文拉法辛联合认知行为疗法治疗帕金森病抑郁、认知功能障碍的临床疗效评价

目的:探讨文拉法辛联合认知行为疗法治疗帕金森病(PD)抑郁、认知功能障碍的临床疗效和安全性。方法:选择我院收治的60例PD合并抑郁、认知功能障碍患者并将其随机分为三组,分别为对照组(单用文拉法辛治疗),联合奥氮平组(文拉法辛联合奥氮平),联合认知行为疗法组(文拉法辛联合认知行为疗法),每组20例,于治疗前及治疗后4、8周末采用汉密尔顿抑郁量表(HAMD)进行抑郁程度评定,简易精神状态评价量表(MMSE)和事件相关电位(event-related potentials,ERPs)P300进行认知功能评定。结果:治疗4、8周时,三组的HAMD评分均较治疗前有不同程度下降,P300潜伏期较治疗前有不同程度缩短,P300波幅、MMSE评分有不同程度升高(P0.05),联合奥氮平组和联合认知行为疗法组HAMD评分较对照组明显下降,P300潜伏期较对照组明显缩短,P300波幅、MMSE评分明显升高(P0.05),联合认知行为疗法组HAMD评分较联合奥氮平组明显下降,P300潜伏期明显缩短,P300波幅、MMSE评分明显升高(P0.05)。三组均无特殊不良反应。结论:文拉法辛联合认知行为疗法治疗PD抑郁、认知功能障碍疗效确切,能显著改善患者抑郁症状,提高患者的认知功能,疗效较单用文拉法辛或文拉法辛联合奥氮平治疗更好,且安全性高。     

多烯磷脂酰胆碱对β-淀粉样蛋白（Aβ 1—40）致阿尔茨海默病模型大鼠的治疗作用

目的：研究多烯磷脂酰胆碱（Polyene Phosphatiayl choline,PPC）对β-淀粉样蛋白（Apl-40）致阿尔茨海默病（Alzheimer＇s Dis．ease,AD）模型大鼠的治疗作用。方法：32只SD大鼠随机分为正常组、假手术组、模型组和处理组,海马内注射淀粉样蛋白（Aβ1—40）,制作大鼠阿尔茨海默病模型,处理组给予多烯磷脂酰胆碱。通过Moms水迷宫实验验检测各组大鼠认知行为学改变,海马组织学及免疫组化染色,观察多烯磷脂酰胆碱对阿尔茨海默病模型大鼠的影响,并进行统计学分析。结果：①Moms水迷宫实验,模型组与正常组、假手术组比较,学习和记忆潜伏期显著增加;处理组与模型组比较,学习和记忆潜伏期显著减少;组间比较差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）,提示多烯磷脂酰胆碱使AD模型大鼠的认知行为学功能改善。（2）Nissl染色,模型组与正常对照组、假手术组组织学染色结果有显著性差异（P〈0．05）,PPC处理组与模型组比较有显著性差异（P〈0．05）,PPC处理组与正常组及假手术组比较也呈现出显著性差异（P〈0．05）;提示多烯磷脂酰胆碱可以减少神经元的凋亡。③β-淀粉样蛋白免疫组化染色,模型组与正常对照组、假手术组比较,Aβ沉积明显增加;PPC处理组与模型组比较,Aβ沉积范围明显缩小,PPC处理组与正常对照组、假手术组也呈现出显著性差。结论：多烯磷脂酰胆碱对淀粉样蛋白（Aβ1—40）致阿尔茨海默病模型大鼠有治疗作用。     

Acidic extracellular pH induces p120-catenin-mediated disruption of adherens junctions via the Src kinase-PKCδ pathway

An acidic microenvironment induces disruption of adherens junctions (AJs) of hepatoma cells. This study investigated the impact of an acidic extracellular pH (pHe) on p120-catenin (p120-ctn) serine phosphorylation. pH 6.6 treatment increased intracellular calcium levels, activated protein kinase C (PKC)α and PKCδ, and decreased serine phosphorylation of p120-ctn. Further knockdown of PKCα and δ by small interference RNA (siRNA) prevented the pH 6.6-induced downregulation of p120-ctn at AJ and the serine dephosphorylation of p120-ctn. Moreover, PP2 pretreatment and siRNA of c-Src abrogated the pH 6.6-induced PKCδ activation. Together, the c-Src-PKCδ cascade and PKCα regulate the acidic pHe-induced AJ disruption.     

