Curcumin decreases astrocytic reaction after gliotoxic injury in the rat brainstem

Abstract

Recent studies have demonstrated that curcumin (Cur) has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic effects. Ethidium bromide (EB) injections into the central nervous system (CNS) are known to induce local oligodendroglial and astrocytic loss, resulting in primary demyelination and neuroinflammation. Peripheral astrogliosis is seen around the injury site with increased immunoreactivity to glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). This investigation aimed to evaluate the effect of Cur administration on astrocytic response following gliotoxic injury. Wistar rats were injected with EB into the cisterna pontis and treated, or not, with Cur (100 mg/kg/day, intraperitoneal route) during the experimental period. Brainstem sections were collected at 15, 21 and 31 days after EB injection and processed for GFAP immunohistochemical staining. Astrocytic reactivity was measured in a computerized system for image analysis. In Cur-treated rats, the GFAP-stained area around the lesion was significantly smaller in all periods after EB injection compared to untreated animals, showing that Cur reduces glial scar development following injury.Keywords: astrocytes; curcumin; ethidium; gliosis; gliotoxin. RESUMOEstudos recentes têm demonstrado que a curcumina (Cur) possui efeitos antioxidantes, anti-inflamatórios e antifibróticos. Sabe-se que a injeção de brometo de etídio (EB) no sistema nervoso central induz a perda oligodendroglial e astrocitária, resultando em desmielinização primária e neuroinflamação. Astrogliose periférica é observada ao redor da lesão com aumento da imunorreatividade à proteína glial fibrilar ácida (GFAP). A presente investigação objetivou avaliar o efeito da Cur sobre a resposta astrocitária após injúria gliotóxica. Ratos Wistar foram injetados com EB na cisterna basal e tratados ou não com Cur (100 mg/kg/dia, via intraperitoneal) durante o período experimental. Amostras do tronco encefálico foram coletadas aos 15, 21 e 31 dias pós-injeção de EB e processadas para estudo imuno-histoquímico para a GFAP. A reatividade astrocitária foi medida em um sistema computadorizado para análise de imagem. Nos ratos tratados com Cur, a área marcada para GFAP foi significantemente menor em todos os períodos pós-injeção de EB, indicando que a Cur reduz o desenvolvimento da cicatriz glial após injúria.

RETRACTED ARTICLE: Curcumin inhibits proliferation, migration, invasion and promotes apoptosis of retinoblastoma cell lines through modulation of miR-99a and JAK/STAT pathway

“…Curcumin, a nature yellow pigment, is the primary active ingredient extracted from the rhizome of the East Indian plant Curcuma longa [ 5 ]. Currently, multiple therapeutic properties of curcumin have been recognized, including anti-inflammatory, anti-neoplastic [ 6 ], anti-oxidant [ 7 ], anti-fibrotic [ 8 ], and anti-ischemic [ 9 ] effects.…”

Dietary Curcumin Prevented Astrocytosis, Microgliosis, and Apoptosis Caused by Acute and Chronic Exposure to Ozone

“…Astrocytes are the most abundant population of glial cells in the CNS and they play an essential role in neuronal homeostasis. Astrocytes respond to CNS damage with hypertrophy and cell proliferation, a process known as “reactive astrocytosis” [16,40]. Our results show that the acute exposure to O 3 caused an increased immunoreactivity to GFAP, as well as an increase in the number of astrocytes in the CA1 and CA3 regions of the hippocampus.…”

Long-term effects of curcumin in the non-human primate brain

“…If this is the case, then lowered GFA in the frontal cortex of curcumin treated animals can be postulated as an increased complexity due to intactness of subneuronal components. On the other hand, a protective role of curcumin in the brain stem or spinal cord has been empirically shown in recent studies (Bondan et al, 2017; Yuan et al, 2017). Effects include preventing demyelination or axonal degeneration, which can cause more structured diffusivity in the tissue medium and increase measures of white matter integrity.…”