Microglia, the resident inflammatory cells of the CNS, are the only CNS cells that express the fractalkine receptor (CX3CR1). Using three different in vivo models, we show that CX3CR1 deficiency dysregulates microglial responses, resulting in neurotoxicity. Following peripheral lipopolysaccharide injections, Cx3cr1-/- mice showed cell-autonomous microglial neurotoxicity. In a toxic model of Parkinson disease and a transgenic model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Cx3cr1-/- mice showed more extensive neuronal cell loss than Cx3cr1+ littermate controls. Augmenting CX3CR1 signaling may protect against microglial neurotoxicity, whereas CNS penetration by pharmaceutical CX3CR1 antagonists could increase neuronal vulnerability.

The prefrontal cortex encompasses a large and heterogeneous set of areas, whose borders have been variously mapped in different architectonic studies. Differences in cortical maps present a formidable problem in comparing data across studies and in constructing databanks on the connections and functional attributes of cortical areas. Here we used quantitative approaches to cortical mapping to investigate (i) if architectonic areas of the prefrontal cortex in adult rhesus monkeys have unique profiles and (ii) if groups of architectonic areas belonging to distinct cortical types, ranging from agranular to eulaminate, have similar features. In addition, we used multidimensional analyses to see if, and how, prefrontal areas form clusters when multiple features are considered simultaneously. We used quantitative unbiased sampling procedures to estimate the areal and laminar density of neurons, glia and neurons positive for the calcium binding proteins parvalbumin (PV), calbindin (CB) and calretinin (CR) among 21 prefrontal areas or subdivisions of areas. Neuronal density varied among the prefrontal cortices (range: 38 569 +/- 4078 to 58 708 +/- 2327 neurons/mm(3)); it was lowest in caudal orbitofrontal and medial areas (OPAll, OPro, 13, 24a, 32, M25) and highest in lateral prefrontal areas (subdivisions of areas 46 and 8). Neurons positive for PV were most prevalent in lateral prefrontal areas and least prevalent in caudal orbitofrontal and medial pre-frontal areas, whereas the opposite trend was noted for neurons that expressed CB. Neurons positive for CR did not show regional differences, and the density of glia showed small variations among prefrontal cortices. The differences among areas, along with differences in the thickness of individual areas and layers, were used to establish a quantitative profile for each area. The results showed that differences in the density of neurons, and the preponderance of neurons positive for PV and CB, were related to different architectonic types of areas found within the prefrontal cortex. Conventional as well as multiparameter statistical analyses distinguished at one extreme the agranular and dysgranular (limbic) cortices, which were characterized by prominent deep layers (V-VI), the lowest neuronal density, the highest ratio of glia/neurons, and the lowest density of PV and the highest for CB. At the other extreme, lateral eulaminate cortices were characterized by the highest density of neurons, a prominent granular layer IV, denser supragranular (II-III) than infragranular (V-VI) layers, and a balanced distribution of neurons positive for PV and CB. The results provide insights into potentially different rates of development or maturation of limbic and eulaminate prefrontal areas, and their differential vulnerability in neurological and psychiatric diseases. The quantitative methods used provide an objective approach to construct maps, address differences in nomenclature across studies, establish homologies in different species and provide a baseline to identify changes in ...

Brain tumor initiating cells (BTICs) coopt the neuronal high affinity GLUT3 glucose transporter to withstand metabolic stress. Here, we investigated another mechanism critical to brain metabolism, mitochondrial morphology. BTICs displayed mitochondrial fragmentation relative to non-BTICs, suggesting that BTICs have increased mitochondrial fission. The essential mediator of mitochondrial fission, dynamin-related protein 1 (DRP1), was activated in BTICs and inhibited in non-BTICs. Targeting DRP1 using RNA interference or pharmacologic inhibition induced BTIC apoptosis and inhibited tumor growth. Downstream, DRP1 activity regulated the essential metabolic stress sensor, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and AMPK targeting rescued the effects of DRP1 disruption. Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) phosphorylated DRP1 to increase its activity in BTICs, whereas Ca2+–calmodulin-dependent protein kinase 2 (CAMK2) inhibited DRP1 in non-BTICs, suggesting tumor cell differentiation induces a regulatory switch in mitochondrial morphology. DRP1 activation correlates with poor prognosis in glioblastoma, suggesting mitochondrial dynamics may represent a therapeutic target for BTICs.

Summary:Purpose: It has been suggested that altered drug permeability across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) may be involved in pharmacoresistance to antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). To test this hypothesis further, we measured multiple drug resistance (MDR) gene expression in endothelial cells (ECs) isolated from temporal lobe blood vessels of patients with refractory epilepsy. ECs from umbilical cord or temporal lobe vessels obtained from aneurysm surgeries were used as comparison tissue.Methods: cDNA arrays were used to determine MDR expression. MDR protein (MRP1) immunocytochemistry and Western blot analysis were used to confirm cDNA array data.Results: We found overexpression of selected MDR and significantly higher P-glycoprotein levels in "epileptic" versus "control" ECs. Specifically, MDR1, cMRP/MRP2, and MRP5 were upregulated in epileptic tissue, whereas Pgp3/MDR3 levels were comparable to those measured in comparison tissue. The gene encoding cisplatin resistance-associated protein (hCRA-␣) also was overexpressed in epileptic tissue. Immunocytochemical analysis revealed that MDR1 immunoreactivity was localized primarily in ECs; MRP1 protein levels also were significantly higher in epileptic tissue.Conclusions: Complex MDR expression changes may play a role in AEDs pharmacoresistance by altering the permeability of AEDs across the BBB.