advances that enable temporal control of knock-down or gain-of-function analysis. We applied this to visualize and manipulate labeled neurons, astrocytes and other glial cells in the central nervous system (CNS) of mouse, rat and ferret. We propose that misPiggy will be a valuable tool for rapid, flexible and cost-effective screening of gene function across a variety of animal models.
-
Gut dysbiosis is considered a risk factor for Parkinson's disease (PD), and chronic treatment with probiotics could prevent it. Here we report the assessment of a probiotic mixture [Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG), and Bifidobacterium animalis lactis BB-12 (BB-12)] administered to male rats 2 weeks before and 3 weeks after injecting 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) into the right striatum, a model that mimics the early stages of PD. Before and after lesion, animals were subjected to behavioral tests: narrow beam, cylinder test, and apomorphine (APO)-induced rotations. ⋯ In hemiparkinsonian rats, probiotics treatment significantly improved the crossing speed, and also reduced paw slips (postlesion days 14 and 21), the loss of TH+ neurons in SNpc, and the loss of TH+ area and of Iba1+ microglia count in striatum, without affecting the proportion of microglia morphological phenotypes. Probiotics treatment did not attenuate forepaw use asymmetry nor APO-induced rotations. These results indicate that the mixture of probiotics LGG and BB-12 protects nigrostriatal DA neurons against 6-OHDA-induced damage, supporting their potential as preventive treatment of PD.
-
Inflammation and resolution are highly programmed processes involving a plethora of immune cells. Lipid mediators synthesized from arachidonic acid metabolism play a pivotal role in orchestrating the signaling cascades in the game of inflammation. The majority of the studies carried out so far on inflammation were aimed at inhibiting the generation of inflammatory molecules, whereas recent research has shifted more towards understanding the resolution of inflammation. ⋯ Resolvins derived from these fatty acids comprise the D-and E-series resolvins. A growing body of evidence using in vitro and in vivo models has revealed the pro-resolving and anti-inflammatory potential of resolvins. This systematic review sheds light on the synthesis, specialized receptors, and resolution of inflammation mediated by resolvins in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.
-
Meta-chlorophenylpiperazine (mCPP) was one of the first compounds used in clinical and preclinical studies that demonstrated the role of serotonin in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). This systematic review aimed to (a) identify publications that report in rodents the effects of mCPP relevant to OCD, (b) explore the methodological characteristics of these studies, and (c) summarize the profile of mCPP effects. A comprehensive literature search was performed using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. ⋯ Among the factors that may contribute to the variability of mCPP effects, differences in methods are highlighted, such as characteristics of the species/strains studied, mCPP doses and treatment regimens used. The heterogeneity of the OCD-like behaviors evaluated and the interaction of mCPP with different receptors may also be critical variables for discrepancies in the findings with mCPP. The information described in this review may contribute to a better understanding of how mCPP-induced behavioral changes in rodents have been used to study OCD, highlighting the main challenges for future investigations in this field.