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  1. Article ; Online: Alzheimer’s Disease from the Amyloidogenic Theory to the Puzzling Crossroads between Vascular, Metabolic and Energetic Maladaptive Plasticity

    Michele Cerasuolo / Michele Papa / Anna Maria Colangelo / Maria Rosaria Rizzo

    Biomedicines, Vol 11, Iss 861, p

    2023  Volume 861

    Abstract: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive and degenerative disease producing the most common type of dementia worldwide. The main pathogenetic hypothesis in recent decades has been the well-known amyloidogenic hypothesis based on the involvement of two ... ...

    Abstract Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive and degenerative disease producing the most common type of dementia worldwide. The main pathogenetic hypothesis in recent decades has been the well-known amyloidogenic hypothesis based on the involvement of two proteins in AD pathogenesis: amyloid β (Aβ) and tau. Amyloid deposition reported in all AD patients is nowadays considered an independent risk factor for cognitive decline. Vascular damage and blood–brain barrier (BBB) failure in AD is considered a pivotal mechanism for brain injury, with increased deposition of both immunoglobulins and fibrin. Furthermore, BBB dysfunction could be an early sign of cognitive decline and the early stages of clinical AD. Vascular damage generates hypoperfusion and relative hypoxia in areas with high energy demand. Long-term hypoxia and the accumulation within the brain parenchyma of neurotoxic molecules could be seeds of a self-sustaining pathological progression. Cellular dysfunction comprises all the elements of the neurovascular unit (NVU) and neuronal loss, which could be the result of energy failure and mitochondrial impairment. Brain glucose metabolism is compromised, showing a specific region distribution. This energy deficit worsens throughout aging. Mild cognitive impairment has been reported to be associated with a glucose deficit in the entorhinal cortex and in the parietal lobes. The current aim is to understand the complex interactions between amyloid β (Aβ) and tau and elements of the BBB and NVU in the brain. This new approach aimed at the study of metabolic mechanisms and energy insufficiency due to mitochondrial impairment would allow us to define therapies aimed at predicting and slowing down the progression of AD.
    Keywords Alzheimer’s disease ; neurovascular unit ; blood–brain barrier ; glia ; reactive oxygen species (ROS) ; Biology (General) ; QH301-705.5
    Subject code 610
    Language English
    Publishing date 2023-03-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher MDPI AG
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  2. Article ; Online: Altered Spinal Homeostasis and Maladaptive Plasticity in GFAP Null Mice Following Peripheral Nerve Injury

    Ciro De Luca / Assunta Virtuoso / Sohaib Ali Korai / Raffaella Cirillo / Francesca Gargano / Michele Papa / Giovanni Cirillo

    Cells, Vol 11, Iss 1224, p

    2022  Volume 1224

    Abstract: The maladaptive response of the central nervous system (CNS) following nerve injury is primarily linked to the activation of glial cells (reactive gliosis) that produce an inflammatory reaction and a wide cellular morpho-structural and functional/ ... ...

    Abstract The maladaptive response of the central nervous system (CNS) following nerve injury is primarily linked to the activation of glial cells (reactive gliosis) that produce an inflammatory reaction and a wide cellular morpho-structural and functional/metabolic remodeling. Glial acidic fibrillary protein (GFAP), a major protein constituent of astrocyte intermediate filaments (IFs), is the hallmark of the reactive astrocytes, has pleiotropic functions and is significantly upregulated in the spinal cord after nerve injury. Here, we investigated the specific role of GFAP in glial reaction and maladaptive spinal cord plasticity following sciatic nerve spared nerve injury (SNI) in GFAP KO and wild-type (WT) animals. We evaluated the neuropathic behavior (thermal hyperalgesia, allodynia) and the expression of glial (vimentin, Iba1) and glutamate/GABA system markers (GLAST, GLT1, EAAC1, vGLUT, vGAT, GAD) in lumbar spinal cord sections of KO/WT animals. SNI induced neuropathic behavior in both GFAP KO and WT mice, paralleled by intense microglial reaction (Iba1 expression more pronounced in KO mice), reactive astrocytosis (vimentin increase) and expression remodeling of glial/neuronal glutamate/GABA transporters. In conclusion, it is conceivable that the lack of GFAP could be detrimental to the CNS as it lacks a critical sensor for neuroinflammation and morpho-functional–metabolic rewiring after nerve injury. Understanding the maladaptive morpho-functional changes of glial cells could represent the first step for a new glial-based targeted approach for mechanisms of disease in the CNS.
    Keywords GFAP ; reactive astrogliosis ; peripheral nerve injury ; spinal cord ; neuropathic behavior ; Biology (General) ; QH301-705.5
    Subject code 572
    Language English
    Publishing date 2022-04-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher MDPI AG
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  3. Article ; Online: Regional Development of Glioblastoma

