Browsing by Subject "glutamate"
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Item Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor Regulates Müller Cell Survival via MAPK and PI3K Pathways(2003-05-01) Taylor, Sara A.; Agarwal, Neeraj; Wordinger, Robert J.; Pang, Iok-HouTaylor, Sara A., Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor Regulates Müller Cell Survival via MAPK and PI3K Pathways. Master of Science (Biomedical Sciences), January, 2003, 112 pp., 4 tables, 39 illustrations, bibliography, 68 titles. Purpose: Glutamate has been implicated in many pathologies affecting the Central Nervous System including those in the retina, but the exact nature of the role of glutamate in neuronal degeneration remains unclear. In the retina. Müller cells are resistant to glutamate insults that are normally toxic to other cells of the retina, however the molecular and biochemical mechanisms that control their death or survival are not well understood. We used a series of pharmacological inhibitors and molecular biology agents on cultured Müller cells to dissect two key signaling pathways normally involved in cell survival, the Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase – Extracellularly Regulated Kinase (MAPK(ERK) pathway and the Phosphatidylinositide 3 Kinase (PI3K) pathway. Since preliminary data in our laboratory showed that Müller cells upregulate their secretion of neurotrophins including Brain Derived Growth Factor (BDNF) in response to glutamate treatment, we also examined the effect of BDNF on the activation of these two signaling pathways. Methods: Early passaged Müller cells were treated with various concentrations (5 nM -50 μM) of inhibitions of the MAPK(ERK) pathway (GW5074, U0126, and PD98059) or with various concentrations (1-50 μM) of inhibitors of the PI3K pathway (LY294002 or Akt inhibitor) in the presence and absence of 50 ng/ml of BDNF for 24 hours. These experiments were repeated in Müller cells transfected with either NFκB or Bc12 DNA. Cell cultures were then analyzed for surviving cells with an MTS/PMS assay, a colorametric method for determining the number of viable cells in a proliferation assay. Results: The MAPK (ERK) inhibitors PD98059 and GW5074 both resulted in decrease in Müller cell survival. PD98059 did not decrease Müller cell survival until concentrations were high enough to suppress ERK2 phosphorylation. Müller cells transfected with NFκB or Bc12 DNA were able to resist treatment with concentrations of PD98059 that reduced cell number in untransfected cells. The PI3K inhibitor LY294002 also resulted in significant decreases in Müller cell survival in both untransfected cells and cells transfected with NFκB or Bc12 DNA. Treatment with an inhibitor farther down in the PI3K pathway, Akt inhibitor, did not significantly decrease Müller cell survival. Finally, BDNF was not able to increase cell survival in Müller cells treated with PD98059 or U0126, although it did increase the survival of cells treated wit GW5074. BDNF was also able to reverse the decrease in cell survival caused by LY294002 in both untransfected Müller cells or Müller cells transfected with NFκB or Bc12 DNA. Conclusions: Our data shows that Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase – Extracellularly Regulated Kinase (MAPK(ERK) and Phosphatidylinositide 3 Kinase (PI3K) are both essential for Müller cell survival. There is modulation between the pathways and they may interconnected far upstream at a protein previously associated with only the MAPK(ERK) pathway. These results are consistent with a role for both pathways in Müller cell survival.Item Methamphetamine Activates Trace Amine Associated Receptor 1 to Regulate Astrocyte Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter-2 via Differential CREB Phosphorylation During HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders(Frontiers Media S.A., 2020-11-25) Cisneros, Irma E.; Ghorpade, Anuja; Borgmann, KathleenMethamphetamine (METH) use, referred to as methamphetamine use disorder (MUD), results in neurocognitive decline, a characteristic shared with HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). MUD exacerbates HAND partly through glutamate dysregulation. Astrocyte excitatory amino acid transporter (EAAT)-2 is responsible for >90% of glutamate uptake from the synaptic environment and is significantly decreased with METH and HIV-1. Our previous work demonstrated astrocyte trace amine associated receptor (TAAR) 1 to be involved in EAAT-2 regulation. Astrocyte EAAT-2 is regulated at the transcriptional level by cAMP responsive element binding (CREB) protein and NF-kappaB, transcription factors activated by cAMP, calcium and IL-1beta. Second messengers, cAMP and calcium, are triggered by TAAR1 activation, which is upregulated by IL-1beta METH-mediated increases in these second messengers and signal transduction pathways have not been shown to directly decrease astrocyte EAAT-2. We propose CREB activation serves as a master regulator of EAAT-2 transcription, downstream of METH-induced TAAR1 activation. To investigate the temporal order of events culminating in CREB activation, genetically encoded calcium indicators, GCaMP6s, were used to visualize METH-induced calcium signaling in primary human astrocytes. RNA interference and pharmacological inhibitors targeting or blocking cAMP-dependent protein kinase A and calcium/calmodulin kinase II confirmed METH-induced regulation of EAAT-2 and resultant glutamate clearance. Furthermore, we investigated METH-mediated CREB phosphorylation at both serine 133 and 142, the co-activator and co-repressor forms, respectively. Overall, this work revealed METH-induced differential CREB phosphorylation is a critical regulator for EAAT-2 function and may thus serve as a mechanistic target for the attenuation of METH-induced excitotoxicity in the context of HAND.Item Trace amine associated receptor 1 (TAAR1), a novel astrocyte receptor for METH-mediated neurotoxicity in HIV-1-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND)(2015-05-01) Cisneros, Irma E.; Ghorpade, Anuja; Wordinger, Robert J.; Forster, Michael J.This dissertation explores the role of astrocyte trace amine associated receptor 1 (TAAR1), a novel G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR), in modulating the effects of methamphetamine (METH) on astrocyte-mediated excitotoxicity, thereby exacerbating HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). The rising pandemic of methamphetamine (METH) abuse has multiple effects and interactions with HIV-1 in infected individuals, affecting both the periphery and the central nervous system (CNS). Moreover, there is a high prevalence of HIV-1 infection among METH users. Underlying evidence provides insight into the cellular mechanisms associated with METH and HIV-1 neurodegeneration, including the effects and byproducts of glial cells, specifically astrocytes. While indirect effects of METH and HIV-1 have been proposed in astrocytes the direct mechanisms by which they contribute to neurodegeneration and continue to evolve. Particularly, imbalance in glutamate homeostasis plays a vital role in METH- & HIV-1-mediated neurodegeneration. We propose METH activates a novel GPCR, trace amine associated receptor 1 (TAAR1), thereby regulating astrocyte-mediated glutamate uptake via excitatory amino acid transporter-2 (EAAT-2), exacerbating HIV-1-induced excitotoxicity. Importantly, our data demonstrate astrocyte functions leading to neurotoxic outcomes like excitotoxicity can be directly exacerbated through TAAR1 regulation. Additionally, extrinsic regulation of TAAR1 signaling, including cAMP, calcium, PKA and PKC, not only reduce activation of subsequent signaling factors, but also reduce or eliminate METH- and IL-1β-mediated alterations in astrocytes glutamate clearance abilities. Finally, preliminary studies indicate that astrocyte-TAAR1 may be a novel therapeutic target for the common morbidity of METH abuse in HAND