Front Cell Neurosci
-
Front Cell Neurosci · Jan 2021
ReviewMechanisms of Invasion in Glioblastoma: Extracellular Matrix, Ca2+ Signaling, and Glutamate.
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and malignant form of primary brain tumor with a median survival time of 14-16 months in GBM patients. Surgical treatment with chemotherapy and radiotherapy may help increase survival by removing GBM from the brain. However, complete surgical resection to eliminate GBM is almost impossible due to its high invasiveness. ⋯ Furthermore, GBM cells release glutamate, affecting migration via activation of ionotropic glutamate receptors in an autocrine manner. This review focuses on the cellular mechanisms of glioblastoma invasion and motility related to ECM, Ca2+ signaling, and glutamate. Finally, we discuss possible therapeutic interventions to inhibit invasion by GBM cells.
-
Astrocytes, once thought to be passive cells merely filling the space between neurons in the nervous system, are receiving attention as active modulators of the brain and spinal cord physiology by providing nutrients, maintaining homeostasis, and modulating synaptic transmission. Accumulating evidence indicates that astrocytes are critically involved in chronic pain regulation. ⋯ While the exact mechanisms underlying the transition from resting astrocytes to reactive astrocytes remain unknown, astrocytic calcium increase, coordinated by inflammatory molecules, has been suggested to trigger this transition. In this mini review article, we will discuss the roles of astrocytic calcium, channels contributing to calcium dynamics in astrocytes, astrocyte activations along the pain pathway, and possible relationships between astrocytic calcium dynamics and chronic pain.
-
Front Cell Neurosci · Jan 2018
ReviewInteractions Between Neural Progenitor Cells and Microglia in the Subventricular Zone: Physiological Implications in the Neurogenic Niche and After Implantation in the Injured Brain.
The adult subventricular zone (SVZ) of the mammalian brain contains neural progenitor cells (NPCs) that continuously produce neuroblasts throughout life. These neuroblasts migrate towards the olfactory bulb where they differentiate into local interneurons. The neurogenic niche of the SVZ includes, in addition to NPCs and neuroblasts, astrocytes, ependymal cells, blood vessels and the molecules released by these cell types. ⋯ In this article we will review literature reporting microglia-NPC interactions in the SVZ and the role of this bilateral communication in microglial function and in NPC biology. This interaction can take place through the release of soluble factors, extracellular vesicles or gap junctional communication. In addition, as NPCs are used for cell replacement therapies, they can establish therapeutically relevant crosstalks with host microglia which will also be summarized throughout the article.
-
Front Cell Neurosci · Jan 2018
ReviewEpigenetic Modifications Associated to Neuroinflammation and Neuropathic Pain After Neural Trauma.
Accumulating evidence suggests that epigenetic alterations lie behind the induction and maintenance of neuropathic pain. Neuropathic pain is usually a chronic condition caused by a lesion, or pathological change, within the nervous system. Neuropathic pain appears frequently after nerve and spinal cord injuries or diseases, producing a debilitation of the patient and a decrease of the quality of life. ⋯ In particular, the function on these processes of EZH2, JMJD3, MeCP2, several histone deacetylases (HDACs) and histone acetyl transferases (HATs), G9a, DNMT, REST and diverse non-coding RNAs, are described. Despite the effort on developing new therapies, current treatments have only produced limited relief of this pain in a portion of patients. Thus, the present review aims to contribute to find novel targets for chronic neuropathic pain treatment.
-
Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are a common comorbidity in patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. Many studies have shown alterations in the composition of the fecal flora and metabolic products of the gut microbiome in patients with ASD. ⋯ Here, we review the bidirectional interactions between the central nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract (brain-gut axis) and the role of the gut microbiota in the central nervous system (CNS) and ASD. Microbiome-mediated therapies might be a safe and effective treatment for ASD.