    Ciro De Luca / Assunta Virtuoso / Michele Papa / Francesco Certo / Giuseppe Maria Vincenzo Barbagallo / Roberto Altieri

    Cells, Vol 11, Iss 1349, p

    The Anatomical Conundrum of Cancer Biology and Its Surgical Implication

    2022  Volume 1349

    Abstract: Glioblastoma (GBM) are among the most common malignant central nervous system (CNS) cancers, they are relatively rare. This evidence suggests that the CNS microenvironment is naturally equipped to control proliferative cells, although, rarely, failure of ...

    Abstract Glioblastoma (GBM) are among the most common malignant central nervous system (CNS) cancers, they are relatively rare. This evidence suggests that the CNS microenvironment is naturally equipped to control proliferative cells, although, rarely, failure of this system can lead to cancer development. Moreover, the adult CNS is innately non-permissive to glioma cell invasion. Thus, glioma etiology remains largely unknown. In this review, we analyze the anatomical and biological basis of gliomagenesis considering neural stem cells, the spatiotemporal diversity of astrocytes, microglia, neurons and glutamate transporters, extracellular matrix and the peritumoral environment. The precise understanding of subpopulations constituting GBM, particularly astrocytes, is not limited to glioma stem cells (GSC) and could help in the understanding of tumor pathophysiology. The anatomical fingerprint is essential for non-invasive assessment of patients’ prognosis and correct surgical/radiotherapy planning.
    Keywords glioblastoma ; neuroanatomy ; biological signature ; neurosurgery ; diffusive ; bulky ; Biology (General) ; QH301-705.5
    Subject code 610
    Language English
    Publishing date 2022-04-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher MDPI AG
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  4. Article ; Online: Neurons, Glia, Extracellular Matrix and Neurovascular Unit

    Ciro De Luca / Anna Maria Colangelo / Assunta Virtuoso / Lilia Alberghina / Michele Papa

    International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Vol 21, Iss 4, p

    A Systems Biology Approach to the Complexity of Synaptic Plasticity in Health and Disease

    2020  Volume 1539

    Abstract: The synaptic cleft has been vastly investigated in the last decades, leading to a novel and fascinating model of the functional and structural modifications linked to synaptic transmission and brain processing. The classic neurocentric model encompassing ...

    Abstract The synaptic cleft has been vastly investigated in the last decades, leading to a novel and fascinating model of the functional and structural modifications linked to synaptic transmission and brain processing. The classic neurocentric model encompassing the neuronal pre- and post-synaptic terminals partly explains the fine-tuned plastic modifications under both pathological and physiological circumstances. Recent experimental evidence has incontrovertibly added oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, and microglia as pivotal elements for synapse formation and remodeling (tripartite synapse) in both the developing and adult brain. Moreover, synaptic plasticity and its pathological counterpart (maladaptive plasticity) have shown a deep connection with other molecular elements of the extracellular matrix (ECM), once considered as a mere extracellular structural scaffold altogether with the cellular glue (i.e., glia). The ECM adds another level of complexity to the modern model of the synapse, particularly, for the long-term plasticity and circuit maintenance. This model, called tetrapartite synapse, can be further implemented by including the neurovascular unit (NVU) and the immune system. Although they were considered so far as tightly separated from the central nervous system (CNS) plasticity, at least in physiological conditions, recent evidence endorsed these elements as structural and paramount actors in synaptic plasticity. This scenario is, as far as speculations and evidence have shown, a consistent model for both adaptive and maladaptive plasticity. However, a comprehensive understanding of brain processes and circuitry complexity is still lacking. Here we propose that a better interpretation of the CNS complexity can be granted by a systems biology approach through the construction of predictive molecular models that enable to enlighten the regulatory logic of the complex molecular networks underlying brain function in health and disease, thus opening the way to more effective treatments.
    Keywords glia ; tripartite synapse ; synaptic plasticity ; neurovascular unit ; systems biology ; Biology (General) ; QH301-705.5 ; Chemistry ; QD1-999
    Language English
    Publishing date 2020-02-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher MDPI AG
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  5. Article ; Online: Roadmap for Stroke

