Topic: glial fibrillary acidic protein

Aging differently affects cellular components of the brain active milieu. Here, we analyzed astrocytes and neurons in the neocortical access tissue of younger (22 - 50 years) and older (51 - 72 years) human who underwent resection of glioma or other cancer metastases to the brain. Aging decreased the amount of reduced mitochondrial cytochromes in astrocytes but not neurons. The protein-to-lipid ratio was decreased in astrocytes and increased in neurons. Aged astrocytes showed morphological dystrophy quantified by the decreased length of branches, decreased volume fraction of leaflets, and shri

Astrocytes display complex morphology ranging from multiple main processes stemming from the soma to endfeet and a myriad of leaflets that are in close contact with synapses and other cellular structures. This extended feature, which is heterogeneous across brain regions and physiological states, is pivotal to understanding their dynamic interactions with neighboring neurons and glia. Therefore, assessing astrocytic structures is crucial to understanding their roles in brain networks. Immunostaining for Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP), an astrocyte-specific cytoskeletal protein, is comm

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN) pars compacta, leading to motor and cognitive impairments. The lack of a cure for this disease highlights the urgency in finding drugs that can modify its course. This emphasizes the importance of creating preclinical models that mimic major aspects of the disease. Rotenone, a natural pesticide that inhibits the mitochondrial complex I, has been shown to induce inflammation and selectively destroys nigrostriatal dopaminergic cells and thus presents itself as a

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a rare neuromuscular disease caused by a homozygous deletion of the SMN1 gene. The resulting lack of survival motor neuron (SMN) protein leads to progressive muscle weakness and often respiratory insufficiency. There is unmet need for reliable biomarkers to predict disease severity, prognosis, and treatment effect in patients with SMA. Nusinersen is an antisense oligonucleotide that leads to an increased SMN protein production by the SMN2 genes and has been shown to be effective in children and adults with SMA. Previously, we have shown that neurofilament (NF)

Blood biomarkers are becoming increasingly important for clinical trial stratification and healthcare. Therefore this work explored these existing markers’ diagnostic accuracy and ability to differentially diagnose Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) from Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). A multi-modal, combinatorial approach was taken to validate plasma and PET imaging markers’ utilities.The singular and combined ability of two emerging phospho-tau markers, p-tau217 and p-tau231, to differentiate DLB from AD was tested in a well-characterised cohort of patients over the age of 50. Following from this, pl

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a severe condition associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. As of now, no effective therapies are available. However, induced neural stem cells (iNSCs) offer a promising therapeutic approach by enabling autologous transplantation.In the subchronic phase 30 days post-SCI, we conducted the transplantation of fGFP-labelled human iNSCs (or vehicle) into female Fischer-344 rats with moderate to severe spinal cord injuries at the T8 level. One day prior to cell transplantation, immunosuppressive treatment was started and maintained to prevent graft rejection th

Stroke is a leading cause of adult disability and the third leading cause of death. Despite expanding reperfusion treatment indications, a significant proportion of patients (54.5%) experience poor outcomes despite successful recanalization, emphasizing the need for a clinically relevant preclinical stroke model. In response, we developed a novel mouse model involving photothrombotic (PT) occlusion and light-induced recanalization of the distal branch of the middle cerebral artery (MCA), closely mimicking ischemic progression in clinical settings.The stable occlusion of the MCA's distal branch

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a global health concern, displaying a diverse range of symptoms and a recognized association with chronic pain. Current evidence suggests that astrocytes play a key role in both disorders. Consequently, we investigated the effect of olfactory bulbectomy (OBX), a well-known model of depression-related behavior, on nociceptive behaviors and the number and morphology of astrocytes within the basolateral amygdala (BLA) in male rats. We conducted behavioral test, including the von Frey assessment of mechanical allodynia and acetone test of thermal cold allodynia,

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a cause of disability and a risk factor for the development of epilepsy, partially mediated by reactive gliosis. The aim of this project was to observe astroglial and microglial reactions to brain injury and identify sex differences in the process of glial scar formation.Penetrating cortical brain injury was induced on postnatal day 30 (P30) in male and female rats. The animals were perfused on P32, P38, P46, or P60. Brain tissue was sectioned and stained against glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP, astrocyte marker) and ionized calcium-binding adapter molecul