Decreased histone deacetylase 2 impairs Nrf2 activation by oxidative stress

Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) plays a crucial role in cellular defence against oxidative stress by inducing the expression of multiple anti-oxidant genes. However, where high levels of oxidative stress are observed, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Nrf2 activity is reduced, although the molecular mechanism for this defect is uncertain. Here, we show that down-regulation of histone deacetylase (HDAC) 2 causes Nrf2 instability, resulting in reduced anti-oxidant gene expression and increase sensitivity to oxidative stress. Although Nrf2 protein was clearly stabilized after hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) stimulation in a bronchial epithelial cell line (BEAS2B), Nrf2 stability was decreased and Nrf2 acetylation increased in the presence of an HDAC inhibitor, trichostatin A (TSA). TSA also reduced Nrf2-regulated heme-oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression in these cells, and this was confirmed in acute cigarette-smoke exposed mice in vivo. HDAC2 knock-down by RNA interference resulted in reduced H₂O₂-induced Nrf2 protein stability and activity in BEAS2B cells, whereas HDAC1 knockdown had no effect. Furthermore, monocyte-derived macrophages obtained from healthy volunteers (non-smokers and smokers) and COPD patients showed a significant correlation between HDAC2 expression and Nrf2 expression (r = 0.92, p < 0.0001). Thus, reduced HDAC2 activity in COPD may account for increased Nrf2 acetylation, reduced Nrf2 stability and impaired anti oxidant defences.     

Hypoxia induces beta-amyloid in association with death of RGC-5 cells in culture

Beta-amyloid (Aβ) derived from amyloid precursor protein (APP) has been associated with retinal degeneration in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and glaucoma. This study examined whether hypoxia exposure induces Aβ accumulation in RGC-5 cells. While levels of APP mRNA and protein significantly increased in the cells, elevated abundance of Aβ was also observed in cells and culture medium between 12 or 24 and 48 h after 5% O₂ hypoxia treatment. Additionally, there is a close relationship between induction of APP and Aβ and intracellular accumulation of ROS along with loss of mitochondrial membrane potential followed by the death of RGC-5 cells in culture under hypoxia. These results suggest a possible involvement of APP and Aβ in the death of RGCs challenged by hypoxia.     

Hydrogen exchange of monomeric alpha-synuclein shows unfolded structure persists at physiological temperature and is independent of molecular crowding in Escherichia coli

Amide proton NMR signals from the N-terminal domain of monomeric α-synuclein (αS) are lost when the sample temperature is raised from 10°C to 35°C at pH 7.4. Although the temperature-induced effects have been attributed to conformational exchange caused by an increase in α-helix structure, we show that the loss of signals is due to fast amide proton exchange. At low ionic strength, hydrogen exchange rates are faster for the N-terminal segment of αS than for the acidic C-terminal domain. When the salt concentration is raised to 300 mM, exchange rates increase throughout the protein and become similar for the N- and C-terminal domains. This indicates that the enhanced protection of amide protons from the C-terminal domain at low salt is electrostatic in nature. Cα chemical shift data point to <10% residual α-helix structure at 10°C and 35°C. Conformational exchange contributions to R2 are negligible at both temperatures. In contrast to the situation in vitro, the majority of amide protons are observed at 37°C in ¹H-¹⁵N HSQC spectra of αS encapsulated within living Escherichia coli cells. Our finding that temperature effects on αS NMR spectra can be explained by hydrogen exchange obviates the need to invoke special cellular factors. The retention of signals is likely due to slowed hydrogen exchange caused by the lowered intracellular pH of high-density E. coli cultures. Taken together, our results emphasize that αS remains predominantly unfolded at physiological temperature and pH—an important conclusion for mechanistic models of the association of αS with membranes and fibrils.     