    Ciro De Luca / Assunta Virtuoso / Nicola Maggio / Sara Izzo / Michele Papa / Anna Maria Colangelo

    International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Vol 21, Iss 7554, p

    Challenging the Role of the Neuronal Extracellular Matrix

    2020  Volume 7554

    Abstract: Stroke is a major challenge in modern medicine and understanding the role of the neuronal extracellular matrix (NECM) in its pathophysiology is fundamental for promoting brain repair. Currently, stroke research is focused on the neurovascular unit (NVU). ...

    Abstract Stroke is a major challenge in modern medicine and understanding the role of the neuronal extracellular matrix (NECM) in its pathophysiology is fundamental for promoting brain repair. Currently, stroke research is focused on the neurovascular unit (NVU). Impairment of the NVU leads to neuronal loss through post-ischemic and reperfusion injuries, as well as coagulatory and inflammatory processes. The ictal core is produced in a few minutes by the high metabolic demand of the central nervous system. Uncontrolled or prolonged inflammatory response is characterized by leukocyte infiltration of the injured site that is limited by astroglial reaction. The metabolic failure reshapes the NECM through matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and novel deposition of structural proteins continues within months of the acute event. These maladaptive reparative processes are responsible for the neurological clinical phenotype. In this review, we aim to provide a systems biology approach to stroke pathophysiology, relating the injury to the NVU with the pervasive metabolic failure, inflammatory response and modifications of the NECM. The available data will be used to build a protein–protein interaction (PPI) map starting with 38 proteins involved in stroke pathophysiology, taking into account the timeline of damage and the co-expression scores of their RNA patterns The application of the proposed network could lead to a more accurate design of translational experiments aiming at improving both the therapy and the rehabilitation processes.
    Keywords stroke ; neuronal extracellular matrix ; neurovascular unit ; matrix metalloproteinases ; systems biology ; maladaptive plasticity ; Biology (General) ; QH301-705.5 ; Chemistry ; QD1-999
    Language English
    Publishing date 2020-10-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher MDPI AG
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  6. Article ; Online: Iron and Ferroptosis More than a Suspect

    Michele Cerasuolo / Irene Di Meo / Maria Chiara Auriemma / Francesca Trojsi / Maria Ida Maiorino / Mario Cirillo / Fabrizio Esposito / Rita Polito / Anna Maria Colangelo / Giuseppe Paolisso / Michele Papa / Maria Rosaria Rizzo

    International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Vol 24, Iss 9637, p

    Beyond the Most Common Mechanisms of Neurodegeneration for New Therapeutic Approaches to Cognitive Decline and Dementia

    2023  Volume 9637

    Abstract: Neurodegeneration is a multifactorial process that involves multiple mechanisms. Examples of neurodegenerative diseases are Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, prion diseases such as Creutzfeldt–Jakob’s disease, and amyotrophic ... ...

    Abstract Neurodegeneration is a multifactorial process that involves multiple mechanisms. Examples of neurodegenerative diseases are Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, prion diseases such as Creutzfeldt–Jakob’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. These are progressive and irreversible pathologies, characterized by neuron vulnerability, loss of structure or function of neurons, and even neuron demise in the brain, leading to clinical, functional, and cognitive dysfunction and movement disorders. However, iron overload can cause neurodegeneration. Dysregulation of iron metabolism associated with cellular damage and oxidative stress is reported as a common event in several neurodegenerative diseases. Uncontrolled oxidation of membrane fatty acids triggers a programmed cell death involving iron, ROS, and ferroptosis, promoting cell death. In Alzheimer’s disease, the iron content in the brain is significantly increased in vulnerable regions, resulting in a lack of antioxidant defenses and mitochondrial alterations. Iron interacts with glucose metabolism reciprocally. Overall, iron metabolism and accumulation and ferroptosis play a significant role, particularly in the context of diabetes-induced cognitive decline. Iron chelators improve cognitive performance, meaning that brain iron metabolism control reduces neuronal ferroptosis, promising a novel therapeutic approach to cognitive impairment.
    Keywords iron ; ferroptosis ; cognitive decline ; Alzheimer’s disease ; blood–brain barrier ; reactive oxygen species (ROS) ; Biology (General) ; QH301-705.5 ; Chemistry ; QD1-999
    Subject code 610
    Language English
    Publishing date 2023-06-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher MDPI AG
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  7. Article ; Online: The Glioblastoma Microenvironment

