The complement cascade not only is an innate immune response that enables removal of pathogens but also plays an important role in microglia-mediated synaptic refinement during brain development. Complement C3 is elevated in Alzheimer's disease (AD), colocalizing with neuritic plaques, and appears to contribute to clearance of Aβ by microglia in the brain. Previously, we reported that C3-deficient C57BL/6 mice were protected against age-related and region-specific loss of hippocampal synapses and cognitive decline during normal aging. Furthermore, blocking complement and downstream iC3b/CR3 signaling rescued synapses from Aβ-induced loss in young AD mice before amyloid plaques had accumulated. We assessed the effects of C3 deficiency in aged, plaque-rich APPswe/PS1dE9 transgenic mice (APP/PS1; KO). We examined the effects of C3 deficiency on cognition, Aβ plaque deposition, and plaque-related neuropathology at later AD stages in these mice. We found that 16-month-old APP/PS1; KO mice performed better on a learning and memory task than did APP/PS1 mice, despite having more cerebral Aβ plaques. Aged APP/PS1; KO mice also had fewer microglia and astrocytes localized within the center of hippocampal Aβ plaques compared to APP/PS1 mice. Several proinflammatory cytokines in the brain were reduced in APP/PS1; KO mice, consistent with an altered microglial phenotype. C3 deficiency also protected APP/PS1 mice against age-dependent loss of synapses and neurons. Our study suggests that complement C3 or downstream complement activation fragments may play an important role in Aβ plaque pathology, glial responses to plaques, and neuronal dysfunction in the brains of APP/PS1 mice.

Previous research reported the first case of resistance to mesotrione and other 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD) herbicides in a waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus) population designated MCR (for McLean County mesotrione-and atrazineresistant). Herein, experiments were conducted to determine if target site or nontarget site mechanisms confer mesotrione resistance in MCR. Additionally, the basis for atrazine resistance was investigated in MCR and an atrazine-resistant but mesotrione-sensitive population (ACR for Adams County mesotrione-sensitive but atrazine-resistant). A standard sensitive population (WCS for Wayne County herbicide-sensitive) was also used for comparison. Mesotrione resistance was not due to an alteration in HPPD sequence, HPPD expression, or reduced herbicide absorption. Metabolism studies using whole plants and excised leaves revealed that the time for 50% of absorbed mesotrione to degrade in MCR was significantly shorter than in ACR and WCS, which correlated with previous phenotypic responses to mesotrione and the quantity of the metabolite 4-hydroxy-mesotrione in excised leaves. The cytochrome P450 monooxygenase inhibitors malathion and tetcyclacis significantly reduced mesotrione metabolism in MCR and corn (Zea mays) excised leaves but not in ACR. Furthermore, malathion increased mesotrione activity in MCR seedlings in greenhouse studies. These results indicate that enhanced oxidative metabolism contributes significantly to mesotrione resistance in MCR. Sequence analysis of atrazine-resistant (MCR and ACR) and atrazine-sensitive (WCS) waterhemp populations detected no differences in the psbA gene. The times for 50% of absorbed atrazine to degrade in corn, MCR, and ACR leaves were shorter than in WCS, and a polar metabolite of atrazine was detected in corn, MCR, and ACR that cochromatographed with a synthetic atrazineglutathione conjugate. Thus, elevated rates of metabolism via distinct detoxification mechanisms contribute to mesotrione and atrazine resistance within the MCR population.

PKD2, or polycystin 2, the product of the gene mutated in type 2 autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, belongs to the transient receptor potential channel superfamily and has been shown to function as a nonselective cation channel in the plasma membrane. However, the mechanism of PKD2 activation remains elusive. We show that PKD2 overexpression increases epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced inward currents in LLC-PK1 kidney epithelial cells, while the knockdown of endogenous PKD2 by RNA interference or the expression of a pathogenic missense variant, PKD2-D511V, blunts the EGF-induced response. Pharmacological experiments indicate that the EGF-induced activation of PKD2 occurs independently of store depletion but requires the activity of phospholipase C (PLC) and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K). Pipette infusion of purified phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) suppresses the PKD2-mediated effect on EGF-induced conductance, while pipette infusion of phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate (PIP3) does not have any effect on this conductance. Overexpression of type Iα phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate 5-kinase [PIP(5)Kα], which catalyzes the formation of PIP2, suppresses EGF-induced currents. Biochemical experiments show that PKD2 physically interacts with PLC-γ2 and EGF receptor (EGFR) in transfected HEK293T cells and colocalizes with EGFR and PIP2 in the primary cilium of LLC-PK1 cells. We propose that plasma membrane PKD2 is under negative regulation by PIP2. EGF may reduce the threshold of PKD2 activation by mechanical and other stimuli by releasing it from PIP2-mediated inhibition.

Microglia participate in innate inflammatory responses within the central nervous system. The highly conserved microRNA-9 (miR-9) plays critical roles in neurogenesis as well as axonal extension. Its role in microglial inflammatory responses, however, remains poorly understood. Here we identify a unique role of miR-9 in mediating the microglial inflammatory response via distinct signalling pathways. MiR-9-mediated regulation of cellular activation involved downregulated expression of the target protein, monocyte chemotactic protein-induced protein 1 (MCPIP1) that is crucial for controlling inflammation. Results indicate that miR-9-mediated cellular activation involved signalling via the NF-κB pathway, but not the β-catenin pathway.

A previous study from this laboratory has shown that cardiac sympathetic afferent stimulation by epicardial application of bradykinin (BK) and capsaicin was significantly enhanced in the dog with experimental heart failure (HF). The present study determined whether activity from cardiac sympathetic chemosensitive afferent endings is enhanced in HF. Rapid ventricular pacing was induced in six dogs. Five sham dogs served as controls. At the time of the acute experiment, the dogs were anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium (30 mg/kg iv). A thoracotomy was performed in the second intercostal space, and single afferent fiber discharge from the left cardiac sympathetic nerve was recorded. Baseline cardiac sympathetic afferent discharge rate (spikes/s) and its responses to intra-atrial injection of BK were compared between sham and HF groups. Baseline cardiac sympathetic afferent discharge rate in the HF group was significantly elevated compared with the sham group (4.3 ± 0.5 vs. 2.2 ± 0.6 spikes/s, P < 0.05). In addition, cardiac sympathetic afferent responses to left intra-atrial injection of bradykinin (2 and 5 μg/kg) and capsaicin (5 and 10 μg/kg) were also significantly augmented. The sensitized cardiac sympathetic afferent responses to BK (2 and 5 μg/kg, left intra-atrial injection) in the HF group were significantly reduced by the cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin (5 mg/kg iv). The sensitized cardiac sympathetic afferent response to capsaicin (5 and 10 μg/kg, left intra-atrial injection) in the HF group was preserved. It is suggested that the cardiac sympathetic chemosensitive afferent sensitivity is significantly enhanced in dogs with HF even though the baseline cardiac sympathetic afferent discharge is elevated.