Peptides derived from Cdk5 activator p35, specifically inhibit deregulated activity of Cdk5

Normal Cdk5 activity, conferred mainly by association with its primary activator p35, is critical for normal function of the cell and must be tightly regulated. During neurotoxicity, p35 is cleaved to form p25, which becomes a potent and mislocalized hyperactivator of Cdk5, resulting in a deregulation of Cdk5 activity. p25 levels have been found to be elevated in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain and overexpression of p25 in a transgenic mouse results in the formation of phosphorylated tau, neurofibrillary tangles and cognitive deficits that are pathological hallmarks of AD. p25/Cdk5 also hyperphosphorylates neurofilament proteins that constitute pathological hallmarks found in Parkinson's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The selective targeting of p25/Cdk5 activity without affecting p35/Cdk5 activity has been unsuccessful. In this review we detail our recent studies of selective p25/Cdk5 inhibition without affecting p35/Cdk5 or mitotic Cdk activities. We found that a further truncation of p25 to yield a Cdk5 inhibitory peptide (CIP) can specifically inhibit p25/Cdk5 activity in transfected HEK cells and primary cortical neurons. CIP was able to reduce tau hyperphosphorylation and neuronal death induced caused by p25/Cdk5 and further studies with CIP may develop a specific Cdk5 inhibition strategy in the treatment of neurodegeneration.     

Segmental vitiligo as the possible expression of cutaneous somatic mosaicism: implications for common non-segmental vitiligo

Clinical findings in vitiligo challenge the widely accepted organ specific autoimmune pathomechanisms. We draw the attention to the fact that the distribution of segmental vitiligo (SV) fits in at least a subset of patients a pattern usually associated with cutaneous mosaicism. The association of SV to non-segmental vitiligo (NSV) now confirmed by several observations indicates a continuum between the two subsets with shared predisposing genetic factors, including genes operating specifically in the skin. Some pedigrees associating SV and NSV further suggest a mechanism of loss of heterozygosity for a dominant gene controlling part of the cutaneous phenotype. The mosaic hypothesis applies only to SV and to the rare SV-NSV association, but suggests that predisposing genetic factors in common NSV should also be searched directly in the skin. SV would be a good candidate disease to explore as a proof of principle of a new gene discovery strategy useful for multigenic disorders with organ specificity, applicable in priority to chronic inflammatory skin disorders.     

NRBF2 is involved in the autophagic degradation process of APP-CTFs in Alzheimer disease models

Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease characterized by the deposition of amyloid plaque in the brain. The autophagy-associated PIK3C3-containing phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PtdIns3K) complex has been shown to interfere with APP metabolism and amyloid beta peptide (Aβ) homeostasis via poorly understood mechanisms. Here we report that NRBF2 (nuclear receptor binding factor 2), a key component and regulator of the PtdIns3K, is involved in APP-CTFs homeostasis in AD cell models. We found that NRBF2 interacts with APP in vivo and its expression levels are reduced in hippocampus of 5XFAD AD mice; we further demonstrated that NRBF2 overexpression promotes degradation of APP C-terminal fragments (APP-CTFs), and reduces Aβ_1–40 and Aβ_1-42 levels in human mutant APP-overexpressing cells. Conversely, APP-CTFs, Aβ_1–40 and Aβ_1-42 levels were increased in Nrbf2 knockdown or nrbf2 knockout cells. Furthermore, NRBF2 positively regulates autophagy in neuronal cells and NRBF2-mediated reduction of APP-CTFs levels is autophagy dependent. Importantly, nrbf2 knockout attenuates the recruitment of APP and APP-CTFs into phagophores and the sorting of APP and APP-CTFs into endosomal intralumenal vesicles, which is accompanied by the accumulation of the APP and APP-CTFs into RAB5-positive early endosomes. Collectively, our results reveal the potential connection between NRBF2 and the AD-associated protein APP by showing that NRBF2 plays an important role in regulating degradation of APP-CTFs through modulating autophagy.