    Assunta Virtuoso / Roberto Giovannoni / Ciro De Luca / Francesca Gargano / Michele Cerasuolo / Nicola Maggio / Marialuisa Lavitrano / Michele Papa

    International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Vol 22, Iss 3301, p

    Morphology, Metabolism, and Molecular Signature of Glial Dynamics to Discover Metabolic Rewiring Sequence

    2021  Volume 3301

    Abstract: Different functional states determine glioblastoma (GBM) heterogeneity. Brain cancer cells coexist with the glial cells in a functional syncytium based on a continuous metabolic rewiring. However, standard glioma therapies do not account for the effects ... ...

    Abstract Different functional states determine glioblastoma (GBM) heterogeneity. Brain cancer cells coexist with the glial cells in a functional syncytium based on a continuous metabolic rewiring. However, standard glioma therapies do not account for the effects of the glial cells within the tumor microenvironment. This may be a possible reason for the lack of improvements in patients with high-grade gliomas therapies. Cell metabolism and bioenergetic fitness depend on the availability of nutrients and interactions in the microenvironment. It is strictly related to the cell location in the tumor mass, proximity to blood vessels, biochemical gradients, and tumor evolution, underlying the influence of the context and the timeline in anti-tumor therapeutic approaches. Besides the cancer metabolic strategies, here we review the modifications found in the GBM-associated glia, focusing on morphological, molecular, and metabolic features. We propose to analyze the GBM metabolic rewiring processes from a systems biology perspective. We aim at defining the crosstalk between GBM and the glial cells as modules. The complex networking may be expressed by metabolic modules corresponding to the GBM growth and spreading phases. Variation in the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) rate and regulation appears to be the most important part of the metabolic and functional heterogeneity, correlating with glycolysis and response to hypoxia. Integrated metabolic modules along with molecular and morphological features could allow the identification of key factors for controlling the GBM-stroma metabolism in multi-targeted, time-dependent therapies.
    Keywords microglia ; astrocytes ; high-grade glioma ; cross-talk ; hypoxia ; metabolism ; Biology (General) ; QH301-705.5 ; Chemistry ; QD1-999
    Subject code 570
    Language English
    Publishing date 2021-03-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher MDPI AG
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  8. Article ; Online: The Spatiotemporal Coupling

    Assunta Virtuoso / Anna Maria Colangelo / Nicola Maggio / Uri Fennig / Nitai Weinberg / Michele Papa / Ciro De Luca

    International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Vol 22, Iss 11304, p

    Regional Energy Failure and Aberrant Proteins in Neurodegenerative Diseases

    2021  Volume 11304

    Abstract: The spatial and temporal coordination of each element is a pivotal characteristic of systems, and the central nervous system (CNS) is not an exception. Glial elements and the vascular interface have been considered more recently, together with the ... ...

    Abstract The spatial and temporal coordination of each element is a pivotal characteristic of systems, and the central nervous system (CNS) is not an exception. Glial elements and the vascular interface have been considered more recently, together with the extracellular matrix and the immune system. However, the knowledge of the single-element configuration is not sufficient to predict physiological or pathological long-lasting changes. Ionic currents, complex molecular cascades, genomic rearrangement, and the regional energy demand can be different even in neighboring cells of the same phenotype, and their differential expression could explain the region-specific progression of the most studied neurodegenerative diseases. We here reviewed the main nodes and edges of the system, which could be studied to develop a comprehensive knowledge of CNS plasticity from the neurovascular unit to the synaptic cleft. The future goal is to redefine the modeling of synaptic plasticity and achieve a better understanding of neurological diseases, pointing out cellular, subcellular, and molecular components that couple in specific neuroanatomical and functional regions.
    Keywords systems biology ; neurodegenerative diseases ; synaptic plasticity ; metabolism ; extra-cellular matrix ; neurovascular unit ; Biology (General) ; QH301-705.5 ; Chemistry ; QD1-999
    Subject code 610
    Language English
    Publishing date 2021-10-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher MDPI AG
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  9. Article ; Online: Supersaturation of VEP in Migraine without Aura Patients Treated with Topiramate

    Ciro De Luca / Sara Gori / Sonia Mazzucchi / Elisa Dini / Martina Cafalli / Gabriele Siciliano / Michele Papa / Filippo Baldacci

    Journal of Clinical Medicine, Vol 10, Iss 4, p

    An Anatomo-Functional Biomarker of the Disease

    2021  Volume 769

    Abstract: Migraine is a primary headache with high prevalence among the general population, characterized by functional hypersensitivity to both exogenous and endogenous stimuli particularly affecting the nociceptive system. The hyperresponsivity of cortical ... ...

    Abstract Migraine is a primary headache with high prevalence among the general population, characterized by functional hypersensitivity to both exogenous and endogenous stimuli particularly affecting the nociceptive system. The hyperresponsivity of cortical neurons could be due to a disequilibrium in the excitatory/inhibitory signaling. This study aimed to investigate the anatomo-functional pathway from the retina to the primary visual cortex using visual evoked potentials (VEP). Contrast gain protocol was used in 15 patients diagnosed with migraine without aura (at baseline and after 3 months of topiramate therapy) and 13 controls. A saturation (S) index was assessed to monitor the response of VEP’s amplitude to contrast gain. Non-linear nor monotone growth of VEP (S < 0.95) was defined as supersaturation. A greater percentage of migraine patients (53%) relative to controls (7%) showed this characteristic. A strong inverse correlation was found between the S index and the number of days separating the registration of VEP from the next migraine attack. Moreover, allodynia measured through the Allodynia Symptoms Check-list (ASC-12) correlates with the S index both at baseline and after 3 months of topiramate treatment. Other clinical characteristics were not related to supersaturation. Topiramate therapy, although effective, did not influence electrophysiological parameters suggesting a non-intracortical nor retinal origin of the supersaturation (with possible involvement of relay cells from the lateral geniculate nucleus). In conclusion, the elaboration of visual stimuli and visual cortex activity is different in migraine patients compared to controls. More data are necessary to confirm the potential use of the S index as a biomarker for the migraine cycle (association with the pain-phase) and cortical sensitization (allodynia).
    Keywords migraine without aura ; biomarker ; neurophysiology ; neuroanatomy ; visual cortex ; VEP ; Medicine ; R
    Subject code 610
    Language English
    Publishing date 2021-02-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher MDPI AG
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  10. Article ; Online: Neural plasticity and adult neurogenesis

    Anna Maria Colangelo / Giovanni Cirillo / Lilia Alberghina / Michele Papa / Hans V Westerhoff

    Neural Regeneration Research, Vol 14, Iss 2, Pp 201-

    the deep biology perspective

    2019  Volume 205

    Abstract: The recognition that neurogenesis does not stop with adolescence has spun off research towards the reduction of brain disorders by enhancing brain regeneration. Adult neurogenesis is one of the tougher problems of developmental biology as it requires the ...

    Abstract The recognition that neurogenesis does not stop with adolescence has spun off research towards the reduction of brain disorders by enhancing brain regeneration. Adult neurogenesis is one of the tougher problems of developmental biology as it requires the generation of complex intracellular and pericellular anatomies, amidst the danger of neuroinflammation. We here review how a multitude of regulatory pathways optimized for early neurogenesis has to be revamped into a new choreography of time dependencies. Distinct pathways need to be regulated, ranging from neural growth factor induced differentiation to mitochondrial bioenergetics, reactive oxygen metabolism, and apoptosis. Requiring much Gibbs energy consumption, brain depends on aerobic energy metabolism, hence on mitochondrial activity. Mitochondrial fission and fusion, movement and perhaps even mitoptosis, thereby come into play. All these network processes are interlinked and involve a plethora of molecules. We recommend a deep thinking approach to adult neurobiology.
    Keywords neurogenesis ; adult brain ; neuroregeneration ; neuron ; differentiation ; nerve growth factor ; energy homeostasis ; mitochondria ; deep biology ; systems biology ; Neurology. Diseases of the nervous system ; RC346-429
    Subject code 501
    Language English
    Publishing date 2019-